As Bad As Things Have Been, Just Be Lucky We're Not The Bills.

[DM72]

I've told all the Bills up here that the worst possible scenario happened to the Bills that I'm thankful didn't happen to the Skins. The Bills got hot early and overachieved and even worse, their QB Fitzpatrick played WAYYYYY over his head and now they're stuck with him.

As bad as we are, I'm looking to the future and our future is brighter than teams like the Bills despite getting our hats handed to us by them a few weeks ago.

[tibbidoe]

Seems like they may have jumped the gun with that contract.

But currently (for some reasons you stated) and historically, I'd much rather be a Redskins fan.

[Dirt]

Or the Broncos.

I like how Wilbon gave the Broncos a pass and basically praised them saying 'they're rebuilding, and doing it right', yet he thinks Shanny's going to get fired in a couple months. Idiot. The Broncos are such a mess.

[Destino]

Seems like they may have jumped the gun with that contract.
He's thrown 2 touchdowns and 7 picks in this last 3 games. Yikes.

[WhoRUSupposed2Be]

The Broncos are benefiting from Good defense and usually good running game.

Elway went on record as to say that he doesn't think Tebow can be a franchise quarterback so that eliminates the possibilities.

[tibbidoe]

The Broncos are benefiting from Good defense and usually good running game.

Elway went on record as to say that he doesn't think Tebow can be a franchise quarterback so that eliminates the possibilities.

I was actually proud of him for saying that. Nice to hear a guy tell it like it is (to him) and not give the boring "he shows promise, blah blah blah" lines. It'll either motivate Tebow to prove him wrong, or he can play the "See? I TOLD you so" card when he needs to. Good move either way.

I also agree with him, so that's nice.

[vigilante]

What about the Eagles? They gave Mike Vick an absurd contract after one good season.

[redskin01fan]

After watching Matt Barkley destroy the Oregon defense - This is my first wish for the draft! Dude is good and very good at reading defenses and anticipating routes. Very accurate and smart. Needs to work on arm strength but thats a minor issue.

[tibbidoe]

They can actually drop him with minimal damage done if they choose to, so that's good for them.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/3240/player?r=1

[redskinss]

oh yeah can you even imagine rooting for a team that gives out huge contracts to players that dont pan out.

i agree i feel sorry for them.

[jwpanic]

it reminds me a little of the 6-2 start to the zorn era. imagine if we gave campbell a monster contract just based on his performance after those first 8 games.

[Crazy Levi]

Except for the whole "team may move to Toronto" thing, I'd switch places with the Bills in a HEARTBEAT.

There are very few teams in worse shape than the Skins and the Bills ain't one of them.

[DM72]

Except for the whole "team may move to Toronto" thing, I'd switch places with the Bills in a HEARTBEAT.

There are very few teams in worse shape than the Skins and the Bills ain't one of them.

Next year the Skins will probably have their franchise QB. The Bills will be stuck with Fitzpatrick. And I don't believe the Bills are going anywhere. They're talking about over $100 million in revovations to Ralph Wilson Stadium.

[HailGreen28]

Next year the Skins will probably have their franchise QB. The Bills will be stuck with Fitzpatrick. And I don't believe the Bills are going anywhere. They're talking about over $100 million in revovations to Ralph Wilson Stadium.Maybe they will go to Toronto.

[Laxpunk2006]

They can actually drop him with minimal damage done if they choose to, so that's good for them.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/3240/player?r=1

+1

The Bills can walk away from the Fitzpatrick contract with little to no recourse. Their FO did a great job with that one. They've had a lot of problems after that OL started falling apart (sound familiar?) but they're still a good team. They're just on the early stages of becoming a good team. Their front line is there but they haven't had a chance to build quality depth. They weren't built to withstand injuries, yet. They've been making steady improvements year after year. They're in a much better situation than we are right now.

[DM72]

I disagree. They're not just gonna "walk away from Fitzpatrick" and their secondary is horrible. They overachieved bigtime.

[SKIN4WAHOOZ]

Except for the whole "team may move to Toronto" thing, I'd switch places with the Bills in a HEARTBEAT.

There are very few teams in worse shape than the Skins and the Bills ain't one of them.

Whats that old saying...dont let the door hit you in the arse on your way out.

[Bubble Screen]

After watching Matt Barkley destroy the Oregon defense - This is my first wish for the draft! Dude is good and very good at reading defenses and anticipating routes. Very accurate and smart. Needs to work on arm strength but thats a minor issue.Arm strength isn't really something you can "work on". You either have it or you don't. Same goes for accuracy (usually).

[Laxpunk2006]

I disagree. They're not just gonna "walk away from Fitzpatrick" and their secondary is horrible. They overachieved bigtime.

The point isn't that they are going to "walk away from Fitzpatrick." The point is that they've set themselves up to retain him long term, if they so choose, and move on from him, if they so choose. They aren't "stuck with him" as you put it. Right now they have options, we don't. On offense they have a QB, LT, RB, and WR. We might have a LT. I'd say our defense is better but theirs is still young and opportunistic even without a pass rush. Don't forget their NT has been on IR. They could be dangerous on that side of the ball with a decent pass rusher.

---------- Post added November-22nd-2011 at 09:10 PM ----------


Arm strength isn't really something you can "work on". You either have it or you don't. Same goes for accuracy (usually).

Arm strength can be improved upon. I hate to use him as the example for a plethora of reasons but look at Tom Brady. Weak arm heading into the draft and now he can make all the throws. Some guys just need a better training regimen and sometimes it's a matter of mechanics and using their body correctly. I wouldn't expect a drastic change but it can improve over time.

[DM72]

The point isn't that they are going to "walk away from Fitzpatrick." The point is that they've set themselves up to retain him long term, if they so choose, and move on from him, if they so choose. They aren't "stuck with him" as you put it. Right now they have options, we don't. On offense they have a QB, LT, RB, and WR. We might have a LT. I'd say our defense is better but theirs is still young and opportunistic even without a pass rush. Don't forget their NT has been on IR. They could be dangerous on that side of the ball with a decent pass rusher.

And you think the small market Bills can afford to eat $24 million Guaranteed? They're not parting with Fitz anytime soon.

[redskin01fan]

Arm strength isn't really something you can "work on". You either have it or you don't. Same goes for accuracy (usually).

I disagree. I was a decathlete in college and one of my weak spots was the javelin. I worked on conditioning my throwing motion through band work (giant rubber bands), weights and exercises that develop a faster musle twitch. I went from throwing the Jav between 135-150 feet to 200 feet in one year. You can develop a stronger arm. Barkley has accuracy so thats not a worry.

[SirClintonPortis]

Buffalo is just experiencing 2008 all over again. They started out hot that season with Trent Edwards and finished 8-8.

[HogNose]

I saw the title of this thread and thought of four straight Superbowl losses and Scott Norwood.

[Boss_Hogg]

Except for the whole "team may move to Toronto" thing, I'd switch places with the Bills in a HEARTBEAT.

There are very few teams in worse shape than the Skins and the Bills ain't one of them.

Man you've really changed your tune over the past few months.

[RAAZ227]

Just shows this is a week to week league...

[Crazy Levi]

Man you've really changed your tune over the past few months.

Seriously? YOu are keeping tabs on this ****?

Almost EVERYBODY has changed their tune. Remember the hundreds of posts about how "special" the Skins were in week 4?

Short bus special is more like it.

I'm a sports fan, and that gives me the right to change my mind radically every week.

I still like the direction the Skins are going in. I like the youth movement. I think the team is better this year than it is last year. I don't see how that's inconsistient with anything I've previously posted but if you want to dig it up and show me otherwise that's cool.

I still think - right now - the Bills are further along than we are.

[Bubble Screen]

I disagree. I was a decathlete in college and one of my weak spots was the javelin. I worked on conditioning my throwing motion through band work (giant rubber bands), weights and exercises that develop a faster musle twitch. I went from throwing the Jav between 135-150 feet to 200 feet in one year. You can develop a stronger arm. Barkley has accuracy so thats not a worry."Generally" you can't improve arm strength. There aren't many examples of this with QBs.

[sportjunkie07]

the bills are totally screwed imo. i was talking with my buddy (a bills fan) a few weeks ago. we were both shocked that they offered fitz such a crazy contract so prematurely. i never bought into their hot start anyways. i guess we can thank them for taking themselves out of the running for a qb this year.


"Generally" you can't improve arm strength. There aren't many examples of this with QBs.

there are plenty. brady and rodgers are two examples off the top of my head.

id say improving arm strength is one of the easiest things to do in any sport that requires one to throw.

simply hit the weights and refine your throwing motion. most guys coming out of college have not completely maxed out their frames anyways. a couple years in the pros, and theyre good to go.

[Bubble Screen]

People keep bringing up Brady. Honestly, I don't see a big improvement in his arm strength since he's been the starter. Maybe he has, but I don't see it. He's never had what I would call great arm strength. Adequate, yes. Same with Rodgers. Rodgers has always (to me) had pretty decent AS.

[Boss_Hogg]

Seriously? YOu are keeping tabs on this ****?

Almost EVERYBODY has changed their tune. Remember the hundreds of posts about how "special" the Skins were in week 4?

Short bus special is more like it.

I'm a sports fan, and that gives me the right to change my mind radically every week.

I still like the direction the Skins are going in. I like the youth movement. I think the team is better this year than it is last year. I don't see how that's inconsistient with anything I've previously posted but if you want to dig it up and show me otherwise that's cool.

I still think - right now - the Bills are further along than we are.

I believe you are the "O" poster. You mentioned that you like to shout "O" during the national anthem at football games. I remembered your handle because I hate that practice with a passion. So it was not hard to recollect some positive threads you posted earlier in the year.

I don't want to hijack the thread, the "O" nonsense thing is off topic. Carry on with the bashing kind sir!

[paloosa]

I hate being a Redskins fan right now because we are who they thought we were. A bad run franchise with not enough talent to compete with the big dogs and barely enough to compete with the bottom dwellers. But I am still a Redskins fan regardless of that because I know it has to change at some point in time. I think Shanahan is doing the right things but it has to be the players that need to perform better. In my entire history of watching this team, and this is 40+ years, I have never seen the team perform this badly. NEVER! This team reminds me almost like the Tampa Bay Bucs when they first started out. Some talented players but they just couldn't find their identity. So being as low as this team is now the only thing they can do is either get worse, which is almost impossible, or go up, which I see happening. Maybe not this year but not too far into the future. So although I hate being a Redskins fan because of all this losing I am still optimistic that the future is about to turn around.

[Botched]

I'm just glad we're not the Browns. They somehow manage to win 4-5 games every season, so they suck horribly, but get just enough fluke wins to keep them from getting the #1 pick. They have as much trouble finding QBs as we do.

And of course, the one season in recent memory that they were any good, they ended up being the only team with a winning record to not get in the playoffs. 6 teams with an equal or worse record than the Browns got in that year, including us :ols:

God, it sucks to be a Browns fan. We've had it pretty bad lately, but at least we've been relevant in the last 40 years.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

Or the Broncos.

I like how Wilbon gave the Broncos a pass and basically praised them saying 'they're rebuilding, and doing it right', yet he thinks Shanny's going to get fired in a couple months. Idiot. The Broncos are such a mess.

the broncos are setting themselves back sooo badly with tebow. theyre running an offense that has no future so the other 10-14 guys on that offense that have no reason to run an option, are wasting time getting reps in a dead offense. somehow thats "john fox getting the most out of his players".

im glad shanny likes our systems and wants guys that work, instead of catering to players with no future to try and eek out a few meaningless wins.

[Laxpunk2006]

And you think the small market Bills can afford to eat $24 million Guaranteed? They're not parting with Fitz anytime soon.

They wouldn't be eating $24 million. Did you even read the link that was posted?

Buffalo would only be responsible for the $10 million signing bonus they gave him in October and the $3.22 he was paid in salary this year. They have until the seventh day of the next league year before they owe him a $5 million option bonus and then whatever next year's salary is.

It's still a decent chunk of cash but if the franchise decides they actually made a mistake they can pull the plug with very limited repercussions. Personally I don't think Fitzpatrick is a problem, rather his offensive line has fallen apart around him and the defense needs help.

[daveakl]

rather his offensive line has fallen apart around him

haha, who does that sound like?

[gortiz]

so funny you bring this up OP ...

I keep an eye on the Bills because one of my best friends is a diehard Bills fan and a true blue Buffalonian.

They are in a bad place, fans and even the media are already talking about an out clause they have in Ryan’s contract, how do you go from hero to zero in 3 weeks. I mean, he was the toast of the town.

People there are really, really, hurt by their teams decline. Check out Buffalo Rumblings, there message board. I think they are sickened this year more than most. They started off with such promise.

:(