Buffalo Bills 2014

[Eleven]

Domestic violence against women is a bit different than "brawling families".

 

A person of either sex can be a victim of domestic violence. I'm not sure if the ESPN panel is only focusing on domestic violence against women, which wouldn't bother me, but to have an all-male panel is pretty stupid.

[Hoss]

Using violence to establish control in a family is domestic violence. Hope Solo did that, just as Ray Rice did. They both deserve extreme punishment.

 

Make no mistake: men are the overwhelning majority of domestic abusers, but we still have to address Solo's actions in the same way we do Rice's.

[MattPie]

I'm not interested in handing the Browns a top 5 or top 10 pick. Any way you slice it, the offense looks putrid with Manuel under center. I'm not a fan of Hackett by any stretch but it seems like we should put Orton in to see if the problem lies solely with EJ or if we need to replace Hackett as well. Our defense and special teams is performing good enough for this team to be in the hunt for a wild card late in the season. Manuel was a project QB when he was drafted and it may be best to let him learn on the bench. If Orton plays well we keep him playing and begin the hunt for a new replacement. If he flops or is mediocre we find a new veteran, replace Hackett, and let Manuel compete to start next season.

 

As hard as it is, you have to view the traded pick as a sunk cost. Whether that pick ends up being #3 or #23 (ha), we're not making it. The Bills' only responsibility is do what's best for the team for this season (maybe) and long term. If I were a coach, I'd give EJ every oppurtunity to figure out his game or to decide if the first pick next draft is going to be a QB. If I were in upper management (or an owner that likes to have input in to team decisions ;)) I'd want Orton to play as an A/B test on the coaching staff.

Edited September 29, 2014 by MattPie

[LastPommerFan]

Sure. But she's being charged for domestic violence and not "brawling families."

 

How 'bout this: fighting with your extended family at a gathering with multiple people is different than beating your wife behind closed doors?

[nucci]

This continues to be my biggest gripe with the Bills. We should be running the ball all day long even if it isn't working and it shouldn't matter who the opponent is. Just run the damn ball.

How do you get 1st downs then? Is that like blitzing every down even if it isn't working? Having said that, they threw the ball way too much yesterday.

[darksabre]

How do you get 1st downs then? Is that like blitzing every down even if it isn't working? Having said that, they threw the ball way too much yesterday.

 

First downs? Don't we have a good punter?

[dEnnis the Menace]

How do you get 1st downs then? Is that like blitzing every down even if it isn't working? Having said that, they threw the ball way too much yesterday.

 

The thing is we were averaging 6 yards/rush on first down. Even when Houston knew it was coming, they couldn't stop it. Why not run the ball EVERY first down then?! It opens up more play action. we passed WAY too much. EJ can't handle more than 20 something passes a game. He gets in his own head. I was all for giving him time, but thru 4 weeks this season, I'm starting to re-think my thinking.

[Eleven]

The thing is we were averaging 6 yards/rush on first down. Even when Houston knew it was coming, they couldn't stop it. Why not run the ball EVERY first down then?! It opens up more play action. we passed WAY too much. EJ can't handle more than 20 something passes a game. He gets in his own head. I was all for giving him time, but thru 4 weeks this season, I'm starting to re-think my thinking.

 

Gotta give him more time. It's way too early to evaluate him.

 

And absolutely, this team should be running the ball down opponents' throats.

[dEnnis the Menace]

Gotta give him more time. It's way too early to evaluate him.

 

And absolutely, this team should be running the ball down opponents' throats.

 

I think the problem is, the more I watch other QBs and other games, and the more I see EJ miss wide open receivers by a mile, the harder it is for me to patient. I was advocating patience at the beginning of the season/in the offseason, but I'm losing my own willpower to stay patient.

[JJFIVEOH]

I believe that the panel is comprised entirely of men, also. ESPN really needs to think some things through.

 

PS: Why not Hope Solo, as long as we're including Ray Lewis?

 

There isn't an epidemic of domestic violence in soccer. If so, I'm sure it would be addressed like the NFL has. It's not a double standard, it's two separate entities. Just like two businesses will have a different set of rules for their employees.

[LastPommerFan]

Gotta give him more time. It's way too early to evaluate him.

 

And absolutely, this team should be running the ball down opponents' throats.

 

He's 24 1/2.

 

Beyond his 4 years at a top tier college program, he's been through 2 summers, and 18 months of training, less injury time.

 

He's played nearly a seasons worth of games.

 

This year, he is being roundly out played by every starting quarterback in the league including: Derek Carr, Austin Davis, and the last three quarterbacks to graduate from Michigan State University.

 

Could you please provide an estimate on when enough time will have elapsed to evaluate him? Not a "well not after 14 games" but rather "After ___ we will know what we have".

[Eleven]

He's 24 1/2.

 

Beyond his 4 years at a top tier college program, he's been through 2 summers, and 18 months of training, less injury time.

 

He's played nearly a seasons worth of games.

 

This year, he is being roundly out played by every starting quarterback in the league including: Derek Carr, Austin Davis, and the last three quarterbacks to graduate from Michigan State University.

 

Could you please provide an estimate on when enough time will have elapsed to evaluate him? Not a "well not after 14 games" but rather "After ___ we will know what we have".

 

2.5 seasons.

 

And two weeks ago, you would not have written your penultimate paragraph.

 

As for calls to pull him for Orton (which I know you have not done), I have a three step process:

 

1. Has the QB played 40 games or more? (That's 2.5 seasons.)

 

2. Does the team have realistic expectations of a playoff run, i.e., winning at least one playoff game?

 

3. Is the QB regularly featured on the back page of the NY Post?

 

If the answers to all three questions are no, and I believe they are, let the kid develop. The NFL is a LOT different than a top tier college program. And the ACC was a basketball conference.

[LastPommerFan]

2.5 seasons.

 

And two weeks ago, you would not have written your penultimate paragraph.

 

As for calls to pull him for Orton (which I know you have not done), I have a three step process:

 

1. Has the QB played 40 games or more? (That's 2.5 seasons.)

 

2. Does the team have realistic expectations of a playoff run, i.e., winning at least one playoff game?

 

3. Is the QB regularly featured on the back page of the NY Post?

 

If the answers to all three questions are no, and I believe they are, let the kid develop. The NFL is a LOT different than a top tier college program. And the ACC was a basketball conference.

 

Enjoy then next 26 games. :P

 

Two weeks ago I could not have written about his current his futility, but I've been predicting it for months. It's really not about what he has done or will do on the field as far as evaluating him. It's about his physical ability to throw the ball and his mental decisions in the game. His lack of urgency in improving himself, as indicated in his last two post game pressers, tells me further that not only does he not have the temperament to climb the giant hill before him, he lacks the competative instinct needed to succeed in this league.

 

No one ever confused FSU with a basketball school.

[Hoss]

 

 

First downs? Don't we have a good punter?

 

Yea, EJ Manuel. He does a good job of putting the ball in the air and allowing the other team a chance to return it.

[dEnnis the Menace]

Enjoy then next 26 games. :P

 

Two weeks ago I could not have written about his current his futility, but I've been predicting it for months. It's really not about what he has done or will do on the field as far as evaluating him. It's about his physical ability to throw the ball and his mental decisions in the game. His lack of urgency in improving himself, as indicated in his last two post game pressers, tells me further that not only does he not have the temperament to climb the giant hill before him, he lacks the competative instinct needed to succeed in this league.

 

No one ever confused FSU with a basketball school.

 

I will say he was more apologetic and more "I need to improve" this post game presser than the last few. He also didn't blame everyone but himself this time around...

 

there's a first for everything :angel:

[Hoss]

For me, you get two seasons before the first major evaluation. At the end of two seasons one question should be asked: is it clear that the guy is or isn't an NFL QB? So far, the answer is that EJ is pretty clearly not starting material in this league.

 

I don't believe Orton should start a game this season in which Manuel isn't hurt. I'm fine with putting Orton in during the middle of a game in which Manuel is struggling/looks rattled. But Manuel still starts the next week. Realistically Orton will not have any contract in Buffalo after the current one. No reason to put off the evaluation of a young QB by putting in somebody who has no long-term future here.

[LastPommerFan]

For me, you get two seasons before the first major evaluation. At the end of two seasons one question should be asked: is it clear that the guy is or isn't an NFL QB? So far, the answer is that EJ is pretty clearly not starting material in this league.

 

I don't believe Orton should start a game this season in which Manuel isn't hurt. I'm fine with putting Orton in during the middle of a game in which Manuel is struggling/looks rattled. But Manuel still starts the next week. Realistically Orton will not have any contract in Buffalo after the current one. No reason to put off the evaluation of a young QB by putting in somebody who has no long-term future here.

 

Absolutely. No reason to start Orton. Manuel should start, and Kyle should be spending his time persuading is engineering friends from Purdue to build a time machine so we can go back and un-trade the 2015 pick.

[Hoss]

 

 

Absolutely. No reason to start Orton. Manuel should start, and Kyle should be spending his time persuading is engineering friends from Purdue to build a time machine so we can go back and un-trade the 2015 pick.

 

Haha agreed. I am okay with calls for Orton during a game where Manuel just can't do it. But not to start a week.

[spndnchz]

Orton starts next week.

[LastPommerFan]

Orton starts next week.

 

Well, there goes the F'n Time Machine. Now we're totally screwed.

 

(this is a save the season, save my job move, right?)

[Hoss]

Well this is awkward.

[darksabre]

I have a feeling the locker room spoke on this one. There are a lot of good players on this team who want to compete every week.

[LastPommerFan]

2.5 seasons.

 

And two weeks ago, you would not have written your penultimate paragraph.

 

As for calls to pull him for Orton (which I know you have not done), I have a three step process:

 

1. Has the QB played 40 games or more? (That's 2.5 seasons.)

 

2. Does the team have realistic expectations of a playoff run, i.e., winning at least one playoff game?

 

3. Is the QB regularly featured on the back page of the NY Post?

 

If the answers to all three questions are no, and I believe they are, let the kid develop. The NFL is a LOT different than a top tier college program. And the ACC was a basketball conference.

 

Doug thinks your rules are silly.

[Hoss]

I have a feeling the locker room spoke on this one. There are a lot of good players on this team who want to compete every week.

 

This was my first thought, too. The impact on Manuel should be interesting.

 

No matter what happens I think the team should go into next year with three QBs - Orton, Manuel and an early (first or second round) QB. Let them compete.

Edited September 29, 2014 by Tankalicious

[dEnnis the Menace]

I have a feeling the locker room spoke on this one. There are a lot of good players on this team who want to compete every week.

 

exactly. I don't think I disagree with the call though. I'm kind of indifferent at the moment