EJ before GW drive: "Be legendary"

[San Jose Bills Fan]

"In the NFL, legends are forged through late-game heroics. Bills quarterback EJ Manuel realized on Sunday that he had an opportunity to take a step in that direction with his teammates.

 

Before taking the field while trailing 23-17 against the Panthers, Manuel called the other offensive players together and urged them to embrace the opportunity.

 

“I just gave everyone a fist-bump and said, ‘Hey, let’s go be legendary,’” Manuel told PFT Live on Tuesday."

 

http://profootballta...o-be-legendary/

 

edit: With link to 12 minute interview with EJ.

Edited September 18, 2013 by San Jose Bills Fan

[Bleed Bills Blue]

Just win us one Super Bowl, and you'll achieve that legendary status!

[mrags]

Absolutely love it. Thinking of a Champion

[Kelly the Dog]

I love it, too. BUT... What is rarely reported are all of the times at the beginning of those drives when QBs tell their teammates lets go be legendary or we are going to go right down the field and win this game, I guarantee it.

 

And it doesn't quite work out that way.

[mrags]

I love it, too. BUT... What is rarely reported are all of the times at the beginning of those drives when QBs tell their teammates lets go be legendary or we are going to go right down the field and win this game, I guarantee it.

 

And it doesn't quite work out that way.

why do you have to piss in my Cheerios?

 

Jerk

[San Jose Bills Fan]

I remember the camera shot of Manuel rallying the troops before taking the field.

 

I'm trying to remember the last time I saw a Bills QB actually doing something like that.

[IDBillzFan]

“I threw ball even before he came out of his cut,” Manuel said. “So if he had been covered or not, that ball would have landed right where it landed anyways. It just so happened that he was wide open. I think that was the best thing about it, just trying to throw before he came out of his cut and not necessarily seeing him when he was standing there wide open.”

 

This was the part of the throw that stuck out to me. He was calm enough to realize nothing else mattered but putting the ball where it was always supposed to go. In fact, I enjoyed that so much that someone else had to point out to me the reaction of Panthers CD DJ Moore, who saw the ball going over his head, saw the defender not in his spot, and knew the game was over before SJ had a chance to catch the ball.

 

The rest shouldn't be surprising, especially to Bills fans. When you're running the hurry up the whole game, running it with 2 minutes left is no big deal. Getting the plays in, people lined up, etc. It's what the team does in every series.

[rayray808]

this guy is so polished it is ridiculous

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

this guy is so polished it is ridiculous

 

Would love to hear Maddock and Kiper weigh in on this

[Kelly the Dog]

why do you have to piss in my Cheerios?

 

Jerk

It had nothing to do with you, I was just making a point. Besides, as if your Cheerios already didnt have piss in them.

[aristocrat]

I've had a few beers but this kid has it.

[ajzepp]

Absolutely love it. Thinking of a Champion

 

Agree 100%. Mindset is critical, and to have a QB who thinks like a winner is a huge asset. Of course things don't always work out, but I want EJ setting his sights high and having confidence in his ability to affect the outcome of a snap...a drive...a game. The great players expect to win, and that expectation is a welcome change for this franchise. It's a message I've heard from Russ, Dough, Coach, and all down to EJ and the rest of the team. It doesn't guarantee we'll win a Super Bowl, but it WILL pay dividends.

[Kelly the Dog]

 

 

Agree 100%. Mindset is critical, and to have a QB who thinks like a winner is a huge asset. Of course things don't always work out, but I want EJ setting his sights high and having confidence in his ability to affect the outcome of a snap...a drive...a game. The great players expect to win, and that expectation is a welcome change for this franchise. It's a message I've heard from Russ, Dough, Coach, and all down to EJ and the rest of the team. It doesn't guarantee we'll win a Super Bowl, but it WILL pay dividends.

You don't think Ryan Fitzpatrick went into the huddle in similar situations the last couple years and told the offense in the huddle, "lets be legendary and go right down the field no win this game" or "we are going right down the field and scoring and we're gonna win this game?" The sad thing is, everyone probably believed it or him. He even did it once or twice in 2011.

[ajzepp]

You don't think Ryan Fitzpatrick went into the huddle in similar situations the last couple years and told the offense in the huddle, "lets be legendary and go right down the field no win this game" or "we are going right down the field and scoring and we're gonna win this game?" The sad thing is, everyone probably believed it or him. He even did it once or twice in 2011.

 

I'm on record many times in the past about how Fitz lacked leadership in my eyes. I've never seen anything but a flat affect and an uninspired attitiude from the guy in the few years he was here. That aside, I don't really see how it matters what he did or didn't say in the huddle. Anyone can say that sort of thing, but if it's not someone who is actually capable of pulling it off and instilling motivation in those around him, the words don't matter at all. You could have the exact same 10 guys, and they will react completely different when Tom Brady says "we're going to get this done" than they will when a Ryan Fitzpatrick says it.

 

I'm a huge believer in a positive mindset and I believe in the power of goal-setting. I don't see the point of dismissing it, personally.

[8-8 Forever?]

It's only game 2 and the kid is just started and he will have some real stinkers this year, but I like the way Marrone & Co. are easing EJ in. No crazy 50 throw days. Reminds me very much how the Steelers handled Ben in his first year. Run the ball, dump it off and play great defense. Not sure this team has all the pieces to do this, but they seem to have most of them. We shall see.

[eball]

It helps that EJ comes from a winning tradition at a big-time college program, I'm sure. He's not used to losing games, and therefore expects to win. Compare and contrast the last several Bills' QBs. Fitz played at Harvard forcrissakes. Trentative got killed at Stanford and won very few games. Losman was at Tulane -- hardly big-time.

 

There's no question EJ's time at FSU prepared him for the bright lights of the NFL, and it shows in his polish. Now he needs to keep getting comfortable with the offense and start showing off that big arm on more intermediate and deep routes.

[CSBill]

why do you have to piss in my Cheerios?

 

Jerk

 

that's what dogs do, they pee on everything they sniff

 

Would love to hear Maddock and Kiper weigh in on this

 

IF, he outplays Smith this weekend, AND the Bills win, they will have to break their vows of silence, AND MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, admit they were "wwwwwwwrrrong."

[Whites Bay]

 

Compare and contrast the last several Bills' QBs. Fitz played at Harvard forcrissakes. Trentative got killed at Stanford and won very few games. Losman was at Tulane -- hardly big-time.

 

 

Eball, this is a VERY good point. That never occurred to me.

[jimmy10]

It helps that EJ comes from a winning tradition at a big-time college program, I'm sure. He's not used to losing games, and therefore expects to win. Compare and contrast the last several Bills' QBs. Fitz played at Harvard forcrissakes. Trentative got killed at Stanford and won very few games. Losman was at Tulane -- hardly big-time.

 

There's no question EJ's time at FSU prepared him for the bright lights of the NFL, and it shows in his polish. Now he needs to keep getting comfortable with the offense and start showing off that big arm on more intermediate and deep routes.

 

Fitz went to Harvard???

 

Also, I've bought my ticket for the EJ love train. I was as hesitant as anybody to annoint the kid. Not necessarily down on him or thinking he wouldn't amount to much, I just wanted to see some flashes of brilliance before I went all in. I think I'm all in now.

[machine gun kelly]

Doesn't it feel good to have some pep in your step after this past week. I live in Tampa, and there are a couple of transplants from Buff, and we all were just so excited talking about it. I love it when some of my buddies in other parts of the country I work with are sending me messages of how impressive our defense, and EJ looked.

 

I'm not saying Superbowl bound, but it just feels different this year. I was waiting for the ball to drop the two years when Trent Edwards, and Fitz when they started fast. This looks for real when watching this team. We don't get any significant injuries and get our DB's back, and I actually look forward to the Cincy game. When we start beating teams like Baltimore, and Cincy, we'll get the national recognition we've missed for 13 years.

 

Go Bills!!!!