Do Bills Have Discipline Problem With 'Fun Uncle' Joe Brady In Charge?

It's not everyday a NFL team has two players suspended for spitting at an opponent.

Buffalo Bills' safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and special teams ace Sam Franklin have received one-game suspensions for violating the league's conduct policy against the Las Vegas Raiders on October 18, although the latter strongly denies the allegation.

Even if cleared from any wrongdoing in this particular situation, Franklin still fits the narrative that the Bills lack discipline under rookie head coach Joe Brady. Through six weeks, the veteran is tied for the NFL lead with three special teams penalties that have hurt his team's field position.

Bills' penalty problem

Buffalo has totaled 51 penalties (that doesn't include the seven that were declined) through six games. That mark is the fifth highest in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers leading the way with 57 enforced infractions.

Three of the those 51 flags belong to Gardner-Johnson. Prior to his Week 6 personal foul penalty that led to his disqualification, the unstable safety committed an unnecessary roughness foul six days earlier against the Los Angeles Rams.

The Bills' penalty issues, however, extend well beyond Gardner-Johnson and the defense.

Against the Raiders, a fourth-down offensive holding penalty took a Dalton Kincaid touchdown reception off the board.

"We've got to be more disciplined, and it's almost, it's kind of a lot of different position groups, too," said Brady prior to the Week 6 chaos in Las Vegas. "Our fundamentals and technique have to improve. Once you put it on tape, regardless of going into each game, some refs call it more, if we're putting it on tape, we're targets in certain elements, and we have a lot of stuff we have to clean up."

Is Joe Brady commanding the necessary respect?

Players who respect their head coach and teammates usually refrain from selfish behavior, even in the heat of the moment.

Unfortunately, there have already been multiple occasions where Bills' players lacked both situational awareness and respect for the team's mission.

With the 36-year-old Brady, who had never been a head coach prior to his promotion with the Bills, currently being the youngest in the NFL to hold his position, it's certainly valid to question whether some players see him as a buddy rather than a boss.

"The vibe with Coach Brady is young and fresh," said left guard Alec Anderson to News 8 back in July. "It’s kind of like having your uncle come over, and he’s a little younger than the older brother, and you just know you’re gonna have a good time. ... You know you’re going to be able to go out and get some ice cream and do stuff that your parents wouldn’t really allow you to do, and I think that’s kinda the fun aspect that we’re gonna have."

Brady dismissed the idea of being a "fun uncle" during an on-site training camp interview with Kay Adams.

"The fun uncle, I have no clue what the hell that means. I'm gonna be honest," said Brady.

Joe Brady needs to flex his authority

Brady needs to send the message that no player is more important than the team, and he can do it by dismissing Gardner-Johnson.

The over-the-top Gardner-Johnson has shown troubling lapses in judgement on multiple occasions since joining the Bills, beginning with his training camp livestream from the locker room.

It looks as if Brady may have erred when professing his desire for players who aren't afraid to "toe the line." Too often it seems that "playing with an edge" becomes an excuse for selfishness and stupidity on the field.

The Bills must be careful with confusing playing with passion and energy for unhinged punk behavior.

A good place to start is by making an example of those players whose default is using their saliva as a weapon of choice on the field.

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