Judge: Bills least attractive of the 7 HC openings

[BLeonard]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/clark-judge/21478885/wheres-the-most-attractive-headcoaching-opening-you-can-find-it-here



7. Buffalo Bills: I'll tell you why I knock this club down: 1) Because it's been 13 years since these guys have been to the playoffs; 2) because you can't win with Ryan Fitzpatrick and 3) because the GM who thought you could is still there. I know, I know, Buddy Nix promises to draft a quarterback high next year, but he's the guy who passed on Andy Dalton because he had conviction in Fitzpatrick. It's not that Fitzpatrick's not decent. He is ... as a backup. So he must be replaced. The Bills have talent on defense where they invested money in Mario Williams and Mark Anderson and spent four of their past five first-round draft picks, but that defense was disappointing in a season where it was supposed to be the backbone of the club. There's talent on offense, too, where C.J. Spiller is one of the league's most electrifying performers, but there's always a shortage of, well, something ... and that shortage starts at quarterback. There are reasons to like this place: The expectations are low, there are pockets of talent and, outside of New England, there's room to maneuver within the division. But the Bills seem to have lost their way, and until or unless they solve the most important position I don't see them moving forward.


-Bill

[Joe Fo Sho]

Oh, well **** that guy.

[X-Era]

I don't look at it that way.

[coastal]

In the immortal words of cousin Eddie... Bingo!

[THE END OF ALL DAYS]

I agree with him but so what, at least we moving in some direction other than status quoe!

[Downinfloflo]

I agree with him but so what, at least we moving in some direction other than status quoe!

No....this is status quoe.

It has been for 13 years.

[notacon]

Judge is 100% correct.

What he didn't say is the reason this anti-QB mentality is present is because of ownership. This team will never be competitive until new owners. Period.

[DynaPaul]

That guy, and his column, sucks donkey balls. I can tell he's not very well informed.

[Night Train]

If they offer big $$ and enough control, anyone is in play.

[Johnny Bugmenot]

There are reasons to like this place: The expectations are low, there are pockets of talent and, outside of New England, there's room to maneuver within the division.
"Outside of New England?"

Yeah, that's just a small problem. When wild-cards are effectively out of reach, the "outside of New England" part of it makes it impossible to make the playoffs.

[psubills62]

I agree with his ranking of the job.

But mentioning "passing on Andy Dalton" as some giant flaw of Nix's tenure? Really?

[Cleve]

No....this is status quoe.

It has been for 13 years.

Yes. the same pattern keeps repeating itself. This is exactly the status quo. That is, hire a cheap, bottom barrel coach that no one wants for 2-3 seasons, under the premise of "rebuilding", don't bother to draft or hire a true starring QB, and then fire the coach at the end of the 3 year cycle, and start again.

The team isn't tangibly any better than when the Nix-Gailey regime began.

[Saratoga Slim]

While I generally am less likely to read his bull**** than almost any other columnist's, hard to argue with much of what he says other than the Dalton comment. Its a lot of hindsight, Dalton was no lock to be any better than Fitz. same with Russell Wilson. Sometimes a player beats expectations. sometimes they don't. For every Russell Wilson and Andy Dalton there's a Christian Ponder or Blaine Gabbert.

Sure, at the end of the day it's on the GM for failing to find a QB. But looking back, I can't say there has ever been a situation where I felt we made a reprehensible choice (passed on a draft pick or FA that would have been a clear upgrade).

im fifty-fifty on whether he deserves the axe.

[zone]

The number one reason why the Bills are the least attractive job is the same reason why we are reported to be going after Whisenhunt instead of Cowher, Reid, or Smith. Who ever is making the decisions is a JABRONI!

[IAG]

I bet the Bills can find a good coach.

[zone]

I bet the Bills can find a good coach.

Sure the "can" but that doesn't mean they will. If history is any indicator then I would say they will f it up again.

[imbondz]

I don't like Andy Dalton. I'm fine we passed on him. Has a red head ever won the SB? no.

[kishoph]

If they offer big $$ and enough control, anyone is in play.

Exactly, if they pony up $10 Million for someone, that's pretty attractive, plus I bet there's a lot of coaches out there that would love to have CJ Spiller on their team.

[theanswer74]

So if they fire Nix and cut Fitzpatrick they move up?

[GingerP]

Another thing that hurts is they really only have 7 home games a year. That game in Toronto isn't a good thing.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

not trading up for rg3, not taking ponder/dalton/wilson/kapernick

i mean, fitz was a journeyman. anyone can see that. so i dont know wtf the fo was thinking.

picking gailey was also a random choice

[jamze132]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/clark-judge/21478885/wheres-the-most-attractive-headcoaching-opening-you-can-find-it-here



-Bill

What Judge described is a control freak's dream. There are a couple of control freaks working for the networks right now who just might like it.

[Mike]

While I generally am less likely to read his bull**** than almost any other columnist's, hard to argue with much of what he says other than the Dalton comment. Its a lot of hindsight, Dalton was no lock to be any better than Fitz. same with Russell Wilson. Sometimes a player beats expectations. sometimes they don't. For every Russell Wilson and Andy Dalton there's a Christian Ponder or Blaine Gabbert.

Sure, at the end of the day it's on the GM for failing to find a QB. But looking back, I can't say there has ever been a situation where I felt we made a reprehensible choice (passed on a draft pick or FA that would have been a clear upgrade).

im fifty-fifty on whether he deserves the axe.

I hate this hind sight is 20/20 BS. Its his JOB, and if is GREAT at it, HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER and if he DIDNT than HE SHOULD NOT BE GM. Its that simple! To PUT it in perpective there were members on this board that wanted Dalton! Why the ***** did that guy have it figured out and not our GM???

AND to make matters worst, last year I remember reading thread after thread about R. Wilson. I made a point to remember WILSON because the last time draft fans on this site were so adamant about a late round QB his name was Schaub. ALL 3 late round QBs panned out in the meantime the Bills are playing musical chairs with their QB position! IF a few posters on a Bills forum could pick a better late round QB than NIX can pick QB period, he has no business being a GM, HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!


BTW: Watching Seattle's and SF's drafts the past few years really makes me appreciate talent at the GM position. Look at the players they have drafted. Aldon Smith, Irving, Wilson, etc.... Hit after Hit after Hit. And yes we could have taken those players each time.

Just to give you an idea: in 2010 Seattle drafted 3 Pro Bowlers & SF had 2 PB (that draft had 19 PB all together and they drafted 5 or them)
2011: Alson Smith, Sherman, Kaepernick, Hunter, Lineman, etc
2012: Wilson, Irvin, etc...
These are superstar type talent and on top of this both teams have great defenses and great role players....

[YardRat]

Might have just moved up to the top of the list.

[gebobs]

I agree with his ranking of the job.

But mentioning "passing on Andy Dalton" as some giant flaw of Nix's tenure? Really?
Look at the entire quote. The point is that he passed on him in favor of Fitz. That's the failure.

[Cleve]

Amazing that many Zoners view Gailey correctly as a negative, but retaining Nix somehow as a positive? The two were lockstep with each other, and Nix embraced the Blitzpatrick era. The first 3 year of Buddy Nix's tenure as GM resulted in 16-32, and 3 consecutive years of 10 or more losses per season. How is Nix not accountable for this?

In fact, with Nix's retention, I suspect the Blitzpatrick experiment will continue on for another year or two. Of course because now we have to see how Fitzpatrick does under new coaching, and a new approach. What a joke!

[psubills62]

Look at the entire quote. The point is that he passed on him in favor of Fitz. That's the failure.
I know. Still unsure why Dalton was the one QB singled out.