Bell: Buffalo Bills proceed with mixed signals

It is widely known as Black Monday in the NFL, but I'm not feeling that terminology.

You know, the societal tendency that if it's negative, label it Black. Can't buy that message.

From my perspective it should be called Red Monday (for blood, or major investment losses), Blue Monday (for mood) or even Purple Monday (for the bruised egos).

Whatever the name, it's the day the ax falls in the NFL to send unequivocal messages about the failure to meet expectations.

Enough of the speculation.

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The New York Jets canned Rex Ryan and first-time general manager John Idzik.

The Chicago Bears fired Marc Trestman and the GM who hired him, Phil Emery.

The Atlanta Falcons waved farewell to Mike Smith, but GM Thomas Dimitroff stayed.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills, who have just produced their first winning season (9-7) in a decade but again clinched what has become a customary spot for the playoffs — home — apparently are standing pat with coach Doug Marrone and GM Doug Whaley.

At least for now. Good for the Dougs.

There's something to be said for sticking it out. The past couple of Purple Mondays in Dallas, speculation swirled that the Cowboys would pull the plug on Jason Garrett.

Instead, owner Jerry Jones hung with Garrett and tweaked the operation in other ways.

Look at them now. The Cowboys are division champs again.

With new ownership, though, comes much uncertainty. Terry and Kim Pegula closed the deal to purchase the Bills in October, and after the franchise operated for decades under late founder Ralph Wilson, much speculation has persisted about how they will do business.

Typically, new owners bring in their own.

Bills President Russ Brandon has stopped short of guaranteeing today's speculation won't become tomorrow's news.

With clear statements being made all across the NFL, the Bills have sent mixed messages.

Guess that's part of the process.

Terry Pegula made a clear statement weeks ago in declaring that the team would remain in Buffalo and that he would seek to build a new stadium.

But there has been no big statement about whether he's down with the coach and GM for the long haul.

Brandon, who came to the Bills in 1997 after serving as a marketing executive with baseball's Florida Marlins, is the high-ranking middle man between ownership and football operations.

Even so, it wasn't too long ago that Brandon touted a beefed-up analytics department that would conceivably tap into baseball Moneyball principles.

So there's still a link between the business and football sides, as always.

Also unclear is how well the Dougs mesh. Brandon downplayed reports of friction between Marrone and Whaley, but this, too, bears watching. Look at how the Jim Harbaugh-Trent Baalke differences evolved with the San Francisco 49ers — a team with a lot of success.

Who has the power? Who's to blame?

Whaley shouldn't have to take the hit for drafting EJ Manuel when there's ample input from the coaching staff. A personnel department is charged with finding the players to fit what the coaches want for their systems.

Then again, they all have a stake in the decision to trade a bundle to move up to draft wideout Sammy Watkins, given the premium on draft picks.

In the meantime, the jump on next season begins with the Bills missing the playoffs again — extending the NFL's longest current playoff drought to 15 seasons.

Still, producing the franchise's first winning season in a decade — even with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady sitting out the second half Sunday — represents significant progress. Buffalo was 6-10 in four of the five previous campaigns and 4-12 in the other.

Besides, Marrone and Whaley just completed their second seasons in their roles. The 13 other consecutive non-playoff years did not happen on their watch.

Give them some time.

Granted, Bills fans — especially those who rooted for Bruce Smith and Jim Kelly in the last millennium — have been rather patient for a while. They've only seen 14 quarterbacks start for the Bills since Kelly retired. The latest, Kyle Orton, surprised his teammates by retiring Monday.

At least the new Bills owners didn't shock the world by cleaning house.