Buffalo Bills Postgame Comments

BUFFALO BILLS QUARTERBACK, EJ MANUEL

Q: EJ, Coach (Marrone) used the words out of sync for the offense, just your thoughts on how the unit performed today.
A: I think as a unit we know we left some plays out on the field. Whether it was a miscommunication or me throwing the ball a step to soon, I don’t think we had anything where I was necessarily late. I think we left some plays on the field and when you’re playing a team like the San Diego Chargers who are going to score and do a good job with time of possession that’s going to hurt you. We’ve got to continue to get better with that and when you get a chance to hit a home run you’ve got to hit a home run.

Q: Did the Chargers key on Sammy or was it just not on the same page today?
A: I don’t think it was keying on Sammy, you could tell (San Diego) schemed up some of our crossing routes and things like that. With their added pressure, sometimes you had to get to number two or number three. That’s where I had to get out of the pocket to try to make a play, get out of the pocket and throw the ball downfield. I don’t think they were necessarily keying in on Sammy I think it was more so they just played some more three buzz type coverages, that was about it.

Q: Penalties, 11 for 101.
A: Penalties always hurt an offense or a defense. Anytime you get a positive play like the one that we had, I threw the ball to Woody and he did a great job after he caught the ball getting up field. I think we had a holding penalty or some type of penalty on that. It definitely makes it harder on your offense and I think all those things, we alleviate those issues going into next week we’ll get a much better taste in our mouth after the game next week.

Q: Did you feel like at any point and time being down on the scoreboard that you guys were pressing as an offense at all? When it was 20-3 it’s kind of a tough spot.
A: Our biggest thing, we just want to score every time we go out on the field. We’re always talking about not pressing because when you press it’s hard to function. Teams are too good for you to be out there trying to make things happen. You have to allow them to happen, you have to let the game come to you. I don’t think we pressed, like I said I think we just left some plays out there on the field.

Q: How would you evaluate your accuracy right now?
A: I think my accuracy is fine, I noticed a few throws that I could stick on guys but at the same time we just have to go out there and make plays. That’s the biggest thing, making plays when they’re there and just trying to hit those home runs, you can’t miss those.

Q: On the touchdown drive it looked like you guys finally established some kind of rhythm. Then the next time out did they change anything up from that successful drive you guys had to kind of throw you guys off again?
A: Honestly I can’t remember which drive it was after we scored, I don’t think it was necessarily so much what (San Diego) did, I think they did a great job defensively scheming up but I also think we left some plays out there.

Q: Do you feel like this game just top to bottom, no one could make a play, there were penalties, did it feel like you guys just as a team did not have it today?
A: I think we just didn’t play how we wanted to play. I think that’s the biggest thing, now it’s just moving forward, learning from our mistakes tomorrow as we go through the film and just getting prepared for Houston. They’re a good team too, I think it will be a great opportunity for us to go out and win against another AFC opponent.

Q: There was one with Robert Woods where it seemed like you picked him out and maybe he wasn’t even looking for the ball. Was that an option thing or can you point to what happened?
A: I was throwing the ball just a hair to soon. I think it’s just going back and working on those routes. I may be seeing something that he may not see and vice versa. He may see something that I might not see. I think that’s just a matter of us getting on the same page consistently, that way our passing game will continue to get better.

Q: I know you have high expectations but is there a part of you that does understand it’s going to take time when two younger guys get together?
A: I think we’re growing every day, with every loss there’s always something you learn from. You can’t look at it and all of a sudden start dwelling on it, you’ve got to move on. This is the NFL, other teams are very good too and I think we’re still a good team. It’s all about moving forward to next week and being prepared for those guys.

Q: EJ, after the first week Coach told us you played winning football. Do you think today you played winning football?
A: I think as a team we didn’t do enough to win. As a team we have to do a better job with penalties, we’ve got to do a better job with the decisions I make as a quarterback. I’m the leader of the offense, I think it’s a group effort. Just like the past two weeks when we won it’s a group effort. It’s never just going to be one person. I think we just have to come back hungry, I wouldn’t say it’s a wakeup call but I think it’s definitely something that has to get us back into the groove of winning. I think winning is a habit and winning is a mindset. We will go back into next week ready to go.

BUFFALO BILLS RUNNING BACK FRED JACKSON

Q: It seemed like yards were hard to come by in the first half. What were they doing to shut the creases down?
A: They were doing a lot of line stunts and bringing the safety in the box, which is something we can expect to see. It’s on us to make that adjustment. I give them credit. They made plays, and we didn’t.

Q: Do you feel like the opportunities were there, but you just weren’t able to convert?
A: We didn’t make plays. We made plays in the first two weeks, but we didn’t make any today. That’s probably the difference in the game. We’ve just got to come back. It’s one game, just like Weeks 1 and 2. You don’t overreact – you’ve got a long season to go. You come in, watch film, and keep going to work.

Q: Things get magnified when you have to come from behind. How much of a setback is this in that regard, and how much more precision does this offense need to get over that?
A: I wouldn’t say it’s a setback at all. Like I said, it’s Week 3. You don’t overreact, and you don’t go in and try to revamp everything. You come in and go to work. We lost to a good team this week. They came and they made plays. You’ve got to give them credit. When they came in; they executed a game plan. We didn’t execute as an offense. We had some three-and-outs. We didn’t convert on third down like we needed to. If you just look at it as Week 3; you don’t panic. Just like Weeks 1 and 2, you don’t get to hot. All we do is come in and continue to work. We’ll look at the film and see what we can improve on.

Q: It seemed like it was tough sledding again after the touchdown drive. Did their defense adjust after the touchdown drive?
A: I really wouldn’t say they adjusted. They stuck to their game plan. We didn’t execute, and that’s on us as an offensive unit. We did things to shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties. That’s the type of stuff we have to eliminate. When you come in, we’ll look at film and see there was stuff there that we just didn’t take advantage of. Keep working; that’s what we’ve got to continue to do. It’s a long season. We aren’t in the hole. We’ve just got to continue to come to work.

Q: On the screen for the touchdown; did you just see a whole lot of green space in the middle of the field and that’s why you cut it all the way back?
A: Our offensive line did a great job. I was reading their blocks, and they were kicking guys out. I got behind those, and it was just an opportunity to get into the end zone. They did a tremendous job blocking for me down the field, and I was able to find a little crease and get it in.

Q: Coach Marrone said the team was never in sync. Would you agree with that assessment?
A: Yes. It started from our first drive. We didn’t come out and make plays. We’ve got to watch film and see what we didn’t do right. That’s just it. It’s one of those things. Like I said, we’ve got to continue to work. We’ve got to be able to make plays. We have to be able to make plays throughout the season. That was a good team we lost to. You’ve got to tip your hat to them. We’ll watch the film and move on.

Q: What was the vibe like before the game compared to the last two weeks?
A: It was the exact same. There’s nothing in this locker room that’s going to shake anybody. We’re not going to get too high, and we’re not going to look over teams or anything like that. It was the exact same vibe, and that’s what it’s going to be the next week. We’ve got continue to feed off each other and believe in those guys in the locker room, and we’ll get the job done.

BUFFALO BILLS CORNERBACK COREY GRAHAM

Q: Did that lead to some of the penalties; that you had to step out of position?
A: Yea, some of the penalties. Obviously we have to cut down on penalties but that’s not really what I’m disappointed about. It’s about recognition and knowing what they’re going to do and making plays. We didn’t do a good job of playing what they gave us, they did pretty much the same thing the whole game, and we were giving it to them the whole game.

Q: After starting last week, what was your reaction to not being on the field at the start of the game?
A: I try not to think about it. Obviously we all want to play, you know how that is. It is what it is. When you get your opportunity to play you just have to go out there and play.

Q: Do you think you guys came out a bit flat this week?
A: Yeah. I wouldn’t say flat but we just didn’t make plays. We didn’t make the plays when they came our way. They pretty much ran a lot of pick routes and a lot of crosses and we just sat back and gave it to them. We weren’t aggressive enough and we didn’t make enough plays.

Q: Can you give an example of a particular thing they were doing that you really had trouble with?
A: Pick plays. Pick plays, they put receivers in the slot and they run little rub routes, rub routes with the number two receiver and the number one receiver. They had that big play early on with that and ran a couple of them so that was the big thing. We didn’t adjust well to what they were doing and when you don’t adjust well you lose games.

Q: Were those pick plays a surprise?
A: Yea a little bit. We’ve seen them in the red-zone. They were doing them all over the field and they were doing them early on and it’s something you have to know is coming to adjust to it. We didn’t do a good job.

Q: Did injuries add to the confusion because people were playing different positions?
A: It was tough, it was tough. Obviously when guys go down the next guy has to go up and make plays so I found myself at one point playing safety. You never know what is going to happen. You have to find a way to go out there and get the job done when they call your number and I don’t think injuries, you don’t want guys to get hurt, but whoever’s out has to make plays.

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