Ryan Fitzpatrick might be one of the only guys to come out of Harvard lacking an education.
(That sentence can probably use some clarification.)
Fitzpatrick surely got a killer education in the traditional sense from the esteemed university. But let's just say "NFL Quarterback" wasn't an eligible major.
"You guys have seen me throw," Fitzpatrick said with a self-deprecating wink on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press. "I just go out there and throw. That's what I've done my whole life."
Fitzpatrick's style is mostly self-taught, and he acknowledged after a hit-or-miss season in 2011 that he could use some help to increase consistency.
"I knew I had a long way to go with my mechanics," he said. "I just didn't know how to find that person or how to improve at it."
Jeremiah: Worst-to-First, AFC
Going from last to first in one year is an NFL specialty: Who's got the best chance to do it in 2012? Daniel Jeremiah ranks all four AFC cellar-dwellers. **More ...**
That person became David Lee, the team's new quarterbacks coach. Lee -- a 38-year coaching lifer -- has worked closely with the QB since the beginning of organized team activities. They have done work both on the field and in the film room as he attempts to tweak Fitzpatrick's game without overhauling it completely.
"Nobody's really ever taught me how to do it," Fitzpatrick said. "So now for a guy to come in and say, `This is why you're missing that throw,' he's going to be a very big help for me this year."
Fitzpatrick's play dropped off badly after he signed his extension in October, though a lingering ribcage injury likely played a role. The Bills need to hit on Fitzpatrick, and it's a smart move to attempt to refine some of the rougher edges of his game.
