Great win, good things but one thing really bothers me...

[Ramius]

As for "turning rookies loose," what the OP said is patently false. Russel Wilson went over 200 yards passing only 3 times in his first 10 games. Both Wilson and Griffin had 393 attempts, just under 25 per game. They tied with each other for 25th in number of passing attempts. In fact, that rank is dead last in number of passing attempts by QBs that started/played the entire season and didn't miss significant games due to injury or benching. Not exactly running the air raid.

[YoloinOhio]

Not to pile on, but first of all, every team's situation is different so it makes no sense to compare different teams, QBs, coaches, seasons, etc. Moreover, Luck and RGIII specifically are #1 and #2 overall picks who were by everyone's estimation can't miss franchise QBs, once every 20 years type of rookies who start right away and lead their teams to the playoffs for 15 years. That is the not case with the majority of rookie QBs, even those in the 1st round. Usually folks are all over the board with whether they should start year 2 at all or maybe just watch from the sidelines and "take it all in" for a season. Overall, I agree with everyone who points out that if you look at ANY of the 1st preason games of rookie starting QBs they will look no flashier than EJ's. I was very impressed with EJ's work today, no matter who he was out there against, because he looks sharp and prepared and seems to learn from mistakes. Keep in mind he will have CJ in there the whole game in the reg season to take the pressure off of him and if the D can play opportunistic and aggressive, and our ST can actually put pts on the board like the did today, that will help him tremendously in his first season. The worst thing for him would be to have no running game and to be always playing from behind as a rookie QB trying to learn all different D's, etc. I am realistically encouraged. Loved the play today of a lot of our rooks, esp. EJ, Goodwin and Alonso. I also think that is Mario can stay healthy and truly is "all in" he can be an all-pro in this defensive scheme. Dude is sick off the blind side.

 

And, regarding Russell Wilson, I love the kid but he had some poor games last year. Everyone remembers him in the playoffs and some of his game-winners, but he made a ton of rookie mistakes. I think EJ is actually a better version of him, not to mention bigger/taller. I watched them both in college and Wilson was not someone you would point to as a future NFL starter. Wilson was on a VERY good team and he is a very smart, prepared and talented player and it showed up toward the end of the year.

[BillsCelticsAngelsBama]

The Skins didn't hold back RG III. Indy didn't hold back Luck. Seattle and SF didnt' hold back their two guys. Carolina didnt' hold back Newton.

 

It seems to me they are going to really restrict or 'baby' EJ and I feel that is going to hurt him more than help. Either we picked the right guy or we didn't. Either these guys can coach him up, or they cant. But it seems to me they don't seem to have as much faith in him as the teams listed above did with their Rookie QB's.

 

Maybe its coaching? Maybe Marrone is afraid to let the kid loose I don't know. What I do know is if they keep this overly conservative **** up, we are going to be the same old predictable Buffalo Bills getting their asses handed to them like in years past. Tuel seemed to me to be allowed to do more, go deep etc.

 

 

It seems our first string still had issues getting to the QB other than Mario's GREAT jump of the snap count and getting luck. And I want to say I am by far one of the biggest detractors of Mario but when we first started the game and he was screaming at the line to shift down impressed me greatly. I loved the fact he was pissed they didn't and he let them know it after the play esp. since he diagnosed the play correctly and had the line shifted, Indy wouldn't have rushed for a first down.

 

Do we have any CB's or LB's( outside of Alfonso and Gilmore) that can cover anyone? WR's and TE's again WAY too wide open today from Indy's first string.

 

 

What I saw that was good, EJ took command of the offense and lead them on the 2 minute scoring drive. His best pass was not the TD, it was a few plays earlier when he spun from a pass rush and saw everyone was covered and tossed it into the stands. I loved that play. Shows damn good awareness for a rookie.

 

Tuel. Holy crap!!! Mr. Kolb..please bring your overpriced playbook to the office please! Kid has a gun, accurate and read the D today very well. If we can develop this kid, we have a damn salty backup, something greatly needed in todays NFL.

 

I saw WR's getting open! Is this Buffalo?

 

Goodwin!!! My God this kid is going to be amazing for us. I pray he can get a ton of reps on the offense and contribute there like he does on KO's. as for as ST's go, this kid gets a seam...its over. He could literally become the best KO return man in the NFL and break some records. Hey Devin Hester...take notice son there is a new KO return sheriff in town.

 

Overall, shaky start but one of the better complete pre season games we have seen in a long time. I pray we will see this team continue and get better and better. All I know is for the most part it was damn nice to sit back and Watch a Bills game for once.

OMg My nomination for worst post of the year ! You've got to be kidding me. It was a wonderful game from the coaching to the intensity of the guys trying to make the roster.But.... maybe you're right. Can we trade Manuel to Philly or NYG for their rookies 'cuz we ALREADY know he can't handle the game at this level

!!!!

[biglukes]

So we're doomed?

[flomoe]

So we're doomed?

 

Appears that way....Pack the SH*T up and go home. Why even bother playing out the season. Preseason game 1 with a new Coach, new GM, new President and basically new everything across the board except for probably the guy that cleans out the shitters, is new. All new except for the same ole moronic fans that feel that they should dissect each and every play of a PreSeason game and decide that all is lost.

 

Idiots out there for sure.

[beerme1]

Here I was having man crush and you're saying bust? Damn when will I learn?

 

Preseason game 1 with a new Coach, new GM, new President and basically new everything across the board except for probably the guy that cleans out the shitters, is new.

 

Idiots out there for sure.

 

In honor of the new regime, I WANT HIM FIRED!

[fansince88]

Just glad we have tuel along with him. Running QB makes me a bit concerned. Will be good to have a backup QB not named Kolb to take command of the game if and when EJ needs it. GO BILLS!!

Edited August 12, 2013 by fansince88

[Gugny]

Before too many people tear this ridiculousness apart, give the OP a day to delete it.

 

We could have won 98-0, with EJ playing the whole game, and people would have found something to B word about.

[auburnbillsbacker]

The Skins didn't hold back RG III. Indy didn't hold back Luck. Seattle and SF didnt' hold back their two guys. Carolina didnt' hold back Newton.

 

It seems to me they are going to really restrict or 'baby' EJ and I feel that is going to hurt him more than help. Either we picked the right guy or we didn't. Either these guys can coach him up, or they cant. But it seems to me they don't seem to have as much faith in him as the teams listed above did with their Rookie QB's.

 

Maybe its coaching? Maybe Marrone is afraid to let the kid loose I don't know. What I do know is if they keep this overly conservative **** up, we are going to be the same old predictable Buffalo Bills getting their asses handed to them like in years past. Tuel seemed to me to be allowed to do more, go deep etc.

 

 

It seems our first string still had issues getting to the QB other than Mario's GREAT jump of the snap count and getting luck. And I want to say I am by far one of the biggest detractors of Mario but when we first started the game and he was screaming at the line to shift down impressed me greatly. I loved the fact he was pissed they didn't and he let them know it after the play esp. since he diagnosed the play correctly and had the line shifted, Indy wouldn't have rushed for a first down.

 

Do we have any CB's or LB's( outside of Alfonso and Gilmore) that can cover anyone? WR's and TE's again WAY too wide open today from Indy's first string.

 

 

What I saw that was good, EJ took command of the offense and lead them on the 2 minute scoring drive. His best pass was not the TD, it was a few plays earlier when he spun from a pass rush and saw everyone was covered and tossed it into the stands. I loved that play. Shows damn good awareness for a rookie.

 

Tuel. Holy crap!!! Mr. Kolb..please bring your overpriced playbook to the office please! Kid has a gun, accurate and read the D today very well. If we can develop this kid, we have a damn salty backup, something greatly needed in todays NFL.

 

I saw WR's getting open! Is this Buffalo?

 

Goodwin!!! My God this kid is going to be amazing for us. I pray he can get a ton of reps on the offense and contribute there like he does on KO's. as for as ST's go, this kid gets a seam...its over. He could literally become the best KO return man in the NFL and break some records. Hey Devin Hester...take notice son there is a new KO return sheriff in town.

 

Overall, shaky start but one of the better complete pre season games we have seen in a long time. I pray we will see this team continue and get better and better. All I know is for the most part it was damn nice to sit back and Watch a Bills game for once.

 

Pat Kirwain on Sirius NFL has talked about the way the Panthers simplified things for Newton his rookie year on several occasions. Keeping it simple at the start might not be a bad thing.

[SBUffalo]

Kaepernick didn't start for a year and a half. Held back.

Russell Wilson had to absolutely steal the starting job and was limited early. Held back.

 

Manuel isn't the talent that the other three were coming out of college. So obviously they'll want to bring him along a little slowly.

[l< j]

Moreover, Luck and RGIII specifically are #1 and #2 overall picks who were by everyone's estimation can't miss franchise QBs, once every 20 years type of rookies who start right away and lead their teams to the playoffs for 15 years.

 

Well if they had two of them last year, then they can't be 'once-every-twenty-years' type of rookies, can they?

 

kj

[ganesh]

Agreed. Wilson had a vanilla offense for 1/2 the season and ran more in the first half. Luck threw bubble screens and ran the pistol for most of the season. Only Luck aired it out from day one. And I'm sure that was not by choice. Their running backs are awful. He was forced to throw early.

 

Also, Bruce Arians was his HC/OC. Arian had already developed successfully a Superbowl QB and knew how to bring Luck along. Give our coaching staff a chance.

[Clippers of Nfl]

Well if they had two of them last year, then they can't be 'once-every-twenty-years' type of rookies, can they?

 

kj

Trying to correct somebody and you're wrong makes you look very very smart. He was not speaking in literal terms. Duh!!!

 

To the OP. Manuel played the 1st half. If anything, they held back Andrew Luck. If you are talking about the playbook, what else do you want to see? He passed, he ran, he threw a td. And it's vanilla game. Game 1. Every team holds back ALOT preseason game 1. C'mon dude...

[Nuncha]

Can't make this judgement by the first preseason game. Coach said Hackett should have called more go routes. I'm not worried about this staff being conservative. Wait and see what happens the first few regular seaon games....

Edited August 12, 2013 by Azucho98

[Max Fischer]

This would be a good post if any of your facts were correct. Relax dude, don't panic.

[jimmy10]

It's been a long time since I've cracked open a fresh Doom and Gloom thread on a Monday morning.

 

Football is back!

[eball]

OP needs to listen to Marrone's post-game press conference. He specifically said he wished more "go's" had been called and will be talking to Hackett about it.

 

It's been a long time since I've cracked open a fresh Doom and Gloom thread on a Monday morning.

 

Football is back!

 

It does have that unmistakable scent, doesn't it?

[HamSandwhich]

What if Hackett's reasoning was he KNOWS Manuel can throw the deep pass. He does that so well in practice. What if Hackett wanted to see how he handled the short to intermediate passes because that's where he has struggled at times? Hasn't he over thrown recievers on the short to Intermediate passes? I can only go by what others (Astro) say about camp, but that was a vibe I was getting. Maybe its as simple as that?

[l< j]

He was not speaking in literal terms. Duh!!!

 

 

Neither was I, tongue in cheek. Do you really think I was arguing that Luck and RGIII aren't special talents?

[Ronin]

The Skins didn't hold back RG III. Indy didn't hold back Luck. Seattle and SF didnt' hold back their two guys. Carolina didnt' hold back Newton.

 

It seems to me they are going to really restrict or 'baby' EJ and I feel that is going to hurt him more than help. Either we picked the right guy or we didn't. Either these guys can coach him up, or they cant. But it seems to me they don't seem to have as much faith in him as the teams listed above did with their Rookie QB's.

 

Maybe its coaching? Maybe Marrone is afraid to let the kid loose I don't know. What I do know is if they keep this overly conservative **** up, we are going to be the same old predictable Buffalo Bills getting their asses handed to them like in years past. Tuel seemed to me to be allowed to do more, go deep etc.

 

 

It seems our first string still had issues getting to the QB other than Mario's GREAT jump of the snap count and getting luck. And I want to say I am by far one of the biggest detractors of Mario but when we first started the game and he was screaming at the line to shift down impressed me greatly. I loved the fact he was pissed they didn't and he let them know it after the play esp. since he diagnosed the play correctly and had the line shifted, Indy wouldn't have rushed for a first down.

 

Do we have any CB's or LB's( outside of Alfonso and Gilmore) that can cover anyone? WR's and TE's again WAY too wide open today from Indy's first string.

 

 

What I saw that was good, EJ took command of the offense and lead them on the 2 minute scoring drive. His best pass was not the TD, it was a few plays earlier when he spun from a pass rush and saw everyone was covered and tossed it into the stands. I loved that play. Shows damn good awareness for a rookie.

 

Tuel. Holy crap!!! Mr. Kolb..please bring your overpriced playbook to the office please! Kid has a gun, accurate and read the D today very well. If we can develop this kid, we have a damn salty backup, something greatly needed in todays NFL.

 

I saw WR's getting open! Is this Buffalo?

 

Goodwin!!! My God this kid is going to be amazing for us. I pray he can get a ton of reps on the offense and contribute there like he does on KO's. as for as ST's go, this kid gets a seam...its over. He could literally become the best KO return man in the NFL and break some records. Hey Devin Hester...take notice son there is a new KO return sheriff in town.

 

Overall, shaky start but one of the better complete pre season games we have seen in a long time. I pray we will see this team continue and get better and better. All I know is for the most part it was damn nice to sit back and Watch a Bills game for once.

 

Let's see how the whole read-option thing shakes out. D's will adjust to it as they always do and it may not be the flavor of the day for much longer.

 

As to Manuel, at least it looks like he will be starting at this point. Kolb would have to really show something at this point to get that starting nod, not to mention stay healthy. Good to have Tuel in the background, but he didn't play against a lot of players that will even be around in Sept. so who knows.

 

We also don't know what the goals of the team were in this game. Maybe the staff, in its first live action together as a unit, had other goals as I'm sure they did, besides win the game, which happened anyway.

 

I was concerned because the first unit D pretty much stunk and couldn't stop either Luck or Hasselbeck, who's over the hill, not to mention a cast of receiving talent that's hardly the '90s Niners.

 

Offensively the first team O really had only one good drive, that half-ending drive against many 2nd and 3rd teamers. So not sure what to think about that, but it was good for Manuel to get that taste of a scoring drive and it's good for him to have had that despite the above fact.

 

It's going to take this staff probably what, three or four games to get used to coaching together, get used to the NFL, etc., and I mean real games, not these.

 

A lot of people were praising players like Alonso, but he got schooled on one play by a second-rate RB for a huge gain. He played OK for a rookie otherwise I suppose, but it was hardly as if we can pencil him in as the next Pat Willis or anything. People were even commenting on Gilmore but his name hardly got called. Could be good, maybe not. Was he shadowing his cover assignment so well that Luck/Hass had no chance? That'd be good, but that was out of the picture on TV so we don't know and I don't recall anyone saying anything.

 

I thought it was a good game, but for these PS games who cares if they win or lose, what's important is how the first teams play against the opposing first teams, not whether our first team can beat a bunch of bubble players that won't be lined up across from them this fall. From that angle there's definitely more work to do.

 

Manuel's gonna start the season which is a good thing at this point. He needs every rep he can get so that there's some hope next season.