A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

[X-Era]

Kolb getting injured may be what's best for the Bills. This is a growing year with all new everything and a rookie QB who is impressing. Any Head Coach wants to win as many games as possible. That's why it's likely that Marrone will choose the QB that has the best chance to win. Experience is a big part of not losing games at QB. Marrone knows it. A conservative HC who just wants to win could easily pick Kolb even if Manuel shows flashes of brilliance. Consistency and experience would seem to increase your chance of winning more than an ability to make a few flashy plays. Big mistakes can cost games. The HC would want to trust that the QB won't make them. A rookie starting will cause a HC major angst.

But if Kolb gets injured Marrone's hand is forced. He has to take the chance of non-consistent and risky play from his rookie QB. And that may speed up the growth of EJ and bring us closer to developing the answer at QB that we have needed since the SB years.

[ublinkwescore]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

We haven't been to the playoffs in 13 years... What difference does one more make - playing Manuel could prove to be the spark this team needed. Or it could blow up in our faces. Let's see if fortune really does favor the bold and make EJ the man.

[Skooby]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

Tuel will also get a chance to shine as well, I wouldn't count out a gamer like him.

[better days]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

I want to see WINS regardless who the QB is.

I am fine with letting EJ sit & develop.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

Marrone is never going to have more job security than he has right now. He should absolutely play Manuel as much as possible.

[X-Era]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

Right now he's questionable to play against the Vikes... Joe B (WGR) had the thought that the comnpetition is over if Kold doesn't play against the Vikes. I think he's right.

If Kolb can go I could easily see Marrone starting him vs. the Vikes to get the best look at him since he didn't play last week. I'd like EJ to continue to get the rep's... I'd like him to be as ready as possible if he's going to be the choice as our starter.

[jamze132]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

Manuel's legs give us the best chance to win.

[Uncle Jesse]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

Realistically, were not quite there yet in terms of competing for a playoff stop. We have too many holes still. We're better off letting Manuel play all season and getting the reps in practice all week and the games to be able to learn and grow. Then we can hope for a big step forward in year 2, fill some more holes in the draft and free agency and go from there.

[coastal]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

I want to see Tuel with the first stringers.

[TigerJ]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

I'm not disagreeing, but it's not a sure thing. It depends on the psyche of the QB. Some young QBs are psychologically pretty fragile. Put them in too soon, lacking adequate support and protection around him, and you can have a disaster where his ego gets crushed, turns timid in the pocket and never develops the way you hope. I'm not saying that is what will happen to Mannuel. He seems to be pretty solid in his thinking and there seems to be a pretty good supporting cast. It is very likely what happened to Trent Edwards. The thing is, you can't always tell how fragile a QB's psyche is. When Trent Edwards came out of college he seemed to be smart, well spoken and confident. Even after he regressed badly he acted confident off the field. He just turned into a deer in the headlights when he got on the field.

Being thrown into the fire is certainly a quicker way to develop a QB, but a slower introduction to the pro game with time on the bench is probably safer in terms of getting the end result you hope for.

[better days]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

Realistically, were not quite there yet in terms of competing for a playoff stop. We have too many holes still. We're better off letting Manuel play all season and getting the reps in practice all week and the games to be able to learn and grow. Then we can hope for a big step forward in year 2, fill some more holes in the draft and free agency and go from there.

So, what holes do you think need filling that will keep the Bills from winning?

[Uncle Jesse]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

So, what holes do you think need filling that will keep the Bills from winning?

Linebacker, LG, RT, CB and SS is up in the air, Aaron Williams has to show something in real games this year to make me feel comfortable.

Also, with no proven QB on the roster, that's going to be a glaring reason we won't compete for a playoff spot. Unless Manuel has a Luck/Wilson/RG3 season which I just don't see happening at this point, I would love it to though and would gladly be wrong.

I just don't feel like our defense is going to be strong enough to compete with some of the elite QBs will be facing. We'll hopefully see improvement, but not the leaps and bounds it needs.

[Uncle Jesse]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

I want to see Tuel with the first stringers.

Please stop with this guys. You sound like the people that called into WGR this morning.

[better days]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

Linebacker, LG, RT, CB and SS is up in the air, Aaron Williams has to show something in real games this year to make me feel comfortable.

Also, with no proven QB on the roster, that's going to be a glaring reason we won't compete for a playoff spot. Unless Manuel has a Luck/Wilson/RG3 season which I just don't see happening at this point, I would love it to though and would gladly be wrong.

I just don't feel like our defense is going to be strong enough to compete with some of the elite QBs will be facing. We'll hopefully see improvement, but not the leaps and bounds it needs.

Well, I think the defense will be leaps & bounds better than last year.

If EJ can manage the game & not turn the ball over, I think Marrone takes advantage of the weapon he has in CJ Spiller & I can see the Bills in the hunt for a playoff spot late in the season.

[swiper]

Re: A Kolb injury could be a silver lining playbook

This thread is laughable. While I agree that Kolb not playing last Sunday allowed Manuel to get his feet wet, let's keep some perspective. He had a good 2-minute drill and that was really about it. And if the Bills are relying on HIS legs to win then there is a problem. That notion is just ******ed.