Whether you went to Harvard or ECC, you have to know that it is over for #14.
I mean, what else is left to say? You wanna tell me to be more optimistic? Sorry, but there's a difference in being optimistic and being naive. I know there will be some apologist who will say it is only one game. Maybe he will bring up how we crushed the Pats in week one of 2003 before they went on to win the Super Bowl. Maybe he will remind me that the Bills went to the playoffs after starting 0-3 in 1998. Well, forget it! Fitzpatrick is nothing more than another Drew Bledsoe or JP Losman. Like them, he had his 15-minutes of fame. Like a desperate 45 -year-old woman who is looking for her sugar daddy, we made him the toast of the town and anointed him the next Jim Kelly. And like those flash in the pans, Fitz fizzled out.
It is pretty sad.
Who didn't like Fitz at the start of last year? He was the ultimate underdog. The perfect story for a region that loves the fiery upstart who nobody saw coming. He was everything you wanted in a QB. He said the right things. He was a likeable guy. He had a beard more jolly than Santa. You'd want your daughter to bring him home because he was such a pleasant person. The articulate fellow we wish we could be at a dinner party. A locker room leader who could relate to his teammates. And then we saw him play more.
Oy vey.
The book is out on how to defend Fitzpatrick. Have your corners play press coverage and don't let him beat you underneath. Pick your poison as to why we can't rewrite the chapter: He can't throw deep, the offense doesn't call deep passes, and the WRs run like tortoises.
Sure, if he actually had WRs who knew how to gain separation he might be better. But Andre Reed isn't walking through that door anytime soon. And even if he did, I wouldn't want Fitz throwing him an out pattern. I guess we can forget about the bad ribs or that David Lee can make a man on crutches dance with his footaction methods. It is over for Fitzy. You saw it on his last pick to Cromartie, when instead of trying to run after the guy, he perfected the self-loathing expression that Joe Ferguson use to do by walking off the field in disgust with himself. He's pretty much at one of those famous Buffalo Bills QB valleys when he knows he's screwed.
It was so surreal being at this game. I was sitting in the upper levels in the end zone and could see the plays develop. I saw every one of the interceptions coming a mile away. It was like watching a movie and right before the climax happened, everything went into slow motion. I was like the guardian angel sitting on Fitz's shoulder. I saw him looking on one direction and knew he couldn't make that throw. I tried yelling into his ear not to try it.
DON'T DO IT! OUR WIDES STINK AND THEIR CORNERS DO NOT! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (Yelling in slow motion)
Alas, he was listening to the devil on the opposite shoulder who probably anointed him as a gunslinger last year. And yes, it would probably be my twin brother since I was in that crowd. On Sunday he tried those throws and he got burned. Badly.
Sure, the schedule may be easy, and Fitz may have a good game or two, but it won't be against a top 12 defense. In fact, Fitz only has two wins against top 10 defenses since 2010.
He may get you to fall in love with him again. Hey, it happened before. He'll torch some crappy secondary like the Raiders had last year. He'll say a witty quote that will make Sully and fans drool over him. However, it won't last. 19 picks in his last 10 games and garbage time TDs will tell you why. They may still win 8-10 games this year, but I don't think #14 will be much of a factor in that.
So start scouting college QBs. Have Joe B. from WGR get on the horn and talk about the arm strength and intangibles that might lead to a franchise QB. Maybe Jay Cutler will be available? How about Mike Vick? Chad Kelly?
Fitz's story may not be finished, but we already know the ending. For once, it is not because we are a defeatist fan base that always thinks the worst. It is not because we've been through this before with other QBs. The proof is in the pudding.
Open your eyes because the guy is just not good enough.
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