Official get rid of Donahoe Thread

[OpIv37]

TD has put a horrible product on the field. Last year, I thought GW and KG were the problem- while I wouldn't ever want them back, it's now clear that they weren't given much to work with. The inexperienced coaching staff has yet to instill discipline in the players. We have great skill players (with the possible exception of Bledsoe, but even he can still gun it when he has time), but an O-line that's so bad that these guys never get to touch the ball. The defense has been vastly improved, but the O-line's poor play keeps them on the field too long. Also, TD's draft picks have been useless (the jury's still out on Losman, Evans and McGahee, but even with McGahee, he was a 1st rounder who didn't contribute his first year at all).

The point is that he seems to have no overall strategy for building this team. A QB is useless without an O-line (especially Bledsoe), a defense is useless if they can't stay off the field, and the talk about running the ball is just talk. There aren't even any quality TE's or FB's on the roster.

I wish Ralph had the balls to can him. TD may have sold some tickets but he hasn't improved the team.

[Mr. Cynical]

1998: 10-6 (Wade's first year)
Offense rank: 7
Defense rank: 7

1999: 11-5
Offense rank: 12
Defense rank: 1

2000: 8-8
Offense Rank: 9
Defense Rank: 3

2001: 3-13 (TD/GW first year)
Offense Rank: 13
Defense Rank: 21

2002: 8-8 (TD/GW first year)
Offense Rank: 8
Defense Rank: 15

2003: 6-10 (TD/GW first year)
Offense Rank: 28
Defense Rank: 2

2004: 0-4 (7 game losing streak)
Offense Rank: n/a
Defense Rank: n/a


Looking at these numbers, TD inherited a defense ranked #3 in the league and destroyed it. Then had to rebuild it back again for 3 years. Offensively they also went the wrong way except for '02, but alot of that had to do with the big numbers for the first half of the season.

My question is this: who did TD release on the D when he took over? To fall from 3 to 21 is huge and I don't remember what players he let go.

[Wolffman]

Donahoe ignored the two biggest needs of this team, a OG and a DE, and a 0-4 start is what he got. Thats not to mention how he traded TWO first round picks away during his tenure here, and what did we get out of them? A statue and a cripple. He should be fired.

[don137]

Donahoe ignored the two biggest needs of this team, a OG and a DE, and a 0-4 start is what he got. Thats not to mention how he traded TWO first round picks away during his tenure here, and what did we get out of them? A statue and a cripple. He should be fired.

I just can't help to think that if Buffalo didn't come from behind against Carolina back in 2001 the Bills would of had Peppers instead of Mike Williams...

[Michael82]

I just can't help to think that if Buffalo didn't come from behind against Carolina back in 2001 the Bills would of had Peppers instead of Mike Williams...

You had to say that.

[Wolffman]

I just can't help to think that if Buffalo didn't come from behind against Carolina back in 2001 the Bills would of had Peppers instead of Mike Williams...

Your probibly right. Wasn't Harrington taken after Williams?

[The_Philster]

no

[Wolffman]

Didn't think so.

[The_Philster]

no

http://ww2.nfl.com/draft/2002/round/round1.html

[OpIv37]

My question is this: who did TD release on the D when he took over? To fall from 3 to 21 is huge and I don't remember what players he let go.

The #3 defense had Bryce Paup, Spielman, and Bruce Smith. None of them ended up on the team- Bruce was a cap casualty but I don't remember what happened to the other two. I think one of them retired for either health or family reasons.

[Michael82]

The only good players on that defense that TD got rid of were Ted Washington and Marcellus Wiley. Wiley has sucked the last couple years and Big Ted was replaced by Sam Adams.

[Michael82]

Henry Jones was washed up and done. Keion Carpenter was pretty good, but he left. Sam Cowart was injured and was replaced nicely by London Fletcher. Sam Rogers didn't do much with Wade in Atlanta. Either did Holecek. Antoine Winfield left because of the money and only the money.

The only one I hated to see leave was Jay Foreman. He is doing GREAT in Houston and we traded him for Charlie Rogers.

[Charlieguide]

. . .

My question is this: who did TD release on the D when he took over? To fall from 3 to 21 is huge and I don't remember what players he let go.

I didn't realize TD and GW had so many first years together.

Who did they realease from defense? How about -- over two years -- Big Ted "Mount" Washington (duh), Bruce Smith (who still had game left and wasn't offered a pay cut), Marcellus Wiley, Sam Cowart (200+ tackles), John Holecek (one of the last to go, after they gave him a shot at OLB), and Hansen retired. At the time, we were rotating seven defensive linemen worthy of starting on most teams.

They said it was for cap reasons. They also say, if the player wants to stay, and the team wants him, you can find a way.

GW said 'yeah, you were #2, but who was #1?" then tried to fit players to a system instead of fitting a system to players.

[Michael82]

I blame Gregg for the defense getting torn apart. He tried to fit a bunch of players in a defense that wouldn't work, so he got rid of them. He wouldn't make the defense around the players, he wanted the players around his defense.

[Charlieguide]

The key to that entire D was Big Ted. He makes everyone around him better.

Note the dropoff in Offense the year they let go of Price, Jay R., and Centers, all of whom TD/GW/KG thought were "replaceable."