I am off the Fitzpatrick bandwagon

[Lucien K]

So in your universe, there's nothing in between an "ideal backup" and a pro-bowler, you have to be one or the other?

Got it.

 

I agree with the latter half of your post, but this prevailing sentiment here that it's either Brady or bench is just absurd.

 

In part yes. I said play him until you identify one of the handful that genuinely can fulfill the demands of the position, and be an upgrade. Fitzpatrick is a unique example since he is soo damn good at everything I listed, but with a glaring identifiable weakness. You might not get someone better, and the team has lots of holes.

 

There are 32 starting QB's in the league, and it seems about 10 of which actually play well on a weekend.

 

As a throwaway line, you can win the Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson, but the team needs to be badass. We are not that.

[Kelly the Dog]

I thought that Fitz missed two, and probably three touchdowns yesterday. But he still played pretty well. I also think that despite the bomb to Steve Johnson being woefully short, Johnson has to make that catch. He was looking for the ball a long time, and he misjudged it at least as much as Fitz did. He could have and should have stopped and came back for the ball much earlier when it was obvious that it was going to be short. I guarantee Evans gets to that ball, and probably easily. A bad pass because it was 5 yards short, sure. But Johnson should have tracked the ball in the air and just come back and caught it. Fitz also made some great line calls. Gailey went way out of his way to say the second long Freddy Jackson run was because Fitz changed the blocking assignments at the line, and it worked perfectly.

[The Senator]

I thought that Fitz missed two, and probably three touchdowns yesterday. But he still played pretty well. I also think that despite the bomb to Steve Johnson being woefully short, Johnson has to make that catch. He was looking for the ball a long time, and he misjudged it at least as much as Fitz did. He could have and should have stopped and came back for the ball much earlier when it was obvious that it was going to be short. I guarantee Evans gets to that ball, and probably easily. A bad pass because it was 5 yards short, sure. But Johnson should have tracked the ball in the air and just come back and caught it. Fitz also made some great line calls. Gailey went way out of his way to say the second long Freddy Jackson run was because Fitz changed the blocking assignments at the line, and it worked perfectly.

You know who makes that pass? If you turn the wind at RWS up another 20 MPH, you know who still makes that pass???

 

 

Ryan Mallett.

[sweatpantsjoe]

Well at least Fitz has a beard.

[xsoldier54]

So how do you measure the "critical" nature of all the 3rd and longs he's converted on, when accuracy wasn't an issue?

 

How do you measure the upending block he threw for Spiller yesterday 7 yards down field that sprung CJ for an extra 10?

Look, I like the guy. When I say critical, I mean when there's a chance to put the game away. I have watched him miss throws in each of the last four weeks that could have given the Bills a victory or put the game out of reach. It seems to be a pattern. I think he is very smart and very tough, just not physically capable of doing what he wants to do when it counts the most. It's just my opinion from watching him over the past two years. Is he better than what we had before him? Absolutely. Is he good enough to lead this team to a playoff berth? Not in my opinion. That's all I'm saying.

[The Big Cat]

Look, I like the guy. When I say critical, I mean when there's a chance to put the game away. I have watched him miss throws in each of the last four weeks that could have given the Bills a victory or put the game out of reach. It seems to be a pattern. I think he is very smart and very tough, just not physically capable of doing what he wants to do when it counts the most. It's just my opinion from watching him over the past two years. Is he better than what we had before him? Absolutely. Is he good enough to lead this team to a playoff berth? Not in my opinion. That's all I'm saying.

 

So how is it that he's physically capable 80% of the game? Aren't you talking about a mental aspect of the game, an area where--I think we'd all agree--he's demonstrated more than sufficient upside? And an area of the game which inevitably improves over time with more and more reps?

 

How is it that he's physically capable of making 3rd and long conversions to keep us IN games, then suddenly becomes physically incapable of making the same plays when it "counts?"

Edited November 15, 2010 by The Big Cat

[IDBillzFan]

We finally got our first win. We are not going to make the playoffs so why not see what Brohm has. I am not saying let him play the rest of the year, but let him play 3 games. I would like to see what he has to offer.

Y'know, at the end of the day, you're not going to be successful at any time if the players don't first want to play for you. One of the stupidest things this team could do right now -- after watching Fitz make the plays, take the hits, and fight for a win at a time when it means little -- is to put him on the bench to see what someone else can do.

 

So stupid is this line of thinking that I don't even think Brohm could get behind it.

[1billsfan]

Here's a question. How can a guy who started not one, but TWO threads on wanting to see Brian Brohm start, ever claim to have been riding on the Fitzpatrick bandwagon?

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

STATS How many people said he has good stats TD/INT 300 yard passing etc etc etc ... One stat thet counts ... Win and Losses.

 

PUT THE GAME AWAY not PUT US TO SLEEP!!!!

 

I will admit that I was wrong on one thing ... He's slightly better than Trent not vice versa.

[Spiderweb]

I just want to point something out here:

 

Last night I got into a QB discussion here about Sam Bradford, and how he is already a franchise-quality QB. Yet in almost every statistical category Fitz is outperforming him. So my contention is how we feel about a QB is directly related to how high he was drafted. If we drafted Andrew Luck and he was having an identical year to Fitzy we'd be deliriously happy. But since it's 7th round journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick with the same stats we can't wait to replace him. It's no different than buying an expensive bottle of wine. It has to be better than the cheap crap because it was expensive, even if it isn't.

 

PTR

 

As much as I wish it wasn't so, "Wang's" line, "This guy reminds me of rookie cop at the firing range that shoots out the water cooler" pretty well nails Fitz's accuracy issues. As for Brohm, let him earn the right to play through practice, etc. Once the baloney competition winner (Edwards) was finally called out for being what is is, and then cut, the Bills immediately went to Fitz. I suspect that was based on far more information than any of us have and is very likely the correct move.

 

Yet, if only Fitz didn't shoot so many water coolers.

[xsoldier54]

Let him walk? are you high? Yes- they will take a QB in the draft but they're not going to let Fitz walk. Have you heard Chan gush about how Fitz checked into the right play several times yesterday and this year? You can't just plop someone in that position with those kind of smarts and instincts. I'm happy the guy is our QB for now and hope they keep him for a long time...if nothing else to mentor the new QB someday.

Okay, maybe "let him walk" was the wrong phrase to use. What I mean is that I don't believe he is the answer in the long term and I would prefer to see someone else play if they do indeed draft a QB. I agree he is very smart and very tough, just not physically able to cash the checks his mind is writing.

[Orton's Arm]

I just want to point something out here:

 

Last night I got into a QB discussion here about Sam Bradford, and how he is already a franchise-quality QB. Yet in almost every statistical category Fitz is outperforming him. So my contention is how we feel about a QB is directly related to how high he was drafted. If we drafted Andrew Luck and he was having an identical year to Fitzy we'd be deliriously happy. But since it's 7th round journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick with the same stats we can't wait to replace him. It's no different than buying an expensive bottle of wine. It has to be better than the cheap crap because it was expensive, even if it isn't.

 

PTR

Fitz's stats are indeed solid. But with Gailey as head coach or offensive coordinator, guys like Jay Fielder and Tyler Thigpen also put up some very good stats. The way Gailey does this is with a one read offense: the quarterback knows the throw he's going to make before the ball is snapped, and throws it almost immediately after the snap. It's a good way of making both the quarterback and the offensive line look better than they really are.

 

Fitz is a solid player, but does not look to be a franchise-caliber quarterback.

[finknottle]

That being said, its great to compare stats, we could compare stats of Qb's all day long til we are all blue in the face. In the end there is only one stat that matters the most. Wins, period.

 

Change QB to RB, and you have made an elequent argument for drafting a shiny new runningback with our first pick.

 

I'm getting to the point where the term "franchise QB" triggers my gag reflex.

 

From The Amazing Carnac:

 

What are

- Franchise QB

- Beast

- Stud

- Freak

- Road Grader

 

Terms that tell you a poster has nothing meaningfull to say.

[tennesseeboy]

I like what I've seen of Fitz, and he has the leadership qualities the team needs. I say give him the month of November and early December and if he shows high quality play in the snow days...we gotta keep him. If Luck is out of the picture at draft time, I suspect we'll commit to keeping him and trying to shore up our pathetic offensive line or get s stude defensive lineman with the number one pick.

[JohnC]

I like what I've seen of Fitz, and he has the leadership qualities the team needs. I say give him the month of November and early December and if he shows high quality play in the snow days...we gotta keep him. If Luck is out of the picture at draft time, I suspect we'll commit to keeping him and trying to shore up our pathetic offensive line or get s stude defensive lineman with the number one pick.

 

If we select a qb with our first pick we are still going to keep Fitz. He would be a good bridge to the next developing qb. Fitz has an important role with this team. He can be the starting qb for the next year or so or he could be a terrific backup qb.

[marsadale]

Fitz has played great all year, was smart yesterday- managed a game and we won.

Not sure what you see in other QB's but if you look past the top 5 QB's in the league. Your Manning Brady Rothlisburger Brees _______(insert name here). He's right in with the rest

I wholeheartedly concur. Give me a QB with good pocket presence, a nice gun, and an ability to read defences and you have my bandwagon participation. There are SB champions in the recent past with less natural talent than Fitzpatrick possesses as we speak. IMO if you add one pass-rushing lb'er the Bills as we stand today can compete with anybody.

[fansince88]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the Quarterback situation in Buffalo. Personally, I have seen enough. I didn't say much because I needed to see 4 or 5 more games in Buffalo. I saw 4 games with the Bengals about 10 with Buffalo.

 

I am not going to make excuses anymore. This guy reminds me of rookie cop at the firing range that shoots out the water cooler.

 

I hope he gets better but if he doesn't I still want to see Brian Brohm or draft a new QB.

 

Should you decide to stick with Brohm, I wish you well!

Watch out for the wheels when you jump off! Dont try to get back on!

[andrewsz1991]

Fitz's stats are indeed solid. But with Gailey as head coach or offensive coordinator, guys like Jay Fielder and Tyler Thigpen also put up some very good stats. The way Gailey does this is with a one read offense: the quarterback knows the throw he's going to make before the ball is snapped, and throws it almost immediately after the snap. It's a good way of making both the quarterback and the offensive line look better than they really are.

 

Fitz is a solid player, but does not look to be a franchise-caliber quarterback.

 

This was quite possibly one of the most misguided and wrong statements I've seen on this message board. If you watch anything on the bills offense they say Fitzpatrick does a great job of looking at one receiver and directing the attention to him while finding somebody esle who's not the primary target. Stevie Johnson said in a press conference Fitzpatrick made great reads and that he threw to him when he wasn't even the primary target a couple times.

 

the bills should build a defense and an offensive line through the draft and then try to build a winning team. I think quarterback is not our concern and we already saw how a Stanford quarterback faired in our system.

[Geno Smith's Arm]

You know who makes that pass? If you turn the wind at RWS up another 20 MPH, you know who still makes that pass???

 

 

Ryan Mallett.

 

Johnson could have caught that long ball that obviously got caught in the wind. JOHNSON misplayed by not coming back inside and instead continuing along the sideline.

[Orton's Arm]

So in your universe, there's nothing in between an "ideal backup" and a pro-bowler, you have to be one or the other?

Got it.

 

I agree with the latter half of your post, but this prevailing sentiment here that it's either Brady or bench is just absurd.

The sentiment of "Brady or bust" is not necessarily as absurd as it might initially appear. If the Bills intended to win a Super Bowl, they almost have to have a franchise-caliber QB.

 

Opportunities to acquire such players are very rare. If you don't have a franchise quarterback and there's one available, you take him. Period.