Rex Ryan Era Comes to Abrupt Ending with Buffalo Bills

Dec 24, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan leaves the field after losing in overtime to the Miami Dolphins at New Era Field. The Dolphins beat the Bills 34-31 in overtime. Rex Ryan. Rex Ryan. Rex Ryan. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

The Rex Ryan Era with the Buffalo Bills ended with extreme disappointment and another year of no playoffs.

The Rex Ryan Era for the Buffalo Bills has come and gone in less than two years. Ryan came to the team with high hopes and even higher expectations. Unfortunately, neither were met.

Ryan inherited a top-ten defense upon his arrival. In his two years with the team, the defense has gotten worse. In fact, in his final game as head coach, it would be the defense that would be his undoing.

The offense was an old school run-first offense. While that helped the Bills become the best rushing team in the league, the passing game often took a backseat.

The defense was not the only weak link, injuries and suspensions hurt the team in both seasons. It doesn’t matter who the coach or quarterback is, if you don’t have a healthy enough team, it will be hard to win.

As a Rex Ryan fan, I believed he deserved at least one more season. There have been multiple teams that go from worse to first, but traditionally, that is not always the case.

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Owners can have short patience and itchy trigger fingers. While that can be helpful in some cases, it can also backfire. I like the “old school” approach where you give a coach 3-5 years to turn a team around. That is a realistic timetable. While I get there has to be some sense of urgency, and not every coach can stick around forever like Jeff Fisher, there also has to be a respectable amount of time given.

After a disappointing first season, the Bills followed that up with a bad offseason. Injuries and suspensions took a toll on the team all the way up to the season opener.

The decision to quickly cut talented running back Karlos Williams after one season, came as a bit of a shock. Pro Bowl receiver Sammy Watkins was in and out of the lineup all season. All-Pro defensive tackle Marcell Dareus was suspended for the second year in a row, the first four games of the season.

This year the team played hard. After a 0-2 start, the Buffalo Bills stayed in playoff contention until last week. They lost a number of close games, and if a few things would have gone another way, they could have easily won 11 or 12 games. This is a playoff caliber team. They were a playoff caliber team last year as well. I get the frustration and sense of urgency, but there needs to be some patience as well.

You look at teams like the Chiefs, Ravens, Steelers, and Bengals. Over the last few years they have been consistently some of the better teams in the AFC. Every year, along with the Patriots, you can count them among the teams to be in the playoffs. These teams have a few things in common. Patriots aside, they don’t always have a winning season. When you think of a team like the Steelers, you think of all the Super Bowls, but they don’t always make the playoffs.

The same can be said of the Ravens, Bengals, and Chiefs. If they have a down year, they don’t clean house. Injuries happen. Tougher schedule. Bad calls. Just a plain bad season. But they stick with their coach. They continue to build their team through the draft and free agency. These teams have stability. They don’t start over every 2 or 3 years.

You look at teams that are always changing coaches. Teams like the Bills, Browns, Jets, and Bears among others. They are constantly changing coaches. Sure, they have the occasional winning season, but traditionally over the last few years, these teams have been among the worst in the league.

Dec 24, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) throws a pass during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at New Era Field. The Dolphins beat the Bills 34-31 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills have a lot of important decisions to make this offseason, especially after firing their head coach.

This team is a piece or two away from being not just a playoff caliber team, but a Super Bowl caliber team. Now, the team is essentially starting over and taking a step or two back. Unless they can make some shrewd moves, I don’t see how that is better.

Let’s start with the head coach. Who out there is a great option? Will it be the usual big name coach who hasn’t won in a while? The young college coach that will be cheaper? Promoting an assistant coach who is unproven? On paper getting someone like John Gruden, Bill Cowher, or Tom Coughlin sounds good, there is no guarantee of success. How short of a leash will they be given?

Moving on to the quarterback position. What exactly are they doing with Tyrod Taylor? I’m not sure if he can be a franchise quarterback, but he has shown a lot of potential. His last game against the Dolphins showed what he is capable of. While paying him that massive contract is questionable, there doesn’t seem to be many options out there. Veterans like Jay Cutler and Tony Romo are nothing more than one year stop gaps.

Getting someone like AJ McCarron could go a boom or bust. EJ Manuel is not the answer. Cardale Jones has the potential to be the quarterback of the future, he is the QB that SHOULD be starting the final game. Jones showed a lot of potential at Ohio State and could turn out to be a Daunte Culpepper type of player. But he needs time to develop, at least another year. If the Bills believe he is the future, then maybe it makes sense to go after a veteran like Cutler for one season

No matter who the quarterback is, they need weapons. Sammy Watkins, when healthy, has shown he can be a great number 1 receiver. He needs to remain healthy. There aren’t too many teams in the league that can win without their top receiver. They also need to find a legit number 2 receiver. Someone who could be a potential number 1 as well in case Watkins gets hurt again.

Robert Woods flashed potential earlier in his career, but he doesn’t appear to be that true number 2 that we need. Percy Harvin is done. Receivers like Justin Hunter & Marquise Goodwin are good complementary receivers. All of them have been in and out of the lineup all season. Tight end Charles Clay also showed what he is capable of late in the season.

At the running back position, LeSean McCoy is again one of the best in the league. How many years does he have left at this level, 2 or 3 perhaps? Mike Gillislee had a solid season and he is a good backup. Karlos Williams has the potential to be a game-changing back, so I’m not sure pulling the plug on him after one season was the best decision.

On the defensive side of the ball, despite regressing, this is still a capable defense. Next season, they should be even better, even with the same cast. Having a full season of Shaq Lawson and Reggie Ragland will surely bolster the defense. Having Marcell Dareus for a full season will help as well. They still have Jerry Hughes, Preston Brown, Adolphus Washington and Kyle Williams among others. Yet, they still need a few pieces.

The secondary had been a big disappointment. You can argue the secondary alone cost them at least 2 games. There is some solid young talent there, but they need to pick up a free agent or two to help. Along with the players, they have to make sure the scheme fits these players. By bringing in a new coach, he may feel the need to blow it up and get his own players. How long will that take until he has enough of his guys, until the team can win?

Whoever the next coach is, he needs to be given time to get it right — something they didn’t give Rex Ryan. They need to try to keep the good players they have, instead of just cleaning house. The Bills have gotten rid of good players who could’ve helped the team, like Marshawn Lynch, Kiko Alonso, Nate Clements, and Mario Williams among others.

The city of Buffalo deserves stability. The fans deserve it. The Buffalo Bills deserve it. Give the next coach time to work their plan.

In a division with the Patriots, the rising Dolphins and talented Jets, it will not be easy. The AFC as a whole is pretty deep with playoff caliber teams.

If you want the next coach to succeed, then give them the pieces to make it work.

Who would be the best coach for the Buffalo Bills? What do you think Bills fans?