Tom Pelissero

USA TODAY Sports

You can hear the clock ticking in Buffalo, even if the Bills’ offense didn’t act like it while running the NFL’s slowest 2-minute drill Thursday night.

The decision to fire offensive coordinator Greg Roman and promote Anthony Lynn to replace him one day after a nationally televised, 37-31 loss to the New York Jets was the most impactful move Rex Ryan could make without firing himself after his first 0-2 start as a head coach.

The Buffalo News reported owners Terry and Kim Pegula made known their displeasure with Roman’s offense in a Friday morning meeting with Ryan, whose own fate they’ll be pondering in the coming months. And they weren’t the only ones frustrated.

Many Bills players felt the offense lacked an identity under Roman – even last season, when the team led the NFL in rushing, people with knowledge of dynamics in the locker room told USA TODAY Sports after Ryan informed players of the decision Friday.

“I haven’t talked to anybody that isn’t excited about the move,” said one of the people, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

According to that person, there was a feeling Roman essentially put in a new offense each week, rather than focusing and building off what they’d done well, which made the unit prone to either scoring on a big play or going three-and-out, as they did five times in nine drives in the season-opening, 13-7 loss at Baltimore.

Things went a little better Thursday night. But one of the final images of Roman’s offense will be trying and failing to get off another play after Greg Salas caught a short pass from Tyrod Taylor in bounds with 2:20 to go and the Bills trailing the Jets 37-24, bringing boos from the home crowd as whistles blew for the 2-minute warning.

Rex Ryan: 'My move' to fire Bills OC Greg Roman

The News story said the Pegulas’ issues included problems on third downs and communication issues between the side and Taylor. Sporting News reported Bills management “leaned on” Ryan to make a significant change that would appease a disgruntled fan base.

Ryan told reporters it was “my move” to dismiss Roman, 44, who was viewed as a rising star during his run with the Jim Harbaugh-led San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to ’14. Either way, Ryan couldn’t exactly fire the guy who runs the defense that hemorrhaged 493 yards and 28 first downs to Ryan Fitzpatrick and company in Buffalo, since that’d mean quitting his job.

By making a change now, the Bills surely hope to gain some juice as the Detroit Lions did in dismissing offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi after a 1-6 start last season. With Jim Bob Cooter calling the shots, the Lions won six of their last nine games, saving coach Jim Caldwell’s job.

Lynn, 47, played six NFL seasons as a running back, has coached that position in the league since 2003, added the assistant head coach title under Ryan with the New York Jets in 2013 and interviewed for head coaching jobs last year. But he has never been a coordinator at any level, so it remains to be seen what sort of changes he tries to implement.

"I believe Coach Lynn is going to do a great job," said guard Richie Ioncognito, the only offensive player to speak publicly on Friday. "I’ve been around him for two years and he has a tremendous work ethic and ton of knowledge of this offense and what we’re trying to do. It falls back to believing.

Not all of this is Ryan’s fault. Injuries and suspensions have hurt. And it’s not like the Bills have been getting blown out. Still, defense is Ryan’s calling card, and it’s been a problem since he arrived last year, proclaiming the Bills would reach the playoffs for the first time since 1999, only to finish 8-8.

That contributed to speculation in league circles last year Ryan could be done after one season in Buffalo, but the Pegulas stuck with him. Now the Bills are staring down the possibility of starting 0-4, with the Arizona Cardinals (at home) and New England Patriots (on the road) up next.

The team still owes Ryan a lot of cash through the 2019 season on the five-year deal he signed last year, reportedly worth $5.5 million a year. But that may not save Ryan if dumping Roman two games in can’t get more out of the talent the Bills have on offense and help save their season.

Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero