What is your EJ Manuel Confidence Level?

[Rob's House]

Well everyone is entitled to their opinion. However you can not replicate a game with playoffs on the line. Watching Thad Lewis from the booth isn't going to help Manuel's development anymore than watching game film of Thad Lewis on Monday.

You have to learn to play when you're hurt. You'll always be hurt.

I really don't think he is injured.

 

I hear what you're saying, and I don't entirely disagree, but I can also understand a coaching staff who's looking forward to working with this guy through the off-season weighing the risk of having him hobbled and rehabbing instead of practicing.

[Reed83HOF]

Now my confidence in Nathaniel Hackett as an offensive coordinator is at 25%, and I'm being generous. To me this is the bigger issue with our offense.

 

Wrong thread for this, but can't help but comment. I felt this way for awhile myself, but after hearing Marrone earlier in the season say the WRs were open and we weren't hitting them, reading the all-22 stories from WGR and seeing those missed opportunities - I do wonder how much is on EJ and him just not making the plays. I am interested to see what the offense looks like with Thad on Sunday.

[thewildrabbit]

My EJMCL is 60%, although this latest knee injury has me concerned.

 

I think Manuel has the intangibles. He's very poised and looks and acts like a leader.

 

His mechanics are good, but he has to get better. The two important things he has to work on is to stop checking down if the 1st option is not open. He does this far too much. He also at times appears to over-think plays, which leads to him throwing bad passes.

 

He can get better and I hope he does.

 

Now my confidence in Nathaniel Hackett as an offensive coordinator is at 25%, and I'm being generous. To me this is the bigger issue with our offense.

My thoughts exactly, save for the percentage, as my confidence is slightly higher.

[reddogblitz]

66.7%

 

EJ has showed enough to give me hope he can be the MAN. His accuracy is not the greatest, but it ain't horrible either. Those 10 - 20 yard darts he was throwing to Woods and Chandler and Gragg on Sunday were impressive. He's done that in several games. He also seems to play well late in the game which is another huge plus. He has that leadership thing. A QBs most important asset.

 

The injury thing doesn't bother me too much. There have been several QBs over the past 10 years or so who started out with injuries the first couple of years to then go on and play injury free and lead their team to playoffs. Guys like Rex Grossman and Matt Stafford come to mind.

 

If we can improve our OLine and WRs and TE a little and our D improves, EJ is certainly good enough to get us to playoffs. Is he SB QB? I don't know and frankly don't care. Let's just end this playoff thing first. Heck, let's just end the 9 straight years of losing seasons first. Or, maybe even just end the 6 year streak of ending up in the cellar of the AFC East first.

 

We do need to solidify our backup position next year just in case. Thaddeus is a FA after this year and he will have suitors.

 

Build around EJ.

[FluffHead]

We all saw that first bubble screen attempt to Stevie Johnson right? EJ just isn't a very good thrower therefor my confidence level is non existent

[OldTimer1960]

I am generally optimistic about Manuel's prospects. I think he has shown some ability to lead late in games that I didn't expect from an inexperienced rookie.

 

I am a bit concerned with his overall accuracy, but that seems to improve when he gets in a groove - so I think he can be good there.

 

I think a true top WR and a better TE (while keeping Chandler too) would help Manuel a lot. Among the Bills' current WRs, only Robert Woods makes the kind of catches that make a QB look good. Chandler is good at the routine catches and the rest of the group are not particularly consistent catchers, let alone able to make great catches.

 

[Nanker]

Mine is somewhere around 30-40%. I wish I could say he looks like he'll be the guy to lead this team for years to come, but I have not seen the progress that I'd like.

 

Major obstacles for me are his lack of awareness (to real or imagined pressure) in the pocket and his reaction to that pressure, his unwillingness to use the middle of the field, his propensity to try to guide the ball, his footwork, his accuracy and his inability to stay healthy.

 

Where is your EJMCL?

 

Can't disagree with anything you said. He looks like he could be the best QB we've had since Kelly, but that's not saying a whole heck of a lot.

I think we should all be concerned on where EJ's MCL is these days and in the future. Kid needs to stay healthy. He's missed half of his rookie year, and there's zero progress when he's on the bench. It's been a wasted year, IMHO.

[thebandit27]

We all saw that first bubble screen attempt to Stevie Johnson right? EJ just isn't a very good thrower therefor my confidence level is non existent

 

Much better to focus on that one specific throw than the other 23 he had that game--fits your confirmation bias much better.

[YoloinOhio]

I'll go 50%. I was at 60-65% before the latest sprain. I am biased because I am so desperate for this one to work put plus I really like him as a face of the franchise. Hoping for the best.

 

We all saw that first bubble screen attempt to Stevie Johnson right? EJ just isn't a very good thrower therefor my confidence level is non existent

I don't agree with that as an overall assessment. Give him some time to adapt to the NFL game.

[1B4IDie]

I'll go 50%. I was at 60-65% before the latest sprain. I am biased because I am so desperate for this one to work put plus I really like him as a face of the franchise. Hoping for the best.

 

I don't agree with that as an overall assessment. Give him some time to adapt to the NFL game.

You have all week to practice to throw a 6 yard bubble screen pass and you mess it up.

It actually is a pretty significant warning signing. This is in week 15. It's not being a rookie. It's just not being a good football player.

[thebandit27]

You have all week to practice to throw a 6 yard bubble screen pass and you mess it up.

It actually is a pretty significant warning signing. This is in week 15. It's not being a rookie. It's just not being a good football player.

 

The thing is, the counter argument is that he had all week to practice the other 23 throws as well. You can just as easily point to the throw he made to Goodwin (dropping the ball right in his hands on the outside shoulder--which Goodwin dropped) and say that it's a sign that he's got what it takes.

 

I'm not making that particular argument; just saying that it's more prudent, IMO, to base the judgement on his entire body of work (even within one game) than just his first throw.

[Smears]

I'll be honest. He seems to get hurt alot. EJ has Jim Kellys knees when he was 42. He checks down alot. He does have the ability but doesnt utilize it in games unless everything is perfect. (pass protection, separation from DBs) I want a quarterback that extends the play, passes on the run. Who is cool under pressure. Its too soon to call him a bust, but if there is no improvement next year, I'll pick him up at the Ralph and drive his ass out of here myself. I have more confidence in Thad Lewis than EJ. I hope we lose to the Dolphins to help keep NE out of the playoffs.

[YoloinOhio]

You have all week to practice to throw a 6 yard bubble screen pass and you mess it up.

It actually is a pretty significant warning signing. This is in week 15. It's not being a rookie. It's just not being a good football player.

That's a pretty broad statement because other, more seasoned QBs have made terrible throws in games they practiced all week as well.

[thebandit27]

Yay! He threw a good pass. Yay!

 

You guys who are so stuck on EJ being the messiah have to all dig hard to find something tangible to point to tin order to make your case.

 

How about we go find a quarterback where at the end of the game you can count the number of bad passes he made on one hand rather than needing extra fingers and toes. Think about it. The guy throws WAY more bad passes than good ones. His accuracy, even when receivers manage to catch the ball, is often off the mark.

 

When it is 3rd and 8 he should be hitting guys in stride so they can get the first down instead of making the receiver stop to catch the ball and get tackled short of the first down mark.

 

To like EJ as a passer (which I obviously don't) I need to see a lot more "good looking passes" from him; definitely more than a couple a game.

 

First and foremost, try reading a few of my posts before you accuse me of being "stuck on EJ being the messiah". If you had, you might notice that I'm very middle ground on EJ.

 

If you want an example of a game where he threw very few bad passes, how about the one he just played? He started 0-4 with an INT, and subsequently went 17-20 with 2 TDs and 0 INTs (with 2 drops by the way).

 

Do you care at all that the team had 2 consecutive TD drives in the 2nd quarter in which they didn't even face a 3rd down? Nah, just bash the QB; it's fashionable these days. Much easier to fit your opinion around the 7 incompletions than the 17 completions.

 

Look, I'm all for differing opinions, and I don't care one lick if you like EJ as a QB or not. To say that he has more bad throws every game than good ones just isn't true; it's a slanted opinion at best.

 

As I've said repeatedly, I'm at about 55% on EJ, because I believe that his lower body mechanics can be fixed with time and practice, and I think he wants to get better.

 

I'm not going to defend his deficiencies; he's got them. Just be honest about what he's doing out there; there's enough to criticize without making outlandish statements.

[1B4IDie]

First and foremost, try reading a few of my posts before you accuse me of being "stuck on EJ being the messiah". If you had, you might notice that I'm very middle ground on EJ.

 

If you want an example of a game where he threw very few bad passes, how about the one he just played? He started 0-4 with an INT, and subsequently went 17-20 with 2 TDs and 0 INTs (with 2 drops by the way).

 

Do you care at all that the team had 2 consecutive TD drives in the 2nd quarter in which they didn't even face a 3rd down? Nah, just bash the QB; it's fashionable these days. Much easier to fit your opinion around the 7 incompletions than the 17 completions.

 

Look, I'm all for differing opinions, and I don't care one lick if you like EJ as a QB or not. To say that he has more bad throws every game than good ones just isn't true; it's a slanted opinion at best.

 

As I've said repeatedly, I'm at about 55% on EJ, because I believe that his lower body mechanics can be fixed with time and practice, and I think he wants to get better.

 

I'm not going to defend his deficiencies; he's got them. Just be honest about what he's doing out there; there's enough to criticize without making outlandish statements.

I hear you but a completion doesn't always mean a good pass.

 

And you have the Steelers, and Tampa game as a whole that were just a mess, Which to be fair will happen with a rookie.

 

Thats why my EJMCL is at 37.7% and falling to as low as 18.85%. I see the good. I just don't see enough of it consistently to have confidence that he can put it together long term add the inability to stay on the field is even more worrisome.

 

So I hope I see more good to raise my EJMCL but it looks like I'll have to wait until September 2014 for that.

[thebandit27]

I hear you but a completion doesn't always mean a good pass.

 

And you have the Steelers, and Tampa game as a whole that were just a mess, Which to be fair will happen with a rookie.

 

Thats why my EJMCL is at 37.7% and falling to as low as 18.85%. I see the good. I just don't see enough of it consistently to have confidence that he can put it together long term add the inability to stay on the field is even more worrisome.

 

So I hope I see more good to raise my EJMCL but it looks like I'll have to wait until September 2014 for that.

 

See, I have no problem with this opinion. If you feel that his level of consistency is low enough that your confidence in him is also low, then that's fine.

 

I can't abide the falsehoods that some people toss around though.

 

One other comment: Marrone did say that he was "110% certain" that EJ would play against NE...for whatever that's worth.

[1B4IDie]

See, I have no problem with this opinion. If you feel that his level of consistency is low enough that your confidence in him is also low, then that's fine.

 

I can't abide the falsehoods that some people toss around though.

 

One other comment: Marrone did say that he was "110% certain" that EJ would play against NE...for whatever that's worth.

 

I missed that Morrone comment. Foxborough in December in a game that means a first round bye for the Pats (and maybe even the division if they lose to the Ravens) is great experience for EJ. That is huge to EJ's development he gets to pop his Foxborough cherry in a meaningfull game.

 

I'll definitely be looking for signs of life for 2014 in that game.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Why So Serious?

[thebandit27]

I missed that Morrone comment. Foxborough in December in a game that means a first round bye for the Pats (and maybe even the division if they lose to the Ravens) is great experience for EJ. That is huge to EJ's development he gets to pop his Foxborough cherry in a meaningfull game.

 

I'll definitely be looking for signs of life for 2014 in that game.

 

Yes, me too...I like that Marrone recognizes (a) that EJ's long-term health is more important than getting him on the field for the Miami game, and (b) that experience in the Lions' den is absolutely critical if EJ is going to develop into a franchise guy.

[KGun12TD]

100%

[PS 56]

With three knee injuries this season I have to say my EJMCL is at 40%. I am increasingly nervous that his knees will be the end of his career….