You've had a holiday weekend to let the firing of former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Turk Schonert sink in. We've covered the story from all of the key angles. There are several relevant points that we have discussed:
- The timing of the move obviously was not great, and is the single biggest worry of the entire situation. New coordinator Alex Van Pelt is in the midst of a ten-day stretch in which he's charged with coming up with an offensive game plan to beat New England on Monday Night Football.
- Despite the timing, the move probably needed to made - the offense wasn't going anywhere given the philosophical differences between Schonert and head coach Dick Jauron.
- The move was made for the above reason, but it was also made to make starting QB Trent Edwards more comfortable. You can't give a young quarterback mixed signals, and he was getting exactly that from Jauron and Schonert. Now he'll have a unified philosophy - and a team-effort game plan - to work with on Sundays.
- Owner Ralph Wilson summoned Jauron, Van Pelt, Eric Studesville and COO/GM Russ Brandon to his home in Detroit to clarify Jauron's reasoning behind the decision. Jauron told assembled media over the weekend that it was a productive meeting and a good day, but let's not pretend that Wilson didn't re-affirm to his football hierarchy exactly where they stand.
Considering these angles, plus any that you, the reader, consider as well, it's time for the obligatory poll.