The Big Cat

You've illustrated a concept I've had a lot difficulty conveying here: that you can't COACH internal leadership. Doing so renders it nonexistent. It has to be bred from the players, otherwise it's not the players holding themselves accountable, it's the coaches. And if we're all in agreement that the players need to hold themselves accountable, well, then there you have it.

I think Rex tells lies when he's in front of the microphone. And that Bills fans should really come to understand that and not take it personally. I don't think everything he says is a lie. But it's quite clear he doesn't handle his business to the media.

I completely agree. We're out. He should be a healthy scratch this week and next. Also, Mario stood up when Cousins was flushed out at the 17, and stayed standing as Cousins ran past him. It's as if he has a three second play clock in his head. He'll do his job and only his job for those three seconds, then after that it's up to everyone else.

There are Bills fans here who straight up cross their arms and stomp their feet, plug their ears and scream LA LA LA LA LA when you bring up the fact that Rex has never not had a good, mostly great defense. There are fans in this very thread who are flatly denying that reality.

Then we were unfortunate. I meant to say that the league aggregate has been the same since he was with the Jets. Figures.

I thought of that yesterday reading Brown's comments too. But this stat doesn't support that theory: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/pacestats

I think the whole thing is bizarre. I think that best and worst part about Rex Ryan as a coach is that he puts his faith in his players. I think in many ways that faith blew up in his face this year because a couple of bad seeds on the defense thought they knew better than him. I think those players are selfish, petulant and a detriment to our team's success. And I think Rex's reputation for having his guy's back has bitten him in the ass before, and it's happening again here. I think these are dark marks against Rex's coaching acumen, but that he has more positive to offer than negative and that given his own guys and an offseason to build a defense with guys who are bought in we'll be better off than if we blew the whole !@#$ing thing up and rolled the dice with the fourth HC since 2012. How's that?

You answered my questions with questions. We can continue this Mexican Standoff until Kingdom Come for all I care.

I did. The parenthetical 'predictably' was precisely that. So you'd rather make it about me then have a critical conversation about what's clearly an issue with the team we love?

And it's just as odd to me that suddenly (after a decade) Rex Ryan's defenses simply can't get the plays in on time. I won't argue the second part. I just wonder how may of those "game management" issues you speak of happened on defense. And what of the equally numerous players saying that players need to shut up and play. Seems like you're bending the word "many" in your favor and conveniently ignoring the counterpoint coming from their own colleagues.

Lots of defensive players? Mario, Brown and Graham today said there have been communication issues. That's three. Do you consider that "lots?" Why do you ignore all the players who say they have player issues?

Respond to the questions I've raised. Not to me. Of course if Brow is right it's a problem. The question I asked is why we're all so ready/willing to sign off on his side of the story.

What has Preston Brown done to earn your allegiance to everything he's said? Why is he so credible? How come all of this happening all of a sudden in Rex's career? Does anyone want to take a stab a these questions? Or would you rather make it about me?

So nothing I've just proffered seems like a reasonably critical response?

Sorry. But (predictably) I"m very skeptical when a second year player who can't get off blocks and gets dragged up and down the field down after down has everyone to blame but himself. Was there a drastic technological leap in the NFL this year? How is it that suddenly the coach who's been successful for a decade can't accomplish something as simple as relaying a play? Mr. Brown certainly has his share of bellyaches. He's an awfully young dude. Seems odd to me that he knows so much better than Rex how a defense runs.

You post an awful lot about me. Why do I get the sense you have my posts taped to your locker?

https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass Just go through his timeline, it's play by play gifs Yeah he tweets gifs from the all 22's. He also tweeted TODAY that d-lineman don't drop into coverage NEARLY as much as bellyachers insist, like hardly at all.

You just ignored the film study link I shared, didn't you?

I believe that injuries and immature petulance from the players and leadership on offense that was too-late emerging in Fred's absence all add up to a terribly disappointing season. But I don't believe it's a reflection of the head coach to the extent that we can accurately evaluate him as a success (which he's obviously not) or as a failure (which the last three weeks on this message board will indicate, is highly debatable).

You contribute virtually nothing except snark and sarcasm that's rarely, if ever, intelligent or constructive to conversation. I don't get embarrassed around internet strangers. It's a mess.

Well, reporters who actually watch film say otherwise. http://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/679408513593032705 And that link's not two months old!

Going out on a limb here: women are repulsed by you.

What does QB have to do with a team not being able to mask injuries to a defense? Um...?

Funny, because literally every play by play all-22 analysis says otherwise.