Estro

Problem is Pegula was duped into a 5 year contract with Rex, like a fool. The whole thing was a mess. I don't have faith Pegula know what he's doing, which is why the presence of Russ Brandon is ever the more concerning because I think Terry and Kim really lean on Russ's opinions and advice heavily, which is a huge mistake. The advice Polian gave to the Pegulas is looking more right by the day. Tyrod is nothing more than a stopgap, and you're absolutely no where as an organization until you find the right QB and the right coaching staff. Right now we have neither.

100% agree. But why the pay raise this year and next year. Did Roman not have a chance to tell Whaley that Tyrod isn't very good? I mean how do you justify that pay raise.

That's the problem though Kirby. After 16 years of boring, inept and inadequate football in Western New York I'm not willing to make excuses for someone who has directly contributed to the many mistakes and bad hires the Bills have had over that time. I mean just look at the passing stats for the Bills over the last 10 years. I think they've finished just one time out of the last 10 years above top 20th in the league in passing. It's a joke. We continue to punt the football from 4th and short on the opposing side of the field, down by 3 points in the 4th quarter. Russ is "contributing" to hiring the people that are making these lame, risk averse decisions, that have a direct result in the Bills losing on Sundays. Why do we accept what math shows to be unacceptable on Sundays year in and year out. When you hire philosophies and coaching styles that still think you don't need to pass the hell out of the football and that you don't need to be very aggressive on 4th and shorts from their side of the 50 (particularly when trailing) then you are just ignoring the facts, you're ignoring the math: And that is totally unacceptable. And anyone who has "contributed" to hiring the men who have adopted those philosophies here in Buffalo does not get a pass from me, because it directly effects the W's and L's on the football field. At the very least, I wish the Bills would get with it and hire someone with a laptop to stand next to the HC, and advise him mathematically when it is wise to go for it and when it is wise to punt it on 4th and short. I'm available for hire, I'm sure Mike Schoop would love to do it. Anyone with half a brain who accepts math and win %'s would be happy to assist the Bills with data that they are simply ignoring and it's baffling. I think just that alone would do more for the Bills success on the field than this "robust" analytical dept. that Russ bragged about, that still has us near last in passing offense annually, taking timeouts on 2nd downs early in the 3rd quarte that come back to bite us, and still punting away games.

Kirby I respect the post, but you're off base IMO. Russ Brandon has a bigger role than ticket sales, sponsorships and marketing. Several people have already posted articles with direct quotes that prove Russ Brandon does much more than report to Pegula about ticket sales and marketing campaigns. He was one of 3 men in the final interviews for both the Rex Ryan and Doug Marrone hires. Both have been failures. He was a GM for 2 seasons and he was awful. He hired Buddy Nix, who brought along Doug Whaley. So like many have said, if you believe having a hand in hiring the past 2 head coaches and the past 2 GM's is simply a ticket sale and marketing campaign role you're very mistaken. I actually think Whaley had a chance to be a good GM but he has been handicapped by a "marketing guy" meddling on the last 2 coaching hires. And I would like to ask why Russ Brandon would be directly quoted by the owner to "not let Rex out of the building" in the presser following Rex's hire if he were simply a marketing and tickets guy? Do you think the "ticket maestro" should be advising the owner on the head coaching hire, under any circumstances? It's laughable to try and ignore the fact that Russ Brandon's fingerprint aren't all over the mess that has been the Buffalo Bills.

If Hue Jackson was Doug Whaley's #1 choice it gives me a lot more confidence in Doug Whaley, and a lot less confidence in the Pegulas. I already have none in Russ Brandon. When you hire a GM he should have the opportunity to pick the head coach. To neuter a GM and have some think tank that includes Russ Brandon and Terry and Kim Pegula is a joke. I'm not sure it's even a true story, but if it is, it's truly concerning And for the record Hue Jackson was far and away the best choice. An offensive coach who did wonders with Andy Dalton and the Bengals offense. 1 season of pro HC experience w/ the Raiders and finished 8-8. I've always really like his presence and I'm very curious to see how his future shakes out. He was my first choice at the time, so I'm rooting for him to do well.

I could do more for that analytics department by standing next to Rex Ryan on game days with my laptop and following the live analytical websites that tell you what you should do on 4th down......than the Bills have been able to do "building up their robust analytics department" over the last 3 years. But i get your point, I'm just as much a cynic as this team as most who have had to live through this sheer incompetence.

Russ Brandon 1 of 3 men in the room conducting our head coaching search. Russ Brandon a man who has the ear and trust of the owner (also 1 of the 3 men in the interview room) that hired Rex Ryan. Rex Ryan a coach that fundamentally believes in running the ball way too often and punting on 4th and short in the 4th quarter way too often. So look, if you want to believe that Russ Brandon is simply a ticket salesmen and that he doesn't have a big say in who our head coach is, you're a lot more gullible than most informed Bills fans. Also, if the Bills want to start playing smart football and playing the the correct %'s, I'm available for hire. I have a laptop. I follow the 4thdownbot on twitter. I have access to the win % websites, that show when you punt on 4th and 1 from the 50 yard line down 3 in the 4th quarter, your % chance of winning the game goes down. I have capabilities that can help this $1.4 billion franchise win games on the football field. Data and capabilities that this entire organizations seems willing to ignore. Enough already with this incompetence.

I find it odd that so many people seem to defend Russ Brandon when his name comes up for possible criticism. He had a big part, I would argue a very big part, in the hiring of Buddy Nix, Doug Whaley, Chan Gailey, Doug Marrone and Rex Ryan. We know for a fact that Russ Brandon was one of three people in the rooms to interview both Doug Marrone and Rex Ryan. He has been an integral part in the hires of head coaches that seem to have an allergy to passing the football. The head coaches he has hired also love to punt on 4th and 1 from the 50 yard line. The last 2 coaches he's had a big part in hiring love the idea of running the football, punting, and playing the field position battle. So please let's not act like on Sundays when we watch an incompetent offense and a painfully conservative, risk averse coaching staff that it has nothing to do with Russ Brandon. It most certainly does. Do not fool yourself........Russ Brandon has the ear of Terry and Kim Pegula. I've attended many home and away games, and I've seen with my own eyes the relationshop between Russ and the owners. Who is the one who leads both Terry and Kim out onto the field? Who is the one that introduces them to NFL owners, broadcasters, announcers and the like? Who is the one who's gotten a huge promotion and his role expanded under the leadership of the Pegulas? It's Russ Brandon folks. I think being critical of Russ Brandon is not only fair I think it's totally warranted. I've been looking forward to the day for a long time that he's relieved of his duties in Buffalo. I was hopeful that day was near when the Pegulas first took over ownership. Unfortunately, the exact opposite happened. The Pegulas leaned on Russ Brandon big time in their first search of a head coach, and then double downed and handed him a big time promotion. I hope they realize their mistake sooner than later, but it appears we will have to endure many more losing seasons before anything happens.

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I think that there's an argument to be made that we were. This is an offensive driven league, and we will squarely be dead last in offense after week 1. This was a vintage Bills game, though, had all the markings of the last 15 years. Dink and dunk offense, terrible penalties, awful timeout usage, which came back to bite them at the end, and less than 125 passing yards. It's really bad. But Rex told us that was a really good defense we went against today. Please. I know what garbage smells like, and that was garbage today.

Pretty surprised nobody drafted Shepard in your league. He will be a beast. One of my favorite players in the 16 draft. If it's keeper league he's an even better pick up. I see him being a 90 Catholic type receiver by next year

He's proven to be pretty average. I wouldn't expect much more than that. Players getting a lot better due to "experience" isn't totally false, but it happens much less frequently than the media and the puff pieces would have you believe.

I don't understand the disdain for Schoop. He's my favorite guy on WGR. He sometimes irritates callers because he's quick to disagree and get into arguments, but thats whats sports talk radio is about. I think he's intelligent and he gives you the "dirty" truth that you often times won't hear. If you want a bunch of rosy colored updates and propoganda you can tune into the John Murphy show.

Let's hope he really grows into his new job as sidekick to John Murphy on the John Murphy show because he's brutal right now. Seems like a good dude, but right now it's tough to even listen. On a side topic, I think WGR is losing a good one in Matthew Coller. Always appreciated his opinions. I feel like I know the game better after listening to his points. The exact opposite of John Murphy.

So your logic is Whaley signed Incognito and drafted Darby so he shouldn't have included language in Darues' contract that protected the club monetarily against a boneheaded decision? If that actually makes any sense to you, more power to you. I happen to think that language should have been included, regardless of who the team drafted or signed prior to that. The two things have absolutely nothing to do with one another.

If I'm the owner, my expectation would be that my GM and whoever is responsible for contract negotiations be extremely prudent with my money with the goal of building a winner. Whoever was responsible for the Dareus contract negotiations (Berchtold or Whaley) failed to put very common and simple language that protected the owners $$$ against a boneheaded decision by a player who has already proven he is more than capable of making boneheaded decisions. Simply put for a player that had already failed a drug test, and already got in trouble for off field incidents........to not protect the club from a future bad decision is totally unacceptable. So the next question is who ultimately has to hold the GM and or contract negotiator (Berchtold) responsible? The answer is: the owners If I'm Pegula, Berchtold is a goner if he was the one who failed to protect the clubs money against the stupidity of Marcel Dareus. Just look at all the money Lane Johnson of the Eagles stands to lose for failing his 2nd PED test. That is because a prudent decision was made to protect the club against it. The Bills totally whiffed. And anyone who can't see that total ineptitude is looking through rose colored glasses.

Lol. The fact that no one from the Bills game day management, would find it odd to charge $2 for a soft drink or snapple, but $5 for a water is so Bills. Don't think the ineptitude of this organization is only on the field. I've been a season ticket holder since 2002, and the entire gameday operations has often left my brother and I scratching our heads.

After my extreme confusion why the Bills would give him $35M in the first 2 years rather than the $25M they have him for now, if we extend him in the $15-$17M range per on a long term deal it's beginning to make a lot more sense. I always thought 4 years for $70M or 5 years for around $85M is probably where the Bills wanted to be. I myself would've had Tyrod play out this year to get another 16 games of information on him before going all in money wise on him, but it appears the Bills are set on extending him now. We probably won't know for at least another 2 seasons maybe even 3 if this is a wise decision. I hope it is, but Im curious why they wouldn't just wait one more season

I've kind of conservatively thought that Lawson would be back after our bye week. Week 10 vs the Bengals. If he's just barely ready by week 7 or 8, I figured the BILLS would use the bye to their advantage and get him another 2 weeks of healing.

Osweiler was a FA. Tyrod is under contract for $3M this year. There's no comparison to be drawn there. So we are going to overpay Tyrod $10M over 2 years so we can save $ on Gilmires's contract. That doesn't make any sense. Once again, I understand extensions excite fan bases, but this one makes no sense without a 3rd and possibly 4th year on the extension for team friendly salaries.

Bills can pay Tyrod $3M this year and $22M under the tag. So they have him for $25M the next 2 years. For the Bills to pay him $35M over the next 2 years would be absolutely asinine. They would essentially be giving him a $10M raise, for what? The only way this chatter makes sense is if there is 3rd year on the deal for a team friendly $15-$16 M salary. Basically 2 years $35M makes no sense 3 years $51M makes some sense. With that said.....I just don't understand doing an extension now. I'd want to see him prove his worth this year before committing serious $. If Tyrod and his agent beat the Bills on this deal, my confidence in Whaley will take a big hit.

Once again someone at 1 Bills Drive is chirping. Same sh*t, different day. I'm 50/50 when it comes to Whaley. There's things I like and things I really dislike. His trend of always wanting to trade up in he draft is concerning. I'm also waiting to see how he handles this Tyrod contract. I'm worried that the reports of $35M over 2 years maybe true. If so Whaley would be giving Tyrod an additional $10M over the next 2 seasons for no reason. That would truly be concerning.

I agree about the twitter. I follow him and he post the most immature sh*t. I actually took notice last season. Just posts a bunch of wacky, insecure, look at me type crap that comes across as totally immature and knuckleheaded. If I were an owner or a coach I'd sit down with this guy and ask him to remove himself from social media. I just have a gut feeling about this guy that he's not going to change his ways. We have him for another 2-3 years so no way I'd cut him, but I just don't see this dog learning any new tricks.

I agree. I like Coller.