QB still open competition

[Garranimal]

You're talking about the competition for second string behind Tuel, right?

I would like to say any discussion about this subject would be interesting but the problem is you have people who can't rationally discuss it. As is the case with every football player drafted out of college, you have people so invested personally in their success that any discussion that even hints at being negative is reacted to with extreme prejudice. I understand it because i have done the same thing and it is a trap that is hard to avoid.

 

I personally hope (purely as a Bills fan) that EJ or Tuel is all we could hope for in a QB, but there is a lot of road between what we have seen and success. For every Troy Aikmen there is a Tom Brady and a whole lot of Carson Palmers and Sam Bradfords in between........so you pays your money and you takes your chances!

[Kellyto83TD]

Could be the case. But I hope he actually proves himself wins the starting job on merit, rather than just being handed the starting job regardless. But I recognize there are many (like you) who believe he should and will be starting QB no matter what.

 

Bull. first round pick you hand him the job in todays NFL. Look if you aren't starting the guy you better damn well have an all pro sitting in front of him to learn from and the Bills dont. This kid needs to get out there and start this year and see if he is the real deal or not.

 

This isn't a ryan leaf head case or some clown you gotta motivate, this kid wants to be great and works his ass off to do so. That said, you start him and don't play stupid head games.

[1billsfan]

Bull. first round pick you hand him the job in todays NFL. Look if you aren't starting the guy you better damn well have an all pro sitting in front of him to learn from and the Bills dont. This kid needs to get out there and start this year and see if he is the real deal or not.

 

This isn't a ryan leaf head case or some clown you gotta motivate, this kid wants to be great and works his ass off to do so. That said, you start him and don't play stupid head games.

 

So correct. Kolb was insurance if the Bills didn't get their franchise QB in the draft, or if they did, he was insurance in case he wasn't ready to be an NFL starter. I think not only is EJ Manuel ready to start, he gives the team a better chance to win than Kolb. So IMO, the competition is over.

[HeHateMe]

Bull. first round pick you hand him the job in todays NFL. Look if you aren't starting the guy you better damn well have an all pro sitting in front of him to learn from and the Bills dont. This kid needs to get out there and start this year and see if he is the real deal or not.

 

This isn't a ryan leaf head case or some clown you gotta motivate, this kid wants to be great and works his ass off to do so. That said, you start him and don't play stupid head games.

 

Stupid head games? Not naming the outright starter with 3 preseason games and weeks of practice left is a head game? What harm could it be that he has to prove he deserves the #1 job.

 

This board...

[Mr. WEO]

Wait, is this a stealth Tuel thread?

 

Someone still believes the Bills will not start the first QB drafted in 2013 on week 1??

 

This is a done deal from the FO on down. Come on!

[HeHateMe]

Wait, is this a stealth Tuel thread?

 

Someone still believes the Bills will not start the first QB drafted in 2013 on week 1??

 

This is a done deal from the FO on down. Come on!

 

But did you see Jeff Tuel vs INDY?? 2nd Coming man...

[Spiderweb]

 

he hasn't proven himself to be a great nfl qb just yet, you're right. but he has shown that he doesn't look like a deer-in-the-headlights, panic-stricken, ready to puke all over yourself mess...at least in his first limited action of training wheels football. i will say though, i liked the poise, i liked the scrambling ability, i liked the throw away when nothing was there, and i liked the 2 minute drill. also liked the quick zip on the td pass to dickerson. i guess what i'm taking a long time to say here is that while he hasn't proven himself, he is showing signs of looking the part.

 

Actually he did have bit of rhe deer in the headlights look to him early. The late drive looked better but it was a dink and dunk drive ending with a well thrown ball. Tuel was sharp from the get go. The best one could say about EJ's performance would be inconclusive.

[Nanker]

Cut Tuel now. He sucks!

[NoSaint]

 

 

But did you see Jeff Tuel vs INDY?? 2nd Coming man...

 

i mean, maybe not manning, but i think at the very least we can say kurt warner.

[Bangarang]

This whole QB competition is just so Marrone can save face after saying each player has to earn their spot. He's not going to say that and turn around and say "Everyone has to earn their spot except for EJ. We hand picked him and took him in the first round. Don't be stupid, he's obviously starting and going to be the face of this team"

 

EJ is starting week 1 without a doubt. Kolb lost his last competition to John freaking Skelton.

[Ronin]

The job is Manuel's to lose. He's proven himself capable in practice and in his first pre-season game, and didn't get injured slipping on a mat.

 

That's ridiculous. It should be Kolb's to win and to win it he should have to impress the daylights out of the staff and make them think he is acapable of playing to a level that will net them a winning record. I don't see that under any circumstances.

 

When you reach and draft a QB at 16th overall because you had to have him then you start the guy, period.

 

Anything short of that is a short-sighted view on the future of this team. Manuel needs some reps before he ever has a chance to look good, if those reps come next season then we they've extended this "non-rebuilding" season to a rebuilding season like Levy did.

 

I wish they'd just come clean and call it a rebuilding season and let the guy start.

 

This whole thing about Kolb starting so that what, he can provide for us what Holcomb and Fitzpatrick did, is absurd.. The league-wide stigma for the Draft was that the team reached as it was, now they're not going to start the player that they reached for?

 

If that happens it's open season on the intelligence of the coaching staff and FO both. That would be pure idiocy if Kolb started more than a few games.

 

Who the hell wants to see Kolb start or play anyway. How boring.

 

If Manuel starts I'll watch the games. We already know how things will turn out if Kolb starts plus or minus a few TDs.

 

Let's hope that this QB starting nonsense is just a media SOP to keep them off their back so early. If they're waiting for Manuel to hit the field playing like a fully capable starter, then that may never happen.

[shoretalk]

Well, I am not sure which of the national media was not positive about EJ's performance versus the Colts. You and I must not be reading/listening to the same reports.

 

First, the NFL network during half time of the game itself were praising EJ's drive (And, they knew it was against 2nd and 3rd stringers but they also knew it was his first game against NFL competition so unlike you they saw his ability to recover from his early nervousness and mistakes.). And, I heard Herm Edwards praise him this week and have read several stories (And, no I don't have the links handy but I am so frustrated by all of these attacks on Manuel that started with the post game show callers on GR and have continued all week long. What's up guys? Why the negativity on our first round pick and quarterback of the future?).

 

The truth is he is learning to play in the NFL and will have to do so at some point in his career so why not now? I like switching starters for this week but certainly hope EJ gets time in with the 1's because otherwise no matter what he does the naysayers here will be saying it was against lesser competition than Kolb had.

 

I am not annointing EJ as a Pro Bowl QB nor am I saying we will win Super Bowls instantly. But, it is clear that he is the future of Bills not Tuel and definitely not Kolb. Let's get him through his learning moments now so that our future can be brighter!

[Rocky Landing]

he hasn't proven himself to be a great nfl qb just yet, you're right. but he has shown that he doesn't look like a deer-in-the-headlights, panic-stricken, ready to puke all over yourself mess...at least in his first limited action of training wheels football. i will say though, i liked the poise, i liked the scrambling ability, i liked the throw away when nothing was there, and i liked the 2 minute drill. also liked the quick zip on the td pass to dickerson. i guess what i'm taking a long time to say here is that while he hasn't proven himself, he is showing signs of looking the part.

I agree with all of this. I will say that the general consensus is that in both the preseason opener and the scrimmage, he had a slow start, but kept his head and finished strong. That may be indicative of the inconsistency criticisms that pundits had, pre-draft, but it also shows poise, and tenacity.

 

One of the disagreements on these boards seems to be whether putting EJ in a starting position immediately would be helpful, or harmful to his development. My personal opinion is that if Marrone doesn't feel that EJ is NFL ready, then he will use Kolb as a stopgap until he is. Historically, I believe there are examples of QB careers that have been damaged by being started too soon. If one accepts that premise, I think the downside of starting him too soon, would outweigh the downside of starting him later in the season. Either way, I think the person most qualified to make that decision is Doug Marrone.

 

Generally, when the decision of who to start at QB is not made until late in the preseason, the situation is described as either a, "quarterback competition," or a "quarterback controversy." I think what they've got going on in New Jersey is something like a controversy. I think what we have going on is a competition. If Kolb wins the starting job, everyone (including him) will know that it will be a temporary role that EJ will eventually hold. If EJ wins, Kolb will be a veteran backup who will be valuable on the sidelines, and the practice field, will help EJ develop, and step in if necessary. And, I don't think there will be any animosity between the two either way. They seem to both have really good attitudes. It's really a pretty good situation.

[Rocky Landing]

That's ridiculous. It should be Kolb's to win and to win it he should have to impress the daylights out of the staff and make them think he is acapable of playing to a level that will net them a winning record. I don't see that under any circumstances.

 

When you reach and draft a QB at 16th overall because you had to have him then you start the guy, period.

 

Anything short of that is a short-sighted view on the future of this team. Manuel needs some reps before he ever has a chance to look good, if those reps come next season then we they've extended this "non-rebuilding" season to a rebuilding season like Levy did.

 

I wish they'd just come clean and call it a rebuilding season and let the guy start.

 

This whole thing about Kolb starting so that what, he can provide for us what Holcomb and Fitzpatrick did, is absurd.. The league-wide stigma for the Draft was that the team reached as it was, now they're not going to start the player that they reached for?

 

If that happens it's open season on the intelligence of the coaching staff and FO both. That would be pure idiocy if Kolb started more than a few games.

 

Who the hell wants to see Kolb start or play anyway. How boring.

 

If Manuel starts I'll watch the games. We already know how things will turn out if Kolb starts plus or minus a few TDs.

 

Let's hope that this QB starting nonsense is just a media SOP to keep them off their back so early. If they're waiting for Manuel to hit the field playing like a fully capable starter, then that may never happen.

There's a lot of nonsense in this post.

 

EJ's position in the draft is no reason to start him. Few rookie QB's start immediately in the season opener. Whether this season is labelled a "building season," or not, Marrone should be starting the player who gives us the best chance to win the season opener. Doing otherwise would certainly not jeopardize the team's future. In fact, the strategy has always been that either EJ starts (if ready), or Kolb starts until he is. I think Marrone has been fairly transparent in that strategy. I would be far more likely to question the coaching staff's intelligence if they abandoned that strategy and dismissed Kolb because, "Who the hell wants to see Kolb start or play anyway?" I'm guessing that Marrone, et al, wants to see Kolb play.

 

And, do you really only watch football to see the quarterback play, and no one else?

[Doc]

That's ridiculous. It should be Kolb's to win and to win it he should have to impress the daylights out of the staff and make them think he is acapable of playing to a level that will net them a winning record. I don't see that under any circumstances.

 

When you reach and draft a QB at 16th overall because you had to have him then you start the guy, period.

 

Anything short of that is a short-sighted view on the future of this team. Manuel needs some reps before he ever has a chance to look good, if those reps come next season then we they've extended this "non-rebuilding" season to a rebuilding season like Levy did.

 

I wish they'd just come clean and call it a rebuilding season and let the guy start.

 

This whole thing about Kolb starting so that what, he can provide for us what Holcomb and Fitzpatrick did, is absurd.. The league-wide stigma for the Draft was that the team reached as it was, now they're not going to start the player that they reached for?

 

If that happens it's open season on the intelligence of the coaching staff and FO both. That would be pure idiocy if Kolb started more than a few games.

 

Who the hell wants to see Kolb start or play anyway. How boring.

 

If Manuel starts I'll watch the games. We already know how things will turn out if Kolb starts plus or minus a few TDs.

 

Let's hope that this QB starting nonsense is just a media SOP to keep them off their back so early. If they're waiting for Manuel to hit the field playing like a fully capable starter, then that may never happen.

"EJ's job to lose" = "Kolb's job to win."

 

And let me clarify. Unlike WEO, I don't think that the Bills went into camp saying "EJ's going to start regardless." I believe they wanted to see how he looked and if he looked like, say, Geno Smith, or Matt Barkley, or Ryan Nassib have, they would have started Kolb and let EJ sit and learn. After seeing he was learning in training camp and then after the 1st pre-season game, I think they know are saying it's his job, but want to give Kolb a start tomorrow night out of respect and appearance that they're being fair.

[Nanker]

My oh my. Aren't quarterback controversies wonderful!

[Bills Fan888]

The Bills will start the QB that they think gives them the best chance at winning this season it's as simple as that.

[reddogblitz]

Bull. first round pick you hand him the job in todays NFL.

So if all the other teams in the NFL jump off a cliff do we do it too? I know 3 teams did last year and had success. But I think last years draft class was an anomoly, sort of like the 1983 class with Elway, Marnino, Kelly, etc. I'm not saying EJ shouldn't start, just that we need to see more and Kolb to know for sure.

One of the disagreements on these boards seems to be whether putting EJ in a starting position immediately would be helpful, or harmful to his development. My personal opinion is that if Marrone doesn't feel that EJ is NFL ready, then he will use Kolb as a stopgap until he is. Historically, I believe there are examples of QB careers that have been damaged by being started too soon. If one accepts that premise, I think the downside of starting him too soon, would outweigh the downside of starting him later in the season. Either way, I think the person most qualified to make that decision is Doug Marrone.

This is where I'm at. If he ain't ready, then don't push it. There's no hurry. We got him locked up for 4 or 5 years. If he's not reading the Ds right, or get happy feet, or has bad habits like throwing off his back foot, fix that stuff first. He has to be fundamentally sound first. Coach Marrone and Hackett will know from watching him since March, not just one half of one game like most of us have.

The Bills will start the QB that they think gives them the best chance at winning this season it's as simple as that.

^^^^^^^^

THIS

 

Start the guy that gives us the best chance to beat NE on September 8th, whoever that is. I don't care who it is. I just want to win.