Bills QBs of the last ten years

[Orton's Arm]

In another thread, someone wrote that Trent Dilfer was a better QB than anyone the Bills have had over the last ten years. That got me thinking. How would I rank the Bills' QBs of the last ten years, I asked myself, and where would Trent Dilfer fall on that list if he'd played for the Bills?

 

After mulling that question over a bit, I came up with the following rankings for the Bills' QBs over the last decade. I split Drew Bledsoe's time here into two, because he played like Tarzan his first eight games, and like Jane for the remainder of his career here.

 

Feel free to add your own rankings, as well as to indicate how you think Trent Dilfer stacks up to the Bills' QBs over the last ten years.

 

1. Drew Bledsoe (first eight games)

2. Kelly Holcomb. In every game Holcomb played from start to finish, the offense scored at least 14 points. He nearly led the Bills to victory over the Patriots. His overall stats were very solid, even though he played behind an abysmal offensive line.

3. Drew Bledsoe (the remainder of his stay in Buffalo). Bledsoe's play during that span was mediocre. But on this list, mediocre is good enough for third place.

4. Trent Dilfer (career). Dilfer was a decent QB, nothing more.

5. Rob Johnson. When you gave him time to throw, he'd eat defenses alive. Unfortunately, he was also a sack waiting to happen, and he seemed to play worse in the 2000s than he had in the late '90s.

6. Trent Edwards. This seems a little high for Edwards, but there isn't exactly a whole lot of competition on this list.

7. JP Losman. This is a little high for Losman. He had a million dollar body and ten cent brain. But there isn't a whole lot of competition beneath him.

8. Ryan Fitzpatrick. His accuracy is very poor, but he seems to partially make up for it in other ways.

9. Alex van Pelt. He tried hard, but didn't have a lot of talent.

[uncle flap]

does flutie count?

[uncle flap]

also, i think dilfer would've been terrible behind some of those lines and in some of those schemes. i think bledsoe, losman, edwards, and even rob johnson would've flourished in dilfer's shoes.

[Orton's Arm]

does flutie count?

No. He wasn't on the roster recently enough.

[Orton's Arm]

also, i think dilfer would've been terrible behind some of those lines and in some of those schemes. i think bledsoe, losman, edwards, and even rob johnson would've flourished in dilfer's shoes.

You very well may have a point.

[Coach55]

In another thread, someone wrote that Trent Dilfer was a better QB than anyone the Bills have had over the last ten years. That got me thinking. How would I rank the Bills' QBs of the last ten years, I asked myself, and where would Trent Dilfer fall on that list if he'd played for the Bills?

 

After mulling that question over a bit, I came up with the following rankings for the Bills' QBs over the last decade. I split Drew Bledsoe's time here into two, because he played like Tarzan his first eight games, and like Jane for the remainder of his career here.

 

Feel free to add your own rankings, as well as to indicate how you think Trent Dilfer stacks up to the Bills' QBs over the last ten years.

 

1. Drew Bledsoe (first eight games)

2. Kelly Holcomb. In every game Holcomb played from start to finish, the offense scored at least 14 points. He nearly led the Bills to victory over the Patriots. His overall stats were very solid, even though he played behind an abysmal offensive line.

3. Drew Bledsoe (the remainder of his stay in Buffalo). Bledsoe's play during that span was mediocre. But on this list, mediocre is good enough for third place.

4. Trent Dilfer (career). Dilfer was a decent QB, nothing more.

5. Rob Johnson. When you gave him time to throw, he'd eat defenses alive. Unfortunately, he was also a sack waiting to happen, and he seemed to play worse in the 2000s than he had in the late '90s.

6. Trent Edwards. This seems a little high for Edwards, but there isn't exactly a whole lot of competition on this list.

7. JP Losman. This is a little high for Losman. He had a million dollar body and ten cent brain. But there isn't a whole lot of competition beneath him.

8. Ryan Fitzpatrick. His accuracy is very poor, but he seems to partially make up for it in other ways.

9. Alex van Pelt. He tried hard, but didn't have a lot of talent.

sans Dilfer, because I didn't watch enough of his games...

1. Drew Bledsoe (first eight games)

2. Alex Van Pelt - his 2-6 stretch in 03 showed he was a baller, even though his team was terrible (Statline 168-286 - 58.7%, 1950 yds, 11 TD, 8 INT's. That is 6.8 YPA, 244 Yds/Game and 80.6% rating. )

3. Kelly Holcomb - agree with your analysis

4 (tie). Trent Edwards - Best of crap

4 (tie). Drew Bledsoe - post first 8 games he contracted RJS

6. Fitzpatrick - he has heart, but just not that talented

7 (tie). Losman

7 (tie). Johnson - to pick between 2 QB's with probably the best physical tools of anyone on this list to better than the other is a mockery. One was the most sacked QB in NFL history. The other, barely a step above that. Neither had pocket presence or could make a decision.

[Rob's House]

RJ would have sucked in Dilfer's shoes b/c he made too many negative plays. That's what Dilfer brought that is so unappreciated (and very similar to what Flutie brought) and doesn't show up in the stats. Dilfer could keep the D somewhat honest and avoided sacks and turnovers. Sure Dilfer had a good D, but so did RJ.

 

Bledsoe is easily the best of the last decade. He was a guy that if you gave him protection and targets he'll find the open guy and deliver, and he'll keep the D honest with one of the best deep balls in the league, which he did his first season with the Bills. Then, not only did they let the line diminish, they let his targets go, and stood there dumbfounded when he didn't deliver. Even with that he was still the guy at the helm the last time the Bills had a winning season.

[JohnC]

RJ would have sucked in Dilfer's shoes b/c he made too many negative plays. That's what Dilfer brought that is so unappreciated (and very similar to what Flutie brought) and doesn't show up in the stats. Dilfer could keep the D somewhat honest and avoided sacks and turnovers. Sure Dilfer had a good D, but so did RJ.

 

Bledsoe is easily the best of the last decade. He was a guy that if you gave him protection and targets he'll find the open guy and deliver, and he'll keep the D honest with one of the best deep balls in the league, which he did his first season with the Bills. Then, not only did they let the line diminish, they let his targets go, and stood there dumbfounded when he didn't deliver. Even with that he was still the guy at the helm the last time the Bills had a winning season.

 

Typical organization stupdity: Acquire the least mobile qb in the game with one of the best arms and have him play behind a porous line and mediocre receiving corps. You don't have to be a football genius to recognize that this chicken poop staff was putting a qb in a situation where it was reinforcing his weaknesses instead of his strengths. Where was the common sense in handling Bledsoe?

[AllDayADay]

I put Trent right below Bledsoe. The cast that Trent as to deal with way lower than what Dilfer had in Balt.

 

Hello.. Shannon Sharpe! Qb's best friend.

 

Not too mention the defense giving him the ball every other snap. As compared to the Bills defense the last couple of years that couldn't make a stop on 3rd down to save one of their own lives.

[BillsPhan]

In another thread, someone wrote that Trent Dilfer was a better QB than anyone the Bills have had over the last ten years. That got me thinking. How would I rank the Bills' QBs of the last ten years, I asked myself, and where would Trent Dilfer fall on that list if he'd played for the Bills?

 

After mulling that question over a bit, I came up with the following rankings for the Bills' QBs over the last decade. I split Drew Bledsoe's time here into two, because he played like Tarzan his first eight games, and like Jane for the remainder of his career here.

 

Feel free to add your own rankings, as well as to indicate how you think Trent Dilfer stacks up to the Bills' QBs over the last ten years.

 

1. Drew Bledsoe (first eight games)

2. Kelly Holcomb. In every game Holcomb played from start to finish, the offense scored at least 14 points. He nearly led the Bills to victory over the Patriots. His overall stats were very solid, even though he played behind an abysmal offensive line.

3. Drew Bledsoe (the remainder of his stay in Buffalo). Bledsoe's play during that span was mediocre. But on this list, mediocre is good enough for third place.

4. Trent Dilfer (career). Dilfer was a decent QB, nothing more.

5. Rob Johnson. When you gave him time to throw, he'd eat defenses alive. Unfortunately, he was also a sack waiting to happen, and he seemed to play worse in the 2000s than he had in the late '90s.

6. Trent Edwards. This seems a little high for Edwards, but there isn't exactly a whole lot of competition on this list.

7. JP Losman. This is a little high for Losman. He had a million dollar body and ten cent brain. But there isn't a whole lot of competition beneath him.

8. Ryan Fitzpatrick. His accuracy is very poor, but he seems to partially make up for it in other ways.

9. Alex van Pelt. He tried hard, but didn't have a lot of talent.

 

Your list should consider ONLY the years these QB's played for the Bills, compared to Dilfer's years with the Ravens.

 

1. Dilfer - the other thread was right, after all Dilfer won a SB as the starting QB for the Ravens. Bledsoe did not.

2. Bledsoe

3. Edwards

4. Holcomb

5. Johnson

6. Van Pelt

7. Fitzpatrick

8. Lost-man (I hate the guy, and always will - freakin' first round pick in 2004, what an idiot Donahoe was!)

 

Sorry, but I only counted 8 different QB's on your list, after all Drew Bledsoe is not two people.

[R. Rich]

1. Dilfer - the other thread was right, after all Dilfer won a SB as the starting QB for the Ravens. Bledsoe did not.

 

Wow.

 

Dilfer was the starting QB for the Baltimore Ravens, but I'd hardly say he "won" a championship for 'em. I give the guy credit for not making the kind of boneheaded mistakes that kill drives and limit scoring opportunities (like Rob Johnson did frequently), but that Ravens team won w/ a defense that was one of the best defenses I've seen (outside of the '76 Stillers and the '85 Bears, I don't think there was any better than the '00 Ravens). And the "Bledsoe did not" theory? Well, I guess the Bills did have the 3rd ranked total defense that year. Looking a bit closer @ the numbers though tells a different story:

 

Points allowed: 350, 18th in the league (the Ravens allowed a league record low of 165)

Turnover differential: +6, 10th in the league (Ravens had a league best of +23)

 

So the Bills were only the 10th best in the turnover department while they were in the bottom half in points allowed that year. Comparing the defenses is quite hasty.

[DarthICE]

In another thread, someone wrote that Trent Dilfer was a better QB than anyone the Bills have had over the last ten years. That got me thinking. How would I rank the Bills' QBs of the last ten years, I asked myself, and where would Trent Dilfer fall on that list if he'd played for the Bills?

 

After mulling that question over a bit, I came up with the following rankings for the Bills' QBs over the last decade. I split Drew Bledsoe's time here into two, because he played like Tarzan his first eight games, and like Jane for the remainder of his career here.

 

Feel free to add your own rankings, as well as to indicate how you think Trent Dilfer stacks up to the Bills' QBs over the last ten years.

 

1. Drew Bledsoe (first eight games)

2. Kelly Holcomb. In every game Holcomb played from start to finish, the offense scored at least 14 points. He nearly led the Bills to victory over the Patriots. His overall stats were very solid, even though he played behind an abysmal offensive line.

3. Drew Bledsoe (the remainder of his stay in Buffalo). Bledsoe's play during that span was mediocre. But on this list, mediocre is good enough for third place.

4. Trent Dilfer (career). Dilfer was a decent QB, nothing more.

5. Rob Johnson. When you gave him time to throw, he'd eat defenses alive. Unfortunately, he was also a sack waiting to happen, and he seemed to play worse in the 2000s than he had in the late '90s.

6. Trent Edwards. This seems a little high for Edwards, but there isn't exactly a whole lot of competition on this list.

7. JP Losman. This is a little high for Losman. He had a million dollar body and ten cent brain. But there isn't a whole lot of competition beneath him.

8. Ryan Fitzpatrick. His accuracy is very poor, but he seems to partially make up for it in other ways.

9. Alex van Pelt. He tried hard, but didn't have a lot of talent.

 

 

All the QB's since Kelly have sucked

[billsfreak]

All the QB's since Kelly have sucked

Doug Flutie was since Kelly, and he was 22-9 as a starter in with the Bills, with 47 TDs and 30 ints. If that is sucking, there haven't been many good QBs in the NFL lately. If they hadn't have replaced him with surfer boy Johnson, we might very well have been in the Super Bowl instead of the Titans playing the Rams. I know if he doesn't fall into the past 10 years of this post, but this is replying to the post that every QB since Kelly has sucked. Just about all the other ones have, no doubt, but Flutie was a winner-no matter what it took. There hasn't been much excitement at Ralph Wilson Stadium/Rich Stadium since he left for San Diego.

[Rob's House]

Wow.

 

Dilfer was the starting QB for the Baltimore Ravens, but I'd hardly say he "won" a championship for 'em. I give the guy credit for not making the kind of boneheaded mistakes that kill drives and limit scoring opportunities (like Rob Johnson did frequently), but that Ravens team won w/ a defense that was one of the best defenses I've seen (outside of the '76 Stillers and the '85 Bears, I don't think there was any better than the '00 Ravens). And the "Bledsoe did not" theory? Well, I guess the Bills did have the 3rd ranked total defense that year. Looking a bit closer @ the numbers though tells a different story:

 

Points allowed: 350, 18th in the league (the Ravens allowed a league record low of 165)

Turnover differential: +6, 10th in the league (Ravens had a league best of +23)

 

So the Bills were only the 10th best in the turnover department while they were in the bottom half in points allowed that year. Comparing the defenses is quite hasty.

 

Dilfer deserves a lot more credit than he gets. He won 19 (+/-1) consecutive games as a starter. When he took the starting job for the Ravens they were floundering without much hope for the playoffs. He came in, they won out, and then blew through everyone in the playoffs. Then they jettisoned him for a guy who looked good on the stat sheet. How did that work out again?

 

No he wasn't a Tom Brady or Peyton Manning type who's going to go out and put up 300 yds and 3 tds on a consistent basis, but he's a smart guy who had a good enough arm to keep the defense honest, could make just enough plays when they were needed, and didn't make the stupid mistakes that cost teams games. In other words, he was the perfect fit for that team.

[DarthICE]

Doug Flutie was since Kelly, and he was 22-9 as a starter in with the Bills, with 47 TDs and 30 ints. If that is sucking, there haven't been many good QBs in the NFL lately. If they hadn't have replaced him with surfer boy Johnson, we might very well have been in the Super Bowl instead of the Titans playing the Rams. I know if he doesn't fall into the past 10 years of this post, but this is replying to the post that every QB since Kelly has sucked. Just about all the other ones have, no doubt, but Flutie was a winner-no matter what it took. There hasn't been much excitement at Ralph Wilson Stadium/Rich Stadium since he left for San Diego.

 

 

Flutie is another BACKUP that the bills tried to pimp off as a starter.

[reddogblitz]

Here's my list of preferences of all QBs in last 10 years plus Trent Dilfer. All are based on time played with Bills, not before or after. This is the order I'd take them in. Not based on stats or Madden rankings or fantasy football stuff or "upside", just my feeling from watching each and everyone of them.

 

1. Dilfer

2. Bledsoe

3. Fitzpatrick

4. Holcomb

5. Edwards

6. Van Pelt

7. Losman

8. Johnson

 

I too agree that Dilfer is under rated and now been turned into somewhat of a joke that just turned up in Baltimore and rode a good D to the Super Bowl. He was a darn good QB. He had a good run with Tampa Bay before going to Baltimore. I'd love to have that guy in his prime on our team this year.

[transient]

Bledsoe is easily the best of the last decade. He was a guy that if you gave him protection and targets he'll find the open guy and deliver, and he'll keep the D honest with one of the best deep balls in the league, which he did his first season with the Bills. Then, not only did they let the line diminish, they let his targets go, and stood there dumbfounded when he didn't deliver. Even with that he was still the guy at the helm the last time the Bills had a winning season.

 

Not only that, but IIRC they fell in love with his arm the last 8 games of his first season and completely abandoned the running game, thereby making him more of a sitting duck and exposing his weaknesses. Not that he wasn't tearing it up the first 8, but they didn't even try to keep the defense honest the last 8. Wonder if that was his quest for stats, or bad OC, or both.

[transient]

Dilfer deserves a lot more credit than he gets. He won 19 (+/-1) consecutive games as a starter. When he took the starting job for the Ravens they were floundering without much hope for the playoffs. He came in, they won out, and then blew through everyone in the playoffs. Then they jettisoned him for a guy who looked good on the stat sheet. How did that work out again?

 

No he wasn't a Tom Brady or Peyton Manning type who's going to go out and put up 300 yds and 3 tds on a consistent basis, but he's a smart guy who had a good enough arm to keep the defense honest, could make just enough plays when they were needed, and didn't make the stupid mistakes that cost teams games. In other words, he was the perfect fit for that team.

 

I've always lumped him and Brad Johnson in a similar category, though I think Johnson threw the ball more. Decent arms, good decision makers, good game managers, give you what you need without a lot of flash therefore not in the highlight reels enough for the ESPN watching world to fall in love with them.

[BillsPhan]

Doug Flutie was since Kelly, and he was 22-9 as a starter in with the Bills, with 47 TDs and 30 ints. If that is sucking, there haven't been many good QBs in the NFL lately. If they hadn't have replaced him with surfer boy Johnson, we might very well have been in the Super Bowl instead of the Titans playing the Rams. I know if he doesn't fall into the past 10 years of this post, but this is replying to the post that every QB since Kelly has sucked. Just about all the other ones have, no doubt, but Flutie was a winner-no matter what it took. There hasn't been much excitement at Ralph Wilson Stadium/Rich Stadium since he left for San Diego.

 

 

Great post. You know we were screwed with the very first Donahoe decision - when he chose to keep Johnson and dump Flutie. With Flutie, Donahoe may not have felt the desperate need to trade for Bledsoe during the horrible Gregg Williams years. Flutie would most likely have kept the Bills in many games Johnson could not in that pathetic 2001 3-13 season, and with Doug being as old as he was, but still capable of handling Williams' high school offense, maybe Donahoe would have opted to draft a QB after the '01 season, like perhaps Drew Brees, to play behind Flutie a season?? (That plan worked out pretty well for the Chargers until Brees took over).

[BillsPhan]

Wow.

 

Dilfer was the starting QB for the Baltimore Ravens, but I'd hardly say he "won" a championship for 'em. I give the guy credit for not making the kind of boneheaded mistakes that kill drives and limit scoring opportunities (like Rob Johnson did frequently), but that Ravens team won w/ a defense that was one of the best defenses I've seen (outside of the '76 Stillers and the '85 Bears, I don't think there was any better than the '00 Ravens). And the "Bledsoe did not" theory? Well, I guess the Bills did have the 3rd ranked total defense that year. Looking a bit closer @ the numbers though tells a different story:

 

Points allowed: 350, 18th in the league (the Ravens allowed a league record low of 165)

Turnover differential: +6, 10th in the league (Ravens had a league best of +23)

 

So the Bills were only the 10th best in the turnover department while they were in the bottom half in points allowed that year. Comparing the defenses is quite hasty.

 

I was not saying Bledsoe needed to win a SB the same season Dilfer did. First of all, Bledsoe was still in New England, starting for the Pats during the entire 2000 season. Rob Johnson was running out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage sacking himself all season for the Bills in 2000, remember?

 

What I meant was that Dilfer started for the Ravens and helped them "not lose" the SB, (as you put it.), while Bledsoe played 3 years for the Bills and did not win a SB for them. In my opinion, that makes Dilfer a better QB for the Ravens then Bledsoe was for the Bills. And that put him number one on my list, comparing him to all the Bills QB's of the last 10 years.

 

Listen, I'm not void of logic. QB's like Trent Dilfer, Mark Rypien, (damn him), Brad Johnson, Jeff Hostetler (damn him too), Doug Williams, Jim Plunket and even Joe Thiesman, all were not as accomplished career-wise as Drew Bledsoe over Drew's entire career with the Pats, Bills and Cowboys. But they all won a SB (Plunket won 2!), as starting QB's, and they all deserve credit for that! Just ask Jimbo and Marino if they would not have loved to have won just one SB during their Hall of Fame careers.

 

So yes, I would say that Trent Dilfer, from 2002 to 2004, the years Bledsoe played for the Bills, would have been a better option due to the fact he would have been coming off a recent SB win with Baltimore, and he would have been much more conservative based on the fact he did not have Bledsoe's arm. Plus any QB had to have been more mobile then the statue was from '02 to '04, even Dilfer.