Report: Perry Fewell has a backup plan
by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2010 8:11 PM EST
in Buffalo Bills News
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PrintAfter leading the Buffalo Bills to a 3-4 record in his seven games as interim head coach, Perry Fewell interviewed for the Bills' permanent head coaching position on Monday evening, according to multiple reports. While Fewell's chances at landing the full-time coaching gig are slim, particularly considering the fact that the entirety of the coaching staff - Fewell included - was relieved of its duties on Monday, Fewell reportedly already has a backup plan.
NFL.com's Jason La Canfora reports that should Fewell be passed over in Buffalo's head coaching search, he's the leading candidate to become the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears.
Bears coach Lovie Smith acted as his own defensive coordinator this season; after a very disappointing year in Chicago, however, Smith is shaking up his coaching staff, and he's looking for a coordinator. Fewell has earned respect around the league for his work in Buffalo - not just this year, but in all four years - and has experience working with Smith. The two men are on the same page philosophically, as well, as both are well versed in the Tampa 2 scheme.
Add Fewell's name to a growing list of Bills coaches that could land prominent coaching gigs elsewhere - a list that includes recently-departed special teams coordinator Bobby April and even former head coach Dick Jauron. Anyone still want to pretend that coaching was the sole root of the problems in Buffalo for the past four seasons?
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come on
Anyone still want to pretend that coaching was the root of the problem in Buffalo for the past four seasons?
Yes. Yes, I do still want to argue that and its not because I’m pretending. Kevin Gilbride keeps getting jobs and I’m not a fan of his. The NFL is a fraternity and coaching trees mean guys become familiar with certain schemes making them prime for endless cycles of jobs because they know how to run schemes desired by teams. Also, you can be ill-equipped to be a great NFL coach and still be in the league. Just like the players who are the bottom of the barrel in the NFL are still NFL quality players doesn’t make them good starters. They are just better than the guys right below them who aren’t in the league.
Duke Preston got a job quickly after he was gone, does that mean I’m pretending he wasn’t good?
I know what I watched for the past half a decade and I don’t think its fair to say anyone is pretending when we say coaching was a problem.
"you just have to know there's always going to be adversity. None of these games are going to be easy. Nothing will be given to us" - Paul Posluszny
by poz on Jan 5, 2010 8:20 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
I said “the root of the problem,” not “a problem.”
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by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2010 8:24 PM EST up reply actions
You did say root, but also “pretend” which insinuated very strongly your opinion that the coaching got too much blame.
I think the coaching has too frequently been scapegoated, basically. These are not bad coaches. No, they didn’t work in Buffalo, but they didn’t deserve the type of reputation they have with this fan base, either.
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by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2010 8:27 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I just changed the wording slightly to more accurately reflect my opinion. I never meant to call anyone out; I just think that the coaching was pointed at as THE problem by fans far too often. That’s all I was trying to convey.
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by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2010 8:30 PM EST up reply actions
That's fair, it happens sometimes in writing.
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
by Dyl on Jan 5, 2010 8:33 PM EST up reply actions
hahahaha
yea my bad if I took it wrong. But hey, this is a debate forum and I had to make a move on that “pretend” bit!
"you just have to know there's always going to be adversity. None of these games are going to be easy. Nothing will be given to us" - Paul Posluszny
by poz on Jan 5, 2010 8:34 PM EST up reply actions
It's probably better for Brian that you caught it
Not someone else much more viciously later on. Good to get those things straight asap. :)
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
by Dyl on Jan 5, 2010 8:35 PM EST up reply actions
hahaha i was thinking that
when I was writing my response to that, I saw I got here first and was just waiting for someone to respond much more violently while I was writing my two cents.
"you just have to know there's always going to be adversity. None of these games are going to be easy. Nothing will be given to us" - Paul Posluszny
by poz on Jan 5, 2010 8:39 PM EST up reply actions
I feel I am one of "those" guys too
Yes I was very vocal about the coaching, more specifically Jauron but I also despised the fact that we were GMless. I am quite happy that we got Nix to un-retire in Jan2009 and I am glad we chose him as our new GM. I would have like a more thorough search but at this point I understand that Wilson is 91 and he needs to feel comfortable with the choice. I think Buddy will do well.
To say that Jauron might land a prominent job is incorrect because I seriously doubt he’ll get another head coaching position. For Fewell and April to land jobs I am certainly not surprised both were good coaches. I must admit that Fewel impressed me after Jauron left. I don’t want him as out next Head Coach but I certainly have a lot more respect for the guy than before. He’s got fire in his belly and I really liked the way he handled himself.
Nothing left to say...
Quite. And I’m glad it was poz, and not… ahem… a few other people here. ;)
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2010 8:52 PM EST up reply actions
Actually, you were not one of the people I had in mind.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Jan 6, 2010 5:24 AM EST up reply actions
i think
Perry has a good rep with this fanbase as does April. DJ was despised but he brought it on himself by being a defensive guy who couldn’t find a competent offensive guy. Our O-coordinators were horrifying and DJ couldn’t do anything to make our offense click. Perhaps hes just a D-coordinator?
That would make coaching a root problem when you head coach is incapable of making both sides of the ball work.
"you just have to know there's always going to be adversity. None of these games are going to be easy. Nothing will be given to us" - Paul Posluszny
by poz on Jan 5, 2010 8:32 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, you can't really blame the fans for looking down on guys who would work elsewhere but not here
I mean, we’re concerned about their fit here.
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
by Dyl on Jan 5, 2010 8:34 PM EST up reply actions
And so the root of the problem would be……
Fewell has earned respect around the league for his work in Buffalo – not just this year, but in all four years – and has experience working with Fewell
I think you meant to write “Smith” instead of “Fewell” at the end of that sentence.
Of course we could make things more challenging, Lisa, but then the stupider students would be in here complaining, furrowing their brows in a vain attempt to understand the situation--Seymour Skinner
Ha, whoops. Indeed I did.
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"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2010 8:28 PM EST up reply actions
fair distinction
but I still do think coaching was a strong contender for being the root of the problem. I think “pretend” belittles those who have a pretty strong case for it as the root problem. We were too conservative, the schemes were forced, and he could never keep his teams foot on the gas. Whether it was starting strong and finishing weak or starting weak and finishing strong. I do firmly believe a different coach could have gotten better results, and at least a playoff birth from one of these units the last four years.
In fact, the only year I don’t really blame on coaching is this one. Injuries couldn’t be overcome by any coach.
Was DJ hampered by a confusing front office structure? Yes. But as Dyl said, maybe there are more than one root causes, because I can’t say its make believe that coaching was a basic cause of our ineptitude.
"you just have to know there's always going to be adversity. None of these games are going to be easy. Nothing will be given to us" - Paul Posluszny
by poz on Jan 5, 2010 8:30 PM EST up reply actions
That’s not what I was saying, though. I’m not belittling anyone’s opinions, and I’m certainly not defending the end result of all of the coaching – good and bad – that we’ve had here not just the last four years, but the last decade.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2010 8:32 PM EST up reply actions
please remind me who was blaming Fewell and April for the teams woes. What “prominent” coaching job is Jauron in line for? Pretty sarcastic bit of attitude there, Brian.
most of my posts get deleted :(
Jauron is reportedly a leading candidate for the Giants defensive coordinator gig. Coughlin connection and all.
April’s an exception, but Fewell took his share of criticism – and some of it was justified – for, as an example, the way he lined up his corners. Some folks here even christened his defensive scheme something… less than pleasant.
We scapegoated offensive coordinators pretty much every year. Steve Fairchild and Turk Schonert are despised here. Kugler took some hits because of the line play last year, which deteriorated from McNally’s efforts the year prior. Bob Sanders looked like a genius because he achieved competency out of the same group that Bill Kollar coached.
People point fingers of blame at everyone. My only point was to say that in many cases, these are not bad coaches, and most should realize that.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Jan 5, 2010 8:56 PM EST up reply actions
o.k., but what greatness have Fairchild and Schonert attained after leaving Buffalo? I’ve heard mostly praise for Kugler’s efforts, considering the lack of talent he has to work with. Haven’t heard many people gripe about Fewell or April, either. The loudest noise has come from criticism of Jauron’s coaching, lack of a quality QB, our #1 draft “project” selection, crappy LB’s and overwhelming injuries. I’m just wondering who you think is “pretending” the sole root of problems in Buffalo is coaching? It’s not pretending if people believe Dick Jauron was an ineffective HC, his record proves it beyond any doubt.
most of my posts get deleted :(
No praise for Kugler from me
I think Kugler in fact HAS been the root of our o-line problems. I don’t think he has done a very good job of developing the talent he was given or providing effective blocking schemes for them — all of which turned a bad situation into a disaster. He was likely also responsible for the decision to break up the effective right side of last year’s o-line (Butler and Walker) by moving Walker to LT and Butler to RT. Moving Butler might have worked out well — we don’t know because of his injury — but moving Walker to LT when the team was intent on adopting a no-huddle offense was ridiculous. I could go on at length about all the bad decisions that the inexperienced Kugler made this past season. Suffice it to say I’m hopeful we will be able to improve on him significantly next year.
I’ve always thought highly of April and Fewell and will be sorry to see them go (although not the Tampa 2 scheme Fewell brings with him).
That's right
“The Bills Defense has perfected the "Tampon 2"….. you know, try to stop the bleeding and pray for it to end soon.”
and “It is time to pull the string on the Tampon 2.”
You think a few interceptions makes up for the crap we have been forced to watch over the past 4 years? I stand behind those statements and have been vindicated, IMO. Thank you NIx for flushing Fewell and the Tampon 2. I will not miss either of them.
"The Bills have no playoff aspirations" – Dan Dierdorf
That’s hilarious, post of the year so far Joe.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Jan 6, 2010 3:12 AM EST up reply actions
They are bad coaches and anyone who says the opposite might as well say Utopia is a place on Earth. The only coaches on this team this doesn’t count for is Bobby April, Bob Sanders and Perry Fewell; everybody else won’t be missed.
Our coaching, especially offensively but also at times on defense, has just been so utterly pathetic and laughable that I’ve sometimes wondered how the hell these guys even became head coaches in the first place. Our entire philosophy that we’ve believed in the last four years has been amateurish; why nobody on that coaching staff ever figured out that playing not to lose isn’t going to cut it in the end boggles my mind…
But again that was also the case with so many other of these decisions that the coaches and the front office people have made at OBD the last ten years.
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Jan 6, 2010 1:55 AM EST up reply actions
I’m glad you inlcuded Fewell in that list. I think he’s slowly been moving this team away from a Tampa 2 for awhile now. Buffalo started blitzing a bunch last year and we didn’t see as much of the conservative coverage schemes that we used to. Buffalo only allowed 56.8% of the oppositions pass attempts to be completed which was the 3rd best total in the NFL. For a couple years Bills fans had been ripping this team for playing their CBs too far off the line, but the Bills either stopped doing it, or found a way to make it work this past year. And since their pass defense was so good, I’d like to throw defensive backs coach George Catavolous onto that list too. I don’t know anything about him, but it seems like they played very well this year and handled the injuries way better than I thought they would have. He deserves some recognition too.
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ok, now that my rant on that last sentence is complete
If I were Perry I’d wait and gather as many offers as I could. The Giants have a vacancy, the Bears as mentioned, and a host of other teams. Perry is a good coordinator, he’ll get a fair shot at the Bills job as he should, but will likely remain a coordinator.
"you just have to know there's always going to be adversity. None of these games are going to be easy. Nothing will be given to us" - Paul Posluszny
I wouldn't say that.
I think he is an OK middle of the road coordinator at best, he should jump all over the Chicago job if offered.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Jan 6, 2010 3:15 AM EST up reply actions
At very least.
He;ll have Urlacher back and Tommie Harris, two of the key components for making a Tampa 2 work. He will surely look better as DC there than here.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Jan 6, 2010 3:27 AM EST up reply actions
Like Poz, I would say that coaching bore a large portion of the blame
Jauron related to players well, but his scheme didn’t work and his treatment of the offense was poor. Jauron seemed to be an alright co-ordinator elsewhere.
Fewell and April were fine coaches. The offense, particularly quarterback and wide receiver coaching seemed poor recently. We had loads of talent offensively and couldn’t make big plays happen.
Maybe there are multiple roots of the problem, if you have to point at any root it has to be Ralph’s selection of the selection process.
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
On defense, players were the main culprits. Particularly our linebackers, assisted (un)capably by the line.
Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged
by Dyl on Jan 5, 2010 8:27 PM EST up reply actions
Jauron related to players well, but his scheme didn’t work
It’s not that his scheme didn’t work, it just won’t work here with the parts and weather we have.
I am very glad Buddy Nix realizes that.
Give us Warren Sapp in his prime, and Brian Urlacher in his best years, it might have worked, unfortunately we didn’t have a MLB or DT of that quality.
There's not a wide receiver who is fast enough, that J.P. Losman can't overthrow him on a fly pattern.
by The Buffalo Kid on Jan 6, 2010 3:18 AM EST up reply actions
last sentence
I don’t get the “snark” of that last sentence, Brian. Most educated fans aren’t going to say the Bills only problem is the coaching staff. One of their problems WAS the coaching staff and I think a very significant problem.
Keep in mind that none of these coaches you see flying the coop are being talked about as a head coach.
As coordinators sure, and with good reason. I’d love to have Dick Jauron as a DB coach he’d be great, but we couldn’t exactly fire him and demote him to that.
Fewell is a fine defensive coordinator for the Tampa 2 but it is unlikely we will be RUNNING a Tampa 2 next year. He’d be fine in Chicago it would be a great fit, but let’s not pretend we lost the Gold in Fort Knox here.
And if they wanted April they shouldn’t have snubbed him from the interim head coaching gig. That’s their own fault and April probably would have activated that clause or at least asked to be fired regardless after this season.
Also this season shows why in some ways we couldn’t keep him anyway. With all of the injuries, having “special” player who are only good at special teams really came back to bite us, or is Jon Cort who you want as a starting linebacker?
This space held in honor of Robert Royal known to his friends as "Sweet Cream Style Corn" March 11 2006- February 26, 2009
Talk about snarky. Nobody wants Jon Corto as a starting linebacker. The coaching staff surely didn’t. The list of people that started at LB before him is:
Kawika Mitchell
Marcus Buggs
Keith Ellison
Nic Harris
Bryan Scott
When you start a safety at linebacker before you start an actual linebacker there, it’s clear that linebacker is a last resort. Every team has ST-only players. We had sub-par LB depth, but the injuries are what killed us at LB. It is fair to ask if Buggs and Harris were adequate depth or Mitchell and Ellison are starting caliber LBs. Nobody can reasonably anticipate needing to use a 6th-string LB in a starting role though.
Official ledge-talker-offer of the Buffalo Bills.
You forgot Chris Draft too
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
The root of the problem has and will always be Ralph Wilson........
when it all comes down to it……he’s the GUY……..he’s the one hiring these guys who cant get the job done.
Yeah, I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch too, I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work. - Peter Gibbons
by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 5, 2010 9:12 PM EST reply actions
Ralph doesn’t even probably know who half of the players on the team are. His inner circle at OBD is who’s to blame for the lack of talent and crappy personnel choices. If you want to blame Ralph, the blame him for relying on Russ Brandon oversee football operations, at the suggestion of his old buddy Marv Levy.
most of my posts get deleted :(
who hires the inner circle?
Yeah, I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch too, I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work. - Peter Gibbons
by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 5, 2010 9:42 PM EST up reply actions
Russ Brandon has more influence than anyone. He is Wilson’s eyes and ears. Just listen to Wilson’s speech about promoting Buddy Nix to GM ""Russ and I scanned the list of possible candidates, I didn’t know them. I don’t think Russ did." Like the blind leading the blind. Wilson has an excuse, he’s just a senile old man that signs the checks. Brandon is supposed to know better, or at least make an effort to.
most of my posts get deleted :(
If Ralph plays then blame him....
It begins and ends with the talent. We just don’t have enough, whether it be through bad drafting, injuries,limited resources and the like. We haven’t had time to develop a QB with a young offensive line, we don’t have not enough good players to staff a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense.
I hope Bears fans don't like press coverage.
Also, there goes my theory that no one would be putting the tampa 2 into practice next year.
Jonathan Stupar won the Heisman…while playing in the NFL!
The Bears already ran it.
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by MattRichWarren on Jan 6, 2010 2:21 PM EST up reply actions
Point the finger everywhere.
that’s an option. i am sure that it someday we will narrow it all down and find out that you have to blame the owner… and who really blames Ralph for anything he has done… If you believe he wants to win, you support him. If you think he only wants to make some money, and field mediocrity as long as the seats are full, you don’t support him (and fall into category of cynic IMO) but ultimately he is the end all be all. at least now we know that a new direction will begin, and hopefully it helps us move forward. i don’t want to endure another decade of hope faith and believing without evidence. I can think of many other potentially more worthwhile endeavors if i am looking for hope faith and belief of something i cannot see. but i prefer football when it comes to ritually scheduled gathering on sundays.
FS Jairus Byrd- Pro Bowl Rookie
couldn't say it any better
BG. The organizational structure and mission statement since Jon Butler and Bill Polian left is the main reason this organization has been mired in futility. Asking Donahoe, Levy, Jauron to try and build a winner “in spite” of the culture at OBD is just a joke. To win in the NFl it has to be everything working from Owner to ball boy. Their has to be a “STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE” and EXPECTATIONS for every single employee. Rather than an “inner circle” arguing about players, x’s and o’s, etc. So please Ralph….get a plan, stick to it, and let Buddy Nix run the show in Buffalo
MARVelous - "I went from America's team to North America's Team" Terrell Owens
Let’s not for a second pretend that Jauron actually knew how to build a winner, even if the circumstances were right. I mean the guy had been a loser in the past and had shown no signs that he had improved.
by BillsfanfromDenmark on Jan 6, 2010 1:57 AM EST up reply actions
I'm sorry
But if it was Jauron and the coaching staff’s decision to
1) Draft Maybin in a must win year
2) Cut Walker a week before the season
3) Fire Turk a week before the season
4) Not bring in any of the veteran linebackers that interviewed here
5) Not bring in a backup QB with starting potential in case Edwards fell apart
Then they can go elsewhere and serve as coordinators for better decision makers.
Most of this is Ralph/Brandon’s fault, but the coaches shot themselves in the foot.
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agreed....if Jauron was coach of the Saints or Colt...their record would be...... 7-9
"The Bills have no playoff aspirations" – Dan Dierdorf
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