gobillsinytown Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 Nice lively discussion........but I think that we all have to remember not to put too much into this sample. Both teams only put in the most basic of game plans. They're not going to show anything in the first preseason game, and probably not the full playbook until the first game of the year. In fact, I would be surprised if they spend much time looking at the film of this game at all.
Dan Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 I genuinely watched last night's game with the idea that it's preseason, week 1 football. By that very nature, you can only expect to see so much good when you're talking about rookies and 2nd year players. Regarding EJ, I liked that his deep sideline pass was actually in the field of play. Seems basic but that is an improvement from last year. However, my take away was pretty much exactly what GG said. And that's the area of EJ's game that I want to see the most improvment in. I know its crazy talk, but Tuel looks like he has a better feel for the game right now than EJ. Yes, he makes mistakes too and all that stuff, but he looks more in control of the game to my untrained eye. Let's retreat to the tried & true method of attacking the posters. How many of the best analysts played the game? Did Joel Buchsbaum ever leave his mother's basement? Yet he was one of the best analysts ever. There's a lot to gleam from EJ's body language in trying to predict his potential. Right now he's still too much of a robotic terminator to be an effective QB. To steal someone else's analysis, you can almost sense the circuits processing each movement - step to line, take handoff, step back, scan field, throw ball. All good QBs have a much more noticeable fluidity to their game. He just doesn't look as natural playing the position as he should be and I don't know if this is something that can be fixed. It's not just fixing a throwing motion or correcting a quirky habit. It's almost his entire game needs to be reworked. You don't need to have played the game to recognize his flaws and question whether there will be enough time to fix them, if they can be fixed at all.
zow2 Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 Not going to crucify EJ for last night's performance but I'm still waiting to see that intermediate pass to a WR or TE down the field. Some posters complain he does throw the deep ball enough. I completely disagree with this, he throws the deep ball all of the time. What he doesn't do is throw the pass you have to make 4-5 times a game to setup scores. The 15-25 pass plays that get the defense scrambling on their heels. He didn't do this last year enough and I didn't see even an attempt last night. It seem's it is either a 7 yard check down or a 35 yard prayer that he throws. Really nothing in between. This tells me in just isn't comfortable yet with either what he sees or in his own ability. I've made this same point. People aren't paying attention. Just watch the elite QB's (Brady, Luck, Rodgers, etc...) They throw some rockets down the middle, into tight windows for those 18-25 yd completions. Just haven't seen EJ unleash those passes yet. Too many high arching timing patterns down the sidelines. Not enough zinging the ball downfield on a rope to slightly open guy.
hondo in seattle Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 Wow. I'm surprised by the negativity from some of the posters. I'm not sold on EJ as the franchise QB of the future. But, then again, I'm not going to condemn the guy because of seven passes in two series of work. Hackett and some players say EJ has taken a big step forward this year. Maybe it's just happy talk. I don't know. But two series doesn't prove the optimists wrong.
Hplarrm Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 This is getting turned into a who farted poster, we'll need to make room in the space. I agree in that my first reaction to looking at Manning's body language in the photo is that he looked like he had a constipation issue. I know one of my favorite Joe Montana stories was how the game stories was how one playoff game came down to crunch time and making one big play. The 9ers came into the huddle and looked to Joe Montana for that moment of leadership of the anxious team around him. Montana beant over to be heard but then looked into the crowd in the endzone. He then asked the team. "Is that John Candy sitting with that cute blonde in row three? Apparently, it was just the right thing to say, lightened the moment and the almost freezing debilitating fear which made performance in crunch time choke time for many. The bottomline is that reading static photos of folks for body language is generally totally void of the context of the situation. Even one sees the context of watching the game, we outsiders often can have no idea of what is the most appropriate or effective leadership to be displayed on the field. A demonstration of lack of concern or lack of intensity might actually be just what the team needs after a bad play.
C.Biscuit97 Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 I was hoping to see a complete overreaction from the first of 5 preseason games and some of you don't disappoint. Basically, I'm in the camp that the season is over and the team is probably moving. Those 2 series were that bad!
HeHateMe Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 I genuinely watched last night's game with the idea that it's preseason, week 1 football. By that very nature, you can only expect to see so much good when you're talking about rookies and 2nd year players. Regarding EJ, I liked that his deep sideline pass was actually in the field of play. Seems basic but that is an improvement from last year. However, my take away was pretty much exactly what GG said. And that's the area of EJ's game that I want to see the most improvment in. I know its crazy talk, but Tuel looks like he has a better feel for the game right now than EJ. Yes, he makes mistakes too and all that stuff, but he looks more in control of the game to my untrained eye. Agree to the extent that Tuel seems much more comfortable than last year. Honestly he is more of a pure QB that EJ is at this point. Their ceilings are no where near each other but Tuel has a much better feel right now. EJ seems more forced, mechanical like has been mentioned in earlier posts.
Homey D. Clown Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 (edited) +1.3457 Folks need to stop with the QB controversy nonsense because, as long as he is healthy, EJ is the starter. It's only nonsense if the #2 guy looks as bad or worse, and the game I watched, the #2 guy looked decidedly better. In fact, if one Stevie Johnson doesn't run the wrong route most of said #2 QBs stats from the KC game he started a year ago would look completely different to the masses. While I agree that to the coaching staff there may not be a QB controversy, there should be, because EJ looked terrible at best, and looked all of a 3rd string bench warmer at worst. 2-7, nearly picked off due to a fundamental basic mechanics error, and missing badly on all his other targets was inexcusable. To suggest there shouldn't be a QB competition on this team right now would be nonsense. Edited August 4, 2014 by Homey D. Clown
C.Biscuit97 Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 Agree to the extent that Tuel seems much more comfortable than last year. Honestly he is more of a pure QB that EJ is at this point. Their ceilings are no where near each other but Tuel has a much better feel right now. EJ seems more forced, mechanical like has been mentioned in earlier posts. Against 2nd and 3rd stringers. Did we all forget Tuel's 45 qb rating last year? But because he led one td drive in the preseason, he is a more pure qb???
Kelly the Dog Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 Tuel still stinks. We have an overall QB issue. EJ is unknown. Thad is adequate at best and doesn't seem to have progressed. Tuel is a second rate Trent Edwards who was third rate.
C.Biscuit97 Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 It's only nonsense if the #2 guy looks as bad or worse, and the game I watched, the #2 guy looked decidedly better. In fact, if one Stevie Johnson doesn't run the wrong route most of said #2 QBs stats from the KC game he started a year ago would look completely different to the masses. While I agree that to the coaching staff there may not be a QB controversy, there should be, because EJ looked terrible at best, and looked all of a 3rd string bench warmer at worst. 2-7, nearly picked off due to a fundamental basic mechanics error, and missing badly on all his other targets was inexcusable. To suggest there shouldn't be a QB competition on this team right now would be nonsense. This post is nonsense. It's Stevie's fault for getting wide open and Tuel throwing a 100 yard pick 6? That cost the Bills a game where KC didn't score a td? Am I being punked right now? Some folks are this insanely overreactive? Probably the same folks who see their kids put together a 8 piece puzzle and think they're a genius.
GG Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 Tuel still stinks. We have an overall QB issue. EJ is unknown. Thad is adequate at best and doesn't seem to have progressed. Tuel is a second rate Trent Edwards who was third rate. Therein lies the rub.
Dan Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 Agree to the extent that Tuel seems much more comfortable than last year. Honestly he is more of a pure QB that EJ is at this point. Their ceilings are no where near each other but Tuel has a much better feel right now. EJ seems more forced, mechanical like has been mentioned in earlier posts. Precisely. From my couch, Tuel seems to have progressed, while EJ still seems to be thinking about it all. And for the anti-Tuel crowd.... I'm not suggesting Tuel start and we cut EJ. I'm just suggesting that to my eye, Tuel has gotten better since last year and EJ is still pressing. That's what's concerning. I want to see EJ progress and I'm not sure we've seen that to this point.
C.Biscuit97 Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 Tuel still stinks. We have an overall QB issue. EJ is unknown. Thad is adequate at best and doesn't seem to have progressed. Tuel is a second rate Trent Edwards who was third rate. I won't say he stinks but I don't think he is very good. His upside is very, very limited. He wasn't good in college. But perhaps he could be a decent backup. And it is all about EJ. If he's not good enough, this team is going no where.
GA BILLS FAN Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 My biggest issues with EJ are instincts and accuracy. He hasn't displayed either consistently and I'm concerned they are not coachable qualities in a QB. I do like the idea of getting him involved in the game earlier to get his juices flowing. I did not like him only playing two series, I think that was a bad coaching decision given his performance to that point in the game. He needs more (not less) game action.
thebandit27 Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 It's only nonsense if the #2 guy looks as bad or worse, and the game I watched, the #2 guy looked decidedly better. In fact, if one Stevie Johnson doesn't run the wrong route most of said #2 QBs stats from the KC game he started a year ago would look completely different to the masses. While I agree that to the coaching staff there may not be a QB controversy, there should be, because EJ looked terrible at best, and looked all of a 3rd string bench warmer at worst. 2-7, nearly picked off due to a fundamental basic mechanics error, and missing badly on all his other targets was inexcusable. To suggest there shouldn't be a QB competition on this team right now would be nonsense. Stevie ran the right route, Tuel never saw him (ever), and Tuel threw the ball to a covered T.J. Graham in the right flat. It was a terrible decision that was exacerbated by the fact that the CB that Stevie faked out of his shorts fell down and then stood up right where Tuel threw the ball. I honestly wonder what people are watching when they write this stuff. I mean, how hard is it to find the all-22 of the game? http://www.wgr550.com/JW--All-22-Review-Week-9---Bills-Chiefs/17694609
Kelly the Dog Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 I won't say he stinks but I don't think he is very good. His upside is very, very limited. He wasn't good in college. But perhaps he could be a decent backup. And it is all about EJ. If he's not good enough, this team is going no where. Tuel suffers from an acute case of the dreaded "Ryan Nuefeld Syndrome."
Dan Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 Tuel still stinks. We have an overall QB issue. EJ is unknown. Thad is adequate at best and doesn't seem to have progressed. Tuel is a second rate Trent Edwards who was third rate. If Thad is adequate, then so is Tuel. I just don't see that much difference in their game to put one significantly above the other. And I agree, we have an overall QB issue.
zow2 Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 Tuel still stinks. We have an overall QB issue. EJ is unknown. Thad is adequate at best and doesn't seem to have progressed. Tuel is a second rate Trent Edwards who was third rate. He's a backup but don't say Tuel stinks. that's just ignorant. You have no idea what his ceiling is nor does anyone else. None of our QB's look ready to lead this team to the playoffs imo, yet...including the annointed starter.
C.Biscuit97 Posted August 4, 2014 Posted August 4, 2014 My biggest issues with EJ are instincts and accuracy. He hasn't displayed either consistently and I'm concerned they are not coachable qualities in a QB. I do like the idea of getting him involved in the game earlier to get his juices flowing. I did not like him only playing two series, I think that was a bad coaching decision given his performance to that point in the game. He needs more (not less) game action. It's an extra preseason of an already long preseason. Health is the number one concern. It's worth injury risk so EJ can play more to satisfy fans because it's the first football "game" of the year? This is why fans can't be coaches or GMs. You have to see the big picture.
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