Coach55 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 After reading countless number of posts on how many holes this team has and that they will be lucky to win 6 games in 2010, I want to make the following comment: Over the Dick Jauron era, we had consistently fielded playoff caliber teams. There were holes in the lineup every year, but the talent was pretty much mostly there. Question marks did exist at QB and the lines, but if it wasn't for a few plays here and there, we could have easily been 10-6 in any of the last 4 seasons. A lot of people blame injuries, but every team suffers injuries (we did suffer more, but I don't like that excuse). This year our team is arguably weaker than last (no more TO, Butler retired, Schobel will be gone, we are running a 3-4 with players who fit a 4-3, etc.). However, one crucial difference has occurred - DJ is no longer here. On top of that many of the "old regime" is also gone. There was a notable difference in the team's performance under Perry Fewell last year (yes they did only go 3-4). Had he coached the whole year, I would have expected a better season than 6-10. But now, we have something new: a totally NEW regime. Since Nix has been in charge, the team seems to be operating with "a purpose". The attitude has changed. I am not sure if Gailey will be able to emanate it as well as Nix, but I feel these guys have come in with something to prove. I still think we have a lot of holes and need a franchise QB (I keep telling myself - give up on Trent, but part of me feels in a new scheme, he has the talent), but I think if the new regime comes out with something to prove early, the team will be able to build off their successes. The key is we need to have the "attitude" to win the close games. We were 2-6 in games decided by 7 points or less last season. We flip that upside down and we go 10-6. We don't have a Super Bowl team yet, but I think the cards are there for a playoff birth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 But now, we have something new: a totally NEW regime. Since Nix has been in charge, the team seems to be operating with "a purpose". The attitude has changed. I am not sure if Gailey will be able to emanate it as well as Nix, but I feel these guys have come in with something to prove. I don't mean to be a smart ass, but I would like to know what you have seen that shows "a purpose"? Nix has hired Gailey, arguably the best he could do under the circumstances, but hardly a inspiring choice. Let go some of the dead weight. And signed a couple depth (at best) FA's. No "real" signings, and no draft yet. In fact, they haven't replaced the starters they have lost so far. What purpose do you see so far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach55 Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 I don't mean to be a smart ass, but I would like to know what you have seen that shows "a purpose"? Nix has hired Gailey, arguably the best he could do under the circumstances, but hardly a inspiring choice. Let go some of the dead weight. And signed a couple depth (at best) FA's. No "real" signings, and no draft yet. In fact, they haven't replaced the starters they have lost so far. What purpose do you see so far? It's the attitude that he conveys when he speaks. The fact he fired practically the entire old regime. Jauron was very passive, well respected, but passive. We didn't even have a GM. Russ is a marketing guy. Nix just gets you fired up hearing him speak... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 After reading countless number of posts on how many holes this team has and that they will be lucky to win 6 games in 2010, I want to make the following comment: Over the Dick Jauron era, we had consistently fielded playoff caliber teams. Sorry, I felt it was OK to stop after that sentence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kipers Hair Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 There is no reason we will be better. Addition through subtraciton with jouron - I think not. I did not like him, but some bounces and the team was 9-7... We simply lack the personel to compete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpberr Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I feel the team will be as good or better than the 2009 team. Upheaval (firing the OC and HC during the season), the ridiculous amount of injuries, and coaching (game calling, schemes) were significant factors last year. I feel we've upgraded the strength/conditioning and coaching over last year. Am I predicting playoffs? No. I just don't believe that 2010 will be worse than 2009. Might be pleasantly surprised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numark Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 4 Reasons we will be better... Better Coach Injuries last year The Draft will bring new talent ....................................................and our younger players have developed one more year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billsguy Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 After reading countless number of posts on how many holes this team has and that they will be lucky to win 6 games in 2010, I want to make the following comment: Over the Dick Jauron era, we had consistently fielded playoff caliber teams. There were holes in the lineup every year, but the talent was pretty much mostly there. Well I need not read any further. What talent? Football is a relative sport. Relative to the other teams in the division the Bills fall far short in the talent dept. Relative to the conference it is even worse. Relative to the league you have the makings of a team that hasn't made the playoffs in a decade! Please take off the rose colored glasses. Reality is harsh, but to ignore it is foolish. I would love to be a cheerleader for this team and organization, but my brain keeps talking me out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pirate Angel Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 4 Reasons we will be better... Better Coach Injuries last year The Draft will bring new talent ....................................................and our younger players have developed one more year your glass is half full my friend....good for you...what are you doing here speaking with good sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manbeast Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 After reading countless number of posts on how many holes this team has and that they will be lucky to win 6 games in 2010, I want to make the following comment: Over the Dick Jauron era, we had consistently fielded playoff caliber teams. There were holes in the lineup every year, but the talent was pretty much mostly there. Question marks did exist at QB and the lines, but if it wasn't for a few plays here and there, we could have easily been 10-6 in any of the last 4 seasons. A lot of people blame injuries, but every team suffers injuries (we did suffer more, but I don't like that excuse). This year our team is arguably weaker than last (no more TO, Butler retired, Schobel will be gone, we are running a 3-4 with players who fit a 4-3, etc.). However, one crucial difference has occurred - DJ is no longer here. On top of that many of the "old regime" is also gone. There was a notable difference in the team's performance under Perry Fewell last year (yes they did only go 3-4). Had he coached the whole year, I would have expected a better season than 6-10. But now, we have something new: a totally NEW regime. Since Nix has been in charge, the team seems to be operating with "a purpose". The attitude has changed. I am not sure if Gailey will be able to emanate it as well as Nix, but I feel these guys have come in with something to prove. I still think we have a lot of holes and need a franchise QB (I keep telling myself - give up on Trent, but part of me feels in a new scheme, he has the talent), but I think if the new regime comes out with something to prove early, the team will be able to build off their successes. The key is we need to have the "attitude" to win the close games. We were 2-6 in games decided by 7 points or less last season. We flip that upside down and we go 10-6. We don't have a Super Bowl team yet, but I think the cards are there for a playoff birth. A good draft and some players meeting their potential and we good be good but alot has to go our way. Remember we are Bill's fans things don't go our way. That was then this is now alot of it has to do with energy and outlook. We are a fan-base that puts their heart into it and well, we get it ripped out. Only time will tell. Go Bills!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyT Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Which stage of grief is this? Denial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach55 Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 Well I need not read any further. What talent? Football is a relative sport. Relative to the other teams in the division the Bills fall far short in the talent dept. Relative to the conference it is even worse. Relative to the league you have the makings of a team that hasn't made the playoffs in a decade! Please take off the rose colored glasses. Reality is harsh, but to ignore it is foolish. I would love to be a cheerleader for this team and organization, but my brain keeps talking me out of it. The Bills have plenty of talent as with every other team in the league. The key is exploiting the talent. People look at the team and say our 1st round picks are busts and our O-Line is a disaster. The truth is, its not as bad as people say it is. There is a very fine line between winning and losing and a very fine line from being not in the league and being an all-pro. Case in point - Drew Brees - everyone is SD wrote him off as a bust when they drafted Rivers - how were wrong were they (obviously this is an extreme case). I am not saying we have a team of Drew Breeses, but everyone (including myself) have written off Aaron Maybin, James Hardy, etc. Let the young guys play. If you look at last year's playoff teams, I would say the Bills had comparable if not better talent (not coaching) than the following teams - Cincinatti, Dallas, Arizona, Philly and the Jets. (You can all feel free to disagee as I know you will). But if you were to be in the playoffs on talent alone - the Titans, Giants, Seahawks and Steelers would all be shoe-ins. The talent has been there. The coaching has not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Here's one reason why the Bills might be better, but have a worse W-L record, at the end of 2010: -- have you looked at the road schedule? The Bills could improve SIGNIFICANTLY and still not win more than 6 games this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 But now, we have something new: a totally NEW regime. Since Nix has been in charge, the team seems to be operating with "a purpose". The attitude has changed. I am not sure if Gailey will be able to emanate it as well as Nix, but I feel these guys have come in with something to prove. I still think we have a lot of holes and need a franchise QB (I keep telling myself - give up on Trent, but part of me feels in a new scheme, he has the talent), but I think if the new regime comes out with something to prove early, the team will be able to build off their successes. The key is we need to have the "attitude" to win the close games. We were 2-6 in games decided by 7 points or less last season. We flip that upside down and we go 10-6. We don't have a Super Bowl team yet, but I think the cards are there for a playoff birth. There was a new regime in 2001. And a new one in 2006, not to mention 3 coaches in that same time period. New coaches and front office guarantee nothing. But as with most of American society, wrap things in a new package and people will come. It works temporarily, especially in Buffalo where the goal may not be to win anymore, but change things enough to keep people interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthGeorgiaBillsFan Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Sorry, I felt it was OK to stop after that sentence. For the first time I can remember I actually agree with WEO. To the OP: I suppose we will just throw it to Lee Evans and playoffs here we come, eh? There are so many reasons why this suggestion wreaks of foolery that I don't even feel the need to enumerate them all. To have formed this opinion of next year's team demonstrates that you have zero grasp on reality and that logic and reason are lost on you forever, and any effort expended in demonstrating why you are so obviously wrong would be an utter waste of time and adenosine triphosphate molecules. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Just the fact that a new head coach with an OFFENSIVE background is in charge makes me feel better about the up coming year. Dick Jauron had a defensive back ground and yet still tried to run an out dated defense that was horrid against the run. Michael Lombardi on the NFL network stated that the Tampa 2 has been around so long that many many teams have formulated plays to take advantage of that scheme. He went on to say that teams like the GB Packers had set up around 12-15 plays that they knew would work against the cover 2 and any team on any given Sunday. Payton Manning knew how to beat that defense 5 years ago, and did so on a regular basis. Jauron was a hard worker and that's about it, he was not an innovator like Bill Belichick and never will be. In today's NFL you need a head coach with a brain like Sean Payton who creates new plays every game plan, and then changes the way the offense runs each week so that defenses can never get an actual lock on exactly what your offense will do every game. The last few years the Buffalo Bills offense was so predictable each week it was laughable. This next year so many things are changing on the team and it may take some time before the players understand the new defense and offense, at least now... I have some hope for the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Hindsight Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Sorry, I felt it was OK to stop after that sentence. Why? i think hes right. If werent for a few injuries and bonehead decisions this team was able to play with most teams and compete even with ryan fitzpatrick at QB. The talent was here and the team played hard...we had bad coaching. I wouldnt be shocked if Gailey made this team a playoff team in a year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkc Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 We are in a very hard division for one of those quick turnarounds. The division is really could be very tough next year we might be underdogs in all 6 games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthtobrint Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Case in point - Drew Brees - everyone is SD wrote him off as a bust when they drafted Rivers - how were wrong were they (obviously this is an extreme case). I am not saying we have a team of Drew Brees', but everyone (including myself) have written off Aaron Maybin, James Hardy, etc. The case of Drew Brees is completely different than the cases of Maybin, Hardy, and our other "busts". Drew Brees was pro-bowler with Chargers and had put together consecutive 89+ passer ratings before injuring his shoulder. What was in question was his ability to recover from the injury, not his talent. Brees had already proven to be a pro-bowl quarterback, whereas Maybin, Hardy, Ellis, etc. have done absolutely nothing to show they can be any good on the NFL level. What, specifically, have you seen/heard/imagined that would make you believe they will suddenly become good players by simply "letting them play"? What hidden talents have you discovered in them that no one else is able to? The sample size has been small and it's possible some of them turn out to be decent players, but to expect sudden turnarounds with no evidence to make you believe they will, is utter foolishness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustMaxx Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 the point of the post is, dick is no longer here. agreed, thats an upgrade in itself. But our new coach chan gailey begs the question, how much of an upgrade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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