Tyrod Taylor is the Bills Franchise Quarterback

Tyrod Taylor continues to face doubt from his critics despite him being Buffalo’s best option.

Two years after Buffalo took a gamble on the backup quarterback, only more questions have come from the sample size he has provided.

Expectations grew when he won the starting gig out of nowhere, and perhaps expectations became too high. Through 28 starts, his career record in Buffalo is 14-14. It seems mediocre, but this is Buffalo we’re talking about. Buffalo has posted a winning record twice since 2000, with Kyle Orton and Drew Bledsoe under center.

It took 13 years for Buffalo to find a Pro-Bowl quarterback, and that quarterback was Tyrod Taylor in 2015. While his stats did dip in his second year, he still ranked in the middle of the road with his 89.6 passer rating, higher than Eli Manning and Jameis Winston.

The greatest stat for Tyrod Taylor is his 1.5% interception rate. His six interceptions are tied for the fourth fewest in the league with Derek Carr.

Buffalo clearly isn’t a vertical, pass-heavy offense that contributes to quarterback stats. The Bills led the league in rushing yards with 164.4 per game, 15 more than the next closest team. Buffalo nor its fans should be expecting Drew Brees’ caliber numbers.

The nail in the coffin towards the argument for keeping Taylor is the pitiful performance put worth on their season finale. The Jets thrashed the Bills 30-10 to secure another losing season for Buffalo. Two backup quarterbacks came in, and neither delivered. E.J. Manuel couldn’t complete half of his passes and threw for just 86 yards on 20 attempts. He also fumbled once. Cardale Jones, the rookie from Ohio State, looked slightly better but his mediocre stat line was ruined by an interception.

Clearly Tyrod Taylor is the best quarterback on the roster. He provides stability and a multi-layered offense that contributes to both the air and ground game. Taylor rushed for over 500 yards both years for 10 total rushing touchdowns.

Buffalo is on the brink of a playoff appearance. There is enough talent in Buffalo to become a serious contender. Taylor anchored a top 10 offense and if Buffalo really wants to focus on breaking their postseason curse; they should focus on defense in the upcoming draft.

It’s easy for the media to blame Tyrod as he is the quarterback for a losing franchise. But since the turn of the century, Tyrod Taylor is their best quarterback and can lead a team to the promised land; January football.