Buftex Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Bills players beginning to back Holcomb By JOHN WAWROW - AP Sports Writer 2005-12-28 19:16 ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) - Awarded the starting job in February, Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman might have to compete with journeyman Kelly Holcomb to get it back next year. Holcomb has more wins and better numbers than Losman this season. And don't think his teammates haven't noticed. With one game left and Buffalo out of playoff contention, Bills players were making the case Wednesday that Holcomb deserves to battle for the No. 1 role next season. ``I think he deserves to get his fair shot at it,'' tight end Mark Campbell said. ``I think he's played enough to get a chance,'' added receiver Eric Moulds. ``Hopefully, they'll give him an opportunity after this year to compete for the starting job.'' Even Bills defenders are beginning to back Holcomb, a 10-year veteran in his first season with Buffalo. ``I mean, look at the statistics,'' linebacker London Fletcher said. ``He's proven that he can be a starting quarterback in the National Football League week in and week out and definitely a starter for us.'' Holcomb is expected to get the start Sunday when Buffalo (5-10) closes its season on the road against the New York Jets (3-12) in a game with nothing on the line. Holcomb's emergence comes at the expense of Losman, the Bills' 2004 first-round draft pick who was awarded the starting job in place of Drew Bledsoe. The move led to the team granting Bledsoe's request to be released. He's now the starter in Dallas. The Bills then signed Holcomb in March to serve as a backup. Losman, however, has struggled, going 1-7 as a starter, and also engineered Buffalo's 14-3 win over Kansas City last month in a backup role after Holcomb was hurt. The Bills, in comparison, are 3-3 in games Holcomb gets a majority of the playing time. That includes a 37-27 win at Cincinnati last weekend when Holcomb had 308 yards passing, the most by a Bills player in 45 games. Both players have appeared in nine games this season, with Holcomb also having the edge in completion percentage (68.4 percent to Losman's 49.6) quarterback rating (92.9-64.9) and having thrown four interceptions compared to Losman's eight. Both have thrown for eight touchdowns. Coach Mike Mularkey said he's leaning toward giving Holcomb his third consecutive start because Losman, who's listed as probable, is nursing a thigh injury. Mularkey added he hopes to get Losman in the game against the Jets at some point. Losman, listed as probable with a shoulder injury last week, hasn't played since being hurt in Buffalo's 35-7 loss to New England on Dec. 11. Mularkey declined to discuss whether Holcomb deserves a shot at the starting job next year, saying all positions on the team will be evaluated in the offseason. Mularkey said it's unfair to compare the two players because Holcomb has a big edge in experience. ``It's exactly unfolded the way you thought it would,'' Mularkey said. ``J.P.'s a guy who's taking the steps to being that quarterback we know he can be.'' And the coach bristled when asked about Bills players supporting Holcomb. ``The only thing I worry about is that they're not taking anything away from their job ... and not worried about being in favor of anyone else or how anyone else is playing,'' Mularkey said. Losman did not make himself available to reporters Wednesday. Holcomb shrugged when asked if he deserved a shot to be the team's full-time starter. ``It's not my decision,'' Holcomb said. ``You're competitive. You want to play. But you also have to know the situation and I do.'' He added he's not looking beyond this weekend's game. ``I'm not even going to talk about training camp, man,'' Holcomb said. ``Hopefully, we'll go in this week and prepare and play well against these guys and finish the season strong.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomcat Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Wow....I just copied the same article and was about to post the exact same thing.... You win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Unless the inmates are running the ayslum(which is a possibility considering the way this season has played out), who cares if the players back Holcomb. Holcomb has about as much upside as the QB who the Bills brought to training camp year after year and who DB was so upset about when they finally cut him. His name escapes me for good reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Yes, by all means. I mean he had 1 300 yard game against a pathetic defence, that should warrant a starting job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 I have no problem with an open competition. Maybe it will urge JP to work that much harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 I have no problem with an open competition. Maybe it will urge JP to work that much harder. 544444[/snapback] would carson palmer have beat out jon kitna in open competition last year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frez Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 I think its obvious now that the Bills players have no faith in JP and never have. IMHO, this team did not quit on Mike Mularkey they quit on JP Losman. Time to bring in yet ANOTHER QB for next years camp. Maybe it's JP's personality they don't mesh with? He looks like he has the tools to be a decent NFL QB to me someday. The plot thickens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frez Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 would carson palmer have beat out jon kitna in open competition last year? 544445[/snapback] Yes.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyBall4Buffalo Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Not suprised. Holcomb has played well and the players aren't stupid. They want to win and Holcomb gives them the best chance to do that. The players opinions should matter a lot. They're the ones who have to play with the guy. I'm not saying they should have final say, but their opinions should count. Anyway Losman is nowhere near as good as Holcomb. Holcomb has a much better sense of field awarness. More accurate, and better at getting every wr involved. and Holcomb should be allowed to compete for the job next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frez Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Not suprised. Holcomb has played well and the players aren't stupid. They want to win and Holcomb gives them the best chance to do that. The players opinions should matter a lot. They're the ones who have to play with the guy. I'm not saying they should have final say, but their opinions should count. Anyway Losman is nowhere near as good as Holcomb and Holcomb should be allowed to compete for the job next year. 544449[/snapback] Who should start this Sunday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Yes.. 544447[/snapback] jon kitna at the end of 2003-2004 looked reborn, some speculated marvin lewis would bench carson palmer another year and keep kitna. instead lewis put palmer out there, let him play with no pressure, and voila, you have a full fledged NFL starter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramius Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 ok, so have a open competition next year in training camp. unless JP cant walk, theres no good reason not to start him against the Jets. Its a short sighted move by OBD just to try and cover their asses with one good win. They talk about building for the future, but are more than happy to sacrifice the future for 1 meaningless win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyBall4Buffalo Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Who should start this Sunday? 544450[/snapback] This sunday I'd go with Losman. Next year I'd have an open competition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike32282 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 jon kitna at the end of 2003-2004 looked reborn, some speculated marvin lewis would bench carson palmer another year and keep kitna. instead lewis put palmer out there, let him play with no pressure, and voila, you have a full fledged NFL starter 544452[/snapback] That's because Marvin Lewis is a good coach. We got a moron running the show here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyBall4Buffalo Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 That's because Marvin Lewis is a good coach. We got a moron running the show here. 544455[/snapback] Thats because Carson Palmer has the prototypical tools of a franchise type qb. He struggled a little early then as the season progressed untila cheap shot by richard seymour against ne he was begining to light teams up. Palmer was nfl ready from the start. JP Losman will probably need 3-4 years like a drew brees or it looks like a Kyle Boller or many years and the right system like Jake Plummer. It won't happen overnight thats why I think we're better off building a line and a defense to compliment Holcomb then waiting another 4 seasons for it to begin to click for Losman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Ray Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 This pretty much reflects a post that Back In Da Day started a couple of days ago and he hit it right on the head. The problem here is that the organization (MM and TD) did not create an environment where Losman would be the unequivocable starter, unlike M. Lewis has done as some have pointed out. Instead we have a situation where he's given the job without a fight before the season, gets pulled after game 4, gets it back (by way of injury), loses it again (by way of 'injury'???), and now it seems like he will be competing for the job next year. MM/TD needed to commit one way or another, either stick with him come hell or highwater, or have him compete for it from the start untill he legitimately earns it. Instead, the situation has gotten to where the locker room is picking favorites, RJ/DF redux minus the nastiness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 I think its obvious now that the Bills players have no faith in JP and never have. IMHO, this team did not quit on Mike Mularkey they quit on JP Losman. Time to bring in yet ANOTHER QB for next years camp. Maybe it's JP's personality they don't mesh with? He looks like he has the tools to be a decent NFL QB to me someday. The plot thickens. 544446[/snapback] Well, if the Bills want to stick w/JP, then maybe some of those players need to go if they don't go along with the agenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedinblue Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Bills players beginning to back Holcomb ``I think he deserves to get his fair shot at it,'' tight end Mark Campbell said. ``I think he's played enough to get a chance,'' added receiver Eric Moulds. Even Bills defenders are beginning to back Holcomb, a 10-year veteran in his first season with Buffalo. 544423[/snapback] Lets see, two guys who want their share of catches (translate incentives) and defensive players who know nada about offense, let alone QB play. As someone already pointed out, you simply cannot have the inmates running the asylum. Player are paid to play, not judge ability or performance. In today's highly specialized game they must concentrate on their own position, there is no time for judging others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estro Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Heres some scenarios to think about. Holcomb starts this sunday, plays a terrible game, we lose to the floundering jets. JP loses out on "development" time and Mike Mularkey looks like an arse. Holcomb looks good 2 games in a row, looks like we may have a possible starter for next year. JP comes out plays like sheet again, and looks like we may have a possible bust on our hands. JP comes out looks good, provides hope for the franchises future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarthur31 Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 Yes, by all means. I mean he had 1 300 yard game against a pathetic defence, that should warrant a starting job. 544441[/snapback] I wouldn't call Cincy's D pathetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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