Wazzu Bill Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Okay, maybe that's going a little too far, but hear me out: IMO, I think there is a good chance that Marrone has had his mind set on Manuel from the beginning, and here's what his plan may have been all along: To give Manuel a fast track training that he could not have obtained if he was named the starter 2 months ago. Rookie QBs face a whole new level of pressure going into the NFL, and Marrone is giving him doses of pressure to prepare. First, the training camp battle - this will give Manuel something to play for more than just "practice" - give him the mentality he's actually fighting for something. Same goes for preseason...if he's fighting for the job, it is a more similar mindset to a regular season game than just a "scrimmage" game. Manuel is under immense pressure right now instead of naming him the starter so he can breeze through camp and preseason without a worry, then get smashed in his debut. Other people have pointed this out: If we let Kolb start all year, and he fails, then it leads to 2014 being ANOTHER rebuilding year with Manuel's first starting season. Coach knows we need to get the ball rolling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jauronimo Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Everything is smoke and mirrors and nothing is as it seems. Classic subterfuge. Look for Kolb to take a dive at the 8:37 mark in the third quarter of the last preseason game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optometric Insight Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I wouldn't say its necessarily "staged"... It is an honest position battle; there was always the slight chance that Kolb could have beat out Manuel if Manuel had choked. They wouldn't have drafted Manuel in the first round if they didn't think that he could learn the system during the offseason and start opening day, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazzu Bill Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 Oh btw I've been following 2BD for a long time, just never made an account to actually post...but hello hello Everything is smoke and mirrors and nothing is as it seems. Classic subterfuge. Look for Kolb to take a dive at the 8:37 mark in the third quarter of the last preseason game Exactly. Marrone isn't going to disclose his game plan - just like flying out Nassib Barkley etc. before the draft...he isn't going to be that predictable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorkington Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Seems pretty straight forward to me so far. Kolb has NFL experience, so he can be thrown into the fire with no problem. EJ doesn't, so it makes sense to show him things a bit slower and ramp it up as we work towards the regular season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazzu Bill Posted August 1, 2013 Author Share Posted August 1, 2013 I wouldn't say its necessarily "staged"... It is an honest position battle; there was always the slight chance that Kolb could have beat out Manuel if Manuel had choked. They wouldn't have drafted Manuel in the first round if they didn't think that he could learn the system during the offseason and start opening day, though. You're right, "staged" may be too much of a conspiracy. But I do believe that the entire game plan has been revolving around prepping EJ. Another example - starting him on practice team 2 first then moving him up to the starters. Just going through fast-track development. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4BillsintheBurgh Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Everything is smoke and mirrors and nothing is as it seems. Classic subterfuge. Look for Kolb to take a dive at the 8:37 mark in the third quarter of the last preseason game Last preseason game?? Come on, it's got to be the third preseason game. Let's be real here. /sarcasm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhitewalkerInPhilly Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I really don't get the argument. Marrone has flat out stated that Manuel has been seeing easier defenses to start with. Like, you know, you would do with someone who has zero NFL experience. The big justification of Kolb starting is that he ought to have the experience to deal with being rushed, the level of speed in pro games and diagnosing complex defensive schemes, so it makes sense for him to start at that level. Manuel seemed to ace the basic D, and now they're starting to break him into the more complex schemes. Marrone probably wants Manuel to start. But he has said that if Manuel wants the job, he has to win it. Kolb is still getting the lion's share of the reps overall, and the lions share of the 1st team. He's in the league, and better hang on tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bufcomments Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 (edited) Okay, maybe that's going a little too far, but hear me out: IMO, I think there is a good chance that Marrone has had his mind set on Manuel from the beginning, and here's what his plan may have been all along: To give Manuel a fast track training that he could not have obtained if he was named the starter 2 months ago. Rookie QBs face a whole new level of pressure going into the NFL, and Marrone is giving him doses of pressure to prepare. First, the training camp battle - this will give Manuel something to play for more than just "practice" - give him the mentality he's actually fighting for something. Same goes for preseason...if he's fighting for the job, it is a more similar mindset to a regular season game than just a "scrimmage" game. Manuel is under immense pressure right now instead of naming him the starter so he can breeze through camp and preseason without a worry, then get smashed in his debut. Other people have pointed this out: If we let Kolb start all year, and he fails, then it leads to 2014 being ANOTHER rebuilding year with Manuel's first starting season. Coach knows we need to get the ball rolling. From watching what they are doing with Manuel, they are bringing him along slowly but not too slow.. I like how they doing it. It would not surprise me if he was starting against NE. Why not let the kid learn something from Brady. Play him and if we have to take 7-9 record so be it. But I have a hunch Manuel is going to shock not only us but the NFL as well. Edited August 1, 2013 by Bufcomments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 From watching what they are doing with Manuel, they are bringing him along slowly but not too slow.. I like how they doing it. It would not surprise me if he was starting against NE. Why not let the kid learn something from Brady. Play him and if we have to take 7-9 record so be it. But I have a hunch Manuel is going to shock not only us but the NFL as well. So long as he doesn't learn something from Brandon Spikes, I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Life is staged. Sometimes it plays out like you want it to. Sometimes it doesn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Okay, maybe that's going a little too far, but hear me out: I knew we'd get one today! See that WEO? Life is staged. Sometimes it plays out like you want it to. Sometimes it doesn't. We are merely players. Performers and portrayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delete This Account Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 staged not the right word. the qb competition was going to take place no matter whom the Bills drafted, and Kolb was made aware of that in talks with the team before he signed. Kolb still signed despite being fully aware the Bills were going to take a QB at some point in the draft, and likely in the first two rounds. no need to read much more into that. Manuel wasn't, as Marrone has put it, the most "polished" guy coming out of the draft, and that was to be expected. what was also expected, is that Manuel would grow into the job. how long? who knows. the opinion was, coming out of minicamps, that Kolb had a pretty big edge on Manuel and that there was a very good likelihood he was going to be the starter come the start of the season. that opinion has now changed based on how well Manuel has looked in this first week of camp. of course, that opinion can change, again, based on how both look in preseason games. that said, should Manuel continue to show the progress he's made since June, there is a very good chance the job might be his to lose at this point. we'll see. either way, the decision to sign an experienced starter was a necessary move. it's better to have a fallback position and someone to provide competition than simply giving an untested rookie the job. this happened with JP Losman after the Bills cut Bledsoe, and that did not work out very well. jw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRW Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I think "staged" is a bit too strong, as you've acknowledged. That would imply to me that the whole thing is a sham, maybe set up to bolster EJ's cred in the locker room. I don't think they're doing that. However, I don't think there's any question about who the coaches would like to see win this battle, and I think they are giving EJ a great deal of assistance in getting acclimated to the NFL, while Kolb basically has had to run with the big dogs from day 1. I don't really see that as unfair, though, as long as by the end of camp EJ has seen the same kind of defenses as Kolb and has shown better ability to deal with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigK14094 Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I think that the offensive game plans will vary with who the starting QB is based on physical capability. And, I would not b e surprised to see a little switching between QB's.....relief pitching as it were. I think that would be a good way to bring EJ along. And, offer a great change of pace in the O during a game....lets see, first series after halftime seems about right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Life is staged. Sometimes it plays out like you want it to. Sometimes it doesn't. All the world's indeed a stage, and we are merely players. Performers and portrayers. Each another's audience outside the gilded cage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Interesting thread -- I posted the following a couple of days ago: Very interesting that they're allowing EJ to watch Kolb get the $#@% pounded out of him with Pettine's exotic blitzes while he still gets nearly the same number of reps against a more basic defense. I see the mind of an evil genius at work here... ...and then, later: I think Doug Marrone is a pretty smart guy, and if he allows his first round draft pick QB to look "good" in practice at the expense of the journeyman backup there's some value in that. Marrone said it will be "obvious" at some point who the starter should be, and perhaps he's orchestrating things to a certain extent to get the result the organization wants. I don't believe Marrone wants to "waste" a season starting Kolb. I could be wrong, but that's what I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 IMO, I think there is a good chance that Marrone has had his mind set on Manuel from the beginning, and here's what his plan may have been all along: I'm OK with that. Get the FUTURE on the field NOW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I don't get the argument...its been reported by virtually everyone including several national media guys Manuel has been clearly outplaying Kolb so far... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris heff Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 I knew we'd get one today! See that WEO? We are merely players. Performers and portrayers. All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: Where have I heard that before? How they are handling Kolb vs Manuel strikes me as just good coaching, not subterfuge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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