Playoff remains a dream, but a culture change for winning is very realistic

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Here is Pittsburgh, before the Bills and Steelers game, there was naturally lots of Bills related talk. And everyone, whether people in the know like agents, scouts inc., etc., that are based in Pitt, speaking highly about Marrone and Co. transforming the Bills, especially on talent and culture. The uneven performance of the Bills is very typical of a young team who's finding itself.

I know everyone loves to talk about playoff; its something to hold onto, especially for players. But realistically ranked 3rd last in AFC is not where reality sits. Too many teams to jump over and too many of them have to fail.

But winning is so important for this team right now for the young players. They come from colleges mostly experienced little failure/losing. Once you are used to what Buffalo has done the last 13 years, it becomes a culture. Marrone and Co. are tryingnot to ruin this new crop of players and the only way to do that is winning.

And the immediate task is winning on the road. A winning streak at the end of the season will do wonders for this team next year. We are not going to change coaching staff; we are not losing any key players. A winning end in this case is very good sign for everyone, especially the players that hope is a reality in the coming year.

[better days]

You are even seeing a culture change on this board. The 2-14, 3-13 crowd is starting to shut up & enjoy the ride.

Byrd said after the game, "I just want to win, that is what's important." I think all the Vets feel that way.

They know what the Stadium is like when the Bills win a game & they know what the City is like the week after a win.

They only know from what Kelly & Thurmal have told them about what it is like when the Bills are a WINNING team.

I think they all want to find out for themselves.

[Jry44]

I've been saying all along that I wasn't expecting playoffs this season. I felt that 6 wins was the ceiling with all of the youth starting in key positions on this team, along with a new coaching staff. I still maintain that what I would like to see to close the season out is noticeable progression from the young players, the team playing hard from horn to horn, and a string of wins to close out the season to carry over to next season. I stand by that and I feel like that's the best thing we can hope to see at this point. Like the OP said, there are just too many teams still alive and too many teams that hold tie breakers over the Bills for us to really have a serious shot at a playoff spot.

[tomz]

Good post. You CAN feel it happening.

Building a winner starts with striking on multiple draft picks per year. It looks like some of that is happening.

For all those who have the 'this guy is a bust because he doesn't look like an all-pro in his first (or second) year' attitude, take a look at how few players across the league actually meet that criterion. Five to 10 per year maybe? Of course there is always someone to hype so it seems like we have got the short end.

And some situations are better than others. For example, Big Ben or Flacco had early impact but were little more than game managers for a year or two before starting to carry things a bit more (though there were questions about Flacco until last year.) And they both came to teams that had down years in the midst of winning traditions and that had great defenses ready-made.

!3 years is a long time and I too have suffered. But it will be one to two more years before we hit the playoffs. I can live with that since I sense that they are getting it right this time. It should be exciting.

[Jry44]

Good post. You CAN feel it happening.

Building a winner starts with striking on multiple draft picks per year. It looks like some of that is happening.

For all those who have the 'this guy is a bust because he doesn't look like an all-pro in his first (or second) year' attitude, take a look at how few players across the league actually meet that criterion. Five to 10 per year maybe? Of course there is always someone to hype so it seems like we have got the short end.

And some situations are better than others. For example, Big Ben or Flacco had early impact but were little more than game managers for a year or two before starting to carry things a bit more (though there were questions about Flacco until last year.) And they both came to teams that had down years in the midst of winning traditions and that had great defenses ready-made.

!3 years is a long time and I too have suffered. But it will be one to two more years before we hit the playoffs. I can live with that since I sense that they are getting it right this time. It should be exciting.

I would thank this ten thousand times if I could...... There is such a vast difference between the pro and college game that it's completely unrealistic to expect ANY rookie to be able to come in and perform at a high level right away.

[Meathead]

marrone and hackett need to become MUCH better gameday coaches, but they certainly appear to know how to get the team ready during the week and build a winning culture

[Meathead]

There is such a vast difference between the pro and college game that it's completely unrealistic to expect ANY rookie to be able to come in and perform at a high level right away.

one word: robert woods

that guy has the look of a star. im serious when i say i think hes gonna be our hines ward here for many years. with all due respect to stevie, hes already the best wr on the team

[justasportsfan]

we are so close. We are a qb away from being really good. If EJ can play they way he did vs. the jets consitently, we're there IMO.

[Meathead]

its very encouraging that ej followed up his worst performance with his best. i still say he was spectacular sunday in that wind. assuming he can develop to consistently be more like he was in that game, almost all the pieces will be in place for a legit playoff caliber team next season

they will need to find another workhorse back bc no matter how surprisingly good a 32 year old freddie was this season hes gonna hit the wall and its likely to be next season. looks like spiller might never be that guy so they at least need a good power runner compliment and while choice is a good backup i dont think he is that guy

they also need to upgrade the guard spot. im glad they didnt break the bank on levitre but that sure has been a trouble spot since he left. an early draft pick or simply a better veteran might fix that pretty quick

what do they really need beyond that? they could try to upgrade the te spot but chandler is good enough if they cant. maybe another good cb and lb would make the d even stronger but its not a glaring need

ten wins looks like a reasonable goal for next year

[Jry44]

one word: robert woods

that guy has the look of a star. im serious when i say i think hes gonna be our hines ward here for many years. with all due respect to stevie, hes already the best wr on the team

So you feel like he's already playing up to his potential? I agree that he's going to be a player for us, but not as a rookie. Not yet. He's still developing, which is scary.

What I'm saying is that it's completely unrealistic to expect every highly drafted rookie to come in and perform at a high level. Robert Woods is performing well for a rookie receiver in a position that usually takes a few years of development. However, he's not performing at near the level he can top off at.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

But QB is the biggest thiing that shapes a team. I have no doubt that part of the appeal of Marrone to the Bills and many other teams is his ability to develop Nassib at Syracuse, who improved every year under Marrone from an complete unknown to a 4th round pick.

There is really no magic, but some luck involved. Looking back on the 13 futile years, when Donahoe took over, they gave RJ one year; traded for Bledsoe to buy some time and finally reached for Losman. Mularkey mis-handled the Bledsoe/Losman transition. Marv/Jauron came in and they gave Losman a full chance while taking an insurance in Edwards. When it was Nix/Gailey's turn, they planned to give Edwards a year, whcih lasted 2 games. This is what I think a critical mistake was made: they didn't have a plan to develop a QB, like drafting a high ceiling guy in early rounds. So in the door comes Marrone who's top agenda is developing a QB. The front office drafted a guy with the highest potential.

To succeed, you need the right idea and the right guy to execute. That right guy is probably the hardest part. 1st, the right material: RJ, Losman was not the right guy to begin with. 2nd, the right coach who can develop them: Mularkey and Gailey know how to tailor to any guy's strength, not furthering his growth; Jauron could only give him fartherly love. Let's see what Marrone can do with EJ this time around.

[Generalissimus Gibby]

For me to see there is a culture change, something I think I may have seen a glimpse of in the Jets rematch (they cleaned our clocks in NJ and we repaid them in kind on Sunday) and even the Chiefs game (anyone but Jeff Tuel is in there at QB we beat them because not even Ryan Fitzpatrick, JP Losman, or Billy Joe Hobert throws that pass, yes it was literally that bad that its giving me the same kind of sick feeling that the McKelvin Fumble, Steelers Backups, Homerun Throwback, Reed's in but not a TD, just give it to em, and wide right do) we need to prove it. We need to win the next four games (all four, while not guaranteed wins, are certainly winnable) and play the Pats very agressively in the finale. If we finish at 8-8 and play the Pats close then I think the culture has changed. Then this off season we write Byrd a check for all he's worth, even if Ralph has to go to Cashnet; we put Jeff Tuel on a megabus outta town, he should never play another down even in practice for this team as he singlehandedly lost two games that would have allowed us to be in the playoff chase; draft or sign an offensive lineman or two, draft or sign a TE, draft or sign a LB or two, and draft some depth, hire a new special teams coach, and get a new strength and conditioning coach so we stop looking like 0*B*D (a reference of course to the hit 70s and 80s TV show MASH)

[IAG]

This team WILL BE in the hunt by Christmas. Mark it down. I am not waiting until next year.

[GvilleBills]

Damn straight.

[better days]

one word: robert woods

that guy has the look of a star. im serious when i say i think hes gonna be our hines ward here for many years. with all due respect to stevie, hes already the best wr on the team

NO, Woods is NOT better than Stevie. Woods is having a great Rookie year, but let's not get carried away.

Few Receivers in the entire NFL can get separation the way Stevie can.

And for those that bag on Stevie about drops, I heard on WGR the other day, Stevie is ranked # 100 in drop percentage. Oh & by the way, Chandler is ranked #134 in drop percentage.

That is pretty far down the list to be bagging on either of them about drops.

The Bills have two good receivers in Stevie & Woods & expect them both to play well against the Falcons.

[Mr. Pink]

This entire idea is a fallacy.

Just look at the Chiefs, the Colts a couple years ago, the Redskins.

There is no such thing as building a winning culture, you have talent to win or you don't.

[stuckincincy]

This entire idea is a fallacy.

Just look at the Chiefs, the Colts a couple years ago, the Redskins.

There is no such thing as building a winning culture, you have talent to win or you don't.

Yep.