Rex Ryan finally made a solid quarterback decision.
The Buffalo Bills will head into Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts with Tyrod Taylor under center, the team announced Monday.
Taylor was the most impressive of the three Bills in the quarterback competition, besting EJ Manuel and Matt Cassel.
Taylor, 26, provided the most consistent play throughout the preseason, completing 24 of 31 passes (77.4 percent). While he had zero touchdown passes, the fifth-year signal-caller moved the Bills' offense with a combination of strong NFL throws and dynamic playmaking with his feet outside of the pocket (11 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown run).
After spending the first four years of his career as a backup to Joe Flacco in Baltimore, Taylor finally got a chance to compete for a starting gig. The dual threat made the most of it. Ryan has an infatuation with mobile quarterbacks, which likely gave Taylor a leg up on the other two statuesque signal-callers in the three-headed competition.
After a lights-out performance from Manuel in the third preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers (7 of 8 for 170 yards, two scores) there was some speculation that the Bills might be inclined to give their former first-round pick another shot at the starting job.
Cassel seemed effectively out of the running after a meager preseason showing.
With Taylor starting for the Bills in Week 1, expect that either Cassel or Manuel will not be on Buffalo's roster by then, per Rapoport.
However, it didn't take long for the news to leak out.
The quarterback position was roundly considered the only thing standing between the Bills and finally breaking their playoff drought, which stretches back to last millennium.
Ryan could have gone with a perceived safe choice, but instead went with an intriguing boom-or-bust candidate in Taylor. By all appearances it was the correct choice by Ryan -- not something we often say when it comes to Rex and QB decisions.
Now Taylor must take those reins and drive the Bills into the postseason.
