What am I to think of Fitz?

[THATHURMANATOR]

Haven't been around too much lately so I apologize if this topic has been beat to death but I am confused.

He is a journeyman
He makes mistakes
He makes great pinpoint throws
His arm is weak
He makes throws in tight spots that weak armed QBs couldn't make.
He has a losing record
He throws a nice deep ball
His stats come in garbage time
His good games haven't come against top teams
He did play well against Baltimore and New England

I honestly don't know what to think about this guy. I love watching him but like many I am not sure if he is the answer. Would the Bills be insane to not take a QB in the draft? I have been a huge QB proponent for the last couple years. If we are in position to get Luck I would think we have to do that. If he doesn't come out or isn't on the board I am thinking we go Defense in the first.

I would appreciate honest opinions.

[Forward_Lateral]

At this point, you have to assume the Bills are picking in the top 5. If Luck isn't there, for whatever reason, they can't afford to reach for a guy like Locker or Mallet. They'd either have to trade down for more picks, and think about one of those QBs later in round 1, or take the best available LT or defensive playmaker.

[Prov401]

Personally, I think the dude is fearless with his passes, and exciting. Both we haven't had since probably Flutie. I'm having a blast watching him play. He goes through his progressions, and makes great decisions. He has zip, and good pocket presence. He takes his shots deep, and his teammates love him. The only problem I have is his 3-5 very wild inaccurate throws he makes throughout the game.

Honestly, the dude is young, and IMO mechanics can be tweaked in the offseason. I think Fitz has grown as a player, and Gailey's offense is perfect for him. Obviously we are going to learn a ton more on Fitz after he has played Pitt, NE, and NYJ, so let's hope he does well against the elite teams left. The guy is coach-able, and I believe he will get better year after year. He just needs to be coached on throwing the ball away, or dare I say, check down every once and a while to limit the erratic throws.

That's my opinion.

[trapezeus]

garbage yards? i don't think so. most of the time he's making plays throughout the game. that is the biggest change from the last couple years. losman was always with just over 100+ yards throwing through 3 quarters, and then got his last 100-150 from garbage yards. after the concussion, edwards stats read the same way.

fitz is doing stuff during the game. hence why the games are actually enjoyable. even when you know we are going to lose, you also can trust we aren't going to get blown out.

[The last buffalo fan]

Decent Qb, not afraid to throw, make things happen, young and fun to watch him play.

[Cleve]

My opinion hasn't changed - he's a good backup QB for Buffalo, but not the answer as a long-term starting QB.

Look at the situation in Dallas - Jon Kitna has done a decent job in the last 3 Cowboys' games subbing for Tony Romo, but I seriously doubt Dallas fans are thinking - "No need for Romo to come back - we've got Kitna". LOL

[Buffalo Thriller]

Haven't been around too much lately so I apologize if this topic has been beat to death but I am confused.

He is a journeyman
He makes mistakes
He makes great pinpoint throws
His arm is weak
He makes throws in tight spots that weak armed QBs couldn't make.
He has a losing record
He throws a nice deep ball
His stats come in garbage time
His good games haven't come against top teams
He did play well against Baltimore and New England

I honestly don't know what to think about this guy. I love watching him but like many I am not sure if he is the answer. Would the Bills be insane to not take a QB in the draft? I have been a huge QB proponent for the last couple years. If we are in position to get Luck I would think we have to do that. If he doesn't come out or isn't on the board I am thinking we go Defense in the first.

I would appreciate honest opinions.

How can he throw a nice deep ball and pin-point throws when you say he has a weak arm?

[ServoBillieves]

At this point, you have to assume the Bills are picking in the top 5. If Luck isn't there, for whatever reason, they can't afford to reach for a guy like Locker or Mallet. They'd either have to trade down for more picks, and think about one of those QBs later in round 1, or take the best available LT or defensive playmaker.

I may be wrong on this, but are any OT's worthy of a top 15-20 pick this year? I haven't heard of a stud one this year yet. As of now, I have faith in Fitzy for 1 more season as a band-aid while the cancers (other holes on this team) are fixed.

Back to the point, in my opinion Fitzpatrick is a guy who has done well and is trying to prove naysayers wrong. If anyone watched his Mic'ed Up against the Lions, he dislikes Linehan and that may be the biggest chip on his shoulder.

He has the locker room to my understanding, he spreads the ball around, and he gets the job done (for the most part).

Now, the biggest question remains: Is he a benefit of Gailey? Or can he really get the job done?

Luck or defense in the first.

[jamze132]

No longer will I refer to him as Fitzdouchetrick.

[THATHURMANATOR]

How can he throw a nice deep ball and pin-point throws when you say he has a weak arm?
The points I put down werent necessarily my personal opinion but one I have heard from people.

His arm seems fine to me.

[THATHURMANATOR]

No longer will I refer to him as Fitzdouchetrick.
That is actually a HUGE endorsment for Fitz!!!

[The last buffalo fan]

The points I put down werent necessarily my personal opinion but one I have heard from people.

His arm seems fine to me.

What did you see live?

[THATHURMANATOR]

I may be wrong on this, but are any OT's worthy of a top 15-20 pick this year? I haven't heard of a stud one this year yet. As of now, I have faith in Fitzy for 1 more season as a band-aid while the cancers (other holes on this team) are fixed.

Back to the point, in my opinion Fitzpatrick is a guy who has done well and is trying to prove naysayers wrong. If anyone watched his Mic'ed Up against the Lions, he dislikes Linehan and that may be the biggest chip on his shoulder.

He has the locker room to my understanding, he spreads the ball around, and he gets the job done (for the most part).

Now, the biggest question remains: Is he a benefit of Gailey? Or can he really get the job done?

Luck or defense in the first.
pretty much

[THATHURMANATOR]

What did you see live?
I have seen him play very well live.

[The last buffalo fan]

I have seen him play very well live.

Could you please be more specific?

[THATHURMANATOR]

Could you please be more specific?
no

[tampabay25690]

At this point, you have to assume the Bills are picking in the top 5. If Luck isn't there, for whatever reason, they can't afford to reach for a guy like Locker or Mallet. They'd either have to trade down for more picks, and think about one of those QBs later in round 1, or take the best available LT or defensive playmaker.

OK
Why a LT in the 1st??
Have you seen our defense....
I do agree though a defensive playmaker would be a great 1st step.

[better days]

My opinion hasn't changed - he's a good backup QB for Buffalo, but not the answer as a long-term starting QB.

Look at the situation in Dallas - Jon Kitna has done a decent job in the last 3 Cowboys' games subbing for Tony Romo, but I seriously doubt Dallas fans are thinking - "No need for Romo to come back - we've got Kitna". LOL

I think Romo is the most overrated QB in the NFL, maybe because he plays for the Cowboys. What has Romo done in his career yet?

[mayotm]

OK
Why a LT in the 1st??
Have you seen our defense....
I do agree though a defensive playmaker would be a great 1st step.I totally agree about not needing an LT early, or at all for that matter. Bell gets better every game and it's looking more and more like he is a long term solution.

[T-Long]

If they don't have the opportunity for Luck, there are some very very good defensive players that will be available in the TOP 10 of the draft. They either go defense or AJ Green if he is available depending on where we pick

[better days]

If they don't have the opportunity for Luck, there are some very very good defensive players that will be available in the TOP 10 of the draft. They either go defense or AJ Green if he is available depending on where we pick

If Green is available, I would hope the Bills could trade down a little to a team that needs him, the Bills don't.

[NOT THE DUDE...]

in this day and age where having a good qb means winning and having a bad qb means losing, fitz is above average who takes risky throws. what more can you ask for in reality??

[trapezeus]

i'd love to be able to get a day 1 starter on defense in the first round. when is the last time we had a first round pick start immediately. Lynch?

that's kind of say that we'd let 3 years go before we had a servicable day 1 starter. especially since we've been so bad for so long.

if we were back in the 90's and we had a core of studs, than it'd be forgivable.

taking a reach on a QB who will sit the bench anyways will be very very annoying.

[Ground Chuck]

Let me put it this way.... If there is a super stud QB sitting there we cannot pass him up. But as we win more games and slide down the draft order, a stud LB would come in handy too.

[PromoTheRobot]

My opinion hasn't changed - he's a good backup QB for Buffalo, but not the answer as a long-term starting QB.

Look at the situation in Dallas - Jon Kitna has done a decent job in the last 3 Cowboys' games subbing for Tony Romo, but I seriously doubt Dallas fans are thinking - "No need for Romo to come back - we've got Kitna". LOL

He's a backup...who would start for half the teams in the NFL. No unreasonable expectations here.

PTR

[BillsFever21]

Fitzy is a decent QB who is capable of running this team for at least another year or two. I'm not ready to dump him and draft a QB in the 1st round with all of our other needs. The Top 5 QB is no guarantee that he would even pan out let alone play as well as Fitzy has.

I'm not convinced he's a franchise long term future QB yet though. If they draft a QB with our Top 5 pick they better be damn sure he will be the real deal. We have too many other holes.

I'd like to maybe draft one in the 2nd/move up late first out of the ones that slip if he's worthy of the pick. There is one every year that does it seems like.

If we had drafted a QB last year or if Edwards had been the QB and they were playing the same then everyone would be considering them our franchise QB right now. FItzy is the same age as Edwards.

This team has too many other holes right now. We need a playmaker or two on defense and shore up the OT spot first. If our defense had been even the same as last year we would be a 5-5 team at the very least with the way the offense has played.

The guy has 18 TD's in a half of season. I don't see a rookie coming in and doing that next year. Draft one in the 2nd if there's one worthy and groom them for a year or two. If Fitzy isn't the answer then they can be groomed and ready to start. If Fitzy is still playing decent in this offense then we have tradable material.

With the number of holes on this team a Top 5 QB would not make a difference. I'm not ready to give one 40 million of guaranteed money right now. Look at how Stanton and many others have worked out for Detroit. As a whole most of them don't work out except for exceptions like the 2004 draft with Manning, Rivers and Big Ben, and a couple other higher drafted ones are still to be determined.

Sanchez is leading the Jets to wins because the pieces were already in place. Try and shore up the defense and OL and then worry about inserting a young QB after that to build together with the young team. If you draft one Top 5 and give them that kind of money they are not sitting on the bench.

Do you trust our FO with even making that decision right now? I don't. We would have our playmakers on defense had they not drafted busts like Maybin and wasted other picks on guys like Lynch over the past few years.

[Demon]

Not sure what you are to think of Fitz, but here's a "scouts" view on Fitzpatrick, via the National Football Post by Dan Pompei -


Scout Talk: One team’s trash

When Ryan Fitzpatrick returns to Cincinnati Sunday as the starting quarterback of the Bills, he will do so with a higher passer rating than Carson Palmer, the player he backed up when he was a Bengal.

Fitzpatrick is a fifth year veteran on his third team, and he is playing the best football of his life by a considerable margin. The Bengals thought Fitzpatrick was no more than a second stringer. The Rams gave him away for a seventh round draft pick. But he’s starting to look like he has a future as a starter in Buffalo.

I asked three pro scouts what they thought about Fitzpatrick’s sudden success and his future in the league. This is a consensus of what they said.

Chan Gailey’s system and coaching is bringing out the best in the quarterback. He’s a good fit for the system because he’s so smart and such a quick decision maker. He also has the courage to throw the ball into coverage, which you sometimes have to do in that offense.

What helps Fitzpatrick is his competitiveness, combined with mental and physical toughness. Plus, he has the mobility to not only escape pressure, but also to make defenses respect the possibility of him scrambling. Part of his success this year is merely the result of getting an opportunity. He did start 12 games for the Bengals in 2008, but he was just getting his feet wet then. Now he is playing more like a veteran.

One scout said he still isn’t sure Fitzpatrick could be a guy you win with over time. He said he might just be a player you can succeed with on a short term basis. Fitzpatrick does not have great arm strength, but he sometimes makes throws like he thinks he has great arm strength. His accuracy also is erratic. His passes sometimes sail.

But Fitzpatrick appears to have enough skill, combined with more than enough moxie, to win as long as he has a decent supporting cast around him. He really doesn’t have that right now.

Link- http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/NFP-Sunday-Blitz-7632.html

[jamze132]

That is actually a HUGE endorsment for Fitz!!!
Yeah, I have been impressed!

[Dujek]

I said this in the pros and cons thread earlier:

When Fitz is on he's unplayable, when he's off he's unwatchable.

This year he has been on a lot more than he's been off, and if he keeps it up for the rest of the season then he has to be given the job going into 2011.

That's not to say the Bills shouldn't draft a QB, but they should be looking at QB in conjunction with other positions of need and simply draft the bpa at those positions, not reach for a QB if there is a better LB available for instance.

[Extremebillsfan247]

You could think of Fitz as a liaison that gets you from point a to point b _ Insert your drafted QB here_ . Fitz can give you that veteran to get you through year one so to speak. It will allow them to continue to build around that drafted potential franchise QB with out losing a lot of ball games in the process.