BillsVet

There is a premium to pay in free agency. Using UFA is a penalty for drafting poorly, which at times both TD and Marv did. As a result, some teams depend on UFA more than others. It's not an excuse that every team pays more for players because some don't. When is the last time the Giants, Colts, or Packers paid big dollars to a free agent? They draft well, meaning they don't dip into UFA as much. And it gives them cap flexibility because they don't rely on UFA to build their team. RW paid big dollars when TD was GM and he still couldn't get a winner. Spikes, Milloy, Fletcher, Bledsoe, all were big FA's or trades which didn't help the team into the playoffs. But he's also signed Dockery, Walker, K. Mitchell, Sp. Johnson, and traded for Stroud. He still hands out dollars, even though he's not able to match some of the huge signing bonuses. I highly recommend the book, "The GM" by Tom Callahan. It tells the story of Ernie Accorsi, Jerry Reese's predecessor as GM for the Giants and explains how a successful front office operates. Scouts can deliver their advice, but whomever makes the decision to take a guy is what matters more. And the Bills do not have the GM to bring everyone together on draft day and in free agency like the Giants have. No matter what, Accorsi and Reese are the reason why the Giants are so strong. Part of the reason Buffalo is weak and without depth is because they don't spend near enough to the cap, and have been hamstringed by bad GM's like Donahoe, Levy, and now Brandon. Contrary to many on this board, the Bills front office is a mess and insufficient. Scouting is one thing, and I believe Modrak is fine as Director of Amateur Scouting. Guy is a mystery as Pro Scouting Director, because he's not the final decision maker in whom the Bills go after in UFA. Their record there is not good, but relying on UFA is not the key to success anyway. Because the Bills front office is organized strangely, it's hard to pin blame on any one person. Ultimately, blame should go to Ralph for not hiring legitimate GM's that relied too much on Jauron for help in the personnel game. Neither Levy nor Brandon were/are prepared to handle what a GM does.

I remember not long ago how the buzzword around here was "progress." People were falling all over themselves to talk up the team progress from 06 to 07. We couldn't look at the final record, many fans noted, because a host of players went onto IR in 07. We now know that as a garbage excuse, particularly when Baltimore loses 16 for the season who still wins. Not to mention they're playing a rookie QB and feature a rookie NFL HC. NFL IR as of Week 14 This is a question probably better suited for an election, but are the Bills better off today than they were in 2005? If you consider the combined record of Buffalo's opponents this season is 54-90, I don't believe they are. And despite an easy schedule, 6-6 is all they are. It's no longer progress, it's regress and there remain no legitimate excuses for not making the playoffs this season. I agree SB, Buffalo blew up the team unnecessarily. Letting veterans like Clements, Fletcher, and Milloy looked good on the balance sheet, but the effect on the field wouldn't be known for years.

It doesn't matter how much talent you have, but how it's used. Right now, coaching is what limits this team. When you can outgain your opponent nearly 2-1, and come away with only 3 points against a team going nowhere, something is wrong. Marv's hiring of DJ was the first and ultimately most destructive decision, because no matter how they drafted, you need to use those players correctly. DJ's handling of Lynch in that game was abhorrent, but to comment that he didn't want to "destroy" (his words) the back is patently absurd. ML had 1 carry in the fourth, but the real story is DJ didn't question Turk about his use of a feature back in a close game. We know DJ selected TS, and we're seeing that was probably another bad move. Marv hired DJ. That was a bad move. End of story.

I posted about this after the SF game. The front office, led by Marv and now by Russ, makes or made far too many bad moves. Levy's Legacy It was convenient to think that a HOF coach would bring great results as a GM. Three seasons after being named GM, the truth is readily apparent that it did not happen. There's a thin margin of error in the NFL. Buffalo can't outspend anyone, which requires the scouts and decision makers to score on draft day each year. That hasn't happened obviously and we're left with poor depth, and a team which cannot beat teams it should.

It's a matter of example. I can't believe Marv Levy felt the need to take 3 DB's in the first 4 rounds of 2006 while neglecting the OL and DL for that season. Marv had been out of the game 9 years when he became GM. I'm confident that Marv leaned on DJ to make personnel decisions that year and next, based on information from Guy and Modrak. Enter Russ Brandon this year. I'm confident he didn't tell DJ about NFL personnel during this past off-season, and leaned on the HC for his experience. Again, Guy and Modrak provided the scouting reports. I understand a team making the decisions on players. The beauty of the Bills front office organization is no one knows who does what. So placing blame anywhere is immediately questioned.

FACT: Dick Jauron has had unprecedented personnel control over this team. Unless of course you think Marv or Russ Brandon overruled him, which is highly unlikely. FACT: .500 isn't enough to cut it in the NFL, especially after 2, maybe 3 seasons with this team.

Marty talked about having the energy to do be a NFL HC again, but didn't seem like he wanted to. Said he's owed some time to spend with his family. Can't blame him, given that he's devoted more than 30 years to coaching. He wasn't surprised by AJ Smith's move, but still has a bitter taste from the experience. He noted how San Diego's front office organization wasn't very good. Buffalo's may not have the internal strife, but it's still messed up. And that's why I don't see him going to Buffalo.

Ralph spends about the bare minimum on players. About 20M less than the salary cap, which is barely within the NFL mandated minimum. With areas he doesn't have to spend, like coaches and general managers, he's notoriously frugal. His income from the Toronto deal is and will not result in more being spent on players, coaches, or executives. It's just improving the bottom line.

Excellent job Scott.

You've been on this board for literally days. Show some civility and cut out the personal attacks. Everyone around here is free to express an opinion, to a certain degree. For the record, we're not Pats fans. You're talking to fans who've weathered 9 years of futility, and want the team to win one of these decades. We don't run when the team goes in the tank, like New England fans do.

It's been said that Martin Mayhew has already done more scouting in a month than MM did in his seven years as GM. Wow. I believe Ernie Sims suffers from an inferior DL, and being a WLB, his tackle stats aren't bad. Not that tackles says a player is good or bad. Mayhew traded Roy Williams for a first, third, and sixth. That deal really can't be analyzed. Harrington barely hangs on in the league, and both Williams and Rogers are gone. MM was horrible drafting, and that's obvious. But even a blind squirrel finds a nut, and Williams and Sims are above average players. I will agree their later picks have stunk up the joint. Buffalo's 2nd and beyond picks haven't been that good either, outside of Posluszny and Edwards: 04 Anderson, Euhus, D. McFarland, J. Smith 05 Parrish, Everett, Preston, King, Geisinger, Gates 06 Youboty, Simpson, Butler, Williams, Ellison, Pennington, Merz 07 Wright, Wendling, Schouman, Ah You

Thank you for your words. Obviously the Bills aren't as woeful as Detroit is. The Lions are the worst team in the NFL, and it doesn't take much for even a casual fan to see that. However, the Bills are fast becoming a slightly better version of the Lions. Buffalo's front office hasn't changed much in years, with Guy, Modrak, and Overdorf still holdovers from earlier this decade. Instead of improving, the Bills are flatlining. When you consider the teams Buffalo has beaten this year have combined for a 17-55 record, 6-6 doesn't seem all that hot. The record of opponents who beat Buffalo is 37-35, hardly impressive. Sure, Detroit is worse, and probably will be next season. But when the Bills remain mediocre and they don't change the people making the decisions, something is very wrong. I am tired of mediocrity. At least Lions fans know their team is bad, and respond accordingly. Buffalo fans get amped every season, and are consistently left like we are now.

Fixed. It's funny how non-football people get to run football teams and make decisions about things they know nothing about.

Is there any doubt the Bills have a broken front office? Brandon's not the chief decision maker in personnel, and I've got to believe Guy and Modrak simply gather information on personnel and present it to Jauron. Brandon knows he doesn't know anything about amateur and pro personnel, so he defers to Jauron. No one can say Brandon has done well, because he hasn't been around long enough. He's been "GM" for exactly one off-season, and that's not enough to say either way. Besides, his being the COO doesn't mean he makes personnel decisions anyway.

Bill Parcells, though he can be a jerk, is one of the best talent evaluators in the NFL. He surrounded himself with people like GM Jeff Ireland and HC Tony Sparano who are not surprisingly getting results. Meanwhile, Ralph privately fumes but does nothing. If he doesn't want to find someone to run football operations and hand over responsibility to a non-football person like Matt Millen was in Detroit, then fine. At least Wayne Huizenga (who may be selling the team in the near future) wants to win and is doing the right thing by hiring Parcells. Ralph bought himself time when Levy was GM. Now that Marv is gone, there is no personality in the front office that fans identify with. Combine that with having a mediocre record and you have the displeasure fans are showing.

I posted this last night. And I've come to the realization after these past few weeks with Jauron probably inking a contract extension that nothing will happen. For the Bills to avoid becoming that perennial mediocre franchise (which is now what they are) they'll need to get a quality GM with a personnel background, a new coach who doesn't burn timeouts, and begin drafting and acquiring physical players. They must instill a winner's mentality, which has been absent for years. The fact is, Ralph at 90 years of age isn't making long term plans. He has to have a HC locked up, and he has to spend money on players as mandated by the salary cap. But he doesn't need to do anything else. And not surprisingly he's not, with the promotion of Overdorf and (edit) Brandon. Keep this ship sailing straight without an objective is what we're witnessing. Unfortunately, to remain competitive, teams must plane deep into the future. Not having a plan is unacceptable.

Silly you. Buffalo didn't need a TE in 07, they already had Robert Royal. I don't have a problem with Ralph being in the war room, he's the owner after all. But are the Mara/Tisch families making any picks? How about Jim Irsay in Indy? Perhaps Dean Spanos in SD? Or how about Mark Murphy in GB? Bob Kraft sure as heck doesn't tell Pioli and Belichick what to do. Those guys are good owners because they let their football people make football decisions. Good franchises start with good owners. Buffalo's owner is a meddler, and cannot allow people to make decisions without his approval. It doesn't matter if it's marketing or football decisions, he's a micromanager, and people like Polian, AJ Smith, and the late John Butler couldn't work for the guy.

In all probability, the Bills will finish the season with 9 consecutive seasons absent a playoff appearance. Neither Buffalo nor Detroit has a NFL caliber HC. Jauron actually didn't get the permanent job in Detroit after Mariucci was fired. Marinelli was thereafter hired before 2006. Both the Lions and Bills draft high, with Detroit consistently in the top 10 and Buffalo in the 8-15 range each year because both never improve record wise. Like Detroit, Buffalo does not have a GM. Former Buffalo Bill Martin Mayhew is handling the GM role, and is currently the Senior Vice President. Our GM has been to the combine, and that's about it from a personnel standpoint. Detroit and Buffalo are the only teams without a post-season appearance since the 20th century (Houston excluded). Detroit hasn't had a playoff game since 1999, when Buffalo last made the post-season. Both teams have owners who will not make a change when the ship is sinking. It took William Clay Ford's son to publicly say if he was his father that he'd fire Millen. I don't see Russ Brandon do anything but play wet-nurse to Ralph. I'll freely admit that Buffalo isn't as bad as Detroit, but at least the Lions are doing something. Teams can be turned around in a year. Just ask Atlanta, Miami, and Baltimore fans. The question for Bills fans is: Would you rather have a perennially mediocre franchise or no franchise at all? That seems to be the path we're blazing in Buffalo. At least Detroit has more certainty their team will be around in five years. In that category, Detroit is far better than Buffalo.

For some strange reason, I think Ralph continues to go with a non-football guy as quasi GM in Brandon. I also can't see him getting rid of Jauron if there is a signed contract somewhere. If Jauron's getting 2M per, a 3 yr extension would mean Ralph eats 6M. I think he'd avoid that and take a hit on tickets anyday. Either way, the PR machine at OBD is going to work OT this off-season to make sure fans stay with this team. It will be their toughest challenge in years. They might make some player moves, but nothing significant other than bells and whistles. Ralph has no long term plan for this team, and neither do his heirs who don't want the team.

I feel bad for the guy they had make those calls. That makes being a telemarketer selling ginsu knives sound like a good job.

Spagnuolo will be a hot property in the off-season and will get big dollars. I'm not saying it couldn't happen, well, no it can't happen. He's in his second season as a DC with NYG. He was previously a DB coach for Philadelphia under Jim Johnson. It will be interesting, if DJ is let go.

They should have asked what you wanted for Christmas. 1. A new owner 2. A real GM 3. A NFL HC 3. OL and DL in UFA and the draft

As bad as Ralph is as owner, Mike Brown makes him look great. Can anyone here imagine Ralphie being the GM as well? Mike Brown is, as Stuck in Cincy knows. The Bills are a mess, but maybe having Russ Brandon as GM isn't worse the Cincinnati. Isn't it funny how teams with bad owners can't win anymore? Al Davis in Oakland. Mike Brown in Cincinnait. Ford's in Detroit. Wilson in Buffalo. Heck, even the Bidwell's in Arizona are at least going to the playoffs in the joke that is the NFCW.

The proof is in the pudding. 6-6 through 12 weks is eerily similar to where this team was in 2006 and 2007. It doesn't matter how much talent you have if it's not put to use properly. Please explain the virtues of burning 4 timeouts in one game. How does a player overcome having to call a TO when the play doesn't get in. Challenges this season, for a time, were horrible. Or what about lining up in the shotgun with short yardage or goal to go situations. We've done that in both the Cleveland and San Fran losses. This is the NFL. Takeo Spikes said they knew exactly what was coming when Buffalo lined up. The Bills may well have radioed in their play to Singletary. You could have had all-pros at each position and it would not have mattered. With parity the norm, you've got to out-plan your opponent. DJ has been taken to school by: Tony Sparano (rookie HC, along with Dan Henning and Paul Pasqualoni) Eric Mangini (3rd yr) Ken Whisenhunt (2nd yr) Mike Singletary (rookie interim HC) Romeo Crennel (3rd yr) Perhaps only the Jets had more talent. None of those other four had a more talent-laden roster. For the record, DJ has more "game experience" than those four combined. PNW, I'm hoping your post is sarcasm with the indicator. Quit while you're ahead kid.

There is no obvious answer here. No one around here seriously think Mike Tomlin could make the transition from Cowher that seamlessly. Mike Smith in ATL was a DC with Jacksonville. Tony Sparano was the OL coach in Dallas. Those three guys are either close to or sitting in a playoff spot. None were "name coaches" when they were hired. When we go for a "hot" assistant, we swing and miss. When Marv hires a coach with previous experience, we throw the bat into the stands. Baseball season can't come quick enough.