EJ Manuel benched. Kyle Orton will start Week 5 for the Bills

[BuffaloBills62]

This is the perfect spot to give a dissertation on race relation to player positions in the NFL.  Thanks!

 

Fun fact of the day:  The Bills were the first NFL team to start a black QB.

[Luke Cage]

And you assuming is how you have gotten to your conclusion.

Let me ask a better question since you know you cant quantify.

How long and what age group have you coached? The sport isn't that big a deal but if you want to share you can.

 

Haha ok man, I'll play.  Back in my younger years, I was a pretty decent soccer player.  I represented my age group consistently at the state level in ODP.  I have been coaching soccer on and off since I was 14.  I've coached kids from 6-14 years old.  On topic, the black pro qb is a relatively recent thing.  It may be impossible to accurately quantify my assertion, but the recent nature of this "phenomenon" can serve as a kind of proof.  Thirty years ago there were virtually no black qbs.  Even as recently as ten years ago, there were barely a handful.  Opportunity was not there.  There are still a lot of idiotic attitudes entrenched in the minds of front offices, coaches, and fans.  In ten or twenty years, I am sure it will be a non-issue because there will be so many in the league by that point.  

 

It's a positive that guys are at least getting the chance to compete; with some rare exceptions like Cunningham and Moon, that wouldn't have happened "back in the day".  But at this point, I firmly believe that the margin of error for black qbs is smaller than their white counterparts.  It may be impossible to accurately quantify my assertion, but I can gauge the responses and comments of fans and commentators.  Those responses and comments still indicate that fans in particular are more patient and comfortable with white quarterbacks.  Of course all fans want to win, and winning cures everything.  My point is that fans bail more quickly on black qb's who struggle.  Earlier in the season a sizable chunk of the fan base wanted Anderson to start; not because Cam was injured, but because they felt Anderson was a better quarterback (despite the obvious fact that an injured Cam is miles ahead of Anderson as a qb).  The gritty truth of this issue is probably hidden behind closed doors at NFL facilities, but that's what it looks like on my end.  Keep in mind those same facilities are manned by guys who came up in an era when blacks playing qb was not even considered.  That notion was dismissed out of hand because they didn't think we had the mental chops to get the job done.  That attitude is still present.

[pstall]

That's good.

Its an unfortunate sports truth fans like the backup qb. But a handful of fans does not the masses make. This is what im getting at.

No team that I can recall in the last several years has not had or tried having a black qb.

You can't have it both ways tho. You cant go EJ wad picked because of his skills but turn around and say its his color when its a negative. Sure you are going to have knuckle dragging fans. If Orton gets benched will you give him the luxury of saying because he was white?

One of the oldest groups in ownership who was around in the 60's were the Rooneys who came up with the Rooney rule.

When you do quantify stuff like this it makes the context clearer.

[gettlemanjack]

Fun fact of the day: The Bills were the first NFL team to start a black QB.

you listen to some here, you'd think EJ Manuel was the 1st black QB in NFL history

[gettlemanjack]

NFL.com:

"Buffalo's defensive line: It's the best group in the league. At least one player steps up to take over a game in any given week, whether it's Mario Williams , Marcel Dareus, Kyle Williams , or even Jerry Hughes . Their performance in Detroit was awe-inspiring. The Lions had 14 drives and only 13 first downs. The Patriots offensive line couldn't have a tougher test this week in Buffalo."

[BuffaloBills62]

NFL.com:

"Buffalo's defensive line: It's the best group in the league. At least one player steps up to take over a game in any given week, whether it's Mario Williams , Marcel Dareus, Kyle Williams , or even Jerry Hughes . Their performance in Detroit was awe-inspiring. The Lions had 14 drives and only 13 first downs. The Patriots offensive line couldn't have a tougher test this week in Buffalo."

strangely our game got flexed to 1pm on Fox.

[gettlemanjack]

NFL.com

"We have long viewed Buffalo as a talented team held back by the slow growth of Manuel. Orton is no savior, but he brings stability and starting experience to a team with a strong backfield and receiving corps. If Orton can put it all together, Buffalo has a chance to make noise in the up-for-grabs AFC East."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000405182/article/kyle-orton-tony-romo-relationship-was-untenable

[gettlemanjack]

PFF on Sammy Watkins vs. the Lions:

"Watkins has enjoyed a mixed start to life in the NFL already recording two games below -3.0 and two above +3.0 . This game fell into the latter category as the fourth overall pick this year showed why he was drafted so high.

Watkins needed to bounce back after a three-drop game against the Texans and he did to the tune of seven receptions (on 12 targets) for 87 yards. The stat line doesn’t record ridiculous catches, though, and Watkins had two of them.

The first was a one-hander on an in-route which Orton put too far out in front of him. Watkins settled the pass with his right hand before managing to corral it with his left with a defender draped all over him. The best, though, was yet to come...

With the game on the line and just 21 seconds on the clock Orton fired a deep pass to Watkins which was overthrown. The ball looked as if it would fall harmlessly incomplete and overtime would ensue, but, out of nowhere, Watkins was able to reach up with his right arm and bat the pass into his path while running at full speed. The ridiculous one handed catch picked up 20 yards and Dan Carpenter had his shot at the game-winning FG (which he made).

PFF Game Ball

For his amazing play in the clutch Sammy Watkins thoroughly deserves this accolade. With positive contributions as a blocker (in the screen and run game) this was a complete performance by Watkins."

[gettlemanjack]

Sammy Watkins on Orton:

“He’s more of a veteran guy. ... the way he looks at plays and breaks down defenses, it’s kind of different than EJ. He reads it quicker, the ball is coming out faster.”

Former NFL quarterback David Carr , in a Bills- based segment on 120 Sports this week , was critical of Sammy Watkins ' quotes lauding Kyle Orton . Carr took the comments as a slight to EJ Manuel , saying : "Sammy, maybe keep your mouth shut next time."

[BuffaloBills62]

Sammy Watkins on Orton:

“He’s more of a veteran guy. ... the way he looks at plays and breaks down defenses, it’s kind of different than EJ. He reads it quicker, the ball is coming out faster.”

Former NFL quarterback David Carr , in a Bills- based segment on 120 Sports this week , was critical of Sammy Watkins ' quotes lauding Kyle Orton . Carr took the comments as a slight to EJ Manuel , saying : "Sammy, maybe keep your mouth shut next time."

 

Those quotes were taken out of context and after prodding from ESPN hack Mike Rodak.  The dude is about the worst to cover any NFL team and it is only complicated by the fact that he came from NE's ESPN desk to cover the Bills.  He hates the Bills.

[gettlemanjack]

NFL.com:

"Buffalo's defensive line: It's the best group in the league. At least one player steps up to take over a game in any given week, whether it's Mario Williams , Marcel Dareus, Kyle Williams , or even Jerry Hughes . Their performance in Detroit was awe-inspiring. The Lions had 14 drives and only 13 first downs. The Patriots offensive line couldn't have a tougher test this week in Buffalo."

PFF on Hughes vs the Lions:

"While Mario Williams had a quiet game on one side, Hughes simply took over on the other. Much of Marcell Dareus’ success was down to the disruption provided by Hughes. Hughes flashed his power, in particular, bull rushing left tackle Riley Reiff on a number of occasions. Overall as a pass rusher he recorded three sacks, a hit and three hurries in 32 rushes. ... Hughes is currently fifth amongst 4-3 defensive ends in pass rush productivity (10.6)."

note: Hughes had 10 sacks last year for the Bills at age 25, despite playing in just over 55 percent of the Bills defensive snaps in 2013. According to PFF, he also had nine quarterback hits and 39 quarterback hurries last season and was ranked number one in the NFL in PFF’s Pass Rush Productivity. He's a former 1st R pick out of TCU where he was a 2-time All-American and won the Hendricks Award as the top DE in college football

[gettlemanjack]

Sports Illustrated: "The Bills defensive line is definitely legit. Running at less than full strength Sunday (Kyle Williams was out), the Bills still kicked the bejesus out of Detroit's front. Marcell Dareus is just 2.5 sacks off his career-high with 11 games left."