Is EJ Manuel Better Than We Think He Is?

[BillsImpossible]

58.8% completion percentage as a rookie in 2013.

11 TD's and 9 Int's in 10 games played.

A 4-6 starting record that could easily be 5-5 if Stevie Johnson and Scott Chandler didn't fumble in Toronto.

In his first ever game as a professional football player, EJ Manuel completed 18 out of 27 attempts for a 66.7% completion percentage, 2 TD's and 0 picks against the New England Patriots in a 21-23 loss.

In his second game as a pro, coming off a hard loss EJ Manuel played great against a very good Carolina Panthers team, completing 27 out of 39 attempts for 296 yards and had a 69.2% completion percentage in his first win as a pro.

Not bad, kid.

In his third game as a starting professional quarterback in the NFL, EJ Manuel played his second worst game of the season in his first road game in New York with a 45.2% completion percentage, but threw for 243 yards, had 1 TD, and 0 picks against a very good Jets defense in a close 20-27 loss.

In EJ Manuel's fourth game, he once again did not play well at all, but the Bills somehow won the game against the Ravens in the clutch.

And then came Cleveland. Let's just skip over that one and move on 1 month and 1 week later...

In his sixth game starting in the National Football League, coming off another injury to his knee, EJ Manuel went 22/39 for 155 yards, threw 1 TD and 1 Int in Pittsburgh playing on sand and mud.

In his 7th game as a rookie quarterback, EJ Manuel had his best game of the season against the New York Jets hitting on 20 out of 28 attempts, for 245 yards, 2 TD's and 0 picks, crushing the Jets 37-14.

In his 8th game, EJ Manuel didn't play great, threw for 210 yards, 1 TD, 0 picks and his stats would have looked a hell of a lot better if Chandler or Johnson weren't eating Canadian Butterfingers.

In Manuel's 9th game, the Bills got smoked in Tampa. It was the only game he played in all season that wasn't close. Every other game he played in was close.

In the last game of his rookie season against Jacksonville, EJ Manuel was 17 of 24 for his second highest completion percentage of the season (70.8%) threw 2 TD's and 1 pick in a win.

10 games total, 3 knee injuries, and 3 months after the season ended I'm starting to think EJ Manuel is going to be the franchise quarterback the Bills have been looking for.

[jayhall93]

No one will give him any credit until he takes us to the playoffs.

[ParanoidAndroid]

When I watched EJ throw his first TD which turned out to be Robert Woods first TD, I had the feeling it was the start of something. Did anyone ever find out if a rookie-to-rookie first TD completion in the season opener had ever been done before?

[Mike]

Often I think he is worst than we think he is

[TacklingDummy]

Not seeing it.

28th in Comp. %
32nd YDS/A
29th RATE
33rd YDS/G
28th Total QBR

[BillsImpossible]

Not seeing it.

28th in Comp. %
32nd YDS/A
29th RATE
33rd YDS/G
28th Total QBR

33rd? Where'd that come from?

[Goobylal]

We'll find out this year. There were numerous factors that conspired to make him to struggle last year. If they go heavy on offense in the draft, there are no more excuses.

[TacklingDummy]

33rd? Where'd that come from?

Espn

espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/passing/sort/passingYardsPerGame

[Luisito23]

EJ sucks.

[feldspar]

Often I think he is worst than we think he is

Nothing is ever anything other than what a person thinks it is, relative to the person that thinks it. Heavy, huh? So if reality is perception, you are always right, at least as far as you are concerned.

Therefore, EJ Manuel can never be better than a person thinks he is to that person.

So the answer to the OP is no, he's not better than we think he is...as if everyone ever agreed on anything in the first place.

[Skooby]

So far, all I see is a rookie who couldn't stay healthy.

[swiper]

Let's watch a little video...

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-h...lls-highlights

Has one of the Manuel to Woods passes. Not really a great video of Manuel. Shows him hitting on 2 passes. One to a wide open Woods for a TD. The other he throws high to a tall receiver - a safe throw. But the video of all those Flacco INTs is great to see.

[Don't Panic]

I think he is. There's no doubt the jury is still out but if he can stay healthy, I think he's going to be good. Looking at his rankings after a disjointed, injury-plagued rookie year is not a fair assessment. I think by the end of year three he is fully settled in as a pretty good QB in this league.

[Jan Reimers]

Could we maybe give EJ another season, hopefully a full one? He was injured during preseason, which caused him to miss valuable practice and games, then played only 10 regular season contests. Could we also get him another receiver and a decent left guard and right tackle?

We won't know anything until he puts in another season, hopefully with a better supporting cast.

[Night Train]

He gets another year to show he can stay healthy and develop. If not, his replacement comes in the 2015 draft.


Bills will draft plenty of help for the O in May, plus sign a couple more FA's before camp.

[The Jokeman]

Could we maybe give EJ another season, hopefully a full one? He was injured during preseason, which caused him to miss valuable practice and games, then played only 10 regular season contests. Could we also get him another receiver and a decent left guard and right tackle?

We won't know anything until he puts in another season, hopefully with a better supporting cast.

Yeah imagine what he'd do with a healthy Stevie Johnson too. I mean everyone remembers Manuel getting hurt but forgets his best receiving option was also hurt for most of the season. Personally I give another 20 or so games to see what he has. To me the biggest concern I had for his play last year was the inability to avoid injuries. It might be we/he rushed himself back after the preseason one but either way I liked his overall play, for a rookie, last year.

[Dr. Who]

I am certain that those who are certain that EJ will never be a good NFL qb are incapable of complex, nuanced thinking. You have to be able to project and to account for mitigating circumstances. Much easier to play to the peanut gallery with smug nastiness.

[jills]

58.8% completion percentage as a rookie in 2013.

11 TD's and 9 Int's in 10 games played.

A 4-6 starting record that could easily be 5-5 if Stevie Johnson and Scott Chandler didn't fumble in Toronto.

In his first ever game as a professional football player, EJ Manuel completed 18 out of 27 attempts for a 66.7% completion percentage, 2 TD's and 0 picks against the New England Patriots in a 21-23 loss.

In his second game as a pro, coming off a hard loss EJ Manuel played great against a very good Carolina Panthers team, completing 27 out of 39 attempts for 296 yards and had a 69.2% completion percentage in his first win as a pro.

Not bad, kid.

In his third game as a starting professional quarterback in the NFL, EJ Manuel played his second worst game of the season in his first road game in New York with a 45.2% completion percentage, but threw for 243 yards, had 1 TD, and 0 picks against a very good Jets defense in a close 20-27 loss.

In EJ Manuel's fourth game, he once again did not play well at all, but the Bills somehow won the game against the Ravens in the clutch.

And then came Cleveland. Let's just skip over that one and move on 1 month and 1 week later...

In his sixth game starting in the National Football League, coming off another injury to his knee, EJ Manuel went 22/39 for 155 yards, threw 1 TD and 1 Int in Pittsburgh playing on sand and mud.

In his 7th game as a rookie quarterback, EJ Manuel had his best game of the season against the New York Jets hitting on 20 out of 28 attempts, for 245 yards, 2 TD's and 0 picks, crushing the Jets 37-14.

In his 8th game, EJ Manuel didn't play great, threw for 210 yards, 1 TD, 0 picks and his stats would have looked a hell of a lot better if Chandler or Johnson weren't eating Canadian Butterfingers.

In Manuel's 9th game, the Bills got smoked in Tampa. It was the only game he played in all season that wasn't close. Every other game he played in was close.

In the last game of his rookie season against Jacksonville, EJ Manuel was 17 of 24 for his second highest completion percentage of the season (70.8%) threw 2 TD's and 1 pick in a win.

10 games total, 3 knee injuries, and 3 months after the season ended I'm starting to think EJ Manuel is going to be the franchise quarterback the Bills have been looking for.

Funny how you state if it wasn't for Stevie and Chandler sucking he would have another W, I think the same credit goes for the defense who won games in spite of Manuel.

Let's not act like we was carrying this team, because that's what franchise QB's do.

[Victor7]

Often I think he is worst than we think he is

This

So far he's Trent 2.0 in my book.

[EDS]

58.8% completion percentage as a rookie in 2013.

11 TD's and 9 Int's in 10 games played.

A 4-6 starting record that could easily be 5-5 if Stevie Johnson and Scott Chandler didn't fumble in Toronto.

In his first ever game as a professional football player, EJ Manuel completed 18 out of 27 attempts for a 66.7% completion percentage, 2 TD's and 0 picks against the New England Patriots in a 21-23 loss.

In his second game as a pro, coming off a hard loss EJ Manuel played great against a very good Carolina Panthers team, completing 27 out of 39 attempts for 296 yards and had a 69.2% completion percentage in his first win as a pro.

Not bad, kid.

In his third game as a starting professional quarterback in the NFL, EJ Manuel played his second worst game of the season in his first road game in New York with a 45.2% completion percentage, but threw for 243 yards, had 1 TD, and 0 picks against a very good Jets defense in a close 20-27 loss.

In EJ Manuel's fourth game, he once again did not play well at all, but the Bills somehow won the game against the Ravens in the clutch.

And then came Cleveland. Let's just skip over that one and move on 1 month and 1 week later...

In his sixth game starting in the National Football League, coming off another injury to his knee, EJ Manuel went 22/39 for 155 yards, threw 1 TD and 1 Int in Pittsburgh playing on sand and mud.

In his 7th game as a rookie quarterback, EJ Manuel had his best game of the season against the New York Jets hitting on 20 out of 28 attempts, for 245 yards, 2 TD's and 0 picks, crushing the Jets 37-14.

In his 8th game, EJ Manuel didn't play great, threw for 210 yards, 1 TD, 0 picks and his stats would have looked a hell of a lot better if Chandler or Johnson weren't eating Canadian Butterfingers.

In Manuel's 9th game, the Bills got smoked in Tampa. It was the only game he played in all season that wasn't close. Every other game he played in was close.

In the last game of his rookie season against Jacksonville, EJ Manuel was 17 of 24 for his second highest completion percentage of the season (70.8%) threw 2 TD's and 1 pick in a win.

10 games total, 3 knee injuries, and 3 months after the season ended I'm starting to think EJ Manuel is going to be the franchise quarterback the Bills have been looking for.

You totally got me! I had the typical (and I bet expected) reaction of anger coming from my deeply ingrained skepticism of all connections between the Bills and success stemming from the team's decades of futility when I realized the JOKE was on ME!

Happy April's Fool's day!