EJ Manuel Reflects On His Career As The Bills Future QB

[Buftex]

I like EJ.  Damn good guy.  It is hard to say he got a raw deal in Buffalo, but I will say, for a guy who was drafted as high as he was, he really didn't get the opportunity that most guys drafted that high would have gotten.

[Buffalo Boy]

9 hours ago, Capco said:

 

Ah yes, I forgot how we went to the playoffs under Bledsoe and Fitz.  Oh wait...

   I don’t like the NFL adding two more teams to the playoffs.

   As it is, there are years where teams that have no business in the playoffs make it.

The Jaguars and Bills were two such teams. 
   Our passing offense was ranked 31st in the league. If you are insinuating we got there because of TT I would just ask that you PM the number of your weed dealer. Clearly, you’ve been smoking some KIND bud there Brother?

[Buffalo Boy]

9 hours ago, SirAndrew said:

I wasn’t a TT fan, but I encourage you to watch the entire second half of Bledsoe’s first year, and the same with Fitz in 2011. TT was steady yet unspectacular for an entire season. Bledsoe and Fitz were great for half a season, and awful for the second half. Picking two games doesn’t tell the whole story. TT was a game manager who wasn’t going to win a Super Bowl, but could win by playing within the system. Bledsoe and Fitz were the reason their team lost many games. 

    The reason the Bills were in many of those games in the 2002 season was because of Bledsoe, including the losses. 
    If he had played it safe and managed those games he wouldn’t have won 4 games that year. Bledsoe was in the Pro bowl. He owns Bills passing records from that season.

    We were 11 th in points for , 27 in points against. Our D sucked.

     So,  keep on with the TT love. ???

Edited April 19, 2020 by Buffalo Boy

[Buffalo Boy]

7 hours ago, Groin said:

I don't get the dislike of TT.  I really don't.  Was he going to elevate his play and take the Bills to the playoffs on a regular basis, deep into the playoffs, and/or to the Super Bowl?  Probably not, if almost certainly not.  But I remain of the opinion that he brought stability (not greatness, but stability) to the QB position while the team tried to figure the roster out.  EJ was a flame out.  Orton wasn't coming back.  Cassel, uh, no.  Peterman, definitely no.  Etc, etc, etc. 

 

Getting rid of the lousy FO situation, bringing in capable coaching, and yes having TT under center in the interim finally seems to have stabilized my favorite moribund NFL team.

   He wasn’t then, isn’t now nor ever will be a playoff caliber QB.

    Our current coach quit on him , mid season for Peterman. Many on here think McD suddenly lost his mind. 
    Maybe, just maybe, a defensive genius of a coach knew an awful, ineffective running back posing as a QB when he saw one. 
    TT had nothing to do with where our team is now. Had we stuck with Peterman we would have had a higher draft pick and wouldn’t have had to trade up for a QB , preserving valuable high draft picks.

     I know, the drought was broken. I, and a few others on here were saying who cares then also. It was a tank season and we already knew TT sucked.... as did McD. 

     But, throw him a parade and have a warm fuzzy when you think about him if it makes you feel good.

   

[Buffalo Boy]

    QBs who are on bad teams, with bad defenses are often forced to take risks in order to win. This isn’t bad quarterbacking. This is bad team construction.

[TheCockSportif]

1 hour ago, Buffalo Boy said:

   He wasn’t then, isn’t now nor ever will be a playoff caliber QB.

    Our current coach quit on him , mid season for Peterman. Many on here think McD suddenly lost his mind. 
    Maybe, just maybe, a defensive genius of a coach knew an awful, ineffective running back posing as a QB when he saw one. 
    TT had nothing to do with where our team is now. Had we stuck with Peterman we would have had a higher draft pick and wouldn’t have had to trade up for a QB , preserving valuable high draft picks.

     I know, the drought was broken. I, and a few others on here were saying who cares then also. It was a tank season and we already knew TT sucked.... as did McD. 

     But, throw him a parade and have a warm fuzzy when you think about him if it makes you feel good.

   

Nobody is going to throw TT a parade.  Please.  We all knew that he wasn't the answer at some point, but trashing the guy is completely ridiculous.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Groin

[Buddo]

9 hours ago, Phil The Thrill said:

In his defense, Beane signed AJ McCarron to be the QB bridge/mentor to Allen.  The problem is, he had no interest in this role and (believe it or not) Peterman was playing well in the preseason.  
 

So it’s not exactly an identical situation but there are some similarities in the fact that both teams didn’t make a move when they should have.

 

After Kolb was hurt the Bills didn’t both signing anyone else, electing to start the year with 2 rookies at QB.

 

When McCarron was trades the Bills were ok with Allen and Peterman at QB.  They should have brought in a veteran like Derek Anderson earlier.  Beane has admitted that much.  

 

Yeah,  Beane has admitted he stuffed up in respect of not getting another vet QB in immediately, and other mistakes - it's one of the reasons I think his (Beane) future is bright - I just think that the previous mistake was so relatively recent, they should have paid more attention, especially when you are doing this for the first time.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

On 4/17/2020 at 12:35 PM, Phil The Thrill said:

If you haven’t checked out Eric Wood’s interview with EJ Manuel yet, it’s a good listen for any Bills fan.  

https://www.stitcher.com/s?eid=68066663&autoplay=1

 

I’ll say this - EJ sounds like a great guy.  He was very positive about Buffalo, though you sense he feels thing would’ve turned out better in a different situation.  He says his career didn’t work out but believes it happened for a reason and he thinks his story can help others.  
 

Some interesting notes:

 

- He said the Doug Whaley/Buddy Nix plan was always to start Kevin Kolb and have EJ learn from him (bad idea).  One Kolb got hurt he had no one to learn from since Jeff Tuel (and later Thad Lewis) were inexperienced QB’s, so Wood was the player who tried to mention him at QB!

 

- After his in-season injury in 2013 he was privately tutored by legendary OC Paul Hackett (Nate’s dad) on reading defenses.

 

- EJ said his confidence was shaken after the infamous JJ Watt pick six.  Seantrel didn’t cut Watt resulting in the pick, but he said he takes the blame.   Doug Marrone sat him down and said he was their guy but they wanted him to take a step back and watch Kyle Orton play.

 

- He thought that Rex was trying to “bring in his own guys” at QB and felt he earned his roster spot with his preseason play.  Dressing as an inactive QB hurt his confidence and relationship with Buffalo and said he didn’t play well in the Jets finale in 2016, because his confidence was completely shot.  
 

- EJ said he did well in Oakland under Jack Del Rio.  When Gruden came in, he felt he wanted Conner Cook to be the backup.  While he played well in the preseason, Gruden cut him and he spent the rest of 2018 trying to get a job....it never happened.

 

- Oddly enough this year, he got a call from Andy Reid about backing up Patrick Mahomes once Chad Henne went down.  I think he said KC said “thanks but no thank,” and then later said he was beginning his job at the SEC Network and didn’t want to come back.  

Like I said, he seemed positive and excited about his broadcasting career, but I also sensed some disappointment over how his NFL career ended.  If you think about it, he went from 1st round draft pick to street FA with no offers in less than 6 months.  
 

So do you think EJ’s was a victim was a happenstance?

 

Or was he an over drafted QB with a limited ceiling?  I’m thinking it was more of the later, but it hard to listen to this interview and not like the guy personally.  

 

EJ didn't make it because he wasnt good enough. If your confidence is rattled after one pick six you were never going to make it.

 

 

[Buffalo Boy]

12 hours ago, Groin said:

Nobody is going to throw TT a parade.  Please.  We all knew that he wasn't the answer at some point, but trashing the guy is completely ridiculous.

    Started with the suggestion that TT was the most serviceable QB between Kelly and Allen. 
    Pick any Offensive coach you think is great and offer him the choice between Bledsoe , Fitz or TT to run his offense.

    If you say you honestly believe said coach would pick TT you( not you personally) are a CoT member.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Buffalo Boy

[Hardhatharry]

19 hours ago, Happy Gilmore said:

 

Alex Smith went to the Chiefs in 2013.  Jim Harbaugh went with Kapernick in 2013 over Alex Smith.  I'm pretty sure I remember Alex Smith being mentioned as a possibility around here back in 2012/13.  But yeah, it was a disaster in Buffalo during that time.

Alex Smith wouldn't have done anything for Buffalo. He is a different type of Fitzpatrick, someone who won't get you anything but a bad draft pick.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Hardhatharry

[Phil The Thrill]

1 hour ago, Hardhatharry said:

Alex Smith wouldn't have done anything for Buffalo. He is a different type of Fitzpatrick, someone who won't get you anything but a bad draft pick.

I think that Smith would’ve been held back by the terrible 2012 Bills defense led by led by Magnum DW.  
 

But in his career Smith has been a more productive QB than Fitz, committing less turnovers, and winning more games.  The talent around him wouldn’t be the best, so he’d be up against that as well.  But I don’t think it’s fair to say he wouldn’t have done anything more than Fitzpatrick, who has a history of falling apart down the stretch 

[Rico]

52 minutes ago, Phil The Thrill said:

I think that Smith would’ve been held back by the terrible 2012 Bills defense led by led by Magnum DW.  
 

But in his career Smith has been a more productive QB than Fitz, committing less turnovers, and winning more games.  The talent around him wouldn’t be the best, so he’d be up against that as well.  But I don’t think it’s fair to say he wouldn’t have done anything more than Fitzpatrick, who has a history of falling apart down the stretch 

See Thrill, to me, I was never an Alex Smith fan.

I would say

Good Fitz

.

.

Alex Smith

.

.

.

.

Bad Fitz

[Hardhatharry]

1 hour ago, Phil The Thrill said:

I think that Smith would’ve been held back by the terrible 2012 Bills defense led by led by Magnum DW.  
 

But in his career Smith has been a more productive QB than Fitz, committing less turnovers, and winning more games.  The talent around him wouldn’t be the best, so he’d be up against that as well.  But I don’t think it’s fair to say he wouldn’t have done anything more than Fitzpatrick, who has a history of falling apart down the stretch 

Smith was held back by himself he is like Fitz in the way he will only ever give you a bad draft pick... No Super Bowl wins for QBs like him. That is why 2 very smart coaches also moved on from him.

 

Stats make Alex Smith look better than he was. He was very limited and it showed when you watched him.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Hardhatharry

[Happy]

3 hours ago, Hardhatharry said:

Alex Smith wouldn't have done anything for Buffalo. He is a different type of Fitzpatrick, someone who won't get you anything but a bad draft pick.

 

With what we had back in 2013, probably not.  It still would have been better than EJ Manuel.  

[Mr. WEO]

This thread has lasted longer than EJ's "Career As The Future Bills QB"

[Hardhatharry]

1 hour ago, Happy Gilmore said:

 

With what we had back in 2013, probably not.  It still would have been better than EJ Manuel.  

Doesnt matter though neither was any good...

[Phil The Thrill]

3 hours ago, Hardhatharry said:

Doesnt matter though neither was any good...

The discussion was about finding a better option at QB.  I think Smith would have been better

[Straight Hucklebuck]

On 4/18/2020 at 3:14 PM, Groin said:

I don't get the dislike of TT.  I really don't.  Was he going to elevate his play and take the Bills to the playoffs on a regular basis, deep into the playoffs, and/or to the Super Bowl?  Probably not, if almost certainly not.  But I remain of the opinion that he brought stability (not greatness, but stability) to the QB position while the team tried to figure the roster out.  EJ was a flame out.  Orton wasn't coming back.  Cassel, uh, no.  Peterman, definitely no.  Etc, etc, etc. 

 

Getting rid of the lousy FO situation, bringing in capable coaching, and yes having TT under center in the interim finally seems to have stabilized my favorite moribund NFL team.

Out of the recycled back ups that the Bills have tried to give the starting spot to over the years: Holcomb, Orton, Edwards, Fitzpatrick, Kolb, Tyrod was the best. 

[LSHMEAB]

On 4/17/2020 at 11:36 AM, C.Biscuit97 said:

The funniest thing is he had a really strong arm.  I always thought he was too nice and tried to do exactly what his coaches told him but to a fault.  

Yeah. His throwing motion during games was robotic. He was never "just playing ball." Case study in not having the right mentality to be an NFL starting QB.

 

You have have an internal killer instinct to excel; so many external influences that the greats are able to ignore. 

 

Very likable dude who just didn't have the "it" factor. 

[Hardhatharry]

8 hours ago, Phil The Thrill said:

The discussion was about finding a better option at QB.  I think Smith would have been better

No he wouldn't have been. Also that wasn't the whole discussion, talking about how it was a mistake to not get Alex Smith... Was never a mistake, he is not good. Wouldn't matter of you had him or EJ neither QB was good enough. That is why 2 very smart coaches also agreed and let him go...

 

Alex Smith was average and wouldn't have made the team any better unless you wanted a worse draft pick. So funny when people argue for Alex Smith as if he was any better or could have don't anything. He was on Super Bowl teams and couldn't do it b.c he isn't good.

Edited April 20, 2020 by Hardhatharry