How to Fix the Bills

[Mike]

The answer is quite simple. Simple indeed, however the implementation is not. Two major factors are needed, competence and luck. Here is a step by step guid to fixing the Bills:

1. Bills bottom out: Historically teams that stay in the 6-10 to 9-7 range over an extended time period don't become contenders. In the 60's the Steelers were bottom feeders however this allowed them to draft the players needed to become the team of the 70's. In the 70's the 49ers were a joke, complete and utter joke but this allowed them to draft the top talent and become the team of the 80's. In the late 80's the Cowboys were dreadful, however this allowed them to draft the players needed to become the team of the 90s and the story goes on. So, the Bills need to take a page out of the Steelers, 49ers, and Cowboys playbook and bottom out.

2. FO/Coach: There are no dynasties that were void of great coaching. There are two ways to get a great coach: 1. Hire a great coach ala Bill Parcels 2. Hire a great prospect - ala Walsh, etc (some luck needed as for every great coach there are many more great prospects that never materialized)

3. QB: use top pick to get the much needed franchise QB. Most Hall of Fame QBs are first overall picks, second most are first rounders, third are second rounders, and I believe outside the second round there are only 2 HOF QBs. So what the moral of the story? First round first pick QBs have dominated the NFL.

4. Build: Build team around QB, focus on lines, wr, cb, te, rb, etc...

* We have been circling the wagon in the worst way, getting one retread coach after another. Its time they get a top GM, and then a top coach. This will go a very very long way, just look at the 49ers.

[Mr. Pink]

3. QB point is wrong.

3 HOF QBs were drafted 1st overall. Bradshaw, Elway, Aikman.

And 2 outside of the first two rounds total? You need to research more before posting threads to try and prove a point. Joe Montana, Fran Tarkenton and Dan Fouts were all drafted in the 3rd round. Bart Starr was drafted in the 17th round. Warren Moon wasn't even drafted. Go look up guys like Staubach, Blanda, Unitas too.

While most were first rounders you negate your entire point by not researching before typing.

[GreedoII]

if we keep the team as is:

ball control offense
QB game manager
playaction
run the football
be like the 49ers and ravens.
they built the lines now they need to get the LBs.
attack defense



The answer is quite simple. Simple indeed, however the implementation is not. Two major factors are needed, competence and luck. Here is a step by step guid to fixing the Bills:

1. Bills bottom out: Historically teams that stay in the 6-10 to 9-7 range over an extended time period don't become contenders. In the 60's the Steelers were bottom feeders however this allowed them to draft the players needed to become the team of the 70's. In the 70's the 49ers were a joke, complete and utter joke but this allowed them to draft the top talent and become the team of the 80's. In the late 80's the Cowboys were dreadful, however this allowed them to draft the players needed to become the team of the 90s and the story goes on. So, the Bills need to take a page out of the Steelers, 49ers, and Cowboys playbook and bottom out.

2. FO/Coach: There are no dynasties that were void of great coaching. There are two ways to get a great coach: 1. Hire a great coach ala Bill Parcels 2. Hire a great prospect - ala Walsh, etc (some luck needed as for every great coach there are many more great prospects that never materialized)

3. QB: use top pick to get the much needed franchise QB. Most Hall of Fame QBs are first overall picks, second most are first rounders, third are second rounders, and I believe outside the second round there are only 2 HOF QBs. So what the moral of the story? First round first pick QBs have dominated the NFL.

4. Build: Build team around QB, focus on lines, wr, cb, te, rb, etc...

* We have been circling the wagon in the worst way, getting one retread coach after another. Its time they get a top GM, and then a top coach. This will go a very very long way, just look at the 49ers.

[MattyNH]

The Redskins (yes the Redskins) showed the rest of the league how it was done this offseason. It IS worth all those picks to get a true franchise QB!

[Historian]

It really is time for an ownership change.

At this point, the nuts are running the asylum, and sadly Wilson in not competent enough to stop them.

[jdaltroy5]

1. See if Cowher will take over and keep Chan as the OC.

2. Get a ******* QB finally.

3. Get some ******* LBers.

I know Buddy took over a **** roster, but he completely f'ed up the first draft he had. I think he's done really well since then, so I would definitely leave him where he is. I just wish he would've gotten SOMETHING after the first round so we wouldn't still have so many holes.

It's time to go all in on a QB. No ifs, ands, or buts. We can't win with Fitz.

You just can't have sustained success in the NFL with inconsistent QB play.

The ONLY way I won't flip my lid next April is if Fitz plays consistently the rest of the season. He hasn't done it in 8 years, so I don't see it happening now.

Unless there's an absolute stud at LB or WR and the top 4 QBs are already off the board, there's no reason whatsoever to pass on a QB next year (ok, I know there were some ifs, ands, or buts).

[gebobs]

It really is time for an ownership change.

At this point, the nuts are running the asylum, and sadly Wilson in not competent enough to stop them.
He never was. Wilson hires schmucks and the fans are left hoping a perfect storm happens again a la Polian, Kelly, Levy, Bruce.

Buddy Nix is a fool and Gailey is a gimmick coach. Gailey won't survive the year and I give it even money that Nix puts that jackalope Wannstadt in Gailey's place.

[Extremebillsfan247]

Fixing the Bills isn't very complicated, clean up the mistakes, and you will win more games than you lose. The Bills were their own biggest adversary yesterday. You won't win many games in this league playing like they did. JMO

[justasportsfan]

we need a qb with Fitz's brain and an arm to back it up.

[jdaltroy5]

He never was. Wilson hires schmucks and the fans are left hoping a perfect storm happens again a la Polian, Kelly, Levy, Bruce.

Buddy Nix is a fool and Gailey is a gimmick coach. Gailey won't survive the year and I give it even money that Nix puts that jackalope Wannstadt in Gailey's place.
I wouldn't say Buddy is a fool.

We have a lot more talent on this roster than we did 3 years ago.

However, I do agree that Wanny is going to be the next coach.

Sigh.

[k-oneputt]

I don't know where the Bills will end up drafting next year but I'm guessing somewhere in the middle of the pack, AGAIN.

We need a qb. They have to do whatever it takes to get one of those top couple of qb's that will go in the top-10.
And if that means trading your whole draft to draft the one stud qb prospect then they have to do that. I'm dead serious. trade all your picks in the draft to move up 10 spots if need be to get that qb.
If they have to throw in the following years #1 pick, then so be it. Do what it takes.
You cannot win big until you get the qb.

[OpIv37]

The Redskins (yes the Redskins) showed the rest of the league how it was done this offseason. It IS worth all those picks to get a true franchise QB!

I have to take issue with this. I don't disagree that a franchise QB is worth all those picks. The problem is that there is NEVER any guarantee that any draft pick will be a franchise QB. Remember, RGIII has had one good game. This could still blow up in the Redskins' face. And even if RGIII does turn out to be a franchise QB, it doesn't guarantee that the next hot college QB will be an NFL franchise QB worth the draft picks.

[k-oneputt]

There is no guarantee that stud top-10 college qb will be the answer but I can guarantee you one thing, Fitz is not the answer and neither is Jackson whenever he starts playing.
They need to make a big bold move for a kid that could be the franchise qb.

[Mahdi]

There is no guarantee that stud top-10 college qb will be the answer but I can guarantee you one thing, Fitz is not the answer and neither is Jackson whenever he starts playing.
They need to make a big bold move for a kid that could be the franchise qb.

There's never a guarantee but you have to make a move and get the QB if Fitz continues anything near what he did yesterday. We will then have to either tank the season and draft high or package everything we have to move up because I think this team is a QB and WR away from being a playoff contender.

[jdaltroy5]

There's never a guarantee but you have to make a move and get the QB if Fitz continues anything near what he did yesterday. We will then have to either tank the season and draft high or package everything we have to move up because I think this team is a QB and WR away from being a playoff contender.

A stud QB and WR combo is pretty elusive though.

It took Detroit about 10 years and at least 5 wasted first round picks before they finally got the right combination.

Lots of teams are still spending high picks looking for that combo and coming up short.

[Mahdi]

We already have Stevie. We just need a QB and a WR that demands coverage opposite Stevie. Doesn't have to be a Megatron clone.

And the QB part is contingent upon Fitz continuing to look bad.

[Jan Reimers]

I have never figured out how a team purposely bottoms out, i.e. performs so poorly that it gets the top draft pick.

Does it give up all integrity and just plain throw every game? Does it draft the worst players available? What does it do?

As sick as I am of the last 12 years and counting, I will never root for a team that just tanks in order to TRY to draft a franchise QB, especially when there are as many Andre Wares, Tim Couches, David Carrs and Ryan Leafs as there are Elways and Aikmans.

[DrGraves]

Either tank out and get the top pick. Or lose enough games where you can trade to a top pick (like the Redskins last year).

[mjt328]

It all starts at the TOP, and we need a strong GM with an eye for spotting talent.

I've given Buddy Nix the benefit of the doubt, and I think he has the right "approach" for building a football team (build through the draft, pick players from big schools, go with BPA instead of strictly need).
But as each game passes, his drafts are slowly starting to prove terrible. Thirty-three games into his rebuild, and the best players on the team are ALL still holdovers from the previous regime - which amazingly got fired for failing to add talent.

The same with his hiring of Chan Gailey. The guy has done a good job at sucking production out of a mediocre group on offense, but he has done NOTHING to help the other side of the ball. And instead of pulling the players together, the team seems to respond to adversity with huge losing streaks.

But mostly, Nix's stubborn belief in Fitzpatrick and his reluctance to take a chance on a 2nd-3rd round quarterback in the last three drafts will ultimately be his downfall.

[Jan Reimers]

Either tank out and get the top pick. Or lose enough games where you can trade to a top pick (like the Redskins last year).
Any front office person, coach or player with an ounce of integrity or competitive spirit will never purposely tank - or give less than their best.

It is really a ridiculous expectation as the solution to our problems.

[Mahdi]

It all starts at the TOP, and we need a strong GM with an eye for spotting talent.

I've given Buddy Nix the benefit of the doubt, and I think he has the right "approach" for building a football team (build through the draft, pick players from big schools, go with BPA instead of strictly need).
But as each game passes, his drafts are slowly starting to prove terrible. Thirty-three games into his rebuild, and the best players on the team are ALL still holdovers from the previous regime - which amazingly got fired for failing to add talent.

The same with his hiring of Chan Gailey. The guy has done a good job at sucking production out of a mediocre group on offense, but he has done NOTHING to help the other side of the ball. And instead of pulling the players together, the team seems to respond to adversity with huge losing streaks.

But mostly, Nix's stubborn belief in Fitzpatrick and his reluctance to take a chance on a 2nd-3rd round quarterback in the last three drafts will ultimately be his downfall.

If you look at our drafts under Nix, his worst one was his first one where he chose Troup and Carrington back to back. However, if you look at the other players selected in the same rounds as those two, its pretty weak. The only two players that you can call big misses as they were picked after, are Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham.

2010 was a weak draft. Even the first round hasn't turned out too many top players yet. JPP is the best of them followed by Gronk, Graham, Joe Haden, Suh and Weatherspoon.

Spiller can enter that conversation soon...

[mjt328]

If you look at our drafts under Nix, his worst one was his first one where he chose Troup and Carrington back to back. However, if you look at the other players selected in the same rounds as those two, its pretty weak. The only two players that you can call big misses as they were picked after, are Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham.

2010 was a weak draft. Even the first round hasn't turned out too many top players yet. JPP is the best of them followed by Gronk, Graham, Joe Haden, Suh and Weatherspoon.

Spiller can enter that conversation soon...

I agree, 2010 was a very weak draft. And that's one of the reasons that I've tried my best to give Nix a pass on it (not to mention our failed switch to the 3-4 defense and that a lot of his picks have been plagued by injuries).

What concerns me the most is the way the 2011 draft is starting to pan out.
We passed on several QB prospects (Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick, Ryan Mallet) for Aaron Williams and Kelvin Sheppard. By most accounts, they were the two worst starters on our defense in the off-season. And they certaintly didn't look good on Sunday.

[OLDSRIP]

Sorry, I was replying to OPIV post about the odds of a qb turning into a stud in the NFL.
i forgot to copy his reply. So I had to edit this. I don't post much, can you tell?




That's true, it's always a gamble. And if you happen to bet the farm on a guy by trading multiple picks, and he bombs, you are screwed for years. It's a tough business. Wasn't JP Losman a first round pick?
As far as all these rookies starting this year. It will be interesting to see it work out. It's not unusual for someone to get a fast start, like Fitz last year, then the league figures them out and they become ordinary.
Time will tell.

[Mahdi]

I agree, 2010 was a very weak draft. And that's one of the reasons that I've tried my best to give Nix a pass on it (not to mention our failed switch to the 3-4 defense and that a lot of his picks have been plagued by injuries).

What concerns me the most is the way the 2011 draft is starting to pan out.
We passed on several QB prospects (Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick, Ryan Mallet) for Aaron Williams and Kelvin Sheppard. By most accounts, they were the two worst starters on our defense in the off-season. And they certaintly didn't look good on Sunday.

Yes he passed on those QBs but of the 3 only one is a starter and I don't think Dalton will ever be more than a middle of the pack QB. Sheppard is looking like a good LB actually and he was good on Sunday especially against the run. Williams is a first year starter and missed a lot of time last year with injury. I think he has the skill set to be a PB corner.

Another point on Shepp, I think his role/impact will expand in the defense once Wanny sets him free more to blitz and to move around. He's an instinctive player.

[mjt328]

Yes he passed on those QBs but of the 3 only one is a starter and I don't think Dalton will ever be more than a middle of the pack QB.

True. But if Dalton, Kaepernick or Mallet were on the Bills, they would be the unquestioned starter over Fitzpatrick. No doubt in my mind.

[Mike]

3. QB point is wrong.

3 HOF QBs were drafted 1st overall. Bradshaw, Elway, Aikman.

And 2 outside of the first two rounds total? You need to research more before posting threads to try and prove a point. Joe Montana, Fran Tarkenton and Dan Fouts were all drafted in the 3rd round. Bart Starr was drafted in the 17th round. Warren Moon wasn't even drafted. Go look up guys like Staubach, Blanda, Unitas too.

While most were first rounders you negate your entire point by not researching before typing.

I was referring to Super Bowl winning HOF QBs

[paladin warrior]

Fire Chan.G
Hire 20 years of experienced Pro-football Head coach
I am sick of tired Ralph hired Very cheap-o Head coach
Pls Ralph retire Right now.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

True. But if Dalton, Kaepernick or Mallet were on the Bills, they would be the unquestioned starter over Fitzpatrick. No doubt in my mind.

No, they'd've been fired just like every other rookie quarterback they've brought in the past few years.

[YardRat]

Get a real offensive and defensive coordinator.

/end of discussion.