Black Monday

[MikeO]

Not saying the Bills are in great shape, but the Falcons just had two bad seasons in a row while Buffalo gained 3 wins and ended at 9-7. Yeah, they have no QB but neither do the Niners.

Atlanta is NOT in a division with Brady and Belichick and the talent pool is better in Atlanta I don't care what the records say. Buffalo has no QB and no 1st round pick. Atlanta has Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Roddy White. All anyone would have to do is fix the defense down there.

[Sunstroke]

Not saying the Bills are in great shape, but the Falcons just had two bad seasons in a row while Buffalo gained 3 wins and ended at 9-7. Yeah, they have no QB but neither do the Niners.

The Bills went 9-7 in the 2nd or 3rd weakest division in the league. The 49ers went 8-8 in the toughest division in the league, despite having up to 6 pro bowl players missing at a time and a full-blown soap opera going on between coach and front office. Kaepernick, while having a bit of a step-back season, is still better than any QB on the Bills roster.

I like what the Bills are doing with their team...but to say they have a better team than the 49ers is just ridiculous.

[Sunstroke]

As far as the 49ers coaching situation goes... If I was dropping a dollar on a prop bet, my money would be on SF naming Vic Fangio head coach, promoting Jim Tomsula from D-line coach to DC and hiring a new offensive coordinator.

[MikeO]

As far as the 49ers coaching situation goes... If I was dropping a dollar on a prop bet, my money would be on SF naming Vic Fangio head coach, promoting Jim Tomsula from D-line coach to DC and hiring a new offensive coordinator.

I think your right on SF.

I think Marrone ends up  in Atlanta. I think Rex in Oakland OR is on TV. I think Frank Reich ends up in Buffalo. And Chicago I have no clue but Mike Shannhan is a dark horse there

[Sunstroke]

A report on SF Gate yesterday noted that SF had given permission for Washington to interview their secondary coach, Ed Donatell, for the Skins' DC position. They didn't give permission for Washington to interview Fangio for that same position. The report speculated that, if Fangio got the 49ers head coaching gig, it would be Donatell, rather than Tomsula, who would become the 49ers DC.

As eager as I am to see who SF hires as their HC, I am probably more concerned with who will get the OC position. We need a creative play-caller in the worst way.

[Spider-Dan]

The Bills went 9-7 in the 2nd or 3rd weakest division in the league. The 49ers went 8-8 in the toughest division in the league  [...]

Neither of those statements are accurate, based on win-loss record.

Division records, in order:

1. AFCN 38-25-1
2. NFCW 37-27
3. NFCN 35-29
t4. AFCE 33-31
t4. AFCW 33-31
6. NFCE 32-32
7. AFCS 25-39
8. NFCS 22-41-1

[Sunstroke]

Both of my statements were true, as only a supreme idiot (doesn't fit you) or someone using statistical sleight of hand (fits you like a glove) would use basic win-loss record to assess divisional strength. That's why there's this thing called "strength of schedule," which the NFC West easily had the most difficult rating, while the AFC North, the team you would champion as the best division by record, had the easiest.

[raptorsfan29]

If my math is right this is the strength of schedule for each division in order.
 
AFC West  0.529
NFC West  0.527
AFC East  0.521
NFC North  0.489
AFC South  0.487
NFC South  0.486
NFC East  0.486
AFC North     0.476

[Sunstroke]

If my math is right this is the strength of schedule for each division in order.
 
AFC West  0.529
NFC West  0.527
AFC East  0.521
NFC North  0.489
AFC South  0.487
NFC South  0.486
NFC East  0.486
AFC North     0.476

Link to source?

[raptorsfan29]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/standings/_/type/playoffs/sort/conferenceRank/order/false

[Pappy13]

...or someone using statistical sleight of hand (fits you like a glove) would use basic win-loss record to assess divisional strength. That's why there's this thing called "strength of schedule," which the NFC West easily had the most difficult rating, while the AFC North, the team you would champion as the best division by record, had the easiest.

Well Sagarin is a well respected stastical analysis of the NFL that does use strength of schedule in it's analysis and it has the AFCE as the 3rd rated division in the NFL (right behind the NFCW), so I wouldn't exactly call it sleight of hand to think that maybe you're not quite being impartial in this particular case.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/sagarin/

[Sunstroke]

^^^ My "statistical sleight of hand" comment was directed specifically at Spidey for trying to use basic win-loss as the ultimate indicator of divisional strength. I'll admit that I probably didn't give the AFC East its proper due when I called it the "3rd weakest division" in the league. That slip was probably due to my complete lack of respect for the Jets...

[Pappy13]

^^For what it's worth I agree that the 49'ers are a better team than the Bills. 

[masterfins]

Buffalo has no QB and no 1st round pick.

Could get ugly fast in Buffalo.  In addition to the above, Polian has said he is not going to take a job with the Bills.  The current GM is said to be leading the search for a new coach, so he'll probably stick around; but the new head coach is going to report directly to Pegula.  Also, rumors that Def. Coordinator Jim Schwartz may leave for a HC gig if he doesn't get the HC job @ Buffalo.

Easy to understand why Marrone opted out.

[Spider-Dan]

Both of my statements were true, as only a supreme idiot (doesn't fit you) or someone using statistical sleight of hand (fits you like a glove) would use basic win-loss record to assess divisional strength. That's why there's this thing called "strength of schedule," which the NFC West easily had the most difficult rating, while the AFC North, the team you would champion as the best division by record, had the easiest.

As mentioned, even by strength of schedule you're still wrong.  The NFC West is not the strongest division and the AFC East is nowhere near the "2nd or 3rd weakest."