Fake-Fat Sunny Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 THE FUTURE IS NOW I've have disagreed with a lot of things that TD has done and tried to say so early and often (I was saying that GW needed to be canned as our 8-8 season drew to a close because it was clear to me he did not have the right stuff to HC us to victory and that TD was still gunshy from Cowher having run him out of town when he hired and the way he managed GW, I also advocated going in another direction than keeping Bledsoe after last season). However, reality is reality and because fortunately I'm not in charge, I also advocated taking an approach where this team could win with GW as HC (TD needed to use him and his lists more as an adminsitrative assistant and run his team using the same judgment and balls which brought WM, Adams, Modrak and Spikes here) and where this team could win even with the strengths and deficits of Bledsoe as QB (use him as a change-up rather than rely on him to carry the team because he can't do that). I was pleased as punch to see TDs comments regarding Bledsoe and Losman which have appeared the last couple of days. I for one love to hear it when the GM of my team has as his attitude that we are not going to take a step back to develop a particular player, but our plan is to win and to win now. The thing that I find hard to believe is not the concept that the Bills are going to roll life's dice and have MM/Clements try to expand upon the same good form they showed against bad and average teams last year to expand that performance to play against good teams, but the thing i fin hard to believe is that so many fans are willing to bank so much of the their faith in having a losing season in the hopes that Losman might be the new savior in the future. Life is too short, injuries happen out of the blue, and worst to first is possible like never before for anyone to seriously invest in development for the future as their strategy for playing the game in my view. Losman should start when he is ready and not a moment sooner (or a moment later unless Bledsoe gets his act together managing this team) than he is ready to play and win. You don't back down or you don't win in this game and starting Losman with the idea that we will be able to see or he might get some experience that will help him win in the future is just foreign to my thinking. If Losman is that good (which I hope he is) he needs to be play the game and make it impossible for MM and the Bills braintrust to deny him his chance. No one is going to give him anything and he has to take it on the field. TD has given MM the opening to act on things if Losman's off-seaspn study and minicamp play forces MM to take notice. Bledsoe has given Losman an opening by not leading this team to the playoffs and is trying rhetorically to hold onto his job, if Losman plays the way we hope he plays he cannot be denied. I'm more disappointed that some fans seem to want to trade Bledsoe for draft picks that MIGHT give us some benefit in the future in exchange for taking an accelerated cap hit from moving Bledsoe that WILL cripple our ability to sign playesrs this year. Let's not be weenies and aim for some might be future, when if we seize the day things can be there for the taking in the here and now. THE FUTURE IS NOW!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Realist Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Agreed. I'd like to see a definite open competition for the starting QB role. Bledsoe will probably be named the starter for the mini camps, but I would hope that MM does give JP an opportunity to show how much he has progressed during the off season. By the time the preseason comes around I'd like to see JP with the starting unit at least as often as Drew. I do not advocate getting rid of Bledsoe, even with his salary I'd like to see him back up and mentor JP for another year if JP does get the starting nod in 05. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Hey, Fake Fat Sunny........I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure I saw a post by the Bear today that had an acronym (FFS)after it.......the post happened to be very lengthy.......have you been stojanized? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob4Bills Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Well put Fake, though a tad wordy. NFL Network was an awesome advent this past preseason as it allowed me to replay all the games and really breakdown JP's raw talent. What I still take from that was the incredible ball handling skills the kid has, as well as innovative playcalling that wasn't seen much during the season. It seems to me the reason we didn't see any of this in the reg season was Drew doesn't/couldn't handle the ball like that (play action, slight of hand fake hand offs one way- then hand off the other way, etc). Following the Bills since the 60's championship teams, I couldn't and still don't remember that kind of talent from the QB position in Buffalo. This alone won't win a starting job for a rook, but I think he knows he can take the reigns next year by doing everything asked of him during the offseason. No one need look any further than the Chargers this year to know today's game is a WIN NOW game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthTownBills51 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 I think TD realizes that he has to do something now, because Ralph Wilson isn't getting any younger, and his patience has to be wearing thin especially now, being as close as we were this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Well put Fake, though a tad wordy. NFL Network was an awesome advent this past preseason as it allowed me to replay all the games and really breakdown JP's raw talent. What I still take from that was the incredible ball handling skills the kid has, as well as innovative playcalling that wasn't seen much during the season. It seems to me the reason we didn't see any of this in the reg season was Drew doesn't/couldn't handle the ball like that (play action, slight of hand fake hand offs one way- then hand off the other way, etc). Following the Bills since the 60's championship teams, I couldn't and still don't remember that kind of talent from the QB position in Buffalo. This alone won't win a starting job for a rook, but I think he knows he can take the reigns next year by doing everything asked of him during the offseason. No one need look any further than the Chargers this year to know today's game is a WIN NOW game. 197221[/snapback] Bob, I saw the same thing as you......now be honest.......don't you think that you could SERIUOSLY say that JP literally was twice as fast as Drew with his drop back? He was set and ready to deliver the ball in half the time.........tell me I'm wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardy Pyle Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 So what about Cinncy's situation. Should they have stuck with Kitna or did they make the right choice in starting Palmer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob4Bills Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 JP literally was twice as fast as Drew with his drop back.. He was set and ready to deliver the ball in half the time.........tell me I'm wrong. 197240[/snapback] Dead on RIGHT! Probably why we didn't see any of that slick hand stuff.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob4Bills Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 So what about Cinncy's situation. Should they have stuck with Kitna or did they make the right choice in starting Palmer? 197260[/snapback] Great point, Hardy. You can't ever tell. Like us, they laid out on their 1st round rook the first year, then handed him the reigns and he struggled and the team took back steps. This 'win now' world isn't an exact science but teams are realizing they can turn fortunes around quickly. Maybe go into seasons' willing to play a vet and a high priced rook evenly until one surfaces.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fake-Fat Sunny Posted January 7, 2005 Author Share Posted January 7, 2005 Well put Fake, though a tad wordy. NFL Network was an awesome advent this past preseason as it allowed me to replay all the games and really breakdown JP's raw talent. What I still take from that was the incredible ball handling skills the kid has, as well as innovative playcalling that wasn't seen much during the season. It seems to me the reason we didn't see any of this in the reg season was Drew doesn't/couldn't handle the ball like that (play action, slight of hand fake hand offs one way- then hand off the other way, etc). Following the Bills since the 60's championship teams, I couldn't and still don't remember that kind of talent from the QB position in Buffalo. This alone won't win a starting job for a rook, but I think he knows he can take the reigns next year by doing everything asked of him during the offseason. No one need look any further than the Chargers this year to know today's game is a WIN NOW game. 197221[/snapback] I am very hopeful about Losman for feelings from his playing like the activity you broke down. I agree though with the take TD is saying in the articles that he isn't there yet. but I am hopeful that with some hard work by him this off-season, and a good showing and work in the "voluntary" camps that he will force his way into the line up. ICE is right that he has to play to get better, but Losman has to do his part by showing through his work and in practice that he cannot be denied time and he deserves to play. Right now, I would say there are some good sign like his performances in the scrimmage against Cleveland last year and in the pre-season, the play you noted in the NFL Network showings, and the fact he was successful in games of leading the team to a couple of TDs in garbage time. However. there are some signs he has shown that he is not ready yet as well: 1. The delay of game penalty in first appearance in a blow-out game for us is an idicator that his basic control of the huddle and of the game situation may well not be there yet. 2. The TO he had to call to avoid the delay of game in his second low-out mop-up. This was an improvement over the delay but still showed the command is not there yet. 3, His awful production when he was thrown into the NE game. poor production happens but the two things which were troubling is that he apparently was not prepared to play (from his own comments) like he should have been anytime you put on the uniform and stand on the sideline (I think the B word slapping which MM might have provided him with this maneuver of throwing him to the wolves was understood by JP and is now part of his learning) and how his ballhandling fell apart under the duress. 4. His injury in practice apparently occured because he has overused the tutu that QBs get to wear in practice to gain some yards without contact. Its unfortunate that he lost games to what apparently was a vicious shove from vincent and unfortunate that his attitude apparently prompted this shove from a teammate. 5. Some disquieting murmurings that seem to be out there that JP may not have used the opportunity to study without the distraction of preparing himself in case he is needed to lead the team. I hopelike heck that JP took advantage of the unforunate opportunity that the injury gave him to attach is ear to Sam Wyche's mouth up in the booth during games. JP really had an unparalleled opportunity to advance his cause in becoming a vet by learning from Wyche during games without the distraction of being one of the boys. I am hopeful that the good things I and we have seen from JP will really blossom this off-season. If a player drafted in the 6th round who never played in his rookie year can absorb enough to lead his team to an SB win his second year, if a rookie QB can start for Pittsburgh because of their great D and lead them to their great record this year, there is no reason why Losman cannot refuse to be denied a starting shot by his practice this off-season and his play next pre-season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob4Bills Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 I am hopeful that the good things I and we have seen from JP will really blossom this off-season. If a player drafted in the 6th round who never played in his rookie year can absorb enough to lead his team to an SB win his second year, if a rookie QB can start for Pittsburgh because of their great D and lead them to their great record this year, there is no reason why Losman cannot refuse to be denied a starting shot by his practice this off-season and his play next pre-season. 197306[/snapback] He came out of college with 'bullheaded, I-Me-Mine, cocky' monikers well researched by Bills braintrust. This mental make up, combined with a strong, accurate arm WITH touch, deft ball handing skills and exciting feet is what he's all about. He has Bills fans everywhere hopeful that this years' tutelage (sp?) will pay off next year. I BILLIEVE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts