The State of the Bills
I predicted Buffalo would finally get back to the playoffs this year. And then they started out 4-0. Not only was Buffalo going to end their decade long playoff drought, they were maturing into one of the league’s best teams. Oh, that was a really good month. The Bills are now 6-7 and losers of 6 of their past 7 games. As the Bills have engineered one of the worst collapses in their history we get little indication from the organization that they understand the issues and are ready to address them in the name of providing a better product for the weary fans.
I was just fine with the Cardinals loss. They are a tough team at home and we had no hope with Losman at the helm. I was okay losing at Miami. They are an improved team and we always run into trouble against them down there. But when Buffalo lost at home on Monday night to a pitiful Cleveland team I knew this team wasn’t playoff bound. A few people told me I was being too pessimistic and negative- I prefer to think that I am just knowledgeable and ahead of the curve.
The stagnation is tough to take when you’ve suffered through the past 9 seasons without a playoff berth. Over that same span of time, 30 of the 32 other NFL teams have figured out how to pull together at least one playoff season. And one of those teams, the Cardinals, just won their division and clinched a playoff spot. Put another way, only 2 teams have toiled in futility since 1999 – the Detroit Lions and the Buffalo Bills. Yeah, how’s that taste? The Lions have been the poster franchise for NFL futility and the Bills are quickly becoming their counterpart.
The NFL is cyclical with much parity. Teams that are bad benefit from the draft and free agency and start to win games and teams that are good lose players due to the salary cap and fall from the top of the rankings. It’s a great system, one designed to keep fans from giving up on their teams as they weather rough patches. So how is that every other team, save one, has figured out a way to succeed in the NFL? I’m not asking for the team to 16-0 or win the AFC four years in a row again. But can’t they find some way, any way, to not be so damn mediocre?
I am tired of the “next season” and the “1 or 2 years away” phrases I always hear. We have been saying that for years- where is the improvement? So what’s wrong? Who’s to blame? Is it player talent as Ralph Wilson said this weekend? Is it coaching? Probably both.
The Bills have some serious holes in talent. The defensive line is devoid of a pass rush (Schobel, Denney, & Kelsay should all leave), the Bills still have no talent at tight end (God I hate you Robert Royal), the secondary lacks depth to account for injuries and multi-receiver sets, the offensive line is not living up to their heft or their paychecks in short yardage situations or pass blocking, there is no #2 WR, and the special teams hasn’t been in its usual spectacular form the past few months (Lindell & Moorman notably). Shortage of talent needs to be applied to poor drafts. Marv Levy had two excellent drafts but we are still hurting from Tom Donahoe’s poor management.
I really believe Tredwards is going to be a great QB for the Bills for many years. He does need to learn how to play better in the cold and toughen up a little bit when the weather becomes, well, Buffalo weather. JP Losman will probably be out of a job in a few months. We’re not going to resign him, and given his past and games this year, I don’t see anyone giving him a contract even in a backup role with backup dollars. Marshawn Lynch is a freakin tank and one of the better Running Backs in football. Carrying the rock 13 times a game is a travesty, give him the ball please! He can handle the load of a 25 carry per game schedule damnit.
But talent alone doesn’t explain it. I really don’t believe the Bills are a bad team, average yes, but definitely playoff caliber. I mean, does anyone really think Miami is a more talented team top to bottom than Buffalo? I don’t, but the Dolphins may win the division or clinch a wildcard spot and are likely to finish at least 2 wins better than Buffalo – why?
If you’re a good football fan, you can see that the Bills have been completely outcoached game after game (Especially Turk’s playcalling- even if it is his 1st year as offensive coordinator). Running against 8 in the box and passing against nickel and dime packages. Throwing in short yardage situations (Especially in the red zone). Vanilla plays when some imagination is required (think 3rd and long and a draw to Jackson), getting overly cute when a straightforward approach is needed (3rd and 2 screens to Josh Reed?). Waste timeout after timeout because players and coaches don’t know what play to call and who should be on and off the field. Waste even more timeouts by challenging plays that obviously shouldn’t be challenged and allow other coaches to throw the red flag when you manage to get away with something. Failure to stick with the run when it’s working and maybe the worst, showing NO emotion in any situation. Football is an emotional game. Players feed off and thrive off the emotion of their coaches. The Bills sideline looks like a silent auction.
Is this the guy for us?
Jauron’s a nice guy. He’s a very bright guy – an Ivy Leaguer. I’m sure he watches lots of tape and works very hard. The players don’t seem to hate him, so that’s a good thing. I’m sure he wants to win and be successful. But when it comes right down to it, he isn’t the coach this team needs and its reflective on the field where he just isn’t getting the job done.
So why is Dick Jauron the coach of the Buffalo Bills? The answer lies with Ralph Wilson. Ralph Wilson, at 90 something years old, is a man of another era. An era where players played hard, team loyalty was all important, and players and coaches were role models. Character and sportsmanship were important and mattered. Players and coaches were well to do, but not rich. In Ralph’s mind, a coach should be like Marv Levy- smart, loyal, humble, and of outstanding character. It helps if he’ll work for cheap, as nice guys often do. In short, Wilson wants the coach everyone used to want.
The problem is, these coaches aren’t wanted anymore. This is the era of big money – $100 or more for a ticket, $50 to park, corporate luxury boxes rather than an afternoon with your pop, players making untold millions and switching teams when the dollars are there, stealing sideline signals by videotape, and win at all costs attitudes.
I like that the Bills honor the blue collar qualities that Buffalo and Western NY represent. We are honorable, working class people that put a lot of stock into character. But this isn’t your neighbor. It’s about winning and its high time the Bills understood that and started winning. Bring me a jerk – a Jimmy Johnson, a Bill Belichick, a Bill Parcells, just bring me someone who wants to win. Hell, bring me the best of both worlds, Bill Cowher. Therein lies the proverbial rub, none of those coaches would probably want to come to Buffalo right now with the stagnant quagmire the franchise seems to be in.
So what the hell do they do? If you keep Jauron you continue down a road of mediocrity, never to get to the next level. If you make a change you start over again as the Bills have done 3 times in recent history. Constantly blowing up the organization does not move it forward – its stunts its growth considerably. So what do you do? What’s the best option when all are bad?
I really don’t know. I am so past the level of frustration and disapointment that I have no tangible solutions. But you can’t start 4-0 and be 6-7 now.
So… any ideas?
