QB will be the reason we still can't get it done

[Toshiero]

New QB coach, old QB coach, FItz is nothing but another Fan favorite / Feel good story that we will cut years too late.

[PromoTheRobot]

Well Fitz is the guy because VY and Thigpen aren't getting the job done.

 

PTR

[Malazan]

I make it a point, that despite my instincts, whatever toshiero says, to believe the exact opposite. I have more faith in him being wrong than anything else.

[aussiebills]

Fitz isnt there to win us games, he is there to manage games and give us the opportunity to win. Thats what he did when we were winning. Let our defense keeps us in the game, the running game make most of the yards and only use the pass when needed if fitz passes for 200 odd yards 1 or 2 TD's and 1 INT max then we will be able in a position to win most games.

Edited August 10, 2012 by aussiebills

[Mark80]

Since when does an offensive performance in pre-season mean anything? The FACT is that Fitz looked great in the beginning of last year before he broke his ribs and our WR/OLine/Freddy were cut down by injuries. Your pessimism is pretty annoying, but I'm sure you'll jump right back on the wagon without hesitation when this TEAM is successful. Your use of "we" is actually insulting. You're nothing but a troll, please leave this site to knowledgeable Bills fans.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Mark80

[Billshank Redemption]

I wasnt worried about fitz as much as not running a single play in a formation other then shotgun, we have 2 excellent running backs we need to use them.

[Malazan]

I wasnt worried about fitz as much as not running a single play in a formation other then shotgun, we have 2 excellent running backs we need to use them.

 

In preseason, why does anything *need* to be done?

 

If Jackson and Spiller have looked good in practice and seem to have their roles down, why would not work on the problem areas?

Edited August 10, 2012 by jeremy2020

[KollegeStudnet]

Overall, the entire offensive side of the ball needs to execute better!

 

1. overthrown balls and underthrown balls

2. costly holding and false start penalties

3. all QB's had issues scanning the field and following through with their respective targets

 

Good thing is...this is only the first preseason game and these games are tools to work out the kinks for the regular season.

[biglukes]

Dooooomed

[Billsrhody]

Fitz isnt there to win us games, he is there to manage games and give us the opportunity to win. Thats what he did when we were winning. Let our defense keeps us in the game, the running game make most of the yards and only use the pass when needed if fitz passes for 200 odd yards 1 or 2 TD's and 1 INT max then we will be able in a position to win most games.

 

Well if our QB isn't going to win us any games.. then we really are in trouble

[NoSaint]

 

 

In preseason, why does anything *need* to be done?

 

If Jackson and Spiller have looked good in practice and seem to have their roles down, why would not work on the problem areas?

Nope - tonight obviously proves we're going shotgun, spread and passing 100% of the time. I just hope they abandon this every position by committee thing they ran tonight and just use the starters all game come September.

 

Oh? Wait? Tonight was a practice but on tv? Disregard me acting like any strategy was relevant or equated to a real game.

 

Odds are they knew they only had 10 or so plays penciled in and they wanted to see the route running and pass blocking against starting defenders. If you split it 50-50 suddenly those 10 plays only give you 5 passes.

[beerme1]

Fits absolutely stunk. Thigpen was worse. Vince had a couple of runs/scrambles that you could plan a game around but was still less than impressive but certainly has way more upside than Thigpen.

Thigpen, you're cut.

 

But tonight left me with an odd feeling being there and watching it. Brad Smith, also sucked. However he seemed to have a command out there that Thigpen and Vince did not. I was quite surpised by that and would actually like to explore that over the next three pre season games.

I'm saying it now that I saw potential in Brad Smith to be the backup qb. The most gloriously over paid backup of course but a capable guy possibly. Interesting to see how that plays out over the rest of the pre season.

And for anyone freaking out about Fitz I get it. But I am certain he will be average or better once the season starts and there is enough talent on both sides of the ball to overcome his inadequacies and yes I think I spelled that wrong.

 

Go Bills. At least one goal plost is coming down after we clinch the division against the Jets in the last regular season game this year!

[Turn Down For Watkins]

Pre season means nothing people, no gameplanning or anything was put into this game, heck Chan even said so himself. And if anybody actually thinks that we would come out with 15 strait passing plays in any regular season game than they are delusional.

[Captain Hindsight]

I wasnt worried about fitz as much as not running a single play in a formation other then shotgun, we have 2 excellent running backs we need to use them.

I actually loved we didnt run the ball. We know they can run the ball, Freddy and Spiller are great, our passing game however needs work. Why not work on it exclusivly against live competition

[NoSaint]

7/19 50 yards a fumble and a pick, no tds

 

That's the combined stat line of Brady, Brees, and Rodgers.

 

 

Fitz isn't great but he is good. He played pretty unremarkably tonight. Odds are his coaching didnt suddenly make him a new great player. We have no idea what he was asked to do though, and in the end it doesn't really matter yet.

 

 

I actually loved we didnt run the ball. We know they can run the ball, Freddy and Spiller are great, our passing game however needs work. Why not work on it exclusivly against live competition

 

Don't you know, even in practice play calling must be 50-50. Even if your only expecting a 10 play window on the day.

[Marv Levy]

Kirk Cousins, where are you?!?!

[Jim in Anchorage]

7/19 50 yards a fumble and a pick, no tds

 

That's the combined stat line of Brady, Brees, and Rodgers.

 

 

Fitz isn't great but he is good. He played pretty unremarkably tonight. Odds are his coaching didnt suddenly make him a new great player. We have no idea what he was asked to do though, and in the end it doesn't really matter yet.

 

 

 

Don't you know, even in practice play calling must be 50-50. Even if your only expecting a 10 play window on the day.

 

 

 

 

Difference is Brady, Brees and Rodgers did not suck in 2011 and need not prove themselves. Fitz did, and does.

[NoSaint]

 

 

 

 

 

Difference is Brady, Brees and Rodgers did not suck in 2011 and need not prove themselves. Fitz did, and does.

 

Problem is its still preseason. You can say that all you want, it doesn't change that tonight was a 10-15 play practice session and that's it. It wasn't a game.

[Malazan]

Difference is Brady, Brees and Rodgers did not suck in 2011 and need not prove themselves. Fitz did, and does.

 

and yet they sucked in the preseason. Crazy.

[OCinBuffalo]

Dude, now that I'm home, and I've had a chance to check the box score....I find that I was right: we didn't call a single running play until 9:45 of the 2nd quarter...long after the 1s were out of the game.

 

Now, I am I supposed to believe that this is how the O will work this year? Come on. They were trying to throw at every single WR/RB. Fred got 3 reps and was out, with 1 ball thrown his way? Nelson gets 2 reps with 0 balls. We threw at least once to every other guy.

 

This was a practice...with the intention of putting on a vanilla set of plays, intentionally throwing at everybody, and seeing who could make plays even though the D knew what was coming. In contrast, the Redskins didn't do any of that with their 1st offense. No. They ran a gameplan, and I don't blame them because RG3 needs a lot of work. They might as well start now, and he has to be the focus.

 

Instead, for us, this was a painfully obvious WR/RB/TE ball catching/rout running clinic....and certainly not "what can we have Fitz do to beat the Redskins".

 

Judging Fitz on this agenda just isn't accurate. We weren't running our offense as much as we were seeing "can this guy beat his guy on this kind of rout?".

[reddogblitz]

Fitz isnt there to win us games, he is there to manage games and give us the opportunity to win.

This sounds like Dick ball. Please tell me we aren't going to play Dick ball again.

 

I don't believe this is the plan for a minute. Coach Gailey understands you win by SCORING more points than the other team. Not, take care of the ball and don't make mistakes and try to steal it at the end.

[aussiebills]

What im trying to say is that Fitz isnt going to go out there and throw 500 yards with 5 td's like Drew Brees and take complete control of the game, he just isnt that good. He is going to control the game with his bread and butter 10-15 yard throws and we do control the ball a lot, and you have to have the ball to win the game

[#34fan]

Man oh man, do I feel good about Chandler. If Fitz has just ONE great game this year, it will be because of Scott.

 

KEEP HIM INVOLVED CHAN!!!!!

Edited August 10, 2012 by #34fan

[Buffalo Barbarian]

Fitz isnt there to win us games, he is there to manage games and give us the opportunity to win. Thats what he did when we were winning. Let our defense keeps us in the game, the running game make most of the yards and only use the pass when needed if fitz passes for 200 odd yards 1 or 2 TD's and 1 INT max then we will be able in a position to win most games.

 

I wish you were right but Chan is pass happy and our running game will always be second fidle. As long as Chan is here we will be a passing team, I just wish he realized we don't have the QB for that. What Jim Harbaugh did with Alex smith is what Chan should be doing with Fitz and if he did we would be a lot better off. However using TEs and FBs is against Chans religion so we better hope Fitz turns into Drew Brees or we are doomed and are new Defensive adtions wont mean much.

[Jim in Anchorage]

Dude, now that I'm home, and I've had a chance to check the box score....I find that I was right: we didn't call a single running play until 9:45 of the 2nd quarter...long after the 1s were out of the game.

 

Now, I am I supposed to believe that this is how the O will work this year? Come on. They were trying to throw at every single WR/RB. Fred got 3 reps and was out, with 1 ball thrown his way? Nelson gets 2 reps with 0 balls. We threw at least once to every other guy.

 

This was a practice...with the intention of putting on a vanilla set of plays, intentionally throwing at everybody, and seeing who could make plays even though the D knew what was coming. In contrast, the Redskins didn't do any of that with their 1st offense. No. They ran a gameplan, and I don't blame them because RG3 needs a lot of work. They might as well start now, and he has to be the focus.

 

Instead, for us, this was a painfully obvious WR/RB/TE ball catching/rout running clinic....and certainly not "what can we have Fitz do to beat the Redskins".

 

Judging Fitz on this agenda just isn't accurate. We weren't running our offense as much as we were seeing "can this guy beat his guy on this kind of rout?".

So what good does this route running clinic do if Fitz can't hit them? He was under/over throwing open receivers all night. He was in camp right? Oh that's right, poor baby is worried about his hurtsy side. Or whatever new alibi comes up.

[sllib olaffub]

You know, I see truth in both sides of these arguments. Fitz should very well be hitting his recievers - but, I'm not going to write him off until the season is here and the games are played. Brady and Brees, for instance (and, I know they've proved it before) had worse nights. There are many factors involved - maybe wrong routes, various other stuff. All said, it was just practice, and I'm glad we didn't and usually don't show much of what we're planning on really doing come regular season.

 

However - since we have seen Fitz struggle in the past (I've never thought he would amount to anything more than an average Qb), there really is no excuse for Nix to have not tried to bring in a legitimate backup QB. Keeping Thigpen for another season, after last year - is just like keeping a kicker and calling him a QB - they aren't going to use him, even if Fitz is hurt! I just can't figure why they haven't brought in a guy who could potentially win games, at the very least for developmental purposes.

 

I agree big time, BTW, with the suggestion that Gailey tends to pass far too much with this personnel group he has. The 49ers were mentioned as an example of how to use Fitz - and I agree. We should be a running team, with a good defense, and a QB who can take advantage of play action passing and make an occasional nice pass for big yards. We have that type of team. We do not have the personnel of the Saints or Pats, who pass 65 percent of the time, for good reason. That was really my only critisism of Gailey last year - he stuck to a style of play that was proven not to work, when we had better options, and with Nix - he hasn't addressed the QB position thoroughly. Even if Fitz plays great this year, not to have a backup that can spark a few wins is a huge gamble.

[Jim in Anchorage]

You know, I see truth in both sides of these arguments. Fitz should very well be hitting his recievers - but, I'm not going to write him off until the season is here and the games are played. Brady and Brees, for instance (and, I know they've proved it before) had worse nights. There are many factors involved - maybe wrong routes, various other stuff. All said, it was just practice, and I'm glad we didn't and usually don't show much of what we're planning on really doing come regular season.

 

However - since we have seen Fitz struggle in the past (I've never thought he would amount to anything more than an average Qb), there really is no excuse for Nix to have not tried to bring in a legitimate backup QB. Keeping Thigpen for another season, after last year - is just like keeping a kicker and calling him a QB - they aren't going to use him, even if Fitz is hurt! I just can't figure why they haven't brought in a guy who could potentially win games, at the very least for developmental purposes.

 

I agree big time, BTW, with the suggestion that Gailey tends to pass far too much with this personnel group he has. The 49ers were mentioned as an example of how to use Fitz - and I agree. We should be a running team, with a good defense, and a QB who can take advantage of play action passing and make an occasional nice pass for big yards. We have that type of team. We do not have the personnel of the Saints or Pats, who pass 65 percent of the time, for good reason. That was really my only critisism of Gailey last year - he stuck to a style of play that was proven not to work, when we had better options, and with Nix - he hasn't addressed the QB position thoroughly. Even if Fitz plays great this year, not to have a backup that can spark a few wins is a huge gamble.

I agree; We have incredible runners[ BTW White ripped off a fantastic run] and a defense with unlimted potental. If you didn't see it Merriman was all over, as was Anderson.

 

I smell 85 bears. OK QB , killer defense.

[Captain Caveman]

I make it a point, that despite my instincts, whatever toshiero says, to believe the exact opposite. I have more faith in him being wrong than anything else.

 

He's our Costanza?

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

The starters on O ran their two minute offense, no runs, one play action pass empty backfield or one back and all shotgun.

 

 

Fitz missed a few throws and connected on a few. If they were trying to win there would have been more short passes of even a drive plan. I didt see any audibles or protection adjustments either.

 

Also, this team needs wood back. He may be the most important player on o.

 

[HOUSE]

Fitz looks more and more like a 2nd string quarterback but its early yet.

[ETD66SS]

Well Fitz is the guy because VY and Thigpen aren't getting the job done.

 

Fitz is the guy because the front office can't get the job done.

 

The guy should never have been given that contract, talk about a reach for a player...

[RealityCheck]

Dude, now that I'm home, and I've had a chance to check the box score....I find that I was right: we didn't call a single running play until 9:45 of the 2nd quarter...long after the 1s were out of the game.

 

Now, I am I supposed to believe that this is how the O will work this year? Come on. They were trying to throw at every single WR/RB. Fred got 3 reps and was out, with 1 ball thrown his way? Nelson gets 2 reps with 0 balls. We threw at least once to every other guy.

 

This was a practice...with the intention of putting on a vanilla set of plays, intentionally throwing at everybody, and seeing who could make plays even though the D knew what was coming. In contrast, the Redskins didn't do any of that with their 1st offense. No. They ran a gameplan, and I don't blame them because RG3 needs a lot of work. They might as well start now, and he has to be the focus.

 

Instead, for us, this was a painfully obvious WR/RB/TE ball catching/rout running clinic....and certainly not "what can we have Fitz do to beat the Redskins".

 

Judging Fitz on this agenda just isn't accurate. We weren't running our offense as much as we were seeing "can this guy beat his guy on this kind of rout?".

I could not agree more. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the game. We definitely have some young talent on this team. For those fans that are emotionally crushed at no running plays for our starters I say thank God. The last time we played the Redskins in the first preseason game I distinctly recall losing Fred and Marshawn for a while at a time when the plan was to enter the season utilizing them both simultaneously. All I wanted out of this game was to see the youth movement and a healthy team after 4 quarters. In my opinion mission accomplished.

[HOUSE]

One preseason game and its over, how sad.

[PearlHowardman]

Well if our QB isn't going to win us any games.. then we really are in trouble

 

You nailed it!

[zow2]

I'm fine with keeping the hits to a minimum on Fred and CJ in preseason. They have nothing to prove and need to be healthy for the Jets. Ryan Matthews of SanDiego broke his clavicle last night.

 

As for Fitz, my main concern is that many of his throws are so low percentage. He'll try to stick it in there between 3 DB's and hope the WR or TE makes a great catch. That's also one of his strengths though...he trusts his receivers. His other throws take incredible timing to complete...all timing (and last night his timing was off). Can't he ever be captain checkdown and throw a quick high percentage pass? lol RG3 did that on a all of his completions.

[ETD66SS]

One preseason game and its over, how sad.

 

As far as QB, it was over when they gave Fitz 59 million. This sets the team back many years. Mario & co. on the D-Line will be wasting their talent for years to come while the Bills STILL try to figure out the QB position.

 

So yes, it is very sad.

[mead107]

Preseason, preseason, preseason, preseason , preseason, preseason, preseason, preason, preason, preseason, preseason, preseason

[first_and_ten]

I'm thinking that David Lee, while trying to fix Fitz's mechanics has maybe caused him to be less accurate. Fitz was very inaccurate Friday night. Worse that I've ever seen. Sometimes when a quarterback tries to change the way he is used to throwing, he starts to think too much about what he's doing rather than just throwing the ball. it may just take more time for Fitz to become comfortable throwing wiht the new and improved mechanics. Hopefully that will be the case. But there is also a chance that Fitz may have been better off left alone.

[jjmac]

New QB coach, old QB coach, FItz is nothing but another Fan favorite / Feel good story that we will cut years too late.

 

Are you saying that we can't get to the playoffs with a coach who took Kordell Stewart to the playoffs?

[BuffBill]

Luckily it was just the first preseason game, so no need to jump off a cliff or anything, but nothing really too surprising either, as alot of us have said if anything brings this team down it will be the QB position. If the 4 quarterbacks who played last night were competing for a backup job on another team, based on last nights game they all would have been cut. They all sucked plain and simple, but they weren't alone. Receivers dropped balls all night. The line sucked especially when Vince Young was in there. Lindell hooked what was basically an extra point. There were a few bright spots though, Moorman was brilliant with 3 great punts and his competition had one nice punt. Scott Chandler looks better then he did last year, I expect a big year from him as him and Fitz seemed to have formed a good bond on the field.