Just in Atlanta

I'll beat this drum all winter long: Draft a QB -- high -- and give us two options. Seriously -- so what that we drafted a qb in the first round this year, and people say we can't draft another next year. Who makes these rules? Manuel does not look like he's going to pan out. It's going to take a lot of improvement. If he doesn't, which is likely, at least we have two options.

We're going to die someday. Might as well get it over with now.

My magic five-step plan goes as follows: Adjustment time on the D -- we're there in my assessment. Manuel to come into his own or find a QB in the offseason. Draft a few pieces (NT-type run stuffer, CB, OG, big TE). ? Superbowl glory. Magic is easy!

I think fans should be pissed come April if the Bills don't draft a quarterback in the first round. It shouldn't be an "if" but why the !@#$ not. If Manuel doesn't pan out next season, which in my opinion is likely, then we have to draft another quarterback in two years. This either or, linear, all your eggs in one basket mindset has to stop. Two options should be a no-brainer. Usually it takes two years for one to pan out. That's three years before we think about making the playoffs. AND if HE doesn't pan out either? We're talking five years! I'll have co-workers by then who weren't even alive when the Bills made it to the last wildcard.

Thad Lewis have proven he's an above average backup. Our problem is first string. Why are we debating who our backup is when the future of the most important position in football is 50-50 at best? I'll keep beating this drum: Draft a quarterback, let him and Manuel duke it out, and sell the loser of the battle for a draft pick in two years. I don't understand why this shouldn't be conventional wisdom, given the importance of the position, the ambiguity Manuel has caused, and, I don't know, the fact this team hasn't been in the playoffs for 14 freaking years because we haven't had a viable quarterback? It's so obvious, it's painful.

Two options are better than one option. Our first option is a 50-50 at best. If you want to improve the chances of the Bills not going to 15 straight, I'd say it was a colossal urgency. Or maybe my math is wrong. Draft a QB already, Bills.

From what's been displayed thus far, Thad is the better quarterback AND has shown three things Manuel hasn't: Pocket presence. While Thad did get blindsided on a corner blitz he should've capitalized on, he by far has shown a better feel of the rush. Quick decision making. No comparison. Ole Slow Eyes runs at 75 percent speed. Instinctive ability to know to take a hit. Bizarre thing about EJ -- he takes hits harder than he needs to and at the same time goes down quicker than he should other times. Couple that with long skinny legs and a glass knee... By no means saying Thad should be the guy going forward. EJ appears to have the X factor and better physical attributes and better throwing mechanics, sans footwork. Take this for what it is -- an evaluation of the now -- while EJ is the better thrower and has that it factor, Thad has instinctive traits EJ might never learn.

Sacks R Fun

Hey, he caught one today.

Is TO available?

What happens if TJ Graham goes down? Yikes.

Why didn't I start Fred Jackson and our D?

Honestly, Lewis is showing things Manuel hasn't -- quick decision making and pocket presence. Looks decent out there.

It's not about immediate success. Few fans, even homers, were expecting a playoff run. And many fans expected him to be ugly at times. What it is about is instinctive abilities. For all his upsides, natural things -- things I don't know can be learned -- such as pocket presence, speed of decision making and instinctive ability to know how to take a hit, are sorely lacking. It's instantly recognizable. If we don't draft a QB high in April, and Manuel fails -- which I think is a 60 percent chance -- then we will have TWO wasted years, not just one, not to mention yet another year of rebuilding under a new quarterback when we do draft one in two years. Draft a quarterback in April already and give this team two options instead of crossing our fingers and praying. It just seems so obvious. End this cycle already and draft, draft, draft until we get a good one. Just because you draft someone, it doesn't mean you don't give the other guy a chance. It's simple. Hold a competition. And let the best one win.

They need to draft a quarterback, period, and let the best man win. Would be insane if they didn't. Don't understand why there's a "0 percent chance." Manuel's odds have to be below 40 percent right now that he'll be a playoff-caliber starting option for us.

Astonishing how short a RB's career is. The oldest ever to hit those metrics is 32 -- FJ and Walter Payton. Barring injury, I see no reason why he can't be dominant for two more seasons.

Dude, I'm relaxed. It's an observation. And it doesn't bother me. But my observation is correct. Btw, Al Sharpton is a race pimp.

I hate political correctness, but I do have a somewhat PC observation: Why is it that everyone always compares black quarterbacks to other black quarterbacks and not white ones? Why can't Thad Lewis be our Mark Brunnell?

we need to see what we have in him THIS season. utterly depressing to think about another year of evaluation. we need to pick another QB in the second round and let them duke it out.

Please consider not grating the nerves of OCD types, and use proper grammar in your headlines. Thank you, The Grammar Police.

For the love of God, New Era, don't watch a game ever again. 2000 is when it all came crashing down. And don't even think of checking out those streaming sites.

I agree. Bad offensive scheme, and poor blocking. Hackett, not CJ, is the problem. I hope they find a way to get this racehorse into space next year during his prime. Otherwise, yet another primo player wasted on this waste of a team.

Thank God the drought is over. I was about to get kind of tired of all this 15 years of drought nonsense.

What are his fine traits? I don't see many. Calm demeanor. He does seem to have the arm strength, especially compared to Fitz. Like you, I also hope, though. But he honestly looks like he's playing in slow motion compared to even Chad Henne or Goofy Stork (Glennon). Even when he runs. Roethlisberger last night, watching him run around, no comparison...he's ferocious...EJ, like 3/4 speed. EJ's ball delivery is no different: Rainbows. I found myself calling him "Rainbow Bright" yesterday. Some analyst said he had "slow eyes." What an apt description. Also, while he detected the rush better vs. the Jags, he still seems to not have that pocket presence that any starting QB needs to happen. Is this something you develop? Or just have? Have to think it's the latter. Worst, he doesn't seem to be able to instinctively know how to take a hit or avoid one. One play yesterday, he slid 5 yards away from the nearest hit. Other times, he just seems to get hit awkwardly when he doesn't need to. It's tough to explain. Does anyone else see this?

Someone please define what a "winning culture" is. So...the Steelers lost that culture the first half and magically found it in the second? Two years ago, we found a winning culture the first half and then lost it? Or, is the Steelers adjusted and teams adjusted to us? Every year, you'll see stories about how the "culture" is changing. (Check this board).