JESSEFEFFER

If a running back's role in the offense is just carrying the ball, then, yes there are a multitude of guys that can do that and average 4 yards a carry. To consistently produce explosive 50+ yard plays takes a special talent and that's what the Bills thought they were getting. Time will tell, but I beleive that Chan Gailey has plans for Spiller and we barely got a glimpse of them in 2010.

The completion % is the last thing I'd look at. It's affected by parameters that are not the same from team to team, the two biggest being weather and protection. Peyton Manning has the BEST circumstances of these two factors. Would anyone not concede that Fitzpatrick dealt with one of the worst combinations of these two factors? Fitzpatrick was good at avoiding sacks and making 3rd and long conversions both of which hurt completion %. He demonstrated a package of skills that allowed him to deal with and often beat pressure. I think it is the single most important skillset for a QB to have and QB passer rating does not properly quantify it. Failing to deal with pressure will chase QBs from the NFL (Culpepper, Bledsoe, Losman, Edwards, George, Everett, etc.) while beating it will define success and is my best definition of "it." It's a package of arm, feet, brains, and recognition/reaction that allows a QB to best utilize the time and space he has available. I think Fitzpatrick showed that he has an effective combination of these skills and abilities which means he can get better. He is QB passer rating plus.

This hidden part of the game has always intrigued me. The HC knows the play call and if was changed. He knows if a breakdown occurred and who was respoonsible. If a receiver ran the wrong route, missed a sight adjust, or if a protection failure was overcome. I suspect that Fitz has been good at avoiding disaster in the face of multiple breakdowns, made quick reads and gotten rid of the ball to avoid sacks. In short Chan would know every obstacle that was presented and how Fitz handled it. These post game film sessions and the conclusions the coaching staff draws from them are pivotal to building a team but as fans we are lagely ignorant of them. I think that Gailey was honest about Brohm's play. He wasn't errant or careless with the ball nor was unaware of what the plays required. The speed of the game was a couple beats too fast for him and those disastrous plays are the result.

There is much riding on the next 3 for most of the roster. They have many guys that barely have a foot in the NFL door. Be a high draft pick and get big money and you will stick around (McCargo, McKelvin) without justifying it on the field. As a free agent or low draft pick you have something to prove everytime you step on the field. Fitz is the epitome of that. So the OP is a legit question. Some looking at the normal QB stats are saying that Fitz's play has slipped over the last 7. I say this: The Bills are a Lindell missed 2nd kick and a Steve Johnson dropped TD away from being 5 and 2 in their last 7. I do not think this is a team that could be within a sniff of 5 and 2 if the QB play was substandard. Some of the quantifiable things that passer rating does not account for that most all football fans would affirm as important to QB play are avoiding sacks and fumbles, converting 3rd downs, being efficient in the redzone, running ability, and taking hits without letting their play suffer. It could be demonstrated that Fitz is a plus in all these areas making him everything his passer rating says he is and more. He is PASSER RATING PLUS. In these last three games he has a chance to give further evidence of this. If he out plays Henne and Sanchez and thereby denying their teams a playoff spot, we would all take notice. If he stands toe to toe with Brady in a game that means something to the Pats (maybe for the #1 AFC seed)and sent the Hoodie to a post game press conference having to explain why his team lost to the Bills in such an important game, the entire NFL would take notice. In short, be the difference, lead the team, and make a statement about this team's relevence to 2011.

In terms of the breakdown of the incomplete throws there are some other categories hidden in the "bad throw" group. "Receiver runs wrong route," " QB makes a throw to avoid a sack," "QB makes a throw to stop the clock" (maybe this is the category "other") QB rating does little to reward the 3rd and long comnversion rate. Trent's strategy of throwing short, completing the pass or maybe taking a sack on third and long is much more QB passer rating friendly. Taking a chance and throwing the ball 17 yards down the field on 3rd and 15 is not good for the completion%.

In Fred's case, having broken a bone in his hand in August would have something to do with it. I broke my 4th metacarpal in June and, after having it in a cast for 6 weeks, that hand was mostly useless for another month afterward.

Here's what I posted to start a thread "Keep an Open Mind": Lot's of people wanting to say that Ryan Fitzpatrick is or isn't worthy of being the Bills" #1 QB going forward. I cite the following: 1) Quick decisions & quick release = very tough to sack. 2) Stands up in the face of pressure and delivers accurate throws-downfield. I'd like to see the numbers on this but when a pass rusher is coming in unblocked he does not wilt. He's got guts and can take a hit. HE CAN BEAT PRESSURE!!! 3) While he has a few flyers-he very rarely has a misread. Wunderlick score aside, he obviously has a clue. 4) While they haven't won much with him, the losses are looking alot like those they had in 1986, if you catch my point. 5) The offensive line and receivers were supposed to be bottom of barrel. Well they don't look like it with him playing. Raising the level of play of one's teammates is the primary sign of a great player, in my way of thinking. 6) He can make plays in the "other" category. A scramble and a dive for a first down or a key block when a back reverses field. I am waiting for him to closeline a defender after a pick or fumble recovery. I think he'd deliver a blow. He is a football player. I think the Bills could win 3 or 4 of their last 7 and go into next year looking like an organization that has an idea. Having a smart, tough, quick thinking, gunslinging, humble, team first and calm under pressure QB to lead them isn't so bad. All this says in my mind that as fans we should let this play out and not let Fitzpatrick's draft round or college team cloud our judgement. Keep an open mind and let his play speak for itself. It's been so long since we have seen consistently productive QB play that it seems many of us have forgotten what it looks like. I think Chan knows it when he sees it. Fitzpatrick is only 14 months older than Kelly was that 1986 season so there is tread left on those tires. Two USFL seasons and Ryan's 5 years in the league are roughly equivalent in experience although Ryan has never gone through a preseason as "the man." So I agree with the analogy (it's an optimistic one) but it most directly applies to the QB, coach and offense. Hopefully the rest of the pieces fall in line.

I wonder if Stevie had a TD celebration planned for today's game. If so, I wonder if he was thinking about his celebration while the ball was coming to his hands. Regardless, Chan has mentioned the humble/humbled line twice in two weeks. Both times it was directed to the play of Steve Johnson. The first in reponse to the "Why so serious?" celebration and the second in regards to his 5 or 6 drop day. The first I took as a warning the second as a "I tried to warn you" admonishment. I get the impression that Gailey is using the adversity that comes with the failure in these close games to teach these guys how to be pros. They may learn faster under these circumstances because the lessons are more painful.

It may have been high or maybe Stevie was supposed to take two more steps up field before the break but cheated his route and blew the timing. We don't know these things for sure. The whole accuracy issue is bogus in my book. Trent was constantly throwing sideways to stationery targets and people were convinced he was poised and accurate. Now we are watching a QB throw the ball down the field to moving targets with plenty of YAC potential but requiring precise timing between QB and receiver. It's football worth watching.

Any rookie quarterback or even just a young inexperieced one playing on this team and we would still be talking about how bad the o-line and receivers were. The national guys would be saying how the rookie "didn't have a chance" and that Buffalo was not a good situation to develop a guy. Fitz can beat pressure, get the ball out quickly and still get it down field. He is optimizing time and space. This is a rare,conversation changing skill, IMO. If this is true I think we see two or three more wins. The Steelers would be a good one to get.

Maybe the time out was arranged prior to the snap. "Hey Ed, if we don't get in we want a time out." That would predispose him toward a quick whistle (the whole it's when I thought about blowing it dead not when anyone actually heard it) and then an instantaneous timeout. Must say I was very angry about the call. Might have been in too much of a rant for my wife's and mother's comfort.

The Steelers represent a huge opportunity for the team and Fitzpatrick. Beating that team would not go unnoticed. Lots of Steeler fans down here in the Southern Tier and at my workplace. Shutting them up would be sweet.

Could have easily been talking about the declining Dallas Cowboys he coached in his first go round. That could not have been an easy group to coach. Maybe the worst. Aging superstars with big bank accounts whose best football was behind them and played under the direction of other coaches.

A fair question. I think that in the NFL that if there is a quarterback ahead of you on the roster that has been drafted and/or paid to be "the Man" then your options are limited. He was traded to one team and chose another. As a free agent he must have had other options. As smart as he is, it's not surprising he'd look around and identify the best opportunity. Not surprising he'd pick the Bills-it was a wise choice.

Finishing strong would legitimize this coaching staff. That would be huge. A win against any playoff contender in a meaningful game especially if it were the Jets or Pats would be a shot across the bow for next year. This would be a way bigger boost to the men in the locker room than a few spots in the draft order. Git 'er done Fitz.

This is getting interesting. Yes I can compare his play this year to Kelly's in 1986. Their losses are very similar. Just like I can compare their ages (soon to be 28 for Fitz while Kelly was comparably 14 1/2 months younger. I hold this as an example to refute those convinced the late game failures are evidence of what his future production is to be like. As far as the "immeasurables", he has some going on. I'll start with 99th percentile smart, gutsy, and having the support of the team (he even passed the T.O. test-not easy to do.) He also has no problem standing up and owning his mistakes. Something you'll recall Jim Kelly having a big problem with early in his career. Oops! I just contrasted Fitzpatrick to Kelly. Am I allowed to do that without having my football intelligence questioned?

The thing is deny the point!!! Or consider and accept it. It would be that often times situations, events, or people we have come to view as being great did not immediately show as such. Let's see how he progresses and where he can lead the team. Kelly had many 4th quarter failures in 1986 but the fact that they were in those close games largely becasuse of him was undeniable. Many were not sure that he was Hall-of-Fame/franchise caliber. Not just that year either. The whole play Frank reich thing. Maybe you missed it. A Quote I remember from Jerry Sullivan about Jim Kelly as being just a "bumpkin that throws footballs."

If you are not old enough or can't remember the 1986 season here's a link: '86 Bills It was filled with a lot of games that remind me of what we have seen from these Bills. A QB in his first year under a new coach (actually two) and alot of late game, "in the clutch" failures. Past performance predicts future results right up until it no longer does. Keep an open mind.

My analogy would be from the movie "Some Kind of Wonderful." Don't go lusting after some superficial, high maintenance, socialite (Lea Thompson) when your life long, mechanically gifted, loyal best freind who happens to clean up real nice (Mary Stuart Masterson) is everthing you never realized you could want or need. All we saying......is give Fitz a chance.

Lot's of people wanting to say that Ryan Fitzpatrick is or isn't worthy of being the Bills" #1 QB going forward. I cite the following: 1) Quick decisions & quick release = very tough to sack. 2) Stands up in the face of pressure and delivers accurate throws-downfield. I'd like to see the numbers on this but when a pass rusher is coming in unblocked he does not wilt. He's got guts and can take a hit. HE CAN BEAT PRESSURE!!! 3) While he has a few flyers-he very rarely has a misread. Wunderlick score aside, he obviously has a clue. 4) While they haven't won much with him, the losses are looking alot like those they had in 1986, if you catch my point. 5) The offensive line and receivers were supposed to be bottom of barrel. Well they don't look like it with him playing. Raising the level of play of one's teammates is the primary sign of a great player, in my way of thinking. 6) He can make plays in the "other" category. A scramble and a dive for a first down or a key block when a back reverses field. I am waiting for him to closeline a defender after a pick or fumble recovery. I think he'd deliver a blow. He is a football player. I think the Bills could win 3 or 4 of their last 7 and go into next year looking like an organization that has an idea. Having a smart, tough, quick thinking, gunslinging, humble, team first and calm under pressure QB to lead them isn't so bad. All this says in my mind that as fans we should let this play out and not let Fitzpatrick's draft round or college team cloud our judgement. Keep an open mind and let his play speak for itself. It's been so long since we have seen consistently productive QB play that it seems many of us have forgotten what it looks like. I think Chan knows it when he sees it.

If you are a Canadian Bills fan, you can come to the Ralph and be one of the 73,000+ there on game day at your will. If you are one of these fans you aren't at all likely to think that the game in the Roger's Centre is much of an attraction. You'd avoid it just like the fans on this side of the border. Now if you happen to be a Bears fan this is the one chance you have to see your team live and the inflated prices and lack of gameday ambiance is much easier to overlook. It is pure supply and demand economics. Only an elite Bills team could have created any buzz in that environment and they have been far from that these past few years. None of these factors are conducive to a great NFL experience.

The point I'd make is that the HC should make sure that the filed goal is the last play of the game. Wade panicked.

in the 4th quarter. In a continuation of a discussion from a few weeks ago regarding the coin toss, deferment, and the third quarter choice of which endzone to defend, why would the Bills choose to kick with the wind in the 3rd quarter? Think of all the crucial kicking plays that occurred in the 4th quarter and how the wind affected the outcome. Word of advice to Chan, it is normally windy near the lakeshore in WNY. Sometimes it is very windy. When playing close games in windy conditions, it is best to have that advantage in the 4th quarter when you are playing the endgame of either trying to hold a lead or make a comeback. It mattered yesterday.

The question has been asked often, How could Tom Modrak still have a job with the Bills? Given some of the poor draft outcomes it is a legitimate question. Given that we rarely have insight into what the information was that was provided, how it was used and by whom, it is plausible to think that he remains because his draft boards have been better than the ultimate decisions that were made. In evaluating the quality of his work, there would be a HUGE data set. Hundreds of draft eligible players every year for multiple years. We have some anecdotal information that suggests that there have often been picks made that deviated from their draft board which have ended poorly. As an organization they are in the perfect position to analyze this. They know the boards as they were set and they know how the information was used and by whom. Tom is still there while many of the other decision makers are gone. To me that makes it easier to believe those anecdotal, draft room stories.