Fitzpatrick is the new Jay Fiedler

[Albany,n.y.]

If you're looking at a parallel career, look no further than Jay Fiedler, another smart, overachieving Ivy Leaguer who managed to start for a few winning seasons with the Dolphins in the early 2000s.

Fiedler was able to lead the Dolphins to 3 double digit winning seasons, but was never looked at as a guy who could lead a team to a championship.

So the long term question is would you have been satisfied having Jay Fiedler as our QB in his prime? If the answer is yes, Fitz is your QB the next few years. If the answer is no, we have to search for someone better, but maybe not this year.

Now that we have virtually no chance at the #1 pick, I wouldn't spend our top pick on a QB. I think only Luck was worth unseating Fitzpatrick next year this early into our rebuild. We also cannot afford to take a shot on Mallet or any other 1st round QB when we have so many other needs and each of the other QBs have question marks.

So let's keep searching for the franchise QB to replace Fitzpatrick, but let's not reach in the 1st round this year with Luck out of the equation.

[BuffaloWings]

Couldn't agree more. Now that the offense seems to be getting it (and I'm only looking at games since the bye, save for a couple of sub-par performances), it's time to upgrade the defense. I'm sure the league will catch on to Fitz and expose his weaknesses, but that's why we have an offensive-minded coach to adjust.

 

I still think the Bills will have a top-5 pick, so it's time to start looking at the best player available for the DL or LB positions.

[bizell]

fitzpatrick is ten times the passes fiedler ever was.

[SouthGeorgiaBillsFan]

If you're looking at a parallel career, look no further than Jay Fiedler, another smart, overachieving Ivy Leaguer who managed to start for a few winning seasons with the Dolphins in the early 2000s.

Fiedler was able to lead the Dolphins to 3 double digit winning seasons, but was never looked at as a guy who could lead a team to a championship.

So the long term question is would you have been satisfied having Jay Fiedler as our QB in his prime? If the answer is yes, Fitz is your QB the next few years. If the answer is no, we have to search for someone better, but maybe not this year.

Now that we have virtually no chance at the #1 pick, I wouldn't spend our top pick on a QB. I think only Luck was worth unseating Fitzpatrick next year this early into our rebuild. We also cannot afford to take a shot on Mallet or any other 1st round QB when we have so many other needs and each of the other QBs have question marks.

So let's keep searching for the franchise QB to replace Fitzpatrick, but let's not reach in the 1st round this year with Luck out of the equation.

 

I mean you really need to ask yourself what would this team look like with Fiedler leading it rather than Fitz...can you honestly say that you think Fielder would have had this kind of success? I certainly wouldn't wager any money on that hypothetical situation...Look Fitz is blowing away all expectations and honestly I just can't see comparing him to some mediocre QB at this point. Perhaps he is playing as well as he ever will, but when you consider his success and the situation he is playing in (i.e. the lack of overall talent on the team), you have to think its possible that we have a special player here. I'm not ready to anoint him the next Jim Kelly just yet, but I'm certainly not going to anoint him as the next Jay Fiedler either. He's a young QB just fully coming into his own and has tons of potential room for improvement, both in his play and in the talent around him. If he finishes the season as strong as he is playing now, we can stop looking for a QB.

 

And this is coming from someone who was one of the worst Fitzpatrick doubters on this board.

Edited November 25, 2010 by SouthGeorgiaBillsFan

[BuffaloBill]

Couldn't agree more. Now that the offense seems to be getting it (and I'm only looking at games since the bye, save for a couple of sub-par performances), it's time to upgrade the defense. I'm sure the league will catch on to Fitz and expose his weaknesses, but that's why we have an offensive-minded coach to adjust.

 

I still think the Bills will have a top-5 pick, so it's time to start looking at the best player available for the DL or LB positions.

 

 

I agree. The only nuance I would add to your comments is that if a true franchise QB prospect is available when the Bills pick they should take him. The thing that I like about Fitzbeard's rise is that it gives the Bills options at the top end of the draft. While they may take a QB they do not have to.

[Nanker]

Fiedler was no Marino.

[SouthGeorgiaBillsFan]

Couldn't agree more. Now that the offense seems to be getting it (and I'm only looking at games since the bye, save for a couple of sub-par performances), it's time to upgrade the defense. I'm sure the league will catch on to Fitz and expose his weaknesses, but that's why we have an offensive-minded coach to adjust.

 

I still think the Bills will have a top-5 pick, so it's time to start looking at the best player available for the DL or LB positions.

 

Yes. If Luck is available to us we have to grab him, but otherwise forget about QB and get a beast on defense (we should be looking for someone a little beastlier than Maybin =o).

[Munch]

Im not sure where you draw the comparisons to Fiedler, at all. Fiedlers best TD year was 20, while throwing 19 INT, and 3290 yds (in 16 games). His QB rating was never above 85.2, which would put him at #21 in the league this year. And that was his highest career rating, by 5 pts.

 

In comparison this year Fitzy is 18-9 TD/INT, 88.1 rating in his first real starting gig, and is 39 yds shy of 2k, in just 8 games.

 

In reality, there is no comparison between the 2.

[Doc]

fitzpatrick is ten times the passes fiedler ever was.

True. Fitz is already a better QB than Fielder ever was, and he'll only be making his 32nd start this weekend.

[BillsVet]

Casual fans forget the crucial errors Fitz has made that would be magnified if this team were in the playoff hunt or actually competing for the division. He threw a key INT against KC, another against CHI, and a pick 6 against Cincy. Every QB in the league throws picks, and occasionally at inopportune times (P. Manning last week, Brady in AFC Title Game 06) but the great ones don't do it as frequently as Fitzpatrick has. The margin of error is thinner that most casual fans realize, because essentially most Bills fans don't know what a franchise QB does week in and week out and what they do to win games.

 

In 8 games this season, Fitz has completed half or fewer than half of his passes 3 times. He's passed for under 150 yards twice and thrown two INT's four times and is completing about 58% of his passes. Fitz is a decent player playing above average for a bad football team. To ever be a good team, they'll need fewer mistakes from their QB in games against opponents better than Cincinnati and Detroit.

Edited November 25, 2010 by BillsVet

[The Wang From Sang]

I disagree, Fitzpatrick is better at reading the defense and is A LOT TOUGHER...lot tougher

[Big Turk]

If you're looking at a parallel career, look no further than Jay Fiedler, another smart, overachieving Ivy Leaguer who managed to start for a few winning seasons with the Dolphins in the early 2000s.

Fiedler was able to lead the Dolphins to 3 double digit winning seasons, but was never looked at as a guy who could lead a team to a championship.

So the long term question is would you have been satisfied having Jay Fiedler as our QB in his prime? If the answer is yes, Fitz is your QB the next few years. If the answer is no, we have to search for someone better, but maybe not this year.

Now that we have virtually no chance at the #1 pick, I wouldn't spend our top pick on a QB. I think only Luck was worth unseating Fitzpatrick next year this early into our rebuild. We also cannot afford to take a shot on Mallet or any other 1st round QB when we have so many other needs and each of the other QBs have question marks.

So let's keep searching for the franchise QB to replace Fitzpatrick, but let's not reach in the 1st round this year with Luck out of the equation.

 

Fitz is playing better than Fiedler ever imagined. Fiedler had basically a 1:1 TD:Int ratio throughout his career, even in his best season he threw 20 TDs and 19 INTs...he also got sacked quite a bit more than Fitz. IMHO Fitz is a lot better than Fielder ever was...

[Doc]

Casual fans forget the crucial errors Fitz has made that would be magnified if this team were in the playoff hunt or actually competing for the division. He threw a key INT against KC, another against CHI, and a pick 6 against Cincy. Every QB in the league throws picks, and occasionally at inopportune times (P. Manning last week, Brady in AFC Title Game 06) but the great ones don't do it as frequently as Fitzpatrick has. The margin of error is thinner that most casual fans realize, because essentially most Bills fans don't know what a franchise QB does week in and week out and what they do to win games.

 

In 8 games this season, Fitz has completed half or fewer than half of his passes 3 times. He's passed for under 150 yards twice and thrown two INT's four times and is completing about 58% of his passes. Fitz is a decent player playing above average for a bad football team. To ever be a good team, they'll need fewer mistakes from their QB in games against opponents better than Cincinnati and Detroit.

If Fitz were alone in the "crucial errors," you might have a point. One simply cannot ignore things like Lindell missing the 2nd kick against KC, or Shawn Nelson fumbling against the Ravens, or the poor performances by the defense, or the RT situation, or the lack of a pass rush, or going with Trent in the first 2 games. I will lay blame for the Bears game on him, because that pick he threw was killer, when running the ball would have been the better course.

 

Again, the Bills have holes other than QB that need to be addressed, while Luck looks to be the only sure-fire QB in the draft. And even then the Bills likely won't be a position to draft him and there are no guarantees he'll succeed.

Edited November 25, 2010 by Doc

[bizell]

Casual fans forget the crucial errors Fitz has made that would be magnified if this team were in the playoff hunt or actually competing for the division. He threw a key INT against KC, another against CHI, and a pick 6 against Cincy. Every QB in the league throws picks, and occasionally at inopportune times (P. Manning last week, Brady in AFC Title Game 06) but the great ones don't do it as frequently as Fitzpatrick has. The margin of error is thinner that most casual fans realize, because essentially most Bills fans don't know what a franchise QB does week in and week out and what they do to win games.

 

In 8 games this season, Fitz has completed half or fewer than half of his passes 3 times. He's passed for under 150 yards twice and thrown two INT's four times and is completing about 58% of his passes. Fitz is a decent player playing above average for a bad football team. To ever be a good team, they'll need fewer mistakes from their QB in games against opponents better than Cincinnati and Detroit.

looking at the points allowed for our team, 276, i only see 3 teams with a worse number. i don't know if fitz is a quarterback that could be built around (i think he might be), but i'd think that if the offense weren't forced to feel like it has to score every possession his turnovers would be decreased.

[billnutinphoenix]

fitzpatrick is ten times the passes fiedler ever was.

 

 

I totally disagree...

[Sisyphean Bills]

Fitz is playing better than Fiedler ever imagined. Fiedler had basically a 1:1 TD:Int ratio throughout his career, even in his best season he threw 20 TDs and 19 INTs...he also got sacked quite a bit more than Fitz. IMHO Fitz is a lot better than Fielder ever was...

And up until this year, Fitz had 21 TDs and 27 INTs and a QB rating of 67.7.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Someone please explain to me the Fitz - Fiedler comparison. Besides being fellow Ivy Leaguers, which is hardly a basis for comparison, I see no other similarities. Is it Fitz's arm strength that you perceive to be similar to Fiedler's. Is it his throwing style? Is it his mental capacity for the game? Is it because they are both white men?

 

Look...I'm growing tired of these Fitz is the new (fill in the blank) threads. I have seen threads comparing him to Chad Pennington, Tyler Thigpen, and now Jay Fiedler (I'm sure there have been more). If you are going to make an assertion like Fitz is just like Jay Fiedler, please at least have some intelligent, specific, points to support your comparison.

 

For the record, I don't see any similarities between Fitz and Fiedler.

[Cereal]

If you're looking at a parallel career, look no further than Jay Fiedler, another smart, overachieving Ivy Leaguer who managed to start for a few winning seasons with the Dolphins in the early 2000s.

Fiedler was able to lead the Dolphins to 3 double digit winning seasons, but was never looked at as a guy who could lead a team to a championship.

So the long term question is would you have been satisfied having Jay Fiedler as our QB in his prime? If the answer is yes, Fitz is your QB the next few years. If the answer is no, we have to search for someone better, but maybe not this year.

Now that we have virtually no chance at the #1 pick, I wouldn't spend our top pick on a QB. I think only Luck was worth unseating Fitzpatrick next year this early into our rebuild. We also cannot afford to take a shot on Mallet or any other 1st round QB when we have so many other needs and each of the other QBs have question marks.

So let's keep searching for the franchise QB to replace Fitzpatrick, but let's not reach in the 1st round this year with Luck out of the equation.

 

you!

 

Good comparison, actually. Good post. I also wouldn't mind spending top picks elsewhere if the FO and coaching staff deem Fitz serviceable during this process. It shall be another interesting offseason, as far as seeing the direction the team is looking.

[Tim Tindale]

Casual fans forget the crucial errors Fitz has made that would be magnified if this team were in the playoff hunt or actually competing for the division. He threw a key INT against KC, another against CHI, and a pick 6 against Cincy. Every QB in the league throws picks, and occasionally at inopportune times (P. Manning last week, Brady in AFC Title Game 06) but the great ones don't do it as frequently as Fitzpatrick has. The margin of error is thinner that most casual fans realize, because essentially most Bills fans don't know what a franchise QB does week in and week out and what they do to win games.

 

In 8 games this season, Fitz has completed half or fewer than half of his passes 3 times. He's passed for under 150 yards twice and thrown two INT's four times and is completing about 58% of his passes. Fitz is a decent player playing above average for a bad football team. To ever be a good team, they'll need fewer mistakes from their QB in games against opponents better than Cincinnati and Detroit.

 

I think great ones throw picks at inopportune times quite frequently; perhaps you saw my horrible INT against the Saints in the NFC Championship game last year. You could write a novel about all of the inopportune picks I've thrown in my career yet some say that I'm the greatest QB ever. To win the big reward, you have to take the big risk... and I still have a ring

 

Signed,

Brett Favre

[Fan in San Diego]

Casual fans forget the crucial errors Fitz has made that would be magnified if this team were in the playoff hunt or actually competing for the division. He threw a key INT against KC, another against CHI, and a pick 6 against Cincy. Every QB in the league throws picks, and occasionally at inopportune times (P. Manning last week, Brady in AFC Title Game 06) but the great ones don't do it as frequently as Fitzpatrick has. The margin of error is thinner that most casual fans realize, because essentially most Bills fans don't know what a franchise QB does week in and week out and what they do to win games.

 

In 8 games this season, Fitz has completed half or fewer than half of his passes 3 times. He's passed for under 150 yards twice and thrown two INT's four times and is completing about 58% of his passes. Fitz is a decent player playing above average for a bad football team. To ever be a good team, they'll need fewer mistakes from their QB in games against opponents better than Cincinnati and Detroit.

 

What? Are you kidding? I've probably been watching football for longer than you are alive. I've watched Jim Kelly during his career, Joe Ferguson, Dan Marino, Bob Griese, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Fran Tarkenton, John Elway, Kenny Anderson, Dan Fouts, Brett Farve (When he was in his prime), Roger Staubach, Warren Moon, Payton Manning, Phil Simms, Tom Brady, Steve McNair, Ken Stabler, Terry Bradshaw, Vinney Testaverde, Dave Kreig, Doug Williams shall I continue?

 

And I like what I see in Fitzpatrick. I would like him to slow down a bit and throw with more confident deliberation, he rushes his throws sometimes. I would like him to see the saftey waiting to jump the route on those long out patterns to the sidelines a little better. But he is playing really good football right now by reading defenses and going thru his progressions quickly and pulling the trigger. I think he still has some improving to do and then he will become a top flight QB. He is really young in his QB maturation process.