l< j Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Buffalo Rumblings has finished their assessment of EJ's strengths and weaknesses, based on all-22 study. Exhaustive is a good word here. http://www.buffalorumblings.com/buffalo-bills-re-watch/2013/12/27/5240096/ej-manuel-scouting-report-analysis-pocket-play-accuracy I posted a link in a thread earlier when they had just the galleries but now they have the narrative too.
Johnny Hammersticks Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Good break down. To me, all of his shortcomings boil down to poor footwork, and consequently, sketchy throwing mechanics. With regard to field vision, and going through his progressions, that comes with experience in a new offense. Nothing that cannot be corrected by coaching and experience. Hopefully, Buffalo realizes this and seeks out a legitimate QB coach in the offseason.
All I Need is Hope Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 I wonder if Whaley/Marrone/Hackett now have enough EJ tape to make a decent assessment of if he'll be capable of leading this team to the playoffs?... and be a consistently good to very good qb? If not, I suppose the draft will be telling. If they have enough doubt about EJ, then you would assume that they will draft another qb fairly high; one that they believe has the potential to be very good. This is a win-NOW business, and I can't imagine that they will stick with EJ all of next year if he struggles; and not have an option that represents legitimate hope (a high potential draft pick, not Thad). My big concern is that EJ will be a bust, and we'll have to wait for 2015 draft for another glimmer of hope.
TakeYouToTasker Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Thank God you started this thread. I don't think anyone has ever discussed this topic anywhere on the board.
San-O Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 (edited) That was really a very comphrehesive analysis. Great post. So: o Pocket play: footwork and other issues. We knew this o Accuracy: inacurrate. horizontal vs. vertical placement. See college scouting reports. o Reads: lot's of problems, including scanning the field and progressions. Major issue. No progress. Marrone as much admitted. - I am going to throw in ball security as well, and INTs sacks and fumbles. - If E.J. isn't "injury prone", that's fine, but he does have consistent "health issues". - Slow start. again, from college scouting reports. What is this about? What does he do well? The Bills took him very high and I want to know what they saw exactly? If he was this much of a project, why take that high, except they had few choices? Foot work is an issue everyone goes to, however again shows no improvement of note. Why? I hope he impoves. Edited December 27, 2013 by San-O
PearlHowardman Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Kind of along this line, opposing coaches never have enough tape on EJ nor do they ever know which Bills QB they'll be facing, to make any game planning. It's been like this all season for opposing coaches. To me this is why the Bills have looked OK in many of their losses. Today isn't the first time that our 48 hours later opponent didn't know which Bills QB they'll be facing.
DDD Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Can't wait onj EJ. If the Bills feel there is a franchise QB available when they pick, the Bills should draft him.
Johnny Hammersticks Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Foot work is an issue everyone goes to, however again shows no improvement of note. Why? I hope he impoves. To my knowledge, Buffalo does not have an offensive assistant who specializes in QB development. Hackett is the OC/quarterbacks coach. As strange as it sounds, I don't think he has the expertise to be the latter. As I mentioned in my first post, Buffalo needs a true QB coach to develop EJ.
San-O Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 To my knowledge, Buffalo does not have an offensive assistant who specializes in QB development. Hackett is the OC/quarterbacks coach. As strange as it sounds, I don't think he has the expertise to be the latter. As I mentioned in my first post, Buffalo needs a true QB coach to develop EJ. You may be correct. If so, this would mean two coaching/staff issues for Marrone: o Hiring his friend for ST. o Letting rookie OC be QB coach as well. Hope he corrects both in the off season. If think he stands pat. Unfortunate, as better QB and ST play really hurt them this season. IMO
San-O Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Can't wait onj EJ. If the Bills feel there is a franchise QB available when they pick, the Bills should draft him. Bingo. + 1
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Good break down. To me, all of his shortcomings boil down to poor footwork, and consequently, sketchy throwing mechanics. With regard to field vision, and going through his progressions, that comes with experience in a new offense. Nothing that cannot be corrected by coaching and experience. Hopefully, Buffalo realizes this and seeks out a legitimate QB coach in the offseason. This.... "accuracy" is even a bit of a misnomer in the given examples. To me pure accuracy, is the ability to throw the ball to an exact location. However this looks at ball placement at the point of the catch which is a product of accuracy, plus timing, plus anticipation plus WR route running ability and consistency. I feel strongly it all comes down to EJ. If he wants to be the best badly enough, he will work his way towards that. If he does or the Bills do get him working every day on throwing mechanics, footwork, and timing.... He could be tops! That's the common thread between Brady, Brees and Manning, who I consider the best, all with question marks around them as rookies.... They work their tails off in the offseason to become better QBs.
Mango Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 That was really a very comphrehesive analysis. Great post. So: o Pocket play: footwork and other issues. We knew this o Accuracy: inacurrate. horizontal vs. vertical placement. See college scouting reports. o Reads: lot's of problems, including scanning the field and progressions. Major issue. No progress. Marrone as much admitted. - I am going to throw in ball security as well, and INTs sacks and fumbles. - If E.J. isn't "injury prone", that's fine, but he does have consistent "health issues". - Slow start. again, from college scouting reports. What is this about? What does he do well? The Bills took him very high and I want to know what they saw exactly? If he was this much of a project, why take that high, except they had few choices? Foot work is an issue everyone goes to, however again shows no improvement of note. Why? I hope he impoves. I can't the article is yes exhaustive, but not all that informational I think. More missed reads would have been nice. What I am interested in is EJ completion % behind center vs. shotgun. The eye test says he is better from center. His better games seem to come from there. I remember the Ravens game being one of them, almost exclusively behind center. I would be curious as to sacks from the shotgun rather than center. I have no clue, but it would be interesting to see if the shotgun helped or hindered the OL. EJ seems to have a better feel for the pocket from behind center, not just footwork, we also run the ball better from there is well. I also have a sneaking suspicion that he is more accurate from outside the pocket, a la Big Ben.
Buffalo Barbarian Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 That was really a very comphrehesive analysis. Great post. So: o Pocket play: footwork and other issues. We knew this o Accuracy: inacurrate. horizontal vs. vertical placement. See college scouting reports. o Reads: lot's of problems, including scanning the field and progressions. Major issue. No progress. Marrone as much admitted. - I am going to throw in ball security as well, and INTs sacks and fumbles. - If E.J. isn't "injury prone", that's fine, but he does have consistent "health issues". - Slow start. again, from college scouting reports. What is this about? What does he do well? The Bills took him very high and I want to know what they saw exactly? If he was this much of a project, why take that high, except they had few choices? Foot work is an issue everyone goes to, however again shows no improvement of note. Why? I hope he impoves. That was really a very comphrehesive analysis. Great post. So: o Pocket play: footwork and other issues. We knew this o Accuracy: inacurrate. horizontal vs. vertical placement. See college scouting reports. o Reads: lot's of problems, including scanning the field and progressions. Major issue. No progress. Marrone as much admitted. - I am going to throw in ball security as well, and INTs sacks and fumbles. - If E.J. isn't "injury prone", that's fine, but he does have consistent "health issues". - Slow start. again, from college scouting reports. What is this about? What does he do well? The Bills took him very high and I want to know what they saw exactly? If he was this much of a project, why take that high, except they had few choices? Foot work is an issue everyone goes to, however again shows no improvement of note. Why? I hope he improves. Nix said he was getting a "franchise QB" before he stepped down and by God he was taking one come hell or high water, even though everyone said there were no first rounders and EJ was around 4th out of the QBs. EJ has the most physical talent and as usual we went with potential over production and got burned ... again. Should have grabbed Glennon, Jones or Nassib just to see if it worked, not a what if in the first round.
Mango Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Nix said he was getting a "franchise QB" before he stepped down and by God he was taking one come hell or high water, even though everyone said there were no first rounders and EJ was around 4th out of the QBs. EJ has the most physical talent and as usual we went with potential over production and got burned ... again. Should have grabbed Glennon, Jones or Nassib just to see if it worked, not a what if in the first round. Christ, are we really whining about not having a terrible Nassib on our roster...
K-9 Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Nix said he was getting a "franchise QB" before he stepped down and by God he was taking one come hell or high water, even though everyone said there were no first rounders and EJ was around 4th out of the QBs. EJ has the most physical talent and as usual we went with potential over production and got burned ... again. Should have grabbed Glennon, Jones or Nassib just to see if it worked, not a what if in the first round. So you are officially labeling EJ a bust. That's cool. I would think that means you have absolutely nothing else to say on the matter then, right? I mean, where do you go from out? GO BILLS!!!
BillsBytheBay Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 The QB position needs to perform better next year. I dont care who the coach is, or who the QB is. Just get some damn production.
Canadian Bills Fan Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Thanks for the post! I would like to see us draft AJ McCarron but not sure what round he will go in CBF
Johnny Hammersticks Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 So you are officially labeling EJ a bust. That's cool. I would think that means you have absolutely nothing else to say on the matter then, right? I mean, where do you go from out? GO BILLS!!! But, but, but...if we had only traded Mario Williams for John Skelton we would be looking at the playoffs. Hate to beat a dead horse, but BB lost his credibility after that thread. Now EJ is a bust, and we should have drafted Nassib? Genius! Thanks for the post! I would like to see us draft AJ McCarron but not sure what round he will go in CBF MAYBE if he was sitting there in the 5th round. Need to draft o-line and offensive skill positions. We already have a backup QB.
BarleyNY Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 Outstanding work on that analysis. Thanks for posting.
FireChan Posted December 27, 2013 Posted December 27, 2013 I can't the article is yes exhaustive, but not all that informational I think. More missed reads would have been nice. What I am interested in is EJ completion % behind center vs. shotgun. The eye test says he is better from center. His better games seem to come from there. I remember the Ravens game being one of them, almost exclusively behind center. I would be curious as to sacks from the shotgun rather than center. I have no clue, but it would be interesting to see if the shotgun helped or hindered the OL. EJ seems to have a better feel for the pocket from behind center, not just footwork, we also run the ball better from there is well. I also have a sneaking suspicion that he is more accurate from outside the pocket, a la Big Ben. That's a horrible example because the Ravens game was one of EJ's worst games.
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