Fansided

Grading the NFL head coaching hires

By Bryce Olin

Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos head coach John Fox on the sidelines against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos head coach John Fox on the sidelines against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 8
Next
Jan 14, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pagula , head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley after a during a press conference at ADPRO Sports Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pagula , head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley after a during a press conference at ADPRO Sports Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Buffalo Bills: Rex Ryan

Grade: B+

Say what you will about Rex Ryan’s antics and stupid comments in press conferences, but this was a great hire by the Buffalo Bills.

First of all, Ryan is a much better coach than Doug Marrone. With a better coach, the Buffalo Bills should have been better than 9-7 last season. I know Kyle Orton was their quarterback, but they had a good defense and so many weapons on offense.

Ryan inherits that same defense that finished first in the NFL in sacks and fourth in points per game allowed. Ryan’s defense always ranked near the top of the league in total defense.

Team’s Rank 

Defense Rushing Def Passing Def
Year Yds Pts Yds Y/A Yds TD Int
2009 1 1 8 4 1 1 13
2010 3 6 3 3 6 19 25
2011 5 20 13 7 5 2 10
2012 8 20 26 21 2 10 23
2013 11 19 3 1 22 19 22
2014 6 24 5 6 14 30 30
6 yrs 85 56 73 81 77 61 39

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 2/2/2015.

At the very least, Ryan should be able to keep the Bills defense in the top five, and possibly even improve the secondary by adding Darrelle Revis, who happens to be a free agent this offseason.

The Bills get linebacker Kiko Alonso, the 2013 Defensive Rookie of the Year, back after missing all of last season with a knee injury.

If the Bills get Revis and throw Alonso back in the mix, the sky is the limit for this defense with Ryan at the helm.

For his coordinators, Ryan brought Dennis Thurman with him from the Jets to coach the defense and Greg Roman from the San Francisco 49ers to coach the offense. While Thurman is basically just an extension of Ryan after spending all six seasons in New York with Ryan, Roman is going to make things very interesting in Buffalo.

After spending the last four seasons in San Francisco, Roman’s power running game should do well with a combination of Bills running backs Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, although there’s no one to throw the ball to Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins just yet.

The Bills are just a quarterback away from being a really good team that could give the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots a run for their money in the AFC East.

I heard Mark Sanchez is available… just sayin’.

Next: Chicago Bears

Home/NFL