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Welcome to Bill’s football Terry Pegula.  Get use to what you witnessed at your first game as the new owner.  That’s what the Buffalo Mafia has been putting up with for over a decade.  Sure hope you saved the receipt.  You may just want to ask for a refund or go ahead and give Jon Bon Jovi a call.

The Buffalo Bills coaching staff made a decision two weeks ago to bench second year quarterback EJ Manuel following another slow start to the season. With back to back loses to Houston and San Diego Manuel was replaced by ten year journeyman Kyle Horton.  This decision was made strictly due to the inability of Manuel to make plays with highly explosive offensive players around him.  The Bills were held to a total 27 points in the two loses.

Manuel was having a mediocre season: 4 games, 838 yards passing, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions along with a 58.6% passing completion.  On the other hand, Horton has complied 607 yards passing, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions with a 66.7% completion percentage in his two starts.  Since the switch the Bills have put up 39 points, which includes a 17 point comeback win on the road in Detroit.  During today’s loss to arch rival New England, Horton was able to throw for 299 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.  But most importantly the game never was truly out of reach, until Tom Brady was able to connect with wide receiver Brandon LaFell late in the fourth quarter.

To the question has Horton replaced Manuel for the rest of the season?  By week 11, the Bills will have mathematically eliminated themselves from the playoffs for another season and Manuel will return as the starter.  The problem in Western New York is, neither of these quarterbacks are the future nor the answer to getting this team over the hump. 

The coaching staff has their hands full this season.  There is more to worry about than who’s going to be at the helm for another losing season.  The real concern seems to be who’s going to get the honor to carry a coach off the field when the team finds the time to win a meaningful game.  e.g.; defensive players carry defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz off the field when they beat an offensively depleted Detroit Lions team last week.  Late in the game versus the Patriots, if you look closely to the replays, you’ll actually see Schwartz and cornerback Leodis McKelvin agreeing that if McKelvin would actually make a play; Schwartz would carry the lackluster player off the field.  But, luckily for cocky Schwartz (Harbuagh should’ve knocked that guy out), McKelvin gave up his routine game changing touchdown to a wide receiver that no one has heard of before.

The Bills are truly a team that is very close to getting over the hump.  Let’s hope they do this soon or they could be the L.A. or Canadian Bills before too long.  It was made clear by the new owner that he does not like to finish second in anything.  Mr. Pegula, the Bills fans that have been waiting for change since 1999, right now, second place would be a start.

Until the Bills begin to win games and become a contender, whether Horton or Manuel is underneath center, it doesn’t really matter.  For Bills loyalists, at least this quarterback “controversy” won’t turn into Johnson vs. Flutie II.  Whoever remains or returns to the starting quarterback position for this team, the only thing that matters, “Just Win Baby.”  (Thanks Mr. Davis)

Welcome to Bill’s football Terry Pegula.  Get use to what you witnessed at your first game as the new owner.  That’s what the Buffalo Mafia has been putting up with for over a decade.  Sure hope you saved the receipt.  You may just want to ask for a refund or go ahead and give Jon Bon Jovi a call.

The Buffalo Bills coaching staff made a decision two weeks ago to bench second year quarterback EJ Manuel following another slow start to the season. With back to back loses to Houston and San Diego Manuel was replaced by ten year journeyman Kyle Horton.  This decision was made strictly due to the inability of Manuel to make plays with highly explosive offensive players around him.  The Bills were held to a total 27 points in the two loses.

Manuel was having a mediocre season: 4 games, 838 yards passing, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions along with a 58.6% passing completion.  On the other hand, Horton has complied 607 yards passing, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions with a 66.7% completion percentage in his two starts.  Since the switch the Bills have put up 39 points, which includes a 17 point comeback win on the road in Detroit.  During today’s loss to arch rival New England, Horton was able to throw for 299 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.  But most importantly the game never was truly out of reach, until Tom Brady was able to connect with wide receiver Brandon LaFell late in the fourth quarter.

To the question has Horton replaced Manuel for the rest of the season?  By week 11, the Bills will have mathematically eliminated themselves from the playoffs for another season and Manuel will return as the starter.  The problem in Western New York is, neither of these quarterbacks are the future nor the answer to getting this team over the hump. 

The coaching staff has their hands full this season.  There is more to worry about than who’s going to be at the helm for another losing season.  The real concern seems to be who’s going to get the honor to carry a coach off the field when the team finds the time to win a meaningful game.  e.g.; defensive players carry defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz off the field when they beat an offensively depleted Detroit Lions team last week.  Late in the game versus the Patriots, if you look closely to the replays, you’ll actually see Schwartz and cornerback Leodis McKelvin agreeing that if McKelvin would actually make a play; Schwartz would carry the lackluster player off the field.  But, luckily for cocky Schwartz (Harbuagh should’ve knocked that guy out), McKelvin gave up his routine game changing touchdown to a wide receiver that no one has heard of before.

The Bills are truly a team that is very close to getting over the hump.  Let’s hope they do this soon or they could be the L.A. or Canadian Bills before too long.  It was made clear by the new owner that he does not like to finish second in anything.  Mr. Pegula, the Bills fans that have been waiting for change since 1999, right now, second place would be a start.

Until the Bills begin to win games and become a contender, whether Horton or Manuel is underneath center, it doesn’t really matter.  For Bills loyalists, at least this quarterback “controversy” won’t turn into Johnson vs. Flutie II.  Whoever remains or returns to the starting quarterback position for this team, the only thing that matters, “Just Win Baby.”  (Thanks Mr. Davis)

Youth. Mistakes. Bad reads. Slow release. Bad decisions. Backup.

These are the words I can only assume the Buffalo Bills had in mind when evaluating E.J Manuel at this point of his career. Drafted 16th overall prior to the 2013 season, the Bills obviously felt he was given every opportunity to make it work. Yet it was still a surprise that they chose to sit their young quarterback in favour of career-backup Kyle Orton. Many felt E.J would continue to be given more of an opportunity to lock down the job. Which can only mean one thing - the Bills feel that this division is for the taking. You know what? The Bills are right.

The starting line up the Bills put onto the field is extremely formidable. Especially that defense. That defensive line may very well be the best in the league. Yet the one position that has let this team down happens to be the most important. Does that change with Orton under center?

Sammy Watkins recently came out and stated that Orton got the ball out quicker, which gives his weapons a chance to make plays. If this is the case, we can expect the Bills to complete more passes, move the chains, and put up more points. If they can do that, this defense is certainly good enough to put teams away.

The most important attribute Orton brings to the fold is his experience. He may not have been a stellar player throughout his career, but he's seen plenty. That experience means he doesn't need to force things like his predecessor was accustomed to doing. All the Bills need from Orton is patient, clean football. The question is - can Orton deliver that?

History tells us he can. The last time Orton played more then five games in a season he threw 20 touchdowns to only 9 picks in 13 games. The season before he threw 21 touchdowns to 12 picks in 16 games. His completion rate across both seasons was over 60%. His QBR over that time was 51,4. Manuel's QBR up to this point this season sits at 19.8.

Judging Orton over his time as a backup at Dallas would be unfair. He came in at tough spots, generally when Dallas was either out of the game or had it wrapped up. His opportunity with the Bills is that of a starter, and now has the chance to make this his team. He has possibly the best rookie wide receiver in the league in Sammy Watkins, a dynamic C.J Spiller, and a defense that can give him plenty of short fields to work with. With the Patriots rapidly declining, and the Dolphins and Jets not exactly looking like world beaters, the Bills have a chance to claim a division that has been Patriot dominated for the last decade. So the question is, can Kyle Orton be the one to lead them there? I say a resounding yes. 

What do you say?

Youth. Mistakes. Bad reads. Slow release. Bad decisions. Backup.

These are the words I can only assume the Buffalo Bills had in mind when evaluating E.J Manuel at this point of his career. Drafted 16th overall prior to the 2013 season, the Bills obviously felt he was given every opportunity to make it work. Yet it was still a surprise that they chose to sit their young quarterback in favour of career-backup Kyle Orton. Many felt E.J would continue to be given more of an opportunity to lock down the job. Which can only mean one thing - the Bills feel that this division is for the taking. You know what? The Bills are right.

The starting line up the Bills put onto the field is extremely formidable. Especially that defense. That defensive line may very well be the best in the league. Yet the one position that has let this team down happens to be the most important. Does that change with Orton under center?

Sammy Watkins recently came out and stated that Orton got the ball out quicker, which gives his weapons a chance to make plays. If this is the case, we can expect the Bills to complete more passes, move the chains, and put up more points. If they can do that, this defense is certainly good enough to put teams away.

The most important attribute Orton brings to the fold is his experience. He may not have been a stellar player throughout his career, but he's seen plenty. That experience means he doesn't need to force things like his predecessor was accustomed to doing. All the Bills need from Orton is patient, clean football. The question is - can Orton deliver that?

History tells us he can. The last time Orton played more then five games in a season he threw 20 touchdowns to only 9 picks in 13 games. The season before he threw 21 touchdowns to 12 picks in 16 games. His completion rate across both seasons was over 60%. His QBR over that time was 51,4. Manuel's QBR up to this point this season sits at 19.8.

Judging Orton over his time as a backup at Dallas would be unfair. He came in at tough spots, generally when Dallas was either out of the game or had it wrapped up. His opportunity with the Bills is that of a starter, and now has the chance to make this his team. He has possibly the best rookie wide receiver in the league in Sammy Watkins, a dynamic C.J Spiller, and a defense that can give him plenty of short fields to work with. With the Patriots rapidly declining, and the Dolphins and Jets not exactly looking like world beaters, the Bills have a chance to claim a division that has been Patriot dominated for the last decade. So the question is, can Kyle Orton be the one to lead them there? I say a resounding yes. 

What do you say?