In keeping day 1, day 2, day 3 progression going

[Yasgur's Farm]

EJ wins day 4. Thought it's only fair to report.
http://bills.buffalonews.com/2015/08/03/who-will-be-the-bills-qb-our-day-four-report/

EJ Manuel: Took a big step in the right direction after struggling badly on Saturday and Sunday. Really needed this performance. Best throw of the night was a deep connection with Sammy Watkins. Showed good accuracy on other long throws and in goal-line situations. Did a good job of taking what the defense was giving, which, as usual, wasn't a whole lot.

[OpIv37]

I'm hoping EJ comes around but it's seeming less and less likely every day. He's only managed to outplay Cassell and Taylor in one practice out of 4, and those two aren't exactly stiff competition.

[Yasgur's Farm]

I agree OP... Best for the franchise if EJ's light comes on...
1) Cassel's uderwhelming camp, career and age.
2) Taylor's stature seems a bit too frail to take advantage of his strength as a runner... He won't hold up IMO.

[better days]

I'm hoping EJ comes around but it's seeming less and less likely every day. He's only managed to outplay Cassell and Taylor in one practice out of 4, and those two aren't exactly stiff competition.

According to Joe Buscaglia, EJ had the best day 2.

So EJ had 2 of the best 4 days.

[tomz]

I was at the practice. EJ was WAY better than others yesterday. He was decisive and putting the ball where it needed to be most of the time. A couple of the throws that you may see some complaints about were missteps or stumbles by the receiver. Indeed, EJ would have had two long TDs to Watkins but Watkins stumbled.

Cassel throws a wobbler and had accuracy issues when throwing to receivers.

Taylor absolutely was sacked on his long one to Sammy--the D let up. He was also not very accurate and seemed to wait forever to throw it on a number of occasions.

[better days]

I was at the practice. EJ was WAY better than others yesterday. He was decisive and putting the ball where it needed to be most of the time. A couple of the throws that you may see some complaints about were missteps or stumbles by the receiver. Indeed, EJ would have had two long TDs to Watkins but Watkins stumbled.

Cassel throws a wobbler and had accuracy issues when throwing to receivers.

Taylor absolutely was sacked on his long one to Sammy--the D let up. He was also not very accurate and seemed to wait forever to throw it on a number of occasions.

All reports I have read put Tyrod a distant 3rd to EJ & Cassel.

[trapezeus]

while i think QB is a huge issue, we need to see what the line can do. if they can get that run game to work, then whatever qb shows that they can dink and dunk to keep teams honest is the one we want.

but i am perplexed how having these 3 ends up being a real solution for SB aspirations. I would have liked EJ to come into camp on fire. have a chip on his shoulder. only one guy remains from the people who drafted him. and he seems less likely to want to be tied to that pick. EJ needs to be a hands down winner for the bills to be a real team on the rise.

otherwise all we have is a team with the potential of being a playoff team. that is a really low ceiling.

don't get me wrong, i'll love making the playoffs this year, but it's been so long, that it would be a lot of fun to get in and do some damage. Even if cassels wins the job, i can't see him lasting more than 4 weeks. either injured or ineffective by the quarter way point.

[justasportsfan]

"holy smokes, we cut the wrong guy. Someone please call that Tuel guy back from Jax. "

[Yasgur's Farm]

Cassel's edge (if any) is not worth his salary IMO. Looks to me like we roll with EJ and Tyrod, for better or worse...Sims to PS

[OpIv37]

while i think QB is a huge issue, we need to see what the line can do. if they can get that run game to work, then whatever qb shows that they can dink and dunk to keep teams honest is the one we want.

but i am perplexed how having these 3 ends up being a real solution for SB aspirations. I would have liked EJ to come into camp on fire. have a chip on his shoulder. only one guy remains from the people who drafted him. and he seems less likely to want to be tied to that pick. EJ needs to be a hands down winner for the bills to be a real team on the rise.

otherwise all we have is a team with the potential of being a playoff team. that is a really low ceiling.

don't get me wrong, i'll love making the playoffs this year, but it's been so long, that it would be a lot of fun to get in and do some damage. Even if cassels wins the job, i can't see him lasting more than 4 weeks. either injured or ineffective by the quarter way point.

I don't think anyone honestly thinks these qb's will get us a SB. But we had no first round pick to draft or trade for one, and even if we did, the QB's available this off-season were not great. This was the best they could do given the situation.

That being said, it still has dire implications on the field. This franchise's inability to find a QB is appalling. I mean, I know we aren't going to be able to draft the next Joe Montana every year and every team has QB misses, but we are coming up on 20 years without a good QB. That's just pathetic.

[HHURRICANE]

He was having his worst night for an hour and a half....so he is good for it in the last 40 minutes?

http://www.wkbw.com/sports/bills/7-bills-training-camp-observations-day-4


1) Manuel struggles mightily early, finishes strong
- Sunday was a humbling day for third-year player and former first-round pick EJ Manuel. Manuel missed way too many throws he should be making and failed to pull the trigger when players were open down the field. That type of performance continued through the first hour-and-a-half of practice, with Manuel just missing throw after throw. It reached a low point in team work, when Manuel missed Marquise Goodwin on a flag route to the left sideline, under-throwing the target by six-to-eight yards. He followed that up by staring down the target on his next throw — a slant pattern — where Bacarri Rambo easily read his eyes and jumped the route, but he couldn’t secure the catch. After that, EJ Manuel woke up. He found Sammy Watkins deep down the left sideline for a touchdown, and then in red zone work, had a would-be touchdown negated by a MarQueis Gray drop, and then found Marcus Easley for a touchdown from about 10 yards out. The final few throws were the type of performance the Bills want to see from him, but to this point it’s been too few scattered. Consistency is the key.

[trapezeus]

I don't think anyone honestly thinks these qb's will get us a SB. But we had no first round pick to draft or trade for one, and even if we did, the QB's available this off-season were not great. This was the best they could do given the situation.

That being said, it still has dire implications on the field. This franchise's inability to find a QB is appalling. I mean, I know we aren't going to be able to draft the next Joe Montana every year and every team has QB misses, but we are coming up on 20 years without a good QB. That's just pathetic.

i don't expect these qb's to be able to take us there. but you see my point, right? we have a legendary defense last year that seems to be helped. some of the best players are in their prime. We aren't talking about their potential. They are at the potential and wowing people. it's a short window to succeed. and we literally have no qb, and no real hope at getting one.

aside from rivers who may just be done with SD, the bills won't lose enough games to be in the top 5. and we don't know who the top qb is, etc. even if we want rivers, will we have the money for a rivers?

I really hope that this team just gets hot at the right time in december, but rationally thinking, it seems like we have a great thing, but we don't have the marginal qb who can keep the machine running. it seems to me that the playoffs are our ceiling, realistically. then after that, knowing that cassel won't win you a playoff game, we'll be stuck with ej who will have been a failure, tyrod who wasn't more than a back up and a really old cassel.

[OpIv37]

Oh we are definitely squandering some great talent on D and at WR with our inability to find a QB. And it's not the first time....

[better days]

He was having his worst night for an hour and a half....so he is good for it in the last 40 minutes?

http://www.wkbw.com/sports/bills/7-bills-training-camp-observations-day-4


1) Manuel struggles mightily early, finishes strong
- Sunday was a humbling day for third-year player and former first-round pick EJ Manuel. Manuel missed way too many throws he should be making and failed to pull the trigger when players were open down the field. That type of performance continued through the first hour-and-a-half of practice, with Manuel just missing throw after throw. It reached a low point in team work, when Manuel missed Marquise Goodwin on a flag route to the left sideline, under-throwing the target by six-to-eight yards. He followed that up by staring down the target on his next throw — a slant pattern — where Bacarri Rambo easily read his eyes and jumped the route, but he couldn’t secure the catch. After that, EJ Manuel woke up. He found Sammy Watkins deep down the left sideline for a touchdown, and then in red zone work, had a would-be touchdown negated by a MarQueis Gray drop, and then found Marcus Easley for a touchdown from about 10 yards out. The final few throws were the type of performance the Bills want to see from him, but to this point it’s been too few scattered. Consistency is the key.

In a game situation, the end of the game is the time to be good.

Rex said next Saturdays intersquad scrimmage will be important with decisions made from results of that practice.

[better days]

while i think QB is a huge issue, we need to see what the line can do. if they can get that run game to work, then whatever qb shows that they can dink and dunk to keep teams honest is the one we want.

but i am perplexed how having these 3 ends up being a real solution for SB aspirations. I would have liked EJ to come into camp on fire. have a chip on his shoulder. only one guy remains from the people who drafted him. and he seems less likely to want to be tied to that pick. EJ needs to be a hands down winner for the bills to be a real team on the rise.

otherwise all we have is a team with the potential of being a playoff team. that is a really low ceiling.

don't get me wrong, i'll love making the playoffs this year, but it's been so long, that it would be a lot of fun to get in and do some damage. Even if cassels wins the job, i can't see him lasting more than 4 weeks. either injured or ineffective by the quarter way point.

If the QB can only dink & dunk, defenses are going to crowd the line of scrimmage.

We need a QB that can sling the ball downfield to loosen up defenses.

Even if there are a number of balls that hit the ground, the threat of a long pass for a TD will keep defenses honest.

[OpIv37]

Log balls hitting the ground won't keep the defense honest.

[better days]

Log balls hitting the ground won't keep the defense honest.

Yes they will, one long TD pass=a quick 7 points.

And no single CB is going to cover Watkins, Woods or Harvin.

Even with safety help, those three WR's have to cause concern for defenses.

[OpIv37]

Yes they will, one long TD pass=a quick 7 points.

And no single CB is going to cover Watkins, Woods or Harvin.

Even with safety help, those three WR's have to cause concern for defenses.
They'll let Watkins run right by if they know our QB can't complete the pass.

[Yasgur's Farm]

Correction... When Fitz was QB, they would let WR's run past them because he didn't have the arm to get it to them. All of our QB's have the arm. The CB's have to stay honest even if the completion rate is only 25%.

[better days]

They'll let Watkins run right by if they know our QB can't complete the pass.

No they won't because EJ can complete a pass now & again & they will never know when that will come for a quick 7 points.

Go on the official Bills board & you can watch video of EJ completing long passes for TD's.

[trapezeus]

If the QB can only dink & dunk, defenses are going to crowd the line of scrimmage.

We need a QB that can sling the ball downfield to loosen up defenses.

Even if there are a number of balls that hit the ground, the threat of a long pass for a TD will keep defenses honest.

if the bills are as serious about ground and pound, they literally just need a TE to be open 5-10 yards down field and keep single coverage. With the possesion guys we have, they should beat single coverage. and if teams want to drop more DBs back, the run game should get them.

but you need an accurate qb who can distribute the ball quickly and accurately.

This team isn't designed to need the long ball.

[better days]

if the bills are as serious about ground and pound, they literally just need a TE to be open 5-10 yards down field and keep single coverage. With the possesion guys we have, they should beat single coverage. and if teams want to drop more DBs back, the run game should get them.

but you need an accurate qb who can distribute the ball quickly and accurately.

This team isn't designed to need the long ball.

Goodwin, Watkins, Harvin & Woods & this team has the weapons to throw the long ball.

And it would be a waste if they don't make good use of that talent.

[trapezeus]

the long ball is fun for fans. but if you are moving the ball effectively with the run game having defenses trying to stop it, it's going to put talented receivers one on one. why waste the time going for a lower percentage long ball, when you can put it in the hands of good TE and WRs who can get the YAC.


You wear down a defense, score a TD, and then let our defense t off on pass happy teams? that's the recipe for success. We don't have a QB who looks good reliably openning up 20 yard passes. Let them find their groove early. and let that confidence create a more diverse attack.

To put mediocre QBs in the wrong offense will be the thing that really gives the offense no chance of finding their footing. that's what they did with losman. that's what they did to EJ initially.

Let these guys have a chance

[better days]

the long ball is fun for fans. but if you are moving the ball effectively with the run game having defenses trying to stop it, it's going to put talented receivers one on one. why waste the time going for a lower percentage long ball, when you can put it in the hands of good TE and WRs who can get the YAC.


You wear down a defense, score a TD, and then let our defense t off on pass happy teams? that's the recipe for success. We don't have a QB who looks good reliably openning up 20 yard passes. Let them find their groove early. and let that confidence create a more diverse attack.

To put mediocre QBs in the wrong offense will be the thing that really gives the offense no chance of finding their footing. that's what they did with losman. that's what they did to EJ initially.

Let these guys have a chance

The offense will be ground & pound.

They will throw some short & some long.

[tomz]

The Rambo near pick was bang-bang. A short pass that looked like miscommunication.

The underthrown pass to Goodwin struck me as him trying to pull it back or throw in the ground to avoid interception.

He also had an excellent long ball to Goodwin that marquise had to jet to get under.

He also seemed to be paired with the weaker receivers. Even when it came down to chance
I think what one saw depended on how open your mind was.