I don't understand the Nix, Gailey...

[canbuffan34]

C'mon guys and gals, did you really think that we were going to be competitive this year?

Maybe its just because I'm older and a little more philosophical about things but if you step back (emotionally) and really look at the organization and its direction you'll see light at the end of the tunnel. Nix and Gailey told us they were going to rebuild through the draft, ask yourselves "Who's the Bills best player, right now?" My vote is Spiller!

They annoint Trent as the starter heading into week 1, try to develop him... realize he is

completely ineffective, get rid of him! They told us that the problems with the team cannot be fixed overnight, I say watch what improvements are made from week to week rather than focus on the overall record which we all know is going to be bad.

[b stein 22]

if they didnt sign kelsey to an extension and sign green for 3 years i would have no complaints.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Take a look at what Seattle and Washington are doing and have done in the first year of their re-builds. Continued erosion isn't re-building.

[Mini Max Anderson Fan]

The issue of Buddy and Chan sucking is such a microcosm of our society today imo. We have some much instant gratification with the technology available today. We want that big screen tv, so we use credit to get it NOW. I waited 7 years for mine, as I have no credit cards. Patience is the key and I see a lack of patience (I understand the last 10 years too, fellow Bills fans) to see if their plan will succeed, which will take some time. Used to be new coaches/gms were given the time (contract wise) to implement their plan. When a new regime comes in, it isn't because they take over a great or even good team. So, after less then 1 year of service, there still is much time needed to turn this around. Given the weak fa class because of the voiding of the cba and many, many quality free agents were restricted rather then unrestricted and having only 1 draft so far, lets calm down a bit, believe in the plan Buddy and Chan are following. I also am not a fan who goes to the ralph for every home game, who spends his/her hard earned dollars and received a less then valid return for their love of the Bills. I can understand your frustration, how the Bills break your heart, but you are there at the next game, more hard earned dollars given for this inferior product. I salute you people who fill the ralph and make the joint rock. Maybe someday I can go with my son, a fellow Bills fan, and experience the game in person. Given these hard times, might take a while, but it is a dream of mine.

 

JMHO

 

GO BILLS!

[bowery4]

I think most of us thought it would be kind of bad, but not as bad as it is. Things will look up I think we will improve over the length of the season and a bit more so next year. Really the find out who Trent is thing cost us at least a game. I also think we have had some injury issues and no one worth a damn to back up on D. The LBs esply and the whole D is having issues getting used to the 34. This is not the season I envisioned nor did Buddy and Chan I am sure.

 

I think one thing that has really hurt this year has been the schedule being the 3rd or 4th hardest in the league. I thought a few teams would be worse than they are not better this year. The Jets and NE being 2 I thought in PS we might win. But that is why they play the games. We have weakness number one on most teams now since our whole LBing group looks bad. We have and will really faced some good TEs and the run game is killing us too because of these guys mostly. It' hard to play D with a big gapping hole in the middle of your scheme. I think it is a good thing we are going to go 34 but man it is and will be ugly w/o the people to man some of those positions. I hope we get some good help in FA this year (there will be a nice crop because of the cba and how this past year was written up) and there should be plenty to choose from. Also rookie injuries have hurt. Not saying it couldn't have been a better start or make excuses but that all is a lot to deal with.

 

The offensive side of the ball is doing better and should continue to improve. I will still watch, there are plenty of things to see. I have a high tolerance tho, I started liking the Bills in the 60s when they sucked big time and made it through that, albeit i was damaged good tho.

Edited October 14, 2010 by bowery4

[dayman]

Bills_Forever...the Ralph no longer rocks...it's actually pathetic right now....

[Mr. WEO]

C'mon guys and gals, did you really think that we were going to be competitive this year?

Maybe its just because I'm older and a little more philosophical about things but if you step back (emotionally) and really look at the organization and its direction you'll see light at the end of the tunnel. Nix and Gailey told us they were going to rebuild through the draft, ask yourselves "Who's the Bills best player, right now?" My vote is Spiller!

They annoint Trent as the starter heading into week 1, try to develop him... realize he is

completely ineffective, get rid of him! They told us that the problems with the team cannot be fixed overnight, I say watch what improvements are made from week to week rather than focus on the overall record which we all know is going to be bad.

Actually, the Nix and Gailey's biggest supporters told us all that this team would be at least as competitive as they were under Jauron. They were unequivocal in this prediction---and in fact took the national press (which predicted otherwise) to task as "know nothings" for predicting 3 or fewer wins.

 

So, yes, by all indications, many here (including the skeptics) expected a "competitive" team. Why the staff's biggest supporters here are now pretending they felt otherwise back in preseason is something they will have to explain themselves.

[Mini Max Anderson Fan]

Bills_Forever...the Ralph no longer rocks...it's actually pathetic right now....

 

[The Senator]

Yeah, it's a tough spot to be in - if we 'lose out' or close to it, Nix & Gailey suck for not finishing at least as well as last season.

 

OTOH, if we go so far as to 'win out' and finish 11-5, Nix & Gailey still suck - for blowing the opportunity to draft Andrew Luck!

 

Don't waste your time trying to figure this place out.

 

[TheBows]

The issue of Buddy and Chan sucking is such a microcosm of our society today imo. We have some much instant gratification with the technology available today. We want that big screen tv, so we use credit to get it NOW. I waited 7 years for mine, as I have no credit cards. Patience is the key and I see a lack of patience (I understand the last 10 years too, fellow Bills fans) to see if their plan will succeed, which will take some time. Used to be new coaches/gms were given the time (contract wise) to implement their plan. When a new regime comes in, it isn't because they take over a great or even good team. So, after less then 1 year of service, there still is much time needed to turn this around. Given the weak fa class because of the voiding of the cba and many, many quality free agents were restricted rather then unrestricted and having only 1 draft so far, lets calm down a bit, believe in the plan Buddy and Chan are following. I also am not a fan who goes to the ralph for every home game, who spends his/her hard earned dollars and received a less then valid return for their love of the Bills. I can understand your frustration, how the Bills break your heart, but you are there at the next game, more hard earned dollars given for this inferior product. I salute you people who fill the ralph and make the joint rock. Maybe someday I can go with my son, a fellow Bills fan, and experience the game in person. Given these hard times, might take a while, but it is a dream of mine.

 

JMHO

 

GO BILLS!

 

I agree that it's not Chan and Nix. They haven't had enough time.

 

You are also correct that it's been 10 years. The frustration, anger, and hopelessness, are misguided when pointed at Chan/NIx, but the emotions are not misguided in themselves. We've been offered a fresh start too many times and been dissapointed in the end.

 

It is said that past behavior predicts future behavior. Although this is a new regime, the one thing that remains is the front office. Until that changes, it is practical for us to assume that past behavior will re-emerge. Whether the fault of Chan/Nix, or not, they are the face and they will take the blame. Just ask Modrak...

 

The hell with it though...GO BILLS!

[Sisyphean Bills]

Actually, the Nix and Gailey's biggest supporters told us all that this team would be at least as competitive as they were under Jauron. They were unequivocal in this prediction---and in fact took the national press (which predicted otherwise) to task as "know nothings" for predicting 3 or fewer wins.

 

So, yes, by all indications, many here (including the skeptics) expected a "competitive" team. Why the staff's biggest supporters here are now pretending they felt otherwise back in preseason is something they will have to explain themselves.

That and the lack of activity when it mattered. You have to actually swing a hammer to be building something, not taking a nap and puffing about a plan.

 

They lost their only pass rusher. They lost their top receiver. They didn't replace either of them. They lost their RT to retirement and paid well for a piece of jetsam to replace him. They said they'd be sleeping during free agency -- kudos to outworking the competition there. They cut their opening day QB, who most predicted would flop but were willing to let Gailey try to rehabilitate (in what turned into the shortest rehab ever). They traded their top rusher for less than they could have and after preaching about the need for 3 backs all summer. They are now dumping the 3-4 defense plan because they realize they never had the players for it, and the defense quite frankly has played like a steaming pile.

 

The improvements? Ryan Fitzpantsdown is posting some nice stats in losing efforts. CJ Spiller is electric, if he's not being tackled for a loss.

[KOKBILLS]

Take a look at what Seattle and Washington are doing and have done in the first year of their re-builds. Continued erosion isn't re-building.

 

Agreed...And don't forget Miami and Atlanta before that...The Jets went 4-12 in 2005 and 2007...Seems like the Bills are just about the only Organization outside of Detriot (Franchise QB in place and improving) and Houston (an expansion team with Franchise QB in place and FAR more talent overall than the Bills) that can't get it right for at least one year out of five...We've had 10 years of excuses...The saddest thing is many Bills fans have fallen prey to the lesser expectations and dumb ass explanations of why we suck again...A couple of years like this in the 90's and Folks would have been storming OBD...Now it's just the way it is...Makes me wanna puke...

[DanInUticaTampa]

I knew they wouldn't be competitive this year.... but I am surprised it looks like we are going to bottom out and be lucky to win a game. Every year, the pundits pick us last in the nfl.... and somehow we manage at least 6 wins and 6 teams playing worse than us. This time though... it looks like the pundits are FINALLY right.

[Mark Long Beach]

That and the lack of activity when it mattered. You have to actually swing a hammer to be building something, not taking a nap and puffing about a plan.

 

They lost their only pass rusher. They lost their top receiver. They didn't replace either of them. They lost their RT to retirement and paid well for a piece of jetsam to replace him. They said they'd be sleeping during free agency -- kudos to outworking the competition there. They cut their opening day QB, who most predicted would flop but were willing to let Gailey try to rehabilitate (in what turned into the shortest rehab ever). They traded their top rusher for less than they could have and after preaching about the need for 3 backs all summer. They are now dumping the 3-4 defense plan because they realize they never had the players for it, and the defense quite frankly has played like a steaming pile.

 

The improvements? Ryan Fitzpantsdown is posting some nice stats in losing efforts. CJ Spiller is electric, if he's not being tackled for a loss.

 

I find it interesting how different people watching the same events come up with wildly different interpretations of what happened(ing).

 

We've been a poor team for the last 10 years or so, most recently three straight 7-9 seasons capped by a 6-10. We just replaced our GM, asst GM, Pro Player scout, new national scout, promoted head of college scout, oh yeah, and our entire coaching staff (save two competent holdovers). Additionally, we had no clear-cut starting QB.

 

We've been on a slide for the last few years and no amount of front office shuffling is going to fix that overnight. ESPECIALLY since because of the CBA not being in place the pool of available free agents was slashed and those that were available were all SIX plus year veterans! A whole slew of six year veterans (that their original team wasn't even willing to re-sign) are not what a rebuilding team needs. So that leaves the draft and its handful of picks.

 

So you complained about not picking up replacements for players leaving, I disagree. We drafted/picked up replacements for receiver and pash-rusher. But rookies usually take a while to contribute. Hopefully ours will.

 

Am I happy with what's transpired? No. I thought we'd be more competitive. Our defense is confused and incapable of stopping the run. The new system puts too much responsibility on our weakest unit (LB). They haven't been able to step up.

 

Over the last few years the Bills have shown that they are incapable of beating teams that are better than they are; merely capable of beating those teams weaker than themselves. IMO that hasn't changed much. Due to our hard schedule I think that we had only a reasonable chance of beating Miami and Jacksonville. Trent proved incapable of being an NFL starter and blew our Miami chance. Jacksonville was very strong in an area where we were terrible weak (run & TE defense) and pounded us mercilessly with it. Same as it ever was.

 

The difference, which seems clear to me, is that that this regime is putting its mark down. It can only replace so many players at a time, and so it's finding out who they think can contribute meaningfully. If not they're shipped out. I'm very happy with that. Bye bye Trent, sorry you couldn't make it. Bye Bye James Hardy, Chris Ellis, and Marshawn Lynch. I also believe that it won't be long before McCargo and Maybin are gone as both sit on the bottom of the depth chart and haven't performed well.

 

I look forward to more discards and more player acquisition. I believe that Nix is a good scout and understands what it takes to turn an organization around (ala San Diego). I like his replacement plan in Doug Whaley. It's not going to happen overnight, but I'm going to enjoy the process not wallow in misery through the difficult parts.

[Sisyphean Bills]

I find it interesting how different people watching the same events come up with wildly different interpretations of what happened(ing).

 

We've been a poor team for the last 10 years or so, most recently three straight 7-9 seasons capped by a 6-10. We just replaced our GM, asst GM, Pro Player scout, new national scout, promoted head of college scout, oh yeah, and our entire coaching staff (save two competent holdovers). Additionally, we had no clear-cut starting QB.

 

We've been on a slide for the last few years and no amount of front office shuffling is going to fix that overnight. ESPECIALLY since because of the CBA not being in place the pool of available free agents was slashed and those that were available were all SIX plus year veterans! A whole slew of six year veterans (that their original team wasn't even willing to re-sign) are not what a rebuilding team needs. So that leaves the draft and its handful of picks.

 

So you complained about not picking up replacements for players leaving, I disagree. We drafted/picked up replacements for receiver and pash-rusher. But rookies usually take a while to contribute. Hopefully ours will.

 

Am I happy with what's transpired? No. I thought we'd be more competitive. Our defense is confused and incapable of stopping the run. The new system puts too much responsibility on our weakest unit (LB). They haven't been able to step up.

 

Over the last few years the Bills have shown that they are incapable of beating teams that are better than they are; merely capable of beating those teams weaker than themselves. IMO that hasn't changed much. Due to our hard schedule I think that we had only a reasonable chance of beating Miami and Jacksonville. Trent proved incapable of being an NFL starter and blew our Miami chance. Jacksonville was very strong in an area where we were terrible weak (run & TE defense) and pounded us mercilessly with it. Same as it ever was.

 

The difference, which seems clear to me, is that that this regime is putting its mark down. It can only replace so many players at a time, and so it's finding out who they think can contribute meaningfully. If not they're shipped out. I'm very happy with that. Bye bye Trent, sorry you couldn't make it. Bye Bye James Hardy, Chris Ellis, and Marshawn Lynch. I also believe that it won't be long before McCargo and Maybin are gone as both sit on the bottom of the depth chart and haven't performed well.

 

I look forward to more discards and more player acquisition. I believe that Nix is a good scout and understands what it takes to turn an organization around (ala San Diego). I like his replacement plan in Doug Whaley. It's not going to happen overnight, but I'm going to enjoy the process not wallow in misery through the difficult parts.

He asked why some fans were upset with the way things are going under Buddy Gailey. I answered his question. Now, if his question had been, "Why do some fans have a woody for the re-build Chan Nix have done?" then the answer would have to stress all the masterful moves that the braintrust has made to date. Like signing Chris Kelsay.

[Lv-Bills]

if they didnt sign kelsey to an extension and sign green for 3 years i would have no complaints.

I agree. But for me, you can also add Spiller (or basically drafting a RB #1).

[R. Rich]

Take a look at what Seattle and Washington are doing and have done in the first year of their re-builds. Continued erosion isn't re-building.

 

 

Seattle is rebuilding? I thought they were just rehabbing. That team had a slew of injuries and boy did they struggle. They got healthier and now they're not as awful.

 

Washington? Sure they're doing well. All they did was fork over a ton of cash to a reputable coach and trade for McNabb. I honestly can't envision the Buffalo Bills being in a position to do either of those things, so it's good for Washington, but...

[Sisyphean Bills]

Seattle is rebuilding? I thought they were just rehabbing. That team had a slew of injuries and boy did they struggle. They got healthier and now they're not as awful.

No. They've been turning over that roster non-stop.

Washington? Sure they're doing well. All they did was fork over a ton of cash to a reputable coach and trade for McNabb. I honestly can't envision the Buffalo Bills being in a position to do either of those things, so it's good for Washington, but...

Yes, the Buffalo Bills can't (or won't) do what is necessary to make a first class organization that top coaches and assistants and players around the NFL view as doing what it takes to win. Not that there is any pride in that.

[Gabe Northern]

When a new regime comes in, it isn't because they take over a great or even good team. So, after less then 1 year of service, there still is much time needed to turn this around. Given the weak fa class because of the voiding of the cba and many, many quality free agents were restricted rather then unrestricted and having only 1 draft so far, lets calm down a bit, believe in the plan Buddy and Chan are following.

 

We don't have a new regime. We have the same regime with different titles.