Enjoy the Party Buffalo

The David versus Goliath show that took place at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday was one for the ages. The dreadnought that is the New England Patriots led by dark wizard Bill Belichick came into the game having won the last 15 against the misfit Bills. The bills, a team of castoffs and undrafted free agents, put together a 21-point comeback at home and gave one of the rowdiest crowds in recent memory a real gift. For the first time in more than a decade, optimism is running wild in Upstate New York. Enjoy it Bills fans, it isn’t going to last.


Let me first say that I hope what I am about to write is wrong. Nothing would make me happier than to see a team like this excel and get into a playoff race. I just notice a trend that is hard to ignore.

Last season Fitzpatrick took over in week 4 and until Halloween, had a completion percentage of 63.5% with and 11-4 Touchdown to Interception ratio. For the remainder of 2010, he did not have another game where he broke 61%. His TD:INT ratio dropped to 12:11 the rest of the way. The first thing you’ll say is that his opponents probably weren’t as strong. Surprisingly enough, Fitz’s games before Halloween were @NE, NYJ, JAX,@BAL, no easy group to pass against.

Fitzpatrick has excelled because he is a smart passer who can read a defense and quickly know where to put the ball. As a coach, I’ll take a guy who can do that over one with all the physical tools who can’t understand concepts. He is accurate with the ball and has great timing with his receivers. The problem is he has questionable arm strength. It wouldn’t be a big deal, except for the fact that he plays in Buffalo where conditions are amongst the worst in the NFL. I went back and checked his post-halloween numbers in 2010. His best games were in Miami and Cincinnati. I checked the weather in Cincinnati that day and it was unusually warm and sunny with very little wind. There’s a trend forming and for Bills fan’s it isn’t a good one.

Look, I really like Ryan Fitzpatrick and I really hope I’m wrong. The Bills fans deserve a team that is competitive and it is really hard to cheer against a group of guys who had to work to get to where they are. Can you honestly sit there and see the Patriots missing the playoffs? What about the Jets? Both those teams get better as the weather gets worse (especially the Jets. If I were the Bills I would wait to sign Fitzpatrick to a lucrative extension until I see how the back nine goes this year.