Laying off Nix... for now

[RuntheDamnBall]

People seem to be railing against Nix for not magically assembling all the parts for the next four-year Super Bowl run in 2010, but let me ask you all this: Is San Diego a failure even though they've made the playoffs five of the last six years? Were they a failure prior to that? Maybe fans felt that way at the time, but I would take 5-11, 8-8, and 4-12 if it meant never having a losing season after that. There are really major upgrades to be made here, but it seems like all it really takes, at least on offense, is the right dynamic playmakers and enough blocking to make it happen for them. Once Brees started to turn it around (coinciding with the acquisition and development of enough protection), the team turned it around and started believing it could win. They've even done so with Norv Turner - never thought of as any great shakes in the HC realm. The Bills have never been bad enough in the past few years to 'earn' a #1 overall pick, which means they're not THAT bad. I think seeing what Nix does with the picks that are there in the next few years will give us the full measure of what he's capable of - and the direction of this team.

 

If he misses on someone or doesn't make a move that's obvious (and possible), I'm with the naysayers. Edwards doesn't look good right now, but none of the alternatives on the market looked great for the window we're looking at. The right QB might come next year, as Brees and then Rivers did after LT was drafted. In the meantime it seems like a lot of people are disparaging Nix for trades not made. Given the daily poker game of dealing with other GMs, you're never going to hear the true story on these. Most likely if a trade didn't happen, it's for a good reason - like not having a willing partner.

 

If Nix goes for a Maybin over an Orakpo, he should be strung up. Maybe Clausen will be all world and we'll be regretting a second or third round pick. But none of this has happened yet, so let's let it unfold and give the man some time.

[drewfla]

Hate to break it to you but he did go for Maybin over Orakpo. He was with us last year. Yes he should be strung up for that one.

[ChasBB]

Hate to break it to you but he did go for Maybin over Orakpo. He was with us last year. Yes he should be strung up for that one.

Do you know for a fact that Nix wanted Maybin? What's your source? Nix was a scout. Nix was not calling the shots on draft day.

[VADC Bills]

Nix was here last year so the shortcomings of the team should have been no surprise to him.

When he was named GM I felt that he should have had more of a plan than we will build through the draft.

All other teams are not just waiting for the draft to build they are utilizing all options.

Nix has not showed the aggressiveness of someone that is trying to build a winner for now.

To waste another year trying to make TE a QB. Not outting any effort into improving the O line.

I have to question his approach. I will lay off for now. Lets get a couple games under his belt and see what the team does.

[Homer]

It will take more than one draft to get this train back on the track. Spiller was BPA, Troup and Carrinton were probably BPA at a position of need. Its pretty obvious Nix liked Bell (Im beginning to see why )and disliked every other QB.

[sllib olaffub]

What frustrates me - and I think most of the Bills fans are like me in this - is what goes unsaid and unasked with the Bills F.O., and for a long time now. Take the Washington Redskins and the Bills after last year. Both teams were missing quite a bit - maybe Washington had a little bit more talent, but it was close - I mean, the Bills had them beat with secondary, running backs, and most of the other squads were pretty close, close enough to compare here. Now, they get Shanahan - and I don't want him, by the way, I'd rather have an up and comer than a guy who has had ten years of opportunity, someone like Payton in N.O. - and with Shanahan they put together a roster that might go into the playoffs and have as good a chance as anyone. They beat Dallas.

 

We get Gailey - who I like - but he ends up with most of what we had, plus draft picks. The difference? Ralph Wilson. Wilson must have said, we aren't going to pay. The Bills deserve an owner who will compete. If we have an owner who isn't going to do as much as all the other owners to win, then he's merely milking the Bills fans and the Buffalo area. And that's what I get so mad about. I've been a Bills fan for about 20 years. I can't just pick another team. The Bills are my team, whether I like it or not. But our owner isn't commited to winning.

 

Our owner doesn't ever say, I want to win at all costs - winning is my goal, and I'll do everything in my power to bring a championship here. No, instead, we hear something like, we cannot compete in Western New York. That mentality has been evident in many of his hires. I think Buddy and Gailey are doing the best they can, and would do more if they could. It would be nice to here somone come out and admit what seems so obvious, so at least the fans could unite and try to force him to make a change in policy.

 

Am I wrong here?

[ChasBB]

What frustrates me - and I think most of the Bills fans are like me in this - is what goes unsaid and unasked with the Bills F.O., and for a long time now. Take the Washington Redskins and the Bills after last year. Both teams were missing quite a bit - maybe Washington had a little bit more talent, but it was close - I mean, the Bills had them beat with secondary, running backs, and most of the other squads were pretty close, close enough to compare here. Now, they get Shanahan - and I don't want him, by the way, I'd rather have an up and comer than a guy who has had ten years of opportunity, someone like Payton in N.O. - and with Shanahan they put together a roster that might go into the playoffs and have as good a chance as anyone. They beat Dallas.

 

We get Gailey - who I like - but he ends up with most of what we had, plus draft picks. The difference? Ralph Wilson. Wilson must have said, we aren't going to pay. The Bills deserve an owner who will compete. If we have an owner who isn't going to do as much as all the other owners to win, then he's merely milking the Bills fans and the Buffalo area. And that's what I get so mad about. I've been a Bills fan for about 20 years. I can't just pick another team. The Bills are my team, whether I like it or not. But our owner isn't commited to winning.

 

Our owner doesn't ever say, I want to win at all costs - winning is my goal, and I'll do everything in my power to bring a championship here. No, instead, we hear something like, we cannot compete in Western New York. That mentality has been evident in many of his hires. I think Buddy and Gailey are doing the best they can, and would do more if they could. It would be nice to here somone come out and admit what seems so obvious, so at least the fans could unite and try to force him to make a change in policy.

 

Am I wrong here?

It is hard to disagree with you here. You are right about Ralph. He doesn't say "Let's win at all costs" and instead uses the small market as a crutch for losing. It's BS is what that is. Winning can happen in WNY just as much as it can anywhere (and I would think the early 90's was enough to prove that). Ralph needs to start talking Super Bowl instead of talking about competitive disadvantage.

 

Nix was here last year so the shortcomings of the team should have been no surprise to him.

When he was named GM I felt that he should have had more of a plan than we will build through the draft.

All other teams are not just waiting for the draft to build they are utilizing all options.

Nix has not showed the aggressiveness of someone that is trying to build a winner for now.

To waste another year trying to make TE a QB. Not outting any effort into improving the O line.

I have to question his approach. I will lay off for now. Lets get a couple games under his belt and see what the team does.

I like Nix and I really think he'll get this thing turned around, but the bold points above concern me, too. Edwards simply does not have the toughness to stand in the pocket an extra second to deliver a strike knowing he's going to get hammered. That kind of toughness is just not in Edwards' makeup. He has some nice traits, but he is lacking in the traits that make a winning QB and the sooner the Bills cut him loose, the sooner they can upgrade the position.

Edited September 19, 2010 by ChasBB

[Malazan]

Nix was here last year so the shortcomings of the team should have been no surprise to him.

When he was named GM I felt that he should have had more of a plan than we will build through the draft.

All other teams are not just waiting for the draft to build they are utilizing all options.

Nix has not showed the aggressiveness of someone that is trying to build a winner for now.

To waste another year trying to make TE a QB. Not outting any effort into improving the O line.

I have to question his approach. I will lay off for now. Lets get a couple games under his belt and see what the team does.

 

How exactly do you propose that you build a winner now? Washington has been trying to do that for years and is no where closer than the Bills.

[Benjamin Barker]

How exactly do you propose that you build a winner now? Washington has been trying to do that for years and is no where closer than the Bills.

 

Really? You think the Bills will win as many games as the Redskins this year? Or next year?

[FightinIrishBills]

Really? You think the Bills will win as many games as the Redskins this year? Or next year?

 

Not sure, but as bad as the Bills problems might be right now, we don't have the albatross of an unhappy Albert Haynesworth hanging around our necks, we don't have the undue pressure to be successful immediately with a big-named head coach, and we don't have an owner who throws crazy money around towards players that usually don't pan out (you might prefer an owner who's willing to spend huge, but I guarantee you that even if we had the Redskins financial resources, people would be on franchise suicide watch the way they hand out money to marginal talent).

 

I can't tell you which situation is better, but we've only seen one week of football, a week that some analysts (hopefully this is the only time in my life that I have to cite Skip Bayless as a credible source) have described as an extended preseason.

[agardin]

My only problem in hiring Nix is that they claim this exhaustive search for a new GM and then lo and behold he has an office in the building. I will give him the benefit of the doubt but I don't have a ton of faith in the guys above him that gave him the job.

[Benjamin Barker]

I can't tell you which situation is better...

 

Let me clear up any confusion. The Redskins are in a much better situation and will win more games than the Bills for each of at least the next two seasons and probably beyond.

 

My only problem in hiring Nix is that they claim this exhaustive search for a new GM and then lo and behold he has an office in the building. I will give him the benefit of the doubt but I don't have a ton of faith in the guys above him that gave him the job.

 

They just wanted to keep the zero accountability gravy train rolling.

Edited September 19, 2010 by Benjamin Barker

[thewildrabbit]

Nix has already made some huge mistakes in my view...

 

The first was stating he was going to get some sleep as free agency began... then ignoring the LT position and bringing in RT Cornell Green, how in the world do the Bills quantify giving him 3 million a year?

 

The second was ignoring the O line in the draft again this year, more specifically both tackle positions. Trading away Jason Peters wasn't his fault, not even trying to replace him this year was his fault.

 

The third he could have kept Perry Fewell as HC and hired Chan as OC, less jobs to cover for Chan might have given him more time to spend with the QB's, and actually help them.

 

 

 

 

I happen to like Chan Gailey, I just wonder how many games he will need to lose before he is fired this year... 6-8-10? The more games he loses the more people will remember that Marty S really wanted the Bills HC job.

 

After watching that home opener against the Dolphin I can only wonder if Nix now knows he made mistakes regarding the LT-RT-WR-OLB Also, I can only wonder should the Bills go 1-15 will BOTH Nix and Gailey get the axe...

[mpl6876]

Nix has already made some huge mistakes in my view...

 

The first was stating he was going to get some sleep as free agency began... then ignoring the LT position and bringing in RT Cornell Green, how in the world do the Bills quantify giving him 3 million a year?

 

The second was ignoring the O line in the draft again this year, more specifically both tackle positions. Trading away Jason Peters wasn't his fault, not even trying to replace him this year was his fault.

 

The third he could have kept Perry Fewell as HC and hired Chan as OC, less jobs to cover for Chan might have given him more time to spend with the QB's, and actually help them.

 

 

 

 

I happen to like Chan Gailey, I just wonder how many games he will need to lose before he is fired this year... 6-8-10? The more games he loses the more people will remember that Marty S really wanted the Bills HC job.

 

After watching that home opener against the Dolphin I can only wonder if Nix now knows he made mistakes regarding the LT-RT-WR-OLB Also, I can only wonder should the Bills go 1-15 will BOTH Nix and Gailey get the axe...

 

Solid post. I believe Nix's decisions have been questionable to say the least. Many fans here seem to give him the benifit of doubt because of his success in San Diego. Thus far, I am less than impressed with NIX. You have vailidly pointed out several of his questionable decisions.

 

I firmly believe Gailey has too much on his plate. The first game seemed to bare this out. IMO, Gailey looked out coached and overwhemled. I wish he would have hired an experienced offensive coordinator. Now, he has to play head coach and offensive coordinator. Not a great receipe for winning. I am not so sure about keeping Fewell as our head coach. I think he is a solid DC though.

 

I really would have loved to see Marty coach this team. I am in San Diego and I loved the way he coached his team in the regular season. He is tough nosed, solid, and experienced which is something this Bills team needed. INHO, a definite upgrade to Gailey. Also, I believe Marty would have had a much better supporting cast than Gailey. Marty's problems arise once his team reaches the playoffs. He tends to coach very conservatively which has led his teams to early unexpected playoff losses. The fans here in SD call it "Marty Ball." IMHO, I don't really care about that because I am straving for a Bills playoof apppearance and I would have taken my chances with Marty.

 

Lets see what this new regime can do. I suspect tomorrow isn't going to be a bright spot on this new regime's progress. I wonder how long our confidence and patience will last...

Edited September 19, 2010 by mpl6876

[sabres...yawn]

Whomever drafted Maybin, suggested Maybin, considered Maybin should be fired immediately and NEVER be allowed to be employed in any capacity relating to football again.

[Buftex]

Why is everyone writing off Maybin as a bust, already? He barely played last year, and, call me nuts, but I think he has made some improvement so far. Sure, I wouldn't have picked him over Orakpo, but I am not sure you can blame Nix for that.

 

All of those saying "Nix was here last year, so he deserves some blame..." You do realize that he was a regional scout, who, most assumed (himself included I think) was only a few paychecks away from calling it a career. Then, out of nowhere, our geriatric owner, who seems to prefer to work with guys closer to his age, offers him a job that he likely never in his wildest dreams thought about, GM of one of the 32 NFL teams.

 

I am not ready to say Nix has been a failure, as it is way too early for that. If Nix fails, I am more than willing to lay the blame at the feet of the owner. A GM with this team simply has to be willing to do his job with one hand tied behind his back.

[The_Philster]

Nix had no part in drafting Maybin...when he came in, after the college scouting season was basically over, he said that he had been keeping up on the college game and still had many of his contacts in the schools he used to scout...in the SOUTHEAST, Penn State is not a southeast school...but Mississippi and Louisville are....the alma maters of Shawn Nelson and Eric Wood

[DCBongo]

Nix will be a failure if he doesn't get rid of Mordak and the rest of our scouts - they have lost their mojo and we need folks who can spot talent, not one hit wonders like Maybin.