Kelly the Dog Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 First, Ralph runs the show at OBD, and Chan Gailey along with Buddy Nix will do as the owner says. End of story. There's a marketing angle every fan needs understand and the franchise needs a drawing card in 2011. The only way I see Fitzpatrick remaining the starter is if he wins over more fans and the team believes they can market him to sell season tickets. Outside of that, ST sales fell 11k in 2010 and no matter how many TD passes Fitz throws, they'll have a tough time selling more than 40k after a season with 4 or fewer wins. Fitz is a great guy, but he's not the star or high rookie pick who can they can bank on. To that end, I see RW ordering Nix to take a QB whether he or Gailey want to. Disagree entirely. If Ryan Fitzpatrick throws 30+ TDs on this team this year, which will be the second most in Bills 51 year history and more than Jim Kelly did in every season but one, Bills fans for the most part will be in love with him, as well as Gailey. Chances are we will go heavy in FA and the draft on defense and the fans will be back on the bandwagon in no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thoner7 Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 "Trent Edwards is the Bills starting QB in 2010" - Chan Gailey, Circa September, 2010 A lot changes in a year, but seeing as Luck wont be available to be had I think this is a pretty safe assumption, and that most fans assumed it would be as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magox Posted November 24, 2010 Share Posted November 24, 2010 (edited) "Your 2011 Starting QB per Gailey" Which would make it not be Mallett, Luck, Locker, or whoever if Fitz is the starter. No, that is not what it means. It means that Fitz would be his starter for 2011, whether they drafted one of the aforementioned QB's or not. Two totally different things H20 Edited November 24, 2010 by Magox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b7cnT Sorry to all hoping for Mallett, Luck, Locker, or whoever. Fitz is Gailey's guy. Don't see that in Gailey's comments at all. They may draft a QB in the 1st, they may draft a QB in later rounds - depends on where they draft and who is available. Just means if Fitz plays well for the rest of the season, the new QB will get to come in, learn the system, and play when Gailey thinks he's better and not before That's an optimal situation for developing a QB (Rivers, Rodgers, Brady, etcetera) It's all good And if Fitzy falls off (Avert)....NEXT Can we kill the silliness about let's lose games because we MUST DRAFT LUCK though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConradDobler Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 But didn't the meddling owner say we need a QB? The meddling owner has been known to change his mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsVet Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 Disagree entirely. If Ryan Fitzpatrick throws 30+ TDs on this team this year, which will be the second most in Bills 51 year history and more than Jim Kelly did in every season but one, Bills fans for the most part will be in love with him, as well as Gailey. Chances are we will go heavy in FA and the draft on defense and the fans will be back on the bandwagon in no time. The franchise that is in perpetual rebuild mode will do whatever it takes to sell tickets first and foremost, but it'll come from on high and not the HC. Let's be clear, Chan is go along to get along at this point in his coaching career, because he'd probably be out of the NFL without the Bills. Second, the Bills will need a card to play when it comes time to sell ST's in 2011, the way TO and Spiller were hoped to be in 2009 and 2010 respectively. They're going to have to market the heck out of RF because he's really a journeyman QB and smart fans know it. It's a huge stretch to say Fitzpatrick throws 30 TDs, especially considering the opponents these next 6 games and that he'll need to average 2 per game. For every big statistical game he's had, there have been others like vs Detroit and at KC that weren't impressive. I will believe this team goes "heavy" in FA when I see it, because it'll mean the team is spending and not cutting salary as they did from 2009 to 2010. And there are a whole lot of fans, as evidenced by home attendance, nowhere near the bandwagon. It's a 2-8 team at the end of the day with 6 decent opponents in the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Blizzard Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b7cnT Sorry to all hoping for Mallett, Luck, Locker, or whoever. Fitz is Gailey's guy. The season isn't over yet . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 The franchise that is in perpetual rebuild mode will do whatever it takes to sell tickets first and foremost, but it'll come from on high and not the HC. Let's be clear, Chan is go along to get along at this point in his coaching career, because he'd probably be out of the NFL without the Bills. Second, the Bills will need a card to play when it comes time to sell ST's in 2011, the way TO and Spiller were hoped to be in 2009 and 2010 respectively. They're going to have to market the heck out of RF because he's really a journeyman QB and smart fans know it. It's a huge stretch to say Fitzpatrick throws 30 TDs, especially considering the opponents these next 6 games and that he'll need to average 2 per game. For every big statistical game he's had, there have been others like vs Detroit and at KC that weren't impressive. I will believe this team goes "heavy" in FA when I see it, because it'll mean the team is spending and not cutting salary as they did from 2009 to 2010. And there are a whole lot of fans, as evidenced by home attendance, nowhere near the bandwagon. It's a 2-8 team at the end of the day with 6 decent opponents in the way. I'm not predicting he is going to throw 30 TDs. If I had to bet I would say no, and it someone offered the bet, I would not take the bait. You were the one that said they cannot market him as a franchise player and get the fans excited and ticket sales going no matter how many TDs he throws, and I still think that is just not true. This board may be completely schizophrenic but is very likely a very good barometer of Bills fans in general. And you can see how the tide has started to turn dramatically in his favor already. Again, I don't think he is going to continue to put up these numbers and performances -- but if he does -- Bills fans will love him the way they are lovin' on Stevie Johnson right now. Most of the naysayers now will be yay-sayers -- and going into next year, the town and fandom will be gaga over the possibilities of the offense in year two. Again, that's if he throws 30 TDs, which he may. And it has nothing to do with whether he will keep it up next year. But right now, he has a lot of confidence, a few weapons, a good offensive coach, and a defense that makes him have to throw the ball a lot. I'll be surprised if he plays well against the Steelers. But I won't be shocked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 http://bleacherreport.com/tb/b7cnT Sorry to all hoping for Mallett, Luck, Locker, or whoever. Fitz is Gailey's guy. I forget now...who was Gailey's guy going into this season again??? (Not meant to be snarky or anything - just sayin' that, in the very short time we've known him, Chan has been known to change his mind.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 I have No problem with Fitzpatrick being the QB of this team. He will only get better with time. You never know where the next great QB will come from. I like Luck but, will he be able to handle the speed of the NFL? Could be he needs more time in college. A # 1 pick can mean a flop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakPop Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 (edited) I have no problem with Fitz being the QB. He is doing fine and that opens the door for the team to get better in other areas through the draft, which i'm all for. If you put all your eggs in Fitz basket, you don't draft a QB and have Fitz looking over his shoulder all the time, you want him focused to be the QB. If you pick him you go with him no questions asked. When it's time to replace him then you cross that bridge when it gets there. Fitz seems like a guy the rest of the players believe in and would go through a wall for and that means a lot in a locker room. Buffalo hasen't had that for quite some time at the QB position. For right now you don't have to fix what is not broken. Edited November 25, 2010 by FreakPop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 The Bills have other needs than QB. They need a stud pass rusher most. Then a RT. Then a LB'er or two. Then a TE. Hopefully at least one of those can be filled in FA and the rest coming in the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakPop Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 The Bills have other needs than QB. They need a stud pass rusher most. Then a RT. Then a LB'er or two. Then a TE. Hopefully at least one of those can be filled in FA and the rest coming in the draft. Boy coulda, shoulda, what if they had taken Orakpo, they could be focusing on another need instead of Dline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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