Jerry Jabber Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 (edited) In the offseason, there was a lot of hype with the Bills bringing in QB coach David Lee to help Fitz improve on his throwing mechanic's. We've heard about how Lee broke down all the incomplete passes that Fitz had thrown in 2011 and why. IMO, I feel Lee made Fitz into a worse QB instead of a better one. Yes, we all knew that Fitz was inconsistent even before the Bills enlisted the help of Lee, but Fitz is the worst passer in the league in regards to passes thrown for 20 yards or more. Before Lee came and changed Fitz's throwing mechanics, Fitz was not so inaccurate with passes thrown for over 20+ yards. In the past, we've seen Fitz lead come from behind wins against the Bengals, Raiders and Patriots. Also, Fitz and Owens hold the Bills record of the longest pass play (98 yards). So, do you think Lee's work did more harm than good, or no change at all? Edited December 2, 2012 by Jerry Jabber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 1 of your 3 comebacks we didn't win. That leaves 2 in how many starts? And TOs yards after the catch mean nothing. It's been an average fitz season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bg17 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 No. if they review all his incompletions for this season will they really see anything different? Also, I have seen more than one mention of the Raider comeback. Fitz tried to win it at the end for Oakland but Donald Jones was able to foil the plan with a spectacular end-zone breakup of a ball intended for the raider db. Horribly underthrown ball with the game on the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FluffHead Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 no, the fact that he has the arm strength of a middle school girl messed him up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UConn James Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 no, the fact that he has the arm strength of a middle school girl messed him up +1 Fitz has to put EVERYTHING he's got, including a leg swing, to chuck it 25-30 yards. And even then, it's a lame duck. Second coming of Kelly Holcomb. If a QB physically cannot throw the ball long in this league, it removes a huge part of the game that defenses have to account for against other QBs. He's a great guy, smart, quick, tough, has a huge heart... but he just doesn't have the strength/size to compete with the big boys, and his accuracy issues are killer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Nothing has changed except how teams play against Fitz, starting last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
....lybob Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 my only point of reference is when my high school coach change my backhand - it was worse before it was better, didn't pay off until the next season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr1 Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 It's not David Lee's fault Fitz has smurf hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Barbarian Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 probably but he wasn't great before so it's not like he totally screwed him but he sure didn't make him better that's for sure, he seems worse this year. In the offseason, there was a lot of hype with the Bills bringing in QB coach David Lee to help Fitz improve on his throwing mechanic's. We've heard about how Lee broke down all the incomplete passes that Fitz had thrown in 2011 and why. IMO, I feel Lee made Fitz into a worse QB instead of a better one. Yes, we all knew that Fitz was inconsistent even before the Bills enlisted the help of Lee, but Fitz is the worst passer in the league in regards to passes thrown for 20 yards or more. Before Lee came and changed Fitz's throwing mechanics, Fitz was not so inaccurate with passes thrown for over 20+ yards. In the past, we've seen Fitz lead come from behind wins against the Bengals, Raiders and Patriots. Also, Fitz and Owens hold the Bills record of the longest pass play (98 yards). So, do you think Lee's work did more harm than good, or no change at all? Wasn't it Trent and TO with the longest TD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Seems we've tried this before with Losman and Trent, and a few more before. What's it take for the BILLS to figure out that it may not be possible to make such as change? If a QB has questionable "throwing mechanics" why are we signing them? Why did we sign Vince & TJ? Maybe it's our questionable scouting or "signing mechanics that should be evaluated!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I think you could actually argue that Fitz is throwing the ball better than he has all season. The effect of Shaw's coaching is probably minimal either way but I think if there was gonna be a change, that it would be for the better but over a longer period of time than anyone would like. As numerous posters have earlier pointed out, changing muscle memory is not an easy, quick deal. Fitz might get better at throwing just in time to "rescue" our season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#34fan Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 (edited) In the offseason, there was a lot of hype with the Bills bringing in QB coach David Lee to help Fitz improve on his throwing mechanic's. We've heard about how Lee broke down all the incomplete passes that Fitz had thrown in 2011 and why. IMO, I feel Lee made Fitz into a worse QB instead of a better one. Yes, we all knew that Fitz was inconsistent even before the Bills enlisted the help of Lee, but Fitz is the worst passer in the league in regards to passes thrown for 20 yards or more. Before Lee came and changed Fitz's throwing mechanics, Fitz was not so inaccurate with passes thrown for over 20+ yards. In the past, we've seen Fitz lead come from behind wins against the Bengals, Raiders and Patriots. Also, Fitz and Owens hold the Bills record of the longest pass play (98 yards). So, do you think Lee's work did more harm than good, or no change at all? Chan Gailey destroyed anything that was ever decent about this team, -up to, and including Ryan Fitzpatrick. Granted, I was never a fan of Fitzfuzzball, but I can't help but note his RAPID regression since the Gailey/Modkins offense took over. Recently, I was watching footage of the DIME PASS Stevie dropped in P'burgh a few years back that would have won us the game. It's clear to me that at one point FITZ HAD A SERVICEABLE ARM. -WTF happened???!!!! -Gailey happened, that's what. Him, and his stupid, boring, worthless, fancy-pants offense, literally DRAINS MOMENTUM from scoring drives. This pompous moron actually believes the strength of our offense is in his retarded scheme, and not the individual talent of the players. Gailey is a selfish, stubborn, narcissistic, prick who couldn't coach a squirrel up a tree. His presence on this team is the result of croneyism on the part of our GM, and indifference on the part of our owner. Gailey sucks. You cannot support him as HC and call yourself a fan of this team. Edited December 2, 2012 by #34fan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pondslider Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Fitzpatrick being Fitzpatrick and David Nelson getting hurt early on messed him up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Jabber Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 (edited) 1 of your 3 comebacks we didn't win. That leaves 2 in how many starts? And TOs yards after the catch mean nothing. It's been an average fitz season I was referring to the comebacks in which the Bills did win against those 3 teams. probably but he wasn't great before so it's not like he totally screwed him but he sure didn't make him better that's for sure, he seems worse this year. Wasn't it Trent and TO with the longest TD? No, it was Fitz. Seems we've tried this before with Losman and Trent, and a few more before. What's it take for the BILLS to figure out that it may not be possible to make such as change? If a QB has questionable "throwing mechanics" why are we signing them? Why did we sign Vince & TJ? Maybe it's our questionable scouting or "signing mechanics that should be evaluated!" I agree 100% We either get a QB that can chuck the ball 60+ yards with accuracy, but can't hit the broad side of the barn between 1 and 20 yards (Losman), or a bunch of Captain Checkdowns (Holcomb, Edwards & Fitzpatrick). IMO, if there isn't a "sure thing" for a QB in the first round of the draft, then the Bills need to start drafting QB's from rounds 2-7 until they find a QB that works. Without a franchise QB, the Bills will continue to miss the playoffs every year. Chan Gailey destroyed anything that was ever decent about this team, -up to, and including Ryan Fitzpatrick. Granted, I was never a fan of Fitzfuzzball, but I can't help but note his RAPID regression since the Gailey/Modkins offense took over. Recently, I was watching footage of the DIME PASS Stevie dropped in P'burgh a few years back that would have won us the game. It's clear to me that at one point FITZ HAD A SERVICEABLE ARM. -WTF happened???!!!! -Gailey happened, that's what. Him, and his stupid, boring, worthless, fancy-pants offense, literally DRAINS MOMENTUM from scoring drives. This pompous moron actually believes the strength of our offense is in his retarded scheme, and not the individual talent of the players. Gailey is a selfish, stubborn, narcissistic, prick who couldn't coach a squirrel up a tree. His presence on this team is the result of croneyism on the part of our GM, and indifference on the part of our owner. Gailey sucks. You cannot support him as HC and call yourself a fan of this team. Great point about the 40+ yard pass to SJ in the end zone. That was a perfect pass in which SJ should have caught. Gailey is an offensive coordinator, not a HC. Gailey's only concern is the offense, he has no control over the defense or special teams as he lets Wannstedt & DeHaven take care of those 2 areas. A HC needs to be responsible for all 3 phases of the game. Fitzpatrick being Fitzpatrick and David Nelson getting hurt early on messed him up. Losing Nelson was a big blow to the offense, but IMO Fitz has regressed. Watching Fitz miss 3 open receivers down the field last week was brutal. Edited December 2, 2012 by Jerry Jabber Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealityCheck Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Working on Fitz's mechanics is like polishing a turd. You have to try it to see if it helps, but in the end it still smells bad. All kidding aside Fitz needs tremendous help in the technique aspect of his game. In the end it is up to him to make these things a part of his throwing motion, and to be realistic, you can't cure his poor footwork and technique in one season. If it were that easy a great number of QBs would be seriously elevating their game year after year, and that clearly is not the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I think if the onl major variable change from last year is Lee, then yes, Fitz's performance has deteriorated under Lee. Another bad coaching hire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandius Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Fitz has started 63 games in his career with a W-L record of 22-40-1 (or 35% winning rate). He has never averaged more than 6.8 yrds/attempt in a season and he sports a career completion percentage of less than 60%. Maybe somewhere in those 63 career starts, he put together a couple of good games. But we have to start thinking of those games as the exception, rather than the norm. Maybe he was never okay and then messed up. Maybe he was always messed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealityCheck Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Fitz has started 63 games in his career with a W-L record of 22-40-1 (or 35% winning rate). He has never averaged more than 6.8 yrds/attempt in a season and he sports a career completion percentage of less than 60%. Maybe somewhere in those 63 career starts, he put together a couple of good games. But we have to start thinking of those games as the exception, rather than the norm. Maybe he was never okay and then messed up. Maybe he was always messed up. You are right, Fitz playing well is the exception to the rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Fitz would be far better in a Houston or SF type offense, I think, and according to an article I saw somewhere with insight from Gannon and a recap of missed throes v Indy, his mechanics are still poor at times, in particular on the two deep throws left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papazoid Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 ABSOLUTELY YES !!..... it's like when a golfer gets a new swing coach....it takes time to be able to repeat it naturally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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