EJ Maneul stinks out loud.

[GG]

I'm no great fan of Manuel, but he led two legit, long TD drives in the first half. He made a good run to the endzone for one score and made a good play to get it to Watkins for the other (and it wasn't a bad pass; Watkins hurt his ankle long before the ball arrived). 2 TDs in the first half is better than league average. In fact, if we averaged two TDs a half (28 pts per game) people would think we have a good offense. When he got the ball next, the Bills were down by 2 scores, and garbage time quickly ensued.

 

He's not great, but he was OK yesterday. He did what a backup is supposed to do - lead the team to ~20 points with minimal turnovers (one TO is acceptable), with the ultimate objective of getting the team to .500 in the games he plays.

 

I think there may still be a few on this board who are hung up on EJ becoming a legit NFL starter. I think we've seen his ceiling, and that is a very capable back up, as yesterday proved it.

 

As to the folks who are tangenting this thread as blaming EJ for the loss, that's incorrect. EJ was not responsible for the loss. But this thread is dedicated to EJ's performance, and not to another pedestrian outing by the "best defense" in the NFL.

[papazoid]

can i start proclaiming again....

 

 

EJ will NEVER be a Franchise QB

[H2o]

^{Blaming EJ for yesterdays loss is like blaming your left rear tire when your car doesn't start. Did EJ play lights out NO. Did he cost us the game Hell no. The defense did. Anyone trying to use the excuse that the D was on the field too much needs to consider that the D can take themselves off the field. All they need to do is make a stop. If we scored 33 points and lost by one people would still be blaming EJ. The D stunk, and ST was a cesspool also. Do I think we need an upgrade at QB ABSOLUTLY! But it wasn't the reason we lost yesterday!!!!}

Every replay I saw had guys open in different areas, but EJ didn't even look in their direction. The same issues still exist with EJ. Reading the defense, accuracy, and his awareness in the pocket. On the interception play the WR on the other side of the field was open by 10 yards. On a couple of 3rd downs he made incorrect reads and had guys open on opposite sides of the field that he wasn't looking at for potential first downs.That drive before the half was nice, but his receivers are bailing him out on some inaccurate throws. I just think the game moves too fast for him in the NFL. Good guy, I am still rooting for him, but I don't think he's gonna make it as anything more than what he is now. If he places the ball correctly yesterday and sees the field a little better the score is different. Wins and losses are a team stat and the defense isn't what we expected, but a few more plays from EJ and the offense yesterday changes the TOP/score.

[ALF]

If EJ can develop into a good backup , I would be ok with that . Hope he can progress to a starter down the line.

[dpberr]

IMO, EJ wasn't terrible.

 

The defense and the defensive coordinator on the other hand ARE terrible.

[prissythecat]

That's a ridiculous assertion. They both completed two thirds of their pass attempts. Deal with it.

 

 

Your post basically asserted that Dalton was inaccurate because his completion percentage was the same as EJ. But thats not the case at all. While they both had the same completion percentage as per the stats you cite, Dalton got the ball to where it needed to be pretty much all day. EJ didn't do that and was lucky to be bailed out by some athletic catches from his receivers on a number of errant throws.

 

It may have been helpful to look at a supplementary stat like YPA. Dalton had 7.4 YPA for the game. EJ had 6.3. YPA. So one of these QBs was completing a lot of shorter dink and dunk like passes to pad his stats while not moving the chains while the other QB was airing it out more and both putting points on the board and moving the chains.

[PO16FFS]

Every replay I saw had guys open in different areas, but EJ didn't even look in their direction. The same issues still exist with EJ. Reading the defense, accuracy, and his awareness in the pocket. On the interception play the WR on the other side of the field was open by 10 yards. On a couple of 3rd downs he made incorrect reads and had guys open on opposite sides of the field that he wasn't looking at for potential first downs.That drive before the half was nice, but his receivers are bailing him out on some inaccurate throws. I just think the game moves too fast for him in the NFL. Good guy, I am still rooting for him, but I don't think he's gonna make it as anything more than what he is now. If he places the ball correctly yesterday and sees the field a little better the score is different. Wins and losses are a team stat and the defense isn't what we expected, but a few more plays from EJ and the offense yesterday changes the TOP/score.

BINGO!

 

He didnt throw one accurate pass yesterday. Not one. Clay made a miracle catch on an overthrown pass that could have been a pick 6. Clay also made a miracle catch on an underthrown pass. However Clay ran out of miracles when he was wide open and the ball short hopped him by 5 yards.

[TheFunPolice]

There is a difference between re-affirming that EJ will never be a good starting NFL QB and "blaming EJ for yesterday's loss"

 

He was the same guy he has always been: short hopping balls, throwing behind guys, throwing high, looking shaky in the pocket. Sure, he made a few good plays too. But overall, it was the same type of QB play we saw for 15 years of ineptitude.

 

The difference between Tyrod and EJ is obvious. Neither looks like a polished pocket passer. However, Tryod makes electrifying plays with his legs AND has hit deeps balls almost every game. Tyrod WAS the offense late in the game vs Tennessee. EJ cannot do what he did on the ground.

 

Tyrod might not amount to a long-term answer, but he is a freakish athlete who could drop a 50 yard bomb on you at any time, or could take off and run for 30 yards at any time. He's dangerous. EJ is just another guy who doesn't bring any specific skillset to the table.

[Dorkington]

I thought EJ played a decent game. Not perfect, obviously. But if the defense played better, and the special teams doesn't rooster things up, we're talking about this differently today.

[Nanker]

can i start proclaiming again....

 

 

EJ will NEVER be a Franchise QB

Feel better now that you've got that off your chest, or are we going to hear that another hundred or so times?

BINGO!

 

He didnt throw one accurate pass yesterday. Not one. Clay made a miracle catch on an overthrown pass that could have been a pick 6. Clay also made a miracle catch on an underthrown pass. However Clay ran out of miracles when he was wide open and the ball short hopped him by 5 yards.

BINGO!

 

He didnt throw one accurate pass yesterday. Not one. Clay made a miracle catch on an overthrown pass that could have been a pick 6. Clay also made a miracle catch on an underthrown pass. However Clay ran out of miracles when he was wide open and the ball short hopped him by 5 yards.

Bull crap.

[MikeSpeed]

Every replay I saw had guys open in different areas, but EJ didn't even look in their direction. The same issues still exist with EJ. Reading the defense, accuracy, and his awareness in the pocket. On the interception play the WR on the other side of the field was open by 10 yards. On a couple of 3rd downs he made incorrect reads and had guys open on opposite sides of the field that he wasn't looking at for potential first downs.That drive before the half was nice, but his receivers are bailing him out on some inaccurate throws. I just think the game moves too fast for him in the NFL. Good guy, I am still rooting for him, but I don't think he's gonna make it as anything more than what he is now. If he places the ball correctly yesterday and sees the field a little better the score is different. Wins and losses are a team stat and the defense isn't what we expected, but a few more plays from EJ and the offense yesterday changes the TOP/score.

I agree with EJ leaving plays on the field, and I want an upgrade for sure, but don't blame the loss on EJ. If he had put up 33 points would we still be blaming EJ on the loss? Some probably. But this loss was on the D.

[Maddog69]

We need a QB in the 2016 draft and there should be no debate. I'm willing to trade Dareus to get into the top 10 if there's a QB good enough. $100 million DTs don't win games, but $100 million QBs do.

The problem is that whomever the Bills draft will immediately be labeled a bust by half of the people on this board. He will not be allowed time to develop into an NFL QB and he will be nit picked on every single throw, hand off, interview, facebook post and bowel movement.

[BuffaloHokie13]

Tyrod's offense is: last in the entire NFL in 3 and outs. LAST. Roughly 1/3 of all of his possessions end in 3 and outs. In his last two starts that number increased to 50% of all possessions ending in either 3 and outs or turnovers in fewer than three possessions ending in three and outs in the first half.

 

That's a formula for dozens of wins. Just ask FireChan.

It's pretty amazing what having a RB average more than 2.5 YPC will do for your offense, isn't it?

[rockpile]

And those play calls were absolutely wonderful?

 

They have not adapted the play calling or continued with what was working. They had success up the seams, they had success putting Clay outside the hashes on routes, but it's not working.

 

Yes, EJ isn't playing amazing - won't set his feet, for example - but this is not on Manuel.

rex isn't workign with anyone. he's a defensive coach with a top 5 talented defensive team.

 

the defense has been more of a let down and a coach with some balls would call out his own guys and discipline them. they've been lazy, aloof, and without heart. marrone would have this team doing sprints for hours playing so piss poor.

 

counting mckelvin as a loss at this point is ridiculous. darby has been playing as good or better then mckelvin so it's a wash. the aaron williams loss isn't hurting too bad.

 

Jeff, changing the D from a 4-3 to a 3-4 was a BAD decision. I blame the coaches, but you make some good points.

 

Penalties kill Buffalo, especially after a great play on ALL teams. (offense, defense, special teams)

 

Time of possession was exactly 30 minutes each, btw.

 

Oh, and ScrewyLouie - EJ was a number one pick. Taking a QB early in the draft is not the answer. Taking a good QB would be a better idea.

 

But what do I know, I am dumber than a box of rockpiles.

 

I survive as a fan by having low expectations.

[VABills]

It's pretty amazing what having a RB average more than 2.5 YPC will do for your offense, isn't it?

Yesterday was the best day the RB's have had all year.

[Coach Tuesday]

I don't see a single poster saying that EJ still might become a good starting QB. It seems like an argument in search of an advocate. No one is saying it.

 

Folks are saying EJ wasn't the reason the team lost yesterday. That's a different argument altogether.

[Big Hurt]

I think there is a group of fans and radio talk show hosts from WGR that really want EJ to fail and disappear. I don't understand why they think that way and I don't really care. EJ was not terrible yesterday. He was not Aaron Rogers. But he moved well and at times used his leg. They scored on the first drive but whatever the reason was, had problem the rest of the game. If you look at the Titans game and compare that game to this game, I thought the two quarterbacks were pretty even. The difference between the two games were the defense and special team. I admit that having McCoy helped. But McCoy didn't carry the ball 30 times. If you are mad at the result of this game, lets talk about the special team and the defense. Maybe we should call back Jordan Gay. Maybe we should have McKelvin return kicks. Maybe we need to call Jim Schwartz. I don't know. Try something difference. Also on EJ, if Sammy got hurt because he had to plant his foot and turn to catch a low ball, then we made a mistake of drafting him. Get real, people! What game were you watching?

[Maddog69]

Yesterday was the best day the RB's have had all year.

And yet, Roman still refused to keep feeding McCoy the ball.

I nearly lost it on the 3rd and 3 where he calls a pass play with an empty backfield. Not only do we not run (which had been effective), we don't even give the illusion that we might run. Colossally stupid play call.

I think there is a group of fans and radio talk show hosts from WGR that really want EJ to fail and disappear. I don't understand why they think that way and I don't really care. EJ was not terrible yesterday. He was not Aaron Rogers. But he moved well and at times used his leg. They scored on the first drive but whatever the reason was, had problem the rest of the game. If you look at the Titans game and compare that game to this game, I thought the two quarterbacks were pretty even. The difference between the two games were the defense and special team. I admit that having McCoy helped. But McCoy didn't carry the ball 30 times. If you are mad at the result of this game, lets talk about the special team and the defense. Maybe we should call back Jordan Gay. Maybe we should have McKelvin return kicks. Maybe we need to call Jim Schwartz. I don't know. Try something difference. Also on EJ, if Sammy got hurt because he had to plant his foot and turn to catch a low ball, then we made a mistake of drafting him. Get real, people! What game were you watching?

EJ made some bonehead plays, some adqequate plays and a few good ones. If you were expecting much more from him at this point, you were setting yourself up for disappointment. As far as the accuracy goes, give him a break. WRs are paid to make catches. Not every pass is going to be pinpoint. Look at the Indy game last night. The first throw luck made to his tight end looked exactly like EJs throw to Clay. Every QB makes bad throws. What hurt EJ's performance yesterday was decision making on some of the third downs. (Playcalling and Henderson getting hurt didn't help either. Kouandijo is not good).

[Rob's House]

Personally, as one who's probably thought of as a "hater," I thought he played okay. Not great, but okay.

 

His accuracy left something to be desired, and some of his decisions were suspect (2 more passes could have been picked, and taking an easy completion that had no chance at a 1st late in the game down big was not inspiring). But he did string together some scoring drives, and I've always liked his ability to pick up 1sts with the QB sneak. It's worth noting that this was his first start in over a year and it was against a formidable defense.

 

Overall, my opinion of him hasn't really changed that much - I still see him as a low ceiling, high floor prospect whose best case scenario might be to one day flirt with top 20 QB status, but no more, and even that looks to be a stretch. But I agree with the poster who said he could be a quality long-term backup like Charlie Batch.

[Formerly Allan in MD]

If you're looking for the definition of "mediocre," watch EJ attempt to play.