Nihilarian

Its not clear at all to me as I have to think that both Russ Brandon, and Doug Whaley gave their stamp of approval on Rex Ryan, and in fact probably endorsed him pretty hard because of his defensive background. The new owners knew nothing about who to hire and their mistake was listening to the men who had been doing it for the last owner. Hell, we all thought that this years Bills defense was going to be special, and instead Ryan changed up his scheme to a cover over pressure. Which took the best sacking / pressuring defense in the league the last two years and made it opposing QB friendly

With the loss to NE the Bills went from the 5th seed to the 8th seed With the loss to KC the Bills went from the 8th seed to the tenth seed Mostly because the Chiefs won and are now 6-5. The Jets won and are now 6-5. Houston won and is now 6-5. Pittsburgh is 6-5 Then the Raiders won and are now 5-6 like Buffalo. Now, does that Houston game still look like an easy win? http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/standings/playoffrace

I'll always think of the three draft picks, two firsts and a fourth for a player when the team still had no franchise QB. Then sit by the last two years and watch his coaches use that player as a decoy or not even use him. Which is as some fans put it "criminal". Drafting two OT's one in the second round, one in the seventh, and both should be backups. Whats telling is this team spent all that money to keep Dareus, Hughes only to see both under utilized by the current coaching staff. Now with both Kyle Williams, and Mario in perhaps their final year in Buffalo. Then with both Cordy Glenn, and Richie Incognito as free agents plus needing to sign Gilmore will be interesting to see what happens. Rex Ryan was a bad choice for a head coach, and I have to think that Doug Whaley recommended him to the new owners. I'm not down with firing anybody just yet, and in fact I'd like to see the team hire that football czar then make him president of football operations. Then let him make the decisions on who to fire, and who to keep. So the team never again uses three draft picks on anything other then a QB. It will also remove Russ Brandon completely from any football decisions, and keep him involved solely in the financial / business side.

Can we all just agree that Rex Ryan was a bad hire! His big mouth usually only manages to fire up the opposing team and give them bulletin board material to motivate them to shut him up. The Penalties! The team did manage to get better the previous three games only screw up the most important game of the season 9 for 91 yards The cover over pressure scheme Ryan has been running with his defense has stunk all year, save one game when he changed it for the second Patriots game. Ryan has trouble managing a game, and making the right flag calls. I highly doubt this team will ever see the playoffs with Rex Ryan as the head coach!

You have to figure that they were swayed by the CEO, and GM into thinking that they had a plan in place and needed to see it run its course. That was probably the reason that the new owners never did hire that football czar they attempted to hire in Bill Polian. How long these new owners will continue to listen to that CEO, and GM really depends on how the team finishes this year. I would think not for long if the team continues to lose games the way they lost this one! These new owners didn't become billionaires by making stupid decisions or hiring stupid people. Give them some time, and they will make the right changes.

This! Half a good game doesn't mean he had a good game. 14 of 26 for 236 yards, 2 TD's by the half. Then he went 7 of 12 for 50 yards in the second half. Watkins had 9 targets, 6 receptions for 158 yards, 2 TD's at the half! Then had one target for no receptions in the second half The Bills inability to do much on offense in the second half, and the defensive scheme went back to that cover over pressure crap that allows the opposing QB time to do whatever he wants. Then Ryan and his coaching staff can't manage a game to save their lives. Its an embarrassment to be a Bills fan at times.

You had to wonder which team err, which part of the team was going to show up today? Sammy and Tyrod had a terrific first half, and then had an invisible second half. This happened so much at the beginning of the season only in reverse. Well, with Taylor anyway. Hey, at least Tyrod found the middle of the field, and Sammy Watkins at some point, and then somehow forgot how to find them. At the half, Taylor 14 of 26 for 236 yards, 2 TD's. Then the second half 7 of 12 for 50 yards, 1 TD! Watkins first half 9 targets 6 receptions for 158 yards, 2 TD's! Second half....ONE TARGET, NO RECEPTIONS!!! The defense played great against Brady even with without both Kyle & Mario, and put more pressure on Brady then he has seen the last 7 years. Then changed up the defense again to the non pressure cover crap that has allowed most every QB they played against pressure free passing games. Back to being 29th in sacks, pressures. The penalties by the stupid players showed up again in this game, and the players were only able to hold back for a few games before breaking bad again. 9 for 91 yards. This game reminds me of the loss at Oakland last year...with better coaching this game could / should have been a win! No worries though because Rex Ryan is under contract for 5 mill per for another four years

You see, its because of the last 15 years that I can become emotionally detached at this point in the season simply for the reason that we all saw so many, many mistakes by this new coaching staff all year long. I mean WTF, it takes 8 games to get the penalties under control for two games, and then they rear their ugly head in a game that has a playoff ramification. The defense plays great for the first time in ten games, and finally puts great pressure on the opposing QB only to go back to what stunk for the first 9 games. The offense fails to have the QB throw over the middle or get the ball to their primary receiver for most of the season, and when they finally manage to do those things...the other bad things pop up again in penalties, bad defensive scheme. While others are so always filled by that Buffalo Bills eternal optimism. I'm now a wait and see type of guy. I don't feel bad for them because they have been suckered enough by Brandon to know better. The people I feel bad for are the Pegula's who were sold a goods by a snake charmer to the tune of 25 million over 5 years. In that sense I feel badly for all Bills fans that they are still having to endure another mess of a team, and for who knows how long. More years of missed playoffs ahead.

Yea, only four more years to go on Rex's contract. 2020 playoffs!

I'm not gonna complain, for the first half Taylor 14 of 26 for 236 yards, 2 TD's SAMMY 9 targets with 6 rec for 158 yards 2 TD's WOW!!

wow, Bills O finally using SAMMY like they should !

Exactly! The Bills haven't had a quality head coach since Marv Levy, Wade Phillips, and just because the team is paying Rex Ryan 5 mill per it doesn't make him a quality hire. However, if you look at Colin Kaepernick he started to stink while Roman was still the 49ers OC. So, while Greg Roman might have the ability to build an excellent running attack (provided he has the talent at RB, and on the line) he looks to leave something to be desired in the passing game. Why can't Tyrod Taylor throw more often to Sammy Watkins? That's like obtaining McCoy, and then handing the ball off most of the game to Boobie Dixon. Constantly using Watkins as a decoy is simply lame when you have a player with that much talent, and choose to throw to Chris Hogan more often instead. Also, why does Taylor have a problem throwing over the middle, or why is he avoiding doing it?

While I partially agree with that statement to a point because it does come down to evaluating the talent. It also comes down to finding the right guy to fit the system you are running, or for the most part the typical prototype pocket passing QB. Some teams want a west coast type, or one that can run the spread, pistol or option. Look what happened this year when you take a prolific pro in Peyton Manning and put him into a play action offense over his shotgun fast read scheme. It doesn't work very well, and can take time to learn to play differently. Its also important to pick the right GM first! Who then picks the right head coach, and if you don't have those two it really doesn't matter who you draft at QB because they probably won't succeed. An example might be Pagano vs Arians

I think everyone was expecting playoffs, and to have the #1 defense in the NFL. The latter has been the biggest letdown, and until this past week it looked so UN Rex Ryan like! Penalties were a huge problem until week 8! Will this trend continue or go back to ultra stupid? Special teams coverage units, and kick return units stink to high heaven. it took 10 games to fix the defense, and we don't know if that was an anomaly or will they continue to bring the heat? Sammy Watkins still not seeing the ball enough each game! what does it say about an offense that refuses to utilize a player that coast the team 3 draft picks, and two number ones? The starting QB won't throw over the middle So it looks like there could be lots of "fall guys" depending on how this team finishes the season. Currently the 5-5 Buffalo Bills after the loss to NE went from the 5th seed in the playoffs to the 8th seed, and out of the playoff picture behind (5th seed Pittsburgh 6-4) (6th seed KC 5-5)( 7th seed Houston 5-5). The Bills need to win a bunch of games to keep up with a red hot KC, and hot Houston. The Jets are also 5-5, and hot on their heals are the Jags, Phins, Raiders at 4-6. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/standings/playoffrace

Buffalo-will Taylor ever throw over the middle, and stay healthy? RT- QB-OLB Jets - Is Geno the answer, with a new coaching staff and GM who knows? OLB Denver Is QB Brock Osweiler the answer, who knows? 1-0 so far.OT Washington is Kirk Cousins the answer? QB Philadelphia is Sam Bradford the answer, and will Chip Kelly stay? OG New Orleans Will Sean Payton still be in NO next year, and if not will Drew Brees still be? CB St Louis is Nick Foles the answer with so many injuries? WR Six QB's ranked to go in the first or second round Paxton Lynch 1 Jared Goff 1 Connor Cook 1 Christian Hackenberg 2 Cason Wentz 2 Cardale Jones 2-3 http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospectrankings/2016/QB

Its usually the offense that takes so much longer to assimilate, as there are so many more plays to learn. Anyway, it wasn't so much the learning curve as it was the scheme, and that is so obvious in the difference between both the Patriots games. In the first game Ryan had his defense playing a soft cover scheme in which he had the DB's were playing ten yards off the line of scrimmage, and his DT's more involved in gap control then rushing the passer. Then the front four were also dropping back into pass coverage in a zone blitz type scheme. The defense didn't get hardly any pressure on Brady that entire game, and he scorched them for it. From that first game, Ryan's defensive game plan couldn't put pressure on Tom Brady-- the Bills disrupted (a sack, batted ball, passed defense or interception) only 9.8 percent of Brady's dropbacks, a lower rate than in any of the Bills' 2014 games -- and he never seemed to have an effective plan for stopping either Rob Gronkowski or Julian Edelman." http://espn.go.com/b...defensive-staff This last game even without Mario Williams the Bills were going after Brady so much more, and to the tune of...Brady was pressured (hit, sack, or duress) on 20 of his 40 drop backs Monday, his most in a game in the past 7 seasons!! This was the defense we were all expecting from Rex Ryan at the start of the year, and the only thing that changed between the games is the scheme that the team ran.

Damn right! Why did it take 10 games? This is what I've been talking about since that week two debacle when Ryan used a soft cover scheme instead of a heavy rush. The team also looks like it fixed the penalty problem that plagued the team for 8 games. Now, if they can only figure out a way to get Sammy 10+ touches a game! Have Tyrod Taylor start throwing over the middle! Get the special teams coverage & kick off / return units to start playing as well as the kickers.

I agree, and this is usually the byproduct of an undisclosed injury that the QB / team keeps quiet about. When Rodgers is fully healthy he is unstoppable, and the very best in the league. Perhaps he was injured in that Denver game. Losing to Detroit, and Chicago should have never happened. Jebus, 61 passes against Detroit, and only 18 rushes. How un packer like! That Packer run game is 17th in attempts, and 10th in yards which says to me to start running the ball a whole lot more to help set up the passing game, and take pressure away from Rodgers.

This! Arians was instrumental in Luck getting into the playoffs when he took over from Chuck Pagano in 2013, and one team was smart enough to sign him as their new HC the next year. Now mind you that next season the Cardinals finished 10-6 in the same division with the 13-3 Seahawks, and 12-4 49ers. Those Cardinals were also one of the three teams to beat the Seahawks that year. Lets also not forget that Carson Palmer only played in 6 games last year, and Drew Stanton started 8 games, Ryan Lindley (who?) started in two games. The Cards still managed to finish 11-5. Right now the Cardinals have the #1 offense in yards & Points, and are still good defensively (#14 yards points allowed) after losing Todd Bowles to the jets. It just shows you hire the right guy as HC and it can have an immediate positive impact no matter how good the other teams are in the division. I can see the 8-2 Cardinals in the SB this year, or 11-0 Carolina Panthers. Just sayin! OTOH, did the Bills hire the right guy in Ryan, and why did it take ten games to finally see his defense play like it should have from the start? Why did it take 9 games to get the penalty problem under control? Will the special teams coverage units & KR's ever start playing as well as the kickers? Can the starting QB stay healthy, and will we ever see him start throwing over the middle this year? Lastly, this team spent three draft picks on a super star WR, and then doesn't hardly throw to him game after game. Will we ever see Sammy Watkins ever get ten touches in a game? Coaching!

I don't envision any upcoming game as an easy game except for Dallas now that Romo is done. Both KC & Houston have a top ten defense so neither looks like it will be an easy game. It really all depends on which defense / QB shows up for every game. Will we see the defense that played the Patriots in week two or the one in week 10? Same with Taylor, and will we see the QB that played well against Patriots in the first game or the one against the Patriots in week 11. Will this team keep the penalties down to a survivable number? Will this offense ever get Sammy Watkins more involved in the offense? So many maybes, and If's Losing to NE the Bills slipped from the 5th seed to the 8th behind Pitt, KC, and Houston. Every game is a playoff game now.

he is broke, and looking for $$$

No, its not a fair comparison! But I did make the comparison of the Texans trio of scrubs at QB, and I think Taylor is better then any of those three. I don't know what the real reason is as to why Watkins is not seeing at least ten targets a game, and because the other guy is in single coverage should not be the reason. The primary focus of this teams passing game should be their best pass catching weapon, and it should be for at least 10 targets a game. They have had all off season, pre season, and 10 games to get in sync.

I just don't get why more Bills fans fail to see that every defense does that to the top receivers on other teams, and yet they usually still see many, many targets. Its just more excuses. This last game the Bills managed to take TE Rob Gronkowski completley away from Brady. So instead Brady went to Danny Amendola 12 times for 9 rec over 117 receiving yards. But you can bet the world that if Edleman was healthy he would have seen the majority of the targets regardless of the defensive coverage. I don't know if its as simple as looking off the primary receiver, and then getting the ball to him. Plus what we don't know is who the primary target is on each pass play. Still, it shouldn't matter when you have a player as explosive as Sammy Watkins you should make every effort to get him the ball all game long!! Then coverage be damned, because that is exactly what happens with players like Julio Jones, DeAndre Hopkins, Antonio Brown ect.