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QB J.P. Losman, Buffalo Bills

HT: 6-2, WT: 217, Born: 3-12-1981, College: Tulane, Drafted: Round 1, Pick 22

2008 Projections

Best Case

Losman had a lot of things going against him last year, which made it tough for him to hold onto the starting job. He is still a talented QB with the potential to be a good starter in this league so if Edwards were to struggle or suffer an injury, it would not be a big surprise if Losman came in and performed well. Losman is a mobile QB with a strong arm who can throw an excellent deep ball, which has helped him develop great chemistry with Lee Evans in the past. If he comes out and has an impressive performance in training camp and the preseason, it could create a QB controversy in Buffalo. The Bills plan to keep him around as the backup, but he is entering the last year of his contract so there is still a chance he could get moved to a team in desperate need of QB help.

Worst Case

With the Bills clearly anointing Edwards as their starting QB and Losman entering the last year of his contract, the team will have not have any real motivation to play him this year. If Edwards can stay healthy and avoid playing awful enough to get benched, he should take pretty much every snap this year. Losman will then go into free agency next offseason and try to sign with a team that will give him a chance to compete for the starting job.

Outlook

Losman went into last year with a lot of promise and was supposed to emerge as one of the league's better young QBs. Unfortunately for him, he got off to a very slow start and wound up losing his starting job to a rookie taken in the 3rd round of the draft. His outlook has certainly dimmed, but he's a hard worker with a lot of natural ability who will certainly get another shot to start at some point in the future. As long as Edwards stays healthy, however, it probably won't happen this year in Buffalo.

2007 Game Summaries

Week 1 - Losman had a tough day against the aggressive Broncos defense. He only completed 14 of 21 for 97 yards and no touchdowns and could only find his favorite receiver Lee Evans twice for five yards. He was sacked once. Corners Champ Bailey and Dre Bly were extremely effective at blanketing the receivers.

Week 2 - Losman opened the season passing for only 97 yards with a 57.0 rating. He completed 60 percent of his passes against the Steelers, but totaled only 154 yards passing for the game. In two games, he has passed for just over 250 yards with no touchdowns.

Losman had only five pass attempts in the first half. He completed two of them for 23 yards. He was better in the second half completing 13 of his 20 throws for 131 yards. Losman throws a nice deep pass and nearly connected for touchdowns twice with Lee Evans. Both passes were well thrown. Evans should have been called for offensive pass interference on the first occasion, but then failed to hang on to the pass anyway. On the second attempt, Evans was able to get only one hand on the ball due to what could have been a defensive pass interference penalty. Most of Losman's other passes came on short routes and dump-offs. The Steeler defense blitzed often and pressured Losman frequently. Losman was sacked and fumbled once. He was able to scamper for 38 yards on four scrambles, finishing second on the team in rushing yardage.

Week 3 - Losman only lasted one drive in this game before leaving with an injury. On the first play, DL Vince Wilfork hit Losman in the knee. He lasted two more plays but after being sacked by CB Ellis Hobbs two plays later he never returned. He fumbled the ball on the sack.

Week 4 - Losman was hurt on the opening play of the Bills' previous game. With as well as Trent Edwards played, he might have to fight for his job, when he is healthy.

Week 7 - Losman is healthy enough to play, but was the number two quarterback for the game.

Week 8 - Losman came on in relief of Edwards late in the game and competed three of five passes for 113 yards and Buffalo's only touchdown. The lone touchdown pass, which gave the Bills a 10 point lead late in the fourth quarter, was a beautiful deep ball that Lee Evans took away from a Jets defender and galloped 85 yards for the score.

Week 9 - Losman showed leadership all game, having great pocket presence and ability to read the defense. Losman was playing against one of the worst pass defenses, but this should be an excellent confidence builder for weeks to come if he retains his job.

Week 10 - Losman seemed to take a step back in this game and the quarterback controversy should stay at full throttle in Buffalo. At times he had great protection but could not pick out a target. Other times he got rid of the ball quickly but it seemed to go to no one in particular. Will Allen intercepted one under thrown pass intended for Lee Evans but dropped another potential pick that hit him in the hands. While Losman has the ability to run around and make plays rookie Trent Edwards has demonstrated a quick release and pinpoint accuracy.

Week 11 - Losman had a tough time with the stout New England defense.

Early in the game, Losman made a nice play when he was under pressure and fumbled the ball deep behind the line of scrimmage. He scooped the ball out and rolled toward the near sideline when he heaved the ball toward TE Michael Gaines. Gaines made a great one handed grab and rolled forward for a fourteen yard gain and the first down. A few plays later, Losman hit WR Roscoe Parrish deep down the sideline for a 47 yard touchdown pass.

After that exciting drive, however, Losman and the Bills were unable to muster any momentum on offense.

Week 12 - Losman acknowledged earlier in the week that this game was perhaps his last chance to stake his claim to the starting quarterback job with promising rookie Trent Edwards waiting in the wings. Even though the numbers might not look too bad, 27 of 40 for 211 yards and one touchdown, Losman often looked indecisive. He threw two interceptions and lost a fumble trying to sneak for a first down on third and one. He couldn't get the ball to Lee Evans until there was less than one minute in the game and his leading receiver was a running back. Midway through the fourth quarter and Buffalo only trailing by one score, Losman tried to hit Reed but threw his second interception ending any hope of a comeback.