Formerly Allan in MD Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 Cassell will likely start. EJ may not even be around in the end and Taylor has proven nothing. At VA Tech, he was more effective running than anything else. That won't work in the pros; ask Mr. Tebow.
IDBillzFan Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 Someone needs a hug. I'd settle for a playoff game. Just because I've been hurt doesn't mean I'm not easy.
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 Just because I've been hurt doesn't mean I'm not easy. Ah, California. I'm with you on the playoff game, though. I honestly believe it'll happen this year. Should have happened LAST year.
Malazan Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 does the Buffalo media even know what good quarterbacking in TC looks like at this point? The question is...do they care..the Buffalo 'media' long ago left worrying about being factual, accurate or having integrity long behind them. They're more concerned about generating controversy to sell whatever it is that they sell at this point.
Kelly the Dog Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 Ah, California. I'm with you on the playoff game, though. I honestly believe it'll happen this year. Should have happened LAST year. If we had Rex and Roman last year I'm convinced we would have made the playoffs. There is no reason not to this year even considering our quarterbacking.
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 If we had Rex and Roman last year I'm convinced we would have made the playoffs. There is no reason not to this year even considering our quarterbacking. I'm on board with that idea.
eball Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 If we had Rex and Roman last year I'm convinced we would have made the playoffs. There is no reason not to this year even considering our quarterbacking. Yup. Texans, Chefs, and Raiders would have been Ws. Could have been a freaking 12-4 team.
Chandler#81 Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 Cassel was brought in as a safety net to make sure we have at least "adequate" QB play,.. . Says who? We traded for him as a viable starting QB.
Juice_32 Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 Eh... Those were his best years, but those teams were barely playoff contenders with him at the helm. We need a playmaker back there. Hopefully Tyrod or EJ can be that guy. But, on paper our D should be better than either of those teams. I agree with the OP's point. That train of thought is where I've been since we traded for him. Sure it would be better for TT or EJ to steal the job and give the coaches no choice, but Cassell still gives us a great shot IMHO.
Flip Johnson Posted August 3, 2015 Author Posted August 3, 2015 The point is that when certain variables are in place, Cassel will succeed. It isn't random. He needs a running game and a good OC. In '08 he had McDaniels and a very productive group of RBs, and in '10 he had Charlie Weis and Thomas Jones/Jamaal Charles. Since that point he has generally had overmatched OCs, and injury-prone, ineffective, or underutilized RBs.
LeGOATski Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 I would just like to point out that our team has not made the playoffs in FIFTEEN YEARS Can we start there........please? I just don't want to end there. I want a playmaker, not just a manager. Cassel is a backup. I'm hoping Tyrod or EJ are a little better than that. But, on paper our D should be better than either of those teams. I agree with the OP's point. That train of thought is where I've been since we traded for him. Sure it would be better for TT or EJ to steal the job and give the coaches no choice, but Cassell still gives us a great shot IMHO. Those teams had plenty of talent. Buffalo's got plenty of talent. Maybe I'm being greedy, but I want more than a journeyman backup. Fitz, Orton, Cassel....hopefully one of the young guys can be more of a game-changer.
midland Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 This is the first time that I have ever posted on this board, however look over and read articles daily. I live in the Midwest, and purchase the Directv nfl package every year to watch the Bills, only by the end of the season get let down.Ever year I tell myself i'm not going to renewal the nfl package only to renew every year for the past 15 yrs, and will again this year. I'm extremely excited about this year being the year, the BILLS make the PLAYOFFS, and once in the playoff nobody knows what will happen. I too agree with a few others that have posted that Cassell is the safe option, he may not flash or jump off fantasy boards, however if he can manage games, keeps turnovers down, that is all we can ask of him(that is about all we are going to ask or get for other options out there at this time). If he would happen to play above that expectations, then it will make the Bills a team to look out for. I believe the approach Rex is taking is by saying it is on open competition, was to try to keep the confidence of both EJ and Tylor up. If Rex would of called Cassell the open winner before camp, and one the others happen to step up, and he would then name them the starter, the media would be second guessing him ALL the time. If I would say I didn't think there was options out there that I liked better then Cassell, I would be lying, but the Bills are in camp with the options they have, so I say let it play out (hasn't even been a week in camp).
LeGOATski Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 This is the first time that I have ever posted on this board, however look over and read articles daily. I live in the Midwest, and purchase the Directv nfl package every year to watch the Bills, only by the end of the season get let down.Ever year I tell myself i'm not going to renewal the nfl package only to renew every year for the past 15 yrs, and will again this year. I'm extremely excited about this year being the year, the BILLS make the PLAYOFFS, and once in the playoff nobody knows what will happen. I too agree with a few others that have posted that Cassell is the safe option, he may not flash or jump off fantasy boards, however if he can manage games, keeps turnovers down, that is all we can ask of him(that is about all we are going to ask or get for other options out there at this time). If he would happen to play above that expectations, then it will make the Bills a team to look out for. I believe the approach Rex is taking is by saying it is on open competition, was to try to keep the confidence of both EJ and Tylor up. If Rex would of called Cassell the open winner before camp, and one the others happen to step up, and he would then name them the starter, the media would be second guessing him ALL the time. If I would say I didn't think there was options out there that I liked better then Cassell, I would be lying, but the Bills are in camp with the options they have, so I say let it play out (hasn't even been a week in camp). I see you're adopting the Rex Ryan approach. You believe the competition is a fraud, but you'll let it play out.
Uncle Monkeyhead Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 I will say this about the "way too early in camp" criticism of the QBs.....how many camps have we heard "looked great, accurate, commanding, etc" only to have them fail miserably when it counts most? I for one am enjoying the poor showing so far.
Buffalo_Stampede Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 yup - but i think its fair to say the guy was last a contender 5 and 7 years ago. i still dont know if one will step up, but hopefully someone will provide atleast middle of the pack contributions. I looked at Cassel in Minnesota, other than the 1 terrible game vs NE last year he has a winning record and a 84 rating, and Minnesota isn't a good team. I'm comfortable with Cassel.
Fadingpain Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 I know. I just...y'know...I've been hurt before. And I'm not going to get dug into a world where statistics somehow indicate that a backup quarterback who couldn't get the Patriots** to the playoffs with 11 wins is better than the backup in Philly who got to back-to-back AFC Championship games playing like crap. The original poster is, in my opinion, engaging in rationalization. You know, a defense mechanism in which controversial feelings (fear that one of our QBs will not be good enough but hope that one will be) are justified and explained in a seemingly rational or logical manner to avoid the true explanation (none of our QBs are good enough) thus making the feelings tolerable. This is a logical fallacy. This practice is routinely engaged in by many at this and other other sports fan forums in my experience. It's what many define as being "a good fan." In reality, all we really have with this group of QBs is hope and prayer. If one can be just good enough to get the rest of the talent on the roster into the playoffs, we'll make the playoffs. If none can, we won't.
pafan Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 This team is deep at almost every position, can't let QB hold them back from going deep into playoffs. Now, it is not as bad as it appears, in my opinion, but if QB holds them back, the front office will have to answer to that! It's tough to hold the front office accountable when they really didn't have any even average options. This has been rehashed a thousand times but their options were Matt Moore (who I preferred over, but feel is equivalent to, Cassel), a bunch of retreads (Hoyer/Hill/Ponder/Schaub/Flynn), and Taylor's potential. They didn't pass over a sure-thing in the draft, no sure-thing was on the trading block, and even if they put a package together to grab Winston we'd be reading 500 doom & gloom threads right this very second seeing as how he just spent the better part of the day throwing balls at his receiver's feet.
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted August 3, 2015 Posted August 3, 2015 FACT: Matt Cassel is the best QB Rex Ryan has ever had. That is not saying much, but his statistical performance is far better than that of Mark Sanchez or Geno Smith. FACT: Cassel's best years ('08 & '10) correspond exactly with the years that his team ran the ball the most. The '08 Pats team lacked a true feature back, but still ran the ball 513 times or 32.1 times per game. The '10 Chiefs team ran the ball 556 times or 34.8 times per game. OPINION: This is probably the deepest group of playmakers Cassel has ever played with. History says that when Matt Cassel has an OC who understands his strengths and weaknesses and stays committed to the running game, he will be successful. He has that in Greg Roman, and he has an elite RB in McCoy followed by a very deep group of backup RBs. Everyone needs to calm the freak down with the training camp trade scenarios. Sure, it would be exciting to see Tyrod Taylor pop, or to see EJ finally take a step forward. There is still a month for that to happen. But the truth is we are set up to have success with Matt Cassel. honestly I don't know if you are joking or not Are you reading the posts from the fans (not the mediots)?
3rdand12 Posted August 4, 2015 Posted August 4, 2015 (edited) I will say this about the "way too early in camp" criticism of the QBs.....how many camps have we heard "looked great, accurate, commanding, etc" only to have them fail miserably when it counts most? I for one am enjoying the poor showing so far. true enough but your bit i highlighted i find grand. I truly do. a bit of Zen. we have yet to see the lotus blossom. for if it shows too soon it will quickly die. patience and nurture Edited August 4, 2015 by 3rdand12
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