billsgpr88

I know we all want to look for reasons as to why ej hasn't panned out yet. The fact is, and it pains me to say this, but he cannot read a defense and he absolutely cannot throw accurate balls consistently. Nothing is going to change those shortcomings

NO. LET ME TELL YOU WHY he isn't good enough. In particular, his vision, accuracy, and decision-making are not good enough. Manuel defenders can look at statistics that show he is comparable to hall of fame quarterbacks in the beginning of their respective careers, but those guys showed potential. Manuel clearly doesn't pass the eye test. I get nervous every time he lets go of the ball because I have no idea where it's going to go. He stares down receivers as hard as any NFL qb I've ever seen, and he barely ever makes use of his strong arm. That last part could change, but I think he has a low ceiling for the innate talent to read defenses and throw the ball accurately.

congratulations, you were able to display your ignorance in the very first word you typed.

He's not an NFL qb. Deal with it. I wanted him to be one as much as anyone else, believe me. I was lying to myself saying he could be. He has so many things you would want in a starting QB and a face of a franchise: a big guy with a big arm, athleticism to run if he needs to, a good looking guy who never gets in trouble off the field and works his butt off all year. But the simple truth is, he doesn't have the talent. He never hits a receiver in stride. He can't read a defense. He won't throw it downfield until they're behind and need a comeback. He has never shown the ability to be consistently accurate. And he doesn't show the qualities of being a leader during the game (when was the last time we saw a Bills QB riling up the team, or get in guys' faces on the sidelines? I want someone who wants to win more than anyone else on the team). Everyone talks about development. I see posts of misleading statistics of other QBs that became elite, or QBs that sat on the bench for a few years (Brees, Eli, Rogers, etc.). But all of those guys showed potential. You could see them thread the needle in tight coverage, or make multiple reads until they found the wide open guy. You could see them playing to win and not playing not to lose. EJ's stats may be comparable to some of those guys in his young career, but he absolutely DOES NOT PASS THE EYEBALL TEST. You can see his lack of skills, and his fear of making a mistake (how many audibles for running plays have we seen?). It seems as though Marrone has realized this, and the sooner the better. Hackett is also to blame, but that is a whole other thread

D line ravages Rivers yelling at teammates media eats crow

You know what I haven't had in a while? big league chew

Kiko is second string to no one, you must be hopped up on goofballs

I think spikes played about 15 snaps last sunday, he's looking like the odd man out at this point. At least against pass first teams (phins abandoned the run once they fell behind and lost moreno)

I follow the team pretty closely, but haven't seen any info on this. Injury, behavioural issues?

I like to think that the hind legs are trampling a pile of dolphin carcasses

classy. a true ambassador

Do you think we'll see it from Hackett anytime in the future? We got Goodwin and Sammy, both dangerous with a full head of steam. I think at least the threat of it would create more options. Whaddaya think?

It looks like a sketch from the Tim and Eric show

HACKETT

He just got cut, might be able to rekindle chemistry with watkins.. As long as we're scouring the earth for viable qbs

there is no competition because they wouldn't even consider it in the offseason, another form of coddling EJ. Totally agree with OP, just watched the short post game presser where at one point, he says "talking to coach hackett, coach downing, they told me I did a good job so I was happy with that". That sounds like a helpless child in need of approval to me. I've been very patient with Manuel, but he is not NFL talent, over his head, and clearly delusional. And Hackett is terrible. People throw up offensive stats to stand by these guys, but if you get away from the stats and just watch the game, it couldn't be any clearer that they simply aren't good enough.

Come up to Halle Saale, me and a buddy from Rochester watch every game! Realistically though, There should be an American sportsbar with sunday ticket in Munich

I'm sure Hackett works as hard as anyone, and that his wealth of knowledge and passion will be valuable assets to the Bills O this year. What I don't like though is the go, go, go as fast as you can strategy that he insists on (he has explicitly stated this as his philosophy in multiple interviews). Perfect example of its downside: going into the 4th against the pats opening day last year with a lead (if my memory serves me correctly), they ran the hurry up and had back-to-back 3 and outs. This of course gave Brady more opportunities to save the day, which he predictably did. This tone-deaf attitude is too simplistic in the pros: I really think you have to adjust according your team's performance at the time, as well as the opponent's performance and the overall rhythm of the game. Pettine actually mentioned this in one of his recent interviews. I mean, even Manning and Brady have quiet games from time to time, so how do we expect Manuel to run the hurry-up without slumps and periods of ineffectiveness? The stacked backfield can compensate for a streaky pass game, but to me, keeping the offense in 5th gear at all times is disconcerting. Thoughts?

A lot of new pieces due to FA and a draft with a ton of picks. Will all of the big names (CJ2K, Decker, Vick) form a potent offense to complement their always formidable defense? Or will this fall apart like so many hastily put together teams have in the past?

Exactly. one thing that is never mentioned in the national media: How many busts are there every year in the first 10 picks? The heavy criticism of trading the first round completely disregards the possibility of that pick being a bust. They criticize the present and completely forget about the past. There's no memory and no accountability in the world of sports writing.

I was screaming this on TSW last year, especially early on in the season. I mean, that season opener was in the bag and the hurry up offense while ahead of the brady of all qbs was inexcusable. Nearly everyone on this forum came to Hackett's defense, and to paraphrase mugatu, I felt like I was taking crazy pills. The play calling got better as the season progressed, especially when hackett got out of the booth and on the sideline, but this along with crossman are two big concerns for me. After last season I honestly don't know how crossman still has his job

Sadly, I completely agree with this. Manuel rarely goes through his progressions, and often stares down a receiver for what seems to be an eternity. If he doesn't change this (and unfortunately I don't think he will), he won't make it as a starting qb

There were plenty of good WR prospects in the draft this year, but Watkins was the only one with that 'elite' status. I'm no expert and will be the first to admit I have a hard time discerning the difference between his skills and the other top WRs. But, if he is the elite wideout many say he could be, than IMHO he is absolutely worth the trade up. Look at the impact that current elite wideouts (Johnson, Green, Jones, Fitzgerald) have on the game. Having a threat like that changes the entire approach of opposing defenses, which should especially come in handy considering how much Hackett likes to run the ball. Time will tell, but if Sammy is the stud many are projecting, then the offense should reach another level entirely... And yes, as previously stated, this is all dependant on EJ's progress

Colt Lyerla.. Give him a chance, maybe his fellow duck Kiko can steer him straight. Red flags aside, Colt is a beast