Dr. Trooth

I've got it. A geodesic dome over the entire RWS property. ETFE panels baby. Tshirts all year long.

I think Landry Jones will turn out to one of the best, if not the best third string QBs in the NFL. I think Colin Klein could become a good #3 or #4 WR in the NFL if he were to work hard and land on a team that has a top 5 QB.

First off, I don't think you're qualified to make a judement on what is going on in regards to the coaching search. All you know is what the horse s#it media is feeding you and so far what you're being fed is making you sick. Well, stop eating that s#it. .... which is about as useful as a message board. You could say the same thing about Ariz, Philly, Cleav, Chic and you'd still be wrong. Only those in the room, probably with signed non disclosure agreements, know WTF is going on. Brandon has outlined his "PROCESS" for the HC search and will see that through to the end, making what he believes is the best decision for this team going forward. So, keep an open mind on the head coach. Even though Russ has supposedly not been involved a lot with the head coaching the past few years, he is now. Up to this point, he's been insulated from most of the media and fan poo poo throwing. But, he's been with the organization for more than a dozen years in a prominent role and Ralph has given him complete control of the organization with zero restrictions. So, for Russ, there is no more hiding and the fans aint gonn be cutting him any slack. It's his career to either throw down the drain or take to the top of the mountain. We know he's living with Buddy as GM short term, and that he's annointed and hitched his wagon to Whaley for the longer term as GM. Now he needs a coach that will turn things around quickly as well as a QB, LB, WR, secondary. The buck stops with Russ from here on out. Koolaid won't do it anymore. So, let Russ do what he sees is best and let him hire the coach he believes will get the job done. He deserves at least that. What he doesn't deserve is for us fans to embrace and love whatever selection is made as head coach. Just based on the message board, there are Lovie lovers, Chip lovers, Whiz lovers, Horton Lovers, McCoy lovers, Marrone Lovers. So some fans are gonna love it if one of those guys are hired, some are gonna hate the selection. What we don't know, is how this team is going to perform with the new HC. My suggestion to you, and everyone, is whomever is selected, take it with a grain of salt. Don't get too high, don't get too low. It is what it is until it isn't. And, don't go out and buy tickets or Bills merchandise, because you don't know WTF your buying, another batch of s#it koolaid or a significantly improved on field product. If they even higher Cowher, you don't have a clue what you's be geting until we see on field results. Wait it out until after the preseason.... perhaps two to three games into the season. Then decide. Make these bastards earn our trust and loyalty.

No, He aint. He is what he is. He's completing well over 60% of his passes and where are the points?

Jarvis Jones is comin out.

Jones is not getting pressured at all. Okla is running at will. Why are they not putting up points? Because, their QB is not making a difference. He's completing passes, but he's not making them count when it matters. Jones is gonna see a lot of color in his face at the next level... he'll be a difference maker for the other team.

Landry Jones just doesn't jump out at me. I'm not seeing a difference maker here. 51 offensive plays in the first half and only 13 points to show for it. I just don't see any upside. His past three seasons have flat lined. His Soph season was his best.

If Brandon spends any time reading these threads, he aint doing his job. What difference does it make to him what we think? All he needs to know is 3 (and almost 4) non sellouts... almost 50% of home games. That will get his attention quicker than any brainless thread. Trust me, Russ knows what needs to be done... and another batch of koolaid aint cutting this time. The only question is, can he get it done?

Unless A&M stops playing Bills style defense they're gonna lose bigtime. Sooners have run 51 offensive plays in the first half.

A turbo charged and bigger version of Flutie.

Ain't happening.... you heard it here first. Richardson is cheap, old school, and a prick. No way is Cowher gonna be able to coexist with him, and no way is Richardson going to cede that much control to a coach and pay him that much money. He was to cheap to fire Fox and was content to let him ride out full season rather than move on. Richardsom is commited to winning only on his terms.

Can I get Bill Belichick's version? His goes back to 1949 and maps out where every player was standing at the ball snap. He also has a version of the opposing side line conversations before each snap, courtesy of professional lip reader translators.

There's four components at least. 1) what do you want in order to take 1 of 32 jobs in the world? 2) what do you see from the team courting you? 3) what are you asking/telling the 4 Bills salesmen? 4) what are the 4 Bills salesman asking/telling you?

Your view of McCoy is as an OC. His gimickry with Tebow was impressive. But, he took the NFL by surprise and was fortunate to have a very good D. As far as this year and what he's done with Manning, I'm underwhelmed. Manning would Make Herm Edwards look good as an OC. So how does McCoy's OC skill translate to HC? Is he going to come in and be the defacto OC? That's exactly what Brandon doesn't want. The last 5 Bills HCs have been OCs or DCs that could only function in their area of discipline. They were horrible as HCs. As far as Vick & Smith... Bills could in no way could the Bills afford both and one would not come if the other were here. Also, Vick is not a playoff QB and Smith got Beaten out by a Second yr. kid. Smith and Fitz may have different skill sets, but their bottom line ends up about the same... Smith just had a better supporting cast.

I would have to say avoid USC qbs. And, I'd say the same for ND qbs. as well. Both schools are media magnets... which inherently tends to lead to way too much hype and over rating. Matt Barkley gets so much pub. Why? What is exceptional about him? Pit him against other QBs and try to project him to the pros. I see him more as qb that, on the right team, might challenge for a number 2 spot.

I don't think Haz endeared himself to the Levy era vets when he outed Kent Hull for using roids. And, somehow, Haz, goes into Indiana (PA) as a 175 lb. Freshman safety and comes out as a 235 lb. senior LB. Hmmmmmmm?

Are you serious about Scott? I only watched about 3 min. I couldn't take it any more. He locks on to the first receiver, everything is out of the shotgun, he completes throws to receivers that are out of bounds. There was nothing that sold me on taking him even with the final pick of the draft.

Keep in mind the Bills must find a HC... not a guy that will come in and want to run the offense or run the defense because that's their area of comfort and expertise. We've just been through 7 years of exactly that. Jauron & Chan were the defacto DC and OC respectively. Lovie was canned in Chicago because the offense was continually inept and Lovie's strength was D. It would seem to me Kelly's offense is a 2012 version of the run and shoot. Great in college when you recruit fast players. In the NFL they're all fast and try running the chuck and duck in Buffalo in Nov/Dec. Also, off the top of my head I can't think of any offensive player Kelly has coached whose skills have translated to the NFL. Help me out, I may be wrong. Bottom line ... think HC.... someone that can bring it ALL together.

Keep an open mind. No coach has been hired, no games have been lost. Once the new coach has been hired we can activate "B word mode".

The dude is right... it is in addition to. They are not going to forsake their current statistical metrics. They will still use their conventional quality control stats, but the analytics is going to be an additional tool. Among other things, it can validate some of the on field things that current QC measures as well as refute them. I don't believe they're in a position to roll out the analytics completely out of the gate. It's going to be a work in process. And, I'd be surprised if they didn't use a six sigma master black belt with a football passion or background to administer it.

Good post. I agree with you on Nassib. There's a damn good reason why PFW selected him is first team all american. All of the selections are based on how their size and skill set translate to the pros. The kid is smart. He's not only PFW's 1st team All American, he's an academic all american. He also benches over 400 lbs. He can throw a pass 70 yards without a wind up and improved his accuracy every year. He's played in a pro style and spread offense... and the Syracuse offense is about as close as you can get to what is being used in the NFL today. They power run, they option, they spread, and they go conventional.... and a lot of Nassib's passes go to the TE....hmmm. After the Senior Bowl and Combine, I believe he will end up being selected somewhere between 15 - 38. We'll see. I also think the interview the Bills have with Marrone may include a discussion of Nassib... Buddy ain't gonna miss that opportunity to get a free scouting report from his HC.

Let's get real. This azzwipe reporter apparently doesn't know much. 1) Smith purely a game manager... he can't create anything without a solid to outstanding running game. 2) Why would Alex Smith even come to Buffalo knowing full well they are going to draft his heir apparent on day one of the draft? He's not going to start for more than a year, if that, and then be relegated to #2 status. 3) What's the difference betwen Smith and Fitz. Stronger arm, OK, but not the pocket presence that Fitz has 4) Only when his HC highly micro managed him and the offense was he effective. 5) His team brought in a rookie QB last year to specifically replace him and did exactly that in a little more than a season and one half. Does that tell you anything? 6) He's a career 79.1 rated QB regardles up bumping up his rating to over 90 in 2011 and 100 in 2012. Is it Alex or the system? Remind me again why he lost his job. 7) What exactly is the difference between Smith, Fitz, Grossman, Orton, Kolb, Henne, Stanton? They pretty much all suck equally, and none of them will get you to the playoffs by themselves... they would all unequivocally have to ride on the shoulders of a top three defense at the very least to get to the playoffs.

Mind you, we're talking the Bills, pro football's bottom feeder for over a decade. They can't be the Steeler organization, but is aspiring to be like one of the NFL's top feeders for the past 40 years and bringing in a couple of people that made a significant contribution to the Steeler success a bad thing?

Nope. I get what Russ is saying. But I look at it within the entire context of what Russ and Buddy said. I also know what happens when a young CEO takes over and their are "old schoolers" on board. Russ says Buddy will be doing his thing "much" like he has the past three years (much, but not exactly = different). That's somewhat vague and evasive. In reality, Buddy is 73 and "old school" as we all know. Now, he's going to be asked to incorporate hard data (analytics & metrics) to "do his thing" instead of just a "gut" feel. And, when Buddy's challenged on his "gut" feel vs. hard data, I don't think that will go over well with him at all. How about you? Buddy ain't gonna change his ways and he even mentioned that Whaley is transitioning into the GM position. So, either by design or by Russ re-defining roles and making step changes in transitioning Whaley to GM, Buddy is gonna lose power one decision at a time. And, ask yourself this question... will Buddy be GM at this time next year? I don't know about you, but I see an FO that knows they have to operate differently, get younger, new thinking, and bring their organization to "current" or "cutting edge" NFL status. Russ may lean on Buddy now because he's getting his feet under him. Sure he'll "empower" Buddy to do his job "now", but Buddy is not gonna have it carte blanche and Russ knows that long term Buddy is not a good fit if this team wants to make a quantum leap forward anytime soon. So, basically, with Whaley transitioning, I doubt seriously that Russ will allow Buddy to make a critical decision that may cause Whaley to have to clean up or take the team backward, when the transition is complete. I think Whaley is gonna have considerable input on the decisions Buddy is involved with. And, if you're the boss, knowing Buddy is "now" but not the future and Whaley is the "future" but not "now", which way are you likely to lean if it affects Brandon's long term vision?

I took two tidbits from the presser at OBD. One from Russ and one from Buddy. From my perspective, below is what I think each means and what potentially may evolve from each tidbit. Before I get into any of that, I'll state up front that I know Brandon is an "A" lister in marketing skills. He's clearly demonstrated that. That alone does not translate into being a top CEO. But, I think Russ, like many of us, is a WNYer that bleeds Red and Blue. Ralph has placed in his hands an enormous responsibility and he has to do something with it. He's quite young as NFL execs. at the very top go. So, now it becomes Russ' reputation and Russ' legacy. There is no one to hide behind anymore and to be cut slack for just being a good soldier following his marching orders. Yes, Ralph still owns the team, but Russ is mapping the path and driving the bus. Now it's on him and I really believe he intends to kick things up a notch. TIDBIT ONE... In regards to the analytics and metrics... "Managing the salary cap as it pertains to players likely means that the analytics will provide an additional layer in assessing what a player’s true worth is to the team based on advanced metrics of on field performance." To me it means that the Bills are going to not only identify underachievers, they're going to look at cost of specific players and on field benefits of their performance. Decoding... What are the Bills getting out of $$$ they've got invested in a player? Is it really a good value for the $$$ to carry players like McGee, Kelsay, Spencer Johnson, Barnett? And, what about Fitz? Certainly what about our $2-$3M inactive QB - TJax or even Kyle Williams (could he be offered up in a trade?) and Mario... are the Bills geting value or can they get younger and/or fill holes with the right street free agents? I also believe chronically injured players are going to be weighed and perhaps jetisoned or not be re-signed when their contract is up (Wood ?). I would expect some measure of player house cleaning in early March to clear cap space as well as some possible restructuring of contracts, which is typical regardless. It also may mean that with their own two free agents, they are going to establish their "true worth" not only based on their positional slotting in the NFL, but value to the team. So, McGee is a goner, ditto Barnett, ditto Kelsay, unless he takes a huge pay cut TIDBIT TWO...As for Buddy's statement... “I’ve said we’re going to try to draft a quarterback, and we are,” said Nix. ”We may even get one in free agency, but we’re going to draft a young quarterback at some point.” He's toned down his earlier statement about the QB. Instead of pulling the string and pulling it early, now he's gonna "TRY" at "SOME POINT". That may be a signal that Russ is firmly in control and that Buddy had to take a few steps backward and is now on a short leash... and in a nicer way Russ has told Buddy to STFU.. which he couldn't do until Ralph gave him the reigns. Buddy may still be GM, but there are probably some duties that have been removed from his plate...and significant ones. I mean Russ can't be happy Buddy brought TJax in to the tune of $2m and for what? Getting back to the QB... was Russ' conversation with Gruden more about getting an unbiased assessment of Fitz or the team as a whole? I mean, if you want an honest assessment of someone in a private conversation, Gruden is exactly the kind of person who won't mince words and sugarcoat it. If Fitz was discussed, it could mean one of two things... either Fitz is going to be let go, or Fitz is going to be seriously challenged. With the FA crop out there, I don't see anyone that, even if they did challenge Fitz and win out, it ain't gonna be much of an improvement. I've not seen a QB worth a top 10 pick in the draft either. Maybe the media does, but they don't draft. Maybe the Bills don't make a decision by 3/3 on Fitz and eat his bonus, and then pending free agency and the draft developments, let him go in June. Any money owed him would go to the 2014 cap. I definitely ain't going out and buy tix any time soon. Russ has a lot to prove. But, I am glad someone besides Ralph is calling the shots. At this point, until we see what develops on the coaching front and certainly FA & draft we won't have much of a clue about Russ and the direction of the Bills. And, I can tell by the 3rd preseason game what this team is gonna be.... I've called it dead on from Jauron's first preseason game forward.