Shaw66

If Allen starts game 3, Peterman has a shot only if Allen blows up. If Peterman starts game 3, Allen still could take the job even if Peterman plays okay. I just don't see how you can keep that kind of talent off the field. And kudos to Daboll - to have installed and taught an offense where Allen has gotten so comfortable so quickly is a credit to him.

I emailed a friend last night and said that Allen throwing looks like it's in a Disney cartoon. The ball disappears out of his hand and seemingly instantly instantly appears in the receiver's hands. The receivers seem already to be used to how quickly the ball gets there, and the defenders seem to have practically no time to react. It IS weird. In comparison, it seems like you could mow the lawn while you're waiting for McCarron's and Peterman's throws to arrive.

That's the kind of play Aaron Rodgers makes, and we're all agog. Put it together with the touchdown pass last week, a completely different play but a TD pass very few NFL QBs throw. Two weeks, two truly big-time TD passes.

I thought Peteman's play last night was eye-opening. He did a lot of good things. I'm usually a stats guy, and I distrust the eyeball test, so I'm way out of my comfort zone here, but I'll take what my eyes tell me about Allen over Peterman's obviously superior stats. Why? In part because of what I was saying about the game getting easier with Allen playing. He's a better scrambler, a better thrower than Peterman. Peterman looked to me like he always was on the edge of a disaster. Allen looked like he was taking candy from a baby.

This is a really important point that seems to have gotten lost in the comparisons to Peterman. This is what we saw when Allen came on the field. Everything got easier for the offense. We hear this point made from time to time about running backs. It's been made about Shady. Run blocking is easier with a back who gets into and out of the whole quickly. The linemen will tell you, I've heard it several times, that they just don't have to hold their blocks as long. They know, in effect, that they can sell out to a move that is effective for the short-term, because that's all a good ball carrier needs. We see it with Brady. Why are those no name linemen always so good? One reason is that they KNOW Brady is getting rid of the ball quickly. Why? Because he's a deadly short-range thrower, and their passing scheme is set up to have receivers open up quickly. And that is what we saw last night. Drop back, look and throw - bang!, the balls to the receiver. As the quoted language says, everything changes for the offense, because a QB with Allen's talents causes the defense to play in certain ways. They have to respect the deep ball, because Allen can chuck it. They have to respect the short ball, because if they play off the receiver, Allen will complete short balls all night long. They have to respect the throws over the middle, because Allen doesn't need much of a window. All of that makes the game easier for the receivers. It makes the game easier for the offensive line - blitzing is dangerous, because blitzing leaves a hole somewhere, and Allen can throw the ball into any hole. It makes the game easier for the running backs, because eight-in-the-box is a recipe for disaster with that arm. Eight in the box means even Benjamin can get deep, let alone Jones and Coleman and Streeter and Holmes. It was apparent last night. The whole game got easier when Allen came into the game.

Th I s a different play but it's exactly what I was talking about. It's a huge advantage for the qb to be able to deliver the ball that quickly and accurately. Receivers love it, too, because they do the work to get open, and they don't want to wait for the ball while the defenders are closing in. I m sure receivers are telling McD "play the kid. Please."

This is the correct analysis. When you weigh all the pluses and minuses, Allens physical capabilities outweigh his lack of experience. He's just going to make more plays than Peterman. He's more mobile and his arm allows him to complete passes that Peterman can't. Three examples: Each of his two TD passes were big-time nfl throws. Peterman probably doesn't make either of those plays. But the play that meant a lot to me was the simple sideline throw to Holmes for a first down. There's no substitute for a guy who can get the ball there accurately with that velocity. It makes completing passes in the short- to mid-range game so much easier. He had a throw into a tight window over the middle that showed it too. Tough plays for an average nfl arm, easy for him. His throwing ability is so special, and his mobility in the pocket is a plus, that it outweighs the things he hasn't learned yet.

AJ didn't look bad, but Allen looked good. Now with the injury, it looks like the competition is over. ROughing the passer on Peterman's knee. Keep that guy upright.

It seems obvious that Allen has to start. The thing about Allen that stands when you watch him is that he gets completions other QBs don't because of his quick delivery and ball velocity. If the guy is open, the ball gets there before the defender can react. It was obvious tonight how valuable that is. The scramble and TD throw was beautiful. He still looks like a rookie sometimes, but the his special talents outweigh his shortcomings. Oh, and what was all that talk about accuracy? A little too much zip on that swing pass to the back, but by and large those were accurate throws.

Now we're getting somewhere. You believe he knows the starting job is on the line and he knows how to handle the pressure that knowledge creates. I HOPE he can do that, and that was exactly my point in starting the thread. Will he choke under that pressure, or will he handle it? I don't know.

I don't disagree with any of what you say. You're talking about how someone behaves. But to say that competitiveness is not about ego is simply wrong. Ego is what drives competitiveness. If you don't have ego, you don't compete. You're talking about whether a guy with an ego behaves like a jerk or not. When you play basketball, as you say, you desperately want to win. What I'm saying is Allen desperately wants to win the starting job in exactly the same way. He's going into tonight's game knowing that this game goes a long way to determining whether he wins the job. So from a personal point of view, he is under pressure. This is it. He wants to win. How he behaves when he wins or loses is another matter.

I agree he probably can keep his ego in check, and McDermott is challenging him to do that, but I think you misperceive who he is. To say he "doesn't carry an ego-centered mindset" is, by all reports, wrong. The reports are that he is an intense competitor. The ego is what makes a competitor intense. That's what drove Tyrod, too. He wanted to be on a team where he could compete to start. I think he really wants to be the starter, right now. He may understand and be able to control himself if the coaches decide he sits, but that's different from wanting to be THE guy RIGHT NOW. I think he knows that his opportunity to start in Baltimore is sitting there tonight. He plays well, he may get the start. He doesn't play well, he'll be sitting in three weeks. Real competitors rise to the occasion in situations like this. That's why I'm interested to see how he does.

How many teams have a #2 who draws as much attention as their #1?

I don't know. I don't think he thinks about it any differently than I would if I were 22 and playing some sport in college. I'd want to start. I'd really want to start. I wouldn't be thinking "maybe I'm not good enough to start right now." I'd be thinking "I want to start." And then I'd be looking at the situation and recognize that in most circumstances the coaches will be deciding this weekend who's starting in game 3 of preseason, and that guy will be the presumptive starter when the season opens. So I'm thinking that if I want to start, I have to win the job in tonight's game. That would make it a big game for me personally.

Wow. He's an athlete and a competitor. Every athlete and competitor wants to play, not sit. If he is sitting there in his room tonight thinking "I've got my money, and I probably could use a year on the bench," the Bills drafted the wrong guy. I guarantee you he wants to be the starter against the Ravens.

You and Duffy said the same thing. Maybe you're right. But the third preseason game historically has been the dress rehearsal, and the fourth game the starters sit and the marginal players are fighting for spots. If the Bills follow that pattern, the guy who starts the third preseason game IS the starter, and he'll get all or most of the first team reps in practice next week. If Allen isn't getting the first team reps, I think there's virtually no chance he starts week one. And if you aren't starting week one, you need some peculiar things to happen to get the starting call later in the season. That's exactly what I'm talking about. Tomorrow is a BIG game for him.

What don't we know? You think he doesn't care if he's the starter this season? Or do you think whether he's the starter this season DOESN'T depend on how he plays tomorrow night? I think both points are beyond doubt.

As I said, it means A LOT to him. His chance to start this season depends on his play tomorrow night.

Really? Are you kidding? Allen is BY FAR the most talented QB on the team since Kelly. Bledsoe was the only thrower who's even in the conversation, and Bledsoe was a statue compared to Allen. McDermott is the only coach to take the Bills to the playoffs in that period - well, wait, who was the coach for the Music City Miracle? Whoever that coach was had Flutie and Johnson as QBs, and they don't compare to Allen. Beane is on top of his game. If nothing else, he is BY FAR more in sync with his HC than any previous GM. He also has shown himself to be masterful at his maneuvers. Whether you like his deals or not, he always gets good value. Not every deal works out, but that's true for any GM. If you don't agree, name one coach/GM/QB combo that was better. Manuel and who? Fitzpatrick and Nix? Donahoe, Gregg Williams and Bledsoe are the only ones who are close, and Donahoe dumped Bledsoe for Losman.

Allen's on the hot seat against the Browns. We find out something about how he handles pressure. What pressure? Well, like everyone, he wants to be a starter. He's on a track that would permit him to be a starter. He probably can't win the starting job against the Browns, but he definitely can lose it. Going into the first preseason game, he knew where he stood. Beane said it - if he plays well enough, he'll get first and second team reps. If he shows he's not ready, he'll stay with the third string. The pressure was on, and he responded nicely. He followed up with a good but not great showing in training camp, running with the 2s and occasionally with the 1s. Now it seems likely he'll play with the 2s against the Browns, and maybe first come into the game when some of the 1s are still on the field. It will all be on the line. If he plays well, it's quite possible he'll force McDermott to give him a shot by giving a lot of first team reps in practice next week. Ideally, of course, you give your presumptive starter the first-team reps, because the third preseason game is typically the dress-rehearsal game - starters go the first half, maybe into the third quarter. But if Allen is good enough against the Browns, McDermott either has to declare him the starter and give him ALL the first-team reps, or decide that he has a real competition going on with Allen and one of the other two. Then he has to split the first-team reps in practice, split the time in the third preseason game and postpone the decision about the starter and the dress rehearsal to the fourth game. Allen isn't stupid. He knows his shot at starting is on the line. It will be interesting to see if he's up to the challenge.

I said they're the best combination at those three positions SINCE Kelly, Polian and Levy. I didn't say they were the next anything.

That's never stopped me before.

the current staff isn't as bad as the previous staff.

That makes me laugh!! When it comes to the Bills, I live my life seeing the positive possibilities. I'd be thoroughly depressed if I couldn't see a route to success, no matter how unlikely that route might be. I have to say that I've been waiting anxiously all week for the next game. I REALLY want Allen to light it up. He's the most talented QB on the team, and if he's also just better than the other two, I'm gonna be really excited for the season to start. (My wife is planning on having the grandkids over to the house for grandparents' day, which also happens to be the season opener. I have no idea what she was thinking.) Exactly. It's about the ride, and as miserable as those three weeks were on the sinking ship, it was all part of the experience.

I always knew I liked you, but never knew why. It's because your true feelings, as expressed above, come through all of that other entertaining stuff you post. I look at it this way: My off-season feelings don't control my in-season feelings. If I think positive thoughts about the team in the off-season, it makes the off-season more pleasant than if I'm pessimistic about the coming season. Then, when the season comes, regardless of what I thought in off-season, I'm going to be happy if they win and unhappy if they lose.