1billsfan

Professional coaching?

Excuses? Sorry, that was last year's attack for the haters. EJ has been playing very well under Roman's system. I think you guys are the ones searching for excuses to still hate on him.

No I didn't, but then I frankly don't care if they threw for four TDs in one quarter. Performing under no pressure in the NFL vs under pressure is a gigantic difference. All those guys are established backup QBs who know their place and who had no chance of being cut. Like I said, if you don't realize this difference then we have nothing to talk about.

They were under zero pressure compared to EJ. If you don't realize there being a big difference then we have nothing to discuss.

None of which had one tenth of the pressure that EJ had. Performing under pressure is one of the most important traits of an NFL QB.

I think the local media is just plain stupid when it comes to EJ Manuel. As for Rex, I think he is using Manuel's good performances as a smokescreen for the Colts game. I'm sure that Rex and Roman very much like what EJ's doing but I get the feeling they want to sit him longer because they are worried he's not quite ready yet. They don't want to rush him into action when they don't have to. That's the sense I'm getting.

If you go to the Bills home page or twitter page you wouldn't even know that Matt Cassel exists. There seems to be a major disconnect and in this age of 24/7 promotion I find it hard to believe that the PR department doesn't know which way the wind is blowing.

I think all the talk of Cassel being a potential starter is a ruse by the Bills. There is no way I could see Greg Roman wanting a stationary journeyman backup QB like Cassel over what Taylor brings. Especially given the misdirection plays in his playbook and combining Taylor with what Harvin, Watkins, Clay, and McCoy bring. All that creativity goes out the window with a Matt Cassel. That why I think it's all a ruse. It seem like Rex is trying to sell the QB competition too much. Also, if there really was a battle of opinion going on between coaches I don't think you'd see a joking Rex when talking about the subject. So much intrigue!...LOL

I really find it hard to believe that Rex and Roman aren't on the same page. So I think what you are saying sounds very reasonable that there's just as good of a chance it's misinformation that it's the truth about what's going on.

Maybe Roman (or his agent) wanted to spread that rumor to cover his bases in the even that Taylor doesn't do well. Roman wants to be a head coach one day and he may not want to be totally "on the hook" with an unproven QB like Taylor. Best to leave who he likes as vague as possible in public opinion. It sounds like someone wanted this specific information out there so I look at it with a suspicious eye.

It's on tape for all to judge how "Ben Rothlesberger" EJ was in the Browns game. FWIW, when EJ was drafted he described himself as being the mold of Big Ben. I would love to see him start against the Steelers because I think he's going to play great.

That wasn't a bash on Wilson, it was a preference of what most fans would like as your franchise QB. Russell Wilson types have a much greater chance of having a shorter career by four or five years given their size and running around a lot with the ball. As for the other QBs you mentioned, none of them were drafted in the first round with the expectation of becoming a franchise QB after two or three years. They are quality backups who had good games, nothing more. With Manuel, you have a guy that Mike Mayock said would take a few years to develop, but if or when he did he would become a long term franchise QB you could win with. That is the difference between these performances and it's a big one considering the Bills did draft him in the first round with the expectation of developing him for a couple of years.

What's weird is that more than two thirds of fans on this Bills board still want Tyrod Taylor as their starting QB even after EJ has performed very well in the scrimmage and two preseason games. You look at the size differential, the styles of play, and say that EJ is the perfect prototype of what a long term Superbowl contending franchise QB looks like. Manuel's performance in that Browns game was a spot-on impression of Ben Rothlesberger and here you have fans and media laughing off the suggestion that EJ is in the mix. Even the ESPN first take clowns were just scoffing at the idea that EJ should still have a chance to start. I feel like I'm living in an upside-down world sometimes with regards to this QB competition. I think that EJ looks to have turned the corner and I really hope that Rex gives him the start against Big Ben's Steelers because if both Taylor and Manuel are franchise QBs in the making, you want the big strong 4th quarter clutch guy as your QB rather than the Russel Wilson type. Did Taylor look smoother? Sure he did, but EJ got the game winning results and he was playing under serious pressure. IMO the "smoother" part will come with time after being allowed to settle into the job.

Are you going to come back and admit you didn't know what you were talking about when Rex names EJ the starter against the Steelers? Because if EJ really is the 3rd string QB in Rex's eyes then there is no way he'd make him the starter just to confuse the Colts.

Also, there is no way Doug Whaley would sign off on trading an EJ Manuel who's trending upwards. Whaley's always said he had a big hand in the Manuel pick and if he hits on that, his stature as a GM skyrockets to the top given the rest of the pieces he's put in place. Trading Manuel would be a move that could really blow up in their faces to the point where it is eventually seen on one of those "Top 10 Worst Trades in History" NFL Films shows if the Bills traded away the only franchise QB they've had since Jim Kelly 20 years ago. They would have to know almost 100% that Tyrod Taylor is a franchise QB for them to trade Manuel this year given how good he's looked in these past two preseason games. Manuel looked like Rothslesberger last night. Big, strong, mobile and making clutch, game winning throws in the final minutes.

IMO safe doesn't get you to the Superbowl. Safe gets you an "Alex Smith" one and done playoff appearance. I think there's no way Cassel starts the season for the Bills. That sends a very conflicting message to your young team. The message is we are going to play it safe guys, now go out and fight! That just doesn't fit this team or head coach. Taylor and EJ are both ready. They've both been seasoned plenty enough for the game not to be too big for them. There will be bumps along the road, but those bumps are far better than a season long anchor-like drag of an offense which would eventually wear out your #1 defense.

When your name is Matt Cassel, you need to have a much wider gap in performance level over the two multi-dimensional mid-twenty year olds than what we have witnessed to defend him as being your starting QB.

So far this preseason... EJ Manuel - 2 TDs/2 point conversion Tyrod Taylor - 0 TDs

I thought something was strange! No problem.

He's the one who made that ridiculous post, not me. Anyone who refuses to acknowledge what EJ did last night literally has no football intelligence, because that is the very essence of what NFL football is about. IMO, I think EJ went from #3 to #1 because Rex knows what matters. It's not about practice, it's about performing under pressure in games.

You literally have no football intelligence.

With the game and his Bills career on the line. IMO that was my biggest takeaway from this game. EJ deserves the next preseason game start based how he finished this game. Taylor looked pretty good, but EJ looked like what an NFL winning starting QB looks like. I don't care what the haters say, this has officially become a great and competitive QB competition.

I never said anything about the other two guys. The conversation was about EJ specifically.

I'm not going to give up on EJ until after this season plays out. When they drafted him I thought three years was a reasonable time frame for a project QB to show what he's got. So that means you guys only have a few moths left to do your "happy dance" if EJ does get the boot because he never takes hold of the starting QB job this season. As for his slow development this training camp, this is a brand new offense and they are going against the league's #1 defense. I wasn't expecting to see EJ or any of the QBs tear it up this training camp.

Former first round pick Jerry Hughes did zippo in his first three full years in the NFL... http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HughJe99.htm 2 years and 14 games is simply not enough of a body of work to go by with a QB like Manuel who by all accounts would be a QB who would need time to develop. Odds are you are probably right to give up on him, but even if there is a 5% chance that Manuel is going to become a franchise QB, that is a lottery ticket that's well worth holding onto especially given that Manuel would be considered a great backup QB compared to the rest of the league's backups. BTW, there's still 3 preseason games left. This story can change real quick if Manuel plays great in expended playing time tonight and the other two QBs look shaky.