Red Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 Please list the things he was doing before the injury that he is no longer doing. I'd be interested in knowing them. I can't think of one. Perhaps it was the improvement over JP. To finally have a QB who had a grasp of not staring down your receiver, holding the ball for too long, waiting for him to get open. Perhaps it was the quick, accurate decisions for short- moderate gains. And to finally escape those ill-timed JP turnovers, heck- even Bledsoes' turnovers and lead feet- made me feel like we were making progress. I can't back it up with stats (nor do I have the time nor desire to do so), but he was a different QB last year prior to the concussion. He was a big improvement over Bledsoe and Losman. But he has clearly regressed. Edwards needs some time on the shelf. He needs to be rebuilt by someone who knows what they are doing to regain lost confidence in his line and receivers. He needs to be coached up to read the field properly. Perhaps a couple of years as a #2 or #3 under a Shanahan regime would work. He learns, while the offense gets better.
Catholic Guilt Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 Adrian Wilson cracked TEs head like a coconut. He has not been the same since that hit. Before that hit, players like Lee were saying how just having TE on the team and in the huddle gave them confidence that the game could be won even down late in the fourth quarter. Back when we were 5-1. Never been said since. Agree 100% That play was the beginning of the end for Edwards.
cåblelady Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 Agreed. If one could erase that hit, what might have been. He has seemed like a completely different player since. Ouch!
12Kachy Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 I know this sounds like a long shot but hey why in the world would they start Fitz over Edwards? I could see if they just think Fitz is better, but the numbers don't lie. The guy is likely right behind Edwards. I would play Edwards today, especially since Fewell will try to get the O running. If Fitz looks like crap today, Brohm will start next week.
gobillsinytown Posted November 22, 2009 Posted November 22, 2009 I know this sounds like a long shot but hey why in the world would they start Fitz over Edwards? I could see if they just think Fitz is better, but the numbers don't lie. The guy is likely right behind Edwards. I would play Edwards today, especially since Fewell will try to get the O running. If Fitz looks like crap today, Brohm will start next week. That's what I was thinking. If Edwards is truly free and clear of consussion effects, why keep him benched? I don't think Fitz has shown anything better, unless they're seeing something on film that we don't have access to. Either that, or the entire coaching staff is just desperate to try anything because they know the rest of the year is an evaluation of their jobs.
thewildrabbit Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Nobody, and I mean nobody even at this day and age completely understands what the effects of a concussion can do to a human. What little they do know about concussions is that with each concussion it becomes easier to sustain another concussion and can ultimately cause permanent brain damage and can be a life long issue. Brian Westbrook suffered a concussion and three weeks later suffered another, and so he should be put on IR for the year to completely heal IMO. The same thing should happen with Edwards, if he is showing signs of mental impairment then he should be on IR and not second string as this season is a wash.
Tcali Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 His best game last year was the game immediately AFTER he came back from the concussion. Individual or not, concussions don't work that way. completely wrong statement--we've gone into detail why that is not the case
Buftex Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 That's what I was thinking. If Edwards is truly free and clear of consussion effects, why keep him benched? I don't think Fitz has shown anything better, unless they're seeing something on film that we don't have access to. Either that, or the entire coaching staff is just desperate to try anything because they know the rest of the year is an evaluation of their jobs. I think Fitzgerald and Edwards have both been dreadful. The difference is, Trent has not even been able to get plays run, while Fitz, as drunkenly off target as he is, has been able to at least release the ball, with some consistency. I don't think Trent is sitting because he is suffering post-concussion effects, I think he is sitting, because his teammates have lost faith in him. I wouldn't be upset to see either, or both of them, on someone else's sideline next season. That being said, I would still prefer to see Edwards down the stretch. I don't see Fitzpatrick getting any better, but I think there is still some small hope, Edwards can find his (a?) game again. If the Bills do "business as usual" next season, Edwards will still be there next year. If they truly have turned over a new leaf, he should be gone. btw- As bad as Edwards has been, I liked his demeanor on the sidelines today... he talked to Fitzpatrick, was seen congratulating teammates...a huge change in the "stoned detachment" JP showed, in the same situation. If he is losing his teammates trust, at least he is attempting to stay part of the team...
ieatcrayonz Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Nobody, and I mean nobody even at this day and age completely understands what the effects of a concussion can do to a human. That is mostly true but not completely. One easily understood effect of a concussion is its use as a universal excuse for utter lack of talent. You could be lousy both before and after a concussion but if enough time goes by you can just blame the concussion.
grelit Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 He's not playing because he sucks. He cannot read defenses and only throws to wide open receivers. He is not an NFL quality QB. Let's stop with the concussion excuse and call a spade a spade. Trent sucks. Next. Totally agree with you. I mean one hit? Come on...look at the abuse that Brett Farve has taken over his career. So much so that he was addicted to pain killers.... I am tired of the excuses for Edwards....He sucks...that simple....
zow2 Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Not that it has anything to do with Edwards....but it came out last week that Troy Aikman absorbed a bad concussion the week before SB XXVII. He said he remembered almost nothing about the game (even right after it). Jimmie Johnson said this week that he did not think Aikman even knew where he was in that Super Bowl. They had to play him of course and we all know the results. The point is, a guy can have a good game after a concussion but the accumulated affects probably mess them up even worse.
keepthefaith Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Why is it mean spirited? Seems every time Trent's play slips it's due to a concussion, both real and if needed to cover up reality, 'phantom' ones. I'm not saying the slippage in play is due to concussions. However, we really don't know why he isn't playing right now and it might be due to that. Time will tell if he has a problem or not.
chicot Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 He never looked like the next coming of Joe Montana before the concussion. The exact same problems he had before he has now. He doesn't read defenses well, he doesn't look off receivers, he's too quick to check down, he doesn't throw down the field with any consistency, he doesn't react well to a strong rush, he doesn't trust his receivers to go up and get the ball. And he's injury prone. That was all before and that is all after. So you really think he's looks the same player now that he did before the concussion? Certainly, he was no Joe Montana before it, but, unless my memory is playing tricks on me, I thought he looked like he was developing into a very good qb. As I remember it, he was fast, decisive and accurate. It would be snap, look, completion. On the (admittedly few) occasions, he threw the deep ball it was usually on target. I don't remember him checking down that much. Sure he did on occasions, but only as a last resort. Even rentaquote himself, Whitner, said that with him on the field the defence could sit back and relax since they knew he'd get the job done. Compare that to the way he looks now. He seems to take an absolute age to release the ball, staring down one receiver all the time. He checks down way too much and his deep balls are horribly inaccurate. I don't believe (as some would say) that it is all do with his hot streak coinciding with the Bills playing crappy teams or that it's all down to defences knowing his tendencies. Receivers do still get open but he just can't find them like he used to. I don't know what exactly has happened to him - whether it's the concussion, bad coaching, poor offensive line play etc... but he's a fraction of the player he was. Maybe a decent coach would be able to salvage something there but I think his time in Buffalo is done and it's best for both parties that he moves on.
thewildrabbit Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Not that it has anything to do with Edwards....but it came out last week that Troy Aikman absorbed a bad concussion the week before SB XXVII. He said he remembered almost nothing about the game (even right after it). Jimmie Johnson said this week that he did not think Aikman even knew where he was in that Super Bowl. They had to play him of course and we all know the results. The point is, a guy can have a good game after a concussion but the accumulated affects probably mess them up even worse. Yea well, it can effect each player differently. The difference between that Dallas Cowboy super bowl team and the current Buffalo Bills team...is well, like night and day. I seriously doubt he suffered a severe concussion as he would not have been able to play at all, dizziness, blurred vision, constant raging headaches, slowed reaction time. Contrary to what some think on this board, I'm not sticking up for Edwards. I sticking up for a player who was made to play for a moronic head coach... play behind the crappiest O line the Bills have had in years...run plays for a rookie OC who got the job two weeks before the season started. Edwards is showing some classic signs of the effects of a severe concussion and should sit out the season IMO. "You get back up, and things are spinning," Giants backup quarterback David Carr said, "but you don't tell anyone." http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4668106 Fitz will play the next 6 games and I hope he plays well and doesn't endure the hits that Edwards has had to take this season
Cynical Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 I'm not saying the slippage in play is due to concussions. However, we really don't know why he isn't playing right now and it might be due to that. Time will tell if he has a problem or not. While nobody has come right out and said it specifically, IMO, it is pretty evident why: leadership. The players have lost faith in Trent's ability to lead this team. As bad as Fitz is, the players are responding to him. Just in this game, the cameras showed Fitz, TO, Reed, and another player (Evans?) huddled together discussing a play. In the 2.5 years Trent has been here, have you EVER seen Trent do that?
Gugny Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 I know this sounds like a long shot but hey why in the world would they start Fitz over Edwards? I could see if they just think Fitz is better, but the numbers don't lie. The guy is likely right behind Edwards. I would play Edwards today, especially since Fewell will try to get the O running. If Fitz looks like crap today, Brohm will start next week. They start Fitz because he throws the ball more than 2 yards through the air. Trent is just not a good QB. Medically, legally, ethically, the Bills wouldn't even have him in pads if the concussion wasn't 100% cleared. It's not the concussion. There's no medical test for a damaged psyche. This guy just has no confidence left and he's afraid to do anything other than hand off, check down, or take a sack. He's done.
Alphadawg7 Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 File this in the rumor pile. All my family lives in the SF/Oakland Bay area. One of them told me Trent isn't playing because of a concussion and that he's being checked out by a specialist. I told him that he got the concussion weeks ago but he thought it was more recent than that. Now I don't know if this has any merit. The one thing I know is its more likely to come out of Northern California, since he's from Los Gatos & went to Stanford than Buffalo the way the Bills keep everything from the WNY media. If this is true, it might explain why he seemed to get worse as the game went on in Tennessee, especially if the latest concussion came in the Tennessee game. It was awfully odd to see him get pulled at the end last week. Come on now...lets think about this logically. If the only reason Trent was pulled in Tenn and didnt start this week was because of a concussion, then they would have said so. They are not going to pull a guy becuase he is hurt, bench him the following week because he is hurt and not say he is hurt. If you have confidence in a guy and hes your man, then you are not going to create the illusion that you dont by benching him for an injury and not telling anyone about it. Benching Trent said loud and clear, he's not our guy. So if is still their guy but is being benched by injury, they would say so. Clearly, your the people you got your info from are most likely confusing his previous concussion this season with today. You even said he "thought" it was more recent than that, but his last concussion wasnt that long ago and when someone says I "thought" it usually means they are not very certain. In other words, Trent is benched because he sucks and hasnt been getting it done. Trent Edwards is done in Buffalo and they will give Brohm every chance to win the job or a rookie QB next year the chance.
theesir Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 Agreed. If one could erase that hit, what might have been. He has seemed like a completely different player since. The look on his face when he was on the golf cart is the look he's had on his face ever since. Look at that pass he threw before he was hit. He was slinging them like that consistently before the hit. There was a reason this whole city was ready to believe we had a legit QB. After that hit though.... I agree, he has not been the same QB. sad
Sisyphean Bills Posted November 23, 2009 Posted November 23, 2009 While nobody has come right out and said it specifically, IMO, it is pretty evident why: leadership.The players have lost faith in Trent's ability to lead this team. As bad as Fitz is, the players are responding to him. Just in this game, the cameras showed Fitz, TO, Reed, and another player (Evans?) huddled together discussing a play. In the 2.5 years Trent has been here, have you EVER seen Trent do that? I did see Trent pointing something out in Golf Digest to Gibran on the sidelines.
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