Edwards revisited

[Magox]

I disagree, I've watched reporters like Tim Graham intentionally rock the boat numerous times regardless of the consequences.

Cue that Tim's not a reporter in 3, 2, 1.....

[Bflojohn]

My specific feel is that this episode is intertwined with the Ralph Wilson mantra of "no job is safe", hence, the manure has already started to hit the proverbial fan!! I don't think that this dictum from "on high" was built solely on the heels of the Titans game. The entire mess has festered for months, and Dick Jauron and Trent Edwards are the first casualties! The human "carnidge" is coming down the pike, and the likes of Schobel, T.O., Kelsay, Whitner had better duck! Change is a violent occurance, and the front office, coaching staff and WATERBOY will all be evaluated IF there is to be positives taken from the ordeal. It is likely this roster will look NOTHING like it does today, except for the very young veterans who dot the list.

[iinii]

I disagree, I've watched reporters like Tim Graham intentionally rock the boat numerous times regardless of the consequences.

just boat rocking or serious exposing of the soft underbelly?

[BillsfaninFl]

and speaking of drivel ...

 

jw

 

How can you bash sports writers? True they rarely have "scoops," but they usually offer good opinions with supporting facts once news becomes public. Can you imagine trying to do a job of informing others about an organization's actions when the few representatives who speak to you go to great lengths not to share anything of value?

 

It's not a matter of them lazily cashing paychecks. It's a job as frustrating as being a door-to-door salesman.

 

And let's be honest. We fans clamber to read every article written about our team.

[Guest dog14787]

just boat rocking or serious exposing of the soft underbelly?

 

 

If there's a good story in it, Tim Graham will gladly flip the shaggy beast we call a Buffalo on his back, thus exposing the soft under belly and maybe even give the mangy beast a couple of swift kicks in the privates while he's down.

 

After all, a good story is hard to come by...

[keepthefaith]

Maybe there was an incident along the way, but he does not show that he has the intestinal fortitude needed at the QB position IMO. You don't see much leadership from the guy and he appears to play with more fear than confidence. Bad traits for a QB. He spent to much time with Jauron.

[starrymessenger]

Maybe there was an incident along the way, but he does not show that he has the intestinal fortitude needed at the QB position IMO. You don't see much leadership from the guy and he appears to play with more fear than confidence. Bad traits for a QB. He spent to much time with Jauron.

All of this is true. If in fact he is permanently damaged goods or never really had it in the first place then really there is nothing more to be said. Just move on.

If however there is anything there that can be salvaged or improved on, then there are also a few things worth thinking about.

Playing the QB position well at the NFL level may be the most difficult thing to do in all of sport. Also the step up in degree of difficulty and complexity is exponential between the college and professional ranks. It is an enormous divide, the Grand Canyon of sports, into which many talented athletes who have played the position since childhood fall to disappear from sight forever. How many early first rounders. It also means that young pro quarterbacks have to learn their trade, and have to be brought along carefully, even those, like Joe Flacco, who can enjoy some success immediately (Ravens kept it simple for him last year and continue only to gradually add to his responsibilities).

I take issue with the Trent- A. Rodgers comparisons. Rodgers had three years to sit and learn at the knee of the great one before he saw the field (and yes I know the Pack has a much more complex offence than we do-but the simplicity of our schemes engenders its own problems, for example total predictability, which in the NFL represents a kind of suicide). And he sucked pretty badly before he started to come into his own. He was not what he is today from the get go.

I almost regret (though not really) to say that Chad Henne is the real deal. What a game he had against the Jets last month. But Sparano and the OC there have been extremely careful to bring him along in a very measured manner. They are also good coaches.

Trent has had none of that, and it is crucial. Ron Jaworski has said many times how lucky he was to have Dick Vermeil.

Then I look at guys like Jason Campbell. I see a ton of talent and little success. But I also see a dysfunctional organization featuring lousy coaches, just as we have had here.

I don't think I am a Trent apologist. And there are things about his personality that turn my stomach too. I'm just tying to figure things out and find the truth.

Many people, me included, think he has enough in the way of physical tools. He is also clearly intelligent, how much I don't know, but certainly smart enough to learn the playbook. So the problems are mental (as well as with the playbook itself) and perhaps attitudinal/psychological. He needs to find some balls and some nasty. He needs to hit Donte in the back of the head with his best fastball next practice - "sorry Donte, it just slipped out of my hand, and BTW if you run your f@#kin mouth again I'll kill you". Then go out and back it up with a good game.

Maybe if all this doesn't kill Trent, it will make him stronger. Here's hoping (a forelorn hope, I expect).

I am also with those who think TO has a lot to do with the QB change. TO is not a tolerant man, nor should he be. No great player is. Nice apple pie Tom Brady publicly dissed Joey Galloway, formerly an outstanding WR, with bad body language exactly like TO did Trent. Galloway was released. Trent has been benched.

You cannot ignore TO. He is like a mountain in the middle of the road. He looks even bigger in a confined space like a clubhouse. It is easy for this future HOFmer, who can still get it done, to influence the views of his younger teammates on both sides of the ball. It is clear that this team was about to implode at the end of the Titan's game. The sideline hysterics were both a reflection of this and a catalyst for change.

Whether you like the Tampa 2 or not, I get the impression that Perry Fewell is a man i.e. not a coward. After last week can't really see how he could start Trent this week. Once he gets things under better control (including TO) it will be interesting to see whether he reverts to Trent. Why should he? Because RF has zero upside and, though it might take a miracle, I think Trent might. "Its my job and I'm going to take it" -hilarious.

[cåblelady]

After three tries, I THINK I know what you were getting at there, chief. And FYI, the team was never in danger of going anywhere else. Prove me wrong. Then go do your job and quit wasting your time on message boards. This is what I'm talking about.

 

tc (I'm official now)

what.......an official @#$% ?

[Wilson from Gamehendge]

The Bills come out of a bye week and name Edwards the starter. The general consensus is that it's his job to lose and that the second half of the season will determine whether the Bills view Edwards as their QB of the future.

 

One week later, after a bad (but not terrible, not Jamarcus Russell bad) performance, he's benched and the general consensus is that Edwards is not the answer and it's time to move on.

 

Oh, and in the meantime, the coach gets fired and the owner decides to clean house.

 

I mean, WTF?

 

Where there is smoke there's fire. Unfortunately, our local media (TSW contributors aside!) wouldn't notice their own legs burning.

 

There HAS to be more to this story. *Something* must have happened with Edwards, either directly leading up to, during, or right after the Tennessee game. The sequence of events just makes no sense. I've postulated elsewhere that it looked to me like Edwards purposely dogged his last series, possibly out of spite due to something that happened on the sideline. Another theory I have is that Dick wanted to name Fitz the starter coming out of the bye week, but Ralph overruled him, and possibly that back-and-forth precipitated Jauron's exit. But I repeat: something happened. No NFL franchise - not even the inept Bills - completely changes course at the QB position during a single week. Now, I know that Edwards' track record doesn't give any of us confidence that he could be The Man long-term, and I also feel that, in a sense, who cares what happened, let's just move forward now that it's clear a new regime is coming to town.

 

But I hate the idea that there is an interesting story here that we're not privy to. I repeat: something happened. Perhaps a player-revolt. A confrontation between Edwards and AVP. A comment (or even a shrug) that Edwards made to someone in the front office. Something that they saw on film. I don't know the answer, but I'd sure like to know how a team can give up on a 3 year investment after one mediocre performance.

 

Media types, consider this a call to action.

 

 

Brian Brohm happened! THAT is what happened buddy...BRIAN BROHM!

[Flbillsfan#1]

Honestly, DJ did get a raw deal, he never had a chance, with the O-line being revamped, a trouble maker WR brought in when we should have been hiring an experienced LT, and an OC promoted from an assistant, promoted from an assistant from and Offense that never did work to begin with, a good GM would have never let it all happen.

 

I'm glad DJ's gone like the rest of you because this change should repair our FO also, but theirs allot more blame to go around then just DJ and I'm sure some of the more football savvy folks around here would probably agree.

The Football savvy folks around here will tell you that 99% of the the problems Dick faced he created himself.

[JohnC]

My take is they were getting tired of him making the same mistakes over and over. The whole sideline rant from TO and JR was due Trent not recognizing the other teams defense and not seeing the receivers open.

 

I believe you are right on the money. Jim Kelly stated on WGR after the Titan game that there were plays that opened up and he either didn't see them or shied away from even attempting to cut loose and make the throws. The episode on the sideline with T.O. and Josh Reed highlighted the fact that all the receivers, including Evans, are very frustrated with Trent because he doesn't seem to trust himself to throw the ball down the field. The passing window to the receivers in the NFL is very tight. That isn't going to change for any qb.

 

Kelly was very blunt that Trent Edwards seems incapable of making plays when they are available. JK emphasized that the receivers do get open but the qb for whatever reason has a mental block about trusting himself to get the ball downfield. It appears to me that the coaching staff has made a decision regarding TE. For everyone's sake they have decided to move on.

 

Don't be too surprised if Brohm gets a chance to play sometime in the not too distant future. Fitzgerald is less than mediocre and a decision on TE has already been made.

[TheChimp]

Is a reply even necessary?

So you're gonna be my huckleberry, eh? OK, smart guy, prove it. When was there anything more than unsubstantiated rumors of the team leaving, and what did Ralph really do to stop it?

[zazie]

All of this is true. If in fact he is permanently damaged goods or never really had it in the first place then really there is nothing more to be said. Just move on.

If however there is anything there that can be salvaged or improved on, then there are also a few things worth thinking about.

Playing the QB position well at the NFL level may be the most difficult thing to do in all of sport. Also the step up in degree of difficulty and complexity is exponential between the college and professional ranks. It is an enormous divide, the Grand Canyon of sports, into which many talented athletes who have played the position since childhood fall to disappear from sight forever. How many early first rounders. It also means that young pro quarterbacks have to learn their trade, and have to be brought along carefully, even those, like Joe Flacco, who can enjoy some success immediately (Ravens kept it simple for him last year and continue only to gradually add to his responsibilities).

I take issue with the Trent- A. Rodgers comparisons. Rodgers had three years to sit and learn at the knee of the great one before he saw the field (and yes I know the Pack has a much more complex offence than we do-but the simplicity of our schemes engenders its own problems, for example total predictability, which in the NFL represents a kind of suicide). And he sucked pretty badly before he started to come into his own. He was not what he is today from the get go.

I almost regret (though not really) to say that Chad Henne is the real deal. What a game he had against the Jets last month. But Sparano and the OC there have been extremely careful to bring him along in a very measured manner. They are also good coaches.

Trent has had none of that, and it is crucial. Ron Jaworski has said many times how lucky he was to have Dick Vermeil.

Then I look at guys like Jason Campbell. I see a ton of talent and little success. But I also see a dysfunctional organization featuring lousy coaches, just as we have had here.

I don't think I am a Trent apologist. And there are things about his personality that turn my stomach too. I'm just tying to figure things out and find the truth.

Many people, me included, think he has enough in the way of physical tools. He is also clearly intelligent, how much I don't know, but certainly smart enough to learn the playbook. So the problems are mental (as well as with the playbook itself) and perhaps attitudinal/psychological. He needs to find some balls and some nasty. He needs to hit Donte in the back of the head with his best fastball next practice - "sorry Donte, it just slipped out of my hand, and BTW if you run your f@#kin mouth again I'll kill you". Then go out and back it up with a good game.

Maybe if all this doesn't kill Trent, it will make him stronger. Here's hoping (a forelorn hope, I expect).

I am also with those who think TO has a lot to do with the QB change. TO is not a tolerant man, nor should he be. No great player is. Nice apple pie Tom Brady publicly dissed Joey Galloway, formerly an outstanding WR, with bad body language exactly like TO did Trent. Galloway was released. Trent has been benched.

You cannot ignore TO. He is like a mountain in the middle of the road. He looks even bigger in a confined space like a clubhouse. It is easy for this future HOFmer, who can still get it done, to influence the views of his younger teammates on both sides of the ball. It is clear that this team was about to implode at the end of the Titan's game. The sideline hysterics were both a reflection of this and a catalyst for change.

Whether you like the Tampa 2 or not, I get the impression that Perry Fewell is a man i.e. not a coward. After last week can't really see how he could start Trent this week. Once he gets things under better control (including TO) it will be interesting to see whether he reverts to Trent. Why should he? Because RF has zero upside and, though it might take a miracle, I think Trent might. "Its my job and I'm going to take it" -hilarious.

This is a good analysis which all boils down to the same point. DJ destroyed this guy. We are very lucky Byrd was hurt and did not participate in much practice under DJ by the way.

[TheChimp]

He needs to find some balls and some nasty. He needs to hit Donte in the back of the head with his best fastball next practice - "sorry Donte, it just slipped out of my hand, and BTW if you run your f@#kin mouth again I'll kill you". Then go out and back it up with a good game.

I often dream of Bills and Sabres players who behave that way. Gosh, it's been decades since we had a player of that calibre in this town. Makes me kinda want to cry.

[Doc]

So you're gonna be my huckleberry, eh? OK, smart guy, prove it. When was there anything more than unsubstantiated rumors of the team leaving, and what did Ralph really do to stop it?

Prove that Ralph never had the chance to move the team. You can't. I OTOH can point to 5 cities that lost franchises, 3 cities that regained franchises, and 2 cities that regained their lost franchises, within the past 25 years. Those represented chances for Ralph to move the team. And in each case of a team moving, Ralph voted against the move.

[Captain Hindsight]

I truly don't believe Edwards has been given a fair chance. Yes, he has been extremely inconsistent. Yes, he has often been captain check down. However, even last week he threw 2 very nice deep balls to T.O.

 

He has shown the ability at times to have pocket presence, make good decisions, and has accuracy. There have been several excellent NFL quarterbacks who did not blossom until their 4th season (Eli Manning and Drew Brees). He has been playing on a lousy team with a lousy coach and a lousy O-line.

 

We know Fitzpatrick is not the quarterback of the future. I cannot understand why, in a season we know is already lost, we would not put Edwards out there to see if he finally shows some consistency. If by the end of the year, he is not showing improvement, sure try to bring in (draft or free agency) the next quarterback. But I would still keep him next year while a new QB is developing. The light may just turn on next season like it did for the 2 QB's I named. I think he has shown just enough upside to believe he may still develop. I would be very sad to see the guy just cut. I think there's a decent chance that we regret it in the future when he finally develops with a team like St Louis or Carolina.

 

Anyway, that's my opinion. It doesn't seem like too many people agree with it.

2 1/2 years and making the same mistakes he made as rookie? he hasnt progressed at all in 3 years. Its time to look somewhere elese

[Mickey]

The differance between Trent and some of the guys we have had in the past is that Trent actually belongs in the NFL. Not as a starter but he is an Ideal backup, he can come off the bench, make a few plays, maybe win a game here and there. He doesnt lose games, he doesnt make alot of bonehead decisions, he just doesnt win games or make big plays and he is smart enough to know the playbook. These are charateristics of a backup QB.

A QB who "doesn't win games" is a QB who loses games.

[spartacus]

You are really passionate about your work, which is great to see -- so much so, that you'll insult anyone who dares question the job that you and your media brethren are doing. I've seen it in a number of your posts. Perhaps I have a mental problem, as you allege, and suffer from severe memory lapses. I'd counter by saying that you hardly come from an objective point of view with respect to this issue, given that you are living (and writing) it every single day. Having said all that, it's not a black and white issue.

 

 

Nobody said that you and your media brethren are showering the team with love and affection. By "insulated from criticism," I was referring specifically to the front office. Yes, you write about the abysmal offense. You write about the questionable decisions the head coach makes. You may even allege that the team is good at generating turmoil. But aside from Jerry Sullivan, I have yet to see a writer truly takes the front office to task. Even Sullivan, over the years, has focused most of his attention on getting coaches fired, be it Wade, Williams, Mularkey and now Jauron. It's always the coach, isn't it?

 

By front office, I refer to John Guy, Jim Overdorf, Marv Levy, Tom Modrak. These gentlemen have not only presided over poor drafts and awful free agent signings over a sustained time period, each and every one of them (aside from Levy who retired) were promoted. In another NFL market, they would be taken to task by the media to a much greater degree. I have lived in numerous major NFL cities and seen the front office taken to task when the performance has been poor. By my own personal judgment, that doesn't seem to happen in Buffalo. Perhaps you can enlighten me as to why I'm wrong and throw more insults my way. But I speak with this caveat: it's based on my personal experience, having lived in 5 different NFL cities.

 

Now, in a previous post, you mentioned that it's difficult to get anyone in the front office to talk. My response to that is simple: their record speaks for itself. Perhaps, as you said, Ralph makes a lot of the big decisions, but make no mistake, some idiot in the front office aside from Ralph decided to give Derrick Dockery a contract, which at the time, was the most lucrative contract in Bills history. Some idiot in the front office decided to trade up for John McCargo, who sniffs the field on emergency situations.

 

 

Fair point. Perhaps you've eluded to it or noted it. But as I said before, this front office has gotten a relatively free pass when compared to front offices making personnel decisions in other markets. It certainly doesn't (and shouldn't) be covered every day, but I stand by my assertion that relative to other NFL cities, this front office has insulated itself from media criticism.

 

regarding the front office, you would think that after 10 years the media could have come up with a little bit of detail about the workings of the "inner circle" -

 

and commented on that structures ability to deflect blame from any and all involved

 

that lack of accountability permeates the entire organization - and may have been something that our crackerjack media may have wanted to pursue.

[fjcrociata]

T.O.? Really?

 

Doesn't quite explain Lee Evans' obvious preference for Losman last season ...

 

No brainer, this. Whatever he couldn't do, Losman could throw the long ball and wasn't' afraid to. Edwards?

[bladiebla]

sjjjjeeee....

 

jw writes for AP and that comes with the responsibility to write good sourced and non speculative pieces. Facts, facts, facts. A reporter, reports stuff that has happened. Scoops can be on different levels, jw talking to Ralph with regards to the DJ firing was a scoop. He got there first and broke that story. If jw would start reporting in the Sully style (filled with his opinion) then he's out of a job at AP fast. It is good journalism. Fox News... now that is something you should worry about opinions marketted as facts.

 

That said, the Brohm hiring and Hamdan firing was something that was missed by all writers I believe, but Green Bay was well aware of it on wednesday allready. Then again how big of a scoop is signing a would have been a great talent coming out of college but utterly failed in the NFL so far. Yet it was Bills news that only arrived in Buffalo on thursday. Note that several signings have gone unreported this year, or maybe just unpublished (i.e. Draft signing, Ormon being picked of our PS by the Seahawks).

 

On the original question, did something happen? Sure something happened, coaches finally realised that the WR's had no faith in their QB. That info is out there, just listen closely to TO saying Fitz has more experience (translation making the reads and seeing what is there and trying to utalise it) and Evans.