What changed with Mularkey compared to Greg Williams?

[ArcticWildMan]

Was Williams really that clueless as a head coach or was it all Gilbride's fault?

Is our current success a result of Willis and/or other players, or is Mularkey and his staff the main reason we are doing so much better?


Discuss.

[YardRat]

The assistants each hired is the main difference, IMO, although you can't discount that the talent level has been upgraded a bit.

Williams assistants, at least on offense and special teams, were poor imitations of coaches, while Mularkey has put together a quality staff. April, Clements, McNally, Wyche, etc have all done wonders to improve units and/or individual player's performances this year, leading to the improvement in the win/loss column.

The only thing Williams did right was give Jerry Gray a shot at DC, and Mularkey was smart enough to retain him.

[Crisis]

The difference is Mularkey knows what he's doing offensively. Gregg did wonders for the defense, remember how bad that unit was 2 years ago?

Mike inherited Gregg's defense, and Gray has really stepped it up as a coordinator. He has some great blitz packages, and I hope he finally threw the prevent D in the garbage, where it belongs.

But, Mularkey's (Or Clements') playcalling has really changed games, they execute trick plays well, and they have saved our asses in a couple games. Not to mention Mularkey actually sticks with whats working, not GW, who would start throwing when Travis was averaging good yards on the ground.

And even if Mike is just a product of the talent around him, you won't hear a thing. Winning is the cure for everything.

[Ingtar33]

One of the things you heard under GW, all the time, was how good a team we had, and how they can't understand how they're loosing.

The players were right; they did have a good team

GW could be held at fault for the failures of the team. The team takes on the personality of the coach. GW was arrogant, and sloppy. Which was exactly what the team was like. They "thought" they should win. I don't think they ever really understood what it took to win consistently. Throw in the penalties, stupid plays, and poor special teams work, and you have a team that wouldn't catch a break because they never deserved a break.

MM has made his stamp on this team, for one, they don't think they "deserve" anything. They know they're good, but that comes from winning, and they learned it the hard way. Read the quotes of the players, and you see them mention how much work it is to win. How they never really understood it when they were losing that you had to work harder to win. You see the dumb mistakes vanishing, the penalties going down, the special teams play improving, these are all signs of a coach who runs a tight ship. The team makes very few mistakes now, furthermore, they are capitalizing on the mistakes of others.

Tom Donahoe, did GW right, and gave him the tools to win. GW was unable to make it work. We've got ourselves a coach folks. Is he a good coach? Well, time will tell, but he is a much better one than GW, and that seems to be enough for this year's team.

[BillsFever21]

I think it's a mixture of our staff and the emergence of McGahee.

[Dozerdog]

Gregg Williams surrounded himself with familiar faces and friends- and not experience.

When a gun was put to his head, he hied experience- and again went to the friend route and hired Gillbride. He refused to get involved with the offense and turned all the reigns over. Plus- he had no sideline intuition. When to call a timeout, when to punt, when to go for it, when to go for a 2 point conversion.

Now we have a coach with some common sense, and he hired assistants with sideline experience.

[Crisis]

I think it's a mixture of our staff and the emergence of McGahee.

I'm not buying the emergence of McGahee stuff.

Travis had a great year last year, and was a complete warrior.

[LABillsFan]

The assistants each hired is the main difference, IMO, although you can't discount that the talent level has been upgraded a bit.

Williams assistants, at least on offense and special teams, were poor imitations of coaches, while Mularkey has put together a quality staff. April, Clements, McNally, Wyche, etc have all done wonders to improve units and/or individual player's performances this year, leading to the improvement in the win/loss column.

The only thing Williams did right was give Jerry Gray a shot at DC, and Mularkey was smart enough to retain him.

Good post. There's a difference in coaching a team and building one. Williams hiring Gilbride was fatal who is one dimensional. Williams was lost himself as well being a strict Defensive coach and depending on untested OC's. MM has a coaching staff that is highly respected by peers and players and that in itself improves the team and will continue.

[BillsFever21]

Although Williams sucked as a HC his influence on our team has helped us for the future.

It's his defense we're running along with Jerry Gray who he brought in to run the unit. Plus he helped get some of our defense FA signings to come aboard.

Some of them were excited to play under his defense and he did a good job selling the product. We might not have had some of the FA guys we have today without his influence and defensive mind. It just didn't work out for him as a HC.

I hold no grudges with GW. I wish him the best in the future.

[TheBrownBear]

Two Reasons: (1) Axing Gilbride and (2) Easier schedule. The Bills sucked just like last year until they hit the easy part of their schedule. They've only played one good team on the road in their last 10 games and they were annihilated (Pats game). The jury's out on Mularkey until I see how the Bills perform against the elite teams next year.

[DraftBoy]

One word: Willis!!

As good as Travis ever was he never scared opposing DC's or made them change the gameplan to shut him down, bc it was fine to let Travis get his 70-100 yards a game on 20-30 carries, bc then the passing game had to beat you and thats where they killed us. Willis gives us that 2way homerun threat when he touches the ball. It has given Drew a breath of fresh air and given our passing attack a vertical touch which has also been helped by Lee Evans. While Travis was a warrior Willis scares people.

[TheBrownBear]

I would like to give Mularkey credit for instilling more discipline in this team. They have been a very disciplined team over the last 2/3 of the season. Stupid penalties and stupid plays were the hallmark of the GW era.

[TigerJ]

Not quite original, but good post, Brown Bear. I think it's a combination of what Yard Rat, Ingtar, and LOG said. Ingtar covered what Brown Bear said. I don't have anything original to add.

[Demon]

Not having Travis Henry pass the ball on the goalline doesn't hurt either....

[The_Philster]

Biggest change:The players believe in what Mularkey is doing...he was able to convince them it would work before we played a down this season.

[The King]

You guys all forgot the major difference. Man Boobs. You can not respect a coach who's titties are flapping on the sidelines.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Special teams and Willis are the correct answers.

MM is no genius. But he is getting better.

[mybills]

MM learns from his mistakes, whereas GW would repeat them. :rolleyes:

[G. Host]

What changed with Mularkey compared to Greg Williams?

Mike Mularkey has an easier name to spell. Gregg (with 3 g's) got spelled wrong even in professional press.

Glenn (with 2 n's)

[Pride]

How funny is it that G. Host mispelled Mularky in that last post haha

[G. Host]

How funny is it that G. Host mispelled Mularky in that last post haha

Yep. I made a TypO. :clap:

[Tatonka]

there are too many differences in the teams to get in to.

MM has done a good job. is he setting the world on fire with his innovative ideas? no.. has he made mistakes? yeah, plenty.. but like MyBills said.. he has learned from them.. and has not been afraid to admit publicly when he made mistakes.. i like that about the guy.

his april and players on special teams have had as big an effect as any one part of this winning streak.

turnovers have had a HUGE effect as well.

willis and lee evans have been huge.

tom clements playcalling has been on target for the most part.

drew has cut down on mistakes.

mcnally has really started to form the oline into a tough unit.

the teams we have played have not been the best in the league by any means.

all of these things have come together to make this whole thing work.


i do know that this win streak has been the most exciting time i have had as a bills fan for as long as i can remember.. and mularkey i the head coach of the bus that is running people over.. so i am all for him.

i do think that if the bills make the playoffs, he will get head coach of the year.

[DaBillzAhDaShiznit]

One of the things you heard under GW, all the time, was how good a team we had, and how they can't understand how they're loosing.

The players were right; they did have a good team

GW could be held at fault for the failures of the team. The team takes on the personality of the coach. GW was arrogant, and sloppy. Which was exactly what the team was like. They "thought" they should win. I don't think they ever really understood what it took to win consistently. Throw in the penalties, stupid plays, and poor special teams work, and you have a team that wouldn't catch a break because they never deserved a break.

MM has made his stamp on this team, for one, they don't think they "deserve" anything. They know they're good, but that comes from winning, and they learned it the hard way. Read the quotes of the players, and you see them mention how much work it is to win. How they never really understood it when they were losing that you had to work harder to win. You see the dumb mistakes vanishing, the penalties going down, the special teams play improving, these are all signs of a coach who runs a tight ship. The team makes very few mistakes now, furthermore, they are capitalizing on the mistakes of others.

Tom Donahoe, did GW right, and gave him the tools to win. GW was unable to make it work. We've got ourselves a coach folks. Is he a good coach? Well, time will tell, but he is a much better one than GW, and that seems to be enough for this year's team.

:clap: :bow:
This post is SPOT ON, and well written.....GREAT!

[DaBills]

WM would have had a positive effect whenever he became healthy, this year or last. He has spurred the offense, but I think other factors shaped the team as a whole that are beyond WM.


So "What changed with Mularkey compared to Greg Williams?

Maybe the players respect him more because he is a former player. Drew also made an interesting comment after a pre-season game when he was miked. He was walking off the field after and talking to the opponent's QB and said words to the effect "It's nice because Mike doesn't yell like last year."

[justasportsfan]

One reason and one reason only.... Pucillo. If it wasn't for him , the bills wouldn't be as successful as we are.

[Mr. Cynical]

Special teams and Willis are the correct answers.

MM is no genius. But he is getting better.
Agreed. And the schedule as well.