Buffalo Bills Can Be Competent with Kyle Orton at the Helm

In the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, facing an eight-point deficit, Buffalo Bills quarterback Kyle Orton stepped into his throw, sailed his pass deep down the right sideline and hit young wide receiver Marquise Goodwin in stride, right over his shoulder and in between two Detroit Lions defenders.

It was the prettiest deep throw delivered by any Bills quarterback this year, and it came from a man who was named the starter only a week before the game. It was also thrown by a man who had started only one game in the two previous seasons combined, and that start was a result of a major injury to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

This time, Orton's presence on the field wasn't seen as a last resort; it was seen as a better alternative. 

Yes, Orton threw an early pick-six that looked shockingly similar to the one thrown by second-year quarterback EJ Manuel last week against the Houston Texans. Yes, he failed to score on eight of 10 drives in the first three quarters. Yes, he got a lot of help from a Lions offense that punted three times in the fourth quarter, missed a field goal, fumbled and generally seemed just as unwilling to take control of the game as the Bills were.

But it's not how you start, it's how you finish. And if Orton continues to play at the level he finished on Sunday in the Bills' 17-14 win over the Lions, Buffalo could realize at least some of its potential. 

There are plenty of reasons to go with the veteran Orton over the young Manuel: Manuel leads his receivers into trouble, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports; his head coach at Florida State, Jimbo Fisher, was open and honest about his feelings on Manuel as a player entering the draft, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

The coaches and front office deserve praise for making a decision that too many franchises are scared to make: admitting a mistake with a high draft pick at the quarterback position.

The Bills have plenty of talent to be a good team if they get better QB play.

Look across their roster at other positions: The Bills are loaded at wide receiver with Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Mike Williams and plenty of depth; their two-headed backfield of Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller poses a balance of dynamic playmaking ability and steady production; their defense is aggressive against both the pass and the run.

The Bills (3-2) are tied with the New England Patriots (3-2) atop the AFC East. With games against the Patriots, Minnesota Vikings (2-3) and New York Jets (1-3) before their bye week, the Bills are in position to be contending for the AFC East title at the midway point in the season.

Who knew?

"We're all in to win," head coach Doug Marrone said on Wednesday of his decision to bench Manuel a quarter of the way through his second season. "I think that's what it comes down to at the end of the day, and we've got to do the best things for us to win." 

The Bills have the talent at nearly every other position, with a few exceptions. Their offensive line could stand to improve, and their secondary lacks high-impact players. 

But the biggest hole on their roster was quarterback, and if Orton can continue to manage the game and take advantage of the talent around him, he'll be doing better than Manuel. After Sunday, he already is.

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained via team news release and all stats obtained via NFL.com.