Is fitz an "elite" QB?

[#34fan]

I'm not saying get rid of fitz. I never mentioned cutting him. We all know about the clause that says we can cut him 7 days into next season and get out of the contract. I don't mention that. I don't want us to cut him. I want us to draft his replacement if there's a guy we like on the board when we draft. I pray that buddy, if he loves a qb available when we draft, doesn't pass on him because fitz is our qb of the future. We have other needs, but there's never a need bigger than upgrading a mediocre qb. I don't wanna pass on one of these qbs just because we paid fitz all this money.

I'll mention cutting him without as much as a second thought. In the best interest of the team, we need to off-load all the dead weight. Especially dead weight that could end up costing tens of millions. Fitz is not a good QB. Period. He will never win anything wherever he goes. He's so bad that if we cut him, he may not even get picked up by anyone else. If anyone does take a chance on him, they'll regret it soon after. Fitzpatrick is not elite. He's not great. He's not good. On his best day, he's barely mediocre. Mostly though, he's just terrible. He throws a wobbly ball with a trajectory that either sails it high, or drives into the ground. Time to turn the page. Fitz, If you ever shave that disgusting beard, you'd make a great addition to some franchise's front office. -Preferrably not ours though.

 

GO BILLS! RG3 in 2012!!!

[opfball91]

Let me put it to you this way. When the Jets play the Saints, or the Packers, and they play defense the way they played defense against us the first game, you're really going to tell me the Saints or Packers receivers aren't going to be getting open? Teams shut us down without a problem, granted Fitz isn't Brees or Rogers, but he's not working with anything close to what they have.

I'll mention cutting him without as much as a second thought. In the best interest of the team, we need to off-load all the dead weight. Especially dead weight that could end up costing tens of millions. Fitz is not a good QB. Period. He will never win anything wherever he goes. He's so bad that if we cut him, he may not even get picked up by anyone else. If anyone does take a chance on him, they'll regret it soon after. Fitzpatrick is not elite. He's not great. He's not good. On his best day, he's barely mediocre. Mostly though, he's just terrible. He throws a wobbly ball with a trajectory that either sails it high, or drives into the ground. Time to turn the page. Fitz, If you ever shave that disgusting beard, you'd make a great addition to some franchise's front office. -Preferrably not ours though.

 

GO BILLS! RG3 in 2012!!!

Haha thanks for giving me a good laugh.

Edited December 8, 2011 by opfball91

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

Obviously he's not in the top 3-5, that isn't the question. Dumb topic that misses the point

[Fitzyflakes67]

We needed him to beat Cinci, which was doable, then the Jets in Buffalo, and he couldn't do it. Those were the key games. The league has figured him out pretty well.

 

How is he "figured out" beyond anyone else? Here, I have figured out every QB in the league; get pressure, sack them, cover their WRs. And for someone who's figured out he still manages to be top 10 in most categories...pretty damn impressive.

 

If anything you could say the offense and it's scheme have been figured out. Still though there's video out there on how best to play EVERY team, that doesn't mean it's always gonna happen. As long as the WRs run good routes and get open, and Fitz doesn't make big mistakes, they can compete with anyone.

Edited December 8, 2011 by Fitzyflakes67

[Hapless Bills Fan]

If you don't know what an elite QB is, vote for that option. If you vote yes or no, explain why you feel that way.

 

Fitz is not an elite QB by my definition but he has shown himself to be a quality NFL starter.

 

An elite QB is someone like Payton Manning, Drew Brees, or Aaron Rodgers - someone who plays at a high level game in and game out, who can carry the team. They are top of the league by any statistical measure.

They are hard to find, once in a decade QBs and drafting a QB #1 is no guarantee that you get one of these. There are only 3-4 of these in the league at any one time.

 

A quality QB is someone who plays well, but isn't quite at that over-the-top level of amazing game in and game out. Either he plays consistently "well enough" (examples: Campbell, Hasselbeck, Schaub, Freeman, Roethlisberger).

Or he has good games and bad games, good years and bad years (Eli Manning, Tony Romo, Jay Cutler, Philip Rivers, and it looks to me like perhaps Fitz).

They are consistently in the top half of QB in the league, provided they have some pieces around them. They win games.

Given pieces and a decent D, these QB can wind up on the "ring" side of the SB matchup often beating QB who are truly elite but don't have as much team around them.

 

Bradford, Dalton, Newton, and Stafford all deserved to be top picks and will all wind up on one or the other category despite the fact that some of them are currently bottom-half dwellers.

 

Flacco and Sanchez are "on the fence" as to whether they are quality QB in the "on and off" category. They are both on teams being carried by their D IMO.

[1billsfan]

To me, this is a silly topic. The term "Elite QB" is an ESPN made-up term so that they can make another stupid list for their network, radio shows and magazine.

 

The only thing that matters is if Ryan Fitzpatrick is good enough to win the Bills a Superbowl. He's clearly never going to be in the "elite" category. So this is an unfair poll from the get go.

 

I see Fitzpatrick as an Eli Manning type of QB. IMO, he's definitely good enough to win a Superbowl so long as there's a good defense and good running game in place.

[DocLawless]

This is the only thread I've created. I've stated my opinion in many threads. In those threads, I read others saying they are happy with fitz as our qb. I want to see how many people think he's a great qb. That's the purpose of this thread. For me to see how many people, if any, think he's that good. Maybe I should have worded it differently. With the draft on my mind, theres a few qbs I would love to see in a bills uniform and I see drafting one of those guys as our "should be" #1 priority. Yes we need defense badly. We need OL and Wr too.! I think we need ago upgrade our qb position more than any of them. Not sure what some "new" would be. The only "new" stuff I can come up with would be after each game, when we add another loss onto our record and him being unable to drive down the field at the end of the game and score a gw td. Or if we get blown out and don't score any meaningful tds. All of these losses recently came at a point where if we won, maybe we can still make the playoffs. We lost ALL of them. A couple were blowouts where our defense and offense got dominated and there were a couple games that we had a chance to win at the end of the game and didn't get it done. I really wanted to see him get it done. He didn't. Mark Sanchez isn't a very good qb, but he has 11 gw drives in the last 2 years. Fitz has 6 in his career. 2 this year. I want a qb that I have confidence that he will get it done. I don't have confidence that fitz is that guy.

I don't have an agenda. I'm just some guy that wants to see how other bills fans view their qb. I should've included more options. My bad.

I'm sorry but drafting a qb this year would be the absolute dumbest thing Buffalo could do. They have ZERO pass rush and terrible linebackers that needs to be addressed immediately. I don't care if Aaron Rodgers is our qb we will never win giving up 400+ yards every week and 30+ points. We have a good enough offense to win 10-12 games in a season if we get a good enough defense. Their offense is so often one dimensional because of the whole their defense puts them in and not even an "elite" qb can do anything when the offense is one dimensional and predictable. Fitz is good enough with good team around him IMO

[Nuncha]

Elite QB's can throw the long ball - something $hitz is absolutely horrible at. I can't wait to see him play in a wind storm at the Ralph - the weather has been decent so far this year......

[Just in Atlanta]

This thread is not elite.

 

Do elite QBs make the bad throws he does? Let's have the mentality that there is good common ground between elite and suck. Elite is rare. Like 5 percent rare. Like two, or maybe three QBs (Brees), rare.

 

Average, which Fitz is, is not bad. It's average. Fitz will likely be above average, which is uncommon, IMO. When he has a better supporting cast, things will get better.

 

Also not "elite:" Jim Kelly (4 SB appearances), B. Favre (1 SB win), B. Roethlisberger (2 SB wins), E. Manning (1 SB win), K. Warner (2 appearances), and that's fine, I'll take an above average QB like these and be happy. In Buffalo, above average is pretty much elite after this drought.

[thewildrabbit]

Manning, Brady, Brees, Rodgers are elite. The fact you are even asking if Fitzpatrick is an "elite" QB shows how little football you know.

And if you were to put any one of those 4 behind the Buffalo Bills half assed O line, with one decent receiver, a slow TE that they don't call plays for. Game plans that call for the QB to throw throw throw into a stacked prevent secondary.....all four would have been on IR by now as none could have escaped the rushes. Lets face it, Chan Gailey will never ever be confused with Sean Payton who can formulate a game plan against an opponent and if that doesn't work he tries something different, unlike Gailey who just keeps trying to force the pass.

 

The Buffalo Bills must think highly of Fitz to pay him what they paid him! 59 million over 6 years and 29 million guaranteed. Base salary 33 mill over 3 years ...so yea, I think the BB FO thinks Fitz is elite

[prissythecat]

This thread is not elite.

 

 

Also not "elite:" Jim Kelly (4 SB appearances), B. Favre (1 SB win), B. Roethlisberger (2 SB wins), E. Manning (1 SB win), K. Warner (2 appearances), and that's fine, I'll take an above average QB like these and be happy. In Buffalo, above average is pretty much elite after this drought.

 

 

Warner has 3 appearances with 1 win. Roethlisberger has 3 appearances with 2 wins.

[Mr. WEO]

Fitz > Vick for sure...vick has been a starter many more seasons than Fitz, and what has he ever accomplished really?

 

Id take Rivers over Fitz..but again, how much talent has Rivers had in San Diego? How would Rivers do in Buffalo?I wouldn't jump to take Ryan over Fitz...Ryan has fallen into a situation in Atlanta where he has TONS of talent around him and though he has performed relatively well, how would he actually do in Buffalo?

 

The point is, Fitz is putting up good numbers with very little talent around him...so the LOGICAL thing would be to simply continue to ADD talent to the offensive side and not SUBTRACT from the talent (by replacing Fitz or even stevie or freddie)

 

Well, if you looked it up, you would see that Rivers threw for 3700 yards--without Gates and Jackson (who combined for another 1000 yards).

 

He was able to make due with guys like Legedu Naanee, Malcom Floyd, Patrick Crayton, Seyi Ajirotutu, Craig Davis and tiny Darren Sproles.

 

It can be done. As someone else pointed out, Houston is still scoring points, essentially without a QB.

 

The "very little talent" surrounding Fitz at receiver hasn't changed much (except for Jones) since week 3 (or opening day for that matter)--Stevie, Nelson and Chandler have been our top receivers all year and are still active.

[opfball91]

Rivers is currently having an awful year WEO and the Texans are still scoring cause they have Arian Foster.

[thewildrabbit]

Rivers is currently having an awful year WEO and the Texans are still scoring cause they have Arian Foster.

good point

 

The Bronco's are winning with anything but an "elite' QB in Tebow

 

The 49ers are crushing it with a scrub at QB, a top defense and a power running game...same as the Texans

[NewEra]

1323361819[/url]' post='2331174']

Rivers is currently having an awful year WEO and the Texans are still scoring cause they have Arian Foster.

 

Yes he's having a horrible YEAR. He's referring to past years. I thought that was obvious. As far as the texans...you think they're scoring because of Arian foster? Sure, he's a great back, but Ben Tate was putting up similar numbers. They have a great Oline and run scheme. Having Arian helps, but he isn't the reason.

 

1323352880[/url]' post='2331095']

To me, this is a silly topic. The term "Elite QB" is an ESPN made-up term so that they can make another stupid list for their network, radio shows and magazine.

 

The only thing that matters is if Ryan Fitzpatrick is good enough to win the Bills a Superbowl. He's clearly never going to be in the "elite" category. So this is an unfair poll from the get go.

 

I see Fitzpatrick as an Eli Manning type of QB. IMO, he's definitely good enough to win a Superbowl so long as there's a good defense and good running game in place.

 

It's a poll on a message board. How can it be "unfair"? It's a simple question. Easy answer. I wanted to see how many clueless people we had on this board. Read the entire thread. Not just the op. sure, fitz is good enough to win the SB with the dilfers ravens defense, Johnson's buccs defense, McMahon bears defense or bradshaws steelers defense. That's about it in my book. Good luck building that defense

[ddaryl]

of course he is not, that is why the Bills didn't pay him like an elite QB.

 

He is a slightly better then average QB that we have until we are in a position to bring in and groom a real future prospect

[hondo in seattle]

I like Fitz. But he can't make all the throws that Brees or Brady can make. He can't carry a team on his shoulders the way Manning can. He's a good QB. He's not elite.

[NewEra]

Another thought. To those that say Rodgers/manning/Brady/brees couldn't do anything with this bills roster, look at the colts. He won his division every year with a team that may not win ONE game without him. When he's on the team they have a "chance" to win the SB. You can say its not the "same team", but it's pretty dam close. From 10+ wins a year to zero. A great qb makes that much of a difference. To those that say "Rodgers, brady, manning and brees would get sacked all day behind our line. PLEASE STOP. So you're saying that fitz can read defense better than these guys? Fitz is great at making fast reads. No doubt about it, but to say that those qbs can't make those reads......stop it. Our offense is based on quick plays. Read the d, snap, throw. Fitz is pretty good at it. I'd put my money that the other 4 would run this offense MUCH better. We'll never know, but it doesn't takemamrocket scientist to watch a qb play and see who can read defenses. All 4 of those can read d's with the best AND make ALL the throws with accuracy and velocity.

[Mr. WEO]

Rivers is currently having an awful year WEO and the Texans are still scoring cause they have Arian Foster.

 

 

He's having an off year, not "awful". You missed the point anyway: bobonator said "look who Rivers is throwing to in SD"--when actually he had a great year last year throwing to an obscure buch of receivers.

 

Yes, Foster is a nice RB, btu RB won't keep you in it. We had a healthy FJ until the late 3rd Q in the Fins game and we still giot crushed by the Jets/Cowboys/Fins--and FJ is a bettter back this year than Foster. And Foster had modest numbers the last two games.

[K-9]

Another thought. To those that say Rodgers/manning/Brady/brees couldn't do anything with this bills roster, look at the colts. He won his division every year with a team that may not win ONE game without him. When he's on the team they have a "chance" to win the SB. You can say its not the "same team", but it's pretty dam close. From 10+ wins a year to zero. A great qb makes that much of a difference. To those that say "Rodgers, brady, manning and brees would get sacked all day behind our line. PLEASE STOP. So you're saying that fitz can read defense better than these guys? Fitz is great at making fast reads. No doubt about it, but to say that those qbs can't make those reads......stop it. Our offense is based on quick plays. Read the d, snap, throw. Fitz is pretty good at it. I'd put my money that the other 4 would run this offense MUCH better. We'll never know, but it doesn't takemamrocket scientist to watch a qb play and see who can read defenses. All 4 of those can read d's with the best AND make ALL the throws with accuracy and velocity.

 

Manning and Brady are once in a generation QBs and are in the "best of all time discussion." Rodgers and Brees may be well on their way to that status, but are looking like first ballot HOF QBs regardless. Has the bar for Fitz been raised to that level around here? That's unfair.

 

ddaryl hit it on the head above: of course he's not an "elite" QB and the Bills didn't pay him like one. I don't think anyone at One Bills Dr is under the impression that he is elite. If there is that "15 year guy" available in the draft when their pick comes up, I don't think Nix and Gailey would hesitate to pick him. Luckily, they were smart enough to sign Fitz to a deal that gives them the flexibility to draft a QB with their #1 if they choose.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Edited December 8, 2011 by K-9