Fitzpatrick is the new Jay Fiedler

[1billsfan]

If comparing a player with a guy who helped his team make the playoffs & won a division title is a trashing, we have very different viewpoints on how to trash a player. If you want to see my definition of trashing a player, read some of the posts before Fitzpatrick was named the starter by other posters. I'm not trashing Fitzpatrick, I'm just keeping it real.

It's amazing how Fitz has gone from a guy 1/4 of this board wanted cut to someone who now can be entrusted to lead this team to the promised land. The guy still has the same limitations.

I've been realistic about Fitzpatrick all along while others have had so many mood swings on the guy, they'd qualify for a Prozac prescription.

The guy is a great backup who can be a decent starter, but never an impact player. That's reality. If proper evaluation of a player's talents is your decription of a trashing, because you disagree with my assessment, which in the 2 years he's been here has been more spot on than most, so be it.

 

"Proper evaluation of a player's talent's" is the problem with this thread. You're a guy who's so completely behind the curve on Fitzpatrick it's not even funny. Comparing Fitzptarick to Fiedler is basically admitting to everyone that you're bad at evaluating talent. Fiedler could only dream of having Fitz's passing ability.

 

Want your "proper" comparison? They are both white QBs who came from ivy league schools...THAT'S IT!

 

Fitzpatrick is a guy who's going to be the franchise QB of the Bills for a long time and you're unfortunately going to have to live down this stupid thread forever and a day. Fiedler????? C'mon man!

 

I laugh at all of you guys who continue to drool for either Luck and Mallett like some lovesick Justin Beiber fan. Totally clueless at knowing real talent. You guys need to shake off the cobwebs and understand that Fitzpatrick IS the guy to lead the Bills to their first Superbowl win. It's not even just the fans who are clueless, Thurman Thomas and the local sports radio and print guys are completely clueless also. Look's like you have a lot of company of people who have missed the bus.

 

Seriously, what a dumb ass thread.

[NoSaint]

Except Fiedler's career high for TD% as a starter was 4.8, and Fitz is 6.3 right now.

 

Except that Fiedler's yards per game high as a starter was 205, and Fitz is currently 245.

 

Except that Fiedler was a 1:1 TD:INT guy his whole career and Fitz is currently a 2:1.

 

Except that Fiedler never had a QB rating as high as Fitz's right now.

 

Except that all that happened as Fiedler took over for a team that had made the playoffs and won a playoff game the year before, and not the lowly struggling rebuilding Bills.

 

You could do the same if someone compared Fitz to Kurt Warner. And I don't think either comparison is a good one. But I would actually be quite happy with Fitz putting together a couple 10 win seasons in a row as the team rebuilds and finds and develops their QB in the next two drafts (whether Luck, Mallet, or somebody off our radar screen at the moment).

 

So I'm happy with Fitz being our QB right now, winning games for us, and allowing us not to rush/force the QB draft decision. I don't have any problem if he is our Kitna to Palmer or Brees to Rivers, and I think we do take a franchise QB whenever the opportunity presents itself. But Fitz has shown a lot and has six more games to show how much faith he deserves, and if we want to draft a QB not ready to start in the 2011 draft to learn behind him, or whether we want to wait and draft someone in 2012, or whether we want to spend a top five pick in the next draft, etc.

 

I don't see Fitz being our 2015 QB. But I think we will be a better 2011 team with Fitz + Fairley than Fitz + Mallett/Locker, so our decision on how we get better for 2012 and beyond is a complicated one, and I am glad Fitz has stepped up and made it complicated...because in week 2 it was looking pretty depressing and uncomplicated.

 

 

I agree with the post for the most part - just a bit more tempered in my optimism as most of the gaudy stats are pulled from one month of a 6 year career. It could be the light coming on, or it could be a hot month. I am pretty sure Fiedler never put a string of 4-5 games with stats quite as gaudy but ones that would give you pause probably.

[BillsVet]

LOSMAN was an inaccurate passer. Fitz throws a few bad throws. Why can't you see the difference here? If you want a quarterback who makes all the throws ALL the time, you might as well perch yourself on an ice cube in Hell, brother.

 

Bumpuses dogs got your Thanksgiving turkey again, didn't they?

[chasincars]

ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE SO MORONS COMMENTING ABOUT FITZ AGAIN. DO YOU THINK THAT A ROOKIE QB IS GOING TO COME IN AND SAVE THIS TEAM. YOUR DEAD WRONG SO LETS BRING IN A ROOKIE AND HE FAILS THE THIS TEAM GET SET BACK AGAIN? OK DRAFT ONE BUT HE NEEDS ATLEAST 1-2 YRS TO LEARN HOW TO BE THE QB THAT WE NEED. THINK AOUT IT

[1billsfan]

I agree with the post for the most part - just a bit more tempered in my optimism as most of the gaudy stats are pulled from one month of a 6 year career. It could be the light coming on, or it could be a hot month. I am pretty sure Fiedler never put a string of 4-5 games with stats quite as gaudy but ones that would give you pause probably.

 

QB rating in Fitzpatrick's last 10 starts...

 

4 games over 100

1 game over 92

3 games over 83

2 games over 60

 

In the two games with "lousy" QB ratings...

 

KC game he threw a TD pass to send the game into overtime and drove the team for the game winning FG. First one went through...time out...second one missed.

 

In Chicago game he threw one TD pass and set up two more TDs with long passes inside the 10 yrd line. Were it not for a missed extra point the game would have went into overtime.

 

 

Your "one hot month" characterization is a complete joke. That's ten straight games buddy.

Edited November 26, 2010 by 1billsfan

[NoSaint]

Except Fiedler's career high for TD% as a starter was 4.8, and Fitz is 6.3 right now.

 

Except that Fiedler's yards per game high as a starter was 205, and Fitz is currently 245.

 

Except that Fiedler was a 1:1 TD:INT guy his whole career and Fitz is currently a 2:1.

 

Except that Fiedler never had a QB rating as high as Fitz's right now.

 

Except that all that happened as Fiedler took over for a team that had made the playoffs and won a playoff game the year before, and not the lowly struggling rebuilding Bills.

 

You could do the same if someone compared Fitz to Kurt Warner. And I don't think either comparison is a good one. But I would actually be quite happy with Fitz putting together a couple 10 win seasons in a row as the team rebuilds and finds and develops their QB in the next two drafts (whether Luck, Mallet, or somebody off our radar screen at the moment).

 

So I'm happy with Fitz being our QB right now, winning games for us, and allowing us not to rush/force the QB draft decision. I don't have any problem if he is our Kitna to Palmer or Brees to Rivers, and I think we do take a franchise QB whenever the opportunity presents itself. But Fitz has shown a lot and has six more games to show how much faith he deserves, and if we want to draft a QB not ready to start in the 2011 draft to learn behind him, or whether we want to wait and draft someone in 2012, or whether we want to spend a top five pick in the next draft, etc.

 

I don't see Fitz being our 2015 QB. But I think we will be a better 2011 team with Fitz + Fairley than Fitz + Mallett/Locker, so our decision on how we get better for 2012 and beyond is a complicated one, and I am glad Fitz has stepped up and made it complicated...because in week 2 it was looking pretty depressing and uncomplicated.

 

 

I agree with the post for the most part - just a bit more tempered in my optimism as most of the gaudy stats are pulled from one month of a 6 year career. It could be the light coming on, or it could be a hot month. I am pretty sure Fiedler never put a string of 4-5 games with stats quite as gaudy but ones that would give you pause probably.

[Rockinon]

If comparing a player with a guy who helped his team make the playoffs & won a division title is a trashing, we have very different viewpoints on how to trash a player. If you want to see my definition of trashing a player, read some of the posts before Fitzpatrick was named the starter by other posters. I'm not trashing Fitzpatrick, I'm just keeping it real.

It's amazing how Fitz has gone from a guy 1/4 of this board wanted cut to someone who now can be entrusted to lead this team to the promised land. The guy still has the same limitations.

I've been realistic about Fitzpatrick all along while others have had so many mood swings on the guy, they'd qualify for a Prozac prescription.

The guy is a great backup who can be a decent starter, but never an impact player. That's reality. If proper evaluation of a player's talents is your decription of a trashing, because you disagree with my assessment, which in the 2 years he's been here has been more spot on than most, so be it.

A touchdown pass in 11 strait games, 2 of those games with 4 touchdown tosses each doesn't sound like an impact player?

[BillsVet]

KC game he threw a TD pass to send the game into overtime and drove the team for the game winning FG. First one went threw...time out...second one missed.

 

In Chicago game he threw one TD pass and set up two more TDs with long passes inside the 10 yrd line. Were it not for a missed extra point the game would have went into overtime.

 

Your "one hot month" characterization is a complete joke. That's ten straight games buddy.

 

You're illustrating a QB's success or failure by virtue of the QB rating statistic?

 

This debate over Fitzpatrick is a nuanced argument that is deeper than stats alone. Some fans see 18 TDs and 1961 yards passing in 8 games as proof positive that the guy's a long term starter. That's fine, but it's not how many of one stat that matters, it what the guys does when the game is on the line.

 

And if we're talking stats, one that tells the tale is turnovers: Fitzpatrick has 7 INTs in his last 5 games. A team like Buffalo isn't going to outscore their opponent all the time, so turning the ball over less would go a long way to winning more games.

[1billsfan]

You're illustrating a QB's success or failure by virtue of the QB rating statistic?

 

This debate over Fitzpatrick is a nuanced argument that is deeper than stats alone. Some fans see 18 TDs and 1961 yards passing in 8 games as proof positive that the guy's a long term starter. That's fine, but it's not how many of one stat that matters, it what the guys does when the game is on the line.

 

And if we're talking stats, one that tells the tale is turnovers: Fitzpatrick has 7 INTs in his last 5 games. A team like Buffalo isn't going to outscore their opponent all the time, so turning the ball over less would go a long way to winning more games.

 

Playing defense, causing turnovers, making FGs, extra points and a running game would go a long way in winning games. Jackson's 100 yard game was the first time he had help in that matter. Almost all good to great QBs throw interceptions. Eli Manning threw 20 interceptions in the year the Giants won the superbowl. Drew Brees has averaged 14 interceptions since he's played in NO, and that doesn't even include this year where he's already thrown 15. You're basically saying that you will not be satisfied until you have a QB like Peyton Manning who rarely throws interceptions. That's being so ridiculously unrealistic.

[Koufax]

I agree with the post for the most part - just a bit more tempered in my optimism as most of the gaudy stats are pulled from one month of a 6 year career. It could be the light coming on, or it could be a hot month. I am pretty sure Fiedler never put a string of 4-5 games with stats quite as gaudy but ones that would give you pause probably.

 

Yes, I very clearly agree with this, and my optimism is tempered in reality. I still hope we get Mallett or somebody we like in this draft, otherwise I hope we do in 2012. A hot month does not make a quarterback. I think what we can agree on, is we knew before he got the starting job that he would take a shot more aggressively, and he has shown since he took over that he is pretty capable at completing a lot of the passes he attempts. So I don't view him as the second coming of Kurt Warner, but I feel comfortable with him taking snaps for the rest of the year, and likely think I would be happy with him being our #1 in 2011 for all 16 games if we don't get a QB we want in the draft, or if we do and we want him to sit and learn.

[drnykterstein]

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 could not disagree more. Fiedler was a caretaker who never won a game by himself. To me it seems as if the Fitz-Johnson connection is just about the only reason we have won any games.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

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.

 

+1

 

I see the same thing on the "slow down a bit". I think part of the issue is pressure - he knows he has to get the ball out there quickly because the line is young and has holes. I wonder if some of his "wild thing flings" aren't hurries where he knows the ball isn't quite "right" in his hand but doesn't take time to adjust.

 

I think a more consistent, somewhat better line would help his accuracy more than folks realize.