It could be very close to Matt Flynn time

[Wayne Cubed]

I think it's closer to EJ time than it is to Flynn time

[Thirty Year Fan]

You guys cannot be serous about wanting to start either toolbox or Flynn over Lewis right now. Come on.....seriously

+1

[dave mcbride]

I am not saying yesterdays game was a masterpiece, in any way...but what do you expect? He hasn't regressed...just the more he plays, the more mistakes he is going to make. The Bills are improving in many areas, but if the defense can't contain Drew Brees, no matter who the QB is, they aren't going to win a shoot out.

 

I will agree, he really has to work on holding on to the ball a bit better...but even as ugly as yesterdays' game was (and it was ugly) I just don't see that Tuel or Flynn are going to give you more than that. And Lewis may still get better. He throws a nice ball...and he is pretty accurate (really accurate) when he isn't under a lot of pressure. He threw some ugly passes yesterday, but he threw some really nice ones too.

 

So may lamented the loss of Fitz, saying he would have been a great back-up. Well, that ship sailed...but I think Lewis has been about as good, if not better, than Fitz was last year...if we go to Tuel or Flynn, it is step backwards, IMO.

 

If you are worried about the Cheifs defense, do you really think Tuel or Flynn would fare better than Lewis? Just stick with the plan...

 

My biggest issue with him yesterday is that he seemed to constantly decide who he was throwing to before the snap. I also think it's incumbent upon him to get Woods more involved in the game. Woods is a good player, and he hardly ever throws the ball his way.

[Gray Beard]

Did anyone on here actually see the game yesterday? Lewis got speared in the ribs on the first play. He was obviously trying to avoid contact for the rest of the game. He would dive to the ground if anyone got near him. I don't think his performance would have been nearly so bad if it wasn't for that first hit; My question is more along the lines of how badly is he hurt, and is it bad enough to force them to get Flynn ready sooner rather than later? If it is just a bruise (that would lay most of us internet tough guys up for a month) then he will still be the most logical choice until EJ comes back.

[mattsox]

I like Thad Lewis. He had a very good first game against the Bengals in which he had a rushing TD and two passing TDs to force OT against a very good team. But I feel he has regressed in each of the last two games. Yesterday was his worst game of the 3. He did not protect the football and his passes were much more inaccurate than they had been in his first two games.

 

The Chiefs are a great defense, but I don't think you can allow Lewis to play a third straight poor offensive game without considering giving Flynn a start in week 10. The Bills are a good enough team to stay above water with Manuel out, but the QB play needs to be more like what we saw in the Bengals game and less like what we saw against the Saints for them to have a chance to do that.

 

Chiefs have not given up more than 17 points all year. Bills have not scored less than 17 points all year. Something has to give on Sunday, and if it's the Bills offense, I would be in favor of giving Flynn a look in week 9.

 

I would highly doubt it, and I don't see him being a viable option. Lewis on 1 leg is a better choice than Tuel and Flynn put together.

[Smears]

Wow. Good thing none of you are NFL bound. Lewis has started only 4 games his whole career. This was his worst performance yet. You dont give up on a guy over a bad game. One thing you can depend on, Lewis will learn and get better from this mishaps. He seems to understand the game well enough that he knows how to improve. Making Flynn a starter at all this year is just masturbation. Let Lewis sink or swim with the team. I hope the Bills retain him as backup for next year.

[Orton's Arm]

Did anyone on here actually see the game yesterday? Lewis got speared in the ribs on the first play. He was obviously trying to avoid contact for the rest of the game. He would dive to the ground if anyone got near him. I don't think his performance would have been nearly so bad if it wasn't for that first hit; My question is more along the lines of how badly is he hurt, and is it bad enough to force them to get Flynn ready sooner rather than later? If it is just a bruise (that would lay most of us internet tough guys up for a month) then he will still be the most logical choice until EJ comes back.

 

> My question is more along the lines of how badly is he hurt, and is it bad enough to force them to get Flynn ready sooner rather than later?

 

Maybe it's time for Tuel.

 

Wow. Good thing none of you are NFL bound. Lewis has started only 4 games his whole career. This was his worst performance yet. You dont give up on a guy over a bad game. One thing you can depend on, Lewis will learn and get better from this mishaps. He seems to understand the game well enough that he knows how to improve. Making Flynn a starter at all this year is just masturbation. Let Lewis sink or swim with the team. I hope the Bills retain him as backup for next year.

 

> You dont give up on a guy over a bad game.

 

Unless his name is Jeff Tuel. Then you give up on him over half of a bad game.

 

For the record, I'm not saying Tuel is the answer even at backup. But this is a rebuilding year for the Bills; so they may as well use the opportunity to evaluate as many people on their roster as possible. Conditions for Tuel in the Browns game were about as bad as possible. No reps in practice leading up to the game. No pass protection. WRs not getting open. WRs dropping passes. A hostile stadium. Even the weather was bad, for crying out loud!

 

It's quite possible that once Tuel has been properly evaluated, the Bills will decide to move in a different direction. But he has not yet been put in a position where success was a realistic possibility.

[KikO M G]

The more he plays the more mistakes he is going to make? Shouldn't it be the opposite?

[billsfan89]

Thad will at least start next week if he shows less than stellar play I think then you could maybe think about giving Flynn some burn, I hope EJ gets back soon as I think choosing between a grab bag of back ups isn't very enticing.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

I would be shocked if they benched Lewis

 

The Bills just dont play well on the road and havent for a long time...im betting we see a different team this weekend more like the one that played the Bengals tough then the one we have seen the last two weeks

 

If they want to improve as a team, that has to change

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

 

 

> My question is more along the lines of how badly is he hurt, and is it bad enough to force them to get Flynn ready sooner rather than later?

 

Maybe it's time for Tuel.

 

 

 

> You dont give up on a guy over a bad game.

 

Unless his name is Jeff Tuel. Then you give up on him over half of a bad game.

 

For the record, I'm not saying Tuel is the answer even at backup. But this is a rebuilding year for the Bills; so they may as well use the opportunity to evaluate as many people on their roster as possible. Conditions for Tuel in the Browns game were about as bad as possible. No reps in practice leading up to the game. No pass protection. WRs not getting open. WRs dropping passes. A hostile stadium. Even the weather was bad, for crying out loud!

 

It's quite possible that once Tuel has been properly evaluated, the Bills will decide to move in a different direction. But he has not yet been put in a position where success was a realistic possibility.

 

Agree completely. I would have liked to have seen how Lewis would have done in that browns game. Likely just as bad, if not worse.

 

I saw enough in preseason to know that Tuel has more upside than Lewis, yet it looks like he will never get a shot.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

On the Sunday Night broadcast a few weeks ago, Houston was playing and Al Michal's brought up starting Yates and benching Schaub. Chris C stated it likely wasn't a good idea because as a backup, likely he's getting maybe two snaps a week with the 1st team, and Yates is a guy who'd been there all season, so no not unusual that Flynn doesn't yet know the offense. I've heard/read this elsewhere too so no exception here in Buffalo, that's the way all teams seem to operate. Same thing happened last year with the guy they picked up Jackson was his name?? At this point, the only way Lewis comes out is if he gets hurt. Else you go with him a couple more weeks till EJ is back.

[SoulMan]

Lewis should start until EJ is back.

[DC Tom]

I like Thad Lewis. He had a very good first game against the Bengals in which he had a rushing TD and two passing TDs to force OT against a very good team. But I feel he has regressed in each of the last two games. Yesterday was his worst game of the 3. He did not protect the football and his passes were much more inaccurate than they had been in his first two games.

 

The Chiefs are a great defense, but I don't think you can allow Lewis to play a third straight poor offensive game without considering giving Flynn a start in week 10. The Bills are a good enough team to stay above water with Manuel out, but the QB play needs to be more like what we saw in the Bengals game and less like what we saw against the Saints for them to have a chance to do that.

 

Chiefs have not given up more than 17 points all year. Bills have not scored less than 17 points all year. Something has to give on Sunday, and if it's the Bills offense, I would be in favor of giving Flynn a look in week 9.

 

It's not "regression," it's "opposing teams having more tape to study."

[NoSaint]

Lewis is the best option at QB for now.

 

One fumble was because of a huge it on the blind side though... But ya he has to do a better job of taking better care of the football.

 

Matt Flynn People. How many teams has he been on and NOT even got the Backup job. And Tuel doesn't have the experience right now, I like Tuel in maybe a couple years when he learns the NFL.

 

End point... Thad is better then Tuel and Flyyn. We bench him and Bills season doesn't look as hopeful. I think Thad can win all the rest of the games till the Bye, Then EJ comes back.

 

Flynn has bounced around pretty similarly to Thad, really. Two marginal talents that have flashed potential but Flynn was lucky enough to get rich. They've both been let go by several teams though - not sure why you act like it's not a knock I thad. If anything, his bloated contracts likely forced teams to cut Flynn that might've held him in a cheap backup role.

 

 

 

It's not "regression," it's "opposing teams having more tape to study."

 

Yup - a lot of guys have the skill to look good for a week or two. Even the 80th best qb in the world can do awesome stuff, but to grow and evolve and out pace the gains the defensive coordinators are making on you is really tough. Your weaknesses have to be better than other guys strengths.

Edited October 29, 2013 by NoSaint

[RuntheDamnBall]

As is Thad Lewis. EJ is made a of glass and should have been on the bench this whole year. We will have to draft another QB in rd 1 after EJ goes down for a third time as soon as he gets back.

Please go away.

[KDIGGZ]

With Thad we beat Miami on the road and went into overtime against Cincy (who is going to win their division). I think Thad is doing better than anyone could have expected. I think we found our backup. Cut all of those other guys please

[Captain Hindsight]

> My question is more along the lines of how badly is he hurt, and is it bad enough to force them to get Flynn ready sooner rather than later?

 

Maybe it's time for Tuel.

 

 

 

> You dont give up on a guy over a bad game.

 

Unless his name is Jeff Tuel. Then you give up on him over half of a bad game.

 

For the record, I'm not saying Tuel is the answer even at backup. But this is a rebuilding year for the Bills; so they may as well use the opportunity to evaluate as many people on their roster as possible. Conditions for Tuel in the Browns game were about as bad as possible. No reps in practice leading up to the game. No pass protection. WRs not getting open. WRs dropping passes. A hostile stadium. Even the weather was bad, for crying out loud!

 

It's quite possible that once Tuel has been properly evaluated, the Bills will decide to move in a different direction. But he has not yet been put in a position where success was a realistic possibility.

Sorry. He is an NFL QB. Bad weather is not an excuse, hostile stadium is not an excuse. This is the NFL not pop warner.

 

It wasn't even that he played poorly for all the reason you mentioned, he never had a chance. He looked scared and unprepared. This from the only QB to actually stay healthy all through mini camp and TC? It was apparent before his second drive started we had no shot with Tuel in there. None

 

And IMO evaluation is for practice time and mini camp and TC. We are trying to institute a culture change here in Buffalo. Throwing the worst possible option you have out there just to watch him fail shows two things.

1) You don't want to win

2) Screw all the guys playing hard today because its about next season.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Captain Hindsight

[ALF]

EJ learned to run out of bounds. Thad is learning the hard way to protect the ball. Next season looks promising. Not sure at all about Flynn except he is very rich.

[jumbalaya]

In defense of Lewis. Poor play calling resulted in him getting whacked on the first play. He was on the road for the first time I believe and in the Superdome no less. Few QBs would perform well on the road, in the Dome against a tough Saints team in their 4th start ever. Give the guy a break and let him learn the game. He could become a service-able back up.