They now have 2 1sts, 2 2nds, and 2 3rds next year. Not a bad day. But that trade up for Watkins a few years ago looks even worse now. They passed on Beckham and Khalil Mack for him.Wow, so they basically swapped out Watkins for Matthews and Darby for Gaines and also picked up an early second rounder. Hmmmm...
With Goff throwing the ball, all the speed in the world won't matter.Must be a sign his foot issues from last year are good. Can't imagine the trade would go through if anything was popping up on his medicals. Good fantasy bit of info.
Rams have potential to create problems if they use Sammy and Tavon correctly.
Wow, so they basically swapped out Watkins for Matthews and Darby for Gaines and also picked up an early second rounder. Hmmmm...
I don't think you can do anything about what you paid for Watkins originally. That is in the past. Looking at today's moves on their own, I think the Bill have done well.They now have 2 1sts, 2 2nds, and 2 3rds next year. Not a bad day. But that trade up for Watkins a few years ago looks even worse now. They passed on Beckham and Khalil Mack for him.
Not to sound presumptuous but it almost seems like the Jets (they are for sure) and Bills are conceding this season and looking to the future...couple that with Miami's injuries and the Pats are looking like they should be able to win the division with relative ease this year.The re-Bill-ding comes early this year.
So you're saying the division is not wide open?Not to sound presumptuous but it almost seems like the Jets (they are for sure) and Bills are conceding this season and looking to the future...couple that with Miami's injuries and the Pats are looking like they should be able to win the division with relative ease this year.
Which is amazing, considering how much they looked like a young up-and-comer before they hired Rex. Its crazy how much he set them back.They might be able to compete with the Dolphins for second best team in the division this year based on the Dolphins recent injuries, but the Bills need to build their team for the long term.
Rex sealed that opening like Auric Goldfinger.Which is amazing, considering how much they looked like a young up-and-comer before they hired Rex. Its crazy how much he set them back.
I wouldn't blame Rex for that. The trade up for Watkins was the year before he arrived (so they didn't have a first-round pick in Rex's first year). The Bills' problems start at the top - they zig and then three years later they zag and they have to jettison good players like Darby who don't fit in any more. They are a rudderless organization with no vision and so every hire appears to be an overreaction to the previous hire.Which is amazing, considering how much they looked like a young up-and-comer before they hired Rex. Its crazy how much he set them back.
The Watkins trade was a misstep (certainly ex post, and probably ex ante), but the Bills seemed to be on the right track (at last) under Marrone. Then, the team got sold, Marrone exercised his option to leave the team, and the new bosses hired Rex Ryan. Now they're a train wreck.I wouldn't blame Rex for that. The trade up for Watkins was the year before he arrived (so they didn't have a first-round pick in Rex's first year). The Bills' problems start at the top - they zig and then three years later they zag and they have to jettison good players like Darby who don't fit in any more. They are a rudderless organization with no vision and so every hire appears to be an overreaction to the previous hire.
http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a362/jadams77/?action=view¤t=g15.gifRex sealed that opening like Auric Goldfinger.
The fact that they sold the team and Marrone opted out indicates the organizational dysfunction predates Rex. He was not the solution, and his hire caused more problems, but he was more a symptom of the problem than the problem itself.The Watkins trade was a misstep (certainly ex post, and probably ex ante), but the Bills seemed to be on the right track (at last) under Marrone. Then, the team got sold, Marrone exercised his option to leave the team, and the new bosses hired Rex Ryan. Now they're a train wreck.
Marrone will have a chance to demonstrate his offensive chops this season; if he can coax adequate play out of the offensive line, the Jags have the weapons to be pretty good on offense, and very good if Bortles takes a big step forward (which I wouldn't bet on).The fact that they sold the team and Marrone opted out indicates the organizational dysfunction predates Rex. He was not the solution, and his hire caused more problems, but he was more a symptom of the problem than the problem itself.
This team just cannot get out of its own way. They finally lived up to their defensive talent in 2014 under Jim Schwartz, so then they hire Rex, who runs a completely different defense than Schwartz. So then they jettison guys like Kiko Alonso and Ross Cockrell who don't fit Rex's scheme in favor of guys like Ronald Darby and Reggie Ragland. And after giving Rex two years (one without a first-round pick), he's gone, and now they hired Sean McDermott, who runs, again, a totally different system. Darby is already gone; we'll see what happens with Ragland. And two or three years from now when they fire McDermott, they'll probably decide to totally change direction again.
And let's not lose perspective: they went 15-17 in two years under Marrone and 15-16 in two years under Ryan. The defense was disappointing under Rex, but by the same token, the offense was lousy under Marrone, who is supposed to be an offensive guru. This wasn't Jed York / Trent Baalke ruining the 49ers.
Marrone will have a chance to demonstrate his offensive chops this season; if he can coax adequate play out of the offensive line, the Jags have the weapons to be pretty good on offense, and very good if Bortles takes a big step forward (which I wouldn't bet on).
The fact that they sold the team and Marrone opted out indicates the organizational dysfunction predates Rex. He was not the solution, and his hire caused more problems, but he was more a symptom of the problem than the problem itself.
This team just cannot get out of its own way. They finally lived up to their defensive talent in 2014 under Jim Schwartz, so then they hire Rex, who runs a completely different defense than Schwartz. So then they jettison guys like Kiko Alonso and Ross Cockrell who don't fit Rex's scheme in favor of guys like Ronald Darby and Reggie Ragland. And after giving Rex two years (one without a first-round pick), he's gone, and now they hired Sean McDermott, who runs, again, a totally different system. Darby is already gone; we'll see what happens with Ragland. And two or three years from now when they fire McDermott, they'll probably decide to totally change direction again.
And let's not lose perspective: they went 15-17 in two years under Marrone and 15-16 in two years under Ryan. The defense was disappointing under Rex, but by the same token, the offense was lousy under Marrone, who is supposed to be an offensive guru. This wasn't Jed York / Trent Baalke ruining the 49ers.
It's not about being an apologist, or not. Rex was the wrong hire. He was the wrong hire because the team was already good at defense and Rex was going to burn down the defensive scheme to the ground. It was obvious he was going to want to do it, just as it's obvious that Sean McDermott is going to want to burn Rex's scheme to the ground and build his own thing. To me, the dumb part isn't Rex being Rex; it's hiring Rex if you didn't want him to be Rex.It amazes me that Rex still has apologists.
You know who didn't think Marrone was building a budding dynasty in Buffalo? Doug Marrone, or he wouldn't have opted out. The 9-7 record looks good, but they knew they'd whiffed on E.J. Manuel and had to coax Kyle Orton out of semi-retirement to helm the team. And they were down a first because of the Sammy Watkins disaster trade. And then ownership / relocation hanging over their heads. It was a lousy situation improved somewhat by falling into respectable QB play in the person of Tyrod Taylor. The new group running the team was at least smart enough to make it obvious that they're in rebuild mode.Marrone took a bad team, matched the record he inherited and then increased it by 3 wins. Rex came in and flipped any momentum they had.
6-10, 9-7, 8-8, 7-9
I don't think it was dumb for Rex to take the job. It's not like he had an abundance of opportunities to be a head coach in the NFL again after the Jets debacle. He knew this was likely his last shot and he wanted the $$$.For what it's worth, I think Rex was dumb to take the job, too
No..that's the dumb part. Maybe not the only dumb part, but it was idiotically dumb.... To me, the dumb part isn't Rex being Rex...
His Jets tenure, as a whole, wasn't a debacle. Most coaching hires don't last six seasons or make two playoff appearances (median length is about three years, and about half the hires never make the playoffs). His track record with the Jets is very similar to Gary Kubiak in Houston, for instance. I would expect a coach with Ryan's track record to get another head coaching gig at some point. His mistake was taking the first job he was offered instead of taking a DC gig (or even a media role) and biding his time, waiting for the right opening. Now, barring a miracle, he is done as a HC.I don't think it was dumb for Rex to take the job. It's not like he had an abundance of opportunities to be a head coach in the NFL again after the Jets debacle. He knew this was likely his last shot and he wanted the $$$.
Anyone else looking forward to his pearls of wisdom on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown this fall?I don't think it was dumb for Rex to take the job. It's not like he had an abundance of opportunities to be a head coach in the NFL again after the Jets debacle. He knew this was likely his last shot and he wanted the $$$.
I agree that his Jets tenure as a whole wasn't a debacle. His first two seasons were very good while the balance of his time with the team was middling to poor. He could have taken his time and been more selective about his next job after the Jets however a patient approach does not seem to fit his style and taking the Bills job had appearences of being a good fit at the outset.His Jets tenure, as a whole, wasn't a debacle. Most coaching hires don't last six seasons or make two playoff appearances (median length is about three years, and about half the hires never make the playoffs). His track record with the Jets is very similar to Gary Kubiak in Houston, for instance. I would expect a coach with Ryan's track record to get another head coaching gig at some point. His mistake was taking the first job he was offered instead of taking a DC gig (or even a media role) and biding his time, waiting for the right opening. Now, barring a miracle, he is done as a HC.
I think we don't really know why Marrone left, and he hasn't said. It certainly may be that he thought the team was headed in the wrong direction; but it might be that he made a play for more control and more years and got shot down; or it may be he doubted the Pegulas would be good owners (which, it would appear, was a correct assessment). Doesn't change the other points you made, but Marrone's case remains strange and to me unclear.You know who didn't think Marrone was building a budding dynasty in Buffalo? Doug Marrone, or he wouldn't have opted out. The 9-7 record looks good, but they knew they'd whiffed on E.J. Manuel and had to coax Kyle Orton out of semi-retirement to helm the team. And they were down a first because of the Sammy Watkins disaster trade. And then ownership / relocation hanging over their heads. It was a lousy situation improved somewhat by falling into respectable QB play in the person of Tyrod Taylor. The new group running the team was at least smart enough to make it obvious that they're in rebuild mode.
That 9 and 7 record needs to be taken with a grain of salt. The Pats basically took the week 17 game off against the Bills so I'm not sure if I would give Marrone full credit for that game. if you that game away, then Martine goes 6 -10 and 8 -8. I'm not one of Rex's fans, but let's not prepare Doug Marrone's bust for the Hall of Fame just yet.It amazes me that Rex still has apologists. Marrone took a bad team, matched the record he inherited and then increased it by 3 wins. Rex came in and flipped any momentum they had.
6-10, 9-7, 8-8, 7-9