One reason why I think Losman will be good

[JDG]

Thanks Dan for the level-headed response....

 

Ok, perhaps I've extrapolated from you comments.  Those exact words have not been written by your hand.  For implying you did, I apologize.  However...  

 

No problem. I would point out, however, that my words have been exactly the opposite - that JP Losman is much improved from last year (when he didn't look like an NFL QB - especially early on), that he is the best QB on the Bills' roster, and our legitimate starting QB for the season.

 

You have yet to say a single postive thing about JP without qualifying it.

 

True enough, but I also don't think that JP Losman has had an unqualified good game yet (although he came very, very, close yesterday.) I also wonder if the same thing isn't true of other posters, though. For example, Kelly the Dog has often insisted to me that he never says something good about Losman without qualifying it with some critique as well...

 

Lets take the original post here, as an example.

First, you acknowledge that his accuracy has increased, but then immediately follow it to say, it's because of WR screens and screen passes, which the Bills do so "almost unusually".   It's these type of back handed compliments that lead everyone to suggest you have a crusade against JP. 

 

I think everyone would agree that JP has a long way to go, but would it be so terrible to just say... JP played a good game yesterday.

 

Actually, in my original post I went out of my way to emphasize that Losman's accuracy has improved, regardless of the playcalling.

 

And I don't see how it is a "crusade" against JP Losman to point out that the Bills seem to be calling an unusually high number of WR screens and swing passes - especially if it is true (particularly in the Miami and Minnesota games) If someone cares to demonstrate to me that it is not unusual, I will respectfully eat crow if proven otherwise - but I watch a good number of football games, and unless I am really mistaken, the Bills seem to be somewhat unusual in the frequency with which they call these types of plays, as opposed to plays where Losman would have to pick apart the defense downfield. I think that has to affect one's overall assessment of Losman. Yes, he has shown improvement - but the playcalling may be making the improvement appear to be greater than it really is.

 

In any case, wouldn't it be reasonable to hold off on proclaiming that JP Losman has arrived as a "good NFL QB", justifying his draft status, until he graduates from being a QB that the Bills manage the game around to being a QB whom the Bills manage *for* to make the players around him better, and indeed, the whole team better?

 

I don't suggest you annoint  the next Brady.  But to read your posts, you seem to think the Bills would be better off without him. 

 

There's a modicum of truth to that. I do believe that with better QB play we would be at least 3-1, if not 4-0 right now. I only rate a handful of teams as having worse QB situations than the Bills: Oakland, Tennessee, Miami, Arizona, and Tampa.... maybe a few others like Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Kansas City, and Cleveland. We can quibble about the exact spot - but that still puts him in "below average" territory no matter how you cut it.

 

So, lets cut to the chase.  We both agree JP needs to improve.  I think he is showing weekly improvement, and is unquestionably te starter for the rest of this year and at least another 2-3 years.  Would you agree with that?  (Borrowing some collosal collapse of course).

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I agree 100% with the first part - Losman needs to improve, but he is showing weekly improvement. The the only way JP Losman could possibly deserve to be benched this season would be for him to reprise his performance of last season over multiple games. No one game could do it, in my mind, and personally I don't see any sign of that happening at this point.

 

As for the next 2-3 years, I think a lot can change between now and December. His current track has him on pace to be firmly entrenched as the franchise QB by then. But he isn't there yet. If his improvement ends here, however, then come December we may have a tough call to make, on which reasonable people could argue either way...

 

JDG

[Dan]

Thanks for the excellent post in response. And I do agree with many of the statements. And it is refreshing to see you say...

 

"The the only way JP Losman could possibly deserve to be benched this season would be for him to reprise his performance of last season over multiple games. No one game could do it, in my mind, and personally I don't see any sign of that happening at this point."

 

I do agree that there seems to be far many more short passes then perhaps we'd like. However, I think it may be 2-fold on the caoches part. (1) It certainly helps JP gain completions and consequently confidence. Seeing him constantly in 5-7 drops last year and looking down field was abissmal. However, (2) I think the coaches are also effectively masking our inferior OL with the play calling as well (and perhaps even more so).

 

There's very few occasions it seems to me that JP drops back and has a true pocket from which to scan the field, complete with passing lanes. More often, he seems to drop back and have 2-3 seconds before he has to either scramble around a bit and throw or just throw out right.

 

So, I think the short passing game is helping both JP and the OL mature. And, quite, honestly, I applaud these coaches for designing game plans that we can execute, rather than try to force us to do something our players are incapable of.

 

The one thing I have noticed regarding JP is he doesn't seem to dump it off to Willis enough. I've seen on numerous plays (granted, I have no idea how many nor have I really analyzed it or anything) where Willis releases out of the back field and turns around in front of the line maybe 3-5 yards down field. And JP throws elsewhere. Granted usually for a completion at about the first down marker (so I'm not too upset about the eventual result); but is he just not seeing him? I can't help but think that Willis could break some of those for big gains. Perhaps just wishful thinking.

 

JP has definitely improved and continues to. (As has our OL) Which at this point in the season is all I had hoped for back in the off season.

[Dawgg]

Squash all contrarian arguments.

 

Thou must conform!

 

 

Honestly, the only thing worse than JDG's Monday posts are the fact that people actually respond to them.  Please, for the love of my ignore filter, STOP IT.

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[Alaska Darin]

Squash all contrarian arguments.

 

Thou must conform!

 

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Contrarian doesn't mean stupid. Just FYI.