Mularkey for President

It's been a tough season for Buffalo Bills fans, but I'm not worried.

The Bills are winless so far, and the team keeps making the same mistakes over and over again. Clearly Coach Mike Mularkey's game plan isn't working.

Some people are unhappy with Mularkey, and say he needs to change his strategy. They are pessimistic about our season, but not me. I have faith.

You see, I understand the wisdom behind Mularkey's methods. I know his game plans aren't working out, but he's sticking to them - and that's the mark of a real leader, so I'm told.

OK, so maybe passing the ball on 3rd-and-1 every time isn't working. But Mularkey is the kind of leader who we can trust not to flip-flop. He shows resolve in passing on 3rd-and-1 every time.

Some members of the elite sports-talk media suggest that it's a better idea to run the ball when you only need one yard. How dare they question the leadership of our coach when our players are out there on the field every week?

I know where Mularkey stands on passing when it's 3rd-and-1, and that's the way I like it.

Another problem we have is the offensive line. Our players are just not picking up their blocking assignments, and quarterback Drew Bledsoe is paying the price.

Every time Bledsoe is pounded to the turf by a 350-pound defensive lineman, I bet he is thankful Mularkey is sticking by the blocking schemes for the offensive line. Bledsoe must be glad to have a leader with such unwavering resolve.

If Mularkey were to declare these are the wrong strategies at the wrong place at the wrong time, it would send the wrong message to Bledsoe and the other players who lay it on the line for our team. You just can't send mixed messages to our players.

That's why there's a "Support our Players" bumper sticker on my car. Critics of Mularkey's strategies are undermining the efforts of our players, and I won't have it. Some say they can still acknowledge the talent and sacrifice of our players while criticizing Mularkey's strategies, but that's not true. Support our players.

And why aren't we blaming the defensive lineman for the sacks? They are the ones slamming Bledsoe to the ground. "Fans" who insist on blaming our own team instead of those heartless defensive linemen are not true fans.

Perhaps we don't have the best team in the league. Maybe we do have the worst record in the NFL. But the last thing we need during these trying times is for our fearless leader to admit fault and shift strategies.

Here's another example of Mularkey's resolve: When the Bills get near the goal line, they generally elect to pass and are reluctant to run the ball. Sure, this strategy hasn't led to many "touchdowns," but is Mularkey going to just abandon this strategy willy-nilly?

No. Leaders must be consistent, and so even though we have a running back in Willis McGahee who has pounded it in on the goal line and 3rd-and-short situations almost every time we have given him the chance, don't expect to see him too much. You've got to be consistent when you're the head coach. You can't change positions.

Mularkey tells us things are getting better, that we will start winning games. He hasn't told us how - in fact, he's telling us things will get better even though his game planning is correct and he won't change it - but I trust him. He is steadfast and resolved. He knows the sacrifice of our players - he sees it on the TV screens every day. But being a head coach is tough, and Mularkey is sticking by his tough decisions.

We have a solemn duty to defeat other teams, and the best way to defeat them is to never waver.

I think Mike Mularkey is doing a terrific job. He shouldn't even be an NFL coach - I think he should run for president.