Superb Owl

Great post/poem. He sees the soft spots, or where the best advantage lies, and how those change moment to moment during the play. Including down field and rushers. That is more of a key attribute than the readily observable physical ones. Not only that but he uses that info to manipulate defenders with eyes and fakes to open opportunities Of course there is a minimum needed on the physical stuff too. His mobility definitely meets that minimum. His arm seems to, but not sure we will really know until we see it proved consistently in real games.

Because it can be hard to get what happened from piecing the tweets togeter, here is all the 11-on-11 plays from 8/6 practice. The most significant thing IMO, was the second half of today's practice was the first time another QB got the same number of reps as EJ. Normally Thad and Tuel only get 25% each EJ 1st team D 1) run 2) run 3) designed rollout, could have had sammy or woods, hit woods with nice throw, was the deeper option 4) looked like read option with handoff to cj Thad 2nd team D 1) slant inc to eliot, def PI called 2) designed shovel pass no gain 3) short swing pass to brown 4) slant to eliot, nice breakup by 39 EJ 2nd team D 1) designed rollout hits mike w for 4 yards (cockrell tackle) 2) run 3) run 4) short completion to fullback in flat Tuel Mixed D, some starters (23,53,90) 1) short quick completion to wideout 87 2) unga gets beat, tuel runs around unga's man and finds hole, gains a few yards 3) run 4) short completion to frank the tank in flat EJ 1st team D 1) stares down sammy on a 20 yard route, corey graham comes off man for easy pickoff 2) short completion to gragg 3) nice knockdown by gilmore on out to mike w Thad 2nd team D, except 51 1) designed rollout, quick short out to eliot 2) pretty quick pressure, incomplete middle, may have been tipped 3) overthrow brown in flat 4) incomplete slant to 17, looked like thrown too high, but maybe could have been caught EJ mostly 2nd team D except 99,20,23 1) short flat route to chandler complete 2) sack by 99 the great, beat 74 3) chandler drops 5 yard pass crossing over middle 4) EJ scrambles, thinks sammy is going to go long but he was actually deking the DB and tried to go short, so throw way too far Tuel 2nd string D except 53,37 1) scrambles right complete to graham on 12 yard out 2) D offside 3) sack, unblocked LB 4) nice 6 yard completion on 3rd-and-5 into tight window between 53 and 52 5) 20 yard sideline pass to 86, 47 able to tip it and cause 86 to drop it. Throw was a nice decision, 1st read was graham short and defender closed to him, and tuel just threw it over him to second read EJ 1st team D 1) sack by 99 the great 2) draw play to spiller, beaucoup yards because frank the tank stuffed rivers 3) hughes offside 4) short pass to chandler middle 5) fake pass, then handoff to cj Tuel 2nd team D 1) run 2) run 3) steps up in pocket, 15 yard strike to tj on 2nd-and-8 4) 7 yard completion on 3rd-and-5 to easley on stop route EJ 2nd team D except 20,99,23 1) nice catch by woods on 10 yard in, ball a bit high 2) completion to brown on outlet. wide open, gets first down on 2nd-and-7 99 trots off field 3) fake bubble screen and hand off 4) run, looked like designed outside Tuel 2nd team D except 53 1) run from I, stuffed 2) quick pressure, good throwaway 3) scans field, gets pressured, runs for 1st down on 3rd-and-4 4) run up middle, stuffed EJ 1st team D 1) sack, may have been on EJ, sammy was wide open early 2) run 3) defensive offside on 3rd-and-4 4) run, looked like freddy might have run for td Tuel 2nd team D except 37,53 1) long pass to back of endzone, caught by easley but just out of bounds 2) run tfl by 53 3) steps up in pocket, throw rushed by 76, long to hogan in endzone, overthrown 4) read option, keeps but only gains 2 yards, DE played it well, stayed between QB and RB EJ 2nd team D 1) run 2) overthrows 19 corner endzone 3) bad, bad INT Dixon 1) fake reverse, complete to TE in flat 2) run 3) sack EJ 1st team D, live goal line 1) left side of oline got push, frank the tank nice block, freddy runs for TD 2) dixon kept out by Duke Hitliams Tuel 2nd team D, live goal line 1) quick hitter by FB, no gain. 76 seemed excited afterwards so he probably contributed 2) quick pressure, looked like good throwaway

Murphy asked him a lot of questions today, and got solid, thoughtful answers http://blogs.buffalobills.com/2014/08/06/jeff-tuel-on-qb-competition-jms-86/

There are plenty of NFL QBs who aren't physical freaks and also not injury prone. In fact some of the fastest ones have had the most trouble with injury Tuels last college game, upsetting Washington, is an example of exactly that. You are right he didn't do that consistently, but the degree that they sucked is important to look at. Also, most agree he is improving and confidence can come from that

Not sure, but it may mean Tuel has won backup, and now I wouldn't be surprised to see him the second guy in (again) at Carolina

At camp today, for the last 6 team sessions, Tuel and EJ split the reps 50% each. Zero for Thad or Dixon which is very unusual. Been to a bunch of practices this year, and up until today EJ was always 50% and the only QB with over 25%

I slowed it down and watched it, it actually looks like it hit hogans hands first. I was amazed when I saw it, because on the surface it did not seem to have a chance. And you are nitpicking on the INT, it was a decent throw, and at least not one that was likely to become an INT

Its not too far from 50-50, I've been surprised. However Kelso noticed there is a 'tell' if rb's line up slightly ahead of Qb its a pass Looked better to me tonite than he has in awhile, no bouts with overthrows

I think it's hard to project much based on college record in this case especially - the team was unfathomably bad. Even so, senior year, he willed them to a win in their biggest game, the "Apple Cup" against Washington. The first play of this highlight played a big part, and shows some impressive insticts. And importantly, the ability to reset quickly, allowing accurate delivery under duress, not a rushed delivery. Somehow he seems to be able to play like his hair is on fire, yet relaxed at the same time, to my eyes. And that is rare, IMO

Fixed

I agree. To me that stretch was second best, with the best being Manuel in the second Jets game.

Good point, a lot of people seem to "know" his ceiling, but he was very limited in development time in college. I don't think its truly known yet

His first 7 plays were against Giants' starters. And he had TJ, Woods and Legursky instead of Mike, Sammy and Wood. Legursky gave up the 3rd down sack vs starters that was extended by penalty

When we first got Thad, I watched his previous games and it seemed like once in each game he would throw the ball way over the receiver's head. In the 4 practices I've been to this year, he is doing that, but very often, almost to the point where it seems like half his throws are like that. Only a guess, but maybe he is pressing

Fixed.

EJ would not be drafted in the 1st because there are real first round QB prospects this year.

Had you been drinking at all?

LOL. watch the utter mastery he has during actual football games

I too detected some non-awesomeness

haha, so true! his excitement was even rubbing off on Chris Brown!

LOL

Boyd can't fail now!

He has incredible moves, but timing is so important to offense so dunno

My feelings exactly, would parse me off. Farmer impresses me more as a scout than any Bills guy. Obviously Pettine is talented but I have my doubts about him as HC

Watkins is an incredible player but he gets injured too much to pick that high IMO. He plays reckless so it could very well continue... From http://www.sbnation....scouting-report "While it's not an area for improvement, it's worth noting that Watkins missed a time last season with injury and suspension. As fun as he can be on designed running plays, he was injured in Clemson's bowl game by Barkevious Mingo on such a play."