Simon Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 I love EJ. He may already be my favorite Bill. Stats are sometime very indicative of how a player plays and also often not indicative. EJ engineered a 80 yard TD drive to win the game in 1:38 with no timeouts. That alone, even if he threw four INTS, has to be considered a good game. It's MUCH preferable than great stats and a loss. But that doesn't mean he had a great game. He didnt. He wasn't accurate. He missed wide open receivers that would have been long plays and scores. There were about five third downs he checked down to players and completed the passes that helped his stats and completion percentage that I would much prefer if he was 1-5 and one of them was a 12 yarded for a first down. He's a rookie. Again, I love him. I'm thrilled he's our QB. He didnt have a good game overall until that drive. That drive negates everything that happened before because he got a win. It doesn't negate that he missed a lot of throws and made some bad decisions and ESPECIALLY that his stats look great and are very misleading. His stats, if you didn't see the game, infer he was very accurate. He wasn't. He's got to stop throwing to stationary targets in front of the sticks on third down; he did it a bunch of times last week, too. I understand him wanting to be overprotective of the ball as a rookie QB, but he needs a coach to help him understand that an incompletion to a spot where only his receiver could get it is a better play than a 4 yard pass to a guy who is standing there facing you directly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 (edited) Whoa there. He has a ton to work on. 1) not locking onto receivers 2) not going through his progressions too fast 3) pocket awareness 4) when to use his legs 5) intermediate and deep ball accuracy 6) timing on timing routes And for a rookie QB, think what he has brought to this team: 1. A poise and calmness in the huddle 2. Throws that his predecessors couldn't make 3. A team that believes in him wholeheartedly 4. A self belief in himself that he can win games. That defense does not restrict Carolina to two FGs in the 4th quarter if the QB was Fitzpatrick. Edited September 16, 2013 by ganesh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 He's got to stop throwing to stationary targets in front of the sticks on third down; he did it a bunch of times last week, too. I understand him wanting to be overprotective of the ball as a rookie QB, but he needs a coach to help him understand that an incompletion to a spot where only his receiver could get it is a better play than a 4 yard pass to a guy who is standing there facing you directly. Especially when that target is stationary even when he's running full speed. Stop the madness with Chandler, he'll get you nothing in those situations. Let him do what he does best, work downfield and use his size to his advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 LAMP: Thanks to the Bills for allowing me to celebrate 11 years on TBD with a win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 LAMP: Thanks to the Bills for allowing me to celebrate 11 years on TBD with a win! Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Jose Bills Fan Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 I think what is lacking from your viewpoint is perspective...if Tom Brady went out there and had the performance EJ had today, people would say he was a bit off on a few of his passes, but he came around and got it together in the end like he often does. But we're not talking about Tom Brady, and before the season if someone took a poll of Bills fans and gave them this scenario, pretty much everyone would consider this a great job by the kid. But in terms of the actual stats, you guys point out that he can't hit the long ball...combine that with what PTR posted regarding his 10+ yard per completion stat...obviously the guy hit a lot of passes today - nearly 70% of them for just under 300 yards. Those stats are indicative of productivity, regardless of how you spin it. I don't recall all sorts of dump off throws where there were all sorts of YAC. EJ came out in the 2nd half throwing it all over the field. He involved EIGHT different receivers today. So while I understand that he missed throws, saying that he played poorly for the first 58 minutes is just not something I can understand at all. Here's the thing in a nutshell AJ: When the Bills lose, their opponents beat them bottom line and deserved to win. When the Bills win, they got lucky and it was a flawed performance. When the Bills win, no one says "a win is a win" or "you are what your record says you are." Instead they go looking for reasons that the team was undeserving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Here's the thing in a nutshell AJ: When the Bills lose, their opponents beat them bottom line and deserved to win. When the Bills win, they got lucky and it was a flawed performance. When the Bills win, no one says "a win is a win" or "you are what your record says you are." Instead they go looking for reasons that the team was undeserving. Nice and succinct. You are absolutely right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Here's the thing in a nutshell AJ: When the Bills lose, their opponents beat them bottom line and deserved to win. When the Bills win, they got lucky and it was a flawed performance. When the Bills win, no one says "a win is a win" or "you are what your record says you are." Instead they go looking for reasons that the team was undeserving. lol...well said. I just dont' know what people want out of the guy. He's going to miss throws, make bad decisions, and throw picks from time to time. Does he need to throw for 80% and 500 yds before he can be given credit for having a solid game? Eli Manning has two Super Bowl rings and he's throw like two dozen picks in the first two weeks. Expecting EJ to go out there and do everything correctly is just no realistic, obviously. In fact, he NEEDS to be makign mistakes here and there, because that's how he'll learn to overcome them. So given proper perspective on the situation, I don't see how anyone can say EJ didn't have a really damn good game yesterday. Not just the last drive, but the game in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 (edited) EJ just finished his preseason. If he had as much playing time as most starters do, he'd be even further ahead than he is now. EJ is the face and future of this franchise, and he looks good - really good. Deal with it people. And for the EJ haters out there - and you know who you are - I hope you get ulcers watching him at the helm of The Bills. Edited September 16, 2013 by Nanker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 EJ just finished his preseason. If he had as much playing time as most starters do, he'd be even further ahead than he is now. EJ is the face and future of this franchise, and he looks good - really good. Deal with it people. And for the EJ haters out there - and you know who you are - I hope you get ulcers watching him at the helm of The Bills. Last night I was going through the QBs that we've passed on in the last few drafts...this is something that has really bothered me for a while. But I realized that after yesterday's game, especially seeing EJ and his dad after the win, I couldn't be more thankful that we didn't draft those other guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in Chicago Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Read the game thread. People over and over again were talking about how bad he was playing. If you want to insult me, then come at me with some facts. Not bull ****. Honest question - did you actually watch the game or are you forming opinions based on other peoples comments in the GDT and chat room ? I agree with you on all counts. It certainly appears the coaching staff is reigning in EJ. I think it's just a matter of time. I think a bit of that change happened at half time yesterday. In the second half, he definitely was throwing more than in the first half. The need to keep the offense simple and give uncomplicated throws is certainly understandable for a rookie. Better this way than to throw too much at him, realize he is not yet capable of handling it and resulting in a jittery performance. EJ looks decisive - doesn't always make the best decision but at least he doesnt have happy feet and panic throws. He's got to stop throwing to stationary targets in front of the sticks on third down; he did it a bunch of times last week, too. I understand him wanting to be overprotective of the ball as a rookie QB, but he needs a coach to help him understand that an incompletion to a spot where only his receiver could get it is a better play than a 4 yard pass to a guy who is standing there facing you directly. Methinks you are being a tad harsh and impatient with the rook (especially with your emphasis on 'got'). Yes he needs a coach to prevent him from getting bad habits but I would see him in a few more games before getting too concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in Jax Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Dude he routinely didn't throw to wide open receivers and instead opted for safe short throws instead. The times he did throw long they were WAY overthrown. He missed TWO touchdowns because of overthrowing WRs. He also had a horrible INT, fumble and almost another interception. Not to mention he checked down over and over and over again. That's not a "few" miscues. I love EJ. He may already be my favorite Bill. Stats are sometime very indicative of how a player plays and also often not indicative. EJ engineered a 80 yard TD drive to win the game in 1:38 with no timeouts. That alone, even if he threw four INTS, has to be considered a good game. It's MUCH preferable than great stats and a loss. But that doesn't mean he had a great game. He didn't. He wasn't accurate. He missed wide open receivers that would have been long plays and scores. There were about five third downs he checked down to players and completed the passes that helped his stats and completion percentage that I would much prefer if he was 1-5 and one of them was a 12 yarder for a first down. He's a rookie. Again, I love him. I'm thrilled he's our QB. He didn't have a good game overall until that drive. That drive negates everything that happened before because he got a win. It doesn't negate that he missed a lot of throws and made some bad decisions and ESPECIALLY that his stats look great and are very misleading. His stats, if you didn't see the game, infer he was very accurate. He wasn't. Agree 100% with the posts above, as they are spot on. The great news is EJ's attitude, and the Bills getting the W. Hopefully, as EJ gains experience, he will get better & better. Only time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
microscopes Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 FACT: 296 yards on 27 throws = 10.96 yds. avg. completion. If that's checking down then I want more, please. PTR Look up the yards after catch. You'll learn something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly the Dog Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 I think what is lacking from your viewpoint is perspective...if Tom Brady went out there and had the performance EJ had today, people would say he was a bit off on a few of his passes, but he came around and got it together in the end like he often does. But we're not talking about Tom Brady, and before the season if someone took a poll of Bills fans and gave them this scenario, pretty much everyone would consider this a great job by the kid. But in terms of the actual stats, you guys point out that he can't hit the long ball...combine that with what PTR posted regarding his 10+ yard per completion stat...obviously the guy hit a lot of passes today - nearly 70% of them for just under 300 yards. Those stats are indicative of productivity, regardless of how you spin it. I don't recall all sorts of dump off throws where there were all sorts of YAC. EJ came out in the 2nd half throwing it all over the field. He involved EIGHT different receivers today. So while I understand that he missed throws, saying that he played poorly for the first 58 minutes is just not something I can understand at all. Again, I love the guy and I am thrilled with what he did yesterday. I'd take that game 10 out of 10 times because he came through when it counted and he got the win. He also, with a lot of time, missed Chandler for a TD, missed Stevie wide open early, missed TJ Graham on a bomb, threw a few 2 yard passes on third and long, threw at least two other balls way off target over the middle when the play was there to be made, stared down Graham and then threw a horrendous INT. I think there was another long ball that was five yards short. IMO, if you miss three passes that are relatively easy throws, meaning you have time, see the guy, and then just misfire, I can ignore it for the most part. If you missed 6-8 of them, including a couple scores, you left a lot of points and yards on the field. Marrone said as much in his post game, about missing a lot of plays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
microscopes Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Honest question - did you actually watch the game or are you forming opinions based on other peoples comments in the GDT and chat room ? I was at the game. Yes I watched it. Also watched it again on NFL Game Rewind when I got home. He's got to stop throwing to stationary targets in front of the sticks on third down; he did it a bunch of times last week, too. I understand him wanting to be overprotective of the ball as a rookie QB, but he needs a coach to help him understand that an incompletion to a spot where only his receiver could get it is a better play than a 4 yard pass to a guy who is standing there facing you directly. One of my biggest pet peeves is when QB's do this. He needs to get out of that habit fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 LAMP: Thanks to the Bills for allowing me to celebrate 11 years on TBD with a win! congrats.!Not a bad day all around methinks. Now lets root for another 11 years for you, and some more exciting wins for the Bills ! Go 26CornerBlitz ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Cheers! congrats.! Not a bad day all around methinks. Now lets root for another 11 years for you, and some more exciting wins for the Bills ! Go 26CornerBlitz ! Thanks Gents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voodoo poonani Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 And for a rookie QB, think what he has brought to this team: 1. A poise and calmness in the huddle 2. Throws that his predecessors couldn't make 3. A team that believes in him wholeheartedly 4. A self belief in himself that he can win games. That defense does not restrict Carolina to two FGs in the 4th quarter if the QB was Fitzpatrick. I agree that he's a more mature player than being a rookie suggests and love the kid's moxy. He was my number 2 (admittedly behind Geno) in the draft. I was just pointing out he's not perfect, but I can't wait for him to improve. He could be the legit solution we've been waiting for. However, I want to temper my own optimism (which optimism has never served me well) because we've thought we had the solution before (Rob Johnson, Bledsoe, JP Losman, Trent Edwards, Kelly Holcomb, Fitzpatrick). He's played two games and won the one he looked worse in. So for now, I'll monitor his progress and wait awhile before anointing him the chosen one. The last point, I'm not sure I agree with. I think the defense was fundamentally flawed last year. I believe this defense (because of the DC) would still have performed well whoever was at QB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpmfla Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 At the risk of jinxing them for next week, I wanted to point out the surprising play of the defense...with extra surprise for how well the pass defense has played. Going into the season I felt like the paucity of quality DBs etc. would result in opposing QBs having a field day against the Bills. I thought it was by far the Bills' weakest element. They have looked much better than I expected. If this year's Bills can minimize the penalties which seem to be happening at the worst possible times (when the other team has been stopped or when we just got a big play) and continue to stay close in turnover differential I think they could make it to .500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 One of my biggest pet peeves is when QB's do this. He needs to get out of that habit fast. Isn't that poor play design? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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