Pros and cons of keeping Rex next season

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

After week 2 I was all in on canning Rex. Now I flipped. I think his team has shown enough to warrant keeping the program together another season. I like continuity and think it's important. We will have more pieces back on D next season. Whaley should be able to reinforce the offense....and TT will be in this system for multiple seasons and should be even better. Don't blow it up.

 

Ron Rivera - 6-10, 7-9 his first 2 years. Carroll was 7-9 his first 2 years in Seattle. Lewis was 8-8 his first 2 years. Garrett was 8-8 for 3 years before finally making the playoffs.

 

Not to say all are created equal, but sticking with a guy can have its benefits. Rex seems to be finding himself a bit more here as well. Not playcalling the D anymore, and having more of a say on the offense. Things a HC should do.

[Peter]

Keep Rex.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Apparently Rex needs a **** ton of things to make his defense work.

 

I mean... Seattle and Denver aren't where they are without the great players on those teams. Was Rex good? Or were Lewis and Reed good? Probably a combination - as in neither happens without the other.

 

My biggest thing ive noticed is that Rex is a players coach. This means the leadership element needs to come from the players. When A.will went down again, it seems to lack the same accountability.

[msw2112]

I'm not a Rex fan. I hated the hire and was ready for him to be gone after least season and after the first 2 games this year. Of course, I'm not the one paying him to coach or not coach. My personal feelings aside, I actually am in favor of keeping him for another season. The offense has made some great improvements and there are some bright spots on the defense, notably the linebacker play and the pass rush. While I don't think Rex will ever win a Super Bowl, I don't think the team has Super Bowl talent anyway, and I agree with the other posters who make the continuity argument. I also applaud Rex's improvement. Last year, he was awful with challenges (the KC game comes to mind) and this year, he addressed the issue and there is great improvement. And, as mentioned above, the offense and defense have both shown some improvement, and that is without many key players such as Watkins, Dareus, etc.

 

One other item to note is last night's game. This was a big game on a big stage in a very tough environment against a strong opponent. While they ultimately fell short, they played hard and were very effective, particularly on offense. After the Seattle took the big lead late in the first half, and the debacle with the FG attempt at the end of the first half, the team could have folded its tent. Many previous Bills teams have done just that in similar situations. This group fought hard and got themselves back into a position to potentially win the game.

Edited November 8, 2016 by msw2112

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

I don't think rex is the problem so much as Whaley. This roster's been paper thin forever.

[K-Apps]

 

Ron Rivera - 6-10, 7-9 his first 2 years. Carroll was 7-9 his first 2 years in Seattle. Lewis was 8-8 his first 2 years. Garrett was 8-8 for 3 years before finally making the playoffs.

 

Not to say all are created equal, but sticking with a guy can have its benefits. Rex seems to be finding himself a bit more here as well. Not playcalling the D anymore, and having more of a say on the offense. Things a HC should do.

Both Rivera and Carroll were coming into re-building franchises, Rex came to a 9-7 that were two victories away from a playoff spot. You only keep Rex if you are 1000% confident that the Bills make the playoffs next season. If not, you are wasting time keeping him imo. My issue with Rex is that he makes no adjustments still on defense imployment, can't put your CBs on an island like you have prime Revis and Cromartie. Gotta adjust to the modern times of the vertical passing game.

[BmarvB]

I think he'll stay but he really needs to get Donnie Henderson back to coach the secondary. They were much better under him than they are right now.

I'm not a Rex fan. I hated the hire and was ready for him to be gone after least season and after the first 2 games this year. Of course, I'm not the one paying him to coach or not coach. My personal feelings aside, I actually am in favor of keeping him for another season. The offense has made some great improvements and there are some bright spots on the defense, notably the linebacker play and the pass rush. While I don't think Rex will ever win a Super Bowl, I don't think the team has Super Bowl talent anyway, and I agree with the other posters who make the continuity argument. I also applaud Rex's improvement. Last year, he was awful with challenges (the KC game comes to mind) and this year, he addressed the issue and there is great improvement. And, as mentioned above, the offense and defense have both shown some improvement, and that is without many key players such as Watkins, Dareus, etc.

 

One other item to note is last night's game. This was a big game on a big stage in a very tough environment against a strong opponent. While they ultimately fell short, they played hard and were very effective, particularly on offense. After the Seattle took the big lead late in the first half, and the debacle with the FG attempt at the end of the first half, the team could have folded its tent. Many previous Bills teams have done just that in similar situations. This group fought hard and got themselves back into a position to potentially win the game.

 

Agreed

[C.Biscuit97]

I loved the Rex hire. I thought he was terrible last year & killed him all offseason.

 

I think overall, he has done a really good job this year. I'm worried that the overall evidence is showing that Rex might be just an average on his best day coach. He doesn't seem to consistently have his teams ready to play.

 

He inherited a 9-7 football team. In 2 years, are we a better team than that? In today's NFL, you can improve quickly with the right coach. When you ground and pound, you have a very slim margin for error.

 

So I'm on the fence but do I think there will be a better coach than Rex available next offseason? Absolutely.

[tuckan]

Keep him. Fire him. It makes no difference. He is not the coach who will bring us the playoffs much less a championship. He will be gone in three years mark it down. The Pegulas took a big swing and miss. If they don't want to pay him for doing nothing, I have no problem with that. It's their money after all. Give him three years and then boot him out of town. And take Whaley with him.....

[BobDVA]

I have not been a big Rex fan, nor do I hate him. That being said, for the most part I think he has done a good job this year with the problems that have evolved. Yesterday, was the first time that Tyrod has shown NFL caliber starting QB play that half impressed me. If he would have finally brought the team back from behind, I might start to get excited, but alas he once again failed.

 

With the Wood injury, the running game will drop dramatically, so Tyrod has 7 games to prove his worth.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Does it matter who we have as coach? It's pretty clear at this point it doesn't matter who we have as coach, as QB, as GM, as owner, etc, we'll continue to be mediocre at best. So lets keep Rex around, at least he's entertaining.

This may be the most "realist" post I've read on the board.

I have not been a big Rex fan, nor do I hate him. That being said, for the most part I think he has done a good job this year with the problems that have evolved. Yesterday, was the first time that Tyrod has shown NFL caliber starting QB play that half impressed me. If he would have finally brought the team back from behind, I might start to get excited, but alas he once again failed.

 

With the Wood injury, the running game will drop dramatically, so Tyrod has 7 games to prove his worth.

Also a nice thought. This season is bordering on shot. At some point, probably in 2 more losses, Why not have Tyrod toss it 40 times a game to see what he's got.

[Fadingpain]

Apparently Rex needs a **** ton of things to make his defense work.

And a lot of them weren't on the team when he got here.

 

The moment we finally switch all our personnel around to his liking, he'll be canned.

[Augie]

And a lot of them weren't on the team when he got here.

 

The moment we finally switch all our personnel around to his liking, he'll be canned.

...and we start over with a new set of specific needs. I hope this cycle ends soon. I bet he gets a 3rd year and needs to do better with a healthier roster.

[Nihilarian]

And replace him with who?

 

This is as good a team as the Bills have fielded in many years. They are restricted on offense by the limitations of their QB and quality of their WRs and they are figuring out how to manage that -- and they did pretty well last night against a very good defense.

 

On defense their starting CBs have under-performed, their top two draft picks were hurt, and their best player decided to take the year off. Despite that they have held it together.

 

They are not that far away; 7 more yards last night and this morning we're calling this the best win for the franchise since Fitz beat NE. The last thing they need is another big upheaval.

Replace him with someone who can win more than 8 games in a season.

 

The starting CB's had less talent in 2014 and yet played better. Last year these same two CB's played better because they weren't in man coverage so often. The GM was forced to use the first two picks on defense because of the different scheme and now they will probably need to draft some new DB's.

 

Even if the Bills had won against Seattle and went into the bye week 5-4 it's still not a given the team finishes with a winning record considering the defense is only average and was supposed to be great. With the talent on last years roster the team should have been in the playoffs and this year it's no different as the defense that was supposed to be elite under Ryan is again only mediocre.

 

 

I for one am not afraid of change because if this new owner hires the right people to run the football side of the team they just might be able to hire the right HC! Someone who could have the team contending for the division. I've seen it before when the team hired a winning HC in Chuck Knox. I've seen it before when a brilliant young man was hired as GM and the team was built to contend for a super bowl in three short years. This team has far too much talent to keep going nowhere every year.

[bmur66]

Rex isn't going anywhere. Deal with it. Look at all of the good teams in the NFL. The one thing they have in common is continuity and that is what we are going to see. Rex is actually looking like a good Head Coach to me and not just a glorified coordinator.

[atlbillsfan1975]

I've never been a fire Rex kind of guy but the plan was to have a solid defense and good running offense and win low scoring games. If the defense is going to give up 30+ then we have no shot. Our defensive backs look like garbage and the main reason is they are in man coverage and continuosly getting beat. That's Rex's fault. Our secondary has transformed into the 2015 Saints and Rob has to have some of the blame for that as well. So basically if we don't have the defense Rex promised us then we will not win.

I am starting to wonder if Gilmore isn't a bigger issue. Gilmores play has been inconsistent this. Darby has not progressed. It seems the entire defensive backfield has regressed. Even when A. Williams was in there, things looked muddled. This very well maybe connecting dots, but if guys aren't buying into Rex's scheme it doesn't work. We have seen the huge improvement the front seven has shown this year over last. A ton of this has to do with FA pickups and rookies. Players who did not have an entire season to learn the system. I do not let Rex off the hook either if players aren't buying in. Part of the coaches job is to get that done. If Gilmore is set on leaving and also doesn't respect Rex, that's easy to see how it could bleed into other areas . Specifically with the DB's where Gilmore is seen as the best talent for that position.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Rex isn't going anywhere. Deal with it. Look at all of the good teams in the NFL. The one thing they have in common is continuity and that is what we are going to see. Rex is actually looking like a good Head Coach to me and not just a glorified coordinator.

Ha they have continuity because their coaches proved they were good, very quickly and so they've kept their job.

 

People act like you can keep any loser around long enough and they'll start winning. That's not why good coaches keep their jobs it's their win loss record.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Your right he's not going anywhere.

 

It will be fun to watch the team go 8-8 again next year. 👍🏻👍🏻

Continuity

[bmur66]

How's 3 and out been working for the last 20 years? From what I have seen Rex is improving as a coach. I think he continues. What the guy who gave him a 5 year contract thinks is what really matters.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

How's 3 and out been working for the last 20 years? From what I have seen Rex is improving as a coach. I think he continues. What the guy who gave him a 5 year contract thinks is what really matters.

 

He does "seem" to be improving a bit. Less of the bluster and bragging that the media likes, but still the passion. Relinquishing play calls over to someone else so that he can get a pulse on the game. It's important. The game management aspect is underrated.