Wannstedt a Bill

[DrDawkinstein]

Some good quotes from the article on the Main Page from this morning:

 

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Wannstedt-getting-right-to-work/be29ddd3-ef0a-4344-9972-ac75587bf2f2

 

“I walked out of there feeling very comfortable and I just wanted to reiterate to them that I’m just coming on board to help any way I can with no other agenda other than jumping in like the rest of them to do whatever we can do to help improve our defense that’s what I’ll try to get done.”

 

On which sceme we will be running:

 

At the close of the 2010 campaign Gailey openly discussed a move to being a more multiple-front defense with possible weekly shifts from 3-4 to 4-3 fronts and vice versa depending on the opponent. Wannstedt is on board, but also recognizes that this offseason will demand a lot of planning and decision making from the defensive staff in determining their chief direction.

 

“I think it will change a little bit week to week depending on what you’re trying to defend,” said Wannstedt. “But from the standpoint of what is going to be the foundation of our defense and in critical times what is going to be our bread and butter and what we’ll line up and execute and win with, I think those are the decisions in talking with George and his staff that we’re in the process of right now in the offseason.”

 

 

About our current Defensive personnel, and the D's performance:

“I’ve always believed and I know that Chan does and George does and we’re all on the same page is if you’re playing as hard as you can play and if you know what your assignment is you will play good defense every week,” he said. “More times than not when teams don’t play it’s because of a lack of execution or guys aren’t playing at the level where they need to be playing. This is when you go back and look at all your film from last year and decide from a personnel standpoint what we’re going to hang our hat on.”

[3rdand12]

Nice OP and glad you are reluctantly getting on board!

Did you read the most recent press release from Bills today. A little statement from our Stache. still leaves questions of course.But not bad.

I cannot wait to see what we do off season with personnel. To me these are exciting times, even with some seeming blunders and some calls i just cannot understand fully.

There was a point i wished we had Marshawn on the field, so whadda i know. I do have some faith now though. maybe i will pay later. that is part of being a bills fan!

[sllib olaffub]

Good post - props to Nix/Gailey & Co.. There seems to be a serious, no nonsense, I wont call it impatience, but these guys are making moves and decisions, it seems, primarily to make this team respectable and competitive as soon as possible. The personnel moves they made all year were aimed at immediately improving the team, without the usual, and dreadful patience we see in most recent Bills coaches (a guy gets hurt or isn't playing well, and you might as well consider that position a weakness the rest of the year; and, in years past, you might have an underperforming player come back for another year or two, chasing "potential") - whereas, here, it seems, if you aren't playing well, you won't be playing long.

 

I believe that urgency is a reaction to the consensus belief amongst Buddy and Gailey that what this team needs more than anything is confidence; i.e., it needs to win so that it learns to expect to win. Anyway, you get the feeling that although the Bills were a laughingstock when they took over, they're now taken seriously and are expected to be a competitive team henceforth.

 

I'm happy with these moves, as a fan, I think they're all a sign that we can expect the moves being made in Buffalo to all be made in the direction of improvement, stability, and towards a Championship. I think we'll be much like an East Coast Chargers team here very soon.

 

My only complaints - I was complaining not long ago that Wilson hasn't seemed to lay it all on the line to get a winner here before it's too late with him. Well, it looks like I was, at least, probably wrong - and I can only hope he lets Nix bring in whoever he deems necessary to get us back to respectability soon, F.A. wise.

And two - it seems like Nix's strong suit is college scouting - becuase he hasn't shown a real flair for trades and for pro player management - both in the player value department, and also in the modern trade dept., although, after last year (his first) he might have learned some things. But, I think he's brought in some unproductive players the money we paid them could have been spent better elsewhere; we overpaid for Kelsay - something that is a real issue, because it sets a bad precedent; and the Lynch trade - a good example of how he needs to improve.

 

I don't remember, did Whaley come in after the draft? Either way, I hope Nix's trading capabilities have been refined, some - but, one the whole, we've got to be happy fans, our franchise looks promising again.

[Kelly the Dog]

While no one is coming out and saying it, given Wannstedt's history as a DC and his HC'ing experience, coupled with Edwards' lack thereof and poor showing last year, I can't see Wannstedt having been brought in for anything other than to direct the defense. Even if that's allowing Edwards to make the play calls and relaying them through Wannstedt for approval.

Wanny has been away from the NFL for six years. Nobody wanted to hire him as a DC. He's curious to know what the Patriots, Jets and Dolphins are up to, in his own words. The game has even changed in that time. He's never coached a 3-4 (not that he couldn't but he surely doesn't believe it's the best way).

 

Gailey, if he is one thing, is a straight shooter. In fact, he seems to be too honest and give away too much information at times. He made it abundantly clear that he likes Edwards, believes in him, and is sticking with him. Everything that has been said by the people actually involved, including Gailey and Wanny himself, has made it pretty clear he is not going to run the defense, Edwards is.

 

IMO, it's insane to think that Wanny will be able to overrule defenses called in the game by Edwards, veto them from the time it comes out of Edwards mouth and into the middle linebacker's helmet, and then call something else. There is just no chance of that. What would the players think?

[jester43]

everyone seems to have such a huge hard-on for wanny...it's funny- every time i hear that name all i see is him standing on the sidelines in a blizzard looking completely befuddled while managing to lose a game where ricky williams ran for 923 yards. just utter confusion. and he's been out of pro football for 6 years. excuse me while i go order up those seasons...

[3rdand12]

well put on all accounts.

let us pray that Chan George Bob sanders and the stache have alot of influence on our off season and draft aquisitions.

I would bet Wannstadt already has def players/positions in mind even though its his first week and has a steep climb being out of the nfl for such a while

[Mr_Blizzard]

The fact that Wannstedt was a pupil of Jimmy Johnson is also a plus. I remember something Johnson said years ago, and it still rings true: "The keys to success in the NFL are Evaluating talent, Acquiring talent, and then getting that team to perform at its highest level." Hopefully Chan, Wanny, Nix and Co can make this happen over the next several seasons. It's been 15 years since we won a playoff game; We are due . . .

 

- -

[Big Turk]

if George Edwards doesn't see the writing on the wall, I don't know what to say to the man other than his days are numbered here. I would b shocked to see him last past the bye as DC next year...

 

Wannstadt is a tremendous DC...many of us remember the beatdown his Dallas defense put on the Bills in the super bowl..

[Doc]

Wanny has been away from the NFL for six years. Nobody wanted to hire him as a DC. He's curious to know what the Patriots, Jets and Dolphins are up to, in his own words. The game has even changed in that time. He's never coached a 3-4 (not that he couldn't but he surely doesn't believe it's the best way).

 

Gailey, if he is one thing, is a straight shooter. In fact, he seems to be too honest and give away too much information at times. He made it abundantly clear that he likes Edwards, believes in him, and is sticking with him. Everything that has been said by the people actually involved, including Gailey and Wanny himself, has made it pretty clear he is not going to run the defense, Edwards is.

 

IMO, it's insane to think that Wanny will be able to overrule defenses called in the game by Edwards, veto them from the time it comes out of Edwards mouth and into the middle linebacker's helmet, and then call something else. There is just no chance of that. What would the players think?

It's all about performance. If Wanny gives them a better chance to win, the players will back him. IMO, Edwards will be auditioning in pre-season (assuming there are games played) for his job.

[Kelly the Dog]

It's all about performance. If Wanny gives them a better chance to win, the players will back him. IMO, Edwards will be auditioning in pre-season (assuming there are games played) for his job.

Why would the players listen to Edwards, and have enough confidence in him to be their leader and fight in the trenches for him if a couple times a game, or once every few games, a call comes in from the sidelines and all of a sudden another guy, an alleged underling, says, "No, that's no good, let's do this instead." You can't have two guys in charge. It's different if this is the head coach making a final decision, and as stated before Gailey doesn't even let himself override a defensive call.

 

If Wannstedt is going to call the shots (and frankly, I would prefer if he did myself), he would run the defense. That may be the case someday. Right now, it's pretty clear IMO that is not how Gailey and Edwards and Wannstedt himself see it.

 

And you can't audition for that kind of job in pre-season anyway. They don't even gameplan let alone call significant blitzes or complex schemes or have the players in the games that will be there when the real bullets fly.

[Dan]

Wanny has been away from the NFL for six years. Nobody wanted to hire him as a DC. He's curious to know what the Patriots, Jets and Dolphins are up to, in his own words. The game has even changed in that time. He's never coached a 3-4 (not that he couldn't but he surely doesn't believe it's the best way).

 

Gailey, if he is one thing, is a straight shooter. In fact, he seems to be too honest and give away too much information at times. He made it abundantly clear that he likes Edwards, believes in him, and is sticking with him. Everything that has been said by the people actually involved, including Gailey and Wanny himself, has made it pretty clear he is not going to run the defense, Edwards is.

 

IMO, it's insane to think that Wanny will be able to overrule defenses called in the game by Edwards, veto them from the time it comes out of Edwards mouth and into the middle linebacker's helmet, and then call something else. There is just no chance of that. What would the players think?

You're absolutely right and, really, there's no reason to even argue it.

 

Wanny approving/disapproving Edwards in-game calls is the epitome of dysfunction. Now, on the other hand, I can easily see Wanny and Edwards reviewing film and talking all week about what the defense should be doing, what calls should be made when, etc.; thereby, giving Wanny plenty of input and "control". But, publicly and to the team, it'll be Edwards show. That's how it has to be; that's how it should be.

[Kelly the Dog]

You're absolutely right and, really, there's no reason to even argue it.

 

Wanny approving/disapproving Edwards in-game calls is the epitome of dysfunction. Now, on the other hand, I can easily see Wanny and Edwards reviewing film and talking all week about what the defense should be doing, what calls should be made when, etc.; thereby, giving Wanny plenty of input and "control". But, publicly and to the team, it'll be Edwards show. That's how it has to be; that's how it should be.

I agree with that outside of your choice of "control". The control is Edwards', for better or worse. Hell, I can even imagine Wannstedt coming up with a gameplan and Edwards thinking that is better than my idea, I'll go with yours (depending on what kind of ego Edwards has but he doesn't seem to be). But like the in game calls, the ultimate decision has to be one guy's. I'm sure that Wannstedt will have a ton of input and a lot of stature, and Edwards will listen, and likely follow a lot.

[bills1960]

Why hasn't there been any type of interview or q and a session on buffalobills.com or anything? I want to hear what he has to say.

Edited January 23, 2011 by bills1960

[Hapless Bills Fan]

You're absolutely right and, really, there's no reason to even argue it.

 

Wanny approving/disapproving Edwards in-game calls is the epitome of dysfunction. Now, on the other hand, I can easily see Wanny and Edwards reviewing film and talking all week about what the defense should be doing, what calls should be made when, etc.; thereby, giving Wanny plenty of input and "control". But, publicly and to the team, it'll be Edwards show. That's how it has to be; that's how it should be.

 

Does anyone know who the Bills "booth coach" has been?

[Dan]

I agree with that outside of your choice of "control". The control is Edwards', for better or worse. Hell, I can even imagine Wannstedt coming up with a gameplan and Edwards thinking that is better than my idea, I'll go with yours (depending on what kind of ego Edwards has but he doesn't seem to be). But like the in game calls, the ultimate decision has to be one guy's. I'm sure that Wannstedt will have a ton of input and a lot of stature, and Edwards will listen, and likely follow a lot.

Yeah, I brain froze on my word choice there - hence, the quotes. I'm sure Wanny (and Gailey) wants to give Edwards opinions, ideas, etc. on the gameplan and use of players. And Wanny wants those suggestions to, in the least, be given serious consideration by Edwards and not just be brushed off. Hence, the whole meeting to "make sure everyone would get along". If either one, Edwards or Wanny, let's their ego get in the way and doesn't listen to one another and work together; you've got the potential for a serious headache. But, if they're able to sit down all week and develop the best use of the players and the best gameplan, which Wanny will have (and probably wants to have) plenty of input on, then we're in better shape.

[Chandler#81]

It's all about performance. If Wanny gives them a better chance to win, the players will back him. IMO, Edwards will be auditioning in pre-season (assuming there are games played) for his job.

 

 

If the Commish has his way, it'll just be a 2 Game audition.

[3rdand12]

Its perfectly fine that pressure is on Edwards. Agreed. Wannstache is to ADD experienced perspective on defensive details.

ithink some of you folks are calling for Edwards head too early. If we get some players worth a hoot before next season then i am sure the right decisions will be made but i think GE will continue as before in te play calling. DW and GE will agree on game plans before gametime.

it seems a little silly that DW would overide a call this year.