Let me tell you the story of a QB....

[Ickybaluky]

This guy was a 28-year-old career backup, a guy who nobody thought very much about. He was backing up a guy who was anointed #1 going into the season, on a team that had success in the distant past, but not a winning record in 6 seasons.

During the year, the #1 QB plays himself out of the job and this career backup steps in mid-season and plays better than anyone expected. He provides stability to the offense and wins 5 of the last 7 games that year, on a team playing out the string for a new head coach after a poor start. His numbers are pretty good:

181-for-288 (62.8%), 2,046 Yds (7.1 Yds/Att), 13 TD, 8 Int, 87.5 QB Rating.

Those numbers put him in the top half of the league for QBs, and his ability to get some wins and play well led the team to install him as the starting QB going into the next season. Instead of addressing the QB position, they decide to make the team around him stronger. You can win with the guy, they thought.

That team was the 2008 SF 49ers. The QB was Shaun Hill.

In restrospect, one has to wonder if the 49ers would have been better off drafting Josh Freeman after that season. They are still looking for a QB.

Just a precautionary tale, not to stir things up but to make you think.

[Beebe's Kid]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

Awesome story...you left out that he was benched by an unstable Singletary in favor of the multimillion dollar "Franchise" guy Alex Smith...

Then he was traded to Detroit, and he got to back up another "Franchise" guy, Stafford, until he took his normal seat on the shelf, and Hill came in and played the same way that gets Stafford praised.

Hill has never looked bad in the NFL...Given a chance to be a regular QB he could possibly thrive...hopefully he gets a job where there isn't a 1st overall pick that can't quite get his **** together, but gets multiple chances.

If there is any lesson to learn here, it may be that you don't draft a QB first overall, because you can get the same results out of Shaun Hill.

[The King]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

Its not my job to make the calls in April. But the big difference in your comparission is Hill was managing games and keeping his team close.

Fitzy is winning football games for this team. And he's making good football teams sweat... Chicago, Pitt and Baltimore.

Also, zero of Hill's 5 wins were against a winning team.

[Forward_Lateral]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

I disagree 100% Fitz > Hill. I watched a lot of 49ers games when Hill was the QB. He was terrible. He was Trent Edwards Sr. He's also made of glass.

Comparing Hill and Fitz is stupid. Just because they are both backups who have had starting opportunities doesn't make them comparable. Trust me, if Hill was the Bills' QB this year, everyone here would be having a stroke.

[better days]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

This guy was a 28-year-old career backup, a guy who nobody thought very much about. He was backing up a guy who was anointed #1 going into the season, on a team that had success in the distant past, but not a winning record in 6 seasons.

During the year, the #1 QB plays himself out of the job and this career backup steps in mid-season and plays better than anyone expected. He provides stability to the offense and wins 5 of the last 7 games that year, on a team playing out the string for a new head coach after a poor start. His numbers are pretty good:

181-for-288 (62.8%), 2,046 Yds (7.1 Yds/Att), 13 TD, 8 Int, 87.5 QB Rating.

Those numbers put him in the top half of the league for QBs, and his ability to get some wins and play well led the team to install him as the starting QB going into the next season. Instead of addressing the QB position, they decide to make the team around him stronger. You can win with the guy, they thought.

That team was the 2008 SF 49ers. The QB was Shaun Hill.

In restrospect, one has to wonder if the 49ers would have been better off drafting Josh Freeman after that season. They are still looking for a QB.

Just a precautionary tale, not to stir things up but to make you think.

Well he has played pretty well for the Lions, maybe the 49ers should have kept him.

[Forward_Lateral]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

PS, ask any 49ers fan what they think of Hill.

[ddaryl]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

I'm OK drafting a QB to groom, but there is no one in FA or the draft that will take Fitz's spot in 2011.

Fitz will be the Bills starter in 2011 without a single doubt no matter what anyone thinks, suggests wishes for or accepts

[Novacane]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

Just a precautionary tale, not to stir things up but to make you think.

[better days]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

PS, ask any 49ers fan what they think of Hill.

I did not watch him with the 49ers, maybe he was a bad fit for that system or maybe he grew as a QB in Detroit, all I know is he is playing pretty well this year.

[Luisito23]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

Exactly...If he didn't mean to stir things up, then this thread should never have existed.

[Ickybaluky]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

Its not my job to make the calls in April. But the big difference in your comparission is Hill was managing games and keeping his team close.

Fitzy is winning football games for this team. And he's making good football teams sweat... Chicago, Pitt and Baltimore.

Also, zero of Hill's 5 wins were against a winning team.

Really? Hill had a better completion percentage and Yds/Att than Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick has thrown TDs at a much higher rate, but Hills Int% was half the rate of Fitzpatrick. Hill played very well in 2008.

As you your last comment, are you going to list all the winning teams Buffalo beat this year?

Both guys were 28. Both played better than they had in the past. It is a very good comparison. Hill isn't a bad QB, but he isn't a guy to make you think your QB issue is resolved, either.

[Ickybaluky]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

Exactly...If he didn't mean to stir things up, then this thread should never have existed.

I posted it because I think it is an apt analogy.

[Luisito23]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

Let me tell you the story of a coach who has yet to win a SB without cheating...You may, or may not know him?

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

We'll see whose tune changes after he beats the F'in Pats.

[Ickybaluky]

Re: Let me tell you the story of a QB....

Awesome story...you left out that he was benched by an unstable Singletary in favor of the multimillion dollar "Franchise" guy Alex Smith...

...

If there is any lesson to learn here, it may be that you don't draft a QB first overall, because you can get the same results out of Shaun Hill.

Smith was benched for Hill before Hill had his career year, and SF made the mistake of thinking Hill solved their problems. When Hill couldn't live up to that, they had to turn back to Smith because they hadn't addressed the issue.

That is the point. If you think a 28-year old career back-up has resolved the long-term QB issue, you made a mistake. SF made the mistake of thinking they didn't need to address QB after that year, and they are still paying for it.

Fitzpatrick has played well this year, but not so well anyone is going to think Buffalo has found the answer at QB long-term. They need to still address the QB position.