Luxy312 Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 This is an easy question to qualify. If Tom Brady stays healthy for the season, the Patriots are miles ahead of the Bills. If he doesn't, they're not. The best way I would characterize the distinction between the two teams is that the Bills are more "durable". Any quarterback that would start for Buffalo simply needs to be average for the team to win games. That's not the case for the Patriots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 This is an easy question to qualify. If Tom Brady stays healthy for the season, the Patriots are miles ahead of the Bills. If he doesn't, they're not. The best way I would characterize the distinction between the two teams is that the Bills are more "durable". Any quarterback that would start for Buffalo simply needs to be average for the team to win games. That's not the case for the Patriots. Correct. And I think the Bills have at least two at least average QBs on the roster. I don't think the Patriots have more than one QB who is above average. And the one they have is 37-years-old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireChan Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 Obviously your goal, in addition to your old and boring anti-EJ crusade, is to have people publicly disagree with me. That's perfectly fine. I think my opinion makes perfect sense. I think it's been proven in the past that a team with a stellar D and a stellar run game can be successful without a stellar QB. My opinion is that - assuming EJ is our starter - the Bills are good enough to get to the postseason with Manuel, primarily because the run game and the defense. Should Manuel go down with injury, or just suck, we will have Cassel backing him up ... along with that stellar run game and D. The Patriots do not have a stellar D. The Patriots do not have a stellar run game. The Patriots do not have an experienced veteran QB (experienced in being successful as a starter in the NFL, I mean). So if Brady goes down, they become a team with an okay defense, an okay run game, and Matt Flynn as their QB. So yes ... it is my opinion that the Bills have a better QB situation than the Patriots. Good enough to get to the postseason does not equal a better QB situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Good enough to get to the postseason does not equal a better QB situation. So you're telling me that if EJ Manuel and Tom Brady BOTH go down for the season in, say, Week 5, that you think the Patriots will end up with a better record than Buffalo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CodeMonkey Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 So the question is, team A has one of the best, if not the best, QBs to ever play the game and team B has 3 QBs that arguably shouldn't even be starting at the NFL level, is the QB situation better for team A or team B? Seriously. Man you gotta love the off season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireChan Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 So you're telling me that if EJ Manuel and Tom Brady BOTH go down for the season in, say, Week 5, that you think the Patriots will end up with a better record than Buffalo? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Yes. Then I wholeheartedly, but respectfully, disagree with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxy312 Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I think what FireChan is saying here is valid as well as there's another way to look at it. Would you rather have the Patriots quarterbacks on the Bills roster or the Bills quarterbacks? I don't think there's anyone in their right mind that would rather have Cassel, Manuel and Taylor over Brady and whomever else is on that roster. That would be an insane statement. Whether he believes that the Patriots would be OK without Brady is a whole different question. Although it's very limited in terms of data points, the Patriots were awful without Tom Terrific last season. I can't see them going 12-4 with Garoppolo or Flynn at the helm. That though is debatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I think what FireChan is saying here is valid as well as there's another way to look at it. Would you rather have the Patriots quarterbacks on the Bills roster or the Bills quarterbacks? I don't think there's anyone in their right mind that would rather have Cassel, Manuel and Taylor over Brady and whomever else is on that roster. That would be an insane statement. Whether he believes that the Patriots would be OK without Brady is a whole different question. Although it's very limited in terms of data points, the Patriots were awful without Tom Terrific last season. I can't see them going 12-4 with Garoppolo or Flynn at the helm. That though is debatable. Whether the Pats would be good without Brady is a huge part of the "quarterback situation," though. They have a 37-year-old Tom Brady with Matt Flynn backing him up. That is not a good situation; especially since they have an average defense and run game. This isn't "Is Tom Brady better than EJ?" No one would answer EJ. This is about the QB situation, which run game/defense/special teams/coaching, etc. all have a part in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxy312 Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Whether the Pats would be good without Brady is a huge part of the "quarterback situation," though. They have a 37-year-old Tom Brady with Matt Flynn backing him up. That is not a good situation; especially since they have an average defense and run game. This isn't "Is Tom Brady better than EJ?" No one would answer EJ. This is about the QB situation, which run game/defense/special teams/coaching, etc. all have a part in. But you're qualifying it with two things that are not equivalent. You can't say look at the Patriots situation based on everything they have around them and at the same time look at the Bills and say their "QB situation" is better because of dozens of other better players. You might as well instead be saying which team is better across the board, because that's really what you mean. Or which team is in a better position, should they lose their starting signal caller to injury? Putting everything else equal, there's not a person on the planet that would take the Bills QB's over the Patriots QB's and put them on any roster. For that matter, I would probably take Matt Flynn over any of the QB's on Buffalo's roster. He's had some really good games when he's been on good teams with a lot of talent around him. I think he would suck if he had to start for New England right now, but maybe that's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 But you're qualifying it with two things that are not equivalent. You can't say look at the Patriots situation based on everything they have around them and at the same time look at the Bills and say their "QB situation" is better because of dozens of other better players. You might as well instead be saying which team is better across the board, because that's really what you mean. Or which team is in a better position, should they lose their starting signal caller to injury? Putting everything else equal, there's not a person on the planet that would take the Bills QB's over the Patriots QB's and put them on any roster. For that matter, I would probably take Matt Flynn over any of the QB's on Buffalo's roster. He's had some really good games when he's been on good teams with a lot of talent around him. I think he would suck if he had to start for New England right now, but maybe that's just me. I'll respectfully disagree with you, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papazoid Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 (edited) NE has 1 Top 5 QB BUF has zero Top 20 QB's NE wins "the QB situation" Edited July 9, 2015 by papazoid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxy312 Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I'll respectfully disagree with you, too. I always argue respectfully so back at you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky Landing Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 A lot of hay has been made about how "mediocre at best" our QB situation is in the media. But, I think we should all maybe take a step back and understand that the media has an habitual storyline for the Bills, just as they have an habitual storyline for the Pats*. And, those story lines are carrying over into our QB situation. Case in point: By all accounts, our QBs had moments during OTAs in which they struggled. However, by all accounts, they also had strong performances-- especially EJ, and Tyrod. But, you won't see that discussed in any of the current opinions regarding the Bills in the national media. You'll be hard pressed to find any description of any one of our quarterbacks rising above the level of, "mediocre at best." Cut to: Jimmy Garoppolo, and the Pats*. By all accounts, Garoppolo had a rougher time in OTAs than any of our QBs, and against a clearly inferior defense. Google, "Garoppolo OTA," and your page will fill with news stories from May and June of his struggles, including accuracy issues, interceptions, speed, etc. Numerous stories. And then today: ATL on NFL.com posts the following story: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000500759/article/brandon-lafell-lauds-jimmy-garoppolos-growthBrandon LaFell Lauds Garoppolo's Growth. Some quotes: "After a slew of voluntary workouts and a minicamp this offseason, early returns have been positive. Garoppolo flashed during some spot duty a year ago and rolled that into a nice spring and summer." and: "He's been having a nice OTAs, a nice offseason with us..." and: "Garoppolo, too, may even be a better quarterback than the above-average NFL backup." The Bills will get this sort of lopsided coverage until the narrative changes. But, we should't buy into the negative hype ourselves, any more than we would buy into the incessant positive hype following around Garoppolo, and the Pats*. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San-O Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I mean, we have an elite D and great running game. Is our QB situation better than the Pats? Discuss. Huh... ? :huh: WHAT running game? And yes... we are MUCH better at Qb than N.E. Discuss.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I thought this was a trick question. I was wrong.... It's just a silly question. NE has 1 Top 5 QB BUF has zero Top 20 QB's NE wins "the QB situation" Yeah, but we have THREE qb's who are not in the top 20. Do we get points for that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hondo in seattle Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 (edited) I thought it was JPP who blew the index finger off his right hand? Unless Brady loses a digit, their QB situation is much, much better regardless of Brady's suspension. The Pats will enter 12 games this year where their QB is as good as, or better than, the opponent's. We'll enter maybe 2 games like that - our games against the Jests. Edited July 9, 2015 by hondo in seattle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky Landing Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 I thought it was JPP who blew the index finger off his right hand? Unless Brady loses a digit, their QB situation is much, much better regardless of Brady's suspension. The Pats will enter 12 games this year where their QB is as good as, or better than, the opponent's. We'll enter maybe 2 games like that - our games against the Jests. That's really not a given. Geno has been getting some high praise lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machine gun kelly Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Did you have a firecracker explode on your head? That was a belly laugh. The title was silly. I may hate Brady but he is up there for the best QB of all time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wiz Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 (edited) So you're telling me that if EJ Manuel and Tom Brady BOTH go down for the season in, say, Week 5, that you think the Patriots will end up with a better record than Buffalo? Yes. Mark it down folks. FC just said that the Patriots are better without Brady than the Bills are without EJ if they both go out. He must think something positive about EJ to think that. Edited July 10, 2015 by The Wiz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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