The most important 4 weeks in Bills history

[Thoner7]

This has been a lnog time coming. Over the last 10 or so years the Bills have made bad decision after bad decision in regards to building a proven winner. I feel that these next four weeks may be able to right the ship.

 

I never thought the Bills had a chance this season. Once DJ was brought back I knew it was 6-10 or worse. However I now see DJs 4th year in a different light. If a new coach was brought in, and the FO was left untouched, it would just be more of the same old Bills we have seen for ten years. DJ and his losing might bring us some serious change - as a Bills fan there is always hope.

 

Which brings me to my focus on these next four weeks, at Tenn, at Jax, home vrs Miami, then Toronto vrs the Jets. Tenn is 2-6, but likely to beat us at home. Our O cant score on their suspect D and C.Johnson should run for over 200 - and I am not exagerating. This loss will help our draft position as Tenn will get to three wins and likely have a better record at the conclusion of the season. The same points can be made about Jacksonville who is a more complete team than Tenn. A loss to them will almost guarentee we draft higher then Jax. Then we move onto Miami, who again will be able to run straight down our throats, and has the better D than both Jax and Tenn. I watched them play agaisnt NE Sunday and they looked very very good. Henne will only have to attempt 12 passes or so to get a win. Miami currently shares our 3-5 record but is a better team than that - the same way we are not as good as 3-5. A season sweep will most certainly mean we are drafting higher than them come April. The Jets in Toronto. If ever there was a game the football Gods want us to lose its any game the Bills play in Toronto. The Jets have the 2nd best D in the league, and unless we get 6 more picks I dont see us competeing. If Rex Ryans ship implodes over the next 3 weeks we may have a chance, but I bet they make a strong push with their D and running game - Buffalos biggest weakness. A currently 4-4 Jets team will get to at least 5 wins by this point in the season, and will be drafting behind us in April.

 

Over the final 4 weeks the Bills play 2 winable games - @ KC and home vrs Indy, a game they can win because it will be Indys 2nd team (the others are NE and Atlanta).

 

At this point in the season I see 5-11 as the best this team can do. Losing to Indys second team and KC are even feasible because im sure both could have beaten Cleveland.

 

My point it such a terrible finish to the season will hopefully get more than just DJ fired, but Modrak Overdorf and Guy as well. Hopefully it is bad enough to get Buddy Nix promoted to football GM while Brandon becomes Marketing GM or something. Those key loses to bad teams should get us into the top 10 or even top 8 in the draft and hopefully we can address one of our two biggest needs in QB or LT. Hopefully a new scouting department can land a playmaker with a top pick and add some key FAs that are worth their salaries. With a new HC this team could turn it around in one offseason like so many teams have done recently.

 

So while I hate to see the Bills lose, I hate to see them lose for 10 straight years even more. Every fan knows there will be no change if we limp through year after year. I will not accept that, I just cant do it anymore. I also just cannot root for the Bills to lose. Therefore, I am going to start rooting for the 2010 Bills right now. That way I am rooting for the Bills in a round-a-bout way. Support the Bills by rooting for the 2010 team! Heres to the next 4 weeks!

[uticaclub]

while that's the best case scenario, we are going to win some games we shouldn't down the stretch (at denver last year), we finish better then we should and dicky j keeps his job. i see us going 7-9 again, and a 5th year of DJ leading up to a 11th to 15th pick

[Thoner7]

while that's the best case scenario, we are going to win some games we shouldn't down the stretch (at denver last year), we finish better then we should and dicky j keeps his job. i see us going 7-9 again, and a 5th year of DJ leading up to a 11th to 15th pick

 

For 7-9 to be reached we have to finish .500. I just dont see that happening considering our next 4 games are agaisnt teams that can run the ball so well. Atlanta will be playing for a WC spot and Jauron has never beaten Bilicheat. Yes it is likely beat one or two of those teams, but if we do we will then likely lose to KC or Indys backups ala Steelers 2006- which I think we can. Jax, Tenn, and KC seem to be on their way up while I dont see the Bills picking up any kind of steam. I am expecting a finish equally disheartening as last years debacle.

[May Day 10]

the front office needs to be napalmed

[dave mcbride]

This has been a lnog time coming. Over the last 10 or so years the Bills have made bad decision after bad decision in regards to building a proven winner. I feel that these next four weeks may be able to right the ship.

 

I never thought the Bills had a chance this season. Once DJ was brought back I knew it was 6-10 or worse. However I now see DJs 4th year in a different light. If a new coach was brought in, and the FO was left untouched, it would just be more of the same old Bills we have seen for ten years. DJ and his losing might bring us some serious change - as a Bills fan there is always hope.

 

Which brings me to my focus on these next four weeks, at Tenn, at Jax, home vrs Miami, then Toronto vrs the Jets. Tenn is 2-6, but likely to beat us at home. Our O cant score on their suspect D and C.Johnson should run for over 200 - and I am not exagerating. This loss will help our draft position as Tenn will get to three wins and likely have a better record at the conclusion of the season. The same points can be made about Jacksonville who is a more complete team than Tenn. A loss to them will almost guarentee we draft higher then Jax. Then we move onto Miami, who again will be able to run straight down our throats, and has the better D than both Jax and Tenn. I watched them play agaisnt NE Sunday and they looked very very good. Henne will only have to attempt 12 passes or so to get a win. Miami currently shares our 3-5 record but is a better team than that - the same way we are not as good as 3-5. A season sweep will most certainly mean we are drafting higher than them come April. The Jets in Toronto. If ever there was a game the football Gods want us to lose its any game the Bills play in Toronto. The Jets have the 2nd best D in the league, and unless we get 6 more picks I dont see us competeing. If Rex Ryans ship implodes over the next 3 weeks we may have a chance, but I bet they make a strong push with their D and running game - Buffalos biggest weakness. A currently 4-4 Jets team will get to at least 5 wins by this point in the season, and will be drafting behind us in April.

 

Over the final 4 weeks the Bills play 2 winable games - @ KC and home vrs Indy, a game they can win because it will be Indys 2nd team (the others are NE and Atlanta).

 

At this point in the season I see 5-11 as the best this team can do. Losing to Indys second team and KC are even feasible because im sure both could have beaten Cleveland.

 

My point it such a terrible finish to the season will hopefully get more than just DJ fired, but Modrak Overdorf and Guy as well. Hopefully it is bad enough to get Buddy Nix promoted to football GM while Brandon becomes Marketing GM or something. Those key loses to bad teams should get us into the top 10 or even top 8 in the draft and hopefully we can address one of our two biggest needs in QB or LT. Hopefully a new scouting department can land a playmaker with a top pick and add some key FAs that are worth their salaries. With a new HC this team could turn it around in one offseason like so many teams have done recently.

 

So while I hate to see the Bills lose, I hate to see them lose for 10 straight years even more. Every fan knows there will be no change if we limp through year after year. I will not accept that, I just cant do it anymore. I also just cannot root for the Bills to lose. Therefore, I am going to start rooting for the 2010 Bills right now. That way I am rooting for the Bills in a round-a-bout way. Support the Bills by rooting for the 2010 team! Heres to the next 4 weeks!

 

The one error in your argument is that the Bills should be looking to hire a 70 year old (Nix; he was born in December 1939) as their GM. That's a really bad idea.

[wonderbread]

OBD needs to fall into Lake Erie.

[Thoner7]

The one error in your argument is that the Bills should be looking to hire a 70 year old (Nix; he was born in December 1939) as their GM. That's a really bad idea.

 

I dont think he is the best option, I just think knowing Ralphs tendancies to hire from within and hire on the cheap, he is the most likely canidate. I believe he is the reason for the Bills solid draft this year -minus the Maybin blunder - and can hopefully set up a competant scouting department and groom a potential replacement to himself, who will eventually will be promoted from within to the next GM. Buddy Nix would be the best we have had since Butler.

[port allegany]

I dont think he is the best option, I just think knowing Ralphs tendancies to hire from within and hire on the cheap, he is the most likely canidate. I believe he is the reason for the Bills solid draft this year -minus the Maybin blunder - and can hopefully set up a competant scouting department and groom a potential replacement to himself, who will eventually will be promoted from within to the next GM. Buddy Nix would be the best we have had since Butler.

 

"minus the Maybin blunder" - how can you give a person a pass for "blundering" on the 11th overall pick? That's a little like "except for that one incidence, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?" If you think Maybin was a good pick for future years, then I can see your logic. Personally, I think he will be. But if you truly think it was a 'blunder' and Maybin will be a bust, then why in the world would you want this person picking higher and betting even more money? Just curiious about your thinking here.

[Thoner7]

"minus the Maybin blunder" - how can you give a person a pass for "blundering" on the 11th overall pick? That's a little like "except for that one incidence, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?" If you think Maybin was a good pick for future years, then I can see your logic. Personally, I think he will be. But if you truly think it was a 'blunder' and Maybin will be a bust, then why in the world would you want this person picking higher and betting even more money? Just curiious about your thinking here.

 

To start off, I think Maybin is and will be a complete 100% bust. I hated the pick when it happened, and hate it even more now. He has shown absolutely nothing as far as being able to compete at the NFL level. Meanwhile, Orakpo - the obvious best DE in the draft - is dominating. That does not help my view of Maybin.

 

However, Buddy Nix is just a scout as of right now, and from what I have heard is he has gotten many looks to be a GM, most recently with Atlanta. When I was refering to the Bills 08 draft, I was talking about the scouting department as a whole, not just Nix. Apparently Nix had a pretty strong say in the Bills draft room, and Modrak was the one who had the final say on the Maybin pick - I guess he just loved the guy. These two things have been reported on by some people/sites who seem to be accurate with their reporting (they have word of signings and such well in advance of their announcing - which somewhat confirms their credibility) - maybe Warrow/Graham can confirm? (What was Nix's role in this draft/Who had the final say on Maybin etc?) Because of what I have heard, I believe Modrak had the final say in the selection of Maybin, and Nix had a strong say throughout the rest of the draft.

 

It is also Nix's first year with the Bills and even with Maybin this has been the best draft in years. I donthold Nix accountable for the Maybin pick, maybe he is but thats not what has been reported. Modraks draft record however is very well published, and it stinks. Nix is the Bills best realistic option for GM IMO.

[2003Contenders]

"minus the Maybin blunder" - how can you give a person a pass for "blundering" on the 11th overall pick? That's a little like "except for that one incidence, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?" If you think Maybin was a good pick for future years, then I can see your logic. Personally, I think he will be. But if you truly think it was a 'blunder' and Maybin will be a bust, then why in the world would you want this person picking higher and betting even more money? Just curiious about your thinking here.

 

 

I hear what you are saying, and I would response with two observations.

 

1. I do believe that Maybin was always viewed as a long range pick, rather than an immediate impact pick. That range got even longer when he made the decision to hold out.

 

2. We don't know for sure who actually made the ultimate decision to select him. Based on some of the quotes heading up to the draft I have a feeling that Jauron or possibly Fewell campaigned for him.

[port allegany]

To start off, I think Maybin is and will be a complete 100% bust. I hated the pick when it happened, and hate it even more now. He has shown absolutely nothing as far as being able to compete at the NFL level. Meanwhile, Orakpo - the obvious best DE in the draft - is dominating. That does not help my view of Maybin.

 

However, Buddy Nix is just a scout as of right now, and from what I have heard is he has gotten many looks to be a GM, most recently with Atlanta. When I was refering to the Bills 08 draft, I was talking about the scouting department as a whole, not just Nix. Apparently Nix had a pretty strong say in the Bills draft room, and Modrak was the one who had the final say on the Maybin pick - I guess he just loved the guy. These two things have been reported on by some people/sites who seem to be accurate with their reporting (they have word of signings and such well in advance of their announcing - which somewhat confirms their credibility) - maybe Warrow/Graham can confirm? (What was Nix's role in this draft/Who had the final say on Maybin etc?) Because of what I have heard, I believe Modrak had the final say in the selection of Maybin, and Nix had a strong say throughout the rest of the draft.

 

It is also Nix's first year with the Bills and even with Maybin this has been the best draft in years. I donthold Nix accountable for the Maybin pick, maybe he is but thats not what has been reported. Modraks draft record however is very well published, and it stinks. Nix is the Bills best realistic option for GM IMO.

[Paup 1995MVP]

I hear what you are saying, and I would response with two observations.

 

1. I do believe that Maybin was always viewed as a long range pick, rather than an immediate impact pick. That range got even longer when he made the decision to hold out.

 

2. We don't know for sure who actually made the ultimate decision to select him. Based on some of the quotes heading up to the draft I have a feeling that Jauron or possibly Fewell campaigned for him.

Maybin looks like a high school football player next to NFL offensive lineman. Does anyone really think he is going to do much for us even next year? He doesn't have the build to play defensive line in the NFL. My god, I don't think he could even start on Penn State this year. Unbelievable that he held out thru half of training camp. To draft a long range pick for a team that had so many holes to fill is sickening. A lot of you wanted Orapko. But I think the better choice would have been Cushing. He makes Poz and every other LB we have look like marginal college players. We could have used Copeland Bryan and Chris Ellis as our 4th and 5th DE's and drafted Cushing, and our D would have been much better at two positions. Now we have no OLB's and our 1st round pick looks like he eats one meal a day.

 

Is there a law against playing 280 pound defensive ends? Maybe if we had some bulk across the ENTIRE line, we wouldn't be giving up the most yards per game against the run in the NFL. Unbelievable how poor we are at so many facets of the game.

 

Doesn't it amaze many of you as to how bad our team plays the game on offense and defense? If not for our special teams the past 4-5 years, we would not have won more than 4-5 games in any of those seasons.

[Thurman#1]

while that's the best case scenario, we are going to win some games we shouldn't down the stretch (at denver last year), we finish better then we should and dicky j keeps his job. i see us going 7-9 again, and a 5th year of DJ leading up to a 11th to 15th pick

 

 

 

Ralph made clear before the season that this was a make-or-break year for Jauron because Ralph was frustrated. If we finish 7 - 9, Jauron is gone. Bet on it.

 

It would take a major turnaround of the season for Jauron to hold onto his job. And that is a possibility. But going 4 - 4 against a not-very tough schedule wouldn't be a turnaround. Not even close.

 

Looking at the schedule without Thoner's pessimistic viewpoint, you'd have to figure us as easily capable of going 3 - 5 or 4 - 4.

[Thurman#1]

I dont think he is the best option, I just think knowing Ralphs tendancies to hire from within and hire on the cheap, he is the most likely canidate. I believe he is the reason for the Bills solid draft this year -minus the Maybin blunder - and can hopefully set up a competant scouting department and groom a potential replacement to himself, who will eventually will be promoted from within to the next GM. Buddy Nix would be the best we have had since Butler.

 

 

 

There is no Maybin blunder. DEs take time to develop.

[Thurman#1]

To start off, I think Maybin is and will be a complete 100% bust. I hated the pick when it happened, and hate it even more now. He has shown absolutely nothing as far as being able to compete at the NFL level. Meanwhile, Orakpo - the obvious best DE in the draft - is dominating. That does not help my view of Maybin.

 

However, Buddy Nix is just a scout as of right now, and from what I have heard is he has gotten many looks to be a GM, most recently with Atlanta. When I was refering to the Bills 08 draft, I was talking about the scouting department as a whole, not just Nix. Apparently Nix had a pretty strong say in the Bills draft room, and Modrak was the one who had the final say on the Maybin pick - I guess he just loved the guy. These two things have been reported on by some people/sites who seem to be accurate with their reporting (they have word of signings and such well in advance of their announcing - which somewhat confirms their credibility) - maybe Warrow/Graham can confirm? (What was Nix's role in this draft/Who had the final say on Maybin etc?) Because of what I have heard, I believe Modrak had the final say in the selection of Maybin, and Nix had a strong say throughout the rest of the draft.

 

It is also Nix's first year with the Bills and even with Maybin this has been the best draft in years. I donthold Nix accountable for the Maybin pick, maybe he is but thats not what has been reported. Modraks draft record however is very well published, and it stinks. Nix is the Bills best realistic option for GM IMO.

 

 

 

You have no idea (nor do I) how much influence Modrak has had on our drafts.

 

What little we do know is:

 

1) Only last year, Ralph said that he was lifting Modrak to "the inner circle." In other words, it sounds like he has had limited influence up to last year's draft, which is the best in a while.

 

2) We know that Modrak wanted to get Cutler, but was rebuffed because we already had Losman.

[Thoner7]

There is no Maybin blunder. DEs take time to develop.

 

You can keep saying that for the next three years, hoping he develpes, and Ill keep saying "I told you so"

[34-78-83]

You can keep saying that for the next three years, hoping he develpes, and Ill keep saying "I told you so"

 

You must have been just as sure about Eric Moulds

[mrags]

You can keep saying that for the next three years, hoping he develpes, and Ill keep saying "I told you so"

 

Im a fan of bringing in the new coach like you hope happens. I also feel the same way. We will not go anywhere with Dick as the HC. He consistantly loses us games that are winnable.

 

I personally dont think Maybin is a "bust" yet. You are correct that the developing of him after another year would be rediculous. We cut him lose if thats the case. Or just make him a backup and eat the contract.

 

I am a firm believer that Maybin will be converted to an OLB (and will be a good one) once we get out new coach. Either we switch to a 3-4 or the new coach just tells Aaron the way it is and hes not big enough to be a solid DE in the league. A real coach with some nuts would have done that already, especially considering the lack of starters, and talent we have at LB.

[Thoner7]

You must have been just as sure about Eric Moulds

 

You must of never heard of guys like Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss, and most recently Michael Crabtree - Guys that dont need time to develope. Forgive me for prefering guys who are studs from Day 1.