EJ Manuel is nothing but cool and calm on the field. The Buffalo Bills starting quarterback led the team to a last minute win on Sunday, throwing a game-winning touchdown to Stevie Johnson with 96 seconds remaining. His poise made him look like a veteran on the field. However, while his teammates are praising his calmness under pressure, head coach Doug Marrone is upset by it.
Manuel finished the day 27-of-39 for 296 yards. He now has two straight games of recording a passer rating of 89 or better. While his performance was impressive, Manuel was far from perfect. He lost a fumble after getting sacked deep in the team's own territory. He then gave up an interception while throwing a pass intended for T.J. Graham. Manuel walked off the field looked unfazed by the error, upsetting Marrone.
"He keeps telling me, and it gets me upset, he keeps telling me 'I'm all right,' " Marrone said, via BuffaloNews.com. "If he's all right, then why is he making these decisions? But that's the type of kid he is. He's very relaxed, so I'm like, 'What did you see? Why'd you do that? That's not the read.' "
It is clear the rookie has a long ways to go, but the crucial plays made with the clock ticking down prove Buffalo has something special on their hands. In the final drive of the game, Manuel rushed past the defense for nine yards, setting up the scoring pass. Before that, Manuel slipped away from a potential sack, dumping the ball off to CJ Spiller for a four-yard gain.
"I can't even tell you how I felt," Manuel said. "Honestly, I don't know. I think I started crying there. I'm not usually an emotional guy, but like I said, I want to enjoy those type of things. I'll be able to tell my grandkids about that 20-30 years from now. It's definitely a momentous part of my young career."
Praise for the rookie is pouring in from teammates. Receiver Robert Woods said his trust in Manuel continues to pay off as the quarterback always has things under control. Defensive tackle Kyle Williams is just thrilled with the rookie's ability to continue moving the chains down the field.
"He made the plays to keep the chains moving, keep the team moving, keep us alive," defensive tackle Williams said. "That's what he brings. He can do both things, and it's tough to defend."
