Gregg Williams -Lame Duck Coach 2003, Drew Bledsoe Lame Duck QB 2004?!

[baalworship]

AP reports: 'The Titans signed Volek to a five-year deal Thursday after he visited twice with the Falcons and even looked at houses in Atlanta, where he received an offer. Buffalo also made an offer to let him compete with Drew Bledsoe immediately. ''But my heart was here,'' Volek said at a news conference with his wife and three small children. ''It was really hard to walk away from this place. This place has been awesome to me.'''




I don't know about you guys but even Bledsoe bashers can't be happy that Bledsoe will feel like a lame duck QB. We already suffered from poor QB play last year. I don't know how Bledsoe being aware that Billy "Family Man" Volek was going to get a chance to compete for his job if he had signed with us will help Drew's confidence in 2004. Gregg Williams lame duck year sucked. The lesson we should have learned is, if in doubt, CUT THE CORD!!!!!!

[The Spaz]

What's wrong with competing?

[saviorbledsoe]

I dont think that competition would make him play worse...I believe it could and WILL help him play better this year.

[The Spaz]

Originally posted by saviorbledsoe
I dont think that competition would make him play worse...I believe it could and WILL help him play better this year.

That what I'm sayign I think Drew would work his ass off and if he couldn't beat out Volek then I'm still happy because Volek earned it.

[baalworship]

My point is that it is obvious that Bledsoe is not the future. This just seems very similar to Gregg Williams being a lame duck coach last year. We better get a good backup (Not Kordell) because if the wheels fall off again it won't be pretty.

[saviorbledsoe]

Why is that obvious that Bledsoe is not the future..no one including TD can see or know what Drew will do this year.........I think of him bringing in a vet back up as an "in case" Drew sucks again this year.

[helmetguy]

Gregg Williams was a "lame duck" because he put himself in that position. He was approached about a contract extension before the season started and he declined. Why? Who knows? Speculation was that he felt that he could improve on the 8-8 record of 2002 and could leverage that improvement into a better deal.

As for Bledsoe being a "lame duck" QB is pretty absurd. That assumes that it was up to Bledsoe, and not the coaching staff, whether he played last year or not. As of this moment, he's still the starter. AVP is gone and Travis Brown has not supplanted him. If anyone knows he has to step up and play better, it's Bledsoe. Whomever comes in as the backup, Bledsoe knows he could play his way out of the starting job, or the new guy could play his way into it. If Bledso even harbored the notion of being a "lame duck," he'd retire.

[baalworship]

The evidence seemed weighted towards Bledsoe playing here this year and having someone take over in 2005. But offering Billy Volek a chance to compete for the starting job is pretty strong writing on the wall stuff. Nothing is certain but the Bills FO appears to have spoken more through contact with Volek's agent about their opinion of Bledsoe's future more than press releases on buffalobills.com.

The thread is about concern about Bledsoe playing EVEN WORSE than last year because of his apparent lame duck status. Usually someone takes one side or another but no one seems to get what I am saying.

[Billzz]

Just wondering what's wrong with having a back up plan? I sense, ok that's understating, I know everyone is being a tad bit witch huntish lately.

[saviorbledsoe]

Originally posted by helmetguy
If Bledso even harbored the notion of being a "lame duck," he'd retire.

Exactly, in the workout videos today he was smiling and looked all confident again like the begining of 2002.....I really do think he is going to be great this year.

[Mr. Cynical]

I agree. Drew is a lame duck QB.

Quack.

[Mr. Cynical]

Originally posted by baalworship
My point is that it is obvious that Bledsoe is not the future.

[helmetguy]

You mean, he knows the writing is on the wall about not being the future of the franchise; knows there is someone waiting in the wings, but knows he still has the starting job for now, so he can just go through the motions? Or, are you saying that he'll be so preoccupied with his tenuous hold on the job that it'll affect him that adversely? Getting back to the Gregg Williams analogy. Even if his status was "lame duck," it'd be hard to believe he approached the rest of the season as just going through the motions. I was none too fond of Williams, but it'd be foolish to assume he just coasted along, waiting for the axe to fall.

[baalworship]

I will certainly hope for the best.






I can live with Bledsoe starting much easier if we get a competent backup that can take control if Bledsoe falters again.

[helmetguy]

Wouldn't that be a good reason to be shopping for a decent, experienced back-up? If Bledsoe falters or gets hurt, well, we've been through stuff like that before, as I mentioned in another thread.