BackInDaDay

after waiting so long for the Bills to get their shot at a Super Bowl, my fondest memory of that evening was Whitney's SSB. like the Bills, her life soon became a train wreck of squandered talent and opportunity.. time to bury the dead, my friend

"There is just something about your face, that just makes me want to punch it!"

i'd prefer an honest appraisal of which of our current players Rex believes have the physical ability, skills, and mid-set to flesh out his 2016 defenses. follow that up with what types of position players are still needed. it may be a tough ask.. but if it's necessary, you make changes.. this is the coach you've hitched your wagon to - so at this point, either give him what he needs to build his winning D., or can him. my problem with all this is.. that Rex has been telling the front office what they wanted to hear since the minute he was interviewed - that he can build a championship team from the existing roster - and that he would deliver a #1 D with the highly priced talent already here. but what he didn't tell them, was that his plan included modifying many of their roles, and conditioning them to react, rather than attack. i'm not arguing whether that was right or wrong.. rather, i'm disturbed by the fact that he's once again sold them on the idea that he will accomplish that transformation without changing much..

i'll never fault Ryan for his passionate defense of his players when they fail to execute as planned, but i have to question why he remains blind to where and why his plans break down. he's steers his shiny new truck toward a cliff, hits the gas, and then seems legitimately surprised when it fails to fly. but hey.. it never gave up tryin.. strange..

i'm pleased that A. Williams has recovered from his injury, but i question his mental ability to remain focused on his responsibilities.. his frustration against NE took him out of his game well before his injury did, so i'm not convinced he can be penciled in as a starting SS or share a 'robber' role with McKelvin. he's gonna have to work on his recognition skills, but this isn't just on him - it's on the staff.. and this is where i fall off the optimism wagon. i really think our defense failed to play better because some of our guys lacked the focus to play smart football - and some of our guys were being tasked with executing techniques they weren't familiar with and/or weren't capable of performing well. .. and now, Rex has once again convinced the GM and ownership that he can coach our existing players into properly executing his defenses in a consistent fashion, regardless of the various deficiencies they've already displayed. all aboard the crazy train.

and they didn't have concussion protocols back then..

you think this was easy?

look, the only argument against running any offense where the QB is used in the running game, is the injury risk. but attacking with 11 with 11 is always a better idea - especially when each of your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd string QBs can be productive in a passing attack that uses their mobility to put defenders in jeopardy, and gives them simplified run/pass keys. i believe the NFL will eventually see that a new paradigm - one that reduces the risk of investing in young QBs who may not be able to execute traditional offenses from the pocket reduces the risk of sacrificing entire seasons because theres a lack of backup QBs who can effectively execute traditional offenses from the pocket - when called upon reduces the very large financial compensation needed to keep QBs who have shown that they can execute traditional offenses from the pocket they've already modified the rules to increase offensive production from each offensive skill position. i suspect this is needed to maintain the fantasy football industry, but it may be as innocent as wanting a more "entertaining" game.. personally, i think the games are starting to resemble 7on7 drills, but i guess the people have spoken. so i don't think it will be too long before teams realize the benefit of adapting their offenses - and defenses too (more 8-3 defenders.. look it up)* - and start fleshing out their QB depth chart with plug n play athletes * - by the way, i think this is a glimpse into what Rex was trying to accomplish

who wouldn't prefer an offensive design that diminishes the gap between your starter and his backups? one very large 'franchise QB' contract could finance 2 or 3 very capable athletic QBs who could be plugged in when injuries dictated. let's llok at the Patriots designed short passing game - taken from collegiate spread attacks - which is in effect, their running game. on many of their plays, the defenders are spread out - and receivers who aren't receiving options block downfield. Brady can then option a particular defender(s) in choosing which of his 'targets' will receive the ball behind these blockers #12's experience is seen when manipulating the D with motion, to expose pre-snap keys that allows him to get the ball out quickly - or when the D shows it's hand too early on how it plans to bring pressure, and all he has to do is use a one-word call (thank you, coach Kelly) to either enhance, or replace the play.. the point is, Brady's experience makes up for his lack of athleticism. it enables him to create opportunities by recognizing how the D reacts to his personnel, his formation, and his motion. this and a diverse assortment of players, makes the Pats O very dangerous. BUT.. a less experienced athletic QB can also execute the first phase of what's described above - the "option a particular defender(s) in choosing which of his 'targets' will receive the ball behind these blockers " part. and if this QB has wheels, you can a new dimension to the offense - the ability to design the threat of s run option for the QB, into the same type of play. you've now replaced the inherent threat of one QB's experience, with the explicit threat of another QB's ability to run. and although it' may be easier to disguise and confuse the less experienced athlete - to keep his O from reaching that 'very dangerous' level - i suspect a good number of talented young men.. who have been running this style of offense since high school... are quite capable of executing 'very effective' offenses in the NFL. the only thing stopping them, is the lack of commitment by teams to diminish the star power of the traditional 'franchise QB' in a QB-centric league. if QBs were as disposable as receivers and running backs, that might put a crimp in the leagues appeal, but i'm thinking that any HC and GM would prefer not to be dependent on a single player for the overall success or failure of their season.

from an economic perspective.. it makes no sense to tie up the largest chunk of your payroll in the only guy who can effectively run your offense. designing an offense based on optioning the choices of a finite number of defenders, reduces each play to a finite set of reactions by your offensive players - including the QB. this allows the staff to teach and practice these 'reactions' to the backups at each position, and closes the execution gap between starters and bench players. there are far more athletes who can read one or two options, react, run or throw - than there are less athletic pocket passers who can read, work through progressions, react, and throw. the former can hit the ground running - literally - in a much shorter prep time than the latter. and the former can be replaced far easier than the latter - especially once the pocket passer masters his craft. how many seasons are lost with an injury to their pocket passing QB?

after 49 years of rooting for the Bills, i've embraced the fact that winning seasons are few and far between, and that our best teams in the future may squander their opportunity to achieve greatness - as the 90's team did. . after coming to grips with the likes of that, you think i give two craps about what Babe Parilli's team has done?

i saw Terry leaving his trailer in his pick-up this morning.. had his drilling equipment with him.. won't be long.

yes, i do.. many came in a very short time frame that this old article describes.. http://www.si.com/vault/1995/09/25/206647/coach-and-jury-nebraska-players-charged-with-crimes-have-a-steadfast-ally-in-the-man-who-runs-the-program-tom-osborne the acceptance of criminal behavior among a disproportionate number of people involved with well financed university football programs, may have hit the breaking point at Penn State - but coaches like Osborne were abusing their influence in these relatively small college towns, for a very long time.

edit - oh, and i think Kelly's gonna do really well there. like Carrol moving up the coastline, Chip's very familiar with the talent pool in that region. bet he drafts the Cal junior QB.

hard to believe Osborne wasn't fired for bringing so many criminals through Lincoln during his tenure.. but like a lot of win-at-all-costs coaches, he was rewarded - with a US congressional seat. just win baby..

if Henderson wanted to try having real DC responsibilities again - the addition of Rob to the staff threw a quilt of Rex/Rob/Thurman over that. why would a guy looking to do more, who's aready sharing his position coach job with another assistant - want to stay buried in Buffalo?

so every pass to him would be considered uncatchable.. and no chance to pick up any PI flags?

EXACTLY! just playin.. i love this 'whodunnit' crap we do..

hmm... is Donnie following Doug Marrone somewhere? this following was taken from this old link.. http://www.wgr550.com/As-times-and-players-have-changed-Donnie-Henderson/21675701# On that Jets staff was an offensive line coach named Doug Marrone. Henderson and Marrone formed a bond simply through talking about football every day. “Doug and I would sit and always talk football. Always.” Five years later, after Marrone was hired as the head coach at Syracuse University, he picked up the phone and called his old football buddy and offered him a job. Henderson, who had since moved on to coordinate the Detroit Lions defense for a year, then worked as an assistant for the Jaguars and Cardinals, couldn't take it right away. But he was finally able to join his friend in 2012. By then, Marrone and his staff had turned the Orange program around and Marrone was becoming a candidate for several NFL jobs. The Bills hired him the following off-season. It was never a question if Henderson would follow Marrone to Buffalo – or anywhere. “We always talked about it,” Henderson said of him and Marrone. “Wherever he was going to go I was going to go. That was just our relationship. I was pretty close with Doug, and still am.”

one day.. as we're laying motionless in our death beds.. staring at the ceiling.. barely breathing.. not comprehending what day it is.. not recognizing our red and blue clad visitors. we'll hear something that pulls us back from the abyss.. excited voices.. speaking the words "can't believe it".. and "Super Bowl".. and "Buffalo Bills" .. and we'll remember the years and years of waiting and hoping.. and tears of joy will begin to spring from our old, dry eyes.. until we hear "damn these Bills", and the sound of something breaking.. and we'll take our last breaths and die.

sorry if this was posted in the past.. it's over 3 years old.. but unfortunately, it's still hilarious. i hope mr rubin is ok. for all i know, he's one of you.. https://youtu.be/kTtpylQ45qI fiy - the above youtube link includes a link to his old kickstarter campaign to make a movie about his Bills addiction. had he succeeded, it would have been on the first page of the 'Bills on TV and movies' topic. so feel free to merge and bury it there.. i just thought i'd open this as new - to make sure it's exposed to as many long suffering fans, as possible

if Rob wants to post his thoughts here.. what's the protocol? i mean.. does his active status as a member of the coaching staff out-rank that of an active moderator? because we can't have two beerballs..

interesting article.. i wonder if there were any Ryans on that 1934 Cincinnati Reds staff? maybe Grandpa Ryan.. i can hear the post game presser now...... "I tell ya what.. i'm proud of these guys.. they never stopped fighting.. i'd be proud to share a foxhole with them.. oh.. wait.. i did share a foxhole with them.. and Hey! that turned out ok!"

you are definitely "the straw that stirs the drink" 😀

i think you're one of the few guys posting here who has a feel for evaluating football coaches, players, and game play.. and you're right.. personally speaking, don't take notice of the consistencies - or inconsistencies - of other CBs around the league... but like most of us, i've been watching Gilmore from day one - and i don't see what you see. i don't see him improving his technique/leverage skills enough to keep him from letting the receiver get where he wants to be - and i'm thinking that this is due to an undeveloped sense of anticipation. if he has the instincts to react to a route, maybe he still lacks the confidence to follow those instincts aggressively - regardless of how he perceives himself. you may have a keener eye than i, but if you think he's improving in this area, i have to ask.. where are the interceptions? he had 3 picks this season, 3 the year before, and 3 in total his first two seasons. there were 10 CBs with more than 3 this year, and 13 other CBs with 3. and although i understand that this stat has to be taken in context of scheme and 'targets', i do think its symptomatic of a player who either doesn't have great instincts - or doesn't trust them. i counted 17 CBs that defended less passes than Stephan this season - all with at least the same number of picks he had. i agree that he has the physical tools to impose his will enough to raise his game. but i'd be concerned after 4 years, whether he can.