QB Position

[Mikie2times]

Seems like we have enough interest to start this thing. Please read how this is going to work before you post.

 

Instructions for the twobillsdrive.com preview

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I will create a poll every few days, but voting and comments can go on until the preview deadline (August 27). The poll will be set up for each position, with each player who plays that position listed. You vote for who you think should start, and explain your decision in a preview oriented structure, one that also includes analysis of the players you didn’t vote for.

 

Please also include your group value for the position on a 1-10 scale using this as a rough guideline.

 

1= Worst

5= Average

10= Elite

 

I will tally up the cumulative ratings, for the final values. If the editors decide people are just throwing around bogus numbers they will not be calculated in the rankings.

 

The editors will then take these poll results, and mini previews, and use the best ones for the final preview.

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The following criteria will be used by the editors in selecting the posts to use.

 

1. Overall ability of the poster in capturing the poll results, and majority view (optimisim etc).

 

EX- JP Losman wins the poll, Holcomb 2nd, Nail 3rd. We will not use a post describing why Kelly Holcomb should start, even if it is superior in content. We will be looking for posts describing why JP Losman should start.

 

2. Clarity- How well does the poster justify his rational, and explain himself

 

3. Structure- This is a preview, so people need to explain themselves in such a format. That means writing like I think, or I feel should be avoided. We've all read previews, so it shouldn't be too difficult to keep it in that format.

 

I will pick two more editors as things progress, so including myself we will have 3 total editors. I already PM'ed some senior members to assist me that responded to the original thread. If they don't want to be editors I will still need people, so PM me, and I will keep you in mind. This will represent the majority view, and not the editors.

[Mikie2times]

Example

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-VOTE FIRST-

 

QB Group Rating- 4

 

Quarterbacks-Preview (Taken from SI.COM)-

 

Unlike a year ago when the Bills cut veteran Drew Bledsoe and handed the job to untested 2004 first-round pick J.P. Losman, the new regime wants the cream to rise and team harmony to cement itself through competition.

 

It means Losman will have to beat out veteran Kelly Holcomb, whom he split starts with a year ago, and free agent Craig Nall, who backed up Brett Favre in Green Bay the past four years. Being yanked in and out of the lineup by former coach Mike Mularkey set back Losman's development. But the Bills recognize that eight starts and a 49.6 completion percentage isn't enough to judge him on, and he should benefit from last season's humbling experience.

 

Holcomb is known for solid play and the occasional monster game. But in nine previous NFL seasons, he hasn't been able to stay healthy or consistent long enough to hang on to a starting role

[/dev/null]

JP Losman should be the Bills' starting QB

 

Of the 3 QBs I would rate him 2nd in ability to lead the Bills behind Holcomb. However this is a rebuilding year.

 

As this is a rebuilding year we should be focusing on the future. Of the 3 QBs JP provides the most "upside" (to borrow a term from the ESPN talkning hairpieces). Holcomb, although currently the best of our 3 QBs, is not a long term solution. Nall at best is a career backup

 

This is JPs 3rd year in the league so he's past the sit and learn phase and into the put up or shut up phase.

 

As a unit I would rate the Bills QBs as a 4. Holcomb rates a 5, average. Losman, given his past performance rates a 4. Nall's performance is difficult to judge given that he has lived in the shadow of the NFLs Iron Man. As this is JPs job to lose I rate the unit as a whole on JP

[Mikie2times]

JP Losman should be the Bills' starting QB

 

Of the 3 QBs I would rate him 2nd in ability to lead the Bills behind Holcomb.  However this is a rebuilding year.

 

As this is a rebuilding year we should be focusing on the future.  Of the 3 QBs JP provides the most "upside" (to borrow a term from the ESPN talkning hairpieces).  Holcomb, although currently the best of our 3 QBs,  is not a long term solution.  Nall at best is a career backup

 

This is JPs 3rd year in the league so he's past the sit and learn phase and into the put up or shut up phase.

 

As a unit I would rate the Bills QBs as a 4.  Holcomb rates a 5, average.  Losman, given his past performance rates a 4.  Nall's performance is difficult to judge given that he has lived in the shadow of the NFLs Iron Man.  As this is JPs job to lose I rate the unit as a whole on JP

727457[/snapback]

I appreciate the response but this isn't exactly what I was looking for. I just wanted to jump on it before the masses followed suit.

 

The ratings are fine, but the posts need to be in a preview format, ala ESPN, SI etc. That way the ones that best suit the selection criteria can just be plugged in for that positions preview.

 

If you just wanted to share your thoughts then I apologize.

 

EDIT- I stole this portion of LevysEraII preview as an example from the orginal thread

Original Thread

 

QUARTERBACKS

In a three way battle the Bills' JP Losman, Kelly Holcomb and Craig Nall will have to win the job outright and earn the trust and respect from his peers. JP Losman, the fan favorite and most talented of the three quarterbacks, appears to have the edge this off-season as reports out of Buffalo regarding Losman's progress are very encouraging. You know what you're getting out of Kelly Holcomb, the most experienced of the trio, Kelly is the type of guy that will move the chains with short to intermediate passes but has trouble with the deep ball, due to his weak arm strength. That can be trouble for Holcomb because the Bills will be throwing the ball down the field more this season than in years' past. The Bills made Fairchild (the former offensive coordinator for St. Louis), their offensive coordinator. The wild card of the group is Craig Nall. The front office liked what they saw out of Nall and signed him with the promise for a fair chance for the starting job.

Rating 6

[/dev/null]

I appreciate the response but this isn't exactly what I was looking for. I just wanted to jump on it before the masses followed suit.

 

The ratings are fine, but the posts need to be in a preview format, ala ESPN, SI etc. That way the ones that best suit the selection criteria can just be plugged in for that positions preview. 

 

If you just wanted to share your thoughts then I apologize.

727459[/snapback]

sorry, been drinking

 

i'll work harder when i'm sober...if i remember

[cantankerous]

I've been drinking heavily and i'm tired of these stupid qb polls...whoever can get the damn ball to the WR's should be qb...I care not about who scrambles better and who has the stronger arm with more "upside" just give the QB that can get the ball to the OPEN receivers!

 

I hope this stupid "controversy" is over when training camp ends. I'm tired of the bs that's stemmed from this "competition"

[sven233]

QB - OVERALL POSITION RATING: 5

 

In what is perhaps the most wide open, watched, and disected position battles in several years, the Buffalo Bills are looking for their 'future' to shine. Although last year's starter is back in the fold (Kelly Holcomb), and with the addition of Crain Nall (GB), it is strongly believed that they may be rooting for their young, mobile, strong-armed QB (J.P. Losman) to finally live up to the vast potential that made him a former first round selection. With just 8 starts in his NFL Career, there are still just as many questions surrounding him as there were when he entered the league. During the early part of last season, there were several bright spots and flashes in the young career of Losman, however, they quickly were overshadowed by some indecisiveness and poor throws. Despite being benched in favor of the 10 year vet, Holcomb, there was still some reason to believe that Losman is still indeed the future. With a new outlook this year, some NFL game experience under his belt, and a brand new offense designed to stretch the field, this will play more to the strenghts of Losman's game rather than Holcomb. Also, Losman will benefit by gaining more trust and respect from his teammates by actually competing for, and winning the starting position that he was simply handed last year. And, while the competition may be very close, in the end you have to go with youth and potential over experience. It is time for the Buffalo Bills to find out if Losman is their long-term answer at QB. As for Nall, while an interesting prospect, he will most likely not be considered in the final decision. And while Losman may never prove to be the next Jim Kelly, it is time to see what the future holds for this promising young man.

 

POSITION WINNER: LOSMAN

[Mikie2times]

QB - OVERALL POSITION RATING:  5

 

In what is perhaps the most wide open, watched, and disected position battles in several years, the Buffalo Bills are looking for their 'future' to shine.  Although last year's starter is back in the fold (Kelly Holcomb), and with the addition of Crain Nall (GB), it is strongly believed that they may be rooting for their young, mobile, strong-armed QB (J.P. Losman) to finally live up to the vast potential that made him a former first round selection.  With just 8 starts in his NFL Career, there are still just as many questions surrounding him as there were when he entered the league.  During the early part of last season, there were several bright spots and flashes in the young career of Losman, however, they quickly were overshadowed by some indecisiveness and poor throws.  Despite being benched in favor of the 10 year vet, Holcomb, there was still some reason to believe that Losman is still indeed the future.  With a new outlook this year, some NFL game experience under his belt, and a brand new offense designed to stretch the field, this will play more to the strenghts of Losman's game rather than Holcomb.  Also, Losman will benefit by gaining more trust and respect from his teammates by actually competing for, and winning the starting position that he was simply handed last year.  And, while the competition may be very close, in the end you have to go with youth and potential over experience.  It is time for the Buffalo Bills to find out if Losman is their long-term answer at QB.  As for Nall, while an interesting prospect, he will most likely not be considered in the final decision.  And while Losman may never prove to be the next Jim Kelly, it is time to see what the future holds for this promising young man.

 

POSITION WINNER:  LOSMAN

727482[/snapback]

 

Thats what I'm looking for, all posters please follow this format. Thanks for starting us off with a great post.

[Dibs]

--QUARTERBACKS--

Rating: 3

 

It has been over a generation since the Bills have been in such turmoil at the quarterback position. Last years starters Kelly Holcomb and JP Losman are joined by little known Green Bay backup Craig Nall, all battling it out in camp for the starters position.

Former 2004 1st round draft pick JP Losman has a strong arm and great overall athletic ability but has shown he greatly needs to improve his discission making, blitz recognition and game management skills. Holcomb does not have a very strong arm and is not a very mobile quarterback but brings to the table veteran stability to the position. Nall is the wild card in the equation. He has decent tools and has produced in the few opportunities he has been given in his 4 years of NFL experience. He also comes from a system which is becoming known for producing quarterbacks (Brett Favre, Mark Brunell, Matt Hasselbeck). Marv Levy has a history of success with ex-Packer players and will be hoping that he has struck gold with Nall just as he did with Bryce Paup, James Lofton(via Raiders) and Kenneth Davis.

Due to his obvious potential, it is generally believed JP Losman will be given every opportunity this season. Unless he has a total meltdown during camp he should be starting come the season opener in New England. If not, and Nall does not prove to be Levy’s diamond in the rough, Holcomb should be capable enough to stave off total embarrassment. But if the Bills end up with Holcomb as the starter as they did last season, they will be basically treading water until the 2007 draft.

 

POSITION WINNER: LOSMAN

[cåblelady]

JP because I said so.

[mead107]

JP because I said so. 

727502[/snapback]

same .

[mead107]

10

JP to Evens is going to be something special.

[sven233]

Thanks for the support.......I am no writer, but I do know the Bills. Doing this exercise will save me a lot of time when it comes to my season preview and prdeiction at the end of the preseason. I'll basically be doing it in sections and in a slightly different format, but the ideas will be the same.

 

I guess we'll see where this all takes us.

[MartyBall4Buffalo]

QB Overall Position rating- 3

 

 

The Buffalo Bills have been not so patiently waiting for the heir to Jim Kellys' throne that has now been vacated for 10 long and grueling seasons. After recycling through quaterbacks such as Alex Van Pelt, Rob Johnson, Todd Collins, Doug Flutie and Drew Bledsoe former bills general Manager Tom Donahoe, decided it would be prudent to make a trade for a cocky, athleticaly gifted kid out of Tulane. After shipping a 2nd and 5th rd pick in the 03 draft and 04 1st rd pick to Dallas The bills took JP Losman 23rd overall in the 03 draft their 2nd 1st rd pick of that draft. Losmans inital rookie season was cut short due to an injury in camp at the hands of starting fs troy vincent. Fans were filled with hope of Losmans progress with feel good stories about how Sam Wyche and Losman were joined at the hip. It was good to hear how losman was picking up the offense, basicaly seeing it unfold on the field and hours of studying tape, but as the 05 season rolled around it became evident that studying tape and watching games, can't be a reliable substitute for actual playing time. After parting ways with Veteran Signal caller Drew Bledsoe, Losman was esentialy handed the job. He performed quite admirably in his 1st game against the texans going 17/28 for 170 yards and a td, filling Bills fans with hopes of playoffs and shiny things. However as the season progressed Losman was plagued with bouts of inconsistent play and poor decision making and was replaced by Kelly Holcomb. Holcomb while a very efficent quaterback lacked the arm strength to move the ball down the field quickly resulting in having to substain drives for 8-12 plays at a time, something you just cant do in todays nfl. While he's a guy known for the occasional monster game, he's never been a full season starter in his career, and his best work usualy comes in spot starts. Fast foward to 2006.... Mike Mularkey, Tom Donahoe, Tom Clements and Sam Wyche are gone. Dick Jauron, Marv Levy, Steve Fairchild are in. Jauron has promised a wide open qb competition. Probably to quell the emotions of bills veterans who were disheartened with the brash kid from Tulane being given the job. Former Green Bay backup Craig Nall was brought in to compete with Losman and Holcomb for the right to be the Bills starting qb for 06 and maybe the foreseeable future. Will Craig Nall follow in the footsteps of former Greenbay backups such as Aaron Brooks, Jake Delhomme, Mark Brunell and Matt Hasselbeck. My personal hope is that Losman shows the new coaching staff enough progress from previous season to show he's the man for the job after all, vindicating the amount of draft picks we used to acquire him. He has a good amount of talent, all we can realy hope for is that it clicks upstairs for him.However it can't be ruled out that the Defensive coach will play it "safe" and go with the old reliable veteran Kelly Holcomb. It should be an interesting training camp to say the least...

[BILLS4LIFE]

JP. Enough said.

[Pyrite Gal]

QB Preview

 

There will be a sharp competitionfor the Bills starting QB job this year between last year's starter Kelly Holcomb, JP Losman and Craig Nall, This competition in pre-season camp represents a stark departure from past Bills' habits as the plan is to decide this competition based on performance on the field rather than a QB being chosen by the front office based on their assessment of who gas the best resume or whom they like the most.

 

This past practice has led to a series of miscalculations and wishful thinking beginning with owner Ralph Wilson making a handshake deal to reward Kelly in his next big buck contract in the next season, only to find it was wishful thinking and a gross miscalculation to not see that Kelly would be forced to retire as age had taken away any mobility left in his battered body.

 

A series of front office miscalculations at QB followed such as:

 

1. Having to take Todd Collins with their 2nd pick in 1995 as it became clear they should have drafted a replacement for Kelly a year or two earlier so they had to spend high at QB in the hopes the player would quickly develop.

2. Then rushing Collins into the starting line-up when it quickly became clear he needed to have a case of happy-feet trained out of him (if it ever could be),

3. The front office reacted to these two errors by then trading a 3rd for Billy Jow Hobert only to find we he unprofessionally did not even study the playbook in a week he did bit exoect to play but was forced to by injury. He then even more stupidly volunteered this information and was summarily cut.

4. Panic does sometimes breed great choices out of desperation and the Bills did this by attracting Doug Flutie from the CFL. However, the panic also caused them to renege on a promise to Flutie that he would get a shot in camp to start, but the front office instead chose Rob Johnson as the next Jim Kelly and gave him the starting job and a huge bonus with no on-field competition.

5. Bills fans were not condemned to complete non winning seasons in the 10 years post Jimbo as Flutie led the team to the playoffs when fate gave hin a chance and the front office decisions to go with Bledsoe produced a dramatic turnaround with him as QB and also a winning record in his last season as QB, These on field event cannot be denied even though those who hate these two players may want to do so. However, the front office once again made a decision to hand the starting job to Losman last season though eveh he said it was not the way to win the job.

 

The key to things this year is that the word is it does not matter what anyone thinks as on field performance is going to trump these declarations, by th media, by fans, and even by the owner if fellow Golden Boy Marv Levy has his way.

 

In terms of who this will be. Predictions are more simply guesses than based on real information as there is not even a Bills O scheme anyone has seen yet to make judgments about whose talents will make this scheme work. To make the variables even more difficult to predict, though the strengths and weakenesses of Holcomb are well known after 10 years and the speed with which Losman will develop is also an unknown but his strengths and weaknesses are apparent. However, though we know Craug Nall is highly regarded by the Bills braintrust as they went and got him, he really is a wildcard in terms of how he will play as a starting QB as he has been sitting on the bench behind Favre for a few years. The fact that the Pack looked elsewhere for their next QB in drafting Rodgers and then letting Nall go does not bode well as an assessment by those who knew him best.

 

Yet, even though predictions are little more than fact-free opinions right now, it is more than allowed and in fact heartily desired by the NFL for fans to have their favorites. My cut on them is this:

 

#1 on Bills QB depth chart is Kelly Holcomb. Even though this is likely Losman's jpb to lose because of the Bills big investment in $ for him (also an expenditure of draft picks to move up and get him in the 1st in 2004- however, this draft expenditure was actually a very reasonable move and ultimately a small cost as it wa clear that Bledsoe's days as a Bills QB were numbered after his horrendous 2003 play. It was reasonable in that the QB class of 2005 simply sucked and if Losman had stayed in the Bills likely would have spent a 1st to get him anyway and instead they got a chance to give him valuable training in mop-up time. As the draft is pretty much a crap shoot anyway, fans bouyed by fantasy league info place far too much importance on the draft as a team building tool. it is a valuable tool, but pretty far from being the only tool or even the main one available for buiding a winner. The picks traded to step up and draft Losman is a fairly small price to pay if he work out)-.

 

At any rate, if Fairchild's plans to install something like the high-flying St. Louis work, then actually Holcomb's skill set will probably make this scheme work best. The St. Louis passing attack produces a ton of big plays, but actually rather than the aging arm of a QB like Mark Bulger throwing a bunch of long TDs, this offense actually depended upon players like Issac Bruce, Torry Holt and most of all the out for the season (and likely his career) Marshall Faulk to catch short passes and run after the catch for big yards.

 

The Bills have signed and developed a bunch of fleet receivers and RAC specialist Josh Reed to play, if the scheme works as advertised and Fairchild designs plays which get quick separtation through the WRs speed, through picking on zones or good use of picks, then the good judgment developed by Golcomb over 10 years will allow him to do very well.

 

A big key though will not so much be Holcomb's skills (over 10 years he has never been consistent enough to be a quality NFL starter) but the level of OL improvement and the role it plays in helping McGahee run the ball. If they are effective it will really liberate Holcomb to be all he can be even if that is only episodically great and mostly adequate as he has been in the past.

 

In addition McGahee will need to step up his game to demonstrate that he can play the Marchall Faulk pass catching role in this offense. It is quite doubtful he will equal the pass productivity of Faulk, but even showing signs of this will be enough and make Holcomb or any QBs job much easier.

 

Despite the KH position on the depth chart and the possibilities with him, Losman is the favorite to win the starting nod. He simply sucked last season when handed the starting job, however, the Bills have a ton of cap room invested in him and he had clear talent which made him a reasonable 1st round pick and likely better thought of than the QBs who were ultimately drafter in 2005 which would have been his class if he had hung around college.

 

A better OL is not as much a necessity for him as it is for Holcomb because JP showed tremedous scrambling ability running for his life and still being productive behind a porous Tulane OL.However, better OL performance by the Bills may give him the confidence to slow down a little bit and make better choices rather than looking to run too quickly.

 

As with most vets, the game should slow down a bit for him. In addition he has characterized his development last as coddling him too much and its nice to see him demanding more challenges from the braintrust this year (his mistakes will be challenged vigorously even without the invitation by Bills fans and the media do its nice he says bring it on, one simply hopes he responds better to it than he did last year). Though it is not a majority chance he will be an adequate stating QB this year, his prospects are better than Holcombs.

 

Nall is essentially a wildcard. He did well mopping up for Favre, but starting and relieving are two different things. By definition the game was over one way or the other when he came in and its far better that he was successful in this outings than if he failed, but there is essentially no guarantee or even much off a good chance the he will be an adequate starting QB this year..

 

Nevertheless, the key for the Bills is that een if there is only a 3 or 4 chances our of 10 JP will be adequate, a 2 or 3 chances out of 10 that KH will be adequate and 1 or 2 chances out of 10 that Nall will be adequate, if the Blls coaches are efficient about choosing quicky (at latest after the 2nd pre-season game) then they can reduce the failed chances these QBs need from the limited practice and game time the Bills have to allocate to finding a starting QB. If they are efficient, then though there is no majority chance for any individual QB, there will be a majority chance they will find someone to be an adequate starter from amongst these three.

 

PREDICTION: JP Losman

[nick in* england]

QB Preview

 

Overall Position Rating: 4 out of 10

 

Projected Starter: JP Losman

 

Preview: The Bills have spent nearly a decade searching for a QB to take on the mantle of Jim Kelly. Fans in Buffalo were spoilt by having a Pro Bowl QB for so long, and almost all the men who have lined up under centre have been barely up to the job - despite brief flashes of great things from Doug Flutie and Drew Bledsoe. So Bills fans go into the 2006 NFL season with one thing at QB: hope. Hope that at some point one of the three contenders finally straps on his gloves and starts punching at the right weight. The problem for Buffalo, is that with years of uncertainty, disagreement about who should plays has become the norm; this season promises a variation on that theme.

 

One things most Bills fans will agree, is that Kelly Holcomb is not the answer. Distincly average when taking the reigns from JP Losman last year, he has neither the arm strength nor the football savvy to be a long-term starter and at 32, his days as an every down player must surely be limited. It's tough not to like Holcombe though - he's hard working, uncomplicated, a blue collar type of guy - but the bottom line is that he doesn't have the physical skills to light a fire under an impotent offence. He is backup material thorugh and through - superb as a reliever if the starter is injured in game or out for a week or two (remember that 400+ yard game for Cleveland) but not the guy you want to lead you team.

 

So that leaves Losman or newcomer Craig Nall and, unfortunately for the Bills, both players remain something of an enigma. Losman the three year veteran does have the edge with experience and 8 starts to his name, but has been patchy and not really given the extended run he deserves. Annointed starter after the departure of Bledsoe before the 2005 season, Mike Mularkly quickly benched the former first round draft pick just a few weeks in the season and never really settled on who would QB his team. JP's confidence took a blow - and the results suffered. His cannon arm and quick feet are perfect for the modern NFL, but there are concerns about his mental aptitude and attention. Dick Jauron and Steve Fairchild have coached Losman 'hard' since joining the organisation and an offseason of being treated as an equal (as opposed the the king) may be all it takes for Losman to put together his impressive physical skills with some football moxy.

 

Nall - tutored in Green Bay by legend Brett Farve - has some great physical attributes too. Built like the prototype QB and with a strong arm, many Bills fans would like to see Nall in the starting job. He's not the mobile QB that Losman promises to be but he does not lack the ability to move - he could be the closest thing to Kelly that the Bills have right now. So far in preaseason he has lagged behind the other two QBs as he struggles to learn the offence but towards the end of the OTA schedule he had managed to make up ground. He is a complete unknown quantity in games, with little exposure to the real NFL during his 4 years in Green Bay. The battle for Nall - despite the insitence at One Bills Drive that this is an open competiton - will be overcoming the level of investment the Bills have in Losman.

 

The Bills can ill afford another average season without development at the QB position - so Holcomb is all but guaranteed to be holding a clipboard for most of the 2006 season. Nall must make quick progress when the pads go on at Training Camp to have a shot at the starting job, but with a mountain to climb, it may be too high a peak to conquer. He projects to be the backup that can carry the team for a stint. Losman is favourite to start and keep the job for a year or two hence. The poster boy looks, bulging biceps and style make him a good front man for the Bills. His physical skills are the best of the three QBs and an extended run at the helm will add to his experience to improve his consistency. There is a long way to go before the Bills can revel in a Kelly-esque performance, but Losman provides the most promise. All Bills fans can do now is hope he pans out.

[Adam]

JP Losman should start- we've invested the most in him, and it takes 4-5 years to develop a QB. Give him 2 more seasons to show progress.

 

He needs adequate protection, and good, reliable weapons. Look at what Plummer turned into, given time

[/dev/null]

Look at what Plummer turned into

727932[/snapback]

a placeholder for Jay Cutler?

[RayFinkle]

Look at what Plummer turned into, given time

727932[/snapback]

A playoff choker?