Manuel's debut, which remained in doubt until the moment it was announced, 19 days after the 16th pick in last spring's NFL draft underwent surgery on his knee, marks the first time the franchise has placed its short- and long-term futures firmly in the hands of a first-year quarterback.
Ferguson started all 14 games for Buffalo in 1973, the year O.J. Simpson ran for 2,000 yards, the achievement which landed him endorsements and acting roles. But he was backed up by Dennis Shaw, who held the job the previous three seasons and came in off the bench four times through the year. In the opener, during which Simpson set a new single-game rushing record with 250 yards against New England, Shaw played most of the game and threw nine passes to Ferguson's two.
Due to the potentially career-ending concussion absorbed by Kevin Kolb and Matt Leinart's disastrously brief stint on Buffalo's roster, there is no veteran presence to turn if things go badly for the rookie. Just Jeff Tuel, a rookie the Bills signed as a free agent after they and every other team passed on him an average of seven times in the draft.
Nor will Manuel be charged with simply turning and handing off again and again, as was Ferguson, who averaged fewer than 12 throws a game as a rookie.
It's a wildly different sport now. The '73 Bills ran the ball on more than 71 percent of their offensive plays (615 runs to 244 pass calls). In 2012, Seattle ran more often than any other team -- 54.2 percent of the time, making the Seahawks one of only three teams that ran more often than they passed.
One other probable difference -- the Bills beat the Patriots in Ferguson's first start, 31-13. This rookie and these Bills aren't going to have it nearly as easy.
No comments:
Post a Comment