For all of us Dick Jauron lovers

by Kurupt on Aug 19, 2008 8:07 PM EDT Comment 27 comments

Here is a great explanation of his coaching:

Buffalo's Ivy League coach, Dick Jauron, is a fine man but low-voltage personified; he's like a car battery that won't turn the engine on a cold morning. Jauron has just one winning season in seven as a head coach. Losing does not seem to bother him; he's never animated on the sidelines or upset after a loss, and he wasn't upset even after the Bills allowed two scores in the final 20 seconds to lose 25-24 to Dallas before a national audience on "Monday Night Football." Team spirit is high in Buffalo, but the team mindset is all wrong, mirroring the coach. Jauron's gift is lowering expectations; this is his third season in Buffalo, yet he's still talking only about "improvement," not winning. Much of the time, the objective seems to be to lose with dignity. Trailing New England 42-7 in the second half, the Bills kicked a field goal. Trailing New England 56-10 in the fourth quarter, Buffalo punted from midfield. Those were Jauron's decisions and the message sent was, "Oh well, another loss, right you are chaps, pip pip." For a once-proud franchise that has not made the postseason in this decade, the Bills need an attitude adjustment.

Couldn't have said it better myself. And this is why I'm afraid we will never see the results we should expect from a talented team. Some of his quotes lately (see the CBS article) continue to leave me baffled about how Jauron feels about this team and what the goal is.

This FanPost was written by a registered user of Buffalo Rumblings. Its views do not necessarily reflect the reviews of Rumblings' editorial staff, but are just as valued as our own.

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That’s a misleading headline. It doesn’t sound like you “love” Dick Jauron at all.

by Brian Galliford on Aug 19, 2008 8:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Read that article

Jauron is unquestionably the most frustrating figure in the world of sports for whom I’ve rooted . He averaged a 7-9 season over five years with the Bears, has had two 7-9 seasons with the Bills, and sounds like he’d take 7-9 again this year. In many ways, he’s afraid to try and that’s his downfall as well the teams he’s coached…I’ll take a step back now and let the Geronimos of the world tell me that I don’t know what I’m talking about because I’m not “informed”, but Jauron’s passive approach to coaching is plain to see and itcosts his teams over the course of a season. In this case, it’s personal because Buffalo’s my team…24-24 after three years or someone else gets a chance, Dick; that’s not asking for the moon, informed or not.

Never forget 56-10. Revenge.

by SuperFan82 on Aug 19, 2008 8:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m not a huge Jauron fan, but I think at this point, he’s here for the foreseeable future. I don’t see him leaving for the next two years unless the Bills are 3-13 in ’08 or ’09, regardless of what the fan base or writers like Gregg Easterbrook want to write.

by Brian Galliford on Aug 19, 2008 8:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe so...

But the debate shouldn’t be about Jauron’s standing with the front office; it should be about Jauron’s actual ability to win in the NFL. Do you (not OBD) honestly think slipping further from 7-9 this season would call for a 4th year of Dick Jauron? I can’t believe that’s rational for anyone who cares about this team. The optimist in me says this team can win 10 games- let’s hold the coach accountable for actually producing on this modest goal. All things are relative, but I can’t see any scenario where 7-9 or worse would call for more of this “aw, shucks” routine from the head coach in Buffalo.

Never forget 56-10. Revenge.

by SuperFan82 on Aug 19, 2008 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t care how he acts. He can have an "aw, shucks" attitude all he wants. I care about results. If this team goes 8-8 or worse this year I would say that he needs to go, and even 9-7 is kinda iffy.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on Aug 19, 2008 9:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m not sure when 10 wins became a “modest” goal, especially for the Bills. I think it’s achievable, but that’s the top-end goal, methinks – not “modest” at all.

Yes, I honestly think that slipping from 7-9 this season – unless it’s in a big way – calls for a fourth (and hot seat) season for Jauron. He’s not on the hot seat yet.

by Brian Galliford on Aug 20, 2008 6:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Couldn't agree with you more buddy

This is a 10 or 11 win team with the talent we have. I think we top out at 8, maybe 9 wins due solely to Jauron and his lack of agressiveness. I’m sick of watching his overly cautious approach to coaching, when there is no way you can win consistently like that.

by Kurupt on Aug 19, 2008 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

DJ scares me with his passivness at the end of games. Sometimes he tries to run out the clock, even though the team is having trouble running the ball (see end of Steelers pre-season game.)

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on Aug 19, 2008 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I can’t wait to watch Turk Schonert’s offense this season – I think it will be aggressive enough to blast away this idea that Jauron is so passive that he whimpers to his offensive coordinator to run instead of pass.

by Brian Galliford on Aug 20, 2008 6:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

we think that’s what Schonert wants, but what happens if Jauron tugs on his leash a bit? I can’t just see it now, up 23-21 on Seattle with 3 minutes left and the ball and Jauron says to Turk: “OK, run two dives up the middle for no gain and then throw a pass to the flats” or worse….

by Kurupt on Aug 20, 2008 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually, in the season opener last season, the problem was not a flat pass, it was a deep throw trying to run out the clock if you recall…

by Brian Galliford on Aug 20, 2008 10:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Which was the dumbest call in the NFL last year

If we had just run a third dive up the gut with ML or gasp a draw, we would have run off enough clock that the Broncos would never have even got within sniffing distance of field goal range.

My hats off to you Stevie F, the world’s worst play caller! Enjoy him CSU, and I pray that the alumni have a lot of Maalox on hand this year!

Fear the mighty helmet wearing gopher, he is coming for your soul....

by WABillsfan on Aug 20, 2008 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Funny comment

I made a quick note on Sal Maiorana’s blog earlier today – and found this comment:

…I am currently in Fort Collins, home to the Colorado State Rams and I am one of the many Buffalo Bills fans living in Northern Colorado who are Bills/Rams fans.

Anyway – Fairchild came out weeks ago griping about his quarterback situation. It’s the same old song and dance routine. Can you believe it? Does this guy know about the Internets?

We are in hell. Wish us luck.

Comment by Jerome — August 19, 2008 @ 8:05 pm

LOL

by Zumone on Aug 20, 2008 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I second that!!

What does it say about a coach who decides to punt, from midfield, five minutes left, with a playoff spot on the line?!? The call in the Browns game was one of the worst I’ve ever seen as a fan of the Bills.

by billsfan1970 on Aug 22, 2008 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This blurb is also skewed from the negative and has no journalistic aptitude. Now I will say I am not completely happy with some of the ways we have played this year, and the dea of coaching scared has come to my mind on occasion; however, I do believe that we would have been much worse last year with many other coaches and that we are at this point in good hands. We were not very talented, and with injury we were that much worse and we still managed a half-way decent season. Many people with this attitude sound like people calling for Tom Coughlin’s head last offseason. I hope this year turns out at least almost as good as the Giants last year.

The Bills CAN win every game

by killascript on Aug 19, 2008 8:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I meant to say “I am not comepletely happy with how we’ve played these past two years” excuse me

The Bills CAN win every game

by killascript on Aug 19, 2008 8:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

On the other hand

he cost us the Dallas and Denver games with idiotic coaching maneuvers…maybe the record could have been better than it was….

by Kurupt on Aug 19, 2008 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and some bizarre decisions in the Browns game

Horrible weather calls for playing with some degree of caution, but that game was the perfect storm for plating scared. A screen pass on 4th and goal with the season on the line is sort of symbolic of Jauron’s approach to winning (and life in general?).

Never forget 56-10. Revenge.

by SuperFan82 on Aug 19, 2008 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think we didn’t have the talent to win those weather games. Our team could not sop the run, period, and that is why we lsot those games.
In a lot of ways, the strength of either unit, offense or defense, affects the playcalling on the otherside. If your defense is strong, you can take more chances on offense, and if your offense is strong, same thing; more blitzing schemes, etc. Jauron has been coaching a mediocre to below average team for two years. Now, it seems like with young player progression, free agency and trades, we have an above average team, and if we get a QB that can play n Edwards then we are golden and maybe you can all stop whining. Many “good” coaches only look as good as their QB, so I leave it at that, but look at the likes of Shannahan, Belichick, and Holmgren just to name a few, and what they were like without their probowl or Super Bowl winning QBs

The Bills CAN win every game

by killascript on Aug 20, 2008 8:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And

I don’t think he calls the offensive plays

The Bills CAN win every game

by killascript on Aug 20, 2008 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Easterbrook is probably my favorite journalist so this hits home pretty good. I never liked Jauron as a head coach but this just reinforced it 100 fold. DJ keeps a good lockerroom and his players love playing for him…. but he should let his coaches make the calls during the game. For whatever reason he lets Bobby April do whatever he wants…. I just wish he could let an OCord or a DCord do the same….

That paragraph by Easterbrook really lays it out, DJ needs to adapt or we better be prepared for medicrity.

by Harris on Aug 19, 2008 9:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I just wish he could let an OCord or a DCord do the same

Please tell me where the evidence is that suggests he doesn’t.

by Brian Galliford on Aug 20, 2008 6:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The evidence is the entire 2007 season. Poor coaching lost the Denver and Dallas games. He’s a solid coach, but his downfall is terrible offenses and bad situational decisions. Until he improves both of those I don’t think we’ll take the next step.

Coach to win, not “bend don’t break”

by Harris on Aug 20, 2008 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but where is the evidence that he walked up to Steve Fairchild and said “Hey Steve, you might consider throwing a bomb here instead of running it, lest I fire you.”

by Brian Galliford on Aug 21, 2008 6:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A coach isn't necessarily the last word on winning or losing

Read, ``The Education of a Coach,‘’ by David Halberstam on Belicheck. The circumstances that a coach inherits, the talent he’s given to work with, the owner’s proclivities and the front office all play a part. But it’s the coach’s head on the block if the team doesn’t win. Sometimes it takes years to build an organizatin and acquire the talent you need just to be competitive, but few franchises are willing to wait that long. And then they start the process all over again. We’ve certainly seen that at OBD. Maybe it’s time we try another tack, a patient approach that lets the team and organization grow and develop from the inside out.
Sure it’s about winning. Jauron knows that. He also knows who he is, and who he’s not. He’s not Parcells or Belicheck. But he does seem comfortable in his own skin.
I think you have to consider what Jauron had to work with in his first year, especially the QB he inherited, and the injuries last year.
Look at the team record low number of penalties his teams commit, especially on the O-line. The low sack totals. The great special teams play, week in, week out. How the team continued to perform, and their attitude, when going up against teams like the Patriots when they were clearly undermanned. He lost several close games last year that could have gone our way, and if so, we wouldn’t be having this blog. Was that him or Fairchild? Clearly Fairchild was not up to the task.
This guy is a professional. He’s smart, he’s conservative, he knows what to say and when to say it. You can argue whether that’s the kind of guy you like in a coach’s position, but don’t ding him for who he is. Given time and talent, he can build a winning team. I think he deserves more slack than most fans are willing to cut him.

by Defensewinsgames on Aug 20, 2008 7:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

While the head coach ultimately bears the responsibilty for winning or losing, he’s only as good as his supporting cast (which was not that good in Chicago). His supporting cast is steadily getting better here in Buffalo thanks to the scouting dept.

I think Jauron gets a pass for last season based on the number of injuries the team had to contend with and the ineptitude of Fairchild as OC. IMO, I think Turk is a great complement personality-wise to DJ. Schonert has that confidence that QB’s have which the players will pick up on and be inspired by. He has that “play to win” mentality that meshes well with DJ’s “limit mistakes” mindset. I think DJ is similar in philosophy to Wade Phillips, which is to basically leave the OC alone to do his thing without looking over his shoulder constantly. DJ’s only real failing here was hiring Fairchild to run the offense. I believe Turk will prove to be a much better fit for the position.

Get the Bills back to the big game!

by Blitz on Aug 20, 2008 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jauron

Dont like him as a coach never will (i like passion and i’m anti cover-2 defense and dink-and-dunk offense), but as Brian said, he’s here for the foreseeable future.

And the catch-22 is, I have to root for him to be because I can’t take another 3-4 years a re-building. So, as long as they win (NOW) then I have to suck up my dislike for the man’s football philosophy. When he retires I think he’ll write a book called “Prevent Offense, Prevent Defense: Trying Not to Lose a Game”

John I.

by jri111 on Aug 20, 2008 12:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs