Changes Needed at the Top

When you eat an ice cream sundae, what's the first part that is devoured?  The top covered with hot fudge, sprinkles, and occasionally whip cream.

If the Buffalo Bills expect any improvement on their dismal output over the past decade, they must attack their franchise like the offensive line would do a sundae.

Start with the top.

You can say what you want about general manager Buddy Nix's ability to draft talented players but it’s clear that his system isn't producing wins.  Since taking over as general manager in 2009, the Bills are 13-26.

There is no sense of improvement.  There is no hope for change.  But more importantly, there is no accountability at any position within the organization.

Year after year, it's the same hype but the same sad results.  

Team CEO Russ Brandon, along with Nix has shown they cannot produce a winner.  They're time is up.

There needs to be change in power.  There needs to be a change in thinking.  More importantly, there needs to be a change in philosophy.  

Since 2001, the Bills have drafted nine offensive skill players in the first two rounds.  Eight of those nine players no longer play for the Bills.

Drafting poorly would be an understatement, but poor coaching and development would be correct.  There have been five head coaches since the beginning of the 2001 season and only once has the team had a winning record (9-7 in 2004).  They have the league's longest playoff drought of 12 seasons.

Even through all the history, the fans are still forced to hear how this is a "new year."  It will never be a "new year" under this management.

Buffalo seems to not only be the town of football disappointment, but it's also the gold mine for other NFL teams to snatch away our un-developed talent.

Marshawn Lynch was drafted with the 12th pick in 2007.  Just three years later, C.J. Spiller was picked ninth overall.  Spiller is now a talented running back but still a backup.  Lynch is going "beast mode" in Seattle as one of the best running backs in the league. 

Donte Whitner; a safety drafted eighth overall in 2006 was let go in 2010 due to differences in money and the Bills not wanting to pay him what he thought he was worth.  However the San Francisco 49ers thought he was worth the money, making him starting safety on the best defense in the NFL.  

The Denver Broncos are another team who possess a former Bills star.  Drafted in 2003, Willis McGahee was unfit to be in Buffalo so he too was let go.  He now starts and helps bolster a strong running game in Denver for a winning football team.

Through all of these players leaving, the Bills have kept the likes of Leodis McKelvin, Aaron Williams, Terrence McGee and Roscoe Parrish, all of which have produced as much as any one of the 73,079 fans in attendance each home game.

It’s not that the Bills are losing; rather it’s the way and consistency in which they do it.  The Bills haven’t been relevant since the late 90’s and it’s not necessarily a surprise.  No one is under pressure.  No one feels any heat.  No accountability within the organization will lead to what the organization is experiencing now.

There needs to be firm leader in place and I’m not talking about the guy throwing the ball on the football field, even though it would be nice to have a good one of those too.  Brandon and Nix’s time of mediocrity is over. 

Ralph Wilson must eat his sundae the way all of us at home want him to… start at the top.