Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

[stuckincincy]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

Odds are low that some free agent retread or late round rookie would pose a serious challenge. If it did it's over anyway because it means Manuel sucks. Nah, just relax and deal with the fact that we're all in on Manuel. It's pretty much a stone cold lock that he gets 2 more years and if he fails the entire organization will go with him. Finding a winning QB isn't like buying a head of lettuce at the market. It's really really hard but really really essential. That's why it's hard for me to understand why there's some on this board that seem invested in Manuel's failure. To me it's still a coin flip, could go either way.

The Bills know how to shop for lettuce($)...a mere handful of blackouts since the SB years. I don't think that it's folks invested in Manuel's failure, but that management hasn't been able to meaningfully nail down the QB spot since Kelly hung up the cleats.

So there is skepticism.

[Bill Cody]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

The Bills know how to shop for lettuce($)...a mere handful of blackouts since the SB years. I don't think that it's folks invested in Manuel's failure, but that management hasn't been able to meaningfully nail down the QB spot since Kelly hung up the cleats.

So there is skepticism.

skepticism I get but there are definitely posters that go out of their way to trash Manuel and have completely given up on him. And yes they are invested in being right on that for whatever reason.

[stuckincincy]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

skepticism I get but there are definitely posters that go out of their way to trash Manuel and have completely given up on him. And yes they are invested in being right on that for whatever reason.

Yes, that is so. But those folks are a small number. Most hope for the best.

[Bill Cody]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

True, but he also had a relatively well playing Josh Freeman throwing to him too. Freeman may have lost his job, but he still averaged over 22 TDs/season, that's far from where Manuel is. In the only two notable seasons that you reference Freeman threw for 25 and 27 TDs. I don't see that happening here with Manuel.

Manuel can be better than Freeman. He has to put the work in to do it but it's possible. Freeman was not willing to work hard enough and that's why he was cut in Tampa.

Either way, the smart thing for developing QBs is not to take away one of their safety blankets and their best proven option.

Stevie would not have reacted well to what was clearly going to be a reduced role with the Bills, the man had an ego. And you can't really be a safety blanket if when you really really need a catch from a guy he drops the ball. That was Stevie. He was a good not great player but it was time to move on for him and the team. But losing him does increase the need for Manuel to get as many reps as possible with all the receivers.

[Fletch]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

The Bills know how to shop for lettuce($)...a mere handful of blackouts since the SB years. I don't think that it's folks invested in Manuel's failure, but that management hasn't been able to meaningfully nail down the QB spot since Kelly hung up the cleats.

So there is skepticism.

Not just that, but it's not like they take a QB like Luck who's got all the hallmarks. Yes, I realize he wasn't an option, but the point is that if they'd taken Manuel in round 2 then there wouldn't be as much heat or as much invested. They reached to get him in round one.

Like I said before in another thread, how bad this team is never comes down to one season and who was or wasn't a free agent or who the draft prospects were. A good GM takes a look at what he has and then begins to build around that.

Here we seem to haphazardly draft players and pick up guys in free agency based either on coaches that don't know what they're doing or front office people acting like they're about to get laid for the first time.

[Bill Cody]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

Not just that, but it's not like they take a QB like Luck who's got all the hallmarks. Yes, I realize he wasn't an option, but the point is that if they'd taken Manuel in round 2 then there wouldn't be as much heat or as much invested. They reached to get him in round one.

If he succeeds he wasn't a reach, a good starting QB is worth much more than a mid first. And if he fails the damage will be more from the waste of 4 years than the round he was picked. I get that you like to play the critic but are you like this on all subjects with your friends? It must get old.

[Fletch]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

skepticism I get but there are definitely posters that go out of their way to trash Manuel and have completely given up on him. And yes they are invested in being right on that for whatever reason.

Just make sure you separate the ones that are merely calling a spade a spade from those that slam him for no good reason.

Because right now there are a whole lot more indicators that are suggesting bust than ones that are suggesting that he's going to step it up this season. Pointing out the aspects of his play that are what is holding this team back while not insisting that he's going to be in the top-half of QBs this season are two different things.

No one can possibly deny that he's one significant injury away from irrelevance in the NFL.

No one can possibly claim that he's capable of stringing four good quarters of football together in the NFL, it hasn't even come close to happening.

No one can claim that he does not have quite possibly incorrectable issues with his accuracy, especially since he went through four years at FSU with the same issue.

No one can claim that he does not struggle to read defenses and has not been good at that as a rookie in the NFL or at FSU.

Those are some of the biggest things and primary ones that prevent QBs from ever becoming good. Sticking one's head in the sand while humming a tune of Don't Worry Be Happy doesn't magically make those things go away.

[Fletch]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

If he succeeds he wasn't a reach, a good starting QB is worth much more than a mid first. And if he fails the damage will be more from the waste of 4 years than the round he was picked. I get that you like to play the critic but are you like this on all subjects with your friends? It must get old.

Wrong, he was a reach. If he succeeds he'll have justified taking that risk.

Right now we're far from that, so let's not talk about it as if it's around the corner from happening. No sane person that knows football is prepared to bet much that it happens.

[trapezeus]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

im rooting for manuel, but marrone gave him a hard time yesterday. said something to the effect that you can't just put the ball down and run on 7-7 drills. and he got picked off a couple times and sailed some passes.

one school of thought is, good, getting it out of your system when it doesn't matter
the other is that this is a harbinger of bad luck to come.

i don't have an opinion yet, but it's never fun to see someone that universally everyone is saying has to have a great season struggling early.

if he needs to play preseason until game 5 to feel like he has a good grasp of it, then so be it.

[Fletch]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

im rooting for manuel, but marrone gave him a hard time yesterday. said something to the effect that you can't just put the ball down and run on 7-7 drills. and he got picked off a couple times and sailed some passes.

one school of thought is, good, getting it out of your system when it doesn't matter
the other is that this is a harbinger of bad luck to come.

i don't have an opinion yet, but it's never fun to see someone that universally everyone is saying has to have a great season struggling early.

if he needs to play preseason until game 5 to feel like he has a good grasp of it, then so be it.

Exactly to that bolded part. "Saving him" if he hasn't serves the team no purpose. Some don't get that most simple concept.

We're all rooting for him, but unfortunately this sounds like more of the same. The even more unfortunate part about it is that the biggest things that he struggles with are the ones least likely to be corrected via good coaching. They're going to have to rig something for him that who was it, the Skins maybe, rigged in one of their QBs helmets, or was it Bledsoe, some sort of timer to get him to get rid of the ball, except for Manuel they'll have to have a couple of different buzzers and bells.

This isn't promising.

[Bill Cody]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

Just make sure you separate the ones that are merely calling a spade a spade from those that slam him for no good reason.

Ok let's say you're right. How many times do you need to repeat the same arguments? Do you think they become more interesting as they're repeated? Serious question.

Because right now there are a whole lot more indicators that are suggesting bust than ones that are suggesting that he's going to step it up this season. Pointing out the aspects of his play that are what is holding this team back while not insisting that he's going to be in the top-half of QBs this season are two different things.

No one can possibly deny that he's one significant injury away from irrelevance in the NFL.

No one can possibly claim that he's capable of stringing four good quarters of football together in the NFL, it hasn't even come close to happening.

No one can claim that he does not have quite possibly incorrectable issues with his accuracy, especially since he went through four years at FSU with the same issue.

No one can claim that he does not struggle to read defenses and has not been good at that as a rookie in the NFL or at FSU.

Those are some of the biggest things and primary ones that prevent QBs from ever becoming good. Sticking one's head in the sand while humming a tune of Don't Worry Be Happy doesn't magically make those things go away.

So anyone that doesn't agree with you is "sticking their head in the sand". Is that about it?

FACT: Manuel was only a starter at FSU for 2 years, that's not long enough to be ready for the NFL from the jump.

FACT: Manuel played 4 good quarters against the Jets. So you're wrong.

The injury issue is a concern but mostly because he really needs the work, none of the injuries he had last year some impact his performance this year. The accuracy issue is a concern but his accuracy was not terrible nor was it in college. He's a smart kid so reading defenses will improve with experience. Thanks for the rant but I've been watching the game a long time, I'll form my own opinions thanks.

[Bill Cody]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

Wrong, he was a reach. If he succeeds he'll have justified taking that risk.

That's a distinction without a difference which no one will care about except maybe you

Right now we're far from that, so let's not talk about it as if it's around the corner from happening. No sane person that knows football is prepared to bet much that it happens.

To me the most precious thing is the season that was unexpected. The Patriots have won 3 championships but the first was by far the most sweet for them, little was expected. You seem like an unhappy person.

[kishoph]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

Put another way kishoph, what would we be "saving him" for if he sucks during the preseason?

What, more suckitude during the regular season?

.

Sorry my bad, I didn't realize the preseason was already over with. You're already predicting what they are gonna do and that he's going to suck in the preseason, no bias there.

[gebobs]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

It's funny, everyone discounts Stevie, but he's the only player in Bills history to put three 1,000-yard seasons back to back to back

Great illustration of how misleading stats can be. Watching him down the clutch was like watching Bernhard Langer in the early 90's lining up a putt on the 18th from 3 feet to make the cut.

For his sake, I hope he figures it out and matures.

[Fletch]

Re: Expect To See A Lot Of EJ Manuel In The Preseason

Manuel can be better than Freeman. He has to put the work in to do it but it's possible. Freeman was not willing to work hard enough and that's why he was cut in Tampa.

Maybe, but for now he hasn't even shown that he's capable of starting well in the NFL. First things first. This camp doesn't seem to be making him any friends in that way either. But why stop there, let's say that he can be better than Kelly too. The key word is "can" but in order to get people to really believe that there has to be some evidence and there really isn't any to date.

Show us why and everyone will start believing you. It's not going to happen just because you say it can despite the presence of any other evidence. You're down on people that aren't up with Manuel, but are you that blind that you can't see that it's an uphill battle for him at this point? Sure, he can do it. He can also be the next president of the US too if you believe some people. Doesn't mean that it's going to happen or that the chances are even good that it does. As we all know, he's also one serious injury away from being relegated to bust status. If he gets his knee hurt again how much more time do you think that this team, especially under a new owner, is going to want to spend on him? That's assuming that he straightens out his play, which isn't even happening in camp now against some of the worst defenders he'll see all season.

Stevie would not have reacted well to what was clearly going to be a reduced role with the Bills, the man had an ego. And you can't really be a safety blanket if when you really really need a catch from a guy he drops the ball. That was Stevie. He was a good not great player but it was time to move on for him and the team. But losing him does increase the need for Manuel to get as many reps as possible with all the receivers.

That's one of your more sensible comments, but having said that, you don't develop that chemistry to playoff caliber levels in one season. First Manuel has to correct himself before he begins to worry about chemistry. Again, first things first.

But it sounds like you agree with me that he needs to be kept in during all preseason games until he can prove that he's capable of holding down 4 quarters by himself first. There's nothing to protect and hold out of preseason games if he can't do that. If he can't, I'll have more faith in Lewis and would rather see him play.