Shaq, Reggie and Tyrod - So Stoked

[3rdand12]

And having said all that - I fully realize Tyrod needs to take a big step this year. I think he can, but recognize he may not. I am rooting for him beyond my usual "I love all Bills" -- if he can do the job, I think he will be awfully easy to root for.

I have already found him easy to root for. Kid has moxy

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Interesting bunch of comments. I am surprised how many are defensive about the possible role of race in perceptions. As the OP, my main point was that Tyrod's numbers seem to deserve a little more excitement than they have garnered, and that the depth of character of the man (to the extent it can be perceived from the outside), seems to suggest that he can do more. That the trend could be his friend.

 

I was speculating and interested in views on what might be the root of the lack of excitement - I am a Buffalonian, but live in New York City now. The perception here seems to be "Buffalo is still looking for a quarterback." At least for now, we definitely are not! So why that perception? Especially when an INT machine like Blake Bortles is THE answer for Jax - for example.

 

I can identify a few possible factors: lack of ideal size (but not Russell Wilson small), stereotyping of a black quarterback that has sick running ability (Vick disappointed many/fear of injury abounds), relative lack of success down the middle last year (which doesn't worry me too much for reasons beyond this post), and the absence of a proven history of rallying the team to victory (but Tennessee was amazing). I said expressly that it is "not knowable" if race had any role at all - not saying it did. Could just be Tyrod does not get the respect I feel he deserves because he is not 6'5" and didn't stick enough darts on Clay over the middle. If you agree TT might deserve a little more respect, it is a certainty that no one can say for sure why he doesn't get it - especially nationally.

 

My perception is that when the national media talk about top young quarterbacks you hear about Derek Carr, Luck, Bortles, Wilson, Mariotta, Winston and others - but almost never a mention of our guy. That makes me like him more! How Buffalo-esque! I think the media is wrong. I am hugely optimistic for Tyrod based not only on what he did, but how he did it. He was the man in charge. He has presence. He is a straight baller. You often hear about QB's and that intangible "IT" factor. I think Tyrod has "IT" in spades - easy demeanor, hard worker, fire burns bright inside, respected by teammates, instinctive (I think Fitz has "IT" too, he just has poor skills and poor judgment at the worst times). I believe Tyrod has "IT" in a way the rocket-armed, ideal-sized Drew Bledsoe never did (to pick an example of a very good quarterback and a good guy who I do not think had the intangibles needed to be a GREAT quarterback).

 

Some people lost the point of the post - optimism and enthusiasm about "maybe we have a real QB FINALLY" and the seeds of a good defense too. Some seized only on race. Just shows what a flashpoint it can be, as it was never the core point I was making, and not even a firm point at all - just a mentioning of the possibility.

 

As for the "sick of getting kicked in the nads" point, that made me laugh out loud. That is PART of it (a part I could do without, granted). No Goal, wide right, Music City, 4 straight losses in the show, 16 years and not a freaking wild card. Our nads are dented on a legendary scale. Yet we hang in there - makes us so cool ;-) And that much sweeter when TT brings us the Lombardi. Peace.

 

Go Bills.

To illustrate that you're overemphasizing the race component, if EJ had the year Tyrod just had as a rookie, EVERYONE would have been ecstatic. Imo

 

But Tyrod is a little guy for a QB, he is mid career and had significant limitations in his game for a 5th year QB. He got hurt scrambling. Look at that in any color you want.

[Big C]

To illustrate that you're overemphasizing the race component, if EJ had the year Tyrod just had as a rookie, EVERYONE would have been ecstatic. Imo

 

But Tyrod is a little guy for a QB, he is mid career and had significant limitations in his game for a 5th year QB. He got hurt scrambling. Look at that in any color you want.

 

He got hurt on a horse collar tackle and finished the game. I think the staff was being extra cautious with Tyrod, or they were really trying to give EJ a chance to take the gig. At first it looked like Tyrod was gonna suit up for week 6, and then they decided to make him inactive, and then I remember Tyrod saying he was feeling good going into week 7, and we read a couple reports saying he would be back, but the staff said they weren't comfortable with it. I don't pretend to know how MCL sprains are handled, but I remember feeling like the staff was taking the injury as an opportunity to give EJ one more shot.

[yungmack]

weird how the Tyrod "racists" love Cam and Russell Wilson.

Why do you avow that they are the same people?

No one said anything about racism holding Tyrod Taylor back, and it is funny how people can live in denial of the fact that stereotypes do persist. I think if a bigger, white pocket-passer who didn't run put up Tyrod's 20 TD and 6 INT season as a first year starter there MAY be greater enthusiasm. I can't see how any thinking person cannot at least allow for that possibility. Those that can't probably thought Dennis Shaw as was good as James Harris.

And Yolo is right - Tyrod is perceived as more of a "running" QB than he is. It is not knowable whether "black" has any role in that false perception. It could, but it really does not matter. Point I was making is the young man is a baller - leader, worker, team guy, smart and tough. A grinder who overcame odds. A Buffalo guy.

 

He has electric skills that are easy to see. So did Vick. What gives Tyrod the potential for greatness in my view is everything else. And the positive character traits that define the man are talked about in the local media, but not so much nationally. Smart, tough, leader, tireless worker - a Buffalo kind of guy. We sign him long term, he wins our first Super Bowl. And I bet two seats on the 50 he uses the middle just fine this year.

Great post.

It's 16 years... SIXTEEN YEARS.

 

As much abuse as Rex gets around here, I for one love him for bringing Tyrod to town. Can't wait to watch him this year, IMO all hope for the immediate future is riding on his shoulders. As for the rookie draft picks on D, I won't get excited about them until they show something on the field.

Rex brought TT to town? Jeez, I thought Whaley did, based on the recommendation of his Pro Scouting department.

Tyrod is a one, maximum two, trick pony.... I get that he doesn't turn the ball over much, and can take yardage with his feet if possible... Besides that, he's pretty predictable... Our Div. rivals now have a years worth of footage on him, and his tendencies as a starter. -They'll be waiting... I doubt he gets away with the same behavior this season... Oh "his EYES are in the right place"... Terrific. -So are the opposing safety's... Think he'll leave the pocket without a spy on his tail? -Again, doubtful... I'm stoked too, just not about TT... He's clearly earned the crown. -Let's see how long he hangs onto it.

Will this September be when you watch your first Bills game with Tyrod?

[C.Biscuit97]

While I'm well aware of the pathetic history of race relations in Buffalo, I really don't see this being the case at all here.

 

Tyrod had an Alex Smith type year. Solid but there are plenty of fans who don't think Smith is very good. If anything, I think fans gave passes to Tyrod that they didn't give to Losman or Edwards. They praised him for the Titans win when he was awful 95% of the game. Our gameplan was essentially to limit the amount of times Tyrod threw the ball. That has nothing to do with race.

 

I've always stated that If Tyrod looked like EJ, I'd like him more. Sorry, I don't like smaller Qbs who use their legs a lot. More often than not, they don't even amount to anything.

 

Hopefully, Tyrod is the exception. And while there are still the losers who care about race, most people just want to see a legit NFL starting qb. And we need more than 14 games to judge.