the QB competition is over - EJ is your winner

[DefenseWins]

I don't think there can be any remaining doubt that the EJ Manuel Era has begun... He's clearly earned the starting nod... The only real question is Will the Bills cut Kolb? - my guess is not but you never know...

[mitchmurraydowntown]

just watched the highlights.... I think we may drop Kolb..

I posted that last week, the guys not that great.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Is it really a leap? How many fans here want Kolb to still get another chance? One person?

 

I think it's obvious that the team would be almost 100% backing Manuel at this point. They probably can't say anything publicly because that would be disrespectful to Kolb who seems like a good guy.

 

Sure I may be wrong, but I just think it's logical the team wants Manuel as their starter.

Logical, but logic is not the only way decisions are made in NFL locker rooms. There are politics to be sure, especially with rookies. Playing in EJ's favor is the fact that he is super respectful and always working, never taking anything for granted, and impressing in practice.

 

But read prior to the first preseason game what Wood was saying, noting that Manuel was pretty jittery, kind of over-practicing, etc. It's not a sealed deal and you can't as a fan project your hopes on the feelings of the 15-20 guys who actually play with him. They know and remember what it's like to be a rookie.

 

I think you're generally right; again, just saying it is more complex than we can really understand.

[Matt in KC]

Here's my thoughts 2 games into preseason. i brought this up in the game day thread, let me know if you think it makes sense...

 

Kolb got his chance yesterday and started out poorly but collected himself as time went on. Granted he has missed time but he's a veteran and that shouldn't be an excuse for him. What I feel is an excuse is this...Kolb has been in the league and has been subjected to your 'normal' offensive schemes. He comes in this year and his first game he runs 41 plays in the first half, extrapolate out to a full game and that is maybe 80 plays a game. that is a pace that a veteran QB probably isn't used to. Manuel & Tuel have no pro game point of reference and are able to adapt easier than Kolb. It can't be an easy for a veteran to learn a new pace.

 

I would be willing to give Kolb another week of practice and another start next week against Washington. We know EJ & Tuel can play in this fast pace offense, we need to now know if Kolb can get accustomed to it. I hate making excuses but unless we are willing to go into the season with 2 rookie QB's as our only QB's on the roster and keep Brad Smith as WR/3rd QB, I say Kolb needs one more audition. If its the same, cut bait...

 

Either way, I am really stoked about this season and can't wait for real games

I agree with all of your early points, Poojer.

 

I'm not reading too much into Kolb's struggles yesterday. It's his first game in how long? ...and he just sat down for a week. He was clearly rusty and his timing was off. The speed he ran the offense bothered me more than anything.

 

I think it's risky to go into the season with just rooky QBs. The question would be whose roster spot he's taking. Rogers? The other Rogers (Justin), or Butler? Summers?

 

If Kolb just can't get it together and they look like a different team with him at the helm these last two games, I agree, it could be better to cut him in the final wave to shore up other positions.

[The Poojer]

let me clear things up...i don't want kolb to be our starter, i am more concerned about how our roster looks come game 1...right now, kolb is not looking like a strong candidate to make the roster, that leaves us with the potential of 2 rookie QB's on our roster...that's it, or my other part of that scenario, keeping Brad Smith as our emergency QB. My scenario is to decide whether Kolb deserves to be on the roster come game 1. I have ZERO problem with EJ being named the starter, in fact I am giddy over it...sorry if i came off as giving him another audition to battle for QB1...

 

Is it really a leap? How many fans here want Kolb to still get another chance? One person?

 

I think it's obvious that the team would be almost 100% backing Manuel at this point. They probably can't say anything publicly because that would be disrespectful to Kolb who seems like a good guy.

 

Sure I may be wrong, but I just think it's logical the team wants Manuel as their starter.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

I think it was SJBF dogging me last week for wanting Kolb cut.......like it was a crazy idea.........seems like his Kolb support is waning.

 

Thank goodness for EJ. How they can pick a very promising young QB in EJ Manuel and at the same time acquire THE laughingstock QB of the NFL in Kevin Kolb is a mystery unless you buy the idea that Kolb was brought in as the tomato can QB for EJ to easily kick over.

 

Dogging you???

 

Kolb knows the offense. He's been studying it for over 4 months.

 

Marrone and Hackett have been complimentary of Kolb's performance so far.

 

We should cut Kolb and pickup a veteran who doesn't know the offense?

 

C'mon Bado.

 

I was stating that:

 

1) It was ridiculous to suggest cutting Kolb and replacing him with _______________ (your suggestion) who doesn't even know the offense.

 

2) It is ridiculous to cut Kolb before he had even played in a game for the Bills.

 

I could easily go back and reprise many of your comments about the Bills offseason decisions (you're not a strong supporter) but I'll stay away from any more cheap shots.

 

I hope you do the same.

[NoSaint]

 

You should see the grin on my face. You're actually making me smile. So I'm amusing myself going back and forth with you. When I'm wrong. I say I'm wrong. You take things too literal. Guess what, regardless or what your little article says, there were some 2nd strings still playing in the 2nd quarter. This is very normal. Guess what. Regardless of what your little article states, sometimes even 3rd stringers play in quarter 1 of preseason GAME 1. But anyway I don't care. Take the info or don't take it. True story: When I was 9 years old I found out what a fumble was. The ball fell out and the other guy picked it up and said it was a fumble. I was like, "What the F. You're lying. Play is dead. When the receiver doesn't catch a ball, it's incomplete. You cant just pick it up and call it a fumble" Long story short. I lost a bet. The other kid took me to his dad to prove that a fumble really existed. When the dad told me that fumbles existed, THAT WAS EMBARASSING.

 

I remember that like it was yesterday. Despite the team being terrible you did seem to learn a lot as the season went last year. Hopefully your friends will continue to teach you this year

Edited August 17, 2013 by NoSaint

[AKA Bigdog]

As a casualty of 13 years of vomit inducing bills football I will admit this preseason has sparked a glimmer of hope that I thought was permently extinguished.

 

I think EJ looks like a fine young QB. Aside from the quantum leap in accuracy over pickpatrick I'm more impressed with his grasp of the hurry up offense. My memory isn't what it used to be but the pace this preseason rivals the glory days of the no huddle. For a rookie QB to look that polished is impressive.

 

Even better is that the second and third string players seem to run the offense just as smoothly as the first string. That speaks to coaching. That is something I haven't seen since marv made his exit so many years ago.

 

EJ should start. Kolb should back him up.

 

I have a feeling I'm gonna be 100 dollars poorer very soon and I couldn't be happier.

 

 

[Clippers of Nfl]

That's a strong argument, but not a persuasive one. We really do not know what goes on behind closed doors.

 

I think you're probably right, but the team could as easily feel that they would be in better hands with a vet. More likely the team is impressed enough with what they see in practice and in the film room to trust EJ.

Honestly this is not even a controversy or argument or point. It's over. Everyone knows it already.

If the vet is not good and the play is noticeably worse, which it is, a vet is useless.

 

Maybe some affection may blind some fans, but it's over.

 

The coach would do good to name him Monday to boost EJ's confidence. I'm pretty sure he will this week.

 

I remember that like it was yesterday. Despite the team being terrible you did seem to learn a lot as the season went last year. Hopefully your friends will continue to teach you this year

Ha ha. That experience was over 20 years ago. I was a little punk kid. I'm actually still a punk kid.

[Pneumonic]

Kolb sucks and is not the future so no point in playing him over EJ. I suppose Kolb could have value as an insurance plan should EJ struggle when the real bullets start to fly. Frankly, I'd rather see them sink or swim with EJ starting all season long.

[RuntheDamnBall]

Honestly this is not even a controversy or argument or point. It's over. Everyone knows it already.

If the vet is not good and the play is noticeably worse, which it is, a vet is useless.

 

Maybe some affection may blind some fans, but it's over.

 

The coach would do good to name him Monday to boost EJ's confidence. I'm pretty sure he will this week.

If EJ is so fragile that this competition that he is winning hands-down is hurting his psyche, we're f---ed. He seems plenty confident whether that announcement comes this week or 6 days before opening day.

[mrags]

 

 

On Kolb signing: horseradish. No one knew how draft day would fall out and how quickly EJ would pick up the offense/adapt to the pro game. On the other hand, we did expect more of him. He was excused due to a death in the family, correct? Do we know who died? If it was someone he was close to, that could have a negative mental impact. So perhaps we should not write Kolb off quite yet.

 

On the 3rd stringer: perchance one should keep that in mind for EJ's 2nd half as well? He did indeed look very good. But it was against 2nd stringers, correct?

it was his grandmother who died.

[CosmicBills]

Credit to Marrone for how he's handled the QB "competition". I don't think there's any doubt that as soon as EJ was drafted, Marrone's fate was tied to the young man's success. It makes sense that Marrone would want to start EJ right away but he had the presence of mind to hold an open competition and let someone take the job rather than annoint it. Sure, it sounded like lip-service/coach speak when he said it two months ago, but he stuck to his guns and EJ has clearly won the job not just in the fans' minds but the players' as well.

 

If Tuel plays well in Week 3 or 4 of the preseason it will make it difficult for him to make it onto the practice squad without another team rolling the dice on him. I think Kolb gets cut and Tuel is our backup with Smith as the emergency 3. Just my two cents...

[Matt in KC]

Has Brad Smith taken any snaps at QB this year? Any? I don't think there's any way he's our emergency QB. If he happens to be on the team, I can see him playing if all other QBs get hurt during a game, but that's it.

[CosmicBills]

Has Brad Smith taken any snaps at QB this year? Any? I don't think there's any way he's our emergency QB. If he happens to be on the team, I can see him playing if all other QBs get hurt during a game, but that's it.

Emergency 3. If they cut Kolb, they have more than enough time to get Smith up to speed as the backup's backup. If they lose EJ and Tuel/Kolb for long it won't much matter who's taking snaps back there so why waste a roster spot on a 3rd QB who can't play other positions when you have a guy like Smith who's versatile enough to play several -- including being a relief pitcher in a pinch.

[Billshank Redemption]

I was in favor of starting kolb before pre-season. Its been clear since the start of camp that EJ is the superior player right now and it is as simple as that. The dude just seems so calm to the point where I dont think it would hurt his development to start him day one.

[Matt in KC]

Emergency 3. If they cut Kolb, they have more than enough time to get Smith up to speed as the backup's backup. If they lose EJ and Tuel/Kolb for long it won't much matter who's taking snaps back there so why waste a roster spot on a 3rd QB who can't play other positions when you have a guy like Smith who's versatile enough to play several -- including being a relief pitcher in a pinch.

Yeah, I'm torn. Smith is good at WR, enough to be our 5-6th. He's a good ST player, and a veteran who seems like good influence on the rookies. But, I don't think he's passable as a QB at all. I think I'd rather have Kolb on the roster, but not dress, and not have Smith on the roster in favor of a WR who is likely to be a better, younger option with a little more experience.

[CosmicBills]

Yeah, I'm torn. Smith is good at WR, enough to be our 5-6th. He's a good ST player, and a veteran who seems like good influence on the rookies. But, I don't think he's passable as a QB at all. I think I'd rather have Kolb on the roster, but not dress, and not have Smith on the roster in favor of a WR who is likely to be a better, younger option with a little more experience.

If they keep Kolb, they'll lose Tuel to a poacher. There's little chance that Tuel makes it through waivers. On the other hand, if they keep Smith as a ST/WR/QB at the expense of Kolb, that would open up a WR spot for one of the young guys whereas if they kept all 3 QBs on the active roster it would mean one less WR for sure.

 

We'll see how it shakes out in a week I guess.

[mrags]

 

If they keep Kolb, they'll lose Tuel to a poacher. There's little chance that Tuel makes it through waivers. On the other hand, if they keep Smith as a ST/WR/QB at the expense of Kolb, that would open up a WR spot for one of the young guys whereas if they kept all 3 QBs on the active roster it would mean one less WR for sure.

 

We'll see how it shakes out in a week I guess.

still pushing for Brad Smith I see.

 

He looked decent last night. AS A WR. that's all. Keep him there. But chances are he doesn't make the team over Hogan, Kaufman, Easley as he just doesn't have the size, speed, potential of any of the 3.

[Clippers of Nfl]

If EJ is so fragile that this competition that he is winning hands-down is hurting his psyche, we're f---ed. He seems plenty confident whether that announcement comes this week or 6 days before opening day.

Dont twist my words. Nothing wrong with more encouragement. He's already confident and commanding the offense.