RuntheDamnBall

if two AFC championship games in a row with the first two seasons of the Butt-Fumble Maestro is "failure," sign me up. He was a winning coach until John Idzik handed him a flaming bag of poo this season.

are you seriously arguing that the Bills didn't do a thorough enough search? I see what you just did there!

dude, there is no "offensive scouting department." Where do you get this stuff?

hi Tampa Bob.

I understand that fully. Just think it's a bit crazy to write him off completely - especially when he's the only shot in town. I'm with Kelly who has said something to the effect that he might have a 10-30% chance of success. Not very good odds but I'd be more comfortable that he could game manage, with his skill set, than Jeff Tuel for example. And while I understand the impulse to charge into Whaley's office with pitchforks, Kolb's career-ending injuries and Orton's retirement would seem to have been worse-case scenarios. Those are hopefully the kinds of things that a guy like Whaley can learn from. I'm convinced from his full body of work that he will.

Nicely done. And I need to see an offense where the Bills will attack an opponent's weakness. Not its strength. We saw precious little of that this year and I don't think either QB was equipped with a good plan of attack.

I think rookie jitters, opposition adjustments, injury and being coached to avoid injury and risk probably played equal parts. I'm willing to admit I could be wrong and that EJ might not have it, but I highly dispute the notion that that is the open-and-shut case that some are making it out to be here. You have to have a very high belief in Marrone and his offensive team to believe that EJ was unsalvageably bad on his own. Orton's own precipitous decline as a Bill suggests to me that there is more to that story.

OK. Put in your resume. Obviously Jerry Hughes is the only good discovery made by Whaley and he should be fired yesterday.

so Pro Football Talk speculation is gospel now? Jimmy Sexton or Doug Marrone could be a "league source," mind you.

If Whaley doesn't think he's a bust, why should he offer that opinion to anyone? He has confidence and ego just like any coach. You may not agree with it, but this guy did unearth Jerry Hughes from bust status, too. I'd rather bring in a coach with an open mind who will try to use our only QB's skill set - while we keep trying to improve the position. I see zero benefit to bringing in a coach who thinks we need to go shopping for 3 QBs. that's funny because his rookie season sure wasn't any worse than those of a lot of better NFL QBs. I know it's fashion around here to act like he's behind Craig Nall and Billy Joe Hobert in the pantheon of Bills QBs. But he's not.

again, any coach taking his cues from Jerry Sullivan should be fired immediately.

And others will say it again that the next time you sound like you know what you're talking about, it'll be the first.

I guess they should just forfeit.

You know what's a great idea when you've got most everything going right, but one thing isn't right? Blowing up like a toddler and setting everything on fire. Or not.

I also like how breaking a finger is part of the case that you are injury-prone. Inexplicable as he's been drinking plenty of Malk (with Vitamin R).

Well, there's what's said in public and there's what's said behind closed doors, too. I have no doubt that Hackett had some shackles on this year, for various reasons, but I am still not sure he has the combo of experience and innovation that we're looking for.

Johnny Football could not be further from Drew Brees in demeanor, leadership skills, or maturity. Call us back in 8 years when he's maybe decided to grow up. I imagine he can find a nice job at Tractor Supply Co by that point.

Agreed. He has a much more promising and lucrative future ahead of him than Marrone.

Rob's idea of a good time:

I would be a bit concerned about Kubiak after that mini stroke. First and foremost I'm worried about the guy's health with another high pressure HC commitment. But I have to admit concern about its impact on his ability to do the job, too. It must have been hard helping Super Bowl Champion Joe Flacco figure it all out.

Shanny had his day but at this point I'd prefer the next generation of someone like him (Bevell, Malzahn). I am not all that sold on Kyle or the package deal in general. If you end up needing to replace one, you need to replace both. I'm also more content with Whaley, which I imagine is a pretty good litmus test for where people stand on the Shanny arrangement. that's crazy. He had success as a coordinator elsewhere and his running game was too shelf for a long, long time. Also, Jake Plummer and Brian Griese. Last note on Shanny from Wiki, just because it's amazing:

Marrone and his staff have some culpability in this. It was their job to help Manuel (and Orton) progress. They got worse as they played in this "system." And so did many other players with a history of better production. Coaches have to be there to help players adjust. Not to coddle them, not to curse them out. When you coach all of the instinct and feel for the game out of your players and then put them in front of a line that you're endlessly tinkering with, what do you expect? St. Doug had a foot out the door.

jury is still out on Jeff Fisher's second act. Then again, McNair vs what he's been trotting out there at QB...

If we get Rex, could he punch Kevin Gilbride's son on our sideline?