A Few Thoughts About The Game, in no particular order.....

[RuntheDamnBall]

 

Say what you want about Fitzpatricks decision making or his arm but I don't know about questioning his athletic ability. The guy can run and is pretty tough for a QB also.

Yup. And the designed runs were a good way to move the chains and boost confidence when he was having accuracy issues. He's still tough to trust long term to get this team a title, but he has his strengths.

[Rockinon]

Please do not compare Fitzpatrick to Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, or Brett Favre. They're not even in the same hemisphere.

 

Oh, and everyone noticed Manning's INTs. When Fitz plays consistently good football, as the QBs you mentioned have...then he'll get the leeway you think he already deserves.

LOL....your name fits you perfectly......that is unless you are a youngster. Fitz is do fine, and if I want to compare him to someone that is my prerogative.

 

I don't think anyone is arguing about Fitz capabilities to throw the ball. What he does not have compared the three guys you have quoted...Manning, Brady and Favre....They were CONSISTENT....Fitz has shown to be a very streaky QB and it is hard to win in the NFL if you are not consistent.

 

Favre was never consistent. Threw more interceptions than anyone, that's why his name was mentioned. The Fitz bashing has been snow balling and the the further the ball roles down the hill the bigger the wild accusations. It's like listening to teenagers gossip. It starts out small and by the end of the day the story doesn't even resemble what the first kid started.

[3rdand12]

Bill, i wanted to thank you for the most excellent write up. But i had to read every response first.

Nice thread and enjoyed the read folks.

Be nice to see us continue with the Browns and a solid W.

One of the worst games i have seen one week to one of the best the next one. What a ride.

[Gray Beard]

I kept thinking that Fitz reminded me of Rob Johnson during the KC game. Some shaky passing, occasionally keeps the game alive with an improvised run, occasionally makes a good pass. I think RJ had a stronger arm and had a more muscular build, but the style of play was a lot like Fitz in this last game. And for the record, I was in the Flutie camp, and I still don't know why RJ started the playoff game that ended in the famous lateral versus illegal forward pass controversy.

[ganesh]

I kept thinking that Fitz reminded me of Rob Johnson during the KC game. Some shaky passing, occasionally keeps the game alive with an improvised run, occasionally makes a good pass. I think RJ had a stronger arm and had a more muscular build, but the style of play was a lot like Fitz in this last game. And for the record, I was in the Flutie camp, and I still don't know why RJ started the playoff game that ended in the famous lateral versus illegal forward pass controversy.

I don't think Fitz compares well with RJ. RJ had a big arm but did not have the necessary feel to sense a rush and took too many sacks. Losman resembles far more closer to RJ. Fitz has a average to above average arm, but has made poor decisions (with the INTs) and also has simply been inaccurate. I see Fitz to be a taller version of Flutie.

[Gray Beard]

I don't think Fitz compares well with RJ. RJ had a big arm but did not have the necessary feel to sense a rush and took too many sacks. Losman resembles far more closer to RJ. Fitz has a average to above average arm, but has made poor decisions (with the INTs) and also has simply been inaccurate. I see Fitz to be a taller version of Flutie.

I see your point. Flutie was a better scrambler than Fitz, and RJ was not as aware as Fitz, but between the two maybe Fitz is closer to Flutie than RJ.

[djfarr00]

I don't think Fitz compares well with RJ. RJ had a big arm but did not have the necessary feel to sense a rush and took too many sacks. Losman resembles far more closer to RJ. Fitz has a average to above average arm, but has made poor decisions (with the INTs) and also has simply been inaccurate. I see Fitz to be a taller version of Flutie.

Wait. There are 32 NFL starting QBs. You believe Fitz's arm puts him above 16 other QBs? I believe he's in the bottom 5 of all starting QB's.

 

Further Fitz cannot consistently deliver the ball with any touch. If he completes a pass its a line drive pass on a slant or over the middle. On the play early in the KC game where he was booed for missing Chandler, that throw had to go over the top with touch and he didn't throw the pass because he can't make the throw.

 

He should hand the ball (this team seems to do that well) off or run it himself. We can have a Fitz wildcat. Anything else makes me cringe.

Edited September 20, 2012 by djfarr00

[PO'14]

I fully agree with post above!

 

We could have a piece of turd as a QB and some on here would say that the **** is Da ****!

 

Spillers great game against KC gave Fitz another start.

 

When there is no one in the back field, I have 0 confidence that a completion will be made.

 

Ride the Fitz mobile this year and cut his no talent ass in the off season!

[Orton's Arm]

It may sound trite, but we are often fooled by our senses. Gailey looks and sounds like an good old boy from the south. And this is what he is, but he is also an intellectual. He, more than people like us, understands the way this game is heading, especially wrt the offensive side. The rule changes have basically handed the middle of the field to the receivers. Passing means more than it used to. Eli Manning threw for more than 500 yards on Sunday. This isn't the type of game that I prefer, but he won. Gilbride was ahead of his time, and way less effective in those days. Now he is winning championships. Long story short.....Gailey has adapted to the times.

 

That said, playing in Buffalo is a bit different imo. The Bills will NEVER win with a Jauron type team, on which their premier pass rusher is covering tight ends. OP gets cold, and the winds are very tricky, even as early as October. They need to beat people up on the lines of scrimage, and dominate the clock. This week, they face a rookie QB. They have to go in and kick his ass, and and also focus on the other rookie, Trent Richardson, who can hurt you. Offensively, I gotta admit that I trust Gailey more than I do Wanny on the other side.

 

But we really.....really need another win on Sunday!

Good post, and I agree with what you've written. I'd like to offer my own two cents on the above.

 

During our September and October home games, and almost all of the away games, the weather is good enough to create a big opportunity for the passing game. The Bills need a good QB + passing attack to take advantage of that opportunity, and a good pass defense to prevent opponents from doing the same. Then the weather will turn colder and windier in Orchard Park. There will still be opportunities for passing--but you need a stronger armed QB to take advantage of them. Even with a QB like that, your passing opportunities will lessen--forcing the Bills and their opponents to rely more heavily on the running game. Late in the year there may be game when snow covers the field. That creates still more opportunities for the running game; because the slippery, snowy surface affects defenders more than it affects the running back.

 

To optimally deal with this, you need a team a lot like the early '90s Bills. An accurate, strong-armed QB (Jim Kelly), a very good OL, a good running game (Thurman), good receiving threats (Reed and Lofton, and others), and a good defense. The early '90s team's biggest lack was the need for a Fred Smerlas or a Ted Washington at NT.

 

While I would like to see upgrades to the Bills' receiving corps, this Bills' team's greatest lack is the fact that its QB is neither strong-armed nor accurate. The lack of arm strength is a problem on windy days, or when Fitz is attempting to make certain kinds of throws. The lack of accuracy is a problem always.

 

Compare the Bills' offense to the Patriots' offenses during the seasons when the Patriots won Super Bowls. A healthy groin Stevie Johnson is a better #1 WR than Deion Branch. Chandler seems to be at least as good a receiving threat as whatever TE the Patriots had back then. The Bills' RBs are better at catching passes out of the backfield than Antowain Smith or the Patriots' other RBs had been. The Patriots had the advantage in terms of #2 and #3 WR. Perhaps Graham will fix one of the Bills' WR positions. Overall, I don't see a huge difference between the Bills' receiving threats and those of the early - mid 2000s Patriots.

 

At least thus far, the Bills look like they have a better OL than those Patriots teams had. As for RBs: the Bills have a guy who's done something not equaled since Jim Brown in 1963. The Patriots had Antowain Smith. There is no comparison between the two teams' running backs.

 

Nor, unfortunately, is there any comparison between the two teams' QBs. But if you could put a young Tom Brady on this Bills offense, we'd have a better offensive unit than the Patriots had back when they won their three Super Bowls.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Edwards' Arm