What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

[TigerJ]

I'm not intending this as a "bash Fitz thread." There are certainly enough of those out there. I'm just trying to figure out how Gailey views his QB. Gailey and Nix have both given Fitz a verbal vote of confidence. I wonder though. In the offseason, the Bills saw fit to hire as their QB coach, David Lee. There was an opening, to be sure, with the return of the Bills previous QB coach to the CFL. I can't remember his name. Maybe the Bills simply hired the best guy available. But perhaps also, for all the endorsements Gailey has given Fitz, Gailey understands that Fitz has some huge flaws in game around the issue of accuracy, and to a lesser extent missreads. Maybe the hiring of Lee is in part a last ditch effort to rectify those shortcomings. So far, I think most fans would agree that effort has been a miserable failure. So what does Gailey do now? It appears that with Fitz, what you see is going to be what you're going to get, a QB who can't throw past 20 yards and hit a player in stride. That is a huge disadvantage in my book.

Let's discuss this. Is Chan going finally look for a replacement in the offseason, or is he going to stand by his man, and what will be the criteria that swings the decision one way or the other.

[Turf]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

Hopefully even the Bills know they need a QB. If not, there's nothing to discuss besides the managements ineptitude. I think even Ralph knows he needs a QB. If not, Jim will tell him.

[better days]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

I think the Bills can cut Fitz with no problem after the season & if he does not take the Bills to the playoffs they will do so. If the Bills make the playoffs, Fitz probably has another year, but I expect the Bills to still draft a QB.

[BertSquirtgum]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

I don't understand how Chan is still standing by his man. He's proven it time and time again that he can't cut it. I can't get the pass out of my mind, in which the putrid one threw the ball into the grass when Freddie was wide open in OT. It would have kept the drive going and I wanted throw my tv against on the ground. It's absolutely maddening that Fitzpatrick is still allowed to start. I truly believe that Thigpen would be a better option. That's very sad to say because that means Fitzpatrick is worse than I originally thought. I don't know what happened to him but he's getting worse and worse. He needs to be replaced.

[Night Train]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

It's obvious Fitz gives great backrubs to the coaches.

[YardRat]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

Unfortunately for us, Gailey probably believes he already has Fitz's replacement on the roster. Nix and Gailey have gone down the proper path to rebuilding the team, IMO, by concentrating on defense and the oline, but they are now at that point where QB is at the very top, or at least very close, of the list. Get a better QB and a real DC and this team becomes instantly better by miles.

[X-Era]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

I think Gailey and Co. are convinced they can win with Fitz. Personally, I think they are giving him way too much slack. His throws are so inaccurate that you simply can't ignore all the lost yards just from him. But, I think they think he moves the ball and runs their spread as a cerebral QB; a guy who makes the right choice on where to throw. That's great. But, we need someone that can actually get the ball there.

Add in his added inaccuracy throwing down field and our offense is just too limited.

They think he's Dilfer on the SB Ravens. It's been hashed through a zillion times here. Personally, I'm not a fan of that model but concede that it can work. Let's just hope for the Bills that it does.

[Turf]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

I think Dilfer had better accuracy.

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

Im hoping they can see his shortcomings. He is serviceable but thats it. Even if we managed to squeak into the playoffs we wouldnt go anywhere, and thats still a huge if.

[The King]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

I think Yard Rat really touched on the point. Is Fitz a long term answer? No. But what was the point of bringing someone in when the rest of the roster was in shambles. They're building the lines and trying to acquire depth I think a Qb is on the list now, but drafting a QB 3 years ago probably would've destroyed his confidence and basically left us in the same spot 3 years later.

[better days]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

I think Dilfer had better accuracy.

As a Bucs fan, I would agree with that. What Dilfer lacked was the ability to get rid of the ball in a hurry & throw it to the right guy. It took Dilfer forever to learn NFL defenses because he spent all his time playing golf when he wasn't on the practice field. I heard him on the radio in Tampa just after he retired & he said he regretted he did not devote more time to try to improve his game when he played. A shame because if he had, he could have been a GOOD QB instead of the mediocre QB he was.

Fitz on the other hand knows what to do with the ball, he just does not have the ability to put the ball where it needs to be most of the time.

[Patti120]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

He's definitely way too inaccurate to get us there and if he can correct that then maybe he can be our version of Trent Dilfer. He's definitely not the answer but better than anything we have right now. The sad thing is that he is better than any of our prior QB's (JP, TE, etc.). Nowhere near as good as Nall ball though.

[mysticsoto]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

It's too late to do anything this year. No other QB on our roster is better than Fitz (sad to say). But next year, they may have to trade 2014's 1st rounder, so we can move up and get a top qb. There is NOTHING more important. We have all the pieces to be a great team. The defense will mesh and begin to get better - if they don't...fire Wannstadt. We've got talent, so if the defense doesn't deliver for the rest of the season, we know it's coaching.

[OpIv37]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

I don't understand how Chan is still standing by his man. He's proven it time and time again that he can't cut it. I can't get the pass out of my mind, in which the putrid one threw the ball into the grass when Freddie was wide open in OT. It would have kept the drive going and I wanted throw my tv against on the ground. It's absolutely maddening that Fitzpatrick is still allowed to start. I truly believe that Thigpen would be a better option. That's very sad to say because that means Fitzpatrick is worse than I originally thought. I don't know what happened to him but he's getting worse and worse. He needs to be replaced.

Publicly, Gailey has to support Fitz. We can't read anything to what Gailey says to the media, because even if he thinks Fitz is the worst QB since Rob Johnson, there is no way he would say it out loud because it would mean admitting a mistake and destroying the confidence and chemistry of the team.

As far as Thigpen goes, Gailey has extensive experience working with him. If Gailey isn't playing him, it can only mean one of two things:
1. Gailey actually does value Fitz, in which case he's stupid.
2. Gailey has so little confidence in Thigpen that, even though he knows Fitz sucks, he simply doesn't think he has a better option at the moment.

#2, of course, begs the question: If the head coach has no confidence in Thigpen or Tarvaris Jackson, WTF are they doing here and why don't we have a better option available?

[Mr. Miyagi]

Re: What does Chan Gailey really think of Fitzpatrick?

The coaches aren't complete idiots. They didn't make it this far in their careers being total blind bats. They can see as well as anyone else that Fitz is inaccurate as hell, and that his arm is as limp as SabreEleven's you-know-what. But at this point of the season, we have no better option. Hell no to Thigpen. Jackson may have upside but he's just not getting enough snaps at practices to effectively run the offense. So Gailey pretty much HAS to stand behind Fitz right now. Publicly bashing him isn't going to have anyone.

I guarantee they will draft a QB high next April. Either that or Ralph moves the team off to Oklahoma City or wherever.