off topic Buffalo Bills 2015

[Taro T]

If we're talking about bad draft picks, the Spiller pick remains a quadrillion times worse in both value and logic. Why not endlessly bitch about that one? At least with EJ they tried to fill the most important position on the team, and at the time, has zilch there.

Definitely a luxury pick for a team that was, at the time, on a Ramen Noodle diet. After the pick, we're still eating Ramen Noodles, but now they can be served in the Donald Trump Home Edition Bowls. Woo hoo. <_<

2006 - (8) Dante Whitner

2007 - (12) Marshawn Lynch

2008 - (11) Leodis McKelvin

2009 - (11) Aaron Maybin

2010 - (9) CJ Spiller

2011 - (3) Marcel

2012 - (10) Stephon Gilmore

2013 - (8) Traded for (16) EJ Manuel and KIKO

2014 - (9) and 2015 (22) Traded for Sammy Watkins

 

2006-2010: DB, RB, DB, Bust, RB...  So silly.

Marv was a good coach (though having the horses definitely helps) but he was a flat out disaster as a GM.

[Wyldnwoody44]

I really really hope we find something in TT, cassel won't take us anywhere and EJ is done, for me at least..... I hope our secondary can hold up, or at least be helped immensely by pressure from our front 4

[WildCard]

Eli Manning thinks he deserves to be the NFL's highest paid player in the league, citing his unique ability to deal with the NY media and his SB success as his reasons

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000511245/article/eli-manning-wants-to-be-highestpaid-player-in-nfl

[LGR4GM]

If you are going to post the heyyayayayayaa song at least find the 10 hour loop.

 

[shrader]

I really really hope we find something in TT, cassel won't take us anywhere and EJ is done, for me at least..... I hope our secondary can hold up, or at least be helped immensely by pressure from our front 4

I don't care who it is as long as one of them steps up and delivers. How likely that is to happen is another question though. I really don't have faith in any of them right now.

[That Aud Smell]

Sal at WGR cited an NFL insider type who said the Bills are hoping/planning that Taylor wins the job.

 

I think he'd offer the most upside. I'm somewhat terrified by his downside.

[Johnny DangerFace]

Sal at WGR cited an NFL insider type who said the Bills are hoping/planning that Taylor wins the job.

 

I think he'd offer the most upside. I'm somewhat terrified by his downside.

Good lord his floor could be low

[WildCard]

Powell placed on IR (ACL), hes done for the year. Pretty big loss right there, makes signing Geno-Puncher an actual good move now.

 

As for the Qb's: I wanted Manuel to win it, and stood by that he would be fine, but it looks like I was wrong, he's just too inconsistent to be our qb, or maybe anyone's really. At this point, I don't really know who I want to win. Taylor I guess, just because he's young and has some mystery about his potential/ability. 

[TrueBlueGED]

Sal at WGR cited an NFL insider type who said the Bills are hoping/planning that Taylor wins the job.

 

I think he'd offer the most upside. I'm somewhat terrified by his downside.

Cassel's downside is nearly as bad, IMO. The idea that Cassel is this steady veteran who does just enough is simply incorrect. That describes Alex Smith. Matt Cassel is no Alex Smith.

 

Put another way: Cassel is just as capable as Tyrod of losing a game with costly turnovers or just general inability to move down the field. His history shows this.

Edited August 18, 2015 by TrueBluePhD

[Eleven]

Cassel's downside is nearly as bad, IMO. The idea that Cassel is this steady veteran who does just enough is simply incorrect. That describes Alex Smith. Matt Cassel is no Alex Smith.

 

Put another way: Cassel is just as capable as Tyrod of losing a game with costly turnovers or just general inability to move down the field. His history shows this.

 

Yes.  Fortune favors the bold.  If Manuel truly stinks, then they should move forward with Taylor.

[WildCard]

Sal at WGR cited an NFL insider type who said the Bills are hoping/planning that Taylor wins the job.

 

I think he'd offer the most upside. I'm somewhat terrified by his downside.

To build off of this, here's Whaley on TT

 

"He's got everything you're looking for," said Whaley. "We just have to make sure he can produce when his time's called."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000511308/article/bills-gm-taylors-got-everything-youre-looking-for

[musichunch]

Sal at WGR cited an NFL insider type who said the Bills are hoping/planning that Taylor wins the job.

 

I think he'd offer the most upside. I'm somewhat terrified by his downside.

 

I suspect Rex and Roman already decided on Tyrod last year, if they went to a team without a QB.

 

None of my connections are firm, but they seem to match up pretty well. Here's the story on Rex last year where he said he knew 2014 would be his last year with the Jets: http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2015-08-14/rex-ryan-jets-fired-2014-season-buffalo-bills-coach-nfl

 

What caught my eye after we signed Rex was that Roman was picked almost immediately afterwards, which seemed odd since they were in different conferences for several years. I think Roman knew 2014 would be Harbaugh's last (as everyone suspected but nobody admitted) and was secretly in talks with Rex all last year about working together and what their offense would look like. It would make sense they'd run an offense similar to SF which would require a Kaepernick-type athlete and strong run game. That's when Rex would suggest a guy he liked in Baltimore that would come cheap. 

 

I don't think EJ ever had a chance unless he blew everybody away. I feel confident that this competition was always Tyrod's to lose. Cassell is just a fall-back in case Tyrod gets hurt or doesn't work out. 

 

This would also help explain the anti-EJ bias in the media. Reporters don't just have altruistic sources. The sources usually want something in return. That's how the game works. In exchange for information, they will use reporters to leak false info for whatever reason (trade value, PR, etc.). If the front office and coaching staff wants Tyrod, it would help if the reporters constantly talk about how bad EJ is doing to sell the fanbase on Taylor. I don't doubt a young guy trying to make his name, like Joe B, would consider helping the organization with something like that. The old lackeys would have no problem with it.

 

There's my tin foil hat for the day.

[That Aud Smell]

Fortune favors the bold.  

 

Oh, Lord. This. Especially given the team's recent and not so recent history. Let it rip!

[qwksndmonster]

I suspect Rex and Roman already decided on Tyrod last year, if they went to a team without a QB.

 

None of my connections are firm, but they seem to match up pretty well. Here's the story on Rex last year where he said he knew 2014 would be his last year with the Jets: http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2015-08-14/rex-ryan-jets-fired-2014-season-buffalo-bills-coach-nfl

 

What caught my eye after we signed Rex was that Roman was picked almost immediately afterwards, which seemed odd since they were in different conferences for several years. I think Roman knew 2014 would be Harbaugh's last (as everyone suspected but nobody admitted) and was secretly in talks with Rex all last year about working together and what their offense would look like. It would make sense they'd run an offense similar to SF which would require a Kaepernick-type athlete and strong run game. That's when Rex would suggest a guy he liked in Baltimore that would come cheap. 

 

I don't think EJ ever had a chance unless he blew everybody away. I feel confident that this competition was always Tyrod's to lose. Cassell is just a fall-back in case Tyrod gets hurt or doesn't work out. 

 

This would also help explain the anti-EJ bias in the media. Reporters don't just have altruistic sources. The sources usually want something in return. That's how the game works. In exchange for information, they will use reporters to leak false info for whatever reason (trade value, PR, etc.). If the front office and coaching staff wants Tyrod, it would help if the reporters constantly talk about how bad EJ is doing to sell the fanbase on Taylor. I don't doubt a young guy trying to make his name, like Joe B, would consider helping the organization with something like that. The old lackeys would have no problem with it.

 

There's my tin foil hat for the day.

To the bolded: I read somewhere after Rex got hired that Rexy and Roman are good friends, and Rex had told him (I think he texted him this while he was still HC of the Jets, which is kinda funny) that he should've been the Jets OC.  So you're dead on there.

 

As for the anti-EJ bias.  I agree that the coaching staff was never sold on EJ as a viable starting option, but I highly doubt the media's damning of EJ is in any way directly related to the team's preference (other than the obvious pick the winner reflex).  EJ never had a coach that believed in him, but if he was going to be a good QB, he likely would've shown it by now (and a coach probably would've believed in him).

[Hoss]

I suspect Rex and Roman already decided on Tyrod last year, if they went to a team without a QB.

 

None of my connections are firm, but they seem to match up pretty well. Here's the story on Rex last year where he said he knew 2014 would be his last year with the Jets: http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2015-08-14/rex-ryan-jets-fired-2014-season-buffalo-bills-coach-nfl

 

What caught my eye after we signed Rex was that Roman was picked almost immediately afterwards, which seemed odd since they were in different conferences for several years. I think Roman knew 2014 would be Harbaugh's last (as everyone suspected but nobody admitted) and was secretly in talks with Rex all last year about working together and what their offense would look like. It would make sense they'd run an offense similar to SF which would require a Kaepernick-type athlete and strong run game. That's when Rex would suggest a guy he liked in Baltimore that would come cheap. 

 

I don't think EJ ever had a chance unless he blew everybody away. I feel confident that this competition was always Tyrod's to lose. Cassell is just a fall-back in case Tyrod gets hurt or doesn't work out. 

 

This would also help explain the anti-EJ bias in the media. Reporters don't just have altruistic sources. The sources usually want something in return. That's how the game works. In exchange for information, they will use reporters to leak false info for whatever reason (trade value, PR, etc.). If the front office and coaching staff wants Tyrod, it would help if the reporters constantly talk about how bad EJ is doing to sell the fanbase on Taylor. I don't doubt a young guy trying to make his name, like Joe B, would consider helping the organization with something like that. The old lackeys would have no problem with it.

 

There's my tin foil hat for the day.

Rex and Tyrod never crossed paths in Baltimore. I don't think Rex knew nearly enough about him to hitch his wagon to him, especially considering how the QB position is almost exclusively the reason he got canned in NY. Why risk your job security yet again on a guy you have nearly no way of knowing much about?

 

I knew the second I started reading this post that it was all about trying to find a reason to excuse EJ's lack of opportunity. EJ hasn't helped himself. Hell, he hit the hospitality tent at camp (if you've been to camp you know this is absolutely brutal). He's just not good. He never was. Avid college football fans were left scratching their heads at his selection, and they were justified after seeing him in the NFL/camp.

 

Meanwhile Tyrod was a guy who played electric and consistently in college, but he lacked the pro-style offense and body. Most thought he would be a WR or running back, but the Ravens drafted him as a QB only. Harbaugh, who would know, was blown away by him but knew he was never unseating Flacco. Obviously a bunch of the praise was probably due to Tyrod being a player on his team and bumping up his value, but so far it's been warranted from what we've heard/seen in Bills camp.

 

 

Oh, also: he's not a huge risk. We don't know much about his floor yet. The assumption that he is a risk is all about him being another small mobile QB. At Va. Tech he was as safe as it gets while still making big plays all the time. In 50 games he threw 44 TDs and just 20 INTs. His senior year he had 5 INTs and 2 fumbles. He had just three 2 INT games out of 50 in college (none his senior year). Obviously he's probably changed quite a a bit since college, but those are the best statistics we have.

[Johnny DangerFace]

Anyone have insight/reasons why Baltimore didn't keep Taylor? (Or did they try and he moved on to get his chance?)

[musichunch]

Rex and Tyrod never crossed paths in Baltimore. I don't think Rex knew nearly enough about him to hitch his wagon to him, especially considering how the QB position is almost exclusively the reason he got canned in NY. Why risk your job security yet again on a guy you have nearly no way of knowing much about?

 

I knew the second I started reading this post that it was all about trying to find a reason to excuse EJ's lack of opportunity. EJ hasn't helped himself. Hell, he hit the hospitality tent at camp (if you've been to camp you know this is absolutely brutal). He's just not good. He never was. Avid college football fans were left scratching their heads at his selection, and they were justified after seeing him in the NFL/camp.

 

Meanwhile Tyrod was a guy who played electric and consistently in college, but he lacked the pro-style offense and body. Most thought he would be a WR or running back, but the Ravens drafted him as a QB only. Harbaugh, who would know, was blown away by him but knew he was never unseating Flacco. Obviously a bunch of the praise was probably due to Tyrod being a player on his team and bumping up his value, but so far it's been warranted from what we've heard/seen in Bills camp.

 

 

Oh, also: he's not a huge risk. We don't know much about his floor yet. The assumption that he is a risk is all about him being another small mobile QB. At Va. Tech he was as safe as it gets while still making big plays all the time. In 50 games he threw 44 TDs and just 20 INTs. His senior year he had 5 INTs and 2 fumbles. He had just three 2 INT games out of 50 in college (none his senior year). Obviously he's probably changed quite a a bit since college, but those are the best statistics we have.

 

I do not feel EJ has had enough chances equal to his performance, especially compared to Taylor and Cassel's level of play in practice, the scrimmage, and the preseason game. When I see one guy treated unfairly compared to the others, I start to ask "Why?". What you see as an "excuse", I see as trying to dig deeper. 

 

You take a 6'5 guy with the potential to throw from the pocket and run, and replace him with a strictly average pocket passer and an above average athlete with minimal pocket game, I'm going to question that. You seem to not like that, Hoss. I don't care what you think. You're a smart guy with too many biases that you want to force onto other people. I don't listen to you as much as I used to.

 

He goes from a great week in practice and the best performance in the scrimmage to the 3rd team in the first game. Shows solid potential when everything around him falls apart, and for a reward gets the 3rd team spot in the 2nd game.

 

For all the great things Rex is, he's shown stubbornness in the past. I saw a press conference where he looked disappointed that EJ had a better day than Tyrod, and still tried to talk Taylor up. Now I need to watch this fanbase try to convince themselves that Tyrod Taylor is the answer before he has even shown the ability to throw to his 2nd or 3rd read and right after EJ throws a 50 yard bomb. 

 

We're giving up on a guy with potential too soon, and I'm just trying to connect the dots as to why. Leroi from TBD said the same thing about EJ from the moment Rex got hired. I suspect his source is Whaley or someone close to Whaley, but his tune never changed and everything I'm seeing has vibed with it. There is animosity towards EJ for some reason that nobody is saying. If they trade him or cut him, hopefully somebody starts talking. 

[Hoss]

I do not feel EJ has had enough chances equal to his performance, especially compared to Taylor and Cassel's level of play in practice, the scrimmage, and the preseason game. When I see one guy treated unfairly compared to the others, I start to ask "Why?". What you see as an "excuse", I see as trying to dig deeper. 

 

You take a 6'5 guy with the potential to throw from the pocket and run, and replace him with a strictly average pocket passer and an above average athlete with minimal pocket game, I'm going to question that. You seem to not like that, Hoss. I don't care what you think. You're a smart guy with too many biases that you want to force onto other people. I don't listen to you as much as I used to.

 

He goes from a great week in practice and the best performance in the scrimmage to the 3rd team in the first game. Shows solid potential when everything around him falls apart, and for a reward gets the 3rd team spot in the 2nd game.

 

For all the great things Rex is, he's shown stubbornness in the past. I saw a press conference where he looked disappointed that EJ had a better day than Tyrod, and still tried to talk Taylor up. Now I need to watch this fanbase try to convince themselves that Tyrod Taylor is the answer before he has even shown the ability to throw to his 2nd or 3rd read and right after EJ throws a 50 yard bomb. 

 

We're giving up on a guy with potential too soon, and I'm just trying to connect the dots as to why. Leroi from TBD said the same thing about EJ from the moment Rex got hired. I suspect his source is Whaley or someone close to Whaley, but his tune never changed and everything I'm seeing has vibed with it. There is animosity towards EJ for some reason that nobody is saying. If they trade him or cut him, hopefully somebody starts talking. 

If you start to ask why the first place you should look is EJ. Has he done anything other than look the part so far? No, he hasn't. He was safe for a few games but otherwise he was atrocious when it came to attempting to make accurate passes.

 

You insist on calling Tyrod "strictly average" without having nearly enough evidence to support that. You're essentially saying we shouldn't give a guy any chance because we haven't given another guy enough chance. I think your opinion might be totally different if you had no idea when each was drafted.

 

On a "great week of practice" before the scrimmage - this isn't the case from what I recall. He has been inconsistent at best in practice while Taylor has been consistent. EJ will have a solid but not great day and then a string of brutal performances on the practice field which perfectly reflects the player that he is -- he'll have a nice deep ball and may one or two good other throws before entire halves without a good play.

 

I don't think it's too soon to give up on EJ. He's had two years to do something and has done nothing but disappoint. He got benched for Kyle Orton last season even after the team put him back in after a downright embarrassing Houston game. Tyrod showed the ability to make deep throws on multiple occasions in the preseason game. He had a deep ball that was into better coverage than what EJ saw on his deep ball, but the difference was Tyrod's target dropped it. Then he had a perfectly-placed 20-yard touchdown ball dropped. I'm more confident in Tyrod Taylor giving us a little more than mediocre than I am in EJ doing the same.

[Weave]

DId I read that EJ will be playing most of the next game?  Yeah, it's with backups, but 2+ quarters when the other guys are getting just 2-3 series ought to be considered a fair chance IMO.

 

I think we finally have a coach that is attempting to develop EJ.  Too little, too late methinks.

[inkman]

Good lord his floor could be low

Michael Vick is his miracle ceiling, Marcus Vick is his floor

[musichunch]

You insist on calling Tyrod "strictly average" without having nearly enough evidence to support that. You're essentially saying we shouldn't give a guy any chance because we haven't given another guy enough chance. I think your opinion might be totally different if you had no idea when each was drafted.

 

I meant Cassel is strictly average. 

 

I do believe Tyrod deserves every chance to prove himself. For all I know, maybe he can develop a great pocket game. I never said we shouldn't give Tyrod a chance because we didn't give EJ a chance. I'm saying we should give BOTH of them an equal chance since we are in no position to leave any rock unturned at the QB position. What I'm seeing instead is that Taylor is getting all the chances to get the #1 job and EJ is being thrown in with the back-ups for two quarters, most of which will be cut in a couple weeks. 

 

For all this talk of EJ being inconsistent in practice, I've heard the same exact thing about Tyrod and Cassel since the beginning of camp. In fact, until about 10 days ago, everybody agreed they'd all been equally bad. That's about the point EJ started having good practices and a solid scrimmage. It seems that only EJ gets punished for inconsistency. 

 

All of this, combined with the animosity towards EJ according to an insider at TBD (who's been saying it for months), led me to believe there is something funny going on. All of my "excuses" are me throwing out possible reasons as to why. And frankly, knowing how things tend to go down in organizations, I might not be that far off. Until I see Tyrod and Cassel outplay EJ with my own eyes, I'm going to have my BS detector on. I'm actually seeing more excuses for NOT playing EJ coming from fans and media.

[shrader]

DId I read that EJ will be playing most of the next game? Yeah, it's with backups, but 2+ quarters when the other guys are getting just 2-3 series ought to be considered a fair chance IMO.

 

I think we finally have a coach that is attempting to develop EJ. Too little, too late methinks.

That's exactly the thought I've had about this.

[Hoss]

Michael Vick is his miracle ceiling, Marcus Vick is his floor

Because he's a black mobile QB from Va. Tech? Cmon, this is so lazy.

 

 

Also, McCoy left practice with a hamstring injury tonight. This could be very bad.

Edited August 18, 2015 by Hoss

[TrueBlueGED]

Because he's a black mobile QB from Va. Tech? Cmon, this is so lazy.

 

 

Also, McCoy left practice with a hamstring injury tonight. This could be very ###### bad.

And good but not great accuracy, and questionable ability to work from the pocket, and possibly problematic height. I understand on face how it may seem the "easy" comparison, but I think it's pretty apt when you look deeper.

 

On McCoy: no bueno.

[Hoss]

Rex's update doesn't make me feel any better. Said the hamstring is still "intact" but an MRI is coming for McCoy. Ugh.

 

Karlos Williams had a procedure of some sort and is out two weeks.

 

Harvin has an injury worse than the team thought, but he should be back by the end of the preseason.

Edited August 18, 2015 by Hoss