The Clock Is Ticking

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After the Buffalo Bills went 8-8 during the 2015 National Football League season, the level of expectations for them increased here in 2016. But the Bills have been unable to get over the hump as after a 37-31 loss this past Thursday night to the New York Jets, Buffalo is now 0-2 and the odds are against them of ending the longest current playoff drought in the NFL which dates back to 1999. When Rex Ryan was hired to be the Bills head coach last year, he brought optimism with him to Western New York. Prior to joining the Bills, Ryan was the head coach of the Jets for six seasons as he compiled a record of 46-50 with a pair of appearances in the AFC Championship Game. But Ryan’s last four years with the Jets saw him fail to post a winning record which led to him being fired. And once you factor in the Bills record last season, it’s been five years since Ryan has posted a winning record as it looks like it is going to be very hard for him to reverse the tide here in 2016.

After the Bills offense was limited to just 160 total yards in their Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, they were able to show signs of life against the Jets. In the game the Bills were able to amass 393 total yards of offense which was highlighted by quarterback Tyrod Taylor connecting with wide receiver Marquise Goodwin on an 84-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, and then finding wide receiver Greg Salas on a 71-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter.

But it was the Bills defense that let down the team as they allowed 493 yards of offense which included Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick passing for 374 yards, along with wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker each gaining at least 100 yards receiving.

Rex Ryan

But when it came time for Ryan to re-assess the Bills after their loss to the Jets, he decided to fire offensive coordinator Greg Roman in what screams of a desperate move. Ryan is attempting to shake things up for Buffalo, but he overlooked the obvious problem which is the Bills defense. Buffalo’s defensive coordinator is Ryan’s twin brother Rob who is attached at the hip with in more ways that one with Rex as the duo will ride it out together in Western New York, but for how long?

Heading into the 2016 National Football League season, Ryan didn’t appear to have that much wiggle room with the Bills and his time with the team could be coming to an end soon.

The Bills are 0-2 and they are fighting a huge uphill battle. This was supposed to be the year where teams such as the Bills could make a run at the AFC East Title since New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been suspended by the National Football League for the first four games. But after two games the Bills are 0-2, while the Patriots are 2-0, and any thought of Buffalo winning the division this year is remote as New England will be even more tougher to deal with when Brady returns to the lineup in a few weeks. Elsewhere in the AFC, teams such as the Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Ravens have the look of playoff contenders which puts the Bills in a bind as there are only six available postseason spots in the conference and Buffalo will have to find a way to contend for a wild card.

But Ryan’s hiring in Buffalo is simply another case of “buyer beware” that the Bills front office overlooked. In Ryan, the Bills hired a head coach who was just fired from his last gig which is typically a recipe for disaster; not to mention that his last four years with the Jets saw him fail to make the postseason. Ryan’s pedigree is defensive football, but he has been unable to put his stamp on Buffalo’s defense. In 2014, the Bills defense registered 54 sacks. However last year under Ryan, the Bills only managed 21 sacks. Through two games here in 2016, Buffalo has 5 sacks, but the unit has been unable to make game changing plays.

Ryan has gone from a master motivator that nearly helped the Jets reach the Super Bowl, to a guy that now simply believes his own press clippings. When the Jets were good, Ryan was the best thing since sliced bread. But when things went bad, Ryan couldn’t find a friend in the media. The same can be said for Ryan now with the Bills who will focus more on his team’s heart and determination, as opposed to the offense’s inability to execute on third down, the fact that his defense cannot stop anybody, or the reality that under him Buffalo has been one of the most penalized teams in the National Football League which is clearly a lack of discipline.

I do believe that Ryan was born to wear a whistle around his neck, but the time might be right for him to go back to doing what he does best which is to coach defensive football. Defensive coordinators don’t have to worry about having microphones in front of them each day, and they can also focus on one side of the football as opposed to being responsible for each aspect of the team.

All hasn’t been bad for Ryan in Buffalo as he has proven that Taylor can be a starting quarterback in the National Football League. But the downside on Ryan is that his first, two draft picks of 2016 in defensive end Shaq Lawson and linebacker Reggie Ragland won’t be able to contribute this year due to injuries. Ragland suffered a knee injury in training camp, but Ryan knew what he was getting with Lawson who required shoulder surgery which led to many teams taking him off of their respective draft boards heading into the NFL Draft. Pro Bowl wide receiver Sammy Watkins has been slowed recently by foot and knee injuries which has also led to the notion that the Bills appear to be a sinking ship.

It’s late September and the Bills already have their backs against the wall. And if the Bills are unable to win at home this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, you can expect the boos to reign down on Ryan at New Era Field at a more powerful rate than the water goes over Niagara Falls. Bills owner Terry Pegula wanted to make a splash when he hired Ryan, but right about now he appears ready to go belly up.

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By | 2016-09-19T17:40:57+00:00 September 19th, 2016|Categories: National Football League|Tags: , |0 Comments

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