Twitter rumors about Bills new structure, fate of Rex/Whaley

[jeffismagic]

If the Bills do this they need to do this right. Hire Pat Lafontaine and give him life and death power over Rex and Whaley.

 

 

[Not at the table Karlos]

 

I'm not buying any of this.

guy has pretty much been right since he started talking about the bills

[26CornerBlitz]

@SalSports

I've updated my Big Picture with addressing the Doug Whaley speculation and any changes on the coaching staff: http://www.wgr550.com/CAPACCIO-Bills-Redskins-Arrow-Up-Arrow-Down/22296714

 

Back to Whaley. CBS' Jason La Confora reported yesterday there is a rift between him and the coahcing staff, specifically Ryan. If that's true, it's news to me and Rex Ryan himself, who flat out said that report was inaccurate after the game. The report said Whaley's job could be in jeaporady. Sure, anything is possible after such a disapponting season. Terry and Kim Pegula could decide to make changes anytime they feel. But I've been told repeatedly, even as recently as after the report came out Sunday, that Whaley is not going anywhere. He has plenty of support throughout the organization.

Edited December 21, 2015 by 26CornerBlitz

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

i was thinking the same thing. They may not necessarily want him to part ways with the organization altogether because they like some of the things he and the scouts have done, but they do want to make changes to the overall decision making structure because it has not been good enough. He may decide to leave on his own.

I feel the big mistake was hiring Rex because he was a bad fit. The Jets brought in Casserly and ended up with Bowles. There was talk about Polian being named Czar and that disappeared. I know people think these kinds of guys are over the hill and especially the younger set doesn't want this kind of hire. However, in fairness they both didn't like the fit of Rex in Buffalo and said so. Instead we hear that Russ Brandon, who is a great marketing guy, is telling Pegula to hire him. I wish we had someone around who just said this is his Schtick and he has been trending downward, he is a bad fit, I wouldn't hire him.

Edited December 21, 2015 by The Thurmanator

[Nihilarian]

This is all really good news to me because this org does need some serious NFL experience at the top of the football operations flow chart.

 

I'm hoping for a team president of football operations. If so, then there could be some exciting days ahead on the horizon for Buffalo Bills fans!

[26CornerBlitz]

guy has pretty much been right since he started talking about the bills

 

We shall see whether he's correct soon enough.

[FireChan]

This guy Joe Chenelly has a source somewhere at OBD. He's had some info in the past. Fwiw:

 

@jchenelly: Current GM Doug Whaley will need to accept a lesser role w/ the #Bills if he is to remain with the team at all. There will be a new chief.

 

 

@Nagle_23: @jchenelly where you getting this info from

 

@jchenelly: @Nagle_23 Personal friend who is in the know and OK with me sharing, as has been the case for about a year.

 

@nickellion79: @MikeSilver @RaiderBounty @Na_Na_Nesci @JeremyWGR Mike any chance you think they realize they made a mistake with Rex?

 

@jchenelly: @nickellion79 Yes. But the person who will decide Rex Ryan's fate is not yet working for the team. #Bills

 

@nickellion79: @jchenelly Joe you are always well connected. What is going on at OBD right now?

 

@jchenelly: @nickellion79 A lot of disappointment. There may be some trigger-happy folks after today's game.

It's time for the #czar.

[8-8 Forever?]

If they hire Tales from the Crypt Polian it will get even worse. Whaley has done a good job with personnel. If he was the initiator of Rex then it is on him. If he agreed to the Pegulas wishes IMO he shouldn't be punished for that,

Correct. And I am sure that is the way it was. I doubt much changes, really. Everyone will go away after the season, cool down and then regroup for the spring.

[BackInDaDay]

It wouldn't surprise me inside the walls of One Bills Drive that Ryan is furious at Whaley for not allowing him to bring in the players he needed to help the team "buy in" to his defense and be able to tutor the other players. I feel if Harris was leading the defense there wouldn't be the discontent that exists today. Also having Landry would help the secondary guys adapt.

great points, but like I posted elsewhere.. we're the Pegulas aware of how Rex was going to transform the D, and what he needed to do it? he obviously got the ok to create Jets North with the staff.. but if his ability to make the transformation quickly was tied to signing ex-players - was this expressed? did the Pegulas miss that rather significant piece of info? or did they leave it as something to be worked out with the GM?

 

why do I get the impression that Rex never got into the nuts and bolts of what he had planned during their meetings?

[BuffaloWings]

 

 

I do partly agree with this. I am not big into canning a coach after the first year but this was a big mistake hiring and it is brutally obvious. Whaley I don't know. He has done some good things, he also has done some things that are fireable offenses. Drafting EJ & then pushing him on not one but 2 coaching staffs, trading up for Watkins when we could of had Beckham if we just sat tight. I don't know tough call

 

I hate these arguments - we don't know for sure if Beckham would've still been available and even if we did grab him, he'd be in the same situation Sammy is now. Sammy was pretty highly regarded and has shown his talent.

 

My big issue with all of this is that if Whaley & company knew what Rex wanted to do (ground and pound, play his style of defense, and change everything), then why did they hire him?

[FireChan]

 

I assume the Whaley impulse control comments apply primarily to EJ and Sammy. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm not sure why people don't come right out and say it.

 

I don't get the Sammy stuff at all. If someone in the know can point out how we could have given up less to get him then fine, let me know about that. Otherwise I'm not sure why everyone is complaining about the player who is quite obviously far and away the most talented player on this team with the possible exception of the older and more expensive McCoy and Mario. If we had moved up and taken Mack instead, then Mack would be the most talented player on the team. We weren't getting either of them without that move.

 

As for EJ....if you told me that we could have moved down again....meaning there was a willing trade partner at say pick #25-35, then fine. Otherwise, enough. We moved down once and added the pipsqueak LB. That is a guy that Whaley overvalued so I'll give everyone that. But usually people aren't talking about Kiko when criticizing Whaley.

 

Insert Donahoe into the equation and we have Tavon Austin instead of Sammy, no EJ or Alonso and God knows what. Austin is a decent player and has his uses but he is not in the same league with Watkins.

 

In FA moves I think there are some valid praises and criticisms of Whaley. More OL help would have been nice but it was rumored he did everything he could to get Bulaga. Hughes sure was a nice pickup and some other guys have contributed at times.

Uh Charles Clay? Look at his contract.

[Big Turk]

Rex isnt going anywhere...too early to pull the plug on a coach, too much money for this small market team to swallow. But don't be surprised if at least one of the assistants is gone...and surprisingly I'd rather have it be Roman. The defense I'm confident will get better in Rex's 2nd year after he's had a chance to fully adjust personnel...maybe not top 5, but at least top 10. Offense under Roman is crap....partly becuase he and rex think too much alike. Gymmicky wild cats with the backup QB, scramblely starter over pocket passer, run a featured back hard, etc. Last (only time) Rex had a good offense was with Brian schottenheimer as OC. His philosophy was a lot different than Rex's. Heck he even made Sanchez look decent.

 

So an offense in the top 10 in points in the NFL "sucks"? I agree the playcalling at times leaves you shaking your head, but it's miles better than what we've had for most of this drought. We have 10 wins with last year's D and this offense.

 

He's also done this with a QB in his first season, and has gotten mostly good with some spectacular play from Taylor, far more than we had a right to expect...

Edited December 21, 2015 by matter2003

[Rob's House]

The chin was terrible. Ive said this many times on here. My friend is a Steelers fan and we used to watch the Bills and the Steelers every Sunday. The CHIN is a terrible coach.

 

If he comes here, enjoy more years of Crap!

Not to be homophobic, but I always found him a little creepy after he kissed Kordell Stewart on the sideline.

[KDIGGZ]

You made the mistake of bringing up the M&T bank deal, and because that had nothing to do with football operations, it was discredited.

Just reporting what I heard. A lot of it goes back to that. Of course if we were winning it would have been easily forgotten. Pegula's want all of their own people in there. It will start with a football czar and he will clean house as they see fit. The good news is they are willing to do and spend whatever it takes to win a Super Bowl (not just try and sneak into the playoffs). Bad news is it might take blowing up this team and front office and starting from scratch which I don't like because I thought we were heading in the right direction but this season was a big step backwards

[The Big Cat]

I've had Chennely on my Bills Media twitter list for a year because of scoops like these.

 

He's very active in the Jim Webb presidential campaign.

 

So it's been a lot of tweets about...that.

 

But he's credible enough, and has been right enough about things in the past that I've suffered through all of...that.

Edited December 21, 2015 by The Big Cat

[Nihilarian]

I feel the big mistake was hiring Rex because he was a bad fit. The Jets brought in Casserly and ended up with Bowles. There was talk about Polian being named Czar and that disappeared. I know people think these kinds of guys are over the hill and especially the younger set doesn't want this kind of hire. However, in fairness they both didn't like the fit of Rex in Buffalo and said so. Instead we hear that Russ Brandon, who is a great marketing guy, is telling Pegula to hire him. I wish we had someone around who just said this is his Schtick and he has been trending downward, he is a bad fit, I wouldn't hire him.

Last year even the NFL wanted the new team owners to hire an NFL experienced senior adviser, and they declined for whatever reason. I'm thinking Russ Brandon had a lot to do with that.

 

Just think if this new hire doesn't want to keep Rex Ryan after this year then the Pegula's will have over 24 million in lost money due to Rex's contract, and St Doug's walk away clause.

[JohnC]

When Ryan took over the Jets he brought in Bart Scott and Jim Leonhard to help teach the players his defense in order to shorten the learning curve. Ryan took the Jets D from the bottom of the league to the top that year.

 

This season it was widely known that Ryan wanted to bring in David Harris and Dewan Landry most likely for the same role. A few days after the period to speak with FA opened Harris agreed to a deal with Jets, and the Bills kicked the tires with Landry but Whaley came across as if his price was too high.

 

Fast forward to today and the defense is a mess. I think Mario Williams said what alot of other players are thinking. While I feel Preston Brown is a good LB, he is young and I feel the job of leading this defense is over his head. There is too much confusion on the field because Brown himself is still learning Ryan's system.

 

Whaley didn't go hard after Harris because he was on the wrong side of 30 and he viewed Brown as an up and coming player, and treated Landry the same way due to the Bills depth at his position. I have a strong feeling this is a huge point of contention between Whaley and Ryan.

 

It wouldn't surprise me inside the walls of One Bills Drive that Ryan is furious at Whaley for not allowing him to bring in the players he needed to help the team "buy in" to his defense and be able to tutor the other players. I feel if Harris was leading the defense there wouldn't be the discontent that exists today. Also having Landry would help the secondary guys adapt.

 

For Ryan I'm sure the 3 year $21 million dollar deal for Harris would have been well worth it. He is having a great year in NY and would have made a world of difference if he was the voice in the huddle and in meeting rooms.

 

That's where I truly feel Whaley lost the battle in this one. For certain I would expect to see a few Ryan ex players come in next season to not only help others with his defense, but also have players on the team that "buy in". Cuz right now there aren't very many.

There are much bigger issues regarding Rex as a deficient coach that have little to do with his inability to bring in aging veteran players to teach his "system". Rex's record as a coach in NY was a losing record. By the time he got fired the team he was instrumental in assembling and coaching was in chaos.

 

When you describe the character of a Rex coached team one word that won't be associated with it is discipline. Another word not associated with a Rex coached team is intelligence. Another word not associated with his teams is maturity.

 

People are now bringing up hypothetical issues such as "what if this" and "what if that" in order to explain the stunning descent of a team. What has happened with the Bills should not have been a surprise. The same destructive cycle happened in NY. Our organization enthusiastically hired a failed HC that another organization was relieved to get rid of. Rex didn't have a successful tenure in NY. He had a cumulative losing record. Yet the Bills' organization found him to be an appealing candidate based on an impressive interview. Just think about it. A bullshiiiit interview proved to be more persuasive than a six year losing record ending in chaos

 

The Jets are now a stabilized organization under a stolid but professional coach. This year they weren't subjected to the circus act that always surrounds this attention grabbing hound dog coach. When one of their marginal players punched their qb in the locker room and broke his jaw the Jets immediately responded by cutting him. Our clown coach immediately added him to the roster. That's the type of thuggish and dump player that appeals to this fool coach. The bottom line is that the Rex Ryan that we now got is the Rex Ryan we brought in.

[BillsVet]

@WGR550

. @salsports "I've been told many times that Doug Whaley will be the GM in 2016"

@salmaiorana

Listening to WGR, @SalSports just said he was told yesterday Whaley is going nowhere. I also was told the same thing, yesterday. We'll see

 

 

I'm not buying any of this.

 

You believe what you want to believe because it fits your narrative.

 

If the team makes changes this off-season (and there's a chance they will) I expect your daily activity to dwindle.

[YoloinOhio]

I've had Chennely on my Bills Media twitter list for a year because of scoops like these.

 

He's very active in the Jim Webb presidential campaign.

 

So it's been a lot of tweets about...that.

 

But he's credible enough, and has been right enough about things in the past that I've suffered through all of...that.

same here. He doesn't really just throw stuff out there for attention or followers - every once in awhile he will drop something Bills-related and while I take everything from a source like that with a grain of salt, I don't have a reason to assume it's not with some credibility, because he's been dialed into other things in which what he posted was credible. Edited December 21, 2015 by YoloinOhio

[White Linen]

Just reporting what I heard. A lot of it goes back to that. Of course if we were winning it would have been easily forgotten. Pegula's want all of their own people in there. It will start with a football czar and he will clean house as they see fit. The good news is they are willing to do and spend whatever it takes to win a Super Bowl (not just try and sneak into the playoffs). Bad news is it might take blowing up this team and front office and starting from scratch which I don't like because I thought we were heading in the right direction but this season was a big step backwards

 

Just so you know there's no such thing as starting from scratch.

[26CornerBlitz]

 

 

You believe what you want to believe because it fits your narrative.

 

If the team makes changes this off-season (and there's a chance they will) I expect your daily activity to dwindle.

 

I couldn't care any less about what you expect. Your opinions and thoughts have zero value for me one way or the other.

[PlayoffsPlease]

Last year even the NFL wanted the new team owners to hire an NFL experienced senior adviser, and they declined for whatever reason. I'm thinking Russ Brandon had a lot to do with that.

 

Just think if this new hire doesn't want to keep Rex Ryan after this year then the Pegula's will have over 24 million in lost money due to Rex's contract, and St Doug's walk away clause.

Pegs spent 1,4 billion on the team. 0.02 billion more isn't going to factor in.

[4merper4mer]

Uh Charles Clay? Look at his contract.

I can't think of any reason for such an odd structuring to a contract. Oh wait, yes I can.

[26CornerBlitz]

Pegs spent 1,4 billion on the team. 0.02 billion more isn't going to factor in.

 

It's not a matter of money as much as it would be making a big decision on Rex and then abandoning it after one year into it. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me to operate in that fashion.

[Mojo44]

So an offense in the top 10 in points in the NFL "sucks"? I agree the playcalling at times leaves you shaking your head, but it's miles better than what we've had for most of this drought. We have 10 wins with last year's D and this offense.

 

He's also done this with a QB in his first season, and has gotten mostly good with some spectacular play from Taylor, far more than we had a right to expect...

 

This only looks at one side of the equation regarding the offense. Regardless of the rather misleading total stats, the Bills were in 4 or 5 games in which the offense could/should have moved down the field at the end for a winning or tying score. TT was an epic failure each time. This is actuarial fact and not debatable. And a rationalization like "if the Bills played better on D and didn't have all those penalties they wouldn't be in that position" doesn't matter. I'm fine with seeing how TT develops but he absolutely deserves that criticism.

[May Day 10]

I was all about the rex hire. Even hoping after like week 5 last year the Jets would suck and fire him so we can get him. Very pumped when they got him.

 

However, everything that people warned us about has come to fruition and is painfully obvious. I was even in denial after the Pats game. Coaches in this league don't win by pounding their chests. They win by privately obsessing over every detail for that week's game and getting their players ready.

 

It was a bad decision. Maybe he catches lighting in a bottle once or twice in 5 years and they get a wild card. It doesn't seem like it being fans of this.... team, but odds are every team should.

 

The fact the last HC walked away and that it seems like Whaley was largely bypassed by owners and upper management to hire Rex Ryan to a huge deal is troubling and not indicative of a successful football program. Then they also signed away a ton of money to players who now are seemingly unhappy.

 

 

I am surprised that Pegula didnt have a guy in mind/place last october and seemed to be scrambling to court Polian last January when things kind of hit the fan. Its not too late to start now. Things will hit the rocks with this structure.... I cant believe we are seeing it happen already a bit. Might as well rip off the band-aid now and build the program.

[Mojo44]

There are much bigger issues regarding Rex as a deficient coach that have little to do with his inability to bring in aging veteran players to teach his "system". Rex's record as a coach in NY was a losing record. By the time he got fired the team he was instrumental in assembling and coaching was in chaos.

 

When you describe the character of a Rex coached team one word that won't be associated with it is discipline. Another word not associated with a Rex coached team is intelligence. Another word not associated with his teams is maturity.

 

People are now bringing up hypothetical issues such as "what if this" and "what if that" in order to explain the stunning descent of a team. What has happened with the Bills should not have been a surprise. The same destructive cycle happened in NY. Our organization enthusiastically hired a failed HC that another organization was relieved to get rid of. Rex didn't have a successful tenure in NY. He had a cumulative losing record. Yet the Bills' organization found him to be an appealing candidate based on an impressive interview. Just think about it. A bullshiiiit interview proved to be more persuasive than a six year losing record ending in chaos

 

The Jets are now a stabilized organization under a stolid but professional coach. This year they weren't subjected to the circus act that always surrounds this attention grabbing hound dog coach. When one of their marginal players punched their qb in the locker room and broke his jaw the Jets immediately responded by cutting him. Our clown coach immediately added him to the roster. That's the type of thuggish and dump player that appeals to this fool coach. The bottom line is that the Rex Ryan that we now got is the Rex Ryan we brought in.

 

 

 

This nightmare season all comes down to this! The Pegulas were bamboozled and made a drastic mistake. No matter how much it costs Ryan has to go!!! I did predict this when he was first hired hoping I was wrong. Sadly I wasn't.

 

[Fan in Chicago]

It's time for the #czar.

I am going to point a finger at Pegula also. It appears he hired RR and has Ryan reporting directly to him. IMHO, an owner needs to get his paws off such hiring decisions. If TP gets a czar, he should also be prepared to give up meddling and control on the decisions for coaching and players. I am not going out too much on a limb if I sat that Pegula knows money but didn't know jack squat about building a winning NFL franchise

[YoloinOhio]

@jchenelly: Division over Mario Williams. Coaches feel he let team down in leadership dept. Personnel guys feel he wasnt used right. No one happy #Bills

 

IMO - both are true, and it doesn't matter which side is "right" - he would have needed to have a great year to justify keeping him and he did not, not all on him OR all on scheme. He was gone either way due to how he played and acted, regardless of scheme.

Edited December 21, 2015 by YoloinOhio

[jeffismagic]

Pegulas make mistakes but I really hope they don't make moves just to sell fans on "change".

 

The only czar they should be looking for is a Quarterback czar. That czar is responsible for gathering intelligence on all QB's in the next three drafts and reports directly to Whaley.

 

Pegula leaves Whaley in place but tells him to get at least 2 QB's in the next 3 drafts that he can develop.

[Nihilarian]

There are much bigger issues regarding Rex as a deficient coach that have little to do with his inability to bring in aging veteran players to teach his "system". Rex's record as a coach in NY was a losing record. By the time he got fired the team he was instrumental in assembling and coaching was in chaos.

 

When you describe the character of a Rex coached team one word that won't be associated with it is discipline. Another word not associated with a Rex coached team is intelligence. Another word not associated with his teams is maturity.

 

People are now bringing up hypothetical issues such as "what if this" and "what if that" in order to explain the stunning descent of a team. What has happened with the Bills should not have been a surprise. The same destructive cycle happened in NY. Our organization enthusiastically hired a failed HC that another organization was relieved to get rid of. Rex didn't have a successful tenure in NY. He had a cumulative losing record. Yet the Bills' organization found him to be an appealing candidate based on an impressive interview. Just think about it. A bullshiiiit interview proved to be more persuasive than a six year losing record ending in chaos

 

The Jets are now a stabilized organization under a stolid but professional coach. This year they weren't subjected to the circus act that always surrounds this attention grabbing hound dog coach. When one of their marginal players punched their qb in the locker room and broke his jaw the Jets immediately responded by cutting him. Our clown coach immediately added him to the roster. That's the type of thuggish and dump player that appeals to this fool coach. The bottom line is that the Rex Ryan that we now got is the Rex Ryan we brought in.

I have a difficult time believing that these new owners were so full of themselves that they made the decision to hire solely on who they liked as their new head coach.

 

It's been my contention that either Doug Whaley, Russ Brandon or both gave the new Bills owners the pitch that Rex Ryan was the right guy considering Ryans past history of building great defenses. Clearly those two didn't want any more of George Edwards- Dave Wannstedt type seasons. Yet that is exactly what they got with Ryan, and, of course, the penalties, sloppy play, lack of team discipline.

 

It is my take that both men heard about the near Polian hire and asked for more time to show that they could build a winner in Buffalo.

 

Like I said, that if the Pegula's hire the right NFL experienced man to run the football operations side of the team then the fans should be very happy in the days to come.

[GoPre]

 

 

I do partly agree with this. I am not big into canning a coach after the first year but this was a big mistake hiring and it is brutally obvious. Whaley I don't know. He has done some good things, he also has done some things that are fireable offenses. Drafting EJ & then pushing him on not one but 2 coaching staffs, trading up for Watkins when we could of had Beckham if we just sat tight. I don't know tough call.

 

Beckham is a great receiver, but his ceiling, in my opinion, isn't as high as Watkins. Beckham has a talented qb to get him the ball. Also has an OC that wants him targeted quite often. Not bashing Taylor, but he's not Eli Manning. And Roman is a bust. Watkins would have better numbers than Beckham if he was a Giant and Beckahm was a Bill.

[26CornerBlitz]

Sure it does.

 

The teams a disaster and a lot of that has to do with the loudmouth they hired as head coach.

 

Pulling the trigger now instead of a year or two down the line would be smart because it isn't going to get better with Rex. Guarantee that.

 

A disappointment? Absolutely! A disaster is taking it too far IMO.

[GG]

 

I am surprised that Pegula didnt have a guy in mind/place last october and seemed to be scrambling to court Polian last January when things kind of hit the fan. Its not too late to start now. Things will hit the rocks with this structure.... I cant believe we are seeing it happen already a bit. Might as well rip off the band-aid now and build the program.

 

i don't think this was the case at all. I think that skids were greased for Polian to come on board, but he flaked after Saint walked out.

[eball]

It would be surprising to me if Rex survives and Whaley is ousted. To my biased eye, probably 95% of the problems with this year's team speak right to coaching. When all of the players talk about the talent that has been assembled it's hard not to listen.

 

I am fine with Pegula hiring a "czar" as long as he isn't a dinosaur like Polian.

 

I'm still glad Marrone is gone.

 

The Rex honeymoon (for me) finally ended with the loss in Philly.

[Dorkington]

This team is just embarrassing.

[jeffismagic]

I have a difficult time believing that these new owners were so full of themselves that they made the decision to hire solely on who they liked as their new head coach.

 

It's been my contention that either Doug Whaley, Russ Brandon or both gave the new Bills owners the pitch that Rex Ryan was the right guy considering Ryans past history of building great defenses. Clearly those two didn't want any more of George Edwards- Dave Wannstedt type seasons. Yet that is exactly what they got with Ryan, and, of course, the penalties, sloppy play, lack of team discipline.

 

It is my take that both men heard about the near Polian hire and asked for more time to show that they could build a winner in Buffalo.

 

Like I said, that if the Pegula's hire the right NFL experienced man to run the football operations side of the team then the fans should be very happy in the days to come.

 

Aren't there rumors that Whaley wanted Hue Jackson? That would make sense as NFL GM's know way more about how 4-3 style defensive players don't all fit nicely in a 3-4 pressure D?

 

I think Whaley who was on thin ice would be crazy to recommend a coach that would change the very thing that the Bills had the most money in.

[TPS]

@jchenelly: Division over Mario Williams. Coaches feel he let team down in leadership dept. Personnel guys feel he wasnt used right. No one happy #Bills

 

IMO - both are true, and it doesn't matter which side is "right" - he would have needed to have a great year to justify keeping him and he did not, not all on him OR all on scheme. He was gone either way due to how he played and acted, regardless of scheme.

Precisely the problem, which was created by hiring someone on the D side of the ball with a completely different philosophy.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

How does a GM take a lesser role?

He becomes Director of Player Personnel. Keep him happy, sort of, by maintaining his current salary. Whaley has done a good job and should be retained. The guy who has to be replaced is Rex, the sooner the better.

[GG]

@jchenelly: Division over Mario Williams. Coaches feel he let team down in leadership dept. Personnel guys feel he wasnt used right. No one happy #Bills

.

 

I'm with the coaches on this one. Early on, Mario complained about dropping back in coverage. Yet if you look at the plays, those were a tiny portion of defensive snaps. His numbers across the board were pathetic and you cannot point to the scheme for him rarely winning one on one battles. He was almost never double teamed this year and still had the worst year in his career.

 

My theory on Mario is that he knew this is essentially his contract year but Rex's scheme called on him being a more rounded DE/LB. We know Mario is a mercurial personality, and probably decided to take the year off. His post game comments were very telling. Insurgents? Really? After his performance this year, the question should be asked of him if he led a mutiny against a scheme that would hurt his personal statistics.