Rex Ryan marches to the beat of his own drummer, that’s for sure.
The Buffalo Bills head coach wasn’t sure which quarterback would start Saturday’s exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo.
There’s Matt Cassel, who’s on the downward side of his career but has starting experience.
There’s Tyrod Taylor, who has shown the potential to be a dynamic mobile quarterback, but has completed just 19 of the 35 passes he’s thrown in his four-year career.
So after all of his hand-wringing trying to choose between the two, Ryan went with … EJ Manuel.
Ryan announced Thursday, according to Pro Football Talk, that Manuel will start the most important game of the preseason. The third preseason game is traditionally when the starters play the longest, when teams really gear up for the season.
At a time when the Bills’ preparation for the season should be just about complete, Ryan has added more uncertainty to the team’s quarterback situation.
ORCHARD PARK, NY – AUGUST 14: EJ Manuel #3 of the Buffalo Bills dives on a snapped ball he fumbled during the second half against the Carolina Panthers on August 14, 2015 during a preseason game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Carolina defeats Buffalo 25-24. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** EJ Manuel
Manuel has completed 13 of 22 passes in the preseason for two touchdowns with no interceptions, but he hasn’t played in the first half and faced a starting defense. He’s been the Bills’ No. 3 quarterback in training camp.
Cassel started the preseason opener, a 25-24 loss at home to Carolina. Taylor started the second preseason game, an 11-10 win at Cleveland. Then on Saturday Tyler Dunne of The Buffalo News tweeted that Cassel was working with the first team at practice.
Matt Cassel is with the first team today at #Bills practice.
— Tyler Dunne (@TyDunne) August 22, 2015
This appeared to be a two-horse race until Ryan’s announcement Thursday.
Ryan told PFT that all three quarterbacks will work with the first team offense Saturday. Perhaps he doesn’t want to expose any one quarterback to injury. Perhaps he knows who’s starting Week 1 and he doesn’t want to give the Indianapolis Colts too much film on whoever that starter is.
If Ryan had a Super Bowl ring or two, maybe that would be an innovative approach. But we’re not exactly talking about the quarterback whisperer here. Ryan put Mark Sanchez out there behind the Jets’ third-string offensive line in the fourth quarter of a 2013 preseason game, and Sanchez was knocked out for the season with a separated shoulder.
If Ryan doesn’t learn how to handle quarterbacks, he’ll be a defensive coordinator again in his next job.