For those that aren’t part of the Bills Mafia, I know what you’re thinking.
“They don’t have a quarterback.”
“Their head coach just likes to talk.”
“They can’t beat the Patriots.”
“Why didn’t they draft someone they NEED?”
These assumptions are a thing of the past. If your judgments are based on past seasons, I’m afraid you need to step outside and smell the hot wings. I will admit there are some headlines from past years that have carried over to yet another playoff-hunting off season. However, the speculation of another sub-par performance in reference to past coaches, players, and management is hog-wash.
2014 Recap
By now, we know that Doug Marrone was not the right man in charge to sail the ship in Buffalo to “Playoff Island.” With uncertainty in the future of the Bills franchise staying in Western New York, you can’t blame the team for all the obstacles they had to endure away from the gridiron. The Green Bay game was magical and the Oakland game was demoralizing. The New England win was “eh” and the Kansas City loss was the worst blind-date imaginable. So with all these games the critics will use as ammunition, we as fans should throw them all away. Skip the recycle bin, aim for the fire pit. The head coach is gone, along with his trusty offensive coordinator that transformed Bills Mafia into an anger management clinic. Terry Pegula is now the most famous man in Buffalo history and will never have to pay for a meal in Western New York. Purchase those season tickets again and grab your popcorn.
“They don’t have a quarterback.”
I know EJ Manuel hasn’t shown signs of a franchise QB quite yet. However, what gives people the right to give him a cold shoulder when the QB conversation is brought up? I’m going to say it straight up: Bills fans should be fortunate to have EJ Manuel on their favorite team. I’m not comparing these quarterbacks to one another, but please keep in mind these statistics, courtesy of SportsNet:
Player | Completions | Attempts | Comp % | Yards | TD | INT | QB Rating | Record |
E. Manuel | 256 | 437 | 58.6 | 2810 | 16 | 12 | 78.5 | 6-8 |
A. Rodgers | 296 | 466 | 63.5 | 3470 | 23 | 12 | 91.8 | 5-9 |
D. Brees | 267 | 437 | 61.1 | 2710 | 12 | 15 | 73.7 | 8-6 |
A. Luck | 308 | 564 | 54.6 | 3978 | 20 | 18 | 75.5 | 9-5 |
P. Manning | 286 | 502 | 57.0 | 3179 | 24 | 25 | 71.1 | 3-11 |
So why is everyone so critical on Mr. Manuel? Many believe college football QBs and the NFL QBs have comparable skill sets, which in reality have very little to compare at all. Offensive playbooks are different, QB responsibilities are different, and coaching philosophies are different. Fans saw Manuel succeed at Florida State and assumed he’s college skill set would rub off in the NFL without any proper coaching or maturing.
Up to this point, Buffalo’s coaching staff has failed in putting Manuel in a position to succeed. How can you blame that on EJ? Manuel has also never been given the trust by his coaching staff in both the good and bad times of a season. Let's not forget he wasn’t even projected to be the starter in week one of his rookie season! After Kevin Kolb was moved to the season-ending injury reserve list after slipping on a rug when running onto the practice field (just Buffalo luck I suppose), Manuel was put into the starter’s role and his growth process has never been the same. He has shown signs of athleticism and has poise to get better every day. As a Buffalo sports fan, you need patience and more patience. If that patience doesn’t work, you’ll need more patience. If the coaching staff can put him in the right position to succeed, Manuel can prove to his critics why he deserves respect and recognition.
In order for Manuel to earn his stripes, general manager Doug Whaley looked for an NFL veteran with a track record of success to serve as competition. Whaley signed Matt Cassel and provided Head Coach Rex Ryan the opportunity to find the leader of the offense in this summer's training camp. If Cassel wins the starting job, that’s alright with me, as long as it was a “clear-cut” decision with no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Tyrod Taylor was also signed in the off season from free agency after serving the role as backup for Joe Flacco in Baltimore. The odds for him to be deemed starter is still uncertain, which sets the stage for an climatic training camp to say the least. Whoever is awarded the starting quarterback job, they must be the concise leader for the job.
“Their head coach just likes to talk.”
Head Coach Rex Ryan is excited about this upcoming Bills season; I don’t think he denies that. A football coach isn’t supposed to muzzle his mouth and walk away from excitement. I don’t understand why everyone punishes Sexy Rexy for his charisma and positive attitude. Many still criticize him for his last four seasons in New York as if he was coordinating the organization like a marionette puppet.
Just like any other business, management’s “changing of the guard” impacts employees tremendously. How can you blame Rex for drafting sub-par players and passive decision making? General managers Mike Tannenbaum (2006-2012) and John Idzik (2013-2014) were not performing at their roles in the organization and Ryan was taking all the fault. At the start of new season, what do you want your head coach to say about his team? “I don’t think our team has what it takes to win”? Of course not! Who wants Mr. Vanilla as their head coach? I certainly don’t. Rex's confident personality fits right in with Buffalo like shaved beef and a kimmlewick roll.
“They can’t beat the Patriots.”
If I were to show my grandma (who knows nothing about football, sorry grandma) the game results of Buffalo vs. New England in the past 15 seasons, she’d say the same statement as many other fans. 4-26 is no record of glamour and positive prominence in the hearts of Bills fans. However, Florence + the Machine put it nicely when preaching, “The Dog Days are Over” when referring to Buffalo’s future vs. New England. (Yes, I know that’s not what she was talking about.) Even if Tommy Bad Boy appeals his suspension, I’d put Buffalo’s 2015 defense against him in any weather condition at Foxboro. This is the best defensive powerhouse Buffalo has ever seen. Here’s some food for thought when talking about Buffalo's defensive success.
Defensive Statistics from 2014:
Category | Number | Rank in NFL |
Sacks | 53 | 1st |
Total Points Allowed | 289 | 4th |
Yards Per Game | 312.2 | 4th |
Tackles | 1,098 | 6th |
Interceptions | 19 | 6th |
Penalties | 104 | 13th |
Other than penalties allowed, the Buffalo Bills defense has a little need for improvement. Tom Brady is going to throw at least one touchdown pass against Buffalo over the course of one game; that is almost a guarantee. However, the containment and pressure than Buffalo can inflict on the New England offense can cause oodles of trouble when used effectively and efficiently. If the Bills defense was able to collect 53 sacks in 2014 with a 4-3 (4-lineman, 3-linebacker) scheme and limited blitzing packages to challenge opposing QBs, just imagine what defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman and Rex can do when they incorporate their hybrid blitzing stampede. I’m not guaranteeing wins and losses, but I assure you that the woes vs. Belichick and Brady are coming to an end.
“Why didn’t they draft somebody they NEED?”
I’m going to state this and get it out of the way. General manager Doug Whaley will never draft on need. It would be like searching for the perfect spouse that was perfect in every way. Drafting on need prohibits you from drafting the best player on the market. If a general manager and his team selected a player they desperately needed and that player did not pan out for the better, the general manager wasted an opportunity to select a player than could keep his team competitive at another aspect of the game.
In the 2015 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills selected CB Ronald Darby from Florida State in the 2nd round (first team selection with no 1st round pick; i.e. Sammy Watkins 2014). The selection was criticized by many fans and analysts because it was not an eye-opening need for the franchise. However, many fans and “analysts” did not do their homework and investigate why Whaley and his staff selected Darby. Going into the 2015 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills projected starters at cornerback were Stephon Gilmore and Leodis McKelvin. Both cornerbacks have shown signs of shut-down success at the NFL, but struggle with consistency at the position. Both Gilmore and McKelvin have struggled with injuries in years past that have forced coaching staffs to start their backups who are not suited for their new roles. In a league where depth is an element gone forgotten by many when analyzing the talent of franchises, many saw the selection of Ronald Darby as unnecessary.
In my opinion, the selection of Darby was brilliant. Along with the decision making based on past cornerback injuries, both Gilmore and McKelvin are approaching contract expiring seasons where large amounts of guaranteed/cap space money will be on the table. The Bills recognized this dilemma and chose to address this in the draft. Even though the Bills’ 2nd round pick wasn’t the flashy/sexy pick everyone wanted, it could help the franchise in the back half of the season compete for a playoff spot by keeping the roster healthy, which is all the really matters.
Throughout Whaley’s tenure as general manager, he has been ruthlessly criticized for drafting the best player on the board instead of a player in need (Cyrus Kouandjio, Kiko Alonso). I don’t believe I need to explain why Alonso was worth the selection; just check his highlight reel. Cyrus Kouandjio is still a “work in progress,” but just like Manuel, it’s still way too early to call him a "bust." If we were to cross off names from past Bills’ depth charts, we would have never witnessed Andre Reed, Bruce Smith, Fred Jackson, or Kyle Williams tear up the gridiron. Let competition be the deciding factor in choosing a starter or role-player.
At the start of each Buffalo Bills season, I have hope that they will compete and succeed, just like any Western New Yorker. One thing I can guarantee is that many have never seen a roster as talented as Buffalo’s today (since the ‘90s dynasty of course). I understand the first football hasn't been snapped quite yet, but I've got this feeling even the Black Eyed Peas could attest to. If anyone is interested in jumping on the Bills bandwagon for 2015, you’re more than welcome. I just hope you aren’t too late.
