By Mark Gaughan
Bills General Manager Buddy Nix said today Chan Gailey will be his head coach next season and any speculation to the contrary essentially is wasted breath.
"Yeah, and I hope I can put that to rest," Nix said when asked about speculation over Gailey's job security. "The age-old thing –- and they’ve done it around here for years -– is to start over about every three years. What that does is make damn sure you don't make it. ... You change every three years and you never quite get there. That's my take."
Gailey is in the middle of his third season as Bills coach. Nix said Gailey's contract does not run out after this year, and he indicated it has two more years to run beyond the 2012 season.
"He’s got a year –- or more," Nix said.
Nix suggested that head-coaching changes often amount to an attempt to appease fans.
"You appease 'em for about three months, and then when you line up you gotta do it again," he said.
"I think Chan is the best, he's one of the best offensive coaches in the league," Nix said. "We're playing three phases of our team. Two of them is playing well, and we have to get the other one up to par."
Nix also made it clear the 32nd-ranked defense is more to blame for the team's 3-4 record than quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
"Listen, you score 34 points, you're supposed to win the damn game," Nix said. "How many do we have to score? He made a mistake' sure he did. Everyboyd did. But if we get one or two stops or if we knock a pass down on third down, it probably changes the game.
"It comes down normally to two or three plays, and somebody's gotta make that play. We didn't, and they did."
