Why do YOU think the Bills will finish below .500?

[Thirdborn]

I don't

[PromoTheRobot]

Did anyone remember the Carolina game play by play? EJ did bring us the victory, but only after he tried his damnedest to lose the game for us before it. It was a good game of his, sure. But we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves talking it up like it was a Brady/Manning like game.

 

You must think Brady and Manning light it up on every play in every game. If they did they would be scoring 140 points a game, wouldn't they? The standards we hold Bills players to are absurd. Mainly, I think, because people compare EJ to Sportscenter highlights of other players. If all you see are the 50-yard TD passes you start thinking that's all they do.

[FireChan]

 

 

You must think Brady and Manning light it up on every play in every game. If they did they would be scoring 140 points a game, wouldn't they? The standards we hold Bills players to are absurd. Mainly, I think, because people compare EJ to Sportscenter highlights of other players. If all you see are the 50-yard TD passes you start thinking that's all they do.

 

End of third quarter. EJ Manuel fumble on Buf 16. Recovered by Carolina. Held to field goal.

 

Next Buffalo drive. EJ Manuel pass to Chandler for 1 yard. EJ Manuel pass intercepted on Buf 26. Carolina held to field goal.

 

Next Buffalo drive after that, Spiller takes the ball 47 yards. EJ throws a 1 yard dump and incompletion. We kick the field goal.

 

Final Buff drive was the scoring check down barrage. Which is fine in itself.

 

Like I said, he tried to give the game away. If not for two back to back goal line stands, 3 times as many posters on TBD want to draft a new QB.

[oman128]

because I got 15 years of history that says they Will.

[machine gun kelly]

This thread is frustrating. The bottom line from my perspective is there is not enough to make a decision on EJ. He played 10 games, was hurt three times, and missed as a rookie part of training camp. Now if he goes through OTA's, camp, and plays the season and still has erratic play with poor decisions, I'm happy to jump on the bandwagon next year for drafting a new QB. Now if he makes progress, shows improvement in his play, and starts taking a step forward, then I'd rather use top picks with surrounding him with talent.

 

The beginning of this thread is pessimistic with asking why we'll fail. I'd rather see a thread of why we'll win. It's May so my belief is we go 9-7 to 10-6, against a tough schedule. We're not going to lose all of those games at the end of the year. If I were to take a gloom and doom attitude, why even watch the Bills? That's depressing.

 

I say we have a heck of a draft, Kiko kills it on the weak side, Spikes hammers RB up the middle, especially against the Pats, Mario has a great season with edge penetration, and Kyle collapses the pocket. EJ with the time to develop, moves forward, has more weapons with whoever we draft, SJ comes back as he is healthy, and we get one to two decent linemen in the draft.

[Wayne Cubed]

I would suggest to people, who have the ability, to go back and actually watch the games, instead of just recalling from memory how you think EJ played. Not to mention your emotions during the game cloud your judgement. It's exactly what I have started to do.

 

End of third quarter. EJ Manuel fumble on Buf 16. Recovered by Carolina. Held to field goal.

 

Next Buffalo drive. EJ Manuel pass to Chandler for 1 yard. EJ Manuel pass intercepted on Buf 26. Carolina held to field goal.

 

Next Buffalo drive after that, Spiller takes the ball 47 yards. EJ throws a 1 yard dump and incompletion. We kick the field goal.

 

Final Buff drive was the scoring check down barrage. Which is fine in itself.

 

Like I said, he tried to give the game away. If not for two back to back goal line stands, 3 times as many posters on TBD want to draft a new QB.

 

So you pick 3 drives out of 12 drives the Bills had that day and say EJ was trying to "lose the game"? Brillant. I mean why wasn't it Dan Carpenters fault for missing that opening FG, which EJ drove the team down the field by finding a wide open Frank Summers for 34 yards? Lets not also forget the first TD drive was ALL Manuel, he took the offense 80 yards going 3/3 for 62 yards and ran for 8 more to get the ball to the 2 yard line. Let's also not forget he connected with Woods for the 2 point conversion.

 

But yea sure, minimize his performance in that game.

[vorpma]

because I got 15 years of history that says they Will.

This says it all!

[JPS]

I think this is kind of the problem nowadays. Qbs never used to start their first season. They sat and learned the game over a season or two. Now we throw them in and expect immediate success. I wasn't a fan of Ej in college but I believe in our front office. They drafted him seeing an upside that I didn't. I saw two games that Ej played really poorly in. Pittsburgh and Tampa. I thought he played well enough or pretty well in others. I will gladly give him another season to show me what he's got

I agree. And we have no choice, really. What concerns me about EJ is accuracy. I'm just not sure that is a learned skill. I have to ignore the EJ to Peyton comparison.

[Rob's House]

Did you see Peytons rookie season?

 

Yeah, he was awesome. Threw a lot of INTs early in the year, but he started 16 games, threw for almost 3800 yds, 26 TDs, and that was when 4000 passing yds was elite territory. Peyton Manning is an extremely poor example to support the point you're trying to make.

[Best Player Available]

For the EJ defenders, who look at a couple of games and think he has what it takes. The 10 game rookie stuff doesn't cut it. he shows save for a few drives very little potential to win and win big in the NFL. I wish him the best though, it may be painful.

 

I present among others the Tampa game when even Fritzpatrick's play couldn't have been worse. To counter his brilliant win against Carolina.

 

before his third and final injury he was down too Trent Edwards like dump offs. he has no touch and isn't ever going to learn it now. prepare to see the box stuffed with D's saying put CJ up the middle like last year.

 

he will be the reason the whole coaching staff along with the FO goes down when new ownership comes in. because, there really is nothing to build on except a handful of good starters. Going in with the same raw QB's shows why Marrone should have stayed in the weak college conference he came from. he along with his staff is in way over their heads. Game management? What is that? he sucks.

 

Everyone wishes it was better, and for some it's the bad fans fault but in the end this is still one of the most inept FO's in the league.And, as mentioned earlier Bills fans are now programmed to accept mediocre sub .500 football and make it sound acceptable.

[Max997]

All I know is what the scoreboard says, holmes.

 

what does the scoreboard have to do with anything, holmes?

[GunnerBill]

I'm an EJ believer, but so long as the Bills strengthen that O-Line some then if we finish below .500 this year it will be Quarterback play that has cost us (again unless we have a horrible run of 5-6 big long term injuries to key starters). This team has the running game, it has better weapons than a lot of teams around the league, it has a defense that has some talent, yes they need to stop the run better and more consistently, but if with a bit better protection and blocking from the O-Line (and I don't mean 5 guys playing at elite level, but a clear improvement on last year) we still can't get to .500 then we will be drafting a Quarterback again next year.

[Dorkington]

This poll needs multiple selections allowed.

 

I think QB will fall short of pro-bowl level, which we need, because we lack depth and talent in multiple positions, and our coaching staff is questionable.

 

If we had great coaches, and better depth/overall talent, we wouldn't need pro-bowl talent from the QB, and we'd finish above .500.

[Max997]

Ugh... You don't pay attention I was at that game in row3....

 

He drove the team 80 yards against one of the top defenses in the nfl. He had some key scrambles and got out after moving chains.

 

On the int that was overturned Stevie was coming open deep middle and the defender tackled him.... Throw was perfect.

 

Sure Blown coverage allowed for a td... So what? It was a lob Stevie would have had to make a contested catch for if not.

 

Minimize it all you want but it was clutch play from a rookie in his second game.

 

The kid can play football, no matter how much people choose to hate him. My only question is will he be a Game manager or is his ceiling higher....

 

i guess bc you were at the game in row 3 means you were paying more attention then i was

 

How many of those 80 yards were from checkdowns? There wasnt anything special on that drive which was helped tremendously by a bad penalty on Carolina otherwise the game would have ended on EJ's 3rd turnover of the game

 

and if this was his best game doesnt it concern you that it came in week 2?

 

Im sure someone will throw out the Jets game at home but again, what did he do that was so good?

Edited May 7, 2014 by Max997

[mattsox]

As I was watching yet another NFL draft preview show, a thought occurred to me.

 

For the first time since Bledsoe was quarterbacking this offense, I feel relatively certain that the Buffalo Bills are going to make the playoffs this season.

 

I (personally) saw enough from EJ last year to think that not only can he succeed if he stays healthy, but him not staying healthy this previous year was due to bad luck.

 

The defense was stout, the kicking was solid, and offensively they looked like a young team loaded with weapons.

 

To me, this year, anything less than 9-7 would be an abject failure, and would absolutely shock me.

 

Hell, even the schedule is balanced and fair compared to years past.

 

But yet, I can't help but feeling that the majority of Bills fans thinks the team finishes 7-9 or worse this year. Why is that?

 

9-7 would be amazing. I don't see that happening yet. There is no impact player on this team who can take them over the top or the team can rally around. I just don't believe in the chemistry that they have assembled thus far.

 

Bottom line. This team doesn't know how to win football games. They excel at losing them.

[Wayne Cubed]

i guess bc you were at the game in row 3 means you were paying more attention then i was

 

How many of those 80 yards were from checkdowns? There wasnt anything special on that drive which was helped tremendously by a bad penalty on Carolina otherwise the game would have ended on EJ's 3rd turnover of the game

 

Tom Brady leads a 80 yard drive of checkdowns, genius. EJ Manuel leads a 80 yard drive of check downs, bum.

 

Got it.

[Drifter]

I voted other. The talent on the team is better than in a long time. The main reason this team would finish below .500 would be injuries.

[Max997]

Tom Brady leads a 80 yard drive of checkdowns, genius. EJ Manuel leads a 80 yard drive of check downs, bum.

 

Got it.

 

yeah bc thats all Tom Brady does....got it

[Wayne Cubed]

yeah bc thats all Tom Brady does....got it

 

You pointed to a specific drive and complained it as "dump offs" and said it wasn't special, I simply pointed out another QB who is considered special when he does it. We aren't talking about the rest of these QB's games.

 

I know you are trying real hard to hate on EJ but even you must understand that leading game wining drives, by any QB, is not an easy feat, and is in fact special.

[Beerball]

I do not think that the Bills will finish below .500.

 

They made decent acquisitions in FA.

Coaching staff has a year under their belts.

Coaching staff has been augmented with 2 additions on the offensive side of the ball with the intention of taking some of the pressure off Hackett.

QB has a year under his belt.

Draft will solidify O-line and provide another target for EJ.

 

 

The big wild cards for me both lie on the defensive side of the ball.

 

The Bills can't stop the run until they prove that they can stop the run consistently. Way too many 10+ yard runs allowed last year.

 

Schwartz...is he able to adjust his scheme to the personnel he has? Is he able to adjust his scheme to how offenses attack him? (Schwartz is by far my biggest worry heading into the season)