The Bengals have just signed this year's backup QB.

[Patrick Bateman]

How is it a decent pick-up to sign a guy who has shown nothing but the ability to lose games all by his lonesome? And how does signing a guy who is all but guaranteed to lose you the game if you put him in, plugging a hole, efficiently?

This seems to be a case of, we signed him, he must be good.

Not only is that an agenda driven post, but it's just flat wrong.

You're talking to Bengals fans. We naturally assume that any signing the Bengals make is 100% the wrong move. The management has done nothing ti illicit that type of response from Bengals fans. That type of reaction would be more likely found around patriotszone.com

Anyways, we're talking about a back-up quarterback. The alternatives were the likes of Leftwich, Grossman, and Losman, a trio that could also be known for finding ways to lose games. O'Sullivan is a turn over machine, but he at least moves the ball down the field at the same time. He's basically a better armed version of Fitzpatrick (a turnover machine in his own right), which does equate to an upgrade. Any free agent QB signed on as a back-up is going to have his fair share of problems. The moment Carson Palmer goes down likely means the end of the Bengals season regardless of who comes in to relieve him, as such, if there's a place to be thrifty, it's the back-up QB position.

[WMR]

Nice post, AK.

Perfectly stated.

[Red]

You're talking to Bengals fans. We naturally assume that any signing the Bengals make is 100% the wrong move. The management has done nothing ti illicit that type of response from Bengals fans. That type of reaction would be more likely found around patriotszone.com

Looking over the Bengals offseason thread there seems to be plenty of support for some of the moves. You said 100% of the time people think it is the wrong move. That is obviously not true. If it was we wouldn't be having this discussion as I wouldn't be scratching my head over why people are calling this a good move.

I undersand it is a "good move" to not spend big money on a back-up for Palmer. I just can't see how anyone has the evidence to support the statement that a guy who threw 11 picks, fumbled 11 times and got sacked 32 times (most of which were his own fault for hanging onto the ball for 8 seconds) in half a year of football is an upgrade over anyone? My biggest question is how much of O'Sullivan have the people calling him an "upgrade" actually seen him play? For some reason nobody has answered that one.

[OesterPoster]

Looking over the Bengals offseason thread there seems to be plenty of support for some of the moves. You said 100% of the time people think it is the wrong move. That is obviously not true. If it was we wouldn't be having this discussion as I wouldn't be scratching my head over why people are calling this a good move.

I undersand it is a "good move" to not spend big money on a back-up for Palmer. I just can't see how anyone has the evidence to support the statement that a guy who threw 11 picks, fumbled 11 times and got sacked 32 times (most of which were his own fault for hanging onto the ball for 8 seconds) in half a year of football is an upgrade over anyone? My biggest question is how much of O'Sullivan have the people calling him an "upgrade" actually seen him play? For some reason nobody has answered that one.

Maybe if you'd state your opinion in a more calmly manner, we'd look at the signing differently. But you've come into this thread spouting how you know everything about JT and being an NFL quarterback. Maybe it's just my perception, but it seems like you have an axe to grind.

[Red]

Maybe if you'd state your opinion in a more calmly manner, we'd look at the signing differently. But you've come into this thread spouting how you know everything about JT and being an NFL quarterback. Maybe it's just my perception, but it seems like you have an axe to grind.

1. Considering the player in discussion ruined the 49ers season, I'm as calm as I am going to be. If there is some level of calmness required when speaking to whoever "we" is, let me know and I will try harder next time. Perhaps I could get a lesson from some of the Jerry Narron haters on the board. I'm sure they'd be quite calm if Jerry was hired to coach somewhere and then heard others saying it was a great move.

2. If your opinion is changing on the signing based on my lack of calmness, as you put it, I would say it is you who has an agenda. I gave my opinion on O'Sullivan. All I've heard since is opinions on me.

3. I have not come into this thread spouting that I know everything about J.T. I gave my opinion on his performance last season, nothing more, nothing less. I never said anything about his background, his mental make-up, his mechanics, his anything. Just his performance, which sucked.

4. This is the one that gets me the most, I never said one thing, not even close that should lead anyone to accuse me of spouting off about knowing everything about being a QB. I haven't suggested I know one thing, let alone everything. Why would you make that accusation? I haven't said anything about any QB other than O'Sullivan or said anything about what it takes to play the position. All I've said is that O'Sullivan can't play it.

5. What kind of axe do I have to grind? The guy in question QB'd my favorite team. He stunk up the joint and now he plays for the Bengals. Seeing people refer to the signing as anything other than ho hum, shocks me. IMO people are saying stuff about O'Sullivan based on nothing, other than the fact that he is now a Bengal. I've asked a couple of times for some explanation on what people have seen from him to make them say it. Still nothing. Just attacks against me. For saying a guy released by the 49ers sucks. I have no axe to grind. You tell me the sky is brown and I think it is blue, asking you to explain why you think it is brown is not me grinding an axe, its asking you because I want to know what you see that I don't. When it comes to O'Sullivan I don't think people have seen him at all. And nobody wants to prove me wrong on that. Not sure why people are defending someone they have never seen play while the only person (it appears) in this discussion who has seen him play is spending his time defending himself.

[joshnky]

1. Considering the player in discussion ruined the 49ers season, I'm as calm as I am going to be. If there is some level of calmness required when speaking to whoever "we" is, let me know and I will try harder next time. Perhaps I could get a lesson from some of the Jerry Narron haters on the board. I'm sure they'd be quite calm if Jerry was hired to coach somewhere and then heard others saying it was a great move.

As a 49ers fan why do you care who the Bengals sign as their BACKUP QB? You may be right that he is an awful starting QB which is why the Bengals didn't sign him to start. They signed him to backup a franchise QB. You kind of have to take what you can get in this situation because decent QBs don't want to come in and backup a player of Palmer's caliber.

On another note, the issues the 49ers had with him (sacks, fumbles) remind of John Kitna who played decent for the Bengals when they got him some protection.

[Red]

Like I said, if some player ruined your season and then signed with another team only to be greeted with joy, you'd have something to say too. All of you would.

Not sure why you see this is a Kitna situation. With the same line and the same everything else, the Niners went to Shaun Hill and saw less sacks, picks, fumbles and more wins. What they needed more than anything was a better QB.

Why do I care? I really don't. I just don't understand why so many people are disagreeing with me. None of you have seen O'Sullivan play and have nothing to go on. Your approval of this move has nothing to do with anything other than the team he signed with. If the Browns signed O'Sullivan and someone started a thread on it, none of you Bengal fans would be here defending the signing or arguing with my take.

If this move was no big deal, just take what you can get, the season is over anyways if we have to play him, why is there a thread on the subject?

[Eric_the_Red]

[Red]

Not sure why there is such issue talking about J.T. O'Sullivan in a thread about J.T O'Sullivan.