SI says Bills are a team in "panic mode" w/ QB roster hole

[Dorkington]

i agree with this. I fully expect a 1st rd pick on a QB next year. I expect Cassel to start this year. I would be thrilled if EJ won the job, but I'm not optimistic. Frankly, though i have nothing against the kid, the thought of tyrod Taylor as our starting QB this season is terrifying. Not to say he's any worse than the other two as I truly don't know yet but I have to admit, I'd be much more nervous with him out there than Cassel or Ej.

Pretty much agree with everything. Odds of EJ and Tyrod developing are slim, just because most QBs in general don't develop into high quality starters, but also we have seen inconsistency from both. It'd be in our best interests long term if one of the two do... and if not, we have a fairly good chance of Cassel providing solid enough play to "game manage" us to an effective level, as long as the OL isn't a bunch of turnstyles. It's not like Cassel will go out there and turn the ball over left and right if we have a successful run game, and guys who can get open easily.

 

I think a lot of the drama for the offseason is overstated. We might not have a franchise QB, but with the build up around the QB, and acquiring someone who should be good enough, if neither of our young guys get going, we should be in very good shape... and this is coming from someone who is generally pessimistic.

[John from Riverside]

I think you skewed a bit towards "it's close so I'm going with our guy" too consistently for my own taste, but that's just me. I guess it doesn't help that we don't really have some defined parameters (whether we are considering contract or just skill, 2014 only or long term, etc.... Do we put the #1 pick ahead of tyrod or simply say both are unproven?)

 

I don't like dalton but I think that's best case for cassell, for instance. Is it possible dalton plays a little down and mc is at his best? Sure. And mc is cheaper which is good. But skill alone I think we'd all feel a little better with dalton- as an example where you and a went different ways and you end up in the teens and I'm in the 20s for ranking.

You are correct......if its close in the evaluation I do put our qbs ahead of other average qbs........I do this because the bills were smart enough to biuld their teams AROUND the qbs.......

 

The weapons are better........there fore I expect for our QBs to also play better then other average qbs. For instance.....Dalton plays better when he has green in the lineup.......and his play falls off quite a bit with him out of it

 

I expect our middling qbs to play better because we have a crackerjack of a offensive line up around them.....Watkins, Woods, Harvin, Clay, Shady.........this is a matchup nightmare for other teams...and all that middling qb has to do is throw a accurate pass and hand the ball off.

 

Our D is where our money has been put......which should just keep handing the ball back to the qb time and time again.

[Beerball]

How do I know Geno's bad play for most of the year and finishing strong in 2013 didn't mean a thing? Because he did the same thing in 2014. Seems as though finishing the season strong does not necessarily mean a QB has improved.

Not logical at all (to me), but my bad. I thought you were saying that because he hasn't improved (in your opinion) he can't improve.

[BuffaloHokie13]

 

OK, so question. I never watched Taylor - I usually don't watch college ball much. His stats as a college QB say he improved from year to year: http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/tyrod-taylor-1.html, starting out at 54% completions and 927 yds, finishing at 60% completions and 2743 yds as a senior. That would imply that he went from a running QB who can throw occasionally to a respectable passing QB who could run at need. His sophmore year was 2 TD, 7 INT which would support your perception of terrible decision making - his Sr year was 24 TD, 5 INT which doesn't read like a guy who makes crappy decosions.

 

So was that perceptible to you at all, watching him, that he improved from year to year or changed from year to year? And if not, how do you account for the improved stats? That's a serious change on paper, to improve completion by 7%, throw 12x as many TDs and fewer INT, while tripling his passing yardage, but I am well aware that "figures lie and liars figure", stats don't always tell the whole picture.

Every year he got better at keeping his eyes downfield while extending the play, and the stats improved because of it. By his senior year he would toy around with starting to run to loosen up coverage on his target and then making the throw. As to others questioning how a coach effected his completions and accuracy (can't remember if that was this thread or the Carucci one) the general offensive scheme started with a single read and then play backyard ball. By his senior season he had developed enough that he was making multiple reads and making pre-snap changes at the LoS. Bottom line is that the offensive coaching and playcalling at VT has been pretty bottom of the barrel for about the last decade. We've had some players, but the offense doesn't produce, and I believe it largely has to do with poor play design followed by QB's improvising and making poor decisions while learning on he fly.

As an example, here's the Nebraska touchdown throw where the play turned into backyard football: http://youtu.be/xJx17nVZs7g?t=28

And here's the 2010 ACC Championship highlights to get an idea where he ended up: https://youtu.be/msjghvuflYo

Edited May 18, 2015 by BuffaloHokie13

[Kemp]

I would trade EJ and a 3rd rounder for Geno.

[8-8 Forever?]

I loved the panic level in the article. Straight up lazy reporting. Seems like you can get so much more from the local media than national.

no one gets fired for lazy reporting about this franchise, b/c no one outside of WNY reads the story in the first place. just sayin'

Edited May 18, 2015 by 8and8Forever

[LOVEMESOMEBILLS]

Not logical at all (to me), but my bad. I thought you were saying that because he hasn't improved (in your opinion) he can't improve.

Absolutely not, I believe you should give a QB 3-4 years to prove themselves. Your right no one know what the future holds for Geno or EJ but it better happen this year or next. Hopefully EJ can step up his game and everyone on TSW can be happy. PLAYOFFS BABY!!!

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Every year he got better at keeping his eyes downfield while extending the play, and the stats improved because of it. By his senior year he would toy around with starting to run to loosen up coverage on his target and then making the throw. As to others questioning how a coach effected his completions and accuracy (can't remember if that was this thread or the Carucci one) the general offensive scheme started with a single read and then play backyard ball. By his senior season he had developed enough that he was making multiple reads and making pre-snap changes at the LoS. Bottom line is that the offensive coaching and playcalling at VT has been pretty bottom of the barrel for about the last decade. We've had some players, but the offense doesn't produce, and I believe it largely has to do with poor play design followed by QB's improvising and making poor decisions while learning on he fly.

As an example, here's the Nebraska touchdown throw where the play turned into backyard football: http://youtu.be/xJx17nVZs7g?t=28

And here's the 2010 ACC Championship highlights to get an idea where he ended up: https://youtu.be/msjghvuflYo

 

Thanks, Hokie, appreciate the gouge and the links.

 

Edit: interesting film.

 

Good stuff: he can juke like a basketball player and fake defenders out. Saw a lot of jocks being left on the field by the 'noles D; those are the plays the D hates to have to watch after the game. He can make those "funny body" throws where he's on the run and doesn't have a chance to plant and throw. Nice throw with anticipation leading his WR for a TD.

 

Neutral: His line just didn't give him a pocket to step into in those highlights, so can't tell how he does with that, also didn't see many "normal" throws where he has a chance to plant and throw on those clips. Also at times, his wideouts were high-school open. Didn't the 'noles have DBs LOL? You can't fault a college QB for hitting the guy who is wide open standing there, but it doesn't show whether and how he can throw into tight coverage either.

 

Bad: Tendency to spin and turn his back downfield when escaping and extending the play, which is something Manuel did a lot his rookie season. The NFL game is too fast for that. Once you turn your back, you lose the picture and in the fraction of a second it takes to re-acquire it, in the NFL you'll either be rushing a throw and maybe making a pick, or you'll be on your back. On the other hand, he clearly was in the mindset "extend the play first, run if there's nothing there", so that's good.

 

The Bills FO, IMO, did exactly what I thought they should do in the off-season: sign the best capable vet they could get their hands on (slim pickin's); pick up a promising "dark horse" second-tier FA; and take a second look at Manuel. Hopefully one of the three will be at least capable for them.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Hopeful

[Doc]

I would trade EJ and a 3rd rounder for Geno.

You'd be the only one.

[Wayne Cubed]

Every year he got better at keeping his eyes downfield while extending the play, and the stats improved because of it. By his senior year he would toy around with starting to run to loosen up coverage on his target and then making the throw. As to others questioning how a coach effected his completions and accuracy (can't remember if that was this thread or the Carucci one) the general offensive scheme started with a single read and then play backyard ball. By his senior season he had developed enough that he was making multiple reads and making pre-snap changes at the LoS. Bottom line is that the offensive coaching and playcalling at VT has been pretty bottom of the barrel for about the last decade. We've had some players, but the offense doesn't produce, and I believe it largely has to do with poor play design followed by QB's improvising and making poor decisions while learning on he fly.

As an example, here's the Nebraska touchdown throw where the play turned into backyard football: http://youtu.be/xJx17nVZs7g?t=28

And here's the 2010 ACC Championship highlights to get an idea where he ended up: https://youtu.be/msjghvuflYo

 

Have to be honest, I've watched that YouTube clip of the ACC Championship game and as far as his passing game goes, nothing jumped out at me. He looked great at extending plays and avoiding the rush but I wasn't really wowed with him as a passer. Even the wheel route TD he threw was off his back foot. There wasn't really any "multiple reads" either. I can see why he went in the 6th round.

 

Saying all that, it's entirely possibly he's sat for 4 years in Baltimore and has developed his game.

 

IMO, even though Rex likes him, it's a long shot that he wins the starting job.

[BuffaloHokie13]

Have to be honest, I've watched that YouTube clip of the ACC Championship game and as far as his passing game goes, nothing jumped out at me. He looked great at extending plays and avoiding the rush but I wasn't really wowed with him as a passer. Even the wheel route TD he threw was off his back foot. There wasn't really any "multiple reads" either. I can see why he went in the 6th round.

Yeah, those clips were more just him keeping his eyes downfield while extending, I agree. Surprisingly, not a ton of tape of his run of the mill plays since it was like 5 years ago. Everything you find on youtube are the exceptions where he made plays out of nothing. When they did the path to the draft thing with Tyrod, Cam Newton, and Jake Locker there was a segment where Ty was talking with Mike Vick and he gave some insight to the responsibility he had at the line of scrimmage his senior year.

 

Saying all that, it's entirely possibly he's sat for 4 years in Baltimore and has developed his game.

This is the unknown part. His coaching undoubtedly got significantly better, but we will see how much he has developed from it. The important part to me is that he is getting his shot, and as a long time fan I'm excited to see what he makes of it.

[NoSaint]

You are correct......if its close in the evaluation I do put our qbs ahead of other average qbs........I do this because the bills were smart enough to biuld their teams AROUND the qbs.......

 

thats another one - whether we are looking at "qb talent" or "qb situation"

 

i mean, all we did was build out a strong roster generally. all those other teams are trying, but we did it better. With a top quarter roster, and bottom quarter qb potentially guiding it.... seems more worth "panic" over the qb than if the whole team was a dumpster fire, in some ways. obviously panic was used for dramatic flair and click baiting, but the general point of the article seems more or less fair still.

[Delete This Account]

10 out of 10 panic? hardly.

and not entirely sure if "panic" is right word.

concern might be more apt, and it's not a 10 of that either.

 

jw

[YoloinOhio]

10 out of 10 panic? hardly.

and not entirely sure if "panic" is right word.

concern might be more apt, and it's not a 10 of that either.

 

jw

where is the "comfort level", if that is the right term, in your opinion? Cassell?

[Jauronimo]

I'd take fitz over cassell and unless either young guy steps up that's kind of the jumping off point here. It'd be strange if we're weren't worried about qb.

I've already watched Fitz lose games for the Bills. I'll take Cassel. I'd rather watch someone new lose games for the Bills.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

I've already watched Fitz lose games for the Bills. I'll take Cassel. I'd rather watch someone new lose games for the Bills.

 

Well if we're voting, I'd rather watch the Bills win games

Still, I kind of know what you mean. As most here know, I really like Fitz. I admire his gaming spirit and the way he built a 10-year football career out of marginal physical talent combined with work ethic and love of the game. But I'm happier with Cassel - he has managed to put together two excellent seasons in his career, not coincidentally under just the sort of offense Roman appears to favor, which is something Fitz hasn't quite managed even with Arian Foster and a strong D last year.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Hopeful

[Jauronimo]

 

Well if we're voting, I'd rather watch the Bills win games

Still, I kind of know what you mean. As most here know, I really like Fitz. I admire his gaming spirit and the way he built a 10-year football career out of marginal physical talent combined with work ethic and love of the game. But I'm happier with Cassel - he has managed to put together two excellent seasons in his career, not coincidentally under just the sort of offense Roman appears to favor, which is something Fitz hasn't quite managed even with Arian Foster and a strong D last year.

I like Fitz too, but we've seen him and his limitations and so has the rest of the division.

 

If past performance is any indicator, Rex's D will have a lot of fun with Fitz

[GG]

10 out of 10 panic? hardly.

and not entirely sure if "panic" is right word.

concern might be more apt, and it's not a 10 of that either.

 

jw

 

But it is a polar opposite to how they approached the position last year, wouldn't you say?

[Hapless Bills Fan]

Have to be honest, I've watched that YouTube clip of the ACC Championship game and as far as his passing game goes, nothing jumped out at me. He looked great at extending plays and avoiding the rush but I wasn't really wowed with him as a passer. Even the wheel route TD he threw was off his back foot. There wasn't really any "multiple reads" either. I can see why he went in the 6th round.

 

Saying all that, it's entirely possibly he's sat for 4 years in Baltimore and has developed his game.

 

Here's a clip of him in 2014 Training Camp with the Ravens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMDR7gFoiUQ

[John from Riverside]

10 out of 10 panic? hardly.

and not entirely sure if "panic" is right word.

concern might be more apt, and it's not a 10 of that either.

 

jw

John,

 

Thank you for being the voice of reason here......