Measuring EJ's progress

[8-8 Forever?]

...or playing with your second and third string QB and still winning...or play an undefeated team close until the 4th quarter.

 

All teams have injuries. Our offense have played games without starters at QB, RB, and WR. Funny when that happens we always find someone on the Bills to blame. But when other players have injuries we win cuz they suck.

 

Jags were the hottest team in the AFC coming into this week and they were playing a Buffalo team at home who had been bad on the road. Good win for us.

Good Post. Everyone, this is how you should be looking at this game.

[TH3]

 

 

I think he has a long career ahead of him in the NFL because of his intangibles but he is a very long term project IMO.

 

I don't think you......or any NFL fan has the patience for how long it is going to take.

 

EJ is just a mess of poor natural accuracy, poor mechanics and slow processor speed.

 

After most of a season watching him at the NFL level I think his middle range is as a teasing Jason Campbell-type backup and his upside might be as an Alex Smith in 5-6 years.

 

Those two guys have had their moments......but most of their careers have been spent severely disappointing their fans.

 

In the meantime.......I think perhaps 30 better QB prospects could enter the league over the next 5 years. I know there will be a dozen in the next two years alone.

 

There are simply more quality QB prospects entering the league due to the NCAA becoming more pass happy and the NFL becoming a safer place to play QB.

 

Clinging to one and hoping is probably not a very sound approach in that environment.

 

An influx in talent will only accentuate the difference between teams that have great, good, average, mediocre and lousy quarterbacking.

 

The team would always be well served to keep looking for a better QB.......but especially in this case.

 

And what great experience are you drawing on to form this insight?

 

[ColdBlueNorth]

I don't even believe Gannon when he says "Hello."

 

Too funny Tom:)

[thewildrabbit]

Not saying anything against that in the slightest. Our OL has got to get bettter. I think CJ was the greatest beneficiary of Joe D's OL. We miss Levitre something terrible this year also. One of the best Mock Drafts I have seen for us so far has Jake Matthews / OT / Texas A&M going to us in the 1st and then us getting Cyril Richardson / OT-OG / Baylor in the 2nd. Matthews would play RT and Richardson LG in our offense. I think that would solve our OL problems real quick.

That won't happen if Buddy Nix instilled his O line philosophy new GM Doug Whaley.

 

That OG's are a dime a dozen and anyone can play guard. That if you have a OT, they can be moved to guard and the position fixed. No need to waste a first round pick on any O linemen as they can be found in the later rounds.

 

In my view this entire season was wasted and the rookie QB's progress hindered because this team failed to properly fortify the line last season. The lose the best graded player on that line by not signing him, and then try to replace him with the very worst graded player this season. This move was totally disconcerting to me because this HC in Marrone is supposedly a O line guru, as he was an ex NFL OC, an ex NFL O lineman, an ex NFL O line coach.

[jjmac]

That won't happen if Buddy Nix instilled his O line philosophy new GM Doug Whaley.

 

That OG's are a dime a dozen and anyone can play guard. That if you have a OT, they can be moved to guard and the position fixed. No need to waste a first round pick on any O linemen as they can be found in the later rounds.

 

In my view this entire season was wasted and the rookie QB's progress hindered because this team failed to properly fortify the line last season. The lose the best graded player on that line by not signing him, and then try to replace him with the very worst graded player this season. This move was totally disconcerting to me because this HC in Marrone is supposedly a O line guru, as he was an ex NFL OC, an ex NFL O lineman, an ex NFL O line coach.

 

Isn't this supposed to be a good year for drafting OL?

[thewildrabbit]

...or playing with your second and third string QB and still winning...or play an undefeated team close until the 4th quarter.

 

All teams have injuries. Our offense have played games without starters at QB, RB, and WR. Funny when that happens we always find someone on the Bills to blame. But when other players have injuries we win cuz they suck.

 

Jags were the hottest team in the AFC coming into this week and they were playing a Buffalo team at home who had been bad on the road. Good win for us.

Seriously, the hottest team in the NFL? Considering they were 4-9 and won 3 straight against Houston, Cleveland, and Houston again? Houston is 2-12 BTW.

 

Then considering the Jags were without their best RB in MJD and WR in Cecil Shorts. Few outsiders gave the Jags much chance to win the game because of all the injuries they have. Then the backup G Mike Brewster who was subbing for another injured player broke his ankle in the first half.

 

I credit the BIlls OC for removing his head from his posterior long enough to call 44 rushing attempts vs 24 passing attempts (thus not forcing EJ to shoulder the game) for this Bills win

 

Isn't this supposed to be a good year for drafting OL?

Doubt it is good as last year with 6 O line players drafted in the first 11 picks

 

Anyway, the Bills would need to actually draft some for it to be applicable to them.

[Leelee Phoenix]

It doesn't matter if we think Manuel needs competition or whatever, the Bills are very unlikely to be able to draft a top QB now. And whatever FA veteran QB they might bring in will be trash that's not competition. They may just keep Thad and Tuel.

 

Can only hope that EJ improves next year... after 2 seasons, the excuses are done, though.

[jjmac]

 

Doubt it is good as last year with 6 O line players drafted in the first 11 picks

 

Anyway, the Bills would need to actually draft some for it to be applicable to them.

 

At least draft some before Day 3.

[26CornerBlitz]

Latest rebound raises bar for EJ Manuel

 

Haven’t we seen this before?

 

It was four weeks ago when EJ Manuel helped the Buffalo Bills snap a losing streak, passing for 245 yards and two touchdowns in a victory against the New York Jets. Coming off a dismal outing in Pittsburgh, that performance quieted critics of the rookie quarterback and appeared to set the Bills back on the right track with their first-round pick.

 

But then came the slide. Manuel’s completion percentage dropped to 56 percent in a loss to the Atlanta Falcons, he threw four interceptions to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers blow out the Bills last week, and then he may have hit rock bottom Sunday.

 

In what became a 27-20 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Manuel’s had a 6.0 passer rating in the first quarter, the seventh-lowest by any quarterback this season. He completed two of his seven first-quarter passes and lobbed what may have been the easiest interception of Jaguars linebacker Geno Hayes' career.

 

At that point, any questions about Manuel were fair. Anything from “Is he regressing?” to “Should the Bills draft another quarterback in the first round?” would have sparked debate at holiday gatherings around Buffalo.

 

ESPN Bills vs Jags Recap Video

[BillsVet]

It's amazing that a 17-24 193 yard 2 TD 2 turnover performance against the league's 27th overall and 26th ranked pass defense qualifies as progress. No way does that get the job done against the New England's, Denver's, or Seattle's. Because if you're measuring yourself against the dregs of the league, it's a pretty hollow comparison. Raise the standard beyond mediocrity.

[BADOLBILZ]

Stop acting like you are giving your opinion from a position of knowing more then other fans on a message board when it comes to football thus making your opinion more valid.....

 

It isnt

 

This is a team game.....and Hackett's game planning with the predictable run up th middle on 1st down putting us in crappy down and distance on 2nd down is as much to blame for the team missing "layups" as anything else.......

 

I really think that Spiller's time in Buffalo might be in jeapardy.....either that or we might see a pretty significant overhaul of the offensive line this offseason......if we have to have thoe 4 yards on 1st down for Hackett's offense to work we better put better blockers on the field

 

EJ Manuel is consistantly inconsistant......showing just enough flashes to think he might grown in his 2nd year

 

John, you have always seemed like a man who is very in touch with his feminine side so I won't bust on you for your perculiar demand.

 

All I can tell you is that it's not rocket science. My track record speaks for itself. I am used to the outraged responses to my opinions. I am also used to being right.

 

I just got attacked a few weeks ago for criticizing Stevie Johnson. Literally mid-thread the Atlanta game happened and some of the same people who were adamant that I was wrong were saying that they had NOW changed their mind about Stevie as a player.

 

Nothing happened that I hadn't addressed. It just seems that some people have perculiar tipping points......which rings of a closed minded approach to evaluating the Buffalo Bills organization.

 

I am not always right, but I usually am and I understand that people don't want to hear projections that fall short of their hopes but I don't feel the need to pretend that the Bills are anything other than what they are.

[C.Biscuit97]

It's amazing that a 17-24 193 yard 2 TD 2 turnover performance against the league's 27th overall and 26th ranked pass defense qualifies as progress. No way does that get the job done against the New England's, Denver's, or Seattle's. Because if you're measuring yourself against the dregs of the league, it's a pretty hollow comparison. Raise the standard beyond mediocrity.

 

1) it was 3 tds

 

2) he left the NE game with the lead

 

3) he put up 296 against the #2 defense in Carolina.

[Ozymandius]

Stop acting like you are giving your opinion from a position of knowing more then other fans on a message board when it comes to football thus making your opinion more valid.....

 

Lol, someone feels a bit small down there.

 

Badol is one of the smartest posters on this or any football board. You know it. Everyone knows it.

 

EJ sucks. Draft a 1st round QB in April, or spend the next decade regretting passing on several QBs that will be better than him.

[Mango]

The biggest plus today regardless of stats is that EJ worked the middle of the field and the mid distant throws accurately. That throw down the sideline to Goodwin was money.

[BuffaloBillsForever]

It's amazing that a 17-24 193 yard 2 TD 2 turnover performance against the league's 27th overall and 26th ranked pass defense qualifies as progress. No way does that get the job done against the New England's, Denver's, or Seattle's. Because if you're measuring yourself against the dregs of the league, it's a pretty hollow comparison. Raise the standard beyond mediocrity.

 

Yup. Our QB and our coaching staff stinks!

[John from Riverside]

Lol, someone feels a bit small down there.

 

Badol is one of the smartest posters on this or any football board. You know it. Everyone knows it.

 

EJ sucks. Draft a 1st round QB in April, or spend the next decade regretting passing on several QBs that will be better than him.

 

Well......if I truly did know it then I wouldnt have posted what I did now would I......and just because he has a fan base of know nothings doesnt change the fact that you cant predict the future on this

[BADOLBILZ]

In my view this entire season was wasted and the rookie QB's progress hindered because this team failed to properly fortify the line last season. The lose the best graded player on that line by not signing him, and then try to replace him with the very worst graded player this season. This move was totally disconcerting to me because this HC in Marrone is supposedly a O line guru, as he was an ex NFL OC, an ex NFL O lineman, an ex NFL O line coach.

 

They weakened their OL......and then switched the focus of their offense to winning battles at the LOS.

[John from Riverside]

John, you have always seemed like a man who is very in touch with his feminine side so I won't bust on you for your perculiar demand.

 

All I can tell you is that it's not rocket science. My track record speaks for itself. I am used to the outraged responses to my opinions. I am also used to being right.

 

I just got attacked a few weeks ago for criticizing Stevie Johnson. Literally mid-thread the Atlanta game happened and some of the same people who were adamant that I was wrong were saying that they had NOW changed their mind about Stevie as a player.

 

Nothing happened that I hadn't addressed. It just seems that some people have perculiar tipping points......which rings of a closed minded approach to evaluating the Buffalo Bills organization.

 

I am not always right, but I usually am and I understand that people don't want to hear projections that fall short of their hopes but I don't feel the need to pretend that the Bills are anything other than what they are.

 

Well.....I do try to be in touch with my feminine side the chicks do tend to dig it......although I dont know what "demand" you are referring to........just that your opinion doesnt mean more then the poster you are trying to project yourself as "I know more then you" which i total BS

 

People defend Stevie because he is a bill.....thats what fans of a team sometimes do. The problem is that Stevie is playing with a rookie QB who need him to be where he is supposed to be on a route and Stevie "free lances" too much then he pout when he doent get the ball....that doesnt take into account his drops......it is interesting that EJ plays better with his rookie targets then he does with the veteran guys and that situation is probably going to play itself out with Stevie gone......factoring in the on the field issues AND his salary.

 

But.....as I said before....you dont know anything definite it i just your opinion....which you are welcome to.....just dont go around acting like your opinion is any more valid then the one who has posts of all sunshine and flowers....he isnt wrong either.

[BADOLBILZ]

It's amazing that a 17-24 193 yard 2 TD 2 turnover performance against the league's 27th overall and 26th ranked pass defense qualifies as progress. No way does that get the job done against the New England's, Denver's, or Seattle's. Because if you're measuring yourself against the dregs of the league, it's a pretty hollow comparison. Raise the standard beyond mediocrity.

 

I am a lifelong Miami Hurricanes fan and they have long been underachievers.......even during their championship years.......and today had the feeling of when they come out and beat Florida A&M on the road by 10 points after losing at home to Virginia or something.

 

They should have played much better against such an undermanned opponent.

 

The Bills played bad enough to lose this game badly to a good team. The Jaguars were the sisters of the poor today.......but they played hard and pushed the Bills to the brink.

[John from Riverside]

I am a lifelong Miami Hurricanes fan and they have long been underachievers.......even during their championship years.......and today had the feeling of when they come out and beat Florida A&M on the road by 10 points after losing at home to Virginia or something.

 

They should have played much better against such an undermanned opponent.

 

The Bills played bad enough to lose this game badly to a good team. The Jaguars were the sisters of the poor today.......but they played hard and pushed the Bills to the brink.

 

 

And were on a 2 game winning streak

 

It's amazing that a 17-24 193 yard 2 TD 2 turnover performance against the league's 27th overall and 26th ranked pass defense qualifies as progress. No way does that get the job done against the New England's, Denver's, or Seattle's. Because if you're measuring yourself against the dregs of the league, it's a pretty hollow comparison. Raise the standard beyond mediocrity.

 

So in order for it to be considered progress it has to be against one of the top teams? You can only play the opponent in front of you. How about because it was on the road and it happened even though the defense was giving up big plays.....

 

Lets keep in mind that this team has not been good on the road this year.....so yes any road win (even againt the jags) should be considered progress no matter how slight it is.