The Buffalo Bills over the last few seasons have been anything but a great organization. Obviously with a 6-10 record in 2012 and a preceding 6-10 record in 2011. Buffalo fans need to go back to 1999 for the last time they won 10 + games.

They have had their share of QB problems over the last 13 seasons, with J.P. Losman, Drew Bledsoe being brought in, and Trent Edwards being drafted, with some hope in 2007. The Bills don’t have a customarily account of classic great QBs, most markedly is Jim Kelly, who retired in 1996, as being the last, and possibly only one, that merits mentioning.

EJ Manual is now perhaps the first hopeful young QB in a Bills uniform in years, for them, they picked up the 6-4 QB from Florida State with the 16th pick in 2012, being the 1st QB being selected off the board, over higher heralded Geno Smith. Catching a good number of Buffalo fans, as well as numerous football fans off guard with his elevated pick, when he was anticipated to be a 2nd or 3rd rounder in some cases. Going into the draft Geno Smith was the name most were speculating about, and grabbing Manual was looked at as being a reach in the 1st round, but the Bills saw something else, possibilities. When he played at FSU, he has some vast skills, and I felt he had an opportunity to be something special and could make it in the NFL as a starting QB. He wasn’t flashy or mind boggling, but some of his games in college were really nice games, 326 and 3 TDs vs Va. Tech and 380 and 2 scores vs Clemson just to name a few.

Coming into 2013, the Bills had Kevin Kolb also in camp to scrap for the QB slot, and it was an open competition, which Manual won with no trouble. Even though some thought maybe Kolb was going to be a shoe-in as the starter. There are many positives for Manual, including his athleticism, which he shows off on a regular basis with his large frame and powerful 240 lb figure. The Bills have a lot to be energized about in New York. EJ can get big plays when needed, as was proven lately; he can make plays happen, with a big arm and an accurate ball. After 2 games in the season, he’s hitting 68.2% of his passes, for a firm 218.5 YPG. Better than 8 other starters in the game at the moment, for a rookie, not too bad.

The kid plays with composure in the pocket and more importantly, his team believes in him 100 %. He reads the defense that’s given, and doesn’t bail the minute things are getting hairy, going through his progressions, and staying calm under pressure. The mental game being such an enormous part of being an NFL QB, ask Mark Sanchez. He stays strong, and being capable to shake off a mistake are things that you want a QB to have. If you sit and harbor the bad plays over and over, it could break a team down.

Going deep he has accuracy as well, with passes thrown 21-30 yds, he executes well, along with 2 TDs. Having some WRs like Steve Johnson to throw the ball to, which is seemingly his favorite target so far with 16 targets and 11 receptions, helps a young QB. The Bills just need to keep high-quality pass protection, which factors into the development of a QB.

It’s early, very early, to fall in love with the next young QB who is playing well, let’s keep in mind, when Ryan Fitzpatrick was at last the solution the Bills were searching for at QB, and his shining 2010 season, and then he fell apart in 2011 and went to the wayside.

Written by TonyK of VegasTopDogs.com