EJ benched, Orton to start.

[PromoTheRobot]

 

 

Based on the one game, and hindsight being 20/20, we should have drafted Bridgewater.

 

If Bridgewater stinks it up, then we made the right choice by not drafting him.

 

If he's a hall of famer in the making, we made the wrong choice.

 

Moving goalposts and all.

Ha ha, yeah I'm moving the goalposts. At least I don't have QB fever. Symptoms include delirium leading up to the draft, lusting after prospects, then memory loss afterwards when the can't-miss 1st rounder you wanted is drafted in the 4th round and gets cut in camp.

Edited September 30, 2014 by PromoTheRobot

[Coach Tuesday]

I'm starting to think that I want Eli and Coughlin here in 2015.

[Captain Hindsight]

I'm starting to think that I want Eli and Coughlin here in 2015.

Shame that there is no way thats happening

 

I just don't feel good about this move. We are going to win a few more games but if we don't make the playoffs its all for naught.

 

I really don't see much of an upside here. I see an 8-8 team now with a 500 QB taking over

[26CornerBlitz]

Fox Sports Video - A look inside the benching of EJ Manuel: http://www.foxsports...g-whaley-092914

 

Jay Glazer and Mike Hill discuss how EJ Manuel lost his starting quarterback position to Kyle Orton.

[The Big Cat]

Orton is 31 who knows maybe we can get 4-5 years out of him stranger things have happened .

 

Yesterday's move makes it very, VERY possible that Orton could start the rest of the year AND through the entire 2015 season while EJ and whichever quarterback(s) they draft learn from the sideline.

 

Heck, we might even go into 2016 with Orton as the starter.

 

@Edwerderespn

Kyle Orton is new #Bills starting QB after forcing way out of #Dallas. Not good relationship with Tony Romo, hated offensive power struggle

 

I don't know what those words mean.

 

I remember many people wanting to make a run at Alex Smith when the 49ers were shopping him around, which another group here scoffed at. Alex Smith is a lot better than any of us wanted to give him credit for.

 

We could easily be the Chiefs right now.

 

Yep, the crowd adamantly claiming that Smith "wasn't the answer": they have some explaining to do. They did then, and they sure as heck do now.

 

FA quarterbacks like Smith don't come around often.

 

FA quarterbacks like Smith don't come around often when the long term goal is to groom a draft pick like EJ.

 

I really wanted them to sign Smith. We would have made the playoffs last year with him.

 

Shoot, we would have made the playoffs last year with Fitz.

 

However, we were paying Fitz too much money, and Smith just signed a pretty hefty extension.

 

The point remains, though: given the "options" at quarterback from the end of the 2012 season until now, it's hard to imagine a better scenario than the one we're dealing with now. I understand not being happy with the way things have worked out and being critical, but there really isn't much to point at as far what should have been done.

[dave mcbride]

Orton's most recent game. Discuss: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201312290dal.htm

[The Big Cat]

Orton's most recent game. Discuss: http://www.pro-footb...01312290dal.htm

 

He's a less-wild version of Fitz.

 

Throws as many TD's as he does picks. Has never had a receiving corps and a backfield AND a defense like he has in Buffalo right now.

 

All he needs to be is good enough. And I'm confident he will be.

[Tyrod's Tailor]

Yesterday's move makes it very, VERY possible that Orton could start the rest of the year AND through the entire 2015 season while EJ and whichever quarterback(s) they draft learn from the sideline.

 

Heck, we might even go into 2016 with Orton as the starter.

 

 

 

I don't know what those words mean.

 

 

 

Yep, the crowd adamantly claiming that Smith "wasn't the answer": they have some explaining to do. They did then, and they sure as heck do now.

 

FA quarterbacks like Smith don't come around often.

 

FA quarterbacks like Smith don't come around often when the long term goal is to groom a draft pick like EJ.

 

I really wanted them to sign Smith. We would have made the playoffs last year with him.

 

Shoot, we would have made the playoffs last year with Fitz.

 

However, we were paying Fitz too much money, and Smith just signed a pretty hefty extension.

 

The point remains, though: given the "options" at quarterback from the end of the 2012 season until now, it's hard to imagine a better scenario than the one we're dealing with now. I understand not being happy with the way things have worked out and being critical, but there really isn't much to point at as far what should have been done.

 

I agree with what you're saying, but just pointing out Smith was not a FA. KC had to trade 2 2nd rounders to get him. Which is still worth it to get the QB position solved.

[The Big Cat]

I agree with what you're saying, but just pointing out Smith was not a FA. KC had to trade 2 2nd rounders to get him. Which is still worth it to get the QB position solved.

 

Good catch, and actually helps further make my point. Not only did the inherit his SF contract, they gave him a better one this year. Given that Fitz was cast off because he wasn't worth the money, and given that Smith is only marginally better, I can't imagine the Bills would have pursued this route.

 

What ails Smith is what ails Fitz--they're both great quarterbacks...when every throw is less than 15 yards. For the last 20 regular season games, Smith's shortcomings have been propped up by stellar defensive play (last night) and/or once-in-a-career play from Jamaal Charles (he has since normalized after last year).

[bowery4]

I know you're all not discussing the same thing anymore but I put this in another thread which is closed now so I am going to post it here. I am okay with it, not excited yet but I could get there. I think Detroit would (still could) be brutal and being 2-3 seems more likely with EJ in that game and the next after that for that matter. This shows me that at least the staff is more interested in being in it to win it (than just playing him for the experience).

That to me. is an important change from things in the past.

 

See, I don't think it is bad to sit him for that reason (the bolded above), he hasn't looked like "all that" and he was raw (as everyone always pointed out, when he was drafted). His lack of consistency in many ways doesn't seem like a lack of confidence, so I think he will see he has to improve and keep working on it. I thought the line play was pretty atrocious last week but EJ did do at least some things well. His accuracy was worrying but his decision making bothered me more, he seems to really have problems with both with a good rush in his face (I feel like the truly elite talents will have one or the other weakness with a strong rush, after they have matured, not both. JMO).

 

Most starting QBs do but most don't throw that ball to Watts (which I don't totally blame on EJ, cough cough Hacket!) but that was avoidable and mostly a bad playing decision (or execution, if you prefer). He is at least fine as a back up for now and we can see if he develops into something. If he can't handle being benched....well then he wasn't going to make something of himself anyway. I always wanted to have him have real competition for that reason. I am not giving up on him, it used to be that a QB sat a couple or few years, for a good reason.

 

I like Orton and have wished (a few times) in the past we would have picked him up. He can be a game manager AKA A.Smith, he has had a kind of weird career, he may or may not be better than Fitz but I think he might be. I loved Fitzy too but his time here was done, he was a better QB than EJ is at this point in his career but he wasn't a real good one either. We are lucky to have someone who can come off the bench and maybe be better. It is not a terrible place to be, really.

[Orton's Arm]

This does create a dilmena for the tebow haters who've been crying for Orton, and had been using the "elway knows QBs" line to bust on tebow for trading him. But before that he benched orton for tebow

 

If Elway "knew quarterbacks," the Broncos wouldn't have burned a first round pick on Tebow in the first place. When Tebow was drafted, my instant reaction was, There's a waste of a first round pick. Better for this to happen to them than to us. A few years later, the same thing did happen to us!

[The Big Cat]

If Elway "knew quarterbacks," the Broncos wouldn't have burned a first round pick on Tebow in the first place. When Tebow was drafted, my instant reaction was, There's a waste of a first round pick. Better for this to happen to them than to us. A few years later, the same thing did happen to us!

 

Except our first round pick wasn't wasted. It was used to draft two players.

[May Day 10]

if you close your eyes and pretend Alonso was the 1st, it doesnt hurt anymore

[The Big Cat]

if you close your eyes and pretend Alonso was the 1st, it doesnt hurt anymore

 

He technically was.

[chris heff]

 

 

I don't know about "blown up". I'm not thrilled but average QB play with a stellar D and a strong run game can get you to the playoffs in a weak division, which is what the AFCE looks like right now.

 

 

 

I meant more on the sense that he's not a franchise QB

I don't want them to just win the division, I want them to win a Super Bowl. If Manuel is a bust then we have moved further from that goal.

 

I remember many people wanting to make a run at Alex Smith when the 49ers were shopping him around, which another group here scoffed at. Alex Smith is a lot better than any of us wanted to give him credit for.

 

We could easily be the Chiefs right now.

Smith was a bust until he got good coaching.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

 

 

Yesterday's move makes it very, VERY possible that Orton could start the rest of the year AND through the entire 2015 season while EJ and whichever quarterback(s) they draft learn from the sideline.

 

Heck, we might even go into 2016 with Orton as the starter.

 

 

 

I don't know what those words mean.

 

 

 

Yep, the crowd adamantly claiming that Smith "wasn't the answer": they have some explaining to do. They did then, and they sure as heck do now.

 

FA quarterbacks like Smith don't come around often.

 

FA quarterbacks like Smith don't come around often when the long term goal is to groom a draft pick like EJ.

 

I really wanted them to sign Smith. We would have made the playoffs last year with him.

 

Shoot, we would have made the playoffs last year with Fitz.

 

However, we were paying Fitz too much money, and Smith just signed a pretty hefty extension.

 

The point remains, though: given the "options" at quarterback from the end of the 2012 season until now, it's hard to imagine a better scenario than the one we're dealing with now. I understand not being happy with the way things have worked out and being critical, but there really isn't much to point at as far what should have been done.

 

Technically Smith was never a free agent. He got traded for a first round pick. I'm not going to say we had no chance of getting him, but that's a heavy pick plus a vet's salary.

Edited September 30, 2014 by Whitewalker Merriman

[Orton's Arm]

I am amazed by all the people that are happy about this. Ultimately what it means is that the Bills don't have a QB. It also means that the entire organization will get blown up. Some here will rejoice. Another GM, another coach, another QB search. Of course the next guys will be better or not. In the end it means this organization will not be competitive. Yet another rebuild.

 

> Ultimately what it means is that the Bills don't have a QB.

 

The Bills haven't had a QB since Kelly hung up his cleats. At least now they're admitting they don't have a QB. Had they made that admission this past offseason, they could have drafted Bridgewater or (with the right trade) Bortles.

 

> It also means that the entire organization will get blown up.

 

Several years ago, only one candidate was seriously interviewed for the GM position: Buddy Nix. Nix had already become part of the Bills organization, and was considered safe and familiar. Known. The same thing happened this past time around; with only Whaley getting interviewed for the job. (Again because he was considered safe and familiar.) Safe and familiar doesn't always equate to greatness.

 

Nor is Whaley off to a great start. In his first draft, he made the following choices:

1) Go "all in" on Manuel by drafting a WR this year and trading away next year's first round pick.

2) Use his second round pick on a guy who (thus far) appears to be a bust. An offensive lineman Bill from NYC warned us against.

3) Overpay for Chris Williams

4) Fail to solve the Bills' problems at OG

 

I realize general managers are normally given more time than Whaley has received. But with the exception of the Henderson pick, nothing he's done thus far suggests he's the right answer. His "all in" approach to EJ suggests he might not be the right guy to choose the Bills' next QB.

 

> Another GM, another coach, another QB search.

 

Better to keep searching until you have the right guys, than to content yourself with the wrong ones in an effort to create stability. I also have hopes that Pegula's search process will be better than Ralph Wilson's. I doubt it could be much worse.

[GaryPinC]

Fox Sports Video - A look inside the benching of EJ Manuel: http://www.foxsports...g-whaley-092914

 

Pretty interesting what the Steelers DB's on the sideline were saying to Glazer about Manuel when the 2 teams worked out in Latrobe. I want EJ to succeed but I do think Marrone did the right thing

[Deranged Rhino]

Pretty interesting what the Steelers DB's on the sideline were saying to Glazer about Manuel when the 2 teams worked out in Latrobe. I want EJ to succeed but I do think Marrone did the right thing

 

It's amazing how wrong national reporters are still getting the "Marrone didn't want Orton" story. It's just not true, and it's entirely La Canforna's fault with his terrible reporting.

[PromoTheRobot]

Fox Sports Video - A look inside the benching of EJ Manuel: http://www.foxsports...g-whaley-092914

 

So which is it? Marrone wanted Orton or didn't want Orton??