For Mace, yet Another Rex vs. Schwartz Article

[cookie G]

Its pretty in depth.

http://bills.buffalonews.com/2016/02/13/bills-pairing-of-rex-ryan-jim-schwartz-never-stood-a-chance/

It dispels the myth that Rex "offered" the job to Schwartz, but he declined. (I never knew where that came from, Rex stated in one of his first press conferences that he wanted Schwartz to have the time to explore other opportunities.).

Another few things I thought interesting:

-The Bills FO didn't expect him to rearrange the defense and I doubt he told them that he was going to;

-when Schwartz took over he found an old Rex playbook, and used the terminology from it for play calls, because the players played under Pettine the previoius year and learning the terminology would be easier;

-it really explains why merely putting the DL into pass coverage wasnt the only, or even the main issue. It goes back to what Marcel Dareus said in TC, the amount of reads they did, the amount of thinking they did before they got around to rushing the passer.

-Rex used this DL in the way he always did, to create interference for his LB's. That works in other situations...but when you lead the league in sacks for 2 years straight..with the pressure coming from your DL...its a bad, bad, tactical move. Its up there with John Rauch using OJ as a decoy.

There was one reason for the decline in the D, and it wasn't Mario, it wasn't injuries...it was Rex.

[bleve]

I didn't think it was possible to despise Rex more than I already did.

I remember the comment by Rex about incompatible philosophies or some such phrase when they announced Schwartz was leaving. He had Thurman moving his things into Schwartz's office before he even spoke to him.

[sahlensguy]

But, we're going to the Super Bowl next year, right?

[YardRat]

Heh heh heh.

- - - Updated - - -

And please...it's "Wrecks".

[Mace]

By now, the thing that bothers me the most the more I hear, is the obliviousness of the people who hired Ryan in thinking he'd keep Schwartz or would even consider it because "Rex just wants to win", like they swallowed his interview line of baloney hook line and sinker. That's just a complete lack of football knowledge, practical foresight, and even job interview common sense 101, and there's just no excuse for it.

Even the most casual fan knew Rex has the salesman charisma, and personal charm going, and even the most casual fan knew Rex is all about his defense without HC game management skills, organizational management skills, or anything past the vaguest involvement in anything but defense and talking.

I wonder if they believe Ryan tried to heh, "merge" his concepts, probably they still believe everything he tells them for some reason, or, now that they're stuck with him, they're forced into the need to keep shoving more chips onto the table because they're over committed to their hand.

If Ryan had walked in there meaning to sell vacuum cleaners, everyone involved in the hiring process would now have 3 deluxe, with lifetime service on each, and weekly shipments of replacement bags they were stuck by contract into getting for 5 years.

All good observations Cookie, and thanks for the read.

[swiper]

As far as using Simpson as a decoy.... it wasn't always a bad move. I remember that Thanksgiving Day gave versus the Jim Hart-led Cardinals where Jim Braxton (our fullback for the young crowd) ran for over 160 yards and 3 TDs coming out of the same backfield.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197511270crd.htm

[Mace]

As far as using Simpson as a decoy.... it wasn't always a bad move. I remember that Thanksgiving Day gave versus the Jim Hart-led Cardinals where Jim Braxton (our fullback for the young crowd) ran for over 160 yards and 3 TDs coming out of the same backfield.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197511270crd.htm

In context though, that was in week 11 in a season where we had the best offense in the league. They could afford to doink around once in a while.

[feldspar]

I got something for Mace, too.

[Mace]

I got something for Mace, too.

I sure hope it's that shipment of Peruvian I fronted you the freighter for, I left my good pen on the bridge. It says "Bic" on it.

[Goobylal]

I doubt anyone really thought Schwartz was going to stay and that Rex wasn't going to change the defense. But in their defense, I think they thought he'd at least keep it as productive, if not improve it, given his work with the Jets when they had defensive talent. It's his show now and he has just this year to get them to the playoffs.

[Mace]

Well no, you seem to be missing that they said they thought he wasn't going to change anything with Schwartz and the defense, but improve it.

[Goobylal]

Well no, you seem to be missing that they said they thought he wasn't going to change anything with Schwartz and the defense, but improve it.

Vic's sources aren't reliable.

[Victor7]

If someone bought Rex's line about wanting to keep Schwartz I wanna talk to those people and sell them a bridge.

It was obvious he wasn't going to keep him. The thing is and I've said this in other threads. I'm not against Rex making adjustments here and there to make the defense more up to his style. But not at the detriment in performance.

If we had dropped form 4 overall to around 8 - 10 and still showed flashes of dominance then I'd be ok with that and looking forward to 2016. But nooooo, we went full ****** and dropped to mediocre levels to the point that anybody and I mean that, would score on us. Its inexcusable and leaves me with minuscule hope for next year.

[Historian]

Another Brandon disaster....

[toto8]

I was really disappointed with the defense last season. I hate the fact that we have (or had now with Mario more likely gone) the best defensive line in the NFL and our idiot coach Wrecks couldn't use them properly. We have all the pieces in place to be a great defense but not for Wrecks so we will be rebuilding the defense this and maybe next season, that would be also a great excuse for him at the end of the season to justify his stay. He will say that the defense is not there yet and he needs another season.

Next year same **** his defense will suck and will be fired, we will end up with a ****ty defense, great offense and looking for answers, once again.

Man I miss Jim Schwartz :/

[YardRat]

Cookies for toto...

http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Mini-Chocolate-Chip-Cookie-Sandwiches-4.jpg

[swiper]

I miss him too. But at this point these players have had three different DCs in the last 3 years. And it's not clear who is this years DC. Rex? Rob? Thurman?

[Mace]

And it's not clear who is this years DC. Rex? Rob? Thurman?

That's this years DC, yes.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Since we're talking Schwartz and Rex, here's a good breakdown of how and why the Wide 9 worked
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/article-1/Eagle-Eye-Jim-Schwartzs-Attack-Defense/72122296-c9e4-47e6-8eb5-cf5b0f65c1eb

One of the annoying things about the Rex D is that in brings the front 7 so much that they can't drop out far enough in pass coverage. With the Schwartz D, it left guys available to play underneath coverage and still have backup over the top. With Rex, the guys downfield have to play deep so there's no one to jump routes for INTs.

[Mace]

Since we're talking Schwartz and Rex, here's a good breakdown of how and why the Wide 9 worked
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/article-1/Eagle-Eye-Jim-Schwartzs-Attack-Defense/72122296-c9e4-47e6-8eb5-cf5b0f65c1eb

One of the annoying things about the Rex D is that in brings the front 7 so much that they can't drop out far enough in pass coverage. With the Schwartz D, it left guys available to play underneath coverage and still have backup over the top. With Rex, the guys downfield have to play deep so there's no one to jump routes for INTs.

I think the Ryan hybrid (it's even hybrid from what Buddy did), peaked when it was more sophisticated than the offenses it faced, and can still be effective against simple offenses, or inexperienced QB's or playcallers. But Rex's version is evidently too complicated and overthought when it comes to matchups now, especially in a sophisticated passing era with skilled players made for it. The offensive personnel groupings aren't limited to the plays they appear to indicate anymore.

The only successful Ryan hybrid was the Ryan hybrid hybrid used by KC this year, and that only uses the concepts not so much the design.

Obvious thing would be for Rex to evolve but nah. He's too smart to need to adapt.

The only hope imho is a complete remodeling of the defense this year, with new potential DE, ILB, OLB, safety and two gap DT elements added. There's some defensive depth this draft where it might be possible with just the right players available, and even that will take a year or two to gel with new players learning complex systems. And by then there will be more players to replace with players learning new systems.

I just don't see this turning out well.

[BillsImpossible]

We cling to the past because we have no sense of the future.

Let's relive the past, once again.

Raiders 26
Bills 24

http://www.mercurynews.com/raiders/ci_27183792/oakland-raiders-beat-buffalo-bills-26-24

Jim Schwartz's defense was overrated. Lost to a freaking rookie in Carr.

Keep blowing the past, the future eventually might come.

[YardRat]

You have a single game that you keep referring to as if it's evidence that Schwartz's #4 defense wasn't that good. That's not a very good basis for any kind of substantive argument.

[Mace]

We cling to the past because we have no sense of the future.

Let's relive the past, once again.

Raiders 26
Bills 24

http://www.mercurynews.com/raiders/ci_27183792/oakland-raiders-beat-buffalo-bills-26-24

Jim Schwartz's defense was overrated. Lost to a freaking rookie in Carr.

Keep blowing the past, the future eventually might come.

Ryan's D only had one game that you'd have expected of them, the 2nd NE game. Against an experienced QB. Imagine it against the young ones we faced, and other experienced ones. Didn't happen. That's not the future. It's just bizarre and typical of Ryan. Has no methodology until he talks himself into one for a week, talks himself into a diff one the next.

Schwartz had an even keel and a methodology. It could be solved, sure. But it was consistent and flexible. That's just a good DC. He solves more often than is solved. And Schwartz was just that.

[mightysimi]

Or a glowing endorsement on why injuries matter, If I recall correctly they ran all over us as soon as Dareus was out.

[justasportsfan]

Actually, the Bills were in the bottom 10 in four of 12 key statistical categories in 2015: third-down efficiency (23rd), yards per play (24th), rushing yards per attempt (25th), and sacks per pass play (31st).

End of story. Maybe next 2 years Rex will get all those stats to top 15.

Lets pray we're no.1 on passing and running O.

[Goobylal]

End of story. Maybe next 2 years Rex will get all those stats to top 15.

Lets pray we're no.1 on passing and running O.

Rex doesn't have 2 years. It's playoffs this year or he's gone.

[Mace]

Rex doesn't have 2 years. It's playoffs this year or he's gone.

The guy who reported that was Vic Carucci. http://bills.buffalonews.com/2016/01/05/pegula-gives-whaley-ryan-a-year-to-fix-bills/


Vic's sources aren't reliable.

[Goobylal]

The guy who reported that was Vic Carucci. http://bills.buffalonews.com/2016/01/05/pegula-gives-whaley-ryan-a-year-to-fix-bills/

That hardly breaking news.

[Mace]

That hardly breaking news.

You said Rex doesn't have two years, the guy who reported it was Carucci, you said Carucci doesn't have reliable sources. So you believe someone you don't believe ? That's kind of odd. Has nothing to do with breaking news. Has to do with you contradicting yourself.

[Goobylal]

You said Rex doesn't have two years, the guy who reported it was Carucci, you said Carucci doesn't have reliable sources. So you believe someone you don't believe ? That's kind of odd. Has nothing to do with breaking news. Has to do with you contradicting yourself.

I never heard Vic report it until you provided the link. I figured out he had just this year to get the team to the playoffs on my own.

And even still, we don't know if his source on that is reliable. Will have to wait and see.

[Mace]

I never heard Vic report it until you provided the link. I figured out he had just this year to get the team to the playoffs on my own.

And even still, we don't know if his source on that is reliable. Will have to wait and see.

Well for what it's worth I sure hope he just has this year to get them to the playoffs, myself.

[toto8]

We cling to the past because we have no sense of the future.

Let's relive the past, once again.

Raiders 26
Bills 24

http://www.mercurynews.com/raiders/ci_27183792/oakland-raiders-beat-buffalo-bills-26-24

Jim Schwartz's defense was overrated. Lost to a freaking rookie in Carr.

Keep blowing the past, the future eventually might come.


It was bad that game because Dareus was out almost since the beginning and they were running all over us, plus around that time Carr was starting to play OK. Another fact that hurt us was the inept offense we had thanks to Hackett.

[Goobylal]

Well for what it's worth I sure hope he just has this year to get them to the playoffs, myself.

I can't see how the Pegulas are in any way happy with the Bills' defense going from 4th in scoring to 15th, given Rex is a defensive guru. With a defense like 2014 and the improved offense, they would have made the playoffs this year. Now he jettisons another coach and adds his brother, who has been a disaster in other stops? No, I'm 100% he has just this year to get them to the playoffs or else.

[Mace]

I can't see how the Pegulas are in any way happy with the Bills' defense going from 4th in scoring to 15th, given Rex is a defensive guru. With a defense like 2014 and the improved offense, they would have made the playoffs this year. Now he jettisons another coach and adds his brother, who has been a disaster in other stops? No, I'm 100% he has just this year to get them to the playoffs or else.

Rex reports to the Pegulas, not Whaley. They signed off on him adding Rob. Pegula said :
Our management team and coaching staff are very capable and work well together. This stable foundation is necessary to achieve long-term success in the NFL

Maiorana from Rochester : http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/football/nfl/bills/2016/01/05/pegula-reportedly-issues-ultimatum/78306244/

I don't think he's going anywhere unless they 1-15 or 2-14 with loads of player issues. I'll keep hoping though because the guy is a mess.