Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

What exactly did Polian do to help find a QB previously? He signed Kelly once the USFL had folded and he had no other options, but he was a player who was drafted by someone else, not Polian. Can give him some credit for selecting Manning over Leaf, but in hindsight doesn'ty look like that was such a tough thing to figure out. I guess he deserves credit for making sure that a team that was 10-6 the year prior and lost the wild card,and the same team who one year prior lost the Super Bowl, had pretty much no backup in place so once Manning got hurt they ended up wit ha 2-14 record and giving his successor the option to draft Andrew Luck. I guess Polian deserves credit for knowing when to suck. There are over 20 teams in the league that all could use help finding a QB. Whaley doesn't need help to find a QB, he just needs luck, just like every other team.

Even then alot of luck involved. After going 2-14 the "franchise QB" that year could be the next Ryan Leaf. Tampa likely will go 2-14, what are the odds they will become great drafting either Winston or the guy from Oregon? If you think you're going to do it in 2016, you're really puishing it with one of them. Many years there are no Andrew Lucks out there, many RGIII's who will look great for a year or two. Then you may be starting over again. Which brings up the point of faulting Whaley for not drafting a franchise QB is laughable. If it were that easy there wouldn't be over 20 teams without one.

And one of the things he got ripped for was not having a backup QB in place when Manning got hurt. Now people here want him as GM, but yet he left the Colts bare at QB just like many here fault Whaley for, If you're going to bring him in fora one year consultant job great, but anything more particularly when he starts bringing his son anywhere near the team, get rid of him fast. If Russ B goes I think it will be more a mutually agreed upon thing, that his job here is done, he's not getting fired though. Next stop for Russ will be the NFL office. Wouldn't be shocked within 10 to 15 years he's the new commissioner! Or maybe 10 to 15 days/months depending how things good for Roger.

Spot on!! when he was the defacto "GM", I doubt he was much more than a sounding board for DJ and Nix. If them two would disagree, he may after listening to both sides be the tie breaker vote. That's why he he likely removed himself from that position. There's going to be alot of very disappointed people on this board next week as likely the only change that may occur is the replacing of Hackert and the offensive staff. Likely Whaley and RB will be back and I'd be very disappointed if they canned Whaley as they'd be hard pressed to find a better replacement and please don't suggest 70 year old Bill Pollian.

If your argument for Harbaugh is for strong defense and running game, we already got one without him. As to the running game, you need players both at RB and O-line. Not that I think Marrone is a better coach, but based on your reasoning, leaves little reason to make a change as Marrone gave you one of two and second one isn't on him as much as on players

You can only afford so much money for one position. Signing Darius to a new contract is likely going to cost big $$, so unless they plan to let Mario W walk, I think you let Hughes go unless you can sign him for a reasonable amount of money. They also have two or three other guys for depth or find and sign a much cheaper version of Hughes

Franchise tags only apply to fre agents which he is not, so that does no good here. I suppose the other option for the Bears would be work out a trade, the get Cutler to agree to redo the contract to convert say $10 mil of the $15 mil into a signing bonus. Chicago would have a $1o mil salary cap hit, but the new team would only cost them $5mil in salary. Maybe as part of the contract redo, he reduces his 2016 salary. What's in it for Cutler, $10 mil upfront and still gets $5 mil in salary Though I thought there's something out there that prevents a team from re-doing a contract after only one season??

Could it be he just isn't as good as he thinks he is. I recall back in training camp, there were some reports he may not make the team. Maybe it's some lingering small injury that he can play through fine, but makes him lose a step or even just a 1/4 or a step, but in the NFL even a 1/4 step is enough to make a guy like Chris Hogan look better than he is. NFL players have high egos, he also doesn't strike me as exactly the sharpest guy and he can't see thatimself. He thinks he's at the top of his game, but he's really not. The other thing could be he just doesn't practice that hard and that caused him to fall ot of favor with Orton. If Orton doesn't feel confident ot pass him the ball why play him. Or could be some slight injury is causing him to not practice that hard.

I would take that one large step further. I don't believe even when RB was the GM he was making many football decisions and I mean that in a good way. Pure speculation but I'd be shocked if in most cases he didn't defer to either Dick J or Buddy and he'd just sign off on it. In some cases, maybe often Dick and Buddy may disagree, those may be the few times he did make any kind of a decision as he'd then break the tie. But really can't see Dick J being the type who'd dig his heels in on much of anything and even if he did, would anyone notice. I don't think RB ever even wanted to be the GM, but Ralph asked him so he did it but within what was it two years handed it off to Buddy. At that point in time Ralph was not involved with much of anything so would have been very easy for RB to convince Ralph to leave him as GM if RB wanted to. Making Buddy the GM was likely Russ's idea to start with.

Bills Raiders must be a considered a big game, Simms is the broadcaster! Oh wait.....

Mrs Stein gets a call from the medical lab We're sorry to tell you that we had a mix up at the lab, the same day your husband came in for testing we had a second Mr Stein come in too and we've mixed up the lab results. We don't know if he has Alzheimer's or VD Oh dear she saws, well can't you retest him? Unfortunately Medicare won't approve a second repeat test. So what do I do? Well Medciare did have a suggestion, drop him off in the middle of downtown, if he finds his way home, don't sleep with him!

Has anyone actually figured it out, if we had won the KC where we'd be in the playoff standings? 9-5, tied with Pitt and Balt, but believe we'd get tie breaker over Balt on about the 5th tie breaker or so??

A year ago, many here were commenting how good Bradley was looking as a coach and how bad Marrone was thoug hmany here would still argue for the latter. Still LOLat the change in opinion on Bradley Amazed at how long he's already lasted, but helps alot when playing for a cheap owner whom doesn't like eating contracts.

It's kind of funny last winter many here were ripping the Bills for signing Schwartz based on his record and failings as a HC. Somehow thta was going to also make him a failure as a DC Now based on his success as a DC everyone is talking about how he likely will be offered a HC job.

LOL What would you hope to see, Marrone state in a press conference, "yeah my entire staff will be evaluated at seasons end, and some may find themselves out the door"?? Coaches, GM's, owners will tell you everything is great until they fire the guy. By Jan 5th or so if Hackert is still the OC of the Bill's then I'd agree with you in that I too see no evidence. Until then nothing said or not said means anything.

I think Agent 91 is Jim Littman in disguise? Check??

Hmmmm......Trying to decide if that is to be done in joy or sorrow??

Just talking here at work with a few others, trying to figure out what the rules are exactly on the free kick after the safety with regards to an onsides attempt. Normally after a safety, teams always punt it, but don't recall an on-sides attempt ever coming into play at the same time. I believe teams could kick off the Tee after a safety on the "free" kick, but never do as they get more hang time off the punt so smarter play. In this case, I'm wondering why though they didn't kick off the tee as more experience attewmpting on-sides kicks off a normal kickoff from a tee. In this case it ended up a rather feable attempt coming of fthe punt. Anyone know the specifics around the rules on that??

Could it also be that Orton (specifically his arm) is gassed out from no training camp, OTA's etc?

Was hoping Dallas would have been on the road as potential Thanksgiving day game. Though now with the changing confernece game coverage, anything is possible, but CBS will broadcast the late game from Dallas next year. If NE plays in Dallas, that may be the Thanksgiving day. That being said from looking at their schedule, I do agree with the exception of Philly, and either SD/KC the teams they play at home are the tougher draws based on this seasons play. But more often than not teams that you think will play real well end up having down years and other teams look much better. Every seaso nyou can count on one or two like that.

Got to say top to bottom our secondary has been playing great over the past five or six weeks. Not sure how much is due to pressure up front, certainly some is a product of the rush, but the secondary overall has played great lately, best I've seen in years.

Can you explain exactly how he is his crony from Syracuse?? Maybe when RB was in high school as a kid he followed Syracuse and watched Marrone play, but that's about the closest their paths crossed, other than yes RB was born in the same city that Marrone played college at and eventually coached in the same city over 25 years after Brandon left as a kid. But hey when you're on a vendetta, don't let facts get in the way of making a point.

Really, tell me when has a coach ever pulled a QB when he is winning the game?? LOL I'm sure if I go back through your posts I'd find that you hate Marrone, so good opportunity to rag on him, even though your reasoning is just plain dumb and never happens.

I could be wrong on this but I don't recall TP stating he absolutely will hire a consultant. Thought he stated he MAY do that and seems everyone in the media and this site took it as gospel. That being said I do tend to agree with the OP in that would be difficult to make any types of changes this off-season as would take some time to decide what is and isn't working. Unless the person is actually brought in to flat out clean house, and not to determine what is or isn't working.

Agree, but that's all about 20 other teams have too. Would I like to find the franchise that everyone wants, sure, but so would many other teams and in half of the case when they do find one it's more dumb luck (see Tom Brady) It doesn't mean they shouldn't try and find one, but we could be worse off. And I don't blame the Bill's FO for not getting one as I realize there are very few to come by. And seems like every year the picking are getting slimmer. I do think the NFL needs to start aggressively working to develop a Stepford QB Also would be interested to see how Orton would look with an improved offensive line and actually an off-season of training camp, OTA's etc under his belt.