The Frankish Reich Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 In the spirit of the great Bill in NYC: 1. Thanks, Kyle, for letting management know you were hanging it up (again) after the Oakland debacle. That way your buddy EJ could get that one start in a meaningless Pats game. I understand you didn't want all the Jeter-style farewell tour stuff, but think of the fans: we never got closure, the proper opportunity to say goodbye. 2. To paraphrase another Buffalo native, Gregg Easterbrook: When you sign a QB who's just quit on his team, you're signing a QB who will quit on your team. 3. Having said that, a real, non-sarcastic thanks to Kyle for salvaging what looked like another lost season in the making. It was interesting until December 21, and there were some legitmate great moments: the surprise Detroit win with Schwartz carry-off and victory cigar, the stomping of the Jets (x2) including the Detroit Monday nighter, the Green Bay win, the miraculous Sammy and Woods catches, the Scott Chandler snow shovel TD celebration ... I'm sure I'm missing some here. 4. Kyle showed great guts, standing in there, taking the hits while waiting for his target to come open ... 5. ... until he stopped showing great guts and started showing us slidin' a yard short, turtlin' Kyle. We don't know why, but QBs take some big hits. Maybe he didn't let on that he'd suffered some injuries, or even a concussion. Maybe he started thinking again about his life after football, and all the stories we've seen about permanently damaged players. When you can't move much and you're playing behind a really bad offensive line, maybe you do this, and maybe we're wrong to blame players for doing it. 6.. Thanks, Kyle, for realizing that, and for not coming back, or worse yet, coming back and then realizing too late, in training camp, that it really is time to hang it up. Now that would've left us twisting in the wind ... 7. I will always remember the great Tell Me Why Kyle Orton Is Not the Long Term Solution thread as an example of popular fan delusions. Is it possible to unlock closed threads? Because, well, I think we have a conversation ender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmokinES3 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 (edited) He had exactly zero chance of picking up that first down IMHO, and a great chance at getting killed. Getting past that tired discussion, I have to say I enjoy the spirit of the post. Bill in NYC is sorely missed post game. Good stuff Reich, per usual. Edited December 30, 2014 by SmokinES3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gomper Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Also in the spirit of the great Bill from NYC "Never give your love my friend, unto a foolish heart" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Flutie Band Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 You have it all wrong. It's not like Orton somehow swooned the Bills into signing him, and then didn't deliver on his promises. This is not like Cutler in Chicago getting $100MM and looking like garbage. He's some retread the Bills signed off the scrap heap. He got them through the season and wanted out. If Orton didn't meet your expectations this season, your expectations were really out of whack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Frankish Reich Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 You have it all wrong. It's not like Orton somehow swooned the Bills into signing him, and then didn't deliver on his promises. This is not like Cutler in Chicago getting $100MM and looking like garbage. He's some retread the Bills signed off the scrap heap. He got them through the season and wanted out. If Orton didn't meet your expectations this season, your expectations were really out of whack. Actually, Orton exactly hit my expectations. Nothing more, nothing less. I was all in favor of signing him and giving him the starting job. I think he proved my (not just my) point that he's probably about the 30th best QB in the world, there being 32 teams, some of which are starting young projects who will never have Orton's career. And guess where he ranked on ESPN's QBR? 27th. We can argue about the validity of that system, but this time it seems to be about right, particularly given that we had about the 27th best offense in the NFL this year. So with all sincerity, I do thank Kyle for playing, playing every snap, and playing about as well as he's capable of. Also in the spirit of the great Bill from NYC "Never give your love my friend, unto a foolish heart" Indeed. But I didn't dare tread into that proprietary Bill territory ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 To the OP....that was a really fine post To me....it gave me a glimpse at what decent QB play might actually look like.....even thought it came in spurts and it sputtered towards the finish line. It is my hope that that bills mgt has learned two things.... - Dont go into the season with young inexperienced QBs.....it is ok to have one as a backup (EJ Manuel) because the light might actually turn on with that player then and then you actually have something.....BUT you cannot go into the season relying on it...... - They were aggressive in finding QBs too late.....and pulled a aging Kyle Orton out of retirement....he was out of shape....didnt get a training camp.....and it looked like his heart was not really in it.....be aggressive EARLIER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Frankish Reich Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 To the OP....that was a really fine post To me....it gave me a glimpse at what decent QB play might actually look like.....even thought it came in spurts and it sputtered towards the finish line. It is my hope that that bills mgt has learned two things.... - Dont go into the season with young inexperienced QBs.....it is ok to have one as a backup (EJ Manuel) because the light might actually turn on with that player then and then you actually have something.....BUT you cannot go into the season relying on it...... - They were aggressive in finding QBs too late.....and pulled a aging Kyle Orton out of retirement....he was out of shape....didnt get a training camp.....and it looked like his heart was not really in it.....be aggressive EARLIER Thanks! And I agree ... look, chances are we get another Kyle Orton since as everyone recognizes there really isn't a a first -- or even second -- tier QB on the free agent market, and the chances of us swinging a Cutler or RG3 or even Foles trade aren't very good. But whether that's a Hoyer or a Sanchez or something similar, having the guy ready to go from minicamp on probably makes the Bills marginally better again, just like Orton made them marginally better than with EJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cale Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Look for Kyle to join another middling team in need of a quarterback after training camp next year...I bet that press conf will look a lot like the Bills press conference announcing him coming out of retirement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewildrabbit Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Good stuff OP, and I thank Kyle Orton as well for hanging in there as long as he did. When Orton told Marrone of his intention to retire, then Marrone asked him to reconsider. On #4 to #5 the OP put it rather succinctly, as he stood tall in the pocket until he got tired of being hit playing behind that piece of **** O line. Playing for a gigantic moron of an OC calling mostly passing plays every game, and someone who can't out game plan a pee wee league team. Someone who couldn't be counted on to see what the defense was doing and adjusting quickly to find plays that would work. At the end Orton must have been so trigger happy, and with such a short timer in his head he probably didn't think he had the time to make reads past the first or second target. Along with little or no run game all season long, and the star RB's injured. So basically the entire game was put on the QB's shoulders to win or lose. It must have been a tough year for the guy to be on such an island with no real coaching help around him. Now to Bills fans these are just words. But to a hard working player at his position in a real life working environment it had to suck big time to play on such a crappy team. I'll bet he still hasn't even glanced in his rear view. My favorite Buffalo Bill Fred Jackson stated Orton was the hardest working player in terms of preparation he had ever been around. Quite a statement from a player with a great work ethic himself, and great heart. The Buffalo Bills at first glance must have showed Orton great promise for him to get the Bills into the playoffs. The team drafting three O linemen in the 2014 draft, and using two #1's for a WR. Then considering the Bills ran it more then they passed all last year. The Buffalo Bills at first glance must have been very enticing to that seasoned vet. The man did finish as the Bills QB with a record of 7-5, 3018 yards passing, 18 TD's 10 INT's and was better then any Bills QB in a long, long time. I just don't get all the fans hate for the man. I'll bet he is looking at this years 12-4 Dallas Cowboy team and thinking he really screwed up by not staying with them. The Cowboys 476 passes attempted vs 507 rushes. Playing with the #1 RB in the NFL with 1845 rushing yards and 18 TD's. Then QB Tony Romo playing behind a very solid O line in both run and pass blocking. The #1 draft pick for the Cowboys was an OG who made the pro bowl this season. Dallas could easily be in the super bowl this year. I can only wonder if Orton retired again so quickly in hopes the Cowboys would pick him up again. For 2015 I gotta wonder if the Bills will finally replace the sub par players at OG... going on three years now. Find a decent QB. Hire an O line coach with some talent. Hire an OC who the players could actually benefit from him being on the team. Someone who could actually setup a quality game plan that didn't call for 40 passes or 70% of the runs right up the middle. Build a team that is actually good at offensive blocking, and one that doesn't acquire stupid penalties at the most inopportune times. I hate to say it but I think Bills fans are screwed again for the 2015 season. Whaley & Marrone still reporting to Russ Brandon. No senior football adviser over Whaley to make sure he doesn't give up the 2016 1st round pick for a player other then a QB. I wonder which direction Hackett goes in this year. His first year it was all runs, and his second year it was all passes. Lucky for him he had Kyle Orton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somnus00 Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I know which body part opinions resemble, but here is mine anyway. I had my suspicions about Orton's desire to play QB over the past 5 or 6 weeks. My suspicions were confirmed during the Oakland game. Down two scores late in the game Orton throws a terrible pass to end the drive. 30 seconds later the camera shows him on the sidelines joking and laughing with another player. I can't imagine Brady, Manning, Wilson, or Rodgers acting like that. Yes this is just a game, but the good QBs have a competitive fire. I believe that EJ has a similar problem as well. EJ is a great kid with the character and hard working mentality that you want in a QB. But playing QB in the NFL seems like its just a job to him. He seems to lack a competitive fire. I'd be willing to bet that the good QBs would be pissed off losing a game of checkers. EJ is the kind of guy who would let you win if he felt like you were having a bad day. I'm new here. This is my first post, but I'm looking forward to future discussions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I know which body part opinions resemble, but here is mine anyway. I had my suspicions about Orton's desire to play QB over the past 5 or 6 weeks. My suspicions were confirmed during the Oakland game. Down two scores late in the game Orton throws a terrible pass to end the drive. 30 seconds later the camera shows him on the sidelines joking and laughing with another player. I can't imagine Brady, Manning, Wilson, or Rodgers acting like that. Yes this is just a game, but the good QBs have a competitive fire. I believe that EJ has a similar problem as well. EJ is a great kid with the character and hard working mentality that you want in a QB. But playing QB in the NFL seems like its just a job to him. He seems to lack a competitive fire. I'd be willing to bet that the good QBs would be pissed off losing a game of checkers. EJ is the kind of guy who would let you win if he felt like you were having a bad day. I'm new here. This is my first post, but I'm looking forward to future discussions. I agree with you. The fire is what separates the great ones from everyone else. Orton simply took more than his share of hits as the season went on and the lack of adjustment from the coaches took a toll (anyone even think about giving Henderson some help with Mack?). If this staff returns next season, we'll be talking about the same things but the QB will have a different name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 My favourite Kyle moment remains the locker interview the day he was annointed starter when someone asked him "what can you bring to this offense that EJ couldn't?" and his answer was "I'm not answering that question. That's a crap question." There was some good play and some bad play. Kyle Orton is what he is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts