Bills' Fitzpatrick does just enough to win
Published: October 25, 2009, 11:25 pm
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Quarterback controversy anyone?
OK, let's not go overboard with that, but the Buffalo Bills are suddenly on a mini-roll with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center.
It was hardly a knock-your-socks-off performance, but for the second straight week Fitzpatrick did enough to guide the Bills to another win.
Making his first start in place of Trent Edwards, who was out with a concussion, Fitzpatrick completed 11 of 22 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown during the Bills' 20-9 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
More important, Fitzpatrick managed the game and avoided mistakes again.
"I think he played well," wide receiver Lee Evans said. "He did a good job of just running the ship."
Fitzpatrick hasn't been great, but the Bills haven't needed him to be. All they want is someone to take control of the huddle and keep the offense moving.
Although the Bills finished the game with only 167 total net yards, that was good enough on Sunday.
"There was that spirit that we knew we were going to go out there and win the game," Fitzpatrick said. "Their defense is tough. We knew that going into the game, but I think they are a bit tougher than the reputation that they have. They did some stuff that bottled us up. In the end, we made enough plays to win.
Fitzpatrick had a hand in that.
During a second-half drive, he delivered a 14-yard strike to Evans for a first down. Three plays later, Fitzpatrick fired another bullet to Evans for a 2-yard touchdown and a 14-2 lead early in the fourth quarter. Both passes were on slant patterns and on the touchdown Fitzpatrick made a perfectly timed throw.
"He had to because the safety was coming off," Evans said of the TD pass. "It was kind of like one of those bang-bang deals. But it was definitely the right read. It was a good check by him and we executed it well."
Fitzpatrick wasn't done. On the possession after the touchdown, Fitzpatrick found Evans on a 50-yard pass play that set up a field goal and put the Panthers in a hole they couldn't climb out of.
Unlike Edwards, who plays with a more conservative style, Fitzpatrick is not afraid to take chances. He went to Evans and wide receiver Terrell Owens even when they were covered.
What Fitzpatrick did that pleased his receivers more than anything was throw the ball downfield and give them a chance to make a play.
"We saw on film that we had some opportunities out there and we took them," Evans said. "We completed some and we didn't complete some. Whether you complete them or not, you've just got to let them go. You still have to threaten the defense with it and we did that."
Fitzpatrick missed Owens on a pair of long passes, but Owens seemed pleased that Fitzpatrick tried to make something happen.
"As we begin to play more and more there'll be some chemistry there," Owens said. "Fitz is doing a great job of assessing the defense and putting us in the right plays."
He is the guy that has played the game before. He put us in the right situations and when there were some opportunities to take some shots he took control and we were able to make some big plays."
Edwards is expected to return to the starting lineup when he's healthy. Whether that is next Sunday at home against the Houston Texans or after the bye week, coach Dick Jauron has given every indication that Edwards is still the No.‚1 QB.
But if Fitzpatrick continues to pile up wins, no matter how he looks doing it, Jauron's decision might get a little tougher.
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