Don't evaluate JP on preseason

[Albany,n.y.]

I've seen some people panicking already after feeling JP was outplayed by Holcomb. They're waiting to see how JP does in the rest of the preseason-I'm not!

Keep in mind one thing when evaluating any QB performance-they do not use game plans like they do in the regular season. A young QB can look bad in the mini game plan scenario of preseason and really turn it on in the structured regular season game plan games.

How soon people forget Frank Reich's preseason performances. To put it kindly, Reich sucked in preseason, especially before he was called on to play in 1989. If there had been a Stadium Wall in the late 1980s the crowd would have been all over Reich after eachj preseason game & would have said we were doomed when Reich had to take over for an injured Kelly in 1989.

I'll wait until the regular season to evaluate JP. A preseason opinion is a premature evaluation. Anyone thinking that if Holcomb and/or Matthews outplays JP that JP should be demoted is really pushing things considering the lack of a structured offensive game plan and the fact the backups will be playing against guys who will be delivering your UPS packages by opening day.

[Like A Mofo]

Remember that performance Rob Johnson had in a preseason game at St Louis where he threw for almost 250 yds and 3 TD's in ONE HALF?

 

Need I say more?

[JoeF]

We are in another 2 or 3 year cycle to find out if JP is the one that returns this team to one that annually competes for the Super Bowl for a stretch of years. Todd Collins, Rob Johnson, Doug Flutie, AVP, Drew all have failed in this quest, although some would argue Flutie was never given an unfettered chance.

 

No matter what we fans think, JP will be given this opportunity to sink or swim. Only injury or a season ruining string of losses and poor performance will send him to the bench during the 2005 or 2006 season. That's what it means to the Bills to commit to a young QB. Other teams operate differently, but not TD, Coach Moo, Clements, Wyche and the rest of the braintrust. Montana, Esiason didn't become good QB's under Wyche because they were replaced when they made mistakes--mistakes were viewed as part of their development...JP has the same long rope. Realize it and embrace it...it can be fun.

[Like A Mofo]

We are in another 2 or 3 year cycle to find out if JP is the one that returns this team to one that annually competes for the Super Bowl for a stretch of years.  Todd Collins, Rob Johnson, Doug Flutie, AVP, Drew all have  failed in this quest, although some would argue Flutie was never given an unfettered chance. 

 

No matter what we fans think, JP will be given this opportunity to sink or swim.  Only injury or a season ruining string of losses and poor performance will send him to the bench during the 2005 or 2006 season.  That's what it means to the Bills to commit to a young QB.  Other teams operate differently, but not TD, Coach Moo, Clements, Wyche and the rest of the braintrust.  Montana, Esiason didn't become good QB's under Wyche because they were replaced when they made mistakes--mistakes were viewed as part of their development...JP has the same long rope.  Realize it and embrace it...it can be fun.

400836[/snapback]

 

 

Good post.

[Kelly the Dog]

We are in another 2 or 3 year cycle to find out if JP is the one that returns this team to one that annually competes for the Super Bowl for a stretch of years.  Todd Collins, Rob Johnson, Doug Flutie, AVP, Drew all have  failed in this quest, although some would argue Flutie was never given an unfettered chance. 

 

No matter what we fans think, JP will be given this opportunity to sink or swim.  Only injury or a season ruining string of losses and poor performance will send him to the bench during the 2005 or 2006 season.  That's what it means to the Bills to commit to a young QB.  Other teams operate differently, but not TD, Coach Moo, Clements, Wyche and the rest of the braintrust.  Montana, Esiason didn't become good QB's under Wyche because they were replaced when they made mistakes--mistakes were viewed as part of their development...JP has the same long rope.  Realize it and embrace it...it can be fun.

400836[/snapback]

Totally agree. And I would add that stats are very likely going to be a very bad indication of how well Losman does or doesn't play this year. He could easily have bad stats and be playing very well, and he could have pretty damn good stats and be playing poorly. IMO, he doesn't have to be a gunslinger but he doesn't have to be a caretaker either. He can make plays, he can go deep, he can run the offense in total. What is going to matter to me is if his mistakes are INTs run back for touchdowns or in the endzone, or whether they are throwing incompletions into the dirt when a guy is open or throwing the ball out of the endzone when perhaps he could have run it in. If he does the latter, we are in for a great season, because we have a stud running back, a stud d and terrific special teams, and we have some speed and some playmakers that can help JP on offense. I am "happy" with the kind of mistakes he is making. We can go far with that kind of quarterbacking.

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

I view this pre-season as an opportunity to give JP a chance to swim, but even if he does not show the ability to swim and lead the team to glory right now, I do not view the alternative for and with him as we are destined to dorwn if he is not ready to swim.

 

Rather than viewing the alternative for the Bills as being DOOMED to sink and drwon unless JP steps up to the plate, I have no trobule with the Bills benching him and going with Holcomb gives us a better chance to put critical Ws on the board.

 

I do not view this as meaning that JP has a shortleash in my book and we should pull him and go to Holcomb unless JP puts up Robo!QB like results which Pittsburgh had last year. In 2004 we had direct proof in the real world that a team can in fact get off to an 0-4 start and still be a win away from the playoffs in the last week. I can deal easily (well not easily but I can deal with it) with learning pains for JP costing us a couple of games as long as MM is sure that he he has actually learned his lesson from these bumps.

 

However, likewise, I have no problem with sitting JP down if the bumps are such that we have a better chance of putting up Ws with Holcomb and JP will learn better if there is some accountability and responsiility for screwing up.

 

I understand that part of keeping a player's confidence and a team confident in a player is sticking with him in tough times. However, JP is a big boy and he also will need to take one for the team and suck it up if he is not producing and MM/TC judge Holcomb may well produce if we go with him.

 

JP does get the pre-season and likely part of the regular season to learn his craft in my book. However, if things go badly and it his play which is at fault during the regular season I have no problem sitting him down. In fact, if we go 0-4 again and it is not primarily his fault but we need a big change to turn things around, I have no problem with him being sat for what the braintrust judges is for the good of the team.

 

The only problem I would have had if they had jerked Bledsoe after the 0-4 start last year was that I did not see his play as being the reason for our failure at all and most important did not see Matthews coming in as being a difference maker for us.

 

As it turned out the Bills prospects and results benefitted from JP being hurt and not even an alternative to play last year after tje 0-4 start, because we probably would not have even had the 9-7 near miss if MM had panicked and went to JP last year as a starter.

 

The best thing about Holcomb is we have a fighting chance even if JP sucks in his first year as starter (but only if he sucks bad enough and TC/MM are strong enough to make a swich if necessary).

[Nanker]

I agree with FFS!

 

Whether JP is something speical or not is something we'll all have to wait and see.

What we won't have to wait for is for him to get playing time so he can improve.

He'll have every opportunity to prove to himself and the world that he is something special.

 

Go Bills!

[VABills]

I've seen some people panicking already after feeling JP was outplayed by Holcomb.  They're waiting to see how JP does in the rest of the preseason-I'm not!

Keep in mind one thing when evaluating any QB performance-they do not use game plans like they do in the regular season.  A young QB can look bad in the mini game plan scenario of preseason and really turn it on in the structured regular season game plan games.

How soon people forget Frank Reich's preseason performances.  To put it kindly, Reich sucked in preseason, especially before he was called on to play in 1989.  If there had been a Stadium Wall in the late 1980s the crowd would have been all over Reich after eachj preseason game & would have said we were doomed when Reich had to take over for an injured Kelly in 1989. 

I'll wait until the regular season to evaluate JP.  A preseason opinion is a premature evaluation.  Anyone thinking that if Holcomb and/or Matthews outplays JP that JP should be demoted is really pushing things considering the lack of a structured offensive game plan and the fact the backups will be playing against guys who will be delivering your UPS packages by opening day.

400815[/snapback]

 

Yeah and we know how well Frank did once he was named the starter. Remember Detroit signing him. Remember how well he did?

 

Do not compare JP to Frank as a starter. I like Frank and he was a great backup but that was it. He should never have been a long term starter.

[Brandon]

Yeah and we know how well Frank did once he was named the starter.  Remember Detroit signing him.  Remember how well he did?       

 

Do not compare JP to Frank as a starter.  I like Frank and he was a great backup but that was it.  He should never have been a long term starter.

400904[/snapback]

 

Yeah, but in Frank Reich's defense, he was about old enough to start drawing social security by the time he played for Detroit.

[billrooter]

I liked frank reich as a person,but he was not that good a quaterback,he had a great team behind him. The team always rose up whenever frank played and rallied around him,and we would usually run the ball 50 times a game when he played. I realize my views might not be real popular as i think marv was overated also,as evidence of a 500 or less record before he coached the bills. I am a bills fan all the way and have always been but in my opinion frank and marv both were in a super position to succeed!

[PromoTheRobot]

whoa...who said Holcomb outplayed JP??? They must have been watching another scrimmage.

 

PTR

[IDBillzFan]

whoa...who said Holcomb outplayed JP???  They must have been watching another scrimmage.

 

PTR

400956[/snapback]

I'm with that. No way Holcomb outplayed JP last night. And in case anyone missed it, JP has a helluva cannon, not to mention a sweet touch on the ball while rolling out. I was very pleased with him and anyone who thinks Holcomb outplayed him....particularly to the extent that we should consider Holcomb as a starter...didn't watch the game very carefully last night.

[Fezmid]

I'm with that. No way Holcomb outplayed JP last night. And in case anyone missed it, JP has a helluva cannon, not to mention a sweet touch on the ball while rolling out. I was very pleased with him and anyone who thinks Holcomb outplayed him....particularly to the extent that we should consider Holcomb as a starter...didn't watch the game very carefully last night.

400960[/snapback]

 

JPL didn't play particularly well yesterday. However, to say Holcombe should start is pretty ridiculous, considering he played against 2nd and 3rd stringers while JPL started against the 1st string defense.

 

CW