LeSean McCoy: Bills had talent to win, Rex Ryan blew it with lack of discipline
Apparently, there wasn't much discipline in Buffalo under Rex Ryan
By
John Breech
•
2 min read
If Rex Ryan ever gets hired to be an NFL coach again, the first thing he'll probably want to do is make sure to instill some discipline in his players, because apparently, that was something that was majorly lacking in Buffalo.
Since Ryan's firing on Tuesday, two different offensive players have come forward saying that one of the team's biggest issues under Ryan was the lack of discipline.
One of those players, LeSean McCoy, even seemed to take a back-handed shot at his former coach.
"I think the discipline has been an issue," McCoy said on Friday, via ESPN.com. "Players just [need to take] accountability for their own actions. ... I just think as players, as professionals, we need to step up and play accountable. That's the biggest issue."
The back-handed shot came when McCoy started talking about the man who will be replacing Ryan on Sunday: Bills interim coach Anthony Lynn.
"They're putting the team in the hands of a responsible and accountable coach," McCoy said of Lynn. "He'll do a good job."
According to McCoy, there always seemed to be some sort of confusion on the field when Ryan was coach.
"There's too many times where it happens on the field where there's a blown assignment that may be a sack or may be a touchdown," McCoy said. "Everybody is looking at each other. No. Dial in and know your job so we don't have that."
McCoy added that the Bills had the players to win under Ryan, but the now-fired coach just didn't know how to put it all together.
"The talent is definitely here," McCoy said. "It's the small part about being disciplined as a team. There's no reason why we should be high on penalties. There's no reason why we should be high on missed opportunities, missed mistakes. It shouldn't happen. I think that's the difference."
Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins said a lot of the same things during an interview on Thursday.
"It's discipline," Watkins said, via ESPN.com. "Whatever around the locker room that needs to be addressed -- on the field, off the field, flags, whether it's a running drill."
Watkins also added that Ryan's coaching staff was too easy on the players.
"I just think being professional as players [needs to be] fixed first," Watkins said. "Then the coaches have to be hard on us, not scared of us. Get at us, yell at us, curse at us. Whatever to get the player to do that job the best he can, that's what they need to do."
It's not clear if Bills ownership talked to either player before firing Ryan, but it's very possible. McCoy was asked on Friday if he talked to owner Terry Pegula before Ryan was let go and he decided not to answer the question, according to The Daily News.
Based on the way Watkins and McCoy are talking, it appears that some players believe that team took a big step forward by getting rid of Ryan.
