All-22 Breakdown of EJ Manuel

[Beerball]

Never thought I'd see the day where an EJ thread would get derailed, but, here it is. Typically threads on every other subject devolve into EJ sucks/doesn't suck.

 

Please keep on topic and really, all this speculation is silly.

 

Imo

[Solomon Grundy]

The bottomline is that the future direction of this team on o is likely set with the personnel we have on the roster right now (the biggest possible exception would likely be if we chose a guard high in the upcoming draft who for some reason proved capable of starting as a rookie (and I do not see any Seantrel's- a rookie talent who drops in the draft and the Bills revive him but it is possible).

 

Its hard to imagine anything more in the rearview mirror than Merrone's legacy. If any former Merrone hire still with the Bills is focusing any of their time and attention on impossible woulda/coulda/shouldas about DM it likely is sooner rather than later they are done on this Bills team in terms of what is happening on the field, what fans are worrying about and likely even what the media is talking about.

 

The key pieces of good news about the Bills are:

 

1. The Bills had some significant O weapons last year, but nothing that kept an opposing DC up late trying to figure out a scheme that would support players who cannot realistically be asked to simply step up their individual play to always watch Watkins or devote special attention to Spiller on some plays. The talented but still about rookie level Manual, the .500 over his career Orton or Tuel needed work only to figure out how to exploit them not live in fear of them.

 

As far as QB it is the same this year, but frankly if you care about the Bills who QBs them is a secondary (in fact tertiary concern because:

 

A. Second year Watkins comes off one of the most productive seasons ever for a Bills rookie WR and actually did this while playing through some painful injuries and mediocre QB play (2 of 4 games with EJ and at least half the time w/ Orton). As a second year he should be better (one wonders about the numerous injuries but he played through them and was productive last year. so I am not worried about this unless he loses more PT). However, this potential gamebreaker is joined by:

 

B. Harvin. This mercurial blinding talent simply demands a dt. If one consistently singles him chalk up one or 2 TDS. Combining him Watkins whose speed and hands demand an over/under dt then the Bills will simply see a lot of zone in 15 which means:

 

C. Edwards entering his third year has shown great precise route running with youngster and average vet QB play at best. Even with a still inadequate though marginally improved as a third year vet QB, Edwards is the player who I think might benefit most from Watkins/Harvin forcing opposing DCs to put at least 3 or their top CBs on W/H. I think the first relatively simple reads by any Bills QB be it Manual/Cassel/whatever is gonna be whether in 3 WR sets with W/H split wide is Edwards singled. A simple pick play by the TE or a cross with a wideout leaves a simple throw to Edwards.

 

D. The addition of pass catching talent but still capable blocker Clay adds another threat that either gets an LB (Clay runs a fly) or a safety (Clay gets an inside throw and muscle's a late closing safety and tries to make him miss. Even worse, the DC cheats the safety toward themiddle and now either W or H gets singled on a fly or stop/go.

 

E. To make things totally sick for the opposing DC, Bills OC Roman's rep is actually pound and ground and he gets the NFL 2013 rushing champ McCoy backed up by proven #1 level RB Jax as his back-up.

 

If he gives the Bills the 8 in the box demanded by this ground and pound he gets killed by passing, if he dts then the run shreds him.

 

I think he Bills and Ryan are totally correct in the open battle of three QBs and let the best man win Because the best man does not to be a good QB to make this O effective.

I'm assuming u mean Woods in ur assessment and not Edwards?

[BackInDaDay]

I think he Bills and Ryan are totally correct in the open battle of three QBs and let the best man win Because the best man does not to be a good QB to make this O effective.

 

the winner of the QB competition will be the one who can best digest and execute the offense by opening day - and who shows the most promise in building around as the season progresses..

if that QB is good enough to make the anticipated plays needed to sustain drives and scores points before turning it over - he will be a good QB, regardless of the myopic perception of many fans.

[KingRex]

 

I'm assuming u mean Woods in ur assessment and not Edwards?

 

Yep, my apologies for the name miscue.

 

the winner of the QB competition will be the one who can best digest and execute the offense by opening day - and who shows the most promise in building around as the season progresses..

if that QB is good enough to make the anticipated plays needed to sustain drives and scores points before turning it over - he will be a good QB, regardless of the myopic perception of many fans.

I think on of the

[KingRex]

 

the winner of the QB competition will be the one who can best digest and execute the offense by opening day - and who shows the most promise in building around as the season progresses..

if that QB is good enough to make the anticipated plays needed to sustain drives and scores points before turning it over - he will be a good QB, regardless of the myopic perception of many fans.

Agreed that this will be decided on the field of play where it should be.

[Bill from NYC]

 

Arguing that EJ sucks...I can let that slide, or agree with it, or whatever. Point is, it's a rational position.

 

But you can't improve a roster just by cutting a player. You have to have a viable alternative.

 

Any article that discusses EJ in isolation, without putting his performance in the context of the absolutely pitiful blocking schemes as well, is useless.

 

And that context goes beyond "pocket presence." It impacts everything a QB does.

While I can agree with the above I must add that I said the same thing about one Rob Johnson, and he threw a nicer pass than EJ by a wide margin.

Edited April 13, 2015 by Bill from NYC

[Beerball]

While I can agree with the above I must add that I said the same thing about one Rob Johnson, and he threw a nicer ass than EJ by a wide margin.

I will have to take your word on that.

[Dorkington]

[Bill from NYC]

I will have to take your word on that.

 

I will have to take your word on that.

Thanks, nice catch!!!!!