Friday night Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan boldly stepped to the podium in front of the Upstate New York media, cleared his throat, flashed his teeth and heroically announced that he had valiantly fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman after the Bills’ 0-2 start.
“I met with Greg this morning and we agreed to part ways,” Ryan told the press. “…This is a decision that, moving forward, I think is going to help our team. …This isn’t an ideal situation to make a change.”
Stepping in for Roman, the man who single-handedly found a way to teach both Colin Kaepernick and Tyrod Taylor how to be passable NFL quarterbacks, is none other than professional Rex Ryan sycophant, Anthony Lynn. Lynn has been with Ryan since 2009, serving as running backs coach with the Jets and now the Bills. In fact, a running backs coach is the only job he’s had in the NFL since 2003. His first year as a coach after he retired from a seven-year playing career was special teams coach for the Denver Broncos in 2000.
The only reason you may have heard Lynn’s name before today is he usually makes the rounds to teams with head coaching vacancies as their “Rooney rule” guy by satisfying the minority coaching candidate interview requirement without ever being in any real danger of getting a job. It’s probably a good gig for Lynn. He gets an offseason of free vacations paid for by NFL owners and GMs.
“I think we need a change,” Ryan said. ” I think we have a lot of talent on offense. I believe that. I believe we’re going to do what we can to put the ball in the our playmakes’ hands. I think Anthony will do that.”
Which means he doesn’t believe Greg Roman did that. But he did. The problem for Rex and the Bills is they just don’t have that many playmakers on offense. And that certainly wasn’t Roman’s fault.
The biggest issue is at quarterback. Now, I’m sure anyone could put together a highlight reel of Tyrod Taylor rolling out of the pocket and slinging the ball 50 yards downfield for a bomb. There’s probably plenty of film showing Taylor as a dynamic scrambler, picking up big plays with his feet. Here’s what you won’t find; any highlights of a consistent, accurate mid-range passer. You won’t find a guy that can go through his pass progressions and trust his protection before taking off out of the pocket. You won’t find a guy that can play professional quarterback at the NFL level.
Roman specializes in making chicken salad out of chicken shit. He’s the reason you know Colin Kaepernick’s name. It’s no surprise that Kaep has completely circled the drain as an NFL talent when Roman skipped town after the San Francisco 49ers fired Jim Harbaugh. Taylor made the Pro Bowl last season with the Bills. Who do you think made that happen? Rex Ryan?
The problem with players like Taylor and Kaepernick is they are a solvable problem for a defense. Because they play the quarterback position in an unconventional manner and are very athletic players, they usually have one good, solid year to accomplish anything. After that, they have to learn the real position. Tim Tebow couldn’t do it. Robert Griffin III couldn’t do it. Kaepernick couldn’t do it and Taylor can’t do it. But the Bills have still paid him a shit-ton of money anyway.
Lynn is a “ground and pound” style coach without a single impact player on his roster that fits that kind of offense. LeSean McCoy and Reggie Bush are his best running backs and both are finesse guys. They aren’t snowplows. Mike Gillislee and Jonathan Williams fit that style, but are you going to sit McCoy to play those guys?
The Bills have one fullback on the roster, Jerome Felton, and I’m not sure I saw him in the game Thursday night. Buffalo is built like a spread-option team and if they were a college squad. But you can’t win in the NFL with that kind of offense. And with the defense seeminly unable to carry the load, it’s going to be a long season in Buffalo.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel, at least. Ryan is now No. 1 on the Dead Coach Walking list.
Adam, where do you get that Lynn is a ground and pound guy who needs/wants big, bruising running backs? You’re making baseless assumptions.
Hi Brian. That’s been Lynn’s MO since way back. If you literally Google “Anthony Lynn Ground and Pound” you’ll find articles, interviews and even video pieces about it. Ryan and Jeff Fisher never think outside the box. It’s their main problem as head coaches.