Following the Buffalo Bills’ 33-13 victory against the Cleveland Browns in Week 15, injured center Eric Wood defended head coach Rex Ryan. There have been rumors going around that Terry and Kim Pegula, the owners of the Bills, will fire Ryan after the season.
Rex Ryan shouldn’t be fired because Bills are ‘so freaking close,’ according to Eric Wood
Wood took up for Ryan.
Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images
”This isn’t like hockey where you scrap your franchise for a guy that you know is coming like an Eichel or McDavid,” Wood told the Associated Press. The veteran center was referring to Buffalo Sabres Jack Eichel and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, the top two draft picks in the NHL in 2015.
”This is football,” Wood added. “You can get a No. 1 draft pick, and the best guy on the board is a tackle that year, and a tackle doesn’t change your franchise.”
The veteran center broke his leg in Buffalo’s 31-25 loss against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9. Even though Ryan has led Buffalo to a 7-7 record, Wood went on to say that he is a “Rex guy.”
“I like Rex a lot,” Ryan said. “I like him as a coach. I think he’s a great leader. I know it doesn’t feel like it all the time, but we’re so freaking close.”
Ryan is in his second year as the Bills’ head coach. He said he doesn’t know what his future holds, but he is going to “get this team ready to play on Saturday” against the Miami Dolphins, who are 9-5.
“Nobody knows what my future is,” Ryan said. “A lot of you don’t know what your future is, either, so to me, I just prepare the team to the best of my ability.”
Browns left tackle Joe Thomas agreed, saying, “I think a coach needs four years, otherwise you shouldn’t hire him.”
If the Bills want to win their home finale against the Dolphins, running back LeSean McCoy must continue to run the ball well, and quarterback Tyrod Taylor has to complement Buffalo’s strong rushing attack with play-action passes. Defensively, the Bills have to limit big plays and create turnovers.
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