PFF: Deep Passing (Spoiler Alert: Fitz sucks at it)

Ryan Fitzpatrick continues to be an intriguing story for the Bills, but he has completed just four of the 17 deep shots he has attempted this season and has gone deep on just 8.4% of his drop-backs

7 months ago J2 22 comments 0 recs |

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I know he can throw it deep

I remember the pass Stevie Johnson dropped against Pittsburgh in overtime last year. There’s no question in my mind he can go deep with accuracy.

Go Buffalo Bills, Utah Jazz, and Arkansas Razorbacks

OUR KING DOME IS HOLLY GROUND YOU CAN ENTER BUT YOU WILL LEAVE WITH OUT A SOUL - Abayarde, Buffalo Rumblings

by Dyl on Oct 24, 2011 6:01 PM EDT reply actions

Sorry, must have hit post early.

The real reason we haven’t gone deep on more occasions is because our receiving corps isn’t cut out for getting open that way.

Go Buffalo Bills, Utah Jazz, and Arkansas Razorbacks

OUR KING DOME IS HOLLY GROUND YOU CAN ENTER BUT YOU WILL LEAVE WITH OUT A SOUL - Abayarde, Buffalo Rumblings

by Dyl on Oct 24, 2011 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions

but Steve Johnson is still on the team

Don't fear the Reaper......fear The Beard

If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.

by Joe P. on Oct 24, 2011 6:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I’ve seen him miss multiple times deep on more than 1 occasion both this year and last year. Fitz is what he is….a good short-intermediate route thrower but very inconsistent throwing the deep ball. And I disagree with your assesment on why he doesn’t go deep more often. I think it’s because the fact that the offensive line is not consistent or strong enough to hold their blocks for the longer drop backs or time it takes to run those deep routes. It’s not really the WR’s but the OL and Fitz’s inconsistency deep.

"I promise you, ... When I come back, I'm going to be like a mad dog in a meat house." -Takeo Spikes

by panekattack on Oct 24, 2011 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree with this

Against the eagles and giants the line held up well but fitz always had pressure in his face and there was no way he had time to let his recievers go long. His lack of accuracy on the deep ball doesn’t help, but I wouldn’t say he’s entirely to blame.

Also, I understand that our recievers aren’t cut out for the deep route and that Stevie isn’t the fastest reciever around but we’ve seen him go deep a couple of times (steelers and the preseason game against the jaguars come to mind) and he’s capable of doing it.

by BuffaloSpaniard on Oct 25, 2011 8:12 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

The offensive line is one of the best in football this year

It’s not them!

Go Buffalo Bills, Utah Jazz, and Arkansas Razorbacks

OUR KING DOME IS HOLLY GROUND YOU CAN ENTER BUT YOU WILL LEAVE WITH OUT A SOUL - Abayarde, Buffalo Rumblings

by Dyl on Oct 26, 2011 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions

they are good at doing what they are asked to do

hold their blocks for around 3-4 sec. Compare that to lines like the Patriots, Colts, Saints, etc. that run much deeper routes and longer plays. I’m not saying our line is bad, but they just aren’t that good. That’s why we don’t see deeper throws because they cannot hold their blocks for 6 sec or more to let those deeper routes develop and buy Fitz time to make the right read. There’s a reason why most of the routes our WRs run are slants and curls and not deep posts, corners, and fade routes. The line is a big part of that as well as Fitz’s inconsistency throwing deep.

"I promise you, ... When I come back, I'm going to be like a mad dog in a meat house." -Takeo Spikes

by panekattack on Oct 26, 2011 3:30 AM EDT up reply actions

hes missed on many more of his deep passes than hes hit since hes been here.
i mean hes been off the mark of where the ball should be thrown, independent of whose playing WR

by boomsauce on Oct 24, 2011 8:14 PM EDT up reply actions

The reason it's "independent" of who's playing WR

is because we don’t have a deep threat on the roster. Not because Fitz can’t throw it deep.

Is he a mad bomber, no, but can he throw it deep, yes.

Go Buffalo Bills, Utah Jazz, and Arkansas Razorbacks

OUR KING DOME IS HOLLY GROUND YOU CAN ENTER BUT YOU WILL LEAVE WITH OUT A SOUL - Abayarde, Buffalo Rumblings

by Dyl on Oct 26, 2011 12:51 AM EDT up reply actions

YAAAWWWWNNNNN . . .

Know who else sucked at deep passing?

Ken Stabler.

NEXT!!

"If You Ain't a Bill I Don't Give a Fxck Bout Ya!! Most Disrespected Team in NFL! I Always feel Disrespected! I'm All In!" -- Steve Johnson

by go_buff on Oct 25, 2011 12:17 AM EDT reply actions

Know who else did? Trent Edwards.

"Go check on the ribs!"

by TheAfghanTwilight on Oct 25, 2011 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions

How do you know?! :)

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Oct 25, 2011 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs

Know who else did? Trent Edwards.

Really?

This would appear to say otherwise, especially at 2:10:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4cHrOyYXbc&feature=related

"If You Ain't a Bill I Don't Give a Fxck Bout Ya!! Most Disrespected Team in NFL! I Always feel Disrespected! I'm All In!" -- Steve Johnson

by go_buff on Oct 26, 2011 3:07 AM EDT up reply actions

A lot of factors

He’s not that good at it, being the major one. Others include the lack of a deep threat in the WR corps, as well as the offensive scheme we’re in. He needs to learn to plant and throw, I’m still not convinced he’s sure he’ll get the time necessary to plant before the deep ball. I keep looking at that interception against the Giants…if he had planted (he had plenty of time) he could have made that throw with ease.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Oct 25, 2011 10:22 AM EDT reply actions

i’d like to expand on your point about offensive scheme – while I agree – I think that if Chan had the tools he would make that work. So it’s either QB, O-line or WR or a combination of the 3 in which we aren’t successful – i’m just not sure the root of the cause but right now with no “burner” and with LT issues i’m leaning more towards those than QB.

by J2 on Oct 25, 2011 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Me too. I think that Gailey would scheme for the long ball if we had the tools for the long ball, but I think right now we don’t, so the scheme is designed for short and intermediate throws, which is what I was alluding to. I believe Fitz can make the long throws if he learns to plant and fire, as I said. He did it a few times last year with mixed results, but with a better overall scheme and WR corps this year, I think he’d be more successful. I hope it starts to get incorporated by the end of the year…can’t wait to get Jones back in the lineup.

"Slowly all the roles we act out become our identity. And in the end we are what we pretend to be." - Jerry Cantrell.

by stetzwebs on Oct 25, 2011 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Why such limited play-action? I think they could buy that extra second or three to go deep if we could freeze everybody just for a second worrying about Fredex running at them first.

"Teams that don't deserve to win.... Usually don’t. Today is no exception." -- Mr Huge Pecs
"Nick Barnett is everywhere. He is behind you right now." -- Munchausen

by ChuckBuffInFlo on Oct 25, 2011 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions