A QB's confidence, or lack thereof

[Kelly the Dog]

I've never subscribed to the theory that yanking a QB is the reason that he, or she, loses his or her confidence. I never believed that you don't mess with a QB's head, because he will be looking over his shoulder, and thereby scared to make a mistake. If that is your QB's mindset, you probably have the wrong QB.

 

Losman may have been screwed over by previous coaching staffs by yanking him in and out of the lineup, but it really shouldn't have messed with this confidence. And if it did, that's his fault, not the coaching staffs. A QB has to be strong headed, even more than CBs who are all schooled to just forget getting beat on the last play. The pressure on your QB to make a play on the field with 250-300 pound maniacs running full speed at him trying to rip his head off and break his back should be a helluva lot stronger than worrying he will be benched by throwing more bad passes.

 

With that in mind, I probably would have benched Edwards for a couple series last night after the three picks. We needed a spark, in perhaps the biggest game of the season, and he simply wasn't getting the job done. Losman isn't the answer, simply because he is gone at the end of the year. But he could have provided a spark. If he didn't, then get Edwards back in there after seeing the game from the sidelines for a few series. Even if Losman looks good and the team wins, you start Edwards next week against the Chiefs because it's still his team. I totally understand the concept of not playing musical chairs with your QBs. But I also totally understand, even more, that the idea is to win games, not appease fragile egos. We needed that game.

 

The point being that if Edwards is really not headstrong enough to be looking over his shoulder from now on, for fear of failure, he is not the longterm answer at QB for the Bills. I still believe he can be. He has a lot of talent. But right now, his confidence is shot. And I'm not sure just playing through it is going to work. He needs a shock to the system.

 

A good game on the road against KC in a tough stadium (against a crappy team) could go a long way to regaining it. And I surely won't discount it. But right now, at best it looks like a 50-50 proposition.

[ieatcrayonz]

What in the blue blazes are you talking about? Just today I have seen Edwards compared to Favre, Eli, Peyton, and Tom Brady. No way do any of those guys EVER get benched for clean up the city boy.

[Buftex]

I agree. I would have benched Edwards after that third pick. He may not have thrown anymore, but his performance limited what the team could do offensively. Losman is on the team, IMO, for precisely this situation. If he isn't, why did they keep him?

 

As for Trent, I really do think there is something more wrong with him, more than simply defenses catching up to him. No matter what side of the Edwards issue you fall on, slow decision making, or non-decision making, has not been a characteristic of his game, until that concussion. Concussions are weird things. They can take a long time to get over, and their affects can pop up at any time. I didn't realize it until last night, but they referred to Edwards getting a concussion in one of his head to head games with Brady Quinn, in college. I have had two concussions, the second took longer to get over than the first. I don't know the extent of that concussion Edwards had in Arizona, Once you have one, they come easier the next time. I really think this kid needs to take a seat. Something isn't right with him. I know there are those who say he was never all that good to begin with, but even they would have to admitt, he has looked uncharacteristically bad the last two weeks, having problems he never had before.

[el Tigre]

I've never seen a QB start as strong as TE did and then fall apart so drastically. Never. I agree JP should have been tried last night for a spark and I would seriously consider starting him for a game or two now. TE may be at a point where watching from the sidelines for a bit may actually help.

[Kelly the Dog]

I agree. I would have benched Edwards after that third pick. He may not have thrown anymore, but his performance limited what the team could do offensively. Losman is on the team, IMO, for precisely this situation. If he isn't, why did they keep him?

 

As for Trent, I really do think there is something more wrong with him, simply than defenses catching up to him. No matter what side of the Edwards issue you fall on, slow decision making, or non-decision making, has not been a characteristic of his game, until that concussion. Concussions are weird things. They can take a long time to get over, and their affects can pop up at any time. I didn't realize it until last night, but they referred to Edwards getting a concussion in one of his head to head games with Brady Quinn, in college. I have had two concussions, the second took longer to get over than the first. I don't know the extent of that concussion Edwards had in Arizona, Once you have one, they come easier the next time. I really think this kid needs to take a seat. Something isn't right with him. I know there are those who say he was never all that good to begin with, but even they would have to admitt, he has looked uncharacteristically bad the last two weeks, having problems he never had before.

I agree but he was really good in the Charger game, and he was fearless in the face of a pass rush. I don't know anything about concussions, and surely they can take a long time to get over, but the SD game seems it counteract that. Plus, it would also seem that a QB not getting over a concussion would be gun shy because he was wary of taking a hit. The Browns didnt really come close to hitting him for most of the night. The passes were just lousy when he had all night to throw. It just doesn't make much sense. Even in college, when he was consistently battered, one of his highest attributes was his fearlessness and mental as well as physical toughness. He was valiant and noble in the pocket to the point of being stupid. But now, he just lost all that.

[Buftex]

I agree but he was really good in the Charger game, and he was fearless in the face of a pass rush. I don't know anything about concussions, and surely they can take a long time to get over, but the SD game seems it counteract that. Plus, it would also seem that a QB not getting over a concussion would be gun shy because he was wary of taking a hit. The Browns didnt really come close to hitting him for most of the night. The passes were just lousy when he had all night to throw. It just doesn't make much sense. Even in college, when he was consistently battered, one of his highest attributes was his fearlessness and mental as well as physical toughness. He was valiant and noble in the pocket to the point of being stupid. But now, he just lost all that.

 

I have heard Steve Young and Troy Aikman (note to crayonz, I am not comparing Edwards to either of these HOF'ers, please keep comments in context), talk about the affects of concussions coming and going, for weeks, months some times. Wasn't it Steve Bono (or was it Elvis Grbac) who had horrendous concussion problems, and spoke of waking up some days, vomitting, for no particular reason. It really is one of those things that affects you more, each time you get one. Erik Lindros had similar experiences. I wonder how concussions Trent had in college. As for the San Diego game, maybe he just wasn't feeling the affects that day?

 

I dunno, but like you pointed out, the things that are plauging his game right now, are not characteristic of the way he has played, up to the last few weeks.

[cale]

I've never subscribed to the theory that yanking a QB is the reason that he, or she, loses his or her confidence. I never believed that you don't mess with a QB's head, because he will be looking over his shoulder, and thereby scared to make a mistake. If that is your QB's mindset, you probably have the wrong QB.

 

Losman may have been screwed over by previous coaching staffs by yanking him in and out of the lineup, but it really shouldn't have messed with this confidence. And if it did, that's his fault, not the coaching staffs. A QB has to be strong headed, even more than CBs who are all schooled to just forget getting beat on the last play. The pressure on your QB to make a play on the field with 250-300 pound maniacs running full speed at him trying to rip his head off and break his back should be a helluva lot stronger than worrying he will be benched by throwing more bad passes.

 

With that in mind, I probably would have benched Edwards for a couple series last night after the three picks. We needed a spark, in perhaps the biggest game of the season, and he simply wasn't getting the job done. Losman isn't the answer, simply because he is gone at the end of the year. But he could have provided a spark. If he didn't, then get Edwards back in there after seeing the game from the sidelines for a few series. Even if Losman looks good and the team wins, you start Edwards next week against the Chiefs because it's still his team. I totally understand the concept of not playing musical chairs with your QBs. But I also totally understand, even more, that the idea is to win games, not appease fragile egos. We needed that game.

 

The point being that if Edwards is really not headstrong enough to be looking over his shoulder from now on, for fear of failure, he is not the longterm answer at QB for the Bills. I still believe he can be. He has a lot of talent. But right now, his confidence is shot. And I'm not sure just playing through it is going to work. He needs a shock to the system.

 

A good game on the road against KC in a tough stadium (against a crappy team) could go a long way to regaining it. And I surely won't discount it. But right now, at best it looks like a 50-50 proposition.

 

Great post. IMHO - KC Is licking their chops.

 

C

[Heels20X6]

I agree but he was really good in the Charger game, and he was fearless in the face of a pass rush. I don't know anything about concussions, and surely they can take a long time to get over, but the SD game seems it counteract that. Plus, it would also seem that a QB not getting over a concussion would be gun shy because he was wary of taking a hit. The Browns didnt really come close to hitting him for most of the night. The passes were just lousy when he had all night to throw. It just doesn't make much sense. Even in college, when he was consistently battered, one of his highest attributes was his fearlessness and mental as well as physical toughness. He was valiant and noble in the pocket to the point of being stupid. But now, he just lost all that.

 

 

 

Excellent point Kelly, if the concussion was an issue, if anything, he would be wary of taking another hit and dumping the ball off too quickly to the check down instead of waiting, waiting, waiting...then check down.

 

As for Losman, I too was hoping that after the third pick (which I hold on the coaching staff for putting him in that position to begin with) that maybe Losman could step in and give Trent some time to clear his head. With all the time that the O-line was giving them, I think JP would have been successful. JP struggles when the line is coming at him. He doesn't have the quick decision making ability but he does have the much stronger arm which he can accurately connect with receivers. A deep bomb to Evans would have completely changed the game.

[zow2]

I think Trent will be just fine thank you...now that the Bills are pretty much playing out the schedule, the pressure will be off and TE can relax and make plays. If he remains jittery due to fear of getting blindsided and not wanting to make a killer mistake than his career is probably over.

 

I'm wondering if this is a similar issue when Kurt Warner just "lost it" for a couple seasons. Does anyone remember what happened to him? for a while he couldn;t hit the side of a barn, now he routinely throws for 300 yds

[JDG]

In this game, the defense and special teams provided the spark, so this is a moot point....

 

And I am stunned that you can argue that Edwards should have been benched yesterday, but still claim that Losman was "screwed over by previous coaching staffs by yanking him in and out of the lineup."

 

So why would benching Edwards yesterday have not "screwed" him, just like Losman?

 

JDG

[Kelly the Dog]

In this game, the defense and special teams provided the spark, so this is a moot point....

 

And I am stunned that you can argue that Edwards should have been benched yesterday, but still claim that Losman was "screwed over by previous coaching staffs by yanking him in and out of the lineup."

 

So why would benching Edwards yesterday have not "screwed" him, just like Losman?

 

JDG

Obviously you didn't read or understand the post. I said that benching Losman in the middle of the game would not and should not have hurt him and his confidence, and that it wasn't the problem. Yanking him in and out was about starts, not about pulling him in games he wasn't performing in. Not to mention that I also said Edwards should be the starter next week whether Losman did well and we won or not.

[JDG]

Obviously you didn't read or understand the post. I said that benching Losman in the middle of the game would not and should not have hurt him and his confidence, and that it wasn't the problem. Yanking him in and out was about starts, not about pulling him in games he wasn't performing in. Not to mention that I also said Edwards should be the starter next week whether Losman did well and we won or not.

 

Oh yeah, and if Edwards is benched in the middle of the game and Losman *does* provide that spark and leads the Bills to the win would have had zero chance of impacting how starts next week, right?

 

Uh huh.

 

Hindsight is 20-20. The defense and special teams provided a spark. Edwards made the throw to Royal. Maybe Losman makes all the same throws as Edwards, including the throw to Royal, and then maybe Lindell makes that kick - there would certainly be howls for Losman to start inorder to "save the playoffs for this season" and "provide a spark."

 

JDG

[BuffaloWings]

I'm wondering if this is a similar issue when Kurt Warner just "lost it" for a couple seasons. Does anyone remember what happened to him? for a while he couldn;t hit the side of a barn, now he routinely throws for 300 yds

He had a concussion, also. I believe he played loopy the entire second half of the 2003 opener against the Giants....he & the Rams admitted that he wasn't right that day. He lost his effectiveness for a couple of years before the Rams let him go. It really wasn't until last year that he was the Kurt Warner we saw with the 1999-2001 Rams.

 

As far as Edwards goes, I really think it's just confidence. As has been noted, he played well against San Diego two weeks after the concussion and seemed to be rolling along just fine in Miami until he threw that INT. On the next two drives, he fumbled on 3rd & 1 and fumbled in the end zone for a safety. He hasn't been the same since. In fact, the only time I've seen him throw a ball with some vigor since Miami was the laser to Royal last night on the last drive.

 

Just like a golfer when you make a bad shot, you have to let it go or else it will affect your game for the rest of the day. Trent needs to build his confidence back....the coaches need to let him, also.