Thaddeus Lewis starting against Bengals

[ExiledInIllinois]

Maybe the staf didn't mishandle the situation. Somebody said that Lewis has been in the booth the whole time w/the OC. Sure he wouldn't be avilable for a in game backup... What I am saying is maybe they are sand bagging him. Obviously he is a runner... But will the Bengals really know what he will do? There isn't much film on him...

[Georgia Bill]

I think we're going to see the line of scrimmage stacked against the run, with other teams daring us to beat them with the pass. Just like we've gotten used to in the past with crap QB's. Sad part is it works pretty good for our opponents for the most part. Just keep repeating "it's a rebuilding year, it's a rebuilding year" to numb the pain.

[KGUNBILLS]

This week just keeps getting weirder and weirder....

Yeah right, we are so far out there, I think we might be on our way back!

[EDinRTP]

Had the opportunity to watch Thad play here at Duke & has played in a pro style offense for a few years. Should fit the Bills scheme quite well. Whether he has the talent...I guess we'll see. Sure pulling for him. Coach Cutcliff has groomed 3 NFL QBs...Manning, Manning, & Lewis.

[3rdand12]

Had the opportunity to watch Thad play here at Duke & has played in a pro style offense for a few years. Should fit the Bills scheme quite well. Whether he has the talent...I guess we'll see. Sure pulling for him. Coach Cutcliff has groomed 3 NFL QBs...Manning, Manning, & Lewis.

I did not know that !

But i am rooting for him anyways ; )

Go Bills

 

I think we're going to see the line of scrimmage stacked against the run, with other teams daring us to beat them with the pass. Just like we've gotten used to in the past with crap QB's. Sad part is it works pretty good for our opponents for the most part. Just keep repeating "it's a rebuilding year, it's a rebuilding year" to numb the pain.

They are going to stack and press.

Hackett wont have to rewrite the script just for T L though. and knows it's coming.

It might be leaving Fred and CJ and Choice as an option alot. But those guys can make hay sometimes ( talking to you, newholland jboys }

[C.Biscuit97]

Good article on Lewis' start last year: http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/12/thad_lewis_impresses_in_nfl_de.html

[mrags]

So...what happens if over the next 4 weeks lewis looks better than EJ did and has a better command of the offense and leads us to say 2-2 or 3-1?

 

I know what the right thing to do is, but I wonder what Buffalo will do.

you keep him in there if he's hot.

[mead107]

4-0 and he can start a play off game.

[#34fan]

And he took a different offer. Why is that so hard to understand? I wanted Freeman but at what cost? To expect a guy to come in a week to a brand new team and new playbook and start is a little crazy.

 

Lewis has no one to throw to.

 

Hackett still hasn't addressed the biggest flaw of his offense. A LACK OF EFFECTIVE WEAPONS. Watching all the big, strong, fast, Julius Thomas's, Julio Jones', and Roddy White's of the world have me wondering what the f*** Hackett was thinking when he cut Dorin Dickerson, Brandon Kaufmann, and to a lesser extent, Da'rick Rogers.

 

-Are we supposed to believe that all three of those guys sucked?

 

Ok.

 

Is what we've got now better?

 

Sure doesn't look like it.

 

And then there's the horrible, horrible, playcalling that seems to expose our weaknesses, rather than exploit our strengths. Which are... Running backs with soft hands, and speed who can catch and run out of the screen... A receiver in Marcus Easley who is great at finding daylight... A TE in Scott Chandler who is physical at the LOS, and athletic.

 

It isn't much, but we can do SOMETHING with that... Something more than what we're doing now.

 

We still have a chance to make positive strides this season... Let's get moving.... One Bills Drive is on the verge of losing more fans to another "Stay The Course" regime of stubborn ignoramuses.

Edited October 8, 2013 by #34fan

[MDH]

So...what happens if over the next 4 weeks lewis looks better than EJ did and has a better command of the offense and leads us to say 2-2 or 3-1?

 

I know what the right thing to do is, but I wonder what Buffalo will do.

 

I don't think that's the concern. If Lewis looks better than EJ and the team is winning you obviously keep him in there.

 

The more difficult question is what if Lewis doesn't look better than EJ but with the now healthy D the team is winning because they're playing lights out. Do we get the, "all he does is win games!" from fans and media?

[thewildrabbit]

I'm honestly stunned by the mishandling of the backup QB situation. The staff gave Tuel the backup job out of camp, ahead of Thad Lewis, and without even seeing him play a game they have decided that he can't start in the event of an injury to the starter (the definition of the backup QBs job) and that actually Thad Lewis is more ready than him. Why didn't they just declare Lewis at the backup and waive Tuel?

 

Forget that they waived a competent backup in Tavaris Jackson without even giving him a chance, using the excuse that they can't split the practice reps over three players. Then they proceed to split the reps over three players with Kolb, Manuel and Tuel.

 

I think that they really underestimated the importance of the backup QB in the NFL.

SSDY

 

Going into the season with an un drafted FA QB as the singular backup was moronic. How moronic you ask? Dick Jauron as GM moronic! I understand wanting to put all your cards on EJ, and don't want the kid looking over his shoulder like JP / TE. This is the NFL and you need talented depth.

 

Bills fans thinking that Thad is going to out play EJ are seriously grasping at straws. The reason why Tuel looked so lost out there Thurs night was because he wasn't even close to ready play. Probably because EJ was getting all the snaps with the 1st string offense. Plus all the injuries, Stevie Johnson & TJ Graham. Thad on the practice squad probably didn't get any snaps or hasn't seen any time with that 1st string offense. He will probably play like someone who just came off the practice squad.

[26CornerBlitz]

Bills' Marrone thoroughly explains QB decisions: http://www.wgr550.com/Bills--Marrone-thoroughly-explains-QB-decisions/17469356

 

On the surface, calling up a player from the practice squad and then announcing them as the team's starter doesn't exactly breed a lot of confidence for one's fan base.

 

Knowing and understanding that line of thinking, Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone went back to the beginning and explained every single decision that has been made with the team's quarterbacks since he got on the job in January.

[DR109]

I totally understand what Marrone explained....to paraphrase...they like Tuel and if they put him on practice squad they risked losing him. Lewis was a lower risk and longer term they think Tuel is one to keep. Ok I got it.

 

What doesn't make much sense is that somehow Lewis has a better grasp of the offense. Tuel has been in there every week. I think the short week leading up to Cleveland was tough but he should have been ready.

 

I think the real deal is that they know the pressure is going to continue coming and the line won't handle it well.... and the young Tuel can't scramble, will make bad decisions and hurt the team and ultimately his confidence.

 

So I'm like everyone else...if we're worried about that why did they keep Tuel and make him the backup. I want to trust this coaching staff but the OC never had my confidence and now the HC is making weird decisions on the fly.......we can't find an experienced guy we like, we dont trust our backup, so lets take the practice squad guy and promote him. WTF is what I say. Its hard to have confidence in this staff with all this, Here's the best part.....they are going to continue to run this ridiculous no-huddle and it was probably more about that than anything.

 

When they called in Lewis to give him the good news they should have also said 'thats the good news....and the bad news is you're going to be running for your life all night long...and we have confidence you can run for your life well.....'

 

Man I hope I'm wrong and he makes the HC look like a genius...but I have a bad feeling about this. Maybe if the OC wasn't doing what he's doing I'd feel better but this no-huddle was bad as it was but now to exacerbate it with the practice squad guy..... I dunno.....I'm stupified......

 

...go bills....?!....?

[Fan in Chicago]

Bills' Marrone thoroughly explains QB decisions: http://www.wgr550.co...isions/17469356

 

On the surface, calling up a player from the practice squad and then announcing them as the team's starter doesn't exactly breed a lot of confidence for one's fan base.

 

Knowing and understanding that line of thinking, Buffalo Bills head coach Doug Marrone went back to the beginning and explained every single decision that has been made with the team's quarterbacks since he got on the job in January.

 

I am very impressed that Marrone went to the depth he did in explaining the decision process. Not sure I agree with him sharing all the details with the public but the fact that he took the time and effort is very commendable. He probably wants to cut down on the rumors and have him and his team focus on making the best of a bad situation.

 

So...what happens if over the next 4 weeks lewis looks better than EJ did and has a better command of the offense and leads us to say 2-2 or 3-1?

 

I know what the right thing to do is, but I wonder what Buffalo will do.

 

Are you honestly worried about this situation? If this were to come to pass, I would be ecstatic. 2-2 or 3-1 over the next 4 games would be far and above the best we could hope for.

 

They haven't practiced since Thurs.

After the short week players get the time off until Monday

Yep. I corrected myself in another thread (or maybe in this one).

[26CornerBlitz]

10/8 Vic Carucci talks Thad Lewis with Howard Simon Show: http://audio.wgr550.com/a/82148356/10-8-vic-carucci-talks-thad-lewis-with-howard-simon-show.htm

[26CornerBlitz]

Prepping from the practice squad

[ExiledInIllinois]

Why are people saying that going into the season with only one UDFA is stupid? It isn't like Lewis wasn't on the practice squad. I kinda like how they are using the practice squad to their advantage. Sure, in game backup was a bit shakey... IMO, they buried Lewis so as not to show what he has... Sandbagging him and using the practice squad as they did is a good thing.

 

Would you rather have Tuel been on the practice squad and Lewis come in against Cleveland? IMO, it is refreshing to know that our "real" backup was being sandbagged up in the booth next to the OC!

 

Prepping from the practice squad

 

BINGO!

Edited October 8, 2013 by ExiledInIllinois

[Bufcomments]

I'm honestly stunned by the mishandling of the backup QB situation. The staff gave Tuel the backup job out of camp, ahead of Thad Lewis, and without even seeing him play a game they have decided that he can't start in the event of an injury to the starter (the definition of the backup QBs job) and that actually Thad Lewis is more ready than him. Why didn't they just declare Lewis at the backup and waive Tuel?

 

Forget that they waived a competent backup in Tavaris Jackson without even giving him a chance, using the excuse that they can't split the practice reps over three players. Then they proceed to split the reps over three players with Kolb, Manuel and Tuel.

 

I think that they really underestimated the importance of the backup QB in the NFL.

true they made a mistake think Tuel was ready for it but when they found out that he wasnt they made the change to Lewis, so I give em credit for that.

Don't forget the plan all along was for Kolb to be the backup.

Injury messed that up.

Kolb would have gave us at least a chance vs the Browns after E.J. got hurt.

[GG]

Would you rather have Tuel been on the practice squad and Lewis come in against Cleveland?

 

Considering that the backup QB play helped lose the Browns game? What kind of riddle is this?

[splinter21]

IMO (Purely Speculation): This all falls on Hackett in my opinion. Obviously, Marrone has to address all matters related to the team to the press. But this has Hackett's responsibility written all over it. He's young, inexperienced, has no NFL experience. Marrone himself said, that his style of coaching is to let the DC manage defense and OC manage the offense. Marrone is a good guy and doesn't want to hang Hackett out to dry, but judging from the fact that he played in the NFL and has coached in the NFL, he had to have been scratching his head when Hackett pressed forward with Tuel as the backup. From the at times, frustrating playcalling, to his blunder with the QB's, I would guess that Hackett could be out of here by the end of the season. He may have potentially put Marrone in a compromising position strategically speaking.