Buffalo Bills: 2008 a Make-or-Break Year for Dick Jauron

When the Buffalo Bills' offseason began after their Week 17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 30, general manager Marv Levy stepped down, thus leaving uncertainty within the organization at several key positions.

Among them was head coach.

Dick Jauron, coming off two consecutive 7-9 seasons, was Levy's hire in January 2006, and it wasn't clear whether the Bills would retain him with a new front-office regime. But after the team elected last weekend to fill Levy's shoes with a committee of executives—mainly Russ Brandon, Tom Modrak and John Guy—who were already employees of the franchise, it became clear that Jauron would be sticking around for 2008.

In other words, owner Ralph Wilson's decision to maintain continuity within the organization was an indirect vote of confidence for Jauron, whose immense popularity among the players whom he coaches can't be questioned.

But Jauron a sure bet to return for a third season with the Bills, one has to wonder how the team will handle his situation if he finishes with a sub-.500 record again.

Historically, Jauron has been a relatively poor coach, at least in terms of record. During stints in Chicago, Detroit, and Buffalo, Jauron has amassed a terrible 50-67 record that is boosted largely by a 13-3 mark with the Bears in 2001. That was the only time a Jauron-coached team has ventured to the playoffs; other than that, his second-best record is 7-9, which he's accrued three different times.

Obviously, then, to say Jauron has been a success so far in his head coaching career would be a major stretch. Actually, to claim the 57-year-old has even been mediocre would be generous.

That's why 2008 ought to be considered a make-or-break year for the Yale alumnus.

If Jauron's Bills actually show improvement and demonstrate the ability to play close games against elite-level teams, then there is a good chance a return in 2009 would be justifiable. However, if Buffalo ends its next campaign with seven wins or fewer, Jauron ought to go.

Wade Phillips, the Bills' most successful coach since Levy left that role in 1997, went 29-19 and made the playoffs twice—but was still fired by the team in 2000. His successor, Gregg Williams, totaled 17 wins in three years and was also relieved of duties. Then Mike Mularkey came to Buffalo, matched Jauron's 14-18 record over two seasons, and resigned.

With that said, if the Bills don't finish .500 for the second time this decade in '08, it should mean the end of the Jauron era.

Phillips and Williams certainly weren't given free passes for their three-year tenures. Jauron shouldn't be handed one either.

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