Give Fiedler a Chance?

[Jimmy James]

shouright,

I think you're absolutely right about this. In fact, I think the principled position is probably that Jay should have gotten all game at a minimum. I know that those who have been rabid about AJ starting wouldn't expect anything less. I don't expect anything less than that -- in fact, I want AJ to see at least 4 games before Jay is given consideration as an alternative unless AJ is staggeringly bad (think worse than Kyle Boller, or yes, worse than Jay's half against the Titans).

 

[Ohio Fanatic]

We were only down 7-0 -- it wasn't time to hit the panic button. Part of my thinking is that Fiedler has brought us back in games in which OTHER people's mistakes put us behind -- he should at least be given the chance to make up for his OWN mistakes..

Big Difference. Fiedler's best games (Dallas game excluded) were 2 years ago. People know how to beat Fiedler/us now. Just keep him in the pocket and make him beat you with his arm. All those great comebacks involved Jay scrambling around making plays with his legs. Only once has Jay played great from the pocket, last years Dallas game. The reason he's making more mistakes is that he's no longer in a comfort zone, i.e., he's stuck in the pocket.

 

[Despacio]

No, no, no. No more chances. The fact that he even started was a chance.

 

[Ohio Fanatic]

Here's why Fiedler shouldn't be our starter anymore: Nuff Said

"Stats of the Week No. 4

In a sequence of four snaps, Jay Fiedler threw an interception, fumbled and threw an interception. "

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/7680113

 

[#1Phins]

Jay's our glorified back-up... i have said it for years, and ill say it again... It's AJ's time to prove his worth. if he fails, well we were wrong about him, but fiedler still should be a back-up no matter how you look at it...

Ok what is going to happen if AJ fails.:confused:

 

[Shouright]

Big Difference. Fiedler's best games (Dallas game excluded) were 2 years ago. People know how to beat Fiedler/us now. Just keep him in the pocket and make him beat you with his arm. All those great comebacks involved Jay scrambling around making plays with his legs. Only once has Jay played great from the pocket, last years Dallas game. The reason he's making more mistakes is that he's no longer in a comfort zone, i.e., he's stuck in the pocket.

I agree with all that, but it's the approach you take when you're dealing with machines (Madden 2005) rather than people with real feelings. I'm not being a softy, I'm just calling it like it is.

 

[Shouright]

shouright,

I think you're absolutely right about this. In fact, I think the principled position is probably that Jay should have gotten all game at a minimum. I know that those who have been rabid about AJ starting wouldn't expect anything less. I don't expect anything less than that -- in fact, I want AJ to see at least 4 games before Jay is given consideration as an alternative unless AJ is staggeringly bad (think worse than Kyle Boller, or yes, worse than Jay's half against the Titans).

Thanks for the word you used -- this is about principles and integrity, not just about winning games. The Chiefs are the team they are because Dick Vermeil has a great deal of integrity with his players. I'll trade one loss based on loyalty to a player for a whole season worth of my players feeling like I have principles and integrity with them.

 

[jesusfreak26]

I don't think it was wrong of him pulling Fiedler. I think if those calls had went our way we would have won the game and A.J would have brought us back. With that being said I don't think it hurt Fiedler being pulled. If you remember right he could have started against the Skins on Sunday Night last year and Wanny elected to go with Griese only to pull him for Fiedler who came out and helped the team come back from that. I think if we need Fiedler he will be fine.

 

[Coral Reefer]

I'm sure this won't be a popular opinion. Don't get me wrong -- I LOVE AJ Feeley. But I do think Fiedler should've been given one series in the 2nd half last weekend to regroup and atone for his mistakes. If he blunders on that drive, yank him immediately, but at least give him the chance to make up for his mistakes..

Give him a chance?

FOUR YEARS IS LONG ENOUGH!

He has had AMPLE opportunity. Much more than any other team would have given him IMO.

Feeley is the better QB, no doubt, but this is a team, not just a QB.

:confused:
Wow there's some reasoning.
You admit that Feeley is the better QB.
Now isn't it in the best interest of a team to make sure the best players are on the field? Geez! :shakeno:

It is a team and not just a QB which is why Feeley should be starting and remain the starter so this team can grow with him and all the new offensive starters. No need for past mediocrity to hold down the team any longer.

 

[twohype]

bottom line...best thing for the team is AJ Feeley at quarterback-should've been the starter all along-it's obvious to me in section 150-DW couldn't see the difference in talent immediately?

Yep Wanny is not to bright:eek:

 

[Bonedoc7777]

four years is a fair shot

 

[Shouright]

Give him a chance?

FOUR YEARS IS LONG ENOUGH!

He has had AMPLE opportunity. Much more than any other team would have given him IMO.



:confused:
Wow there's some reasoning.
You admit that Feeley is the better QB.
Now isn't it in the best interest of a team to make sure the best players are on the field? Geez! :shakeno:

It is a team and not just a QB which is why Feeley should be starting and remain the starter so this team can grow with him and all the new offensive starters. No need for past mediocrity to hold down the team any longer.

I agree with all this, but these are reasons to choose Feeley BEFORE the game, not to pull Fiedler after a half's worth of mistakes. Having chosen Fiedler, you have to have the integrity to stick with him. What kind of effect do you think this will have on Feeley's mentality? You think he'll feel real relaxed back there?

 

[afiorentino]

If it is musical quarterbacks the Dolphins are dead in the water. DW needs to stick with Feeley like he stuck with Feidler his first year. Feeley cost a 2nd round draft pick and was given a 5 year contract. Once that was done the quarterback controversy should have never occurred. All this 50-50 split has just slowed AJs development and will continue to hamper him if it continues.

 

[Coral Reefer]

I agree with all this, but these are reasons to choose Feeley BEFORE the game, not to pull Fiedler after a half's worth of mistakes. Having chosen Fiedler, you have to have the integrity to stick with him. What kind of effect do you think this will have on Feeley's mentality? You think he'll feel real relaxed back there?

Well that's a whole other issue entirely.
Fact is he did start the game though and needed to be pulled.

As for whether Fiedler should have started or not, it should'nt even have been an issue. Fiedler never should have been retained on this team period.
Wanny wanted him and lobbied for him to stay. If you feel a player needs to be replaced and you need to go into another direction, you do it full bore and certainly don't keep the player you are replacing there. Especially when it's a player as important as a teams QB. It was a mistake to keep Jay and will put this teams timeline back a little this year because of it.

 

[Jimmy James]

This isn't about Jay personally, and it's not about whether or not Jay "deserved" a chance. DW had his chance to determine whether Jay should start or not and decided that Jay should start. I don't think this did great harm to Jay's confidence because he isn't any shrinking violet. He has come back from being out of the league, so being benched is surely nothing to him.

This is about how you run a team. This is about the same people who say Feeley should be starter for the rest of the year displaying some consistency and acknowledging that if the Spurrier QB swapping approach doesn't work in the NFL, that it equally true whether or not the guy who is starting is Jay or AJ.

Dave made a mistake here. He could have and should have handled the situation better whether that meant starting AJ or giving Jay the rest of the game to turn it around. It isn't the end of the world, but we should call it for what it is instead of canonizing Wanny for making a decision that goes in favor of the opinion of the peanut gallery for once.