I started noticing some similarities between Andrew Luck’s rookie season and EJ Manuel which may help some Bills fans currently standing on the ledge thinking we missed on EJ.
Through their first 3 games both Luck and Manuel stand at 1-2. Both QB’s won their second game inside the final seconds. Luck with a Vinatieri FG, obviously Manuel with a beautiful pass to Stevie Johnson. Luck lost to the Bears (road) and the Jaguars (home), Manuel to the Patriots (home) and the Jets (road).
Here is how their numbers stack up.
Luck: 65/122 – 53% – 846 yards – 4TD – 4INT
Manuel: 64/108 – 59% – 689 yards – 4TD -1INT
Pretty close. No mutual opponents to compare but if you jump up to game six, Luck faced the New York Jets. And guess what? Rex Ryan and Mike Pettine made Luck look like a rookie his numbers were 22/44 for 280 yards and 0TD’s 2 INT’s.
So while EJ looked to be completely lost last week, his numbers are right on par with one of the best rookie QB’s we’ve seen in a while. And if we expand our search you’ll see he’s right on par with all the rookies taken in the last few drafts.
Here are some other rookie stats from 3 starts.
2012
RG3: 60/89 – 67% – 747 yards – 4TD – 1 INT Started out 1-2 (It’s worth noting the Redskins started our 3-6)
Tannenhill: 54/102 – 50% – 615yards – 1TD – 4INT Started 1-2
2011
Newton: 70/117 – 59% – 1,012yards – 4TD – 4INT Started 1-2
2010
Bradford: 69/117 – 52% – 650yards – 4TD -5INT Started 1-2
2009
Stafford: 55/113 – 48% – 598 yards – 2TD – 5INT Started 1-2
What can be taken from this? That we don’t know anything yet. Manuel is on par with some of the other top QB’s taken, most have gone on to be successful. Let’s be patient this goes to show regardless of who you root for that rookie QB’s are not lighting things up right out the gate. It takes time.
(Photo credit: Yahoo! Sports)
