hondo in seattle

Inaccuracy can be caused by many things. Maybe the kid just has poor hand-eye coordination (inferior genetics). That kind of inaccuracy cannot be cured. But other causes can potentially be fixed: * poor timing * poor mechanics * poor poise in the pocket (which leads to poor mechanics) * bad route running by the WRs * unfamiliarity with the speed & route tendencies of the WRs * poor progressions (you're more likely to complete the pass if you're throwing to the open guy) * and so on. The QB coach last year said EJ's biggest accuracy problem was in fact poor timing. Too often EJ was accurately throwing to where the guy was, instead of where he would be. Then again, I've seen EJ cleanly launch some long balls that were off target which makes me worry about his natural accuracy.

We've been hearing about EJ's soft demeanor for a while now. We've also heard that his 'accuracy' issues were more timing issues. Both problems seem correctable... but you never know until it happens. KtD is right. A NFL QB needs to master a lot of things. Some never learn how to master them all - or even enough of those skills to succeed as a starting QB. In EJ's case, I'm hoping for the best, fearing the worst.

It was a dumb play call because it didn't work. If it had worked, Carroll would have been hailed as a bold and daring genius. And the probability of the play working was reasonably high. Nonetheless, the probability of pounding Lynch up the middle a couple of times must have been higher.

The NFL is a league of opportunity. You create pockets of excellence where you can. There are no big money QBs available. We have the cash. Why not spend it on an elite CB that will make our good defense even better? Of course, it depends on the cost. If Revis is so pricey we lose the opportunity to sign Hughes and another OG, I say no. But we'd be foolish not to check this out.

Josh McCown, Shaun Hill... I don't think we can realistically expect better at this point. We need a mediocre veteran to compete with EJ because the good vets are tied up. I'm really hoping EJ steps up this season. If not, we'll have to live a with a Dlifer-esque, game-managing veteran.

Regarding Bryce Petty, I've seen draft gurus predicting as high as the 2nd round for him, and as low as the 7th round. One man's trash is another man's treasure, I guess. I really find it hard to imagine any scenario where the majority of us here on OBD are happy with the QB situation when training camp starts. Looking at the NFL QBs who could be traded or released, and the kids in the draft, there is no consensus answer out there that we'd all agree to be excited about. It's not necessarily what I hope for but my guess is that EJ will be under center opening day.

We really don't have enough we-need-to-find-a-QB threads. Can we start more?

Cleveland beat us out for McCown because they were more desperate than us. Their only QB is in rehab and looked horrible last year. They effectively didn't have a QB until they overpaid McCown. Trading is unlikely to solve our problem. As a general rule, teams don't trade away franchise QBs. So we're screwed. But maybe not. We're probably going to field an elite defense this year. Hopefully, Crossman can keep our STs in the top five. Incognito and maybe another FA or draft pick will give us a better OL. Greg Roman will certainly improve the running game. And then we hope that we can Dilfer our way into the playoffs. I don't think it's an unreasonable hope.

This is a good point. BUT, on some of Fitz's long passes to Stevie, Fitz was grunting for everything he was worth and throwing as far as he could, hoping for the best. Or so it seemed. Maybe I'm selling Fitz short.

This would make sense. Stevie would be an economical option, and potentially - reunited with Fitz - a productive one.

I watched Locker years ago at the combine, or maybe it was some other event where he got to throw the ball with other college QBs. I was stunned at how inaccurate he was.

Fitz has been the only QB to know how to use Stevie's unique skill set. And it seemed at times Fitz was just throwing the ball out in Stevie's general direction and Stevie made the play. Most QBs like their WR to be where the play says he should be.

With McCown gone, it looks like we're waiting to see who gets cut next. Next season we're going to either start the thinks-too-much youngster who few people believe in or the discarded veteran who few people want. McCown was a hot commodity because he was the best QB available right now. The Browns won the bidding simply because they were the most desperate. While the Bills flirted with McCown, they'll go into full courting mode when someone better frees up. No matter what happens, we're going to rely on our D, ST and run game to win games.

If I was McCown: * I'd want to start * I'd want to win * I'd want to get paid. In Cleveland, he's pretty much guaranteed the first point and the Browns probably beat us on the last point.

True. But he's probably finding this a lot more fun.

I agree. Leroi knows he's earned some cred. Now he's playing with it.

Signing Bradford wouldn't excite me for these reasons (and the fact he's injury prone) but I do hope we bring in some competition. And Bradford's about as good as anyone else 'available' - though I'd hate to cough up a high draft pick for him. If we did sign Bradford, we'd have to begin the season with 4 QBs.

Whatever his flaws, Tim was ten times better than Sully. Larry Felser, though, was the best.

I agree with John wholeheartedly on this. Marcel is a proven Pro Bowler. Players like that are hard to find. Bradford is a proven hospital patient. Why significantly weaken our defense on the long shot that we might, maybe, possibly be upgrading our offense?

I'm assuming the Bills would renegotiate his fat contract. I'm not sure Bradford can throw better than EJ, or stay healthier. But we certainly need to enter preseason with some combo better than EJ & Tuel

I'd rather spend this money on a QB. But what QB options do we have? The truth is that you just can't build a team that's strong everywhere. There's not enough money, not enough quality FAs, and not enough draft picks. So you build pockets of excellence where you can. Right now we have the opportunity to resign Hughes which will give us possibly the best defensive front 7 in the NFL in 2015. My fingers are crossed this works out.

Let's hope EJ figures it out. You are of course correct in saying the Bills need to bring in viable competition. But looking at the FA QBs available, and college kids in the draft this year, it seems the most likely scenario is that we enter the 2015 season with EJ under center. So here's my list of wishful thinking: * Greg Roman will do for EJ what he did for Alex Smith * Richie Incognito and a better OL overall will make EJ's job easier. * A capable running game (Roman's running games are almost always in the top 10) will take some pressure off EJ * EJ had contradictory guidance and different 'voices in his head' in 2014. A unified coaching staff will help the young QB develop. * David Lee has an excellent reputation working with young QBs and he'll do a nice job mentoring EJ * EJ learned a lot when he sat on the bench last season. * The defense will be so good under Rex that the offense won't have to score a lot.

I'm afraid the Bills will make the classic Prom Night Mistake. The girl you have a crush on already has a boyfriend. She's not going with you. The other girls who are available just don't excite you the same way, so you procrastinate asking anyone to the prom. By the time you decide to take action, all the cute and average girls already have dates. You're left with the girl no one else wanted.

I'm thinking like this... Rex, especially with Kiko coming back, will make the D a little better. Danny Crossman will keep the ST in the Top Five. Greg Roman, especially with some new starters on the OL, will establish a capable running attack. With all that, we can Trent Dilfer our way into the playoffs.

What PFF does is interesting and somewhat useful. But you're right - it's very hard to do statistical breakdowns of individual NFL players, especially when you don't know the call/assignment.