BUFFALO BILLS QUARTERBACK E.J. MANUEL
Q: Tell us about third quarter, starting off and taking them down the field?
A: I think we just had a good drive. First and foremost the whole line did a great and fantastic job. I didn't have any pressure pretty much the whole time I was out there. Obviously the receivers did a great job getting open so we were able to move the ball right down the field.
Q: You have been pretty productive on some of those roll-out plays the last two games here; it seems that you feel really comfortable on the move hitting your target.
A: That's a good observation I think, I haven't really thought about it that way but you know like I said whatever I can do to get the ball to an open receiver that's what I try to do.
Q: Talk about how excited you were to play in front of the home fans, what was it like to score a touchdown here and chant your name?
A: It was awesome. Being here in the home crowd, there has obviously been a great showing at practices and things like that the past couple of weeks, but to be here and get a chance to play in the Ralph has been awesome.
Q: Was the touchdown pass on the back-side of your progression? Can you just walk me through that because he was not your first read.
A: No, he was probably the fourth read, but you know it's just one, two, three, four, and he ended up being open.
Q: Were you surprised he was that open, do you think you just totally pulled the safety?
A: No, that's what we are coached to do. We just go through our progressions and he just happened to be wide open.
Q: Was it because you stepped up in the pocket and froze the linebacker?
A: Possibly, maybe a safety tried to come down on someone else, and Brad just happened to be wide open.
Q: How satisfied are you with this performance?
A: Well, I just want to continue to show Coach Hackett that I can learn and continue to show what I can do out on the field to my teammates and continue to earn their respect. I am satisfied and happy we won the game and I thought we played well tonight.
Q: How much more effective is this offense when there aren't so many incompletions?
A: Yeah, well anytime as an offense you want to get into a rhythm, and that's the biggest thing, once you get into a rhythm things start flowing
Q: We are now in the last half of August, do you feel to this point and going back to April, is there anything else you feel you could have done, or have done everything you can do to try and get that starting job?
A: I haven't really thought about it. I just continue to get better every day.
Q: So it is an open competition though, what do you think tonight did for you?
A: You know I was glad we won the game overall and I thought personally I did well when I had the chance to go out there and play.
Q: At any point in the last couple of games feeling like you left any plays on the field and when you look back or watch film, I know it's a little early tonight but when you look back do you have any plays you wish you had back?
A: I can't think specifically which plays, but I know in the first game and even tonight I had a couple plays where I made errors and things like that. Obviously nobody's perfect, I am still going out there and I am learning things like that on the fly. But yeah there is obviously a couple plays you want back but if you get a win at the end of the day that's still good.
Q: You hit Hogan on back to back plays there on the touchdown drive, was he was the primary receiver?
A: Yeah he was just the primary guy, got open and I threw him the ball.
Q: E.J. you look comfortable out there, can you just elaborate on that?
A: Coach Hackett just continues to preach to slow down and relax, when I get out there and just have fun. That's the biggest thing, with a sport that we love to play and I love it so that's the biggest thing he told me just relax and go out there and have fun.
Q: Are you consciously trying not to make the killing mistakes that young Quarterbacks often make?
A: Not necessarily consciously trying to not make mistakes. I feel like if you go out there thinking not to make mistakes then you will end up making them. For me, I try to get better every day. I look at these preseasons games as another opportunity to show what I can do and show myself what I can do and continue to learn and grow in this offense.
Q: What was it like starting the second half, and have you ever had to do that before in your career?
A: Well these are my first actual pre-season games, so I kind of understand how they work, as far as you may get a half, you know I got the first game and then Jeff played the second half. I understood what it was going be but I just wanted to stay loose and keep my legs ready to go, and when I had an opportunity to go out there and play, to go out there and makes some plays.
Q: In terms of things like warm-ups and routine, Quarterbacks are such creatures of routine to actually have to wait.
A: Yeah, well I still warmed up like I was going to start. You know you don't want to change anything, make anything different or act lazy before a game just because you're not starting or anything like that. I know I'd have a chance to go out and play and I wanted to look good.
