"Take your pick: Edwards or Losman in KC?"

[Alphadawg7]

I know you didn't direct this post at me but - My dissection of the article and its implication was not meant to imply my support for benching Trent. I am on the fence regarding your statement. Last year, Trent played well in the beginning and faded away during the last few games coinciding with the weather getting bad. Conventional wisdom was to stick with him and he will improve. So we said that the season is sunk anyway so why not give Trent some experience which will serve us well during this season. Well, he did appear to improve at the beginning of this year but has badly regressed. We seem to be in the same exact spot as we were at this time last year albeit a bit better on record. To stick my neck out a bit, I would start Trent against KC and if he still looks shell-shocked and confused in the first half then try putting in JP for the rest of that game (only).

 

This is my exact position...I want Trent to succede, even bought his Jersey and wear it to the bar every sunday to watch the game. My greater concern lies in his ability to win the game. What he showed Monday night was not that of a young player who is having an off night...I could live with the 3 first qtr INT's.

 

What my concern that night was Trent's literal shut down. I mean he had all night to throw it and wouldnt let go of the ball. His "deer in the headlights" mode he was in was not the kind of mindset that allows you to win games. Our Special Teams, Marshawn, and our D almost bailed us out of that game, but it wasnt because Trent was effective. Against a better Defense who would have taken that Marshawn dump off away, we would have lost by 21. For the first time since I have seen Trent take the field I felt like this guy can not win us this game tonight.

 

So, if he continues to be shell shocked and incapable of pulling the trigger then making a move to Hamdan or JP to provide a spark until he regains his mojo would be a move I would support.

[Orton's Arm]

I know, but you really have to spell it out for some of the people around here. They could read "The Raven" and think Edgar Allen Poe wants JP to start. They just read whatever they want out of wherever the feel like.

I strongly resent that! When I read "The Raven" I got exactly the opposite message out of it.

 

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.

Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

 

My team which once was thriving, the offense which had been driving

Now stalled and staggered to the locker room's front door,

'Though my quarterback be Trent," I said, "yet of this I may repent.

To lose would not go lightly, Losman may be more sightly

Of this I think nightly, should I put Losman under center once more?

Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore.'

[Lori]

Arm, that's quality work.

 

While overall, I'm inclined to leave Edwards in and deal with his learning curve, the dawg makes a good point about shellshock. What good is he to the team right now, if he can't/won't throw a ball over 10 yards downfield until the last two minutes of the game? I really think that's why we were seeing open receivers downfield; the Browns DBs eased up after 15-20 yards, because they knew Edwards wasn't going to make the throw.

 

Another flameout like the one Monday night, and Jauron may HAVE to make a move, even if he'd rather not. (And as I noted a while back, barring injury, he had a history of sticking with his starters in Chicago.)

 

While I'm here, Chuck Pollock also has something to say about young Mr. Edwards:

OF MOST CONCERN, as the Bills lost their fourth straight game and fifth in six starts, was the continued unraveling of second-year quarterback Trent Edwards.

 

On Monday night, in the post-game interview session, Edwards was very much the beaten man.

 

Gone were the quick smile, the measured answers, the boyish charm.

 

Edwards’ body language said, “How did something that started so well go so bad?”

 

He was clearly in shock over having thrown three interceptions in Buffalo’s first four possessions. And it wasn’t super athletic plays by the Browns defenders ... Edwards threw right to them.

 

But of more concern was his explanation for not throwing the ball downfield or even once connecting with Bills’ elite wideout Lee Evans.

 

Forget the fact that, this season, Cleveland permitted opposing teams’ top wide receivers catches averaging 94 yards a game.

 

Edwards maintained that the reason he threw 10 - that’s 10 - check-down, dump-off passes to running back Marshawn Lynch was that the Browns were rushing only three and dropping eight into coverage.

 

He said that, “with only three or four receivers out, it’s hard to find holes in that defense.”

 

Welcome to the NFL, my friend.

 

Teams see it every week and the best ones find ways to beat it.

 

This, from a man who told me six weeks ago, "I really believe — with apologies to Bill Walsh — that (Edwards) will be something special." If he's this far down on No. 5 ...

[Flbillsfan#1]

JP! He may throw INTs but he was always good for a big pass to Lee once a game!

That's better than Trents INTs with NO pass to Evans!

[Lori]

On the same subject, Graham posted this later in the day ...

Jauron on pulling Edwards: 'I can't say'

 

Yes? No? Maybe? Your guess is as good as mine. One thing you can say about Jauron, he's certainly fluent in coachspeak ...

[reddogblitz]

I support Trent 100% since he's the guy. But something's wrong. He's totally lost it. I was at the game and I'm here to tell you there were open recievers all over the place. On one play where the threw an incomplete bad pass to Fred who was covered short, Steve Johnson was wide open on the other side of the field 15 or 20 yards downfield. Trent never looked his direction.

 

I don't know if it's lingering effects of the concussion, or he doesn't have the attention span for the long NFL season, or he's scared to get hit like he did against Arizona again, but something's wrong. I think it's time to sit him for a few games to study and watch film and practice and learn how to once again be the QB he was the first 6 weeks.

 

It's not fair to the rest of the team who's working hard and playing well for one guy to blow the season for everyone else so he can "learn". JP will be gone next year, so what. Trent needs to regroup. Maybe when he gets his next chance to start in a few games he'll be hungry once again and the magic will be back. It's worth a try.

[jarthur31]

I dont agree with it at all

 

Losman is gone at the end of the season......we have to think long term here

 

Trent Edwards IS the QB of the bills.....in the offseason we should bring in a vet to push him.....but he is the guy

 

If we are going to miss the playoffs we are going to do it even with JP at QB......so we might as well back Trent up and let him learn.

 

I agree but I do believe TE should be put on a short leash. We need to win, not for the playoffs, but the possibility to entice free agents.

 

The line needs to be revamped in the offseason completely, particularly C and RG.

 

REDDOG: it has to be the concussion! I don't think he woke up one day and decided to tank the season and spite the fan base for no reason whatsoever. His accuracy since that hit has been way off and I'm not even thinking about his picks. Alot of his passes are horribly way off mark. He needs to be re-assessed and treated until he's healthy.

[reddogblitz]

We need to win, not for the playoffs, but the possibility to entice free agents.

 

Exactly. If we could get beyond 7-9 and look like we're building something here, we might be able to draw better free agent talent. Let's face it with one of the longest playoff droughts, and the cold weather in Buffalo, all things being equal, I can't blame free agents for rather going to Dallas or Jacksonville, or New England, or Philadelphia, or anywhere but Cincinati or here. When Reggie White went to Green Bay when he did people were surprised. But he said they were building a winner and he was right.

 

Amazing what wins can do for a team!

 

Go BILLS !!

[ieatcrayonz]

I support Trent 100% since he's the guy. But something's wrong. He's totally lost it. I was at the game and I'm here to tell you there were open recievers all over the place. On one play where the threw an incomplete bad pass to Fred who was covered short, Steve Johnson was wide open on the other side of the field 15 or 20 yards downfield. Trent never looked his direction.

 

I don't know if it's lingering effects of the concussion, or he doesn't have the attention span for the long NFL season, or he's scared to get hit like he did against Arizona again, but something's wrong. I think it's time to sit him for a few games to study and watch film and practice and learn how to once again be the QB he was the first 6 weeks.

 

It's not fair to the rest of the team who's working hard and playing well for one guy to blow the season for everyone else so he can "learn". JP will be gone next year, so what. Trent needs to regroup. Maybe when he gets his next chance to start in a few games he'll be hungry once again and the magic will be back. It's worth a try.

I pointed this exact same thing out after the NE game and everyone ignored it.

[Bill from NYC]

I pointed this exact same thing out after the NE game and everyone ignored it.

 

Maybe because your screen name is ieatcrayonz, and your head has been up Losman's behind for 5 years and 10 wins?

[granitestatebillsbackers]

It doesn't ?

"His teammates don't have the luxury of allowing him to work through his problems on the game field.

 

Buffalo is entering do-or-die time. Their playoff hopes are already dim. They need a spark, and Edwards has shown no indication he's ready to provide one."

 

"The Bills are investing in Edwards as the quarterback of the future. But if they don't have him on a short leash against the Chiefs, then they're already working on 2009."

 

Even if he didn't type those specific words, he is pretty much advocating exactly that.

 

Ah, yes, the proverbial "spark." Panacea of the misinformed, bane of true fans. In the midst of no pass rush, a banged-up secondary, an O-line that is arguably struggling, a missing possession receiver, and iffy play-calling a QB CHANGE is going to provide a "spark?"

[ieatcrayonz]

Maybe because your screen name is ieatcrayonz, and your head has been up Losman's behind for 5 years and 10 wins?

Oh that's rich. I'm a "clean up the city boy" fan. Four crying out loud, I'm the one who called him "clean up the city boy" in the first place. Do the depths of your love for Trent really run so deep that you have to project that much? Trent being among the 3 worst starters in the entire NFL both before and after these last 4 games has literally nothing to do with JP.

[billfan63]

Notwithstanding these past few weeks, Trent has shown that he can be a better QB in this league than JP will ever be.

[/quote

Stick around this board and in five years we'll discuss

[YOOOOOO]

If we had kept JP on a short leash in his second season, he never would have finished the second season.

 

JP is gone at the end of the year regardless of what happens.

 

Notwithstanding these past few weeks, Trent has shown that he can be a better QB in this league than JP will ever be.

 

FWIW, we should stick with him. I am confident that he will work it out. He was bouncing back after throwing those picks in the last game. He is a smart kid. I am not ready to throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

To all you JP guys that were complaining that JP just needed more time last year, don't you think that Trent should be given as much time that as we gave JP.

 

 

I agree, You cant make the switch now.....If Jauron does, then he will stunt Edwards growth, just like Mularkey did to JP....

 

You have to let your young QB's go thru there ups and downs....

[1billsfan]

You simply can't lead an NFL offense when you are timid and afraid. It's just something that can't be done.

 

What I've seen with my own eyes is that Trent Edwards looks timid and afraid.

 

With this team currently at 5-5 the Bills are in "must win every game" mode.

 

So the choice is to start a QB that is timid or afraid on the road in KC in hopes that he finds his courage or start the backup QB who can throw TD passes from anywhere on the field and who has never had such a horrific four game stretch that the starter currently is having.

 

So what that Losman's leaving next year. I thought Bills fans were about winning now? Do we all really want to throw in the towell at 5-5? Wouldn't you want to see them at least try to go into the final AFC divisional stretch of games with a head of steam at 7-5 and see WTF happens????

 

Is Trent Edwards fragile psyche really worth throwing away THIS season????

 

I know that you guys hate Losman (still don't know why considering what an f'd up coach and organization he's had to endure) with a passion, but seriously, he really is our only shot left at trying to save this season. Why are Bills fans so against this? Do you want to start looking at the draft prospects or get back on the rollercoaster for one more wild ride in 2008 and see what happens?

 

Once they are out of contention with 7 losses then Edwards can be put back in. Throwing what's left of this season away on a scared QB is unbelievable.

[BillsNYC]

Screw Losman....I say start Hamdan...he's the man.

[Bmwolf21]

On the same subject, Graham posted this later in the day ...

Jauron on pulling Edwards: 'I can't say'

 

Yes? No? Maybe? Your guess is as good as mine. One thing you can say about Jauron, he's certainly fluent in coachspeak ...

You say coachspeak, I say spin and BS from Jauron. "Yeah, statistically he's not playing as well, but hey, he's not regressing in his studying." Brilliant.

[billfan63]

Maybe because your screen name is ieatcrayonz, and your head has been up Losman's behind for 5 years and 10 wins?

and yet he's not the one wanting to screw Losman

[Poeticlaw]

Not saying I agree or disagree with this article, just found it interesting read on ESPN.com

 

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afceast/0-4-342...man-in-KC-.html

 

Havent we done enough see-sawing with our QBS put in flutie put in johnson,Put in Van Pelt, Put in Holcomb, put in JP put in Trent?

 

First in my personal opinion I think that JP would do good in this OFffense he did complete 70% of his passes when he came in in arizona but JP did not play defense that game and thats what completley destroyed us. In addition Evans is a better reciever because of JP.

 

Now JP is out of here at the end of the season period! Trent is only in his second season let him finish it good or BAD. He shows me flashes of being a good QB but how he plays in the cold and snow will tell me if he can be a great QB. He has to conquer his fears right now, it has to be something with this offense first JP look like he was broken down and Now Trent looks like he has broken down.

 

I say stick with Trent- I have already reserved my emotions for a faint shot at the playoffs. I just want to see him get better so we know we dont hav to look for another guy to play QB and go through this again.

[Ramius]

It is possible that Trent can start bad, and you pull him for a series, a quarter, even the rest of the game, and let him sit back for a bit to refresh himself and his mind. That doesn't mean that JP is the starter, it doesn't mean that JP should start against SF. All it means is that you sat your young QB down on the bench and let your vet backup take some snaps so the young guy can get his head back on straight.