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[JPL7]

Updated: Aug. 10, 2006

Losman should get QB call

By Michael Smith

ESPN.com

Archive

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Here are five observations on the Bills based on their Aug. 12 preseason game against the Panthers:

 

 

1. It was painfully (that is, if you love the Bills) obvious why the team really has no choice other than to go with J.P. Losman as its quarterback. The reason behind the decision can be summed up in a word: upside. Kelly Holcomb is what he is: a smart backup quarterback who once in a while can give you a big game. But he's immobile and he can't get the ball downfield. And throwing picks that are returned for touchdowns doesn't help, either.

At least Losman, with his athleticism, gives you the big-play element. A couple of times against the Panthers he did a nice job avoiding sacks that Holcomb would have taken. Losman's mobility is going to come in handy given the state of the Bills' offensive line. And he has a live arm. His problem besides his inexperience (eight career starts) is his tendency to squeeze the ball and short hop it to his intended receivers. Obviously, that has to be corrected. It's time for the Bills to swallow their pill, stop patching holes in their lineup, and develop their young players, starting with the quarterback. And unlike last year, when the position was handed to him, it'll help Losman's confidence if he has to win the starting job. His teammates will respect him more if he does. It's not officially his, but for the long-term health of the franchise, Losman has to be the guy this year if they're going to know whether he is indeed the QB of the future.

 

 

2. Takeo Spikes didn't play against Carolina but there's a strong chance he'll be in the lineup for the opener Sept. 10 at New England. Now it might take a little while longer for the old Spikes, coming off a torn Achilles suffered in the third game last season, to return, but a team official estimates he'll at least be back to about 85 percent by then and able to play. In training camp, Spikes has shown more burst to the ball than the official expected. It's mostly a matter at this point of Spikes' trusting his body. Once Spikes heals completely, he should thrive in new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell's version of the Tampa 2.

 

3. While Troy Vincent gives the Bills' defense flexibility in pass coverage, the former-corner-turned-free-safety's days as a starter could be numbered. That's because fourth-round pick Ko Simpson is enjoying a strong training camp. Simpson is physical, can cover, and has good ball skills. Keep in mind that Vincent still is relatively new to playing safety (he moved there at the end of the 2004 season) while Simpson, albeit on the college level, started every game at South Carolina. It's only a matter of time before first-rounder Donte Whitner assumes the strong safety duties from Matt Bowen (who suffered a leg injury against the Panthers). Don't be surprised if the Bills go with two rookie safeties and let them start growing up together sooner rather than later. Whitner had a team-high five tackles Saturday night. Not bad for a guy who arrived late to camp because of prolonged contract negotiations.

Either way the Bills go at free safety, they are deep in the secondary. They've been impressed with all of their draft choices in the defensive backfield (corner Ashton Youboty, taken in the third round, should have had a pick against the Panthers) while veteran sub corner Jabari Greer is making a lot of plays in camp. Buffalo has a solid duo of starting corners in Nate Clements and Terrence McGee. The Bills should be pretty good against the pass.

 

 

 

4. Buffalo probably won't jump back into the top five defensively, but there's a lot to like about the Bills' defensive line. Seriously, with the Bills' new emphasis on speed, the return of Spikes, and the young talent the team brought in through the draft, the defense will rebound from last year and keep this team in some games. Up front the Bills are pretty good at end with vets Chris Kelsay, Aaron Schobel and Ryan Denney, all "high-motor" guys. They should have an interesting rotation at tackle. Free-agent-pickup Larry Tripplett and Tim Anderson are the starters but first-rounder John McCargo and fifth-rounder Kyle Williams will push for playing time. Buffalo is smaller inside than it has been in recent years so keeping those tackles fresh will be key. McCargo and Williams both played well Saturday night. McCargo showed good hand technique and got good penetration. Williams, a two-year starter at LSU, could turn out to be a steal. He's 6 feet, 295 pounds -- one of those fire-hydrant type guys. He's got a nose for the football. "He's one of those guys who doesn't look a lot different than he did in college," head coach Dick Jauron said of Williams after the game.

 

5. Peerless Price arrived in camp as probably the No. 4 or even No. 5 receiver but he's shown enough to perhaps warrant a starting spot opposite Lee Evans. Josh Reed is having a good camp, an early drop against Carolina not withstanding, but really is an underneath guy who'll catch a 6-yard pass and fight for the other yard on third-and-7. The Bills have to find a way to get the ball into little Roscoe Parrish's hands. Mike Mularkey wanted him to be the Bills' Antwaan Randle El, but now it's up to Jauron and offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild to figure out how to showcase Parrish's speed in the offense. It's going to be interesting to see how Evans does without Eric Moulds demanding the ball and double teams.

[JPL7]

No easy solution to Bills' QB conundrumBy Ken Moll

Scouts Inc.

 

 

When there's no clear-cut answer at quarterback, deciding on a starter is one of the toughest calls for any football team. That is exactly the situation facing the Bills as the regular season nears.

 

Let's take a close look at who might be at the helm for Buffalo in 2006.

 

Barring injury, the competition is between Kelly Holcomb (a 33-year-old undrafted free agent out of Middle Tennessee State) and J.P. Losman (a 25-year-old first-rounder in 2004 out of Tulane). Craig Nall, an offseason acquisition from Green Bay, was expected to be in the mix as well, but a left hamstring injury has forced him to miss significant time in camp.

 

I can speak firsthand about Holcomb, as I scouted for the Browns during his three-year stint in Cleveland. Despite his even-keeled personality, Holcomb is an intense, competitive player with excellent work ethic. He is very tough and will play nicked up. Midway through his sophomore season in college, he broke his jaw on a goal-line play. He finished the game in a losing effort. After missing the next game only because he couldn't fit his helmet over his swollen cheekbones, Holcomb returned to action with his jaw wired shut and led the Blue Raiders to a 10-3 mark and a postseason berth. Middle Tennessee State has not been to postseason play since he departed Murfreesboro, Tenn.

 

Holcomb is a career 60 percent-plus passer who has the arm strength, instincts and decision-making ability to win in the NFL. He had several excellent outings with Cleveland, including a 429-yard, three-touchdown playoff performance in inclement weather against Pittsburgh in 2003. He showed flashes of being a solid quarterback in 2005 as he threw for over 1,500 yards at a 67 percent completion rate.

 

Losman is a young, up-and-coming quarterback with a stronger arm and better wheels than Holcomb. Losman is a California kid who has much more of an edge. He is a tough, competitive player, but it has been said that he could rub his coaches and teammates the wrong way while at Tulane. Losman has many tools, but his decision-making and overall leadership skills need to develop to make him a topflight quarterback.

 

Losman had several excellent games at Tulane (as a senior he threw for more than 3,000 yards with 33 TDs and only 14 INTs), but also had the occasional clunker. With the Bills last season, Losman mostly struggled. He had as many interceptions as touchdowns (eight) and his completion percentage was under 50 percent, which is unacceptable.

 

Head coach Dick Jauron has to consider a number of variables before he decides who will be under center on opening day versus New England. Can the new offensive line jell under coach Jim McNally? Will the addition of fullback Alan Ricard (a solid blocker for Jamal Lewis in Baltimore) help Willis McGahee live up to his potential? How well will the defense play with one of its best players, Takeo Spikes, coming off an Achilles injury?

 

Jauron could go the safer route and choose the more experienced Holcomb, or take his chances with Losman, a young gun who has the potential to develop into a top-tier quarterback. Until a decision is made, uncertainty surrounding the most important position on the field will loom over Bills camp.

[Larry Playfair]

thanks

[buffaloboyinATL]

I like that first article. Nice to see a positive spin on the Bills from ESPN. I get nervous when I think of Spikes going full speed because I keep thinking he'll re-injure himself. If he stays healthy, I agree with this article that we could have a fast, relentless defense that will wear teams out and force turnovers. I can't wait until Friday, the Bengals looked good this weekend and will be another tough test.

[Mark Long Beach]

Thanks!