Hapless Bills Fan Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 'kay, when Thigpen started practice then 1st two games, seems I read a lot of "throws a beautiful spiral" "better arm than Fitz" "more mobile than Fitz" "did better than Fitz". What I saw on Saturday, I wasn't too impressed. Frankly, I thought Levi Brown looked better. Now granted, they battled back from a deficit, they tied the game, and it's only a snapshot. I'm glad we signed him as a backup, but I'm nowhere ready to move the depth chart even if Fitz lays an egg in a game or two. What's the group wisdom on Thigpen at this point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan in n.h Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 i think he got better as the game wore on.with no ota's or mini camps he will come along. keep your eye on brad smith!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucci Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 i think he got better as the game wore on.with no ota's or mini camps he will come along. keep your eye on brad smith!!! I think Smith is our new short yardage back!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrags Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 IMO Thigpen would play pretty good with our starters. His throws are off but it might just be a timing thing from what he's not used to. Different recievers running different routes and at different speeds. If he was the starter he would be fine. That doesn't mean I want him in at all. Fitz is a better QB and knows this offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phlegm Alley Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 IMO Thigpen would play pretty good with our starters. His throws are off but it might just be a timing thing from what he's not used to. Different recievers running different routes and at different speeds. If he was the starter he would be fine. That doesn't mean I want him in at all. Fitz is a better QB and knows this offense. The throw that got picked off in the endzone has nothing to do with playing with the 1st team offense. Inexcusable to make that throw. If it wasn't for the defense forcing a turnover on the ensuing possession, the Bills would've never been in position to win the game. I think Thigpen has some great tangibles, like his scrambling ability, which is superior to Fitz's, but all-in-all, I would prefer to see him relegated to a back-up role. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted August 29, 2011 Author Share Posted August 29, 2011 i think he got better as the game wore on.with no ota's or mini camps he will come along. keep your eye on brad smith!!! Fair enough. I keep finding myself thinking of Brian Brohm, all the stuff at the end of last preseason about how he was ready to take his step and lead the team. Then when he got in a game, granted a tough game - um, no Brian, you're not actually. Thigpen >> Brohm - Thig has shown he can play in the NFL - but he did come in with some quotes about "competing" and "it's Fitz's team FOR NOW" (emphasis mine). Thigpen has to come along a bit more to "walk the talk" there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Thigpen has not looked good but he also has not had much opportunity to get in sync with Bills receivers. A lot of those bad throws looked like miscommunication; throwing where he thought a WR would be. PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkington Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Looks like an ok backup QB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I thought a lot of his throws where on the low side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FistingBot Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 He's never been particularly accurate, so I don't know why folks think that will start now. 54% for his career and a pretty average TD-Int ratio. He's a career backup with some nice wheels to get out of trouble once in a while... but I'd be worried if Fitz goes down... personally, I don't think we can win with Thigpen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I think it's unrealistic to expect your backup to be as good or better than your starter - and, after last season's...ahem...'open competition' , I'm happy to start the season with no QB controversy. Thig is a competent NFL backup QB, but he is what he is - namely, Fitz's backup. Realize it, embrace it. (And hope like hell Fitz stays healthy! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albany,n.y. Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 IMO Thigpen would play pretty good with our starters. His throws are off but it might just be a timing thing from what he's not used to. Different recievers running different routes and at different speeds. If he was the starter he would be fine. That doesn't mean I want him in at all. Fitz is a better QB and knows this offense. You may be right. Everyone who is all upset over Thigpen's preseason needs to remember that he had no pre-preseason with the Bills due to the lockout. He's only been with the team a few weeks. Also, they should go back to the late 1980s before Frank Reich played in a real game. He looked horrible in preseason & was so bad the Bills left him unprotected in Plan B free agency before the 1989 season & nobody wanted to sign him. Until the backup QB plays with & against starters, his performance in preseason games can't properly be evaluated by fans. Fortunately, the coaches see these guys every day and have a lot more information in evaluating players. That's one reason that you can't use preseason performances to latch onto a guy or write him off because there's so much more going on that we never will see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickelCity Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 You may be right. Everyone who is all upset over Thigpen's preseason needs to remember that he had no pre-preseason with the Bills due to the lockout. He's only been with the team a few weeks. Also, they should go back to the late 1980s before Frank Reich played in a real game. He looked horrible in preseason & was so bad the Bills left him unprotected in Plan B free agency before the 1989 season & nobody wanted to sign him. Until the backup QB plays with & against starters, his performance in preseason games can't properly be evaluated by fans. Fortunately, the coaches see these guys every day and have a lot more information in evaluating players. That's one reason that you can't use preseason performances to latch onto a guy or write him off because there's so much more going on that we never will see. That's an excellent point about Reich. I think thigpen is a fine backup who, with more practice time, can step in and give us a chance if need be. I liked the way he played on the chiefs in 08, he's got some gumption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurlyBurly51 Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Pigpen is horrible. Inexcusable picks, unbelievably poor accuracy. Honestly, I wish they'd cut him. Piggy is not a #2 QB in the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeding Bills Blue Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Hes a backup QB, I dont think you ever bring these guys in as proven winners. If they were proven winners they would be starting. I think he could come in and play if needed, but the hope is that he never has to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miserable_fan Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 He looks like a mediocre backup at best, thusfar. Although, he's been working with a terrible backup o-line and a bunch of UDFA WRs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 He's never been particularly accurate, so I don't know why folks think that will start now. 54% for his career and a pretty average TD-Int ratio. He's a career backup with some nice wheels to get out of trouble once in a while... but I'd be worried if Fitz goes down... personally, I don't think we can win with Thigpen. wait - which one are you talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills1960 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 He looks like a back up. Little bit of a scatter arm but doesn't look overwhelmed or anything. Put it this way, if Fitz ever gets hurt, he'll do a better job as his back up than Brohm did last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hplarrm Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I think folks reactions say a lot more about their unreasonable expectations than it does about Thigpen's ability to play role he is going to be called upon to play for the Bills. If things work as Gailey plans and hopes then we will only see Thiggy walking the sideline or potentially in a mop-up role. His past history and even his less than desirable play on Saturday indicates he is quite capable of playing that role. In fact, his performance on Sat. is likely just what the Bills needed as the most important thing he can do for this team is NOT to create a QB controversy which Jerry Sullivan and WGR seem to live for as it helps them fill column inches and sell air time for commercials, but really is mindless drivel that distracts the team for the most part. Thigpen most needs to help the Bills not give up hope when Ftizy goes down which is quite possible with this OL or has a bad game which is a virtual certainty in this game. I feel good that he was able to hang in there and the team ultimately prevailed in this meaningless game. Playing the Frank Reich role of being a credible replacement for 3 games max is about as much as one should reasonably hope for. His past history as an NFL starter and history of some success in a Gailey system means a lot more to me than his pre-season disaster, In fact, if only because it does not encourage Sully to blather on about bring in Thigpen I am not displeased with his sorry but ultimately winning performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewEra Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Pigpen is horrible. Inexcusable picks, unbelievably poor accuracy. Honestly, I wish they'd cut him. Piggy is not a #2 QB in the NFL. Yeah, he was horrible 2 years ago when he was the 3rd best player in fantasy over the last 8 games. Sure, fantasy means nothing, but he played great. Youre assesment is based off of what? what he's done in 3 weeks without mini camps, playing with a bunch of guys who won't be in the league a week from now? Im not calling him a great qb, all I'm saying is we don't know what we have at this point. Let him settle in for over a month before you crucify him. Geez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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