Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

[The_Philster]

Forked from: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

It's nice to see that Mularkey hasn't given up on this season when it's less than a third over.

I'm curious...I won't argue that Holcomb isn't the better QB to get us a few more wins but when is it all right to bench him to try to develop JP? I mean, this QB switch is meant to get us a chance at the playoffs, right? Do we wait until we're mathematically eliminated from contention to make the switch...and give JP 2-3 games? Does anyone really think that's enough time to develop him? And let's say we do the same thing next year...start Holcomb to try to make the playoffs again and we have to wait til there's just a few games left to start JP? How many years do we continue with this charade of trying to make the playoffs with the backup only to come up short in both our attempts to make the playoffs, but to develop our QB of the future?

[YardRat]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

My opinion is we keep Holcomb in until after week eight when the bye week hits. Analyze how the team, and Holcomb, played in weeks 4-8, take into consideration the division standings and determine the expectations for the rest of the year.

If we still have a reasonable shot at the play-offs and Holcomb continues to perform at a level higher than JP's capable of, keep him in until we're mathematically eliminated.

If we lose the next three games as pathetically as we did the three following the home opener, concede the season and put JP back in for 'development'.

[jamze132]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

What we are in right now is a "lose/lose" situation. The majority of us agree that Holcombe isn't going to get us into the playoffs, so by playing him and sitting Losman, it is just a tease. Losman will be underdeveloped at season's end since he will sit on the bench while we miss the playoffs anyways. I understand the FO point of view in playing Holcombe. They do owe it to the veterans to give it a shot. But as a Bills fan for over 20 years, I would much rather see JP play every game this season and hope for improvement. But who knows, it could be a blessing in disguise. Maybe the light clicked in Holcombes head like it did in Drew Brees' head last year. Maybe Losman will be a bust like so many other "highly touted" QB's from college. No one knows yet how this current QB situation will pan out 5-6 years from now. What we do know is that we haven't had excitement since Jim Kelly left.

[Nighthawk]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

At this point, I just want to win. I'm tired of grooming QB's of the future...we haven't made the playoffs in years! That said, if we play awful in the next few weeks, and our playoff hopes are diminished, I think we should put the kid back in there.

[Dozerdog]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

Rich Gannon was "only a backup" journeyman for his first 8-10 years and he went to the playoffs a couple of times.

Why can't Holcombe?

Travis Henry stunk out the joint as a starter last year and was replaced- and the team began winning- why cant we do it again this year??

As long as the team wins- keep Holcombe in there. if they are losing no matter who is in - put in JP.

Seems simple to me.

[justasportsfan]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

But as a Bills fan for over 20 years,.

that's exactly it, as fans we can afford to wait and say let's develop our qb. From a players POV, they have something to play for. While we all think their chances are slim, they do not think so.

[John Doe]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

What we are in right now is a "lose/lose" situation. The majority of us agree that Holcombe isn't going to get us into the playoffs, so by playing him and sitting Losman, it is just a tease.

Just because a consensus of fans believes this to be true does not make it inevitable or even probable.

[Kerr]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

I bet all the flutie flakes of the past would agree you stick with the qb who's helping the team win. In the nfl, players come and go. In all likelyhood, holcomb won't finish his career a buffalo bill if he is offered the opporunity to start somewhere else where he can be the main focus kind of like Rich Gannon was for the Raiders all those years. This is all depends of course on how well holcomb plays for us. The Buffalo Bills can always find other backups in the coming years. Losman will get his shot. The club is committed to him long term.

[LifetimeBillsFan]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

I think that the coaches will let Holcomb play at least the next three games, which are against the Jets at home and the Pats and Raiders on the road.

This week's game, however, is the key to where the season will go and what will likely happen after that:

If the Bills can't beat the Jets at home, they have no chance to make the playoffs: they will be 2-4 with two tough road games before the bye week and would have to get to 9-7 to have a shot at a playoff berth--not likely. While you probably wouldn't want to start JP on the road in Oakland or against the Pats, if the Bills can't beat the Jets at home, the odds are they would lose at least one of those games also, even with Holcomb at QB and there would be no reason not to start him the rest of the season. They could use the bye week to get JP more prepared and let him start the rest of the season.

A win this week keeps them in the hunt with a shot at possibly going 3-0 in the division if they can steal a win against a hurting Pats club--even if they lose on the road to the Raiders (and, with the Raiders still having problems with their defense, the Bills might even have a shot at a win there if they can beat the Jets). At that point, you let Holcomb go as far as he can take the club and let JP mop up for him. The magic number in that case would be seven--as in seven losses: if the Bills lose seven games, they might as well let JP start the remaining games of the season at that point. If they don't lose seven games, they will probably make the playoffs--as unlikely as that may sound--and, if Holcomb can take them that far, they might as well see what he can do in the playoffs.

It was E.Moulds and the other veterans who forced Mularkey to make the change to Holcomb--whether he wanted to make it or not--at this point. Their justification for going public to make Mularkey make the switch was that they believe that they can win and make the playoffs this year. As indicated in the interview, Mularkey really had no choice but to make the change or risk losing control over his team. He had to make the change at that point. But, now, it is up to them to prove that they can by winning. If they can't win enough to put the team in a position to make a run at a playoff berth--which they need to beat the Jets this weekend to do--Mularkey can go back to JP at anytime he wants thereafter and tell Moulds and anyone else who objects to sit down and shut up. And, at that point, they won't be in a position to say anything about it because they didn't deliver and get the job done when they had the chance to do so.

What Mularkey has done is put the onus on the veteran players to justify forcing his hand with JP and Holcomb by proving that they are good enough to make the playoffs with Holcomb at QB. If they do it, everyone looks good and the pressure is off JP to be ready to play before he is ready to do the job because Holcomb will have showed that he is good enough to start until JP is ready (JP could develop behind him like Pennington did behind Testaverde). If they don't Mularkey can blame the players for not being good enough and solidify his future by reasserting control over the lockerroom and playing JP to get him ready for next season--which might cost TD his job, but would make Mularkey look good in the owner's eyes. JP would then be ready to go from the beginning of next year like E.Manning with the NY Giants.

[Meathead]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

My opinion is we keep Holcomb in until after week eight when the bye week hits. Analyze how the team, and Holcomb, played in weeks 4-8, take into consideration the division standings and determine the expectations for the rest of the year.

If we still have a reasonable shot at the play-offs and Holcomb continues to perform at a level higher than JP's capable of, keep him in until we're mathematically eliminated.

If we lose the next three games as pathetically as we did the three following the home opener, concede the season and put JP back in for 'development'.

And that brings our final score to:

Reasons to play JP: 1

Reasons to play Holcomb: 12

Well we sure are sorry for those that chose "Play JP No Matter What" because you've ended up a Loser.

But we have some nice consolation prizes for the Losers - tell them what they’ve won, Dink!

Thanks Wink! For our Losers today we have:

- An autographed icepack signed by Rob Johnson!
- A set of Doug Flutie shoe lifts!
- A pair of used Bruno Magli shoes signed by fbh!

Tune in next time when we decide to play Mark Brunnel or Patrick Ramsey!

[YardRat]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done



Damn-that's funny, Meat

[colin]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

jp isn't ready to play.

he isn't developing, so he shouldn't be playing, not yet anyhow.

fans say "we don't know what we have" but that is bullsh1t. he was scouted, analysed, trained and coddled all offseason. he was given the best possible chance the team's management could think of to win, and has been just terrible.

we DO know that jp can't play now.

the next losers argument is that we have to play JP now, because he can only learn from playing, and this argument implies that playing at all gives the same kind of developement.

the thing is, you need the QB to have some kind of ability to play in the NFL, and then be mentally ready to play. JP isn't ready and has shown no ability.

he needs a step back.

pennington and joe montana took 3 years to play, JP wasn't even in the top 5 of the draft class for QBs the year we took him (on many boards), so why expect him to grow quickly like eli or carson palmer?

most 1st round QBs are busts, and many QBs take a longer time to develope than 1 or 2 years. we should never have handed JP the starting job, and he is just a player like everyone else. he has to earn his job back.

[chernobylwraiths]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

that's exactly it, as fans we can afford to wait and say let's develop our qb. From a players POV, they have something to play for. While we all think their chances are slim, they do not think so.

Then maybe they should play better. The defense hasn't played well except for the opener.

[kevinj22]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

Everyone who has complained about JP and got their wish of Holcomb starting, had better realize that next season JP will be the starter regardless of what we do this year. They didn't draft him to be a back-up. So while those of you who didn't want to wait for him to develop this year be prepared for a possible "2" more years of no play-offs while we wait even longer.

[TigerJ]

Re: Forked Thread: Hear it from Mularkey's mouth - JP wasn't getting it done

I think the Bills should play Losman late in any game where the Bills don't have a reasonable shot at winning, or have comfortable lead. They should leave starters in and play as if the score is close. If the Billslose another 4 games, Losman should start the reso tof the way. I don't think 9-7 is going to get the Bills a wild card or division title. They should also play Losman any time Holcomb is not being effective.