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It's a strange one, not sure what Wilson expects Fewell to achieve in the coming weeks, can anyone expect Buffalo to go 7-0 down the stretch ?
Almost as puzzling as those Head Coaches that fired their offensive co-ordinators in pre-season, where are the Skins, Buccs and Chiefs now ?
As for the game of the week, Denver have started their Winter collapse aboput 3 weeks early this season and the Chargers are on fire, I agree that Rivers is playing as well as any QB right now.
Could be a few points in this one, 31-21 Chargers

Great blog again neil!

While we are on the topic of change in the head coaching postion can i bring up my team...green bay!

An attractive and stable franchise, and on top of that a good team with the added bonus of what could potentially be a high draft pick.

Would a bigger name in the head coaching position iron out the problems we are experiencing and make this team into what we currently should be?

My view is that Buffalo getting rid now gives the players and current staff a wake-up call/opportunity, and perhaps the franchise can seek some advice and informally sound out a few candidates?

Then again, could be quite fruitless if a more attractive team sack their boss upon failure to reach the playoffs and jump in last minute.
Thing that gets me is, what sort of success could any boss have in that division while Brady, and increasingly Sanchez and Henne gonna be influential.

Good article for the most part, Neil, but there is one slight problem. I don't think there is any chance of Buffalo hiring Gregg Williams. He has already failed as a head coach for Buffalo once!

I think the reason for making the early move is probably to get the jump on wooing the glamor head coaches. Mike Shanahan is coming in for an interview next week according to reports. Supposedly, Mr. Wilson is willing to break the back for an elite head coach, but I am skeptical about that. We shall see.

Personally, I would be happy to see Shanahan or Cowher come to Buffalo. It would be the first quality coach we've had since Marv Levy!

Nice article Neil. There are too many problems here in Buffalo right now from management to an inexperience offensive line and the past decade has been nothing to celebrate.

We do have to question the many inexperienced head coaches hired in that period that have fizzled before our eyes including the quarterbacks that may have lasted a few seasons. We bring in a notable receiver and at the same time protect the quarterback with a near rookie offensive line that leads the league in false-start penalties. It's mighty tough to have a running game when you have in ineffective passing attack. OK, so we developed a good punting attack on 4th down.

The way I see it, acquiring a proven coach is a start, but we need good old fashioned gridiron football people in the front office. A good example was when Bill Polian was General Manager here in the mid-80s before being sacked by Wilson in the early 90s. A great eye for talent and personnel. Since his tragic release from One Bills Drive was the beginning of the end of a great era and I am sure Mr. Wilson knows it. Polian went to develop the Carolina Panthers and has done good things with Indianpolis Colts. So Jauron was dismissed in mid-season ... he also had his contact extended in mid-season when we were 5-1 last season before the ugly collapse.

I would not have called Jason Peters our best player on the offensive line when he was near the top of the list for allowing the most sacks the one season. Certainly there were experienced players we let go we should have retained. Now we are paying the price.

I cannot help but wish Dick Jauron the best of luck. People mention what a nice guy he is. Like our previous coaches, he was probably best suited to be a coordinator instead of head coach. Gregg Williams is a prime example.

As for a potential new coach, I would have more confidence with a front office that is ready to put a competitive product on the field and means football. I miss those days of Bill Polian, I really do.

Is isn't possible that Fewell is just basically a Rooney Rule patsy? NFL teams need to interview at least one ethnic minority candidate for a head coaching vacancy. Giving Fewell the interim gig minimises disruption during the season and gives him a shot to interview for the top job, even if the Bills have basically decided that they want Cowher/Shanahan/Holmgren/Schottenheimer (I can't imagine anyone would want Brian Billick).

I say promote Bobby April, the special teams coach. Special teams has been about the only bit of the Bills that has been consistently not terrible for the last few years.

Good blog Neil, and it's nice to see some coverage of the Bills, circumstances notwithstanding!

I would love Cowher to come in but I don't see it happening, Shanny would be my pick but the rumour mill seems to be working overtime in Buffalo so no idea at all what is actually likely rather than wishful. Anyone that can coach a .500+ team would be fine by me to be honest. If I see another 7-9 season again I'm going to cry.

While you say the job isn't that sexy (which is true) there are some considerable advantages for a prospective HC. The Bills have little dead cap money, and compared with say Washington or Dallas it is a much lower profile environment to try and build a team. Also it seems likely a top 5-10 draft pick is on the cards to pick a QB to build around.

Don't get me started on Jason Peters though. He should have been replaced rather than (once again) drafting a long-shot project like Maybin, but he was no way worth the money required to keep him.

@ CBPodge - While I respect Bobby April hugely as a special teams coach, the Bills policy of continuity doesn't seem to have paid any dividends at all. The cheap option has failed for years, I'd prefer a complete break to go with a proven winner.

"Cowher/Shanahan/Holmgren/Schottenheimer (I can't imagine anyone would want Brian Billick)."

Why wouldn't they want Billick? As opposed to Schottenheimer, Billick actually led a team to Superbowl glory. He wouldn't demand the wages that the others would either.
Billick and Baltimore ran their course and it was time for a change to get the team moving forward but he isnt a bad head coach and brings more to the table than most think.

good solid assessment their Neil, however it does seem strange that the HC of the worst team in the NFL is almost as untouchable as if he were taking the Buccaneers to the 'Bowl.

what is your view on this?

"good solid assessment their Neil, however it does seem strange that the HC of the worst team in the NFL is almost as untouchable as if he were taking the Buccaneers to the 'Bowl."

Oke completely different situation. The Bucs were prepared to have a poor season they are a team that are looking to rebuild. Morris had to get rid of a number of ageing "stars" on the defense, had no QB to speak of and was waiting for the right time to bring in Freeman.

Coaches shouldnt be judged in their first season of coaching, give Morris and the Bucs 3 years and then judge him. Look at Kansas, St Louis and Detroit they are all having poor seasons but will stick with rookie H/C's because its about development over a number of years.

Jauron went 7-9 three years running in Buffalo and this was the make or break year.

@ Ravens

completley aggree with most of what you say, and here in Tampa we were expecting a bad year, but not as bad as this one. Morris i think will be allowed to grow out of his rookie mistakes as he seems to have support at one buc place. the only reason i ask is because their have been 3 games this year we have lost due to poor coaching desisions, while people are happy to blame Olsen for the Offence and Bates for the Defence i am of the feeling the buck (no pun intended) stops at the head coach. he hired them and should man up and fire them unless he is happy to be lumped in with his poor co-ordinating.

dont get me wrong as i have no problem bedding in a rookie coach as they have to start somewhere. i was just curious as to what people thought.