Can Fitzpatrick Overcome His Choking?

[NaPolian8693]

It seems pretty clear at this point that Fitzpatrick is capable of playing well for periods of time, but when the game is on the line he has a tendency to make costly mistakes that lose football games.

 

It's a mental barrier. Some people are clutch, some aren't - that's life.

 

Do you think this is something he can overcome, or do you think it will plague him throughout the rest of his career?

[NaPolian8693]

fwiw I don't think he will ever overcome it. I like the guy though so he can stay around as a backup in the future.

[The Big Cat]

I've said this already, but it bares repeating:

 

If being unable to make it happen when you're starting with your heels in your own endzone with less than a minute to play and no timeouts = choking...well, then no, Fitzpatrick, like at least 25 of the NFL's starting QB's cannot overcome his choking.

[NaPolian8693]

I'm obviously talking about how he usually throws a costly interception with the game on the line.

 

You can try to use some weird twist logic and skew the argument, but that doesn't change the fact that when it matters most he performs at his worst.

[akm0404]

If after enough samples you just can't get it done, you probably won't ever be able to consistently. Some players step up in the clutch, and some don't. Oh well.

Edited November 8, 2010 by akm0404

[The Big Cat]

"game was on the line"

 

Okay, the Johnson interception came with more than 9 minutes to go.

 

The Jones interception came...again...during a drive that started at our own one yard line, with less than a minute to go and no timeouts when we already losing...

[JohnC]

It seems pretty clear at this point that Fitzpatrick is capable of playing well for periods of time, but when the game is on the line he has a tendency to make costly mistakes that lose football games.

 

It's a mental barrier. Some people are clutch, some aren't - that's life.

 

Do you think this is something he can overcome, or do you think it will plague him throughout the rest of his career?

 

I don't consider Fitz a choker, as you suggest. The problem with Fitz is that he is not a consistently accurate passer. He never has been. There are occasions when he throws a laser accurate pass. But it doesn't consistently happen. He is the type of qb who is always going to have his share of passes that go off into the wild blue yonder.

 

I like Fitz. He is a very smart qb with physical limitations. He is a terrific backup and a teammate. The Bills have to come up with a franchise qb in the next draft. Fitz could serve as an excellent bridge qb and tutor for a young qb. Fitz is what he is. He gives you his best efforts. That all you can expect.

[akm0404]

Fitz is what he is. He gives you his best efforts. That all you can expect.

 

I expect the quarterback to be the best player on the team. This is why we will draft his eventual replacement in April.

[The Big Cat]

I expect the quarterback to be the best player on the team. This is why we will draft his eventual replacement in April.

 

He is the best player on the team.

[zow2]

I've said it many times before...Fitz ALWAYS know where to throw the ball...he just can't always get it there. He is so head and shoulders above the last few QBs we've had that i gotta cut him some slack. If the Bills had a running game or if they had a decent defense, they would have a few wins. I don't know Fitz's 3rd and 4th down conversion % but that has improved dramatically since he's been the starter.

[Fan in San Diego]

I don't consider Fitz a choker, as you suggest. The problem with Fitz is that he is not a consistently accurate passer. He never has been. There are occasions when he throws a laser accurate pass. But it doesn't consistently happen. He is the type of qb who is always going to have his share of passes that go off into the wild blue yonder.

 

I like Fitz. He is a very smart qb with physical limitations. He is a terrific backup and a teammate. The Bills have to come up with a franchise qb in the next draft. Fitz could serve as an excellent bridge qb and tutor for a young qb. Fitz is what he is. He gives you his best efforts. That all you can expect.

 

As much as I like Fitz, his lapse in accuracy, is a problem. I wonder if Chan can fix the mental mistakes he is making to avoid the costly laps in accuracy? I think it is a mental problem he has to overcome to take his game to the next level. A sports psychologist may be in order for Fitz. I hope he can do it.

[BreezeMafia]

And how many games has Fitz started in his NFL career?

[akm0404]

A whole bunch.

[Mr. WEO]

Yeah, Fitz will never be a starting caliber QB until he learns how to drill a few game winning FGs.

[Glory Bound]

I asked my buddy (a football guru) this very same question this morning before I read this post. He comes from the camp that believes practice makes perfect. He feels that Fitz, with continual work, combined with the desire...and good coaching, can resolve most of his issues. I sure hope so. It would be nice to focus in on our other needs next April.

[PDaDdy]

It seems pretty clear at this point that Fitzpatrick is capable of playing well for periods of time, but when the game is on the line he has a tendency to make costly mistakes that lose football games.

 

It's a mental barrier. Some people are clutch, some aren't - that's life.

 

Do you think this is something he can overcome, or do you think it will plague him throughout the rest of his career?

 

You do realize Trent Edwards is no longer on the team right? No matter how hypercritical you attempt to be or how much you try to bash Fitz Trent won't get his job back.

[nedboy7]

choking? maybe if you losers had not chocked in life you would not spend your time bashing bills on this site. i used to enjoy reading these posts to get some insight into what the fan base was thinking. now i realize im better off never coming on these sites. later. im out.

[TDO'Kearney]

Yeah, Fitz will never be a starting caliber QB until he learns how to drill a few game winning FGs.

A fair point. Since apparently the League will allow the fact that a kicker must hit a 2 FG conversion (2 FG in a row) to get a game tying/winning 3 points in OT, are we having this conversation as loudly if Lindell doesn't bonk the upright in KC on his 2nd FG of last weeks 2 FG conversion attempt?

 

The guy has a good passer rating against the better defenses in the NFL. I'm still not willing to dismiss the idea he can't be THE GUY out of hand until this season is over.

[JohnC]

As much as I like Fitz, his lapse in accuracy, is a problem. I wonder if Chan can fix the mental mistakes he is making to avoid the costly laps in accuracy? I think it is a mental problem he has to overcome to take his game to the next level. A sports psychologist may be in order for Fitz. I hope he can do it.

 

I respectfully disagree. Fitz is what he is. There is a role for him as a backup and mentor. He simply is not a franchise qb, at least for any team which has serious aspirations.

 

As limited as I think he is there is little doubt that he is an upgrade over what we have had for the past number of years. Is that good enough for me? Absolutely not.

[joejoebills]

It seems pretty clear at this point that Fitzpatrick is capable of playing well for periods of time, but when the game is on the line he has a tendency to make costly mistakes that lose football games.

 

It's a mental barrier. Some people are clutch, some aren't - that's life.

 

Do you think this is something he can overcome, or do you think it will plague him throughout the rest of his career?

 

 

Please stop posting topics.

 

thanks

[Van_phelaN1]

He is the best player on the team.

 

Agreed. He and the receivers are the only things that have been keeping us in these games the last few weeks. I would rather see Fitz throw a pic into coverage trying to squeeze through to try and win than watching the QB run out of bounds on 4th down. If Fitz was a more accurate passer he would be the complete package franchise QB. Fact is he is not that guy, at least not yet. I am not going to rule anything out just yet.

[Doc]

It would be nice to have a running game. And on the INT's, are they solely his fault, or do his receivers share in the blame?

[Damian]

I swear it is almost if Fitz's arm gets tired by the end of the game, as his passes seem to fall short more and more as the game goes on. The receivers rarely get overthrown, it is almost always underthrown.

[Big Buffalo]

I've said this already, but it bares repeating:

 

If being unable to make it happen when you're starting with your heels in your own endzone with less than a minute to play and no timeouts = choking...well, then no, Fitzpatrick, like at least 25 of the NFL's starting QB's cannot overcome his choking.

I was more concerned with the pick he threw up 19-14. The game was in hand and we could have sealed it. Three weeks in a row he did this. The great ones play bad and find a way to win. Right now Fitz plays great and finds a way to lose.

[Throwback Bills]

I can't stand the Fitz bashing or the "he's a great back-up" comments.

 

He is playing lights out. He is the only QB in a long time to throw for 300 yards twice (-1). He has a great QB rating.

 

If we had a defense in NE, a made FG in KC, a defense against the Jag, we would be 3-5 and buying him dinner.

[Ray]

So taking your team on the road to a tying FG in Baltimore against one of if not the best defense is choking? Taking them in KC to a winning FG (to have it nullified by a ridiculous time out) and then Lindell missed the 2nd. Or is it choking when your defense cannot stop anyone and miss a give me pick six in the game yesterday.

He made a bad throw, but made 15-20 really good throws some of which were completed. Tell me he chokes when the Bills defense stops someone or actually gets a turnover in the opponents end and he throws an INT in the endzone or something like that.

We were in the game yesterday b/c of Fitz people not the other way around. No running game at all and we were still in the game.

[fansince88]

It seems pretty clear at this point that Fitzpatrick is capable of playing well for periods of time, but when the game is on the line he has a tendency to make costly mistakes that lose football games.

 

It's a mental barrier. Some people are clutch, some aren't - that's life.

 

Do you think this is something he can overcome, or do you think it will plague him throughout the rest of his career?

Bad question IMO. This man isnt choking IMO. You sound like an anti Fitzy person to me. Interceptions happen and when they happen because your QB is trying to win by throwing brave Ill take those int. He is throwing TD and that is more than I can say for our last four QBs.

[Glory Bound]

Please stop posting topics.

 

thanks

This is a legit post. Who died & left you poster boy?

[WotAGuy]

choking? maybe if you losers had not chocked in life you would not spend your time bashing bills on this site. i used to enjoy reading these posts to get some insight into what the fan base was thinking. now i realize im better off never coming on these sites. later. im out.

 

 

I hear ya....this site was SO much different back when you first joined....back in........September. Things have totally gone downhill over the past 60 days. We'll miss your 9 posts! Ta-ta!

 

sorry, couldn't resist!

[BreezeMafia]

Fitz has started only 23 games in his NFL career, not even a season and a half. He is still learning. Quite frankly, his mental capacity for the position is far and away greater than a lot of QB's at game 23. To start only 23 games, sure he will get excited at the end of the ballgame and try to be a little to perfect. He will over come that.

[Rubes]

Wait, so that wasn't Fitz driving for clutch game-tying TDs and FGs on the road against two top AFC teams?

Edited November 8, 2010 by Rubes

[Doc]

Fitz also didn't get the majority of work with the starters in the off- and pre-season. The problem is, if a guy like Luck is there for the taking, can the Bills chance bypassing him for other needs in the hopes that Fitz can be their franchise QB?

[The Big Cat]

Fitz also didn't get the majority of work with the starters in the off- and pre-season. The problem is, if a guy like Luck is there for the taking, can the Bills chance bypassing him for other needs in the hopes that Fitz can be their franchise QB?

 

THERE IS NO "GUY LIKE LUCK!"

 

There is Luck.

 

And there is NO guarantee he'll even declare, quite the contrary in fact.

[akm0404]

 

He is playing lights out. He has a great QB rating.

He is now in the bottom half of the league in QB rating, and plummeting. Also, he continues to lose close games.

 

He is good enough to be close, but just always seems to "Go on the Fritz" when he is needed the most. Oh well, it makes it easy to draft his replacement, and hopefully he'll have the right mindset to be a mentor to the new guy.

[Glory Bound]

Fitz also didn't get the majority of work with the starters in the off- and pre-season. The problem is, if a guy like Luck is there for the taking, can the Bills chance bypassing him for other needs in the hopes that Fitz can be their franchise QB?

Hopefully, after game 16, it won't be a "hope". The goal is to know for sure. I am rooting for Fitz to prove to all of us in the next 8 weeks that he's our guy. If we're not convinced by then, I say we snag Luck if we can. When Ralph introduced Buddy Nix, he mentioned that a team needs luck. Perhaps he was unknowingly being prophetic?

[Doc]

THERE IS NO "GUY LIKE LUCK!"

 

There is Luck.

 

And there is NO guarantee he'll even declare, quite the contrary in fact.

He'd be a fool to stay in school another year. If he continues to play well, he'll be the #1 overall pick, and as Matt Leinart proved, it can only go downhill from there. As for getting his degree, he can do that when he's done playing. He won't be using it much during his NFL career, however long that may be. And the money in 2012 will surely be a fraction of what it will be in 2011. And if Harbaugh leaves, it makes even less sense.

[Mr. WEO]

He'd be a fool to stay in school another year. If he continues to play well, he'll be the #1 overall pick, and as Matt Leinart proved, it can only go downhill from there. As for getting his degree, he can do that when he's done playing. He won't be using it much during his NFL career, however long that may be. And the money in 2012 will surely be a fraction of what it will be in 2011. And if Harbaugh leaves, it makes even less sense.

The CBA expires before the draft. If you believe there will be no lockout/strike, then you believe there will be a new CBA. The new CBA will have a rookie cap. It will affect signings in 2011.

[The Big Cat]

He is now in the bottom half of the league in QB rating, and plummeting. Also, he continues to lose close games.

 

He is good enough to be close, but just always seems to "Go on the Fritz" when he is needed the most. Oh well, it makes it easy to draft his replacement, and hopefully he'll have the right mindset to be a mentor to the new guy.

 

Plummeting? Really?

 

And Fitz is losing us the games? Why won't you address Jackson's fumble, the two key drops, and the missed PAT? You play sports, ever?

 

What about Scott's dropped INT? Did that lose the game for us? How about the line getting blown up on the two point conversion? Was it their fault? These plays could have made differences as big, or bigger than Fitz's pick(s).

Edited November 8, 2010 by The Big Cat

[BuffaloBillsMagic1]

It seems pretty clear at this point that Fitzpatrick is capable of playing well for periods of time, but when the game is on the line he has a tendency to make costly mistakes that lose football games.

 

It's a mental barrier. Some people are clutch, some aren't - that's life.

 

Do you think this is something he can overcome, or do you think it will plague him throughout the rest of his career?

Watrch your LT get beat by any of the 3 DEs who abused Bell. That is why Fitz had issues with rushing passes. Only one sack and threw for ton of yards. TE would be like 14-19 for 54 yards and 7 sacks if he was still here. Look at the OTs and watch how both get beat routinely last game and tell me it's Fit'z fault.

[The Big Cat]

Watrch your LT get beat by any of the 3 DEs who abused Bell. That is why Fitz had issues with rushing passes. Only one sack and threw for ton of yards. TE would be like 14-19 for 54 yards and 7 sacks if he was still here. Look at the OTs and watch how both get beat routinely last game and tell me it's Fit'z fault.

 

No no no, Trent never got a fair shake behind this line. With Fitz we know--definitively--what we have.