Buffalo Bills

Why Rex Ryan Deserves One More Season

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Sep 11, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan (C) looks on from the sidelines during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens won 13-7. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Head Coach Rex Ryan is Running Out of Time

As a Bills fan, watching this season unfold has been a nightmare. Almost as soon as last season finished, there has been one incident after the other. This season was supposed to be the next phase in the Rex Ryan era. The Bills were supposed to take a step forward and make the playoffs. Now it appears none of that will happen.

While it’s easy to point the finger at Rex, it’s not his fault Karlos Williams got suspended, gained weight and could not lose it. It’s not his fault his two-star defensive rookies both went down with devasting injuries. You also can’t blame Rex for Marcell Dareus not doing the right thing or Sammy Watkins lingering foot issue.

So what can you blame Rex for? For starters, the defense has gotten worse under his reign. Before he came to the Bills, the team had a top 10 defense, now they are much worse. Part of that is due to suspensions and injuries. But it’s also due to Rex and his system. Either he needs to implement a new defensive system or he needs to find the right players to fit it.

You can also blame Rex for not doing much with the offense this year. Last year he brought in LeSean McCoy, Percy Harvin, Charles Clay, Karlos Williams, and Tyrod Taylor. This had the makings of an explosive offense. However, that did not turn out to be the case. So far this year the offense has looked worse, despite the 31 points scored last week against the New York Jets.

The Bills paid a high price for Sammy Watkins before Rex got there. For the future of the team and Sammy’s health, it might be best for Rex to sit him down for a few weeks in order for his foot to heal. The Bills are not going to the Super Bowl this year, they are not going to the playoffs, they will be lucky if they win seven games. Despite the season just beginning, it may be time to start looking ahead at next year.

I don’t believe Rex should be fired halfway through this season or at the end of this season. The team has a lot of pieces in place, they just need a bit more time to see if it will work. Next season, he’ll have his stud rookies back. Watkins will hopefully be fully healthy. Taylor will have another year of experience under his belt and will hopefully take the next step in his progression. The talent is there.

Rex will need to have a great draft next year. He needs to find a number two receiver to help Watkins. Robert Woods still has time to step up, but it’s now or never. They also play in a division that is very competitive. The Patriots are world beaters. The Dolphins have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. The Jets are also pretty loaded on both sides too.

Rex Ryan deserves at least one more season to prove he is the right fit for the team. Will the Bills give him that chance? That’s up to Terry and Kim Pegula.

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Is Rex Ryan the right coach for the Bills? What do you think Bills fans?