Bledsoe to the bench?

[Swampnuts]

I was reading on Sportsline that Ralph Wilson wants J.P. Losman under center next year.

 

This is suprising to me because the Bills played so well down the stretch with Bledsoe. McGahee was the focal point and didn't force Drew to win games.

 

Why go with the rookie now when the team looks strong going into 05?

[A Little Bit Special]

$$$

[REZ]

They need to find out soon if Losman is going to be able to be the guy.

With a good running game, it'll take pressure off the qb.

Might as well be next year.

[Bill Swerski]

Given that they're competitive (9-7, 7th overall in offense, and 8th overall in defense this season), they need to stay with Bledsoe for at least another year. That said, I do think that he's past his prime and that Losman should get a shot at the starting gig in '06.

[Jrick35]

Given that they're competitive (9-7, 7th overall in offense, and 8th overall in defense this season), they need to stay with Bledsoe for at least another year.  That said, I do think that he's past his prime and that Losman should get a shot at the starting gig in '06.

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If they think Losman is the future then they should play him sooner rather than later.

 

If they go with Losman now then they will be further ahead in 2006 than they would be if they sit Losman for another year.

 

And this way Losman, McGahee & Evans can mature together.

[Bill Swerski]

If they think Losman is the future then they should play him sooner rather than later.

 

If they go with Losman now then they will be further ahead in 2006 than they would be if they sit Losman for another year.

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And if they go with Losman now, he may cause them to miss out on the playoffs. The Bills are very good defensively and Bledsoe has already established a good chemistry with both Moulds and Evans. If they're in contention (as they most likely will be), why mess with that?

 

That said, if they start out 1-4, starting Losman would be a viable option.

[A Little Bit Special]

This whole debate sounds familiar.

[kraftykraft]

I think Drew played well enough that he deserves to go into camp as the starter, and make Losman take it from him.

 

Also, Drew Bledsoe isn't exactly an old QB.

[CaptainHook]

Given that they're competitive (9-7, 7th overall in offense, and 8th overall in defense this season), they need to stay with Bledsoe for at least another year.  That said, I do think that he's past his prime and that Losman should get a shot at the starting gig in '06.

 

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But given all that, they missed the play-offs. They probably feel they have topped out with Bledsoe. They are probably right.

[Bill Swerski]

But given all that, they missed the play-offs.

 

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Well, they're also in the same division as the Pats and Jets and played in an unusually strong AFC this year. IMO, any team that has a defense and a running game like theirs is a contender.

 

And I'll take a "topped-out" Bledsoe any day over an unproven player if I'm making a run at the playoffs. Then again, if they start the season at 1-4, I agree that Losman should get some playing time.

Edited January 27, 2005 by Bill Swerski

[phenom]

Bledsoe is garbage and is holding the Bills back. Why do you think Belichik chose Brady over Bledsoe. When is Bledsoe going to throw like a real NFL QB. For a non mobile QB he should make up for that with accuracy. Less than 60% accuracy for 2 years straight. 28 INT's to 31 TD's in the last 2 years. Hasn't been over 3,000 yards in the last 2 years.

 

Garbage............

[gilthorp]

I wouldn't flat out call him garbage, because he did have some pretty good games once McGahee and Evans came around.

 

However, Mularkey is a young coach (third youngest in the league I think) and I'll bet Bledsoe must have graded out horribly in a lot of their early losses. Give him an off season to work with Losman, and I believe he's worth the risk--he can't be much worse than Bledsoe was in the first half of the season.

[Bill Swerski]

Bledsoe is garbage and is holding the Bills back.  Why do you think Belichik chose Brady over Bledsoe.

 

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Because guys like Brady aren't available in the NFL draft every year. And it's not like Brady did much in the '01 playoffs (1 TD pass in three playoff games). NE was lucky to have a great defense and squeezed a career year out of Antowain Smith.

 

It may be premature to say this, but I doubt that Losman will become the next Brady. And even if he is that good, he's not going to be better than Bledsoe next season. I agree that Bledsoe is nearly done, but playing Losman over him while they're in contention is just plain stupid.

[gilthorp]

Bill, it's all about catching fire in the bottle...

 

1. I think Losman can be no worse than Bledsoe was earlier in the season.

 

2. They have a great defense and look at the formula the Steelers used with Big Ben this year.

 

IF...IF they can get Bledsoe to accept a reserve role and teach Losman, he could be a very capable, winning QB next year. I'm not saying in Fantasy terms, but in winning games. He's got a ton of confidence.

[Menudo]

I think it all depends on where they think they are in reality. If they feel they can be a true contender to win the AFC next year, stick with Bledsoe. If they still feel that they are not quite ready to compete for the AFC title, go with Losman. If Losman would workout for them, you would have a great young nucleus with Losman, Mgahee, and Evans. I tend to agree with Swerski that I would probably give Bledsoe the keys to start with, but use a VERY short leash before moving to Losman. Once the move to Losman is made, make it a permanent one regardless of what happens. Don't bounce back and fourth between QB's. Just my $.02

[WaterMan]

I think it all depends on where they think they are in reality.  If they feel they can be a true contender to win the AFC next year, stick with Bledsoe.  If they still feel that they are not quite ready to compete for the AFC title, go with Losman.  If Losman would workout for them, you would have a great young nucleus with Losman, Mgahee, and Evans.  I tend to agree with Swerski that I would probably give Bledsoe the keys to start with, but use a VERY short leash before moving to Losman.  Once the move to Losman is made, make it a permanent one regardless of what happens.  Don't bounce back and fourth between QB's.  Just my $.02

 

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It may work out for them like it did in San Diego.

[Bill Swerski]

Bill, it's all about catching fire in the bottle...

 

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And that's their mistake. Every owner/GM thinks that they guy that they drafted recently is going to be the next Brady and win the SB for them in their first year with significant playing time. That's what the Bengals did with Carson Palmer. He was pretty much worthless until mid-November.

 

Let's look at some current stud NFL QBs and some projected "studs-to-be" and see what they did in their first seasons with significant playing time...

 

Manning: 28 INTs

McNabb: 8 TDs, 7 INTs in 12 games

Brooks: 9 TDs, 6 INTs in 8 games

Hasselbeck: 7 TDs, 8 INTs in 13 games (3rd year in the league)

Palmer: 18 TDs, 18 INTs (14 games)

E. Manning: 6 TDs, 9 INTs (9 games)

Roethlisberger: Good regular season, but 3 TDs and 5 INTs in two playoff games.

 

Most of those guys threw more picks than TDs because they're not developed. That's not the kind of guy you want out there when you're in the playoffs.

 

1. I think Losman can be no worse than Bledsoe was earlier in the season.

 

Bledsoe also had a double-covered Moulds and a rookie WR to throw to. It wasn't until Evans learned the system and was open consistently that their passing game took off. I'm willing to bet that his overall numbers (2,900 yds, 20 TDs, 16 INTs) are better than what Losman would achieve.

 

2. They have a great defense and look at the formula the Steelers used with Big Ben this year.

 

Yeah, and look at how Ben bit it in the playoffs. They were lucky to win one game!

 

I agree that Bledsoe is nearly done, but trying to ride an inexperienced QB through the playoffs will result in disaster more often than not.

[gilthorp]

Well, then you must think that Bledsoe is a QB that the Bills can win a championship with next year. If you think he can guide them to a title, then you go with him.

 

I don't think he has what it takes anymore. His lack of mobility makes him a sitting duck and allows the defense to not worry about the QB changing a drive with his legs.

 

Buffalo, IMO has nothing to lose.

 

All I'm saying is the formula to catch lightning in a bottle is there. One of the best defenses and special teams in the league, and an offense that is on the rise. Again, with a young coach, I say he'll go with youth next year and take his chances.

[Bill Swerski]

Well, then you must think that Bledsoe is a QB that the Bills can win a championship with next year. If you think he can guide them to a title, then you go with him.

 

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Well, Bledsoe has already taken a team (two, technically) to a SB. On the other hand, Losman has done nothing. I'll go with the guy that's done it before.

 

Buffalo, IMO has nothing to lose.

 

I think that they have everything to lose. They already have a very stout defense and a great running game which, IMO, makes them contenders. I'd much rather go out there with an aging has-been who's done it before than an unproven guy who may be the next Tom Brady or may be the next Ryan Leaf.

 

All I'm saying is the formula to catch lightning in a bottle is there. One of the best defenses and special teams in the league, and an offense that is on the rise.

 

That offense is going to stagnate if Losman is thrown in there. Look what happened to Cincy's "rising" offense this year.

 

It's possible that the coaches see something in Losman that we don't. Maybe he IS the next Joe Montana. But, until I see proof of that, I wouldn't give him the task of leading my team through the playoffs. That said, if the Bills start 0-3 or 1-4 or if Bledsoe just flat-out sucks next year, Losman should get the nod.

 

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Edited January 27, 2005 by Bill Swerski

[Jrick35]

Here's how I see it.

 

Most QB's don't put up their best numbers in their first season as a starter. That was pointed out in an earlier post by Swerski. So no matter when the Bills decide to go with Losman his first season will be a learning season. There is only so much a player can learn sitting on the sidelines.

 

So, if the Bills see Losman as the future and they choose to stick with Bledsoe for another year then they will just be delaying Losman's development for that year.

 

Let's use the Carson palmer example;

 

Cincy could have stayed with Kitna as the starter this year instead of going with Palmer. Kitna proved last year that he has game, and they may have even made the playoffs if they had started Jon. But even if Cincy had made the playoffs they were not going to get to the Super Bowl this year with Kitna at QB. And besides Cincy sees Palmer as the future.

 

So instead they went with Palmer and yes, he struggled early. But he then started to play a lot better towards the end of the season and now he will go into next year with a season's worth of starting under his belt. And Cincy will be a better team because of it.

 

So Cincy didn't win the Super Bowl this year, they weren't going to anyway, and now they are a year closer to Palmers arrival as an NFL QB.

 

Same thing in Buffalo. Bledsoe may not be done, but he isn't going to take that team to the Super Bowl.

 

Play Losman, get a year under his belt, let him learn by playing. And then at the end of next season the Bills will be a year closer to his arrival as an NFL QB. If they stick with Bledsoe they are just delaying Losman's development.

 

And say the Bills do stick with Bledsoe and even get to the playoffs with him next year and then decide to go with Losman in 2006. They will still be going into a season with an inexperienced QB with no playoff experience because Losman will have been sitting on the bench all of the 2005 season.

 

Nothing can replace the experience gained by a team playing together. And if the Bills go with Losman this next season then they will be moving in the right direction. They will be developing a chemistry between Losman, McGahee and Evans. And with the defense they have if that chemistry develops early enough next season then they just might catch that Lightning In a Bottle that Gilthorp was talking about.