BillsVet

How did SF go 6-10 in that weak division in 2010 if they had all this talent? Why did 4 other HC candidates turn down Buffalo's HC job? Leslie Frazier interviewed and later withdrew his candidacy. Ron Rivera, Jim Harbaugh, Brian Schottenheimer and Russ Grimm all declined to even interview. Teams simply do not get turned down for interviews, nor do their HC's resign like Mike Mularkey did in early 2006. There is something poison about working in Buffalo as evidenced by the above names refusing to even talk about the job. Taking a HC job is a huge career decision, and one where the individual needs to know they'll work in an environment with a reasonable chance of success. No less than five men decided Buffalo is not a healthy atmosphere built to succeed. The Dolphins are a dumpster fire. Stephen Ross may be a billionaire, but he's got to be one of the worst owners in the NFL. That said CB97, you need to be more optimistic.

You wonder if there was a backup plan for if they struggled to stop the run with nickel formations. Wannstedt has a lot of questions about his defensive philosophy after these first four games, not least of which is his ability to adapt in-game. And this coming week won't be any easier, facing off against a good 49ers OL and running game.

Nail meet hammer. Not only are the coordinators recycles, but so are many of the assistants. Where would guys like Joe D'Alessandris, Giff Smith, Adrian White and Bob Bicknell be without Gailey? I'm guessing in the college ranks, but certainly not in the NFL.

What does Buffalo's Pro Personnel Department do anyway?

Buffalo's playoff drought is still only about one-third the time the Israelites spent wandering through the desert before reaching the promised land. We really don't have anything to complain about as Bills fans. It takes time to get things right.

More numbers: Since Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey took over, the Bills are 12-24. Dick Jauron/Marv Levy/Russ Brandon in their first 36 games? 18-18. Didn't someone once say don't tell me about the labor pains, show me the baby? Where is that guy? I just listed his numbers and they're awful.

Probably whe When it was 41-7 NYJ with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. Fitz had 120 yards passing and Spiller rushed for 110 of his 169 yards in the second half. If you think, after a first half when Fitz went for 75 yards passing that the Jets were bringing it equally throughout the contest you're off. EDIT: NE didn't call off the dogs because unlike in the Jets game, they were down up until 11 minutes to go in the second half, whereas NYJ were up 5 TD's at that point. Way to make a totally bankrupt comparison so as not to attack a woeful team finding new ways to lose.

Buffalo leads the league in garbage points scored. At least top 5. Fitz has 4 TD passes when the dogs were called off in the NYJ and NE games, but who's counting? They're 2-2 and we should be satisfied.

How does a deep team get thoroughly beaten when backups play backups in the pre-season? It stands to reason that good depth will (EDIT: beat) opponents' depth, yet we've not seen that. Buffalo's second and third stringers are routinely pounded, but we have depth? And if there's talent there, why can't they be more competitive instead of these lopsided losses which continue to mount? And if the coaching is bad, is that not a reflection on the personnel folks? And aren't the personnel people in concert with the coaching making decisions on player acquisitions? This problem goes deeper than simply saying the coaching is poor. It's a fundamental breakdown of personnel management to develop a plan, an identity, on how they're going to win football games.

"I drink your milkshake Chan. And it tasted like vanilla."

It's two out of 4 blowouts already this season. And take away all the elderly jokes, but a team is a reflection of their owner. I walked past Bob Kraft yesterday on the way out and he's visible at every game. RW doesn't travel, hires only people he knows, and the team's future is very cloudy. RW holding on to the team is holding it back at this point. He should get credit for spending money, but has trusted the wrong people more often than not since 2001.

What's your point? That some teams don't have good QB's and therefore because we're not the only team it somehow is excused? Well pardon me, but that ain't the standard anymore. The good teams get the QB position right, some teams whiff, but only 1 team in the entire National Football League has failed more since 2010 on the QB position. And that's the Buffalo Bills, who now have 3 guys who are now on their 3rd team since 2009. The standard is playoffs in 2012, not mediocrity or worse. You need a QB to get to the post-season and they should have seen this guy can't do it consistently.

This. They cannot attract the best personnel and coaching minds in the business anymore, no matter what they offer. The front office is a direct result of poor ownership, and the coaches/players are the result of a poor front office. It's basically become an emperor has no clothes situation at OBD.

We get what is willing to come here, and it ain't much at this point. If RW throws a tantrum and decides to make a change I doubt anyone of substance is willing to even interview for the GM and HC jobs. And I wonder if Mr. Smithers-Brandon has told him how impossible it was to get interviews for the GM and HC jobs not three years ago?

Re: 2. Is Nix that afraid of committing to a QB that he found something wrong with every one of them in the past 3 drafts there was a reasonable chance of taking? And did he eschew taking a QB in 2010 to stock a defense he ultimately never filled? Because if the GM and HC can't get the QB position right, there ain't nothing going to make up for it.

Worse, I don't think anyone worth their salt in NFL circles wants to work for the organization anymore. There was a reason why they didn't interview outside the organization candidates for the GM job and the head coach search was bizarre to say the least. How does an organization compete with that millstone around their collective neck?

http://bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/09/25/wannstedt-back-with-bills-take-brady/D16TpKiz22ZTz3P2ZXgNdJ/story.html His scheme doesn't call for blitzes. He's got to get pressure from the front 4 as many others have pointed out.

Shades of Trent Edwards circa week 3 2010. Vastly different position, but same result: go with a guy then cut him at the beginning of the season. Strange indeed.

And their 134 regular season wins since 2001 shouldn't factor either.

Nice observations Bill. Big game next week for the division lead.

Because BR and EM are 2 time SB winning QB's. Ryan Fitzpatrick hasn't QB'd a team to a playoff appearance.

Never thought I'd be able to say thank goodness for Tashard Choice.

It was a rhetorical question. Anyway, the point remains that teams who don't find their franchise QB early in a rebuild aren't truly rebuilding. Good enough? Not everyone convinces themselves this team is on the right path after a 1-1 start. If that's something you don't like, well, sorry. Blind homerism isn't a mindset everyone shares.

New regimes take their QB early, as noted already in the thread. We're way off topic, but this has become a debate about a team's vision, specifically QB development. You've gone a step further and used the Rams as evidence that taking a QB before other positions has the probability for failure. And if failure is something you want to eliminate then there's nothing I can offer you. As to the Rams, well, they are rebuilding but have some talent in place at the need positions. Second, Bradford is still in development and most certainly not a bust. None of this proves that taking a QB is overrated or somehow the exception to the rule. And for the record, ask the Falcons, Lions, and Ravens about rebuilding with a young QB. With the right guy in the right system and with a decent amount of talent around him it can work. Teams simply do not go with the previous regime's guy (in Buffalo's case the former backup) and not then take someone to develop. Buffalo's addressing the QB position is the exception to the rule. There are 5 rookies starting this year and 5 second year guys starting. Teams are going with younger QB's and trying to win now.

There is no higher need than QB, now or in 2010 when Nix took over. And if a franchise lacking a franchise type prioritizes another position over QB, what does that say about their team building approach?