Orton Retires (per twitter)

[TXBILLSFAN]

It seems pretty clear to me that EJ isn't in their future plans. There was no reason to not play him this week otherwise. Even if they didn't know that Orton was retiring prior. If they did know they definitely would have played him if they still thought that he was the guy IMO.

+1

Indictment of EJ and where this coaching staff thought he was in his development.

Edited December 29, 2014 by TXBILLSFAN

[billstein22]

Good Luck KO, I wish you nothing but the best! I think he was put in a difficult situation and handled himself very well. He is truly a backup QB, and a very good one at that. Someone that can come in after an injury and play 1, 2 or even 3 games until the starter gets healthy. He is not a starting QB in this league and it's a shame he received unfair criticism because the Bills royally f'ed up the QB position coming into training camp...

 

Agree with everything you said 100%.

[B-Man]

No, it's not good news... it's GREAT news!

 

 

LOL................I stand corrected.

 

.

[The Dean]

At least this clarifies the situation a lot. The team knows exactly what it is up against at QB.

 

I would normally expect them to give EJ another shot at it except I think Marone has already made up his mind on EJ and doesn't believe he will ever play well enough to make a difference. I suspect Whaley does not agree about this, and that is the source of their conflict. I don't see an easy way out of this situation as long as Marone and Whaley are both there.

 

Or there is one way--if Whaley can come up with a QB from outside that BOTH Whaley and Marone like better than EJ. Happy hunting, boys.

 

Well, since they don't have Orton, and his money, to worry about, they can keep EJ around if they want, I think. Obviously they have to find a veteran somewhere---it's obvious now if it wasn't before. And having a real QB competition in training camp and preseason certainly isn't the worst thing for a team without a known entity for a starter. I guess we'll find out soon enough, what direction they plan to take.

[hondo in seattle]

Good. He wasn't the long-term answer and this ensures the Bills aren't tempted to just stick with him.

 

I'm sure this is a popular sentiment but I disagree.

 

Whatever his limitations, right now Orton is the best QB on the roster. We can't be sure we'll find anyone better than him during the off-season, or even as good as him.

 

I don't think Orton's retirement inspires Whaley to look any harder for a QB because I think he was going to look hard anyway. It's going to be an interesting off-season.

 

Good luck to Kyle.

[section122]

Orton is what he is--a journeyman who gave us a chance this year, why crap on him?

 

Marrone is what he is as well...

 

This isn't difiicult.

 

I still don't get it. I just don't get how Orton gets credit in this thread but in another you are saying how Marrone is lucky to have a job. So effectively you are saying that a journeyman qb is more responsible for the 9-7 season than the hc. That is what I don't understand.

 

I don't hate Orton. I think it is and has been clear that he will not get you a sb or likely even a playoff win. He is very mediocre and looked to have quit from at least as far back as Denver. His heart hasn't been in it for a while. I don't at all feel the same about Marrone.

[Gugny]

For all of the fine people calling other people idiots:

 

Orton did not have a winning record. The Bills had a winning record.

The Bills won exactly ZERO games because of Kyle Orton's mastery of the QB position.

Orton CLEARLY had no interest in playing for the Bills after his first or second start; it was painfully clear on the field.

Only an idiot would think Orton made the Bills a better team. He was horrible.

[RuntheDamnBall]

I'm sure this is a popular sentiment but I disagree.

 

Whatever his limitations, right now Orton is the best QB on the roster. We can't be sure we'll find anyone better than him during the off-season, or even as good as him.

I think his retirement clarifies some things that a few of us were seeing in his performance. If there is even a whiff of quit in your quarterback, you don't stand a chance.

 

I have to imagine we can find a guy of comparable talent with more desire.

[Freddie's Dead]

Did not see this one coming. Farewell 3rd and pu$$y.

[dave mcbride]

Why? Because this now forces our hand to really address our QB situation without having to pay a guy 5 mil who's heart wasn't into playing football and was a medicore QB at best? I'm happy about that and I don't think that shows anyone has no class.

I think he's referring to the snarky and snide comments about a league average QB (101 on the PFR scale, with 100 being league average: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/O/OrtoKy00.htm ) who did in fact play hard and contributed to a team that went 7-5 while he was at the helm. In his 12 games, the Bills faced 10 defenses in the top half of the league too. He certainly wasn't great, but he did have the best QB rating for a starting Bills QB since 1991. That's something, right?

 

For all of the fine people calling other people idiots:

 

Orton did not have a winning record. The Bills had a winning record.

The Bills won exactly ZERO games because of Kyle Orton's mastery of the QB position.

Orton CLEARLY had no interest in playing for the Bills after his first or second start; it was painfully clear on the field.

Only an idiot would think Orton made the Bills a better team. He was horrible.

He wasn't horrible. He was league average. League average isn't good, but it is what it is.

[Coach Tuesday]

Marrone is building a program, which is what he knows how to do and what he's been asked to do. Starting Orton yesterday to get to a winning record is a perfectly acceptable decision.

 

I blame Whaley for mis-handling the QB situation two years in a row. Signing a semi-retired QB on the eve of the season was a panic move that demonstrated a complete lack of faith in the guy they had been touting as the savior all offseason. Orton played like he was semi-retired for most of the year, playing well in stretches but taking care to avoid hits or do anything that could put his Act II in jeopardy. Sliding short of the first down marker in Denver epitomized what the guy was about this year. We were never going to win a Superbowl with a QB whose heart isn't in it. Time to move on.

 

I'm not sure how Whaley survives this turn of events.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

For all of the fine people calling other people idiots:

 

Orton did not have a winning record. The Bills had a winning record.

The Bills won exactly ZERO games because of Kyle Orton's mastery of the QB position.

Orton CLEARLY had no interest in playing for the Bills after his first or second start; it was painfully clear on the field.

Only an idiot would think Orton made the Bills a better team. He was horrible.

 

...

 

I...have no words.

[jester43]

All the best to him. None of this crap was his fault. It was Whaley and Brandon that got us into the mess that required the Bills to lure him out of retirement. I think the guy showed a lot of character to do as well as he did. He never should have had to be out there.

[dave mcbride]

...

 

I...have no words.

yep. It's as if people don't watch other teams not named Denver, Green Bay, Dallas, New England, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Indy (and to a lesser extent the Giants and Baltimore). There aren't very many good QBs in the league.

[Gugny]

yep. It's as if people don't watch other teams not named Denver, Green Bay, Dallas, New England, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Indy (and to a lesser extent the Giants and Baltimore). There aren't very many good QBs in the league.

So you're saying that a) the Bills won games because of Orton (and not because of defense/special teams) and that b) Orton wasn't horrible?

[cage]

Wow. Didnt see that one coming!

 

https://twitter.com/...581320989736961

 

Unfortunately Orton DID. He made up his mind about this previously. I feel he should have told Marrone his intentions after the Bills were eliminated last week. He should have told him to start EJ as there was nothing more on the line and he was gone after the season no matter what. I don't get it....

[section122]

Marrone is building a program, which is what he knows how to do and what he's been asked to do. Starting Orton yesterday to get to a winning record is a perfectly acceptable decision.

 

I blame Whaley for mis-handling the QB situation two years in a row. Signing a semi-retired QB on the eve of the season was a panic move that demonstrated a complete lack of faith in the guy they had been touting as the savior all offseason. Orton played like he was semi-retired for most of the year, playing well in stretches but taking care to avoid hits or do anything that could put his Act II in jeopardy. Sliding short of the first down marker in Denver epitomized what the guy was about this year. We were never going to win a Superbowl with a QB whose heart isn't in it. Time to move on.

 

I'm not sure how Whaley survives this turn of events.

 

I don't agree with your assessment of Whaley but yesterday on the Orton fumble he got away from the sack, then turned around to look for the guy again, then didn't secure the ball and fumbled. Right then and there I thought he just doesn't care one bit.

[dave mcbride]

Marrone is building a program, which is what he knows how to do and what he's been asked to do. Starting Orton yesterday to get to a winning record is a perfectly acceptable decision.

 

I blame Whaley for mis-handling the QB situation two years in a row. Signing a semi-retired QB on the eve of the season was a panic move that demonstrated a complete lack of faith in the guy they had been touting as the savior all offseason. Orton played like he was semi-retired for most of the year, playing well in stretches but taking care to avoid hits or do anything that could put his Act II in jeopardy. Sliding short of the first down marker in Denver epitomized what the guy was about this year. We were never going to win a Superbowl with a QB whose heart isn't in it. Time to move on.

 

I'm not sure how Whaley survives this turn of events.

I don't think Whaley was behind bringing in Orton. I think that was Marrone. Wasn't that the big sideline dispute in TC was about? The fact that marrone didn't think he had any decent QBs? It occurred prior to Orton's arrival. Marrone was right about Orton in that he was an upgrade over what they had.

[1B4IDie]

The strip sack he had yesterday said it all. The fact that he looked back to make sure he could go down without getting hurt was one of the most pathetic things I've ever seen from a QB.

 

His play reminded me of the rich QB from the replacements. Too bad we didn't have a Johnny Falco to replace him with.

 

Enjoy retirement, Captain No Heart.

You bring your hand back when you throw.

He looked back because he didn't know if he could bring his hand back.

He should have just started running at that point.

[BmarvB]

He was brought here to give EJ a veteran backup to learn from, and wound up starting for the rest of the season. He already had one foot out the door an was on his way to the couch when the Bills called. We got all we could ask for out of him.

 

Thanks and good luck Kyle.