All-22 Coaches Film -- Analysis of Fitz Week Two

[K-9]

I'm just saying that making that throw doesn't make him a good QB. All 32 starting QBs in the NFL would have made that throw. He went through his reads like any QB would have.. the protection was great. He saw stevie was wide open and threw him the ball.

 

We both agree it was an easy throw. I disagree that he was "looking the coverage off". I think he just went through his reads like anyone would. I dont think that plays qualifies as a great play by Fitz.

 

Did you see the Chiefs' MLB make a beeline sprint to his right when Fitz looked that way? That's what opened up the entire middle of the field.

 

Anyway, let me know when Fitz graduates to 'great' decision maker vs. 'right' or 'good' decision maker. Or when he makes a play that not every other QB in the league can make.

 

In the meantime, I'll be happy when his 'right' decisions end up in big plays for the offense.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[FreakPop]

So if say the Browns shut down our run game, and the ball is in Fitz's hands you'll be ok with that? I will let you analyze its not my thing. Apparently he has proven something to some, but i'm still skeptical. that's all i'm saying. And i'm quite sure i'm not alone here. Its true they all have a bad game, Eli, Peyton, Rodgers, Brady I understand, but you can trust they will fix it, giving us Fitz well he is what he is.. I love the guy will and toughness but come on you feeling some kinda way because I don't trust the guy. My bad!!

 

You will forever be skeptical no matter who the QB for the Bills is. About 7000 yards and 50 TDs in 2 years isn't good enough for you? What is? I know, it's nothing less than Brady, Brees, Rodgers, Manning type numbers. Gimme a break.

[Billsrhody]

Did you see the Chiefs' MLB make a beeline sprint to his right when Fitz looked that way? That's what opened up the entire middle of the field.

 

Anyway, let me know when Fitz graduates to 'great' decision maker vs. 'right' or 'good' decision maker. Or when he makes a play that not every other QB in the league can make.

 

In the meantime, I'll be happy when his 'right' decisions end up in big plays for the offense.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

So you think he has been a great decision maker?

 

I did see the linebacker move to his right.. I just don't think that Fitz looking him off on purpose.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Billsrhody

[Maury Ballstein]

You will forever be skeptical no matter who the QB for the Bills is. About 7000 yards and 50 TDs in 2 years isn't good enough for you? What is? I know, it's nothing less than Brady, Brees, Rodgers, Manning type numbers. Gimme a break.

 

 

Whose name doesn't belong here Brady, Brees, Rogers, Manning, Newton, Fitzpatrick

 

 

He beat the chiefs cool, How quickly you forget week 1 and the 10 games before that. Remember the whole no playoffs thing and the 25 plus INT's ? One win and a career record way under .500 does not make him a hall of famer.

 

 

You mentioning the names of great QB's is way off base here. Lets interject a little dose of reality to this situation. Everyone is pulling for the guy but as they say on Monday night fooooseball COME ON MAN!

[K-9]

So you think he has been a great decision maker?

 

I did see the linebacker move to his right.. I just don't think that Fitz looking him off on purpose.

 

Definitely not as consistently as I'd like to see. But even his good decisions have been undermined by his poor accuracy at times. Like that green light audible he has when he sees single coverage on his wideouts, for example. He sucks on those go routes. Certainly, his decisions to revert to gunslinger mode and force things at times aren't good ones.

 

But I am more than confident that Fitz gets us into the right plays far more often than not based on what he's reading out there. And THAT is something that NOT every other QB in the league can do even MOST of the time.

 

I'm pretty sure that looking at your first read is always on purpose and it sure looked like Chandler was his first read both to me and, more importantly, to the MLB who ran his ass off to get into that space thus leaving the middle wide open for Stevie to exploit.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[Wayne Cubed]

So you think he has been a great decision maker?

 

I did see the linebacker move to his right.. I just don't think that Fitz looking him off on purpose.

 

And if you watch the play Stevie was about his 3rd read. He was definitely looking him off on purpose.

[Billsrhody]

Definitely not as consistently as I'd like to see. But even his good decisions have been undermined by his poor accuracy at times. Like that green light audible he has when he sees single coverage on his wideouts, for example. He sucks on those go routes. Certainly, his decisions to revert to gunslinger mode and force things at times aren't good ones.

 

But I am more than confident that Fitz gets us into the right plays far more often than not based on what he's reading out there. And THAT is something that NOT every other QB in the league can do even MOST of the time.

 

I'm pretty sure that looking at your first read is always on purpose and it sure looked like Chandler was his first read both to me and, more importantly, to the MLB who ran his ass off to get into that space thus leaving the middle wide open for Stevie to exploit.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

All of this based on 1 game? What about the entirety of last year?

 

And if you watch the play Stevie was about his 3rd read. He was definitely looking him off on purpose.

 

I agree that it was his 3rd read. Thats why I think he was just going through his reads, not deliberately looking a player off to go to his 1st read.

[thewildrabbit]

QB's have hot and cold games, for the love of god would everyone be bitching about the QB position if we had Mike Vick? 3 TD's, 6 INT's in two games

 

Fitz has 5 TD's- 3 INT's and is tied with Matt Ryan at the lead in the NFL in TD's.

If I remember correctly FJ was on fire in that early stretch last year. His running took pressure off Fitz to make plays in the passing game. I hold Gailey responsible for Fitzpatrick's play against the Jets because of all the exceptionally predictable passing play calls on the first game of the season in the loud stadium of the oppossing team. There was no reason to have him throwing the ball that much that early in the game.

 

If NFL defenses have all adjusted to defending the aerial attack it makes sense more than ever to bludgeon them with a running game until someone forces you to pass.

Didn't you hear, Gailey is an old school running style coach ............now!

[K-9]

And if you watch the play Stevie was about his 3rd read. He was definitely looking him off on purpose.

 

Don't know where in the progression Stevie was exactly, but it definitely wasn't his primary. The more I look at that play the more impressed I am with the job Fitz did of looking Derrick Johnson off. As the MLB against an empty set, Johnson's first read is Fitz. Period. As soon as Fitz looked to his left, Johnson bit on it big time. And he looks confused when Fitz goes back to his right and hits Stevie. Great fake by Fitz. Just ask Derrick Johnson.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[CodeMonkey]

QB's have hot and cold games, for the love of god would everyone be bitching about the QB position if we had Mike Vick? 3 TD's, 6 INT's in two games

Yes.

[Kelly the Dog]

The first pass to Chandler as everyone knows was heinous. It truly was one of the worst passes I have seen an NFL QB make when he had time.

 

The second time on that same play, that pass was brilliant. From the All22 you can't believe what a great pass that was. There was a guy on him and a guy all over Chandler and he waited and then threw it absolutely perfectly. Just getting a completion on that pass was very good. To hit him in stride like he did when you see it from that angle was just tremendous.

 

The funny thing is, I think that first play distorted everyone's perception of his game, including my own. If he hit the first play for 47 yards or whatever it was, and missed the second one badly, I think he would be only getting half the criticism he is getting.

 

The TD to Chandler, also, was a VERY good throw. Chandler was open but there was a defender right in the throwing lane. Fitz just got it over the (high) leaping arm, and if it was just a little off it would have been deflected and an incompletion. It looked easy at first but wasn't.

[eball]

So you think he has been a great decision maker?

 

I did see the linebacker move to his right.. I just don't think that Fitz looking him off on purpose.

 

David Lee is quoted as saying Fitz is one of the best he's ever seen at looking the defense off. In fact, he does it so well Lee surmised that was one of the reasons he was losing some accuracy.

[K-9]

All of this based on 1 game? What about the entirety of last year?

 

 

 

I agree that it was his 3rd read. Thats why I think he was just going through his reads, not deliberately looking a player off to go to his 1st read.

 

I am including all of Fitz's work from the time he first got the starting job in 2009 until the present. And for my money, Fitz's game against Baltimore in 2010 is as good a display of great decision making as their is. He had Ray Lewis and Ed Reed confused. And that doesn't happen very often. It seemed every time the Baltimore D adjusted, Fitz got us into the better play with an audible. So my critique of his work goes back a bit. I've already stated that he doesn't always make the best decision as well as not being able to make the play when he DOES make the good decision due to his accuracy, etc.

 

Please look at that play to SJ some more. Derrick Johnson is absolutely flummoxed by Fitz looking to his left. Fitz is Johnson's read on that play and he bit hard on Fitz's look to the left regardless of who was his primary or not.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[NoSaint]

 

 

David Lee is quoted as saying Fitz is one of the best he's ever seen at looking the defense off. In fact, he does it so well Lee surmised that was one of the reasons he was losing some accuracy.

 

thats not doing it well.

Edited September 19, 2012 by NoSaint

[billsfan_34]

So with nothing better do after waking up way too early this morning with a head cold, I decided to break out the iPad and watch the coaches film of the KC game, with a specific focus on the play of Fitzpatrick.

 

Mind you, I went into this exercise with the predisposition Fitz had played poorly on Sunday -- or if not poorly, then average at best. From my vantage point in the stands, it seemed as though he had no confidence and was either late or inaccurate on a number of throws.

 

The result of my analysis? I watched every offensive snap Fitz took, and my conclusion is he either missed an opportunity or made an errant throw a total of three times. Here are those plays:

 

1. 3rd and 1, Buffalo 25, 10:11 1st Q -- Fitz rolls right and throws incomplete to Chandler. He actually makes two mistakes on the play -- failing to throw initially when Chandler breaks free, and then badly underthrowing the open TE while moving to his right. Just a bad play; Bills punt.

 

2. 1st and 10, KC 17, 2:12 1st Q -- Fitz is trying to hit Stevie on a quick slant and throws a low and away fastball. This is another throw to his right -- Stevie had a chance to catch it, but not a good chance. The next play was CJ's first TD.

 

Surprisingly, that was it for the 1st half. Fitz went 7/12 but in my opinion the other three incompletions were neither bad decisions nor bad throws. The TD to Chandler was a beautiful throw, and Fitz scrambled several times for positive yardage. He was on time and hit receivers in stride as well.

 

In the 2nd half, the lone bad throw I picked up was on 3rd and 3 from the Buffalo 27 on the first drive of the 3rd Q. Fitz had Stevie wide open in the middle of the zone to his left for an easy 1st down, and he simply missed the throw.

 

That was it. There were a couple of throws to the outside that at first glance appeared to be errant, but when looking at the play from the All-22 perspective you could see the receivers were covered and Fitz essentially threw it away.

 

On the Bills' last TD drive, Fitz was really on target. The rollout and toss to Chandler was perfectly executed, and then the TD to Stevie was thrown in stride so Johnson did not have to stop or stretch for the pass.

 

All in all, I came away from the film with a much different perspective on Fitz's play -- surprisingly so. Three bad plays in 23 dropbacks (including four rushes) doesn't seem so bad. I'd be interested in hearing if others also watched the film and had another impression.

Thanks

[NoSaint]

 

 

I am including all of Fitz's work from the time he first got the starting job in 2009 until the present. And for my money, Fitz's game against Baltimore in 2010 is as good a display of great decision making as their is. He had Ray Lewis and Ed Reed confused. And that doesn't happen very often. It seemed every time the Baltimore D adjusted, Fitz got us into the better play with an audible. So my critique of his work goes back a bit. I've already stated that he doesn't always make the best decision as well as not being able to make the play when he DOES make the good decision due to his accuracy, etc.

 

Please look at that play to SJ some more. Derrick Johnson is absolutely flummoxed by Fitz looking to his left. Fitz is Johnson's read on that play and he bit hard on Fitz's look to the left regardless of who was his primary or not.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

i get both sides of the debate on this play. and im on the fence myself. if hes just jumping fitzs first read, fitz doesnt get bonus points for looking at his number one guy. if fitz held on to that side with his eyes intentionally thats a different story.

 

just getting johnson over there by itself isnt an accomplishment though, unless he was trying to do so by deception(or even design). it being a by product of an aggressive linebacker that thinks he wont make it to read 2.... less awesome.

[eball]

thats not doing it well.

 

Funny. Yes, I hear what you're saying, but certainly you get Lee's point. Fitz doesn't stare down his receivers and makes a conscious effort to mislead the defense -- sometimes to his own detriment because he has to turn and quickly fire when he may not be in the best position to make the accurate throw.

[Alphadawg7]

So with nothing better do after waking up way too early this morning with a head cold, I decided to break out the iPad and watch the coaches film of the KC game, with a specific focus on the play of Fitzpatrick.

 

Mind you, I went into this exercise with the predisposition Fitz had played poorly on Sunday -- or if not poorly, then average at best. From my vantage point in the stands, it seemed as though he had no confidence and was either late or inaccurate on a number of throws.

 

The result of my analysis? I watched every offensive snap Fitz took, and my conclusion is he either missed an opportunity or made an errant throw a total of three times. Here are those plays:

 

1. 3rd and 1, Buffalo 25, 10:11 1st Q -- Fitz rolls right and throws incomplete to Chandler. He actually makes two mistakes on the play -- failing to throw initially when Chandler breaks free, and then badly underthrowing the open TE while moving to his right. Just a bad play; Bills punt.

 

2. 1st and 10, KC 17, 2:12 1st Q -- Fitz is trying to hit Stevie on a quick slant and throws a low and away fastball. This is another throw to his right -- Stevie had a chance to catch it, but not a good chance. The next play was CJ's first TD.

 

Surprisingly, that was it for the 1st half. Fitz went 7/12 but in my opinion the other three incompletions were neither bad decisions nor bad throws. The TD to Chandler was a beautiful throw, and Fitz scrambled several times for positive yardage. He was on time and hit receivers in stride as well.

 

In the 2nd half, the lone bad throw I picked up was on 3rd and 3 from the Buffalo 27 on the first drive of the 3rd Q. Fitz had Stevie wide open in the middle of the zone to his left for an easy 1st down, and he simply missed the throw.

 

That was it. There were a couple of throws to the outside that at first glance appeared to be errant, but when looking at the play from the All-22 perspective you could see the receivers were covered and Fitz essentially threw it away.

 

On the Bills' last TD drive, Fitz was really on target. The rollout and toss to Chandler was perfectly executed, and then the TD to Stevie was thrown in stride so Johnson did not have to stop or stretch for the pass.

 

All in all, I came away from the film with a much different perspective on Fitz's play -- surprisingly so. Three bad plays in 23 dropbacks (including four rushes) doesn't seem so bad. I'd be interested in hearing if others also watched the film and had another impression.

 

This is a great thread, however, it has one clear flaw. The analysis people are going to base their comments on now are mostly reliant on what you said above being accurate. Unfortunately, it is not and doesn't come close to telling the whole story. I don't mean that offensively, just that its incomplete. Basically, what you are claiming essentially here is that in the whole game Fitz made only 3 bad throws. That just simply is not true. On several completed passes, plays you seem to have basically ignored, Fitz threw the ball poorly and behind the receiver or late preventing the player from actually being able to make a play and advance the ball. There was one throw to SJ that probably is a TD if Fitz does not throw the ball behind him allowing the DB to instantly tackle him on the catch as SJ had to break the route just to catch the ball. Even the announcers said as much during the live game.

 

I am not saying every throw he made was poor, I have already said the Chandler TD was a nice throw. However, there were many poorly thrown balls by him, not 3. Just because you complete a pass does not make it a good pass nor a good decision by default. When you make your read late and deliver the ball late, the receiver has no chance to do anything with the ball once he receives it...assuming the DB doesn't break it up in the first place. We had several times where if Fitz would have gotten the ball out when he should have the we could have had better results. We had several completed passes that could have been more than they were if Fitz would have gotten them the ball accurately and on time. He had a couple almost INT's on some other poor throws. He had several incomplete passes that could have been completed with a better throw.

 

So, again, your analysis is going to suggest the people who doubt him don't know football, when its actually the other way around. There is so much more than stats or even completions. His mechanics look terrible this year, almost worse than last year so far. His reads are consistently late. His accuracy is consistently off, even on passes he completes where they are often behind the WR or near the ground. His passes wobble and have a lot of air on them when its anything past a 10 yard throw. I can't believe more people are not talking about this next point...he has been locking onto players too making the job of the D easier. The guy is struggling in all facets of the game so far this year. If FItz would have been out there trying to throw his way to victory, this would have been a very different game.

 

Luckily, it was KC who has been atrocious so far this season in 2 weeks and struggled all preseason and also CJ and the D came through big time as well. All Fitz had to do was just not turn the ball over, which he did do (although he had a couple close calls). Bottom line is, this team can not win if we have to rely on Fitz to throw us to victory...our best chance is to take the ball out of his hands and give it to CJ and FJ with Fitz being more of a game manager. Problem is, game managers main responsibility is to be accurate and not turnover prone...too of Fitz's biggest issues.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Alphadawg7

[K-9]

i get both sides of the debate on this play. and im on the fence myself. if hes just jumping fitzs first read, fitz doesnt get bonus points for looking at his number one guy. if fitz held on to that side with his eyes intentionally thats a different story.

 

just getting johnson over there by itself isnt an accomplishment though, unless he was trying to do so by deception(or even design). it being a by product of an aggressive linebacker that thinks he wont make it to read 2.... less awesome.

 

Look, I'm not in the circle of people what want to parse the language and nitpick on what's a 'good' decision vs. a 'great' decision as seems to be the case. Fitz going to his second or third read and making a play is ALWAYS a good decision. Whether or not Fitz 'looked' him off or Derrick Johnson just bit on Fitz looking to his left is immaterial to me. It was a good play which resulted from Fitz making a good decision with the ball. And Derrick Johnson totally misread his primary responsibility which is the QB in a 5 wide, empty set. I have to give Fitz credit for that regardless of the 'intent' of the design of the play.

 

Fitz looked left, Derrick Johnson went right and the middle of the field was WIDE open for Stevie Johnson to exploit. Period. End of story. Why the need for people to piss on this even a little is stupid. Nobody I know has EVER said Fitz is the second coming, but Christ!, this sh*t gets old.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Edited September 19, 2012 by K-9

[Alphadawg7]

And if you watch the play Stevie was about his 3rd read. He was definitely looking him off on purpose.

 

There is just absolutely no way you can know this. I know you can think this, but there is no way for you to know. Many times when a QB comes out with the intention of throwing to a certain receiver, he intentionally does not even glance his way as if he is looking elsewhere to draw attention while the receiver develops his route. I am not saying it is or isn't his first or third read, I am saying at this level of play the "3rd read" is often the first read and intentionally not looked at until the moment he delivers the ball.