A week ago today - two days before the Buffalo Bills throttled Kansas City 41-7 in its season opener - we ran our monthly approval polls for GM Buddy Nix and head coach Chan Gailey. Though both men scored reasonably well, they also recorded their lowest approval rating since November 2010, when the Bills were 0-7 and had just lost an overtime game to, ironically, Kansas City.
Needless to say, if we'd waited until after Week 1, those approval ratings might've been a bit higher. We doubt anyone would have been as convinced that Nix and Gailey are right for Buffalo than team owner Ralph Wilson, however.
"Buddy and Chan have done a fabulous job in identifying players that have been cut by other teams and working with them," Wilson told The Buffalo News Thursday. "They're doing a heckuva job. I'll tell you, we wouldn't be where we're at today if we had Buddy 10 years ago."
Wilson also admitted that it took him too long to realize that he needed a man like Nix running his football operation.
"I finally found out after all these years you have to have a scout ... a football guy, as your general manager," Wilson told Mark Gaughan. "He's got to go out and see the player, talk to the player, talk to his family, see how interested he is in the game. That's what Buddy does."