BillsVet

Were Keith Rivers and Chris Williams Nix or Whaley decisions? Better ask Russ. 2014 UFAs not looking good. Even Graham hasn't been as good of late.

I struggle to see how they're trending up. Each week the same issues are appearing, namely turnovers at inopportune times, bad penalties, and insufficient OL play. Now, this week they gave up 150+ yards rushing. At the level they're playing now, are they a playoff team? Because they've played 3 clubs that look like they'll be in the post-season: Detroit, San Diego (cue the "got beat by K.C." talk) and New England. They're 1-2 in those games, defeating a Detroit team that missed 3 FG's that day. It seems like this discussion has happened before. In 2008 when they started 5-1, and then in 2011 after a 5-2 beginning. Both times I recall people pooh-poohing those who weren't excited when they beat lesser teams.

Mediocrity is what I saw yesterday. And mediocrity is what I've seen for a long time. The question I ask myself after this game is: Are the Bills trending up or down? Despite a win, I say the latter. The GM has said they need to make the playoffs in 2014. Are the Bills, playing similar in Week 7 (a win) to what they did in Week 6 (a loss)? Or are they improving? They most definitely aren't improving, just playing lesser talented teams.

Against a rookie QB playing on the road in an offense without their All-Pro RB coming in 2-4? And the Bills turn it over 4 times, allow 5 sacks, and win by 1 at the last second? Going to have to play better than that if you're going to make the playoffs.

"It's all Buddy's fault." -Russ Brandon, 2014

Don't assume, given the front office and then ownership situation, they wanted to work here. The Bills were not an attractive destination post Donahoe. Hopefully that changes with new owners now on board.

CB97 I'm with you (can't believe I just said that). This is supposed to be a playoff team and they're playing as if they're a 7-9 or 8-8 club. Given the December schedule (at NE, vs. GB, at DEN, to the left coast at OAK) I'm not sure that 5-3 is good enough. Not to mention some are assuming that they'll beat the Jets, Chiefs, et al. before then. They have a lot of issues to fix to be thinking playoffs.

Someone here calls him Greggo. And it's become more appropriate.

And Russ Brandon says we need to give the Doug's more time. Maybe Russ needs less time.

Harbaugh declined to interview. And he wasn't the only one during early 2010 before Gailey became their emergency choice. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2010/01/cbs-stanfords-jim-harbaugh-turns-down-bills-offer-to-become-head-coach/1#.VEP8PSi3njQ

Normally saints aren't canonized until after they've left this world. But being that it's Saint Doug we're talking about, he should probably confess his sins in order to receive absolution. For his penance, he can play Urbik and sit Pears.

Well, it looks unlikely that Brown will meet the playing conditions to warrant a 2016 3rd round pick. Ergo, you're looking at a 2015 4th rounder. http://espn.go.com/blog/philadelphia-eagles/post/_/id/5277/bryce-brown-trade-thins-crowded-backfield And Buffalo already dealt their 2015 4th rounder to Cleveland in the Watkins trade. It still doesn't deflect from the fact Buffalo is betting their future for this season.

Cleveland owns Buffalo's 1st and 4th in 2015. Buffalo owes another 4th to Philadelphia for Brown, presumably the one received for Johnson. I suppose if Johnson's performance makes it a 3rd, the Bills will have to get creative because they don't have a second 4th. Regardless, the point remains: Buffalo, specifically Brandon and Whaley, mortgaged their future so that they might keep their jobs.

Or, a certain GM was in career survival mode and started trading future picks in hopes they'd win this year. And, if Brown doesn't play this year (and it's looking like that's a no) then Whaley just traded a 4th for a guy who'll be in the final year of his deal in 2015. Four years of Nix and Whaley. And they're still unsure how good the team is to the point they've give up 3 of their top 5 picks next year.

Actually, the Bills have dealt both of their 4th round picks in 2014 (the other is a conditional acquired from SF for Stevie). And how the heck does the Bills college scouting department know that far in May 2014 that the 2015 RB class would not have a better player available? But the issue is whether there is poor coordination between the front office and coaching staff. I'd say there's an issue when you trade for a guy (the front office) and then he doesn't dress (coaching decision). I don't understand how people quibble about this.

Who trades a 4th round pick for a player you don't plan on playing an entire season? If stands to reason if they liked Brown enough to deal for him, he'd dress. Well, at least there's precedent in Buffalo. Nix traded a 7th for Tarvaris Jackson, and Gailey refused to play him the entire (EDIT: 2012).

The front office and coaching staff aren't in the same book in terms of personnel. Whaley gave up a 2015 4th which can become a 3rd (that is if Brown plays) for a player who doesn't play. And then there's the Mike Williams trade. Not to mention that Kouandjio is deemed not even good enough to dress as a 2nd round pick. And then there's the disagreement between the front office and coaching staff regarding the trainers from February. It seems like the relationship between the personnel and coaching departments is pretty toxic and disorganized.

It's been said you're not allowed to evaluate drafts until 3 years. But I have a feeling there's going to be evaluation of a front office and coaching staff who participated in those drafts after only 2 years on the job. I wonder if Nix likes hearing he's been blamed for everything that's gone wrong.

Agreed. Perhaps with better ownership in place (including removal of people like Littmann and Overdorf) and Brandon shuffled off to business only responsibilities they'll be able to find better coaching candidates. Because unless Marrone, Hackett, Schwartz improve dramatically over the final 10 games, I think those guys are the first on the chopping block. Just once I'd like to see a front office and coaching staff on the same page with regard to personnel. Even something just short of the relationship between Schneider and Carroll would suffice.

Who's to say that a competent HC wants to work for Whaley? Removing Brandon from the equation is only a partial solution. HC's are usually fired before the GM who hired them, so it stands to reason that they either start from scratch with a new GM and HC or they continue with the same personnel people and coaching staff. I don't think fans (not you CT) understand how closely linked personnel is to coaching. If there isn't absolute coordination between the two, chaos will reign.

The continuity angle is one that's been played up for years. It was used at the end of the 2008 season after DJ started 5-1, only to win 2 games the rest of the year. They held a pow-wow shortly after the season in Detroit featuring RW, Littman, Brandon, and Overdorf. The voted to ensure DJ remained (he had been re-signed in October 2008), Buffalo started 2009 3-6 and the HC was fired. Look at the HC's and GM's hired since Donahoe: Levy, Brandon, Nix, and Whaley. Or the HC's: Jauron and Gailey. Not one of them has a job in the NFL at their current level if it's not for the Buffalo Bills. The problem is Buffalo can't hired qualified people to lead, not that those people haven't had enough time.

Who were the 3 interior OL NE lined up on Sunday? I would imagine most serious Bills fans couldn't even name them, yet the Bills could not put pressure on Brady (what else is new?) The point remains that Buffalo could not take advantage of NE's personnel issues. Meanwhile, NE took full advantage of Buffalo's personnel (the result of injuries) in the secondary. It's coaching combined with bad personnel evaluation above that level. I cannot wait for Accorsi or Wolf or someone with demonstrated success in the NFL to begin their evaluation.

1-3 in their last 4 and averaging less than 17 points per game. They're trending down, even with the improvement at QB.

You have to love in-game adjustments. We've rarely seen that in the past 15 seasons.

Or the fact that they fired LB coach Chuck Driesbach, only for him to be hired shortly after by Cleveland. One gets the impression there were disagreements between Pettine and Marrone with moves like this. He was adept at toeing the company line and going along with whatever Brandon and Overdorf wanted. That loyalty and bad decision making at QB and on draft day may well cost him his job after 2014, save for a playoff appearance and probably a win.