If we have a better record then last year, does DJ still have to go?

[KD in CA]

He needs to make the playoffs to keep his job.

 

I'd love to believe this, but I don't.

 

Ralph has no interest in buying out Jauron and paying someone else. IMO, another 7-9 will be enough for him to keep the job.

[mike6683]

I think no matter what happens I want him gonebut realisticly I think 9-7 he stays we must beat these teams to have a shot tenn, jax, hou, kc at 9-7 any bad decisions like in the jets game last year or dallas game 2 years ago that costs us another game that is soully on his shoulders he is done.

[LongLiveRalph]

we must beat these teams to have a shot tenn, jax, hou, kc

 

He's proven he can win those games. He wins 7 of them every year.

 

How about proving he can beat a good team? How about improving on that 1-8 record in his last 9 vs. the AFC East?

 

Career loser. Finishing 9-7 while beating up on the other dregs of the league does little to change that. The only plus-.500 Bills team this decade finished 9-7 while white-washing a cupcake schedule. It didn't prove anything, and even got their starting QB released.

 

He's a fine gentleman, and his team doesn't lay down. All the credit to him in that regard. Beyond that, his entire history shows he plays NOT to lose, and it doesn't work against the good teams who are a level above handing out victories to their opponent because of their own mistakes.

[Gugny]

You guys think that Ralph Wilson actually cares about wins and loses...

 

When the fans stop coming to the games and stop buying merchandise, he might sit up and take notice.

 

In the 80's it took TWO back to back 2-14 seasons and fans in the stadium wearing bags on their heads, the stadium mostly empty and games not shown on local TV year after year.

 

The problem with this franchise is that Wilson doesn't have any sons to inherit the team. The Colts lost Robert Irsay and he left the team to his son who promptly hired Bill Polian, Bill Bidwell is letting his sons run the team in Arizona.

 

Personally, I think Wilson cares more about tennis and thoroughbred racing then he does about his pro football team.

 

What other owner would have kept Dick Jauron as his head coach for FOUR years, even Detroit was smart enough to boot him after letting him be interim head coach.

I could not agree with this more. Perfect assessment, IMO.

[flomoe]

I say Fire him this Sunday night after the Houston game, even if they win 100-0. This team is pathetic, though with Checkwards out of the way for the time being, they aren't as inept as they were a couple weeks ago.

[drhockey]

Sadly, i am somewhat rooting for the Bills to get back to their losing ways so we can guarantee that he won't be back. How sad is that? What type of mindset do we as Bills fans have to be in to root for our team to lose in order to spark change? That is pathetic, and is tough for me to say since i have been going to games for about 30 years.

 

But, here's my worry. As DJ makes his heroic run at another 7-9 season, i am worried that once he reaches that milestone Ralph will think that it was an achievement given the state of our O-line and the rash of injuries we had over the year. I am starting to think that by the end of the year, DJ will have a couple of built-in excuses to save his job. It is a dreadful thought to be sure.

 

I am in agreement with most of you though in thinking that it is playoffs or bust.

 

But, i am putting myself in the pessimistic mindframe that DJ will have a lineup of excuses and Ralph will be reluctant to eat the moolah....and wala, we have another year of DJ.

 

Slide over the puke bucket.

[LongLiveRalph]

You guys think that Ralph Wilson actually cares about wins and loses...

 

When the fans stop coming to the games and stop buying merchandise, he might sit up and take notice.

 

In the 80's it took TWO back to back 2-14 seasons and fans in the stadium wearing bags on their heads, the stadium mostly empty and games not shown on local TV year after year.

 

No question there's truth to your post, but unfortunately, it's not that cut-and-dry. If it were that simple, there'd be 30,000 people at the games. However, it cannot be ignored that the Bills are one of the teams that comes up when a relocation is discussed. Just as the fans' only voice of disapproval for the product on the field is with their wallets, their only voice of affirmation for what the TEAM means to the community is also with their wallets. It's a fine line of wanting to prove the value of a team in Buffalo, while not wanting to continue to support mediocre football and poor management. It comes down to a personal choice of the individual, and I couldn't begin to tell the next guy what to do, because neither is right nor wrong. Me personally, I live in Tampa and I still have a season ticket. In my mind, I'm not going to settle for the "dwindling fan base" excuse if they ever did pack up and move out. But I can EASILY understand the guy who dumps his ticket out of disgust for the management and play.

 

Teams like the Dolphins and Redskins have the luxury of saying "F these guys, I'm not going to support them" and allow for blackouts and half-full stadiums, because there is no danger of NOT having the team there in Miami and Washington. The situations are different from Buffalo's current situation, it's true.

 

And let's face it...Finishing 7-9 and hovering around .500 for the majority of the season (with a few meaningful games here and there) is a far cry from the 2-14 years of the mid-80's.

[manbeast]

Longtime reader and fan, first time poster.

 

Question is simple. If we finish 8-8 (i think this likely), 9-7 or make the playoffs. Would you still want DJ fired at the end of the season?

he's not the problem.

But we may find a coach that could be the solution.

10-6 he stays because that means the players are actually fitting his scheme

[thewildrabbit]

Sadly, i am somewhat rooting for the Bills to get back to their losing ways so we can guarantee that he won't be back. How sad is that? What type of mindset do we as Bills fans have to be in to root for our team to lose in order to spark change? That is pathetic, and is tough for me to say since i have been going to games for about 30 years.

 

But, here's my worry. As DJ makes his heroic run at another 7-9 season, i am worried that once he reaches that milestone Ralph will think that it was an achievement given the state of our O-line and the rash of injuries we had over the year. I am starting to think that by the end of the year, DJ will have a couple of built-in excuses to save his job. It is a dreadful thought to be sure.

 

I am in agreement with most of you though in thinking that it is playoffs or bust.

 

But, i am putting myself in the pessimistic mindframe that DJ will have a lineup of excuses and Ralph will be reluctant to eat the moolah....and wala, we have another year of DJ.

 

Slide over the puke bucket.

The thing that really scares me is the fact that the entire betting population took the under at the start of the year, so most figure the Bills will not win more then 7 games.

 

That said, they go 8-8 and the Las Vegas bookies and Jauron wins...

[profile]

Listen, I don't think there's a real shot this team even wins 6 games this year, so the real question is how on God's green earth can the Bills retain DJ at year's end?

 

Very simple. Ralph and Co are only interested in keeping spending in check until the team is sold. That's the cols hard truth. There will not be another attempt at rebuilding, cleaning house, or drastic changes, becuse the lease is up in 2012, and that my friends is the end of the line. The team is coasting on life support, and i don't see any indication of the stadium lease being pursued, so if that doesn't tell you something, then you are kidding yourselves.

 

So you see, there really is no need to hire a new coach. DJ stays.

[NewHampshireBillsFan]

Sadly, i am somewhat rooting for the Bills to get back to their losing ways so we can guarantee that he won't be back. How sad is that? What type of mindset do we as Bills fans have to be in to root for our team to lose in order to spark change? That is pathetic, and is tough for me to say since i have been going to games for about 30 years.

 

But, here's my worry. As DJ makes his heroic run at another 7-9 season, i am worried that once he reaches that milestone Ralph will think that it was an achievement given the state of our O-line and the rash of injuries we had over the year. I am starting to think that by the end of the year, DJ will have a couple of built-in excuses to save his job. It is a dreadful thought to be sure.

 

I am in agreement with most of you though in thinking that it is playoffs or bust.

 

But, i am putting myself in the pessimistic mindframe that DJ will have a lineup of excuses and Ralph will be reluctant to eat the moolah....and wala, we have another year of DJ.

 

Slide over the puke bucket.

 

I don't think it is worth it to hope the Bills lose. Most of their history has been losing and if that would have solved the problems, they would have been solved a long time ago, many times over. If the Bills absolutely stink with a record of 5-11 or less RW may have to fire DJ. But then another cheaply priced coach will be hired, cheaply priced because in RW's mind he will be paying two salaries at once. Probably we will try to stay at least $3 million more under the cap to make up for DJ's salary, and the new coach will be given 3 years to get us to the playoffs, especially considering how badly we did this year (bad enough to get DJ fired). We might as well hope against hope that DJ turns things around and actually finishes his contract. At least the team is on some mini-roll at this point. Let us hope that can continue.