Rex Ryan noncommittal on Tyrod Taylor in 2017

"Quarterback Purgatory" is the two word phrase most commonly uttered by the front office at One Bills Drive.

It's been a revolving door of swings and misses at the most important position in the National Football League, and a major reason why the Bills have missed the playoffs for 16-straight years.

Now, the Bills are faced with another quarterback quandary with Tyrod Taylor and whether to commit to the $27.5 million option on the QB in 2017.

Oakland = tipping point: Tyrod has 4 games. If nothing improves, I think the #Bills should move on. Full thoughts: https://t.co/Uov9uFSkCc

— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) December 5, 2016

Rex on whether he believes Tyrod Taylor will be #Bills QB in 2017 @WKBW pic.twitter.com/04hXzKJFdB

— Nick Filipowski (@NICK_WKBW) December 6, 2016

Head Coach Rex Ryan has been a loud and proud supporter of Taylor, but for the first time was noncommittal on the signal caller next season.

"I think, first off, that I’m pleased with Tyrod Taylor. I think he gives us the best chance to win," he said.  "I think he’s a good quarterback. But our focus is strictly on Pittsburgh, so anything past that I don’t think it’s even an appropriate conversation right now."

But it is a conversation that needs to be had.

Taylor has one fourth quarter comeback in his two years in Buffalo.  That came against the lowly Titans a year ago.

On Sunday, the second year starter disappeared in the second half of Sunday's epic meltdown in Oakland, a 38-24 loss, which made the prospect of missing the postseason for a 17th straight year a real possibility.

The issues that have played Taylor all season -- inaccuracy, failing to read the defense, struggling to go through progressions -- were all prevalent again on Sunday.

After the loss, Taylor seemed to dodge responsibility after the Bills offense went stagnant after taking a 24-9 lead in the third quarter.

"I think if you talk to him you will see what he says about it," Ryan told reporters on Sunday.  "But it is a team we have got it take, we got to look to as coaches what we are asking our players to do. Can they do it? Is there, I think that it where you first start looking at. For some reason not getting done to where we need to it. We are 31st in the league for sacks per pass, so that is clearly not good enough. So we just got to take a hard look and improve in a hurry."

With four games left and the playoff hopes dwindling, Ryan was also asked whether it's time to take a look at Cardale Jones, the rookie quarterback who the Bills drafted in the fourth round earlier this year.

"I can tell you this right now as much as it doesn’t feel like it we are still in the hunt here and we are going to do whatever we can to win. We know we have to win these four games," he said.  "We got a hot Pittsburgh team here that is loaded, and it is playing well on defense, its offense is about as good as it gets. That is a huge challenge in front of us. But at no time are we looking at that. We are trying to win these next four games."

Here's Rex on whether Cardale Jones could see action if #Bills QB continues to be poor. "At no time are we looking at that." pic.twitter.com/BfGEdZjRC4

— Nick Filipowski (@NICK_WKBW) December 6, 2016