I started writing this with the mindset that there wasn't anything new left to be said about this season. We all know what's gone horribly wrong in a season that started with so much hope. But a dread has crawled into my head and I'm having trouble shaking it.
The offense has become a total joke. Chan's play calling has rivaled some of the worst in Bills history and, Dear God, is that saying something. Fitz doesn't have the guts to stand up to him, let alone the mindset to have any consistency. C.J.'s too young to demand the carries he deserves. Stevie Johnson waited twelve weeks to vent the frustration we've seen brewing all season long, and even then only slightly. They seemingly have lost the will to win. For the second straight game, the embattled defense held their opponent under 21 points. There was a time not long ago when 21 points seemed easy for Fitz & Co. In those eight quarters, the Bills scored seven points on offense. Seven.
As I watched Chan call throw after throw after throw in a game they trailed by one touchdown, I thought to myself, so, this season is done. The relevancy is gone, right? No more "In The Hunt" graphics. The Bills stink. Chan needs to be fired. A new quarterback search must begin. Maybe a new GM while we're at it. Because there's no way they could string together enough victories together to… to…
Oh, God.
He still has a chance to keep his job.
No, seriously. Never. It's funny every time. It's also arguably the worst injury-free thing to ever happen to a player in the history of the NFL. Ok, ok, I'm judging on a sliding scale. But c'mon, football on Thanksgiving is huge now. Almost 16 million people were watching former Jets savior Mark Sanchez when he ran face first into Brandon Moore's ass. He realizes he's probably just had the defining moment of his career. All he can do is lie face down on the turf and let it happen.
The best part? It wasn't Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Alright, I'm rambling. Back to the point.
We all know that Chan deserves to get fired. But we also know that doesn't mean that the 94-year-old man running the team has any plan to do so. Joe over at Buffalo Wins brought this up a week or two ago. The last coaching search was brutal. The team is certainly improved, but it's still mostly below average talent. Titanic was setting box office records the last time we were in the playoffs. What caliber of coach can we possibly hope for?
So if Chan can somehow find 3 victories in the next 5 games, finishing the dreaded 7-9, will anyone be surprised if word comes down from 1 Bills Drive that everyone's staying?
Are you feeling my fear now?
As I said before, the defense has kept our last two opponents under 21 points. What's the highest scoring offense left on the schedule? The New York Jets with a robust 20.1 average.
I'm not saying it's gonna start looking like the "bend, don't break" days, but when the best quarterbacks left to gameplan against are Sam Bradford & Russell Wilson, there's hope for the Bills' emerging pass rush. Throw in a few big-time plays by Jairus "Contract Season" Byrd and it's not that hard to imagine the Stache keeping games close.
Now take a look back at our offensive output this season. Yes, we've been pathetic at times, but we’ve also scored 24 or more points in half our games. You can split hairs and tell me one game doesn't count or another was an aberration. But consider the fact that for all the frustration the fans feel, there's been no sign of a rift in the locker room or the front office over Gailey's leadership. Stevie might pout, but even he backtracked from his moderately critical post-game statements. What if Gailey can gin up a few more high-scoring outings? What if he finally removes his head from his rectum and starts utilizing his best asset, C.J. Spiller, to his maximum potential? Could he find a way to save his job?
Is it in any real danger?
Maybe I'm being too paranoid. Perhaps the powers that be are just letting Chan finish out the season. But contrary to popular belief, it's not over yet.