The New York Jets play their second consecutive NFL road game against the Buffalo Bills October 3rd. The Buffalo Bills gave
the New England Patriots and Tom Brady all they could handle in their game last weekend and this game could be similar if CJ Spiller can get involved as he was against New England.
The New York Jets are excited about the eminent appearance of Santonio Holmes in the fifth week of the NFL season. Mark Sanchez has performed well in his last two games for the New York Jets but is this an aberration or is this the real Mark Sanchez? If Sanchez is playing at the level of his last two games it will be an easy path for the New York Jets to make the NFL Playoffs.
Passing Attack for New York Jets a Step Above Buffalo Bills Heading into This AFC East Game
Mark Sanchez lived up to his nickname the Sanchise in his last two games for the New York Jets but now he returns to the scene of the crime from last season. Sanchez last trip to Orchard Park was not one he will soon forget. Sanchez was destroyed in one of his worst performances of last season. Sanchez fumbled once and only threw for 104 yards.
Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Buffalo Bills started against Sanchez the last time the two teams met and he only threw for 98 yards. The burning question will be answered this Sunday. Will either quarterback break 100 yards in this AFC East battle royal? Fitzpatrick will be undertaking his second start of the short NFL season and he played with confidence in first start against the New England Patriots. The passing attack edge goes to the New York Jets but just barely.
Ground Game For New York Jets Struggles While Buffalo Bills See Light at End of Tunnel
Shonn Greene, the New York Jets running back has struggled to get on track this season but his back up has done well in the first three games. LaDanian Tomlinson has looked like a young version of himself early in the season. Tomlinson has broken off some exciting runs and has actually shown speed to the outside. Tomlinson still looks ineffective running inside the hash marks. Jets crush the Bills. Jets 34 - Bills 13
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Pornstar Devon James says she is Selling Tiger Woods Sex Tape
Devon James the Florida porn star who claimed Tiger Woods was the father of her nine-year-old son — said she has an “explosive” sex tape of her and Woods that she plans to sell to an adult entertainment company in Los Angeles, RadarOnline reported Wednesday.
"The tape is 62 minutes long and 37 minutes of it is us having sex," James told the celebrity gossip website before she boarded a plane Wednesday in her hometown of Tampa Bay to travel to Los Angeles.
James said the tape was made in 2008 and estimated it could sell for up to $350,000.
“It’s going to be the bomb,” she said of the footage.
"Legally we can't comment at this time," a representative for the porn company, Vivid Entertainment, told NewsCore about the alleged tape.
Vivid Entertainment is the same adult film studio that released Kim Kardashian’s sex tape, the tape of Playboy model and reality TV star Kendra Wilkinson having sex with her high school boyfriend, as well as the sex film of actor Laurence Fishburne’s daughter Montana.
In June, James alleged the now-divorced golfer was the father of her nine-year-old son and filed a claim for him to submit a DNA test. She said she met Woods while attending a Christian school program at age 19.
Alleged mistresses
Here are some of the women with whom Tiger was allegedly intimate.
But in August, the paternity case against Woods by the 29-year-old alleged mistress was thrown out by a Florida judge — as James failed to appear in court and because the adult film star does not even have custody of the child in question. The child is currently in the custody of James' mother.
Her mother, Sandra Brinling, has described her daughter as a "pathological liar."
"[My daughter is] only out to lie, steal and cheat," Brinling told Radar in June. "All she is looking for is to get money from [Woods]."
"The tape is 62 minutes long and 37 minutes of it is us having sex," James told the celebrity gossip website before she boarded a plane Wednesday in her hometown of Tampa Bay to travel to Los Angeles.
James said the tape was made in 2008 and estimated it could sell for up to $350,000.
“It’s going to be the bomb,” she said of the footage.
"Legally we can't comment at this time," a representative for the porn company, Vivid Entertainment, told NewsCore about the alleged tape.
Vivid Entertainment is the same adult film studio that released Kim Kardashian’s sex tape, the tape of Playboy model and reality TV star Kendra Wilkinson having sex with her high school boyfriend, as well as the sex film of actor Laurence Fishburne’s daughter Montana.
In June, James alleged the now-divorced golfer was the father of her nine-year-old son and filed a claim for him to submit a DNA test. She said she met Woods while attending a Christian school program at age 19.
Alleged mistresses
Here are some of the women with whom Tiger was allegedly intimate.
But in August, the paternity case against Woods by the 29-year-old alleged mistress was thrown out by a Florida judge — as James failed to appear in court and because the adult film star does not even have custody of the child in question. The child is currently in the custody of James' mother.
Her mother, Sandra Brinling, has described her daughter as a "pathological liar."
"[My daughter is] only out to lie, steal and cheat," Brinling told Radar in June. "All she is looking for is to get money from [Woods]."
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Are Buffalo Bills: In Complete Disarray or Freefall
Players are cut in the NFL. There's nothing unusual about non-impact players being let go. Cutting your number one quarterback after three games is a little more surprising.
The Buffalo Bills are 0-3 this season and occupy the AFC East cellar. After two poor quality starts by quarterback Trent Edwards, he was benched in favor of five-year veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who had a solid game against the New England Patriots. Even with the loss, Fitzpatrick took the starting job away from Edwards, rolling up more yardage and points in one game than Edwards was able to amass in his two starts combined.
Edwards was only benched for the one game though. The Bills placed him on waivers this week and will apparently go with Fitzpatrick the rest of the season, with Brian Brohm moving up to the number two quarterback slot. It apparently took the Buffalo Bills two regular season games to realize what they were unable to see all of training camp.
Edwards was quickly signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars to back up a struggling David Garrard. Chances are he will start again this season, given that Garrard's performance, thus far, has been even more disappointing than Edwards'. In all fairness to Edwards though, he may not be one of the top quarterbacks in the league, but at the same time, put Tom Brady on the Bills and see if he makes it to the Pro Bowl.
With Trent Edwards gone, the Bills used their open roster spot to sign rookie quarterback Levi Brown to the practice squad. Brown was cut by the Bills before the season began. Unless there was some kind of salary issue, the move doesn't make much sense. At 0-3, there are many things that aren't making sense for the Bills. Even as they signed Brown, they still have to make room for tight end Shawn Nelson, who will return next week after a four-game suspension. That means somebody else will be unemployed in Buffalo next week.
The Bills face the New York Jets on Sunday. The Jets have knocked off both the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots in the AFC East. Both of those teams have already beaten the Bills, and the Jets should beat them as well. There are hype rumors that the Jets are walking into a "trap game," and that the Bills are much better than they appear. The Bills may well be better than they appear, but they aren't better
The Buffalo Bills are 0-3 this season and occupy the AFC East cellar. After two poor quality starts by quarterback Trent Edwards, he was benched in favor of five-year veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who had a solid game against the New England Patriots. Even with the loss, Fitzpatrick took the starting job away from Edwards, rolling up more yardage and points in one game than Edwards was able to amass in his two starts combined.
Edwards was only benched for the one game though. The Bills placed him on waivers this week and will apparently go with Fitzpatrick the rest of the season, with Brian Brohm moving up to the number two quarterback slot. It apparently took the Buffalo Bills two regular season games to realize what they were unable to see all of training camp.
Edwards was quickly signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars to back up a struggling David Garrard. Chances are he will start again this season, given that Garrard's performance, thus far, has been even more disappointing than Edwards'. In all fairness to Edwards though, he may not be one of the top quarterbacks in the league, but at the same time, put Tom Brady on the Bills and see if he makes it to the Pro Bowl.
With Trent Edwards gone, the Bills used their open roster spot to sign rookie quarterback Levi Brown to the practice squad. Brown was cut by the Bills before the season began. Unless there was some kind of salary issue, the move doesn't make much sense. At 0-3, there are many things that aren't making sense for the Bills. Even as they signed Brown, they still have to make room for tight end Shawn Nelson, who will return next week after a four-game suspension. That means somebody else will be unemployed in Buffalo next week.
The Bills face the New York Jets on Sunday. The Jets have knocked off both the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots in the AFC East. Both of those teams have already beaten the Bills, and the Jets should beat them as well. There are hype rumors that the Jets are walking into a "trap game," and that the Bills are much better than they appear. The Bills may well be better than they appear, but they aren't better
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Buffalo Bills Review: Was Releasing Trent Edwards the Right Call?
Leo Roth & Sal Maiorana - Leo: It was, only it came eight months late. Taking this long to realize that the gunslingin' Ryan Fitzpatrick — think Jim Kelly without the arm — gives the Bills a better shot at winning than the gun-shy Edwards doesn't speak well of GM Buddy Nix and coach Chan Gailey as talent evaluators.
Sal: I'll go one further. Thinking that the Bills had a better shot winning with either Edwards or Fitzpatrick was a double-barreled mistake by this new regime. Yes, Fitzpatrick played decently Sunday in New England, but he's still a backup. That's all he'll ever be.
Leo: Clearly, the Bills are a more productive and more entertaining offensive team with Fitzpatrick under center and having Edwards shuffling around One Bills Drive was a major downer, just as it was the last seven games of 2009 when Edwards was benched.
Sal: I'm not clear about anything with this Buffalo offense, except for one thing: It needs a first-string, winning quarterback. Fitz is not that guy. He's a good backup, but they're not winning consistently with him. I'm just glad Gailey didn't wait until the Bills were 0-8 to make the move.
Leo: I'm just wondering about releasing him at this juncture. Teams still need a backup quarterback and Buffalo is left with Brian Brohm.
Sal: Yeah, but Brohm is the guy we were intrigued with all along. We knew what the Bills had with Edwards and Fitzpatrick. I just wish Gailey had played Brohm more in the preseason because maybe we'd know if he has a chance to be any good. Right now, it's a mystery.
Leo: All things considered, cutting Trent is a good move. He's a good guy and deserves to get on with his life. He can always say he played in the NFL and he can never say he didn't get a fair shot. He got many. Not a lot of players can say that.
Sal: So I guess you're saying he's not hooking on with anyone else and that football is over for him? I'll bet some team signs him. He can't play, but he's not done yet.
Leo: Add it up and the Dysfunctional Bills are right on course for the No. 1 pick. So what happened to Edwards' once-rising star, anyways?
Sal: The popular belief is that he was never the same after that hit by Arizona's Adrian Wilson five games into the 2008 season. Maybe, but my guess is that he just was never that good. If you remember, I wasn't impressed in his rookie '07 season when everyone was so excited after he supplanted J.P. Losman. Fans were just glad that he wasn't Losman.
Leo: I do remember, but I thought he had something. So I do think Trent was never the same after that hit. The game seemed to suddenly become too fast for him. But that doesn't explain why he played really well in beating San Diego, a playoff team, the very next week, and why he posted 100-plus QB ratings four other times. You have to admit he never had the best coaching, either. What would the late Bill Walsh, his biggest cheerleader, have done with this guy?
Sal: Trent went through three offensive coordinators during Dick Jauron's forgettable regime, and that certainly didn't help his progress.
Leo: The thing is, Edwards was all excited about having to answer to only one voice this season, that being Gailey's, and he still flopped despite a promising preseason. It's true Edwards was the victim of bad coaching. But so was Losman, who threw for 3,000 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2006 before being ruined by Jauron's gang. The true greats rise above crappy coaching and make a play. Trent never made much happen out there.
Sal: I have nothing to add on that. You are dead on with that assessment.
Leo: It's admirable that Nix and Gailey admitted their mistake instead of stubbornly sticking with Edwards all season. But I'm really reluctant to hand out praise here. Their rebuilding job has been set back by this decision.
Sal: Now on that point, I will disagree. What got set back here? They just rid themselves of a lousy quarterback. I have a couple other ideas. Keep the brooms out and get rid of Cornell Green, who can't block anyone. And oh, don't get me started on Aaron Maybin.
Leo: What about Marshawn Lynch? Isn't he on your hit list?
Sal: Well, sure, why not? He's a free agent at the end of the year. C.J. Spiller is their future, and Fred Jackson is signed for another two years to be the backup. Lynch has run well. Trade him now while he may have value.
Leo: So now Fitzpatrick is the guy. He's more fun to watch, that's for sure. But as we saw Sunday against New England, he's prone to big mistakes, which will limit just how many games the offense can win on its own.
Sal: And after watching Buffalo's pitiful defensive showing against a good offensive team for a second straight week, I don't see the Bills winning many shootouts.
Leo: I think after three games, we've got a pretty good handle on this Buffalo team. Offensively, they can average about 17 to 21 points if Fitzpatrick plays well and defensively they'll allow about 30 a game, with the occasional inspired performance tossed in.
Sal: Yup, right on track for the No. 1 pick.
Leo: In conclusion, I'm as encouraged about the offense under Fitzpatrick as I am depressed by the news that the Bills want to give Chris Kelsay a $24 million contract extension. For what, giving good quotes after another loss? Edwards? Green? Kelsay? Maybin? This franchise just can't be taken seriously at times.
Sal: Yup, which is why they are right on track for the No. 1 pick. Thanks for the (lack of) memories, Trent.
Sal: I'll go one further. Thinking that the Bills had a better shot winning with either Edwards or Fitzpatrick was a double-barreled mistake by this new regime. Yes, Fitzpatrick played decently Sunday in New England, but he's still a backup. That's all he'll ever be.
Leo: Clearly, the Bills are a more productive and more entertaining offensive team with Fitzpatrick under center and having Edwards shuffling around One Bills Drive was a major downer, just as it was the last seven games of 2009 when Edwards was benched.
Sal: I'm not clear about anything with this Buffalo offense, except for one thing: It needs a first-string, winning quarterback. Fitz is not that guy. He's a good backup, but they're not winning consistently with him. I'm just glad Gailey didn't wait until the Bills were 0-8 to make the move.
Leo: I'm just wondering about releasing him at this juncture. Teams still need a backup quarterback and Buffalo is left with Brian Brohm.
Sal: Yeah, but Brohm is the guy we were intrigued with all along. We knew what the Bills had with Edwards and Fitzpatrick. I just wish Gailey had played Brohm more in the preseason because maybe we'd know if he has a chance to be any good. Right now, it's a mystery.
Leo: All things considered, cutting Trent is a good move. He's a good guy and deserves to get on with his life. He can always say he played in the NFL and he can never say he didn't get a fair shot. He got many. Not a lot of players can say that.
Sal: So I guess you're saying he's not hooking on with anyone else and that football is over for him? I'll bet some team signs him. He can't play, but he's not done yet.
Leo: Add it up and the Dysfunctional Bills are right on course for the No. 1 pick. So what happened to Edwards' once-rising star, anyways?
Sal: The popular belief is that he was never the same after that hit by Arizona's Adrian Wilson five games into the 2008 season. Maybe, but my guess is that he just was never that good. If you remember, I wasn't impressed in his rookie '07 season when everyone was so excited after he supplanted J.P. Losman. Fans were just glad that he wasn't Losman.
Leo: I do remember, but I thought he had something. So I do think Trent was never the same after that hit. The game seemed to suddenly become too fast for him. But that doesn't explain why he played really well in beating San Diego, a playoff team, the very next week, and why he posted 100-plus QB ratings four other times. You have to admit he never had the best coaching, either. What would the late Bill Walsh, his biggest cheerleader, have done with this guy?
Sal: Trent went through three offensive coordinators during Dick Jauron's forgettable regime, and that certainly didn't help his progress.
Leo: The thing is, Edwards was all excited about having to answer to only one voice this season, that being Gailey's, and he still flopped despite a promising preseason. It's true Edwards was the victim of bad coaching. But so was Losman, who threw for 3,000 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2006 before being ruined by Jauron's gang. The true greats rise above crappy coaching and make a play. Trent never made much happen out there.
Sal: I have nothing to add on that. You are dead on with that assessment.
Leo: It's admirable that Nix and Gailey admitted their mistake instead of stubbornly sticking with Edwards all season. But I'm really reluctant to hand out praise here. Their rebuilding job has been set back by this decision.
Sal: Now on that point, I will disagree. What got set back here? They just rid themselves of a lousy quarterback. I have a couple other ideas. Keep the brooms out and get rid of Cornell Green, who can't block anyone. And oh, don't get me started on Aaron Maybin.
Leo: What about Marshawn Lynch? Isn't he on your hit list?
Sal: Well, sure, why not? He's a free agent at the end of the year. C.J. Spiller is their future, and Fred Jackson is signed for another two years to be the backup. Lynch has run well. Trade him now while he may have value.
Leo: So now Fitzpatrick is the guy. He's more fun to watch, that's for sure. But as we saw Sunday against New England, he's prone to big mistakes, which will limit just how many games the offense can win on its own.
Sal: And after watching Buffalo's pitiful defensive showing against a good offensive team for a second straight week, I don't see the Bills winning many shootouts.
Leo: I think after three games, we've got a pretty good handle on this Buffalo team. Offensively, they can average about 17 to 21 points if Fitzpatrick plays well and defensively they'll allow about 30 a game, with the occasional inspired performance tossed in.
Sal: Yup, right on track for the No. 1 pick.
Leo: In conclusion, I'm as encouraged about the offense under Fitzpatrick as I am depressed by the news that the Bills want to give Chris Kelsay a $24 million contract extension. For what, giving good quotes after another loss? Edwards? Green? Kelsay? Maybin? This franchise just can't be taken seriously at times.
Sal: Yup, which is why they are right on track for the No. 1 pick. Thanks for the (lack of) memories, Trent.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Buffalo Bills Release Former Starting QB Trent Edwards
The Buffalo Bills have released former starting quarterback Trent Edwards, the team said Monday.
The Bills had been shopping Edwards before his release, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Edwards was named the starting quarterback to start the season after winning a competition in training camp but was benched after Week 2 in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Brian Brohm is the other quarterback on the Bills' roster.
Fitzpatrick was 20 of 28 against the New England Patriots on Sunday with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Bills' 38-30 loss.
Edwards was in his fourth season in Buffalo after being selected by the team in the third round of the 2007 draft out of Stanford. He went 14-18 as a starter, including 0-2 this season.
He was benched a day following a 34-7 loss at Green Bay on Sept. 19 after going 11 of 18 for 102 yards and two interceptions.
In two games, Edwards went a combined 29 of 42 for 241 yards passing with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked seven times.
The Bills' have made five in-season changes at quarterback in six years. The team hasn't had a regular starter since Drew Bledsoe's three-year tenure ended in 2003.
The Bills had been shopping Edwards before his release, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Edwards was named the starting quarterback to start the season after winning a competition in training camp but was benched after Week 2 in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Brian Brohm is the other quarterback on the Bills' roster.
Fitzpatrick was 20 of 28 against the New England Patriots on Sunday with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Bills' 38-30 loss.
Edwards was in his fourth season in Buffalo after being selected by the team in the third round of the 2007 draft out of Stanford. He went 14-18 as a starter, including 0-2 this season.
He was benched a day following a 34-7 loss at Green Bay on Sept. 19 after going 11 of 18 for 102 yards and two interceptions.
In two games, Edwards went a combined 29 of 42 for 241 yards passing with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked seven times.
The Bills' have made five in-season changes at quarterback in six years. The team hasn't had a regular starter since Drew Bledsoe's three-year tenure ended in 2003.
Will Buffalo Bills Trade Trent Edwards?
Apparently, the Bills are ready to move on without QB Trent Edwards. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Buffalo has placed Edwards on the trading block.
Coach Chan Gailey benched Edwards after a terrible first two games for the Bills, and Ryan Fitzpatrick will start today against the Patriots.
Apparently, this isn’t the first time Buffalo has talked about trading Edwards. Schefter writes the organization debated it during the offseason.
Coach Chan Gailey benched Edwards after a terrible first two games for the Bills, and Ryan Fitzpatrick will start today against the Patriots.
Apparently, this isn’t the first time Buffalo has talked about trading Edwards. Schefter writes the organization debated it during the offseason.
Buffalo Bills Lose 14 Game in A Row To Patritos 38-30
Beating the Buffalo Bills has become so routine for the Patriots that a close score could cause concern for New England's fans.
Not for Tom Brady.
The Patriots extended their winning streak over the Bills to 14 games with a 38-30 victory on Sunday, the most points Buffalo has scored in any of those meetings. New England gave up 374 yards to a winless team that totaled just 352 yards in its first two games.
"A win's a win," Brady said. "It doesn't really matter if you win by 50 or by one because the following week it really makes no difference how you did the previous week."
He proved that by rebounding from a subpar outing a week earlier in a 28-14 loss to the New York Jets. In the second half, he completed just 7 of 16 passes for 69 yards and two interceptions as the Jets outscored the Patriots 18-0.
"Two things helped us," wide receiver Wes Welker said Sunday. "We were more unpredictable on offense and we didn't shoot ourselves in the foot."
The Patriots (2-1) had their most balanced attack of the season with 252 yards and three touchdowns passing and 200 yards and two touchdowns rushing. But they led just 31-23 after three quarters.
"There were a lot of times in this game when we weren't playing too well," linebacker Jerod Mayo said. "We had to refocus and get back on track."
Brady improved to 16-1 against the Bills, completing 21 of 27 passes for 252 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Two of those scores went to Randy Moss. And Brady wasn't sacked once.
"A guy like that is going to have a big day if you don't get pressure on him," Buffalo coach Chan Gailey said.
Brady hasn't lost to the Bills (0-3) since the 2003 opener, but they stayed close for most of the game only to be done in by fourth-quarter interceptions by Patrick Chung and Brandon Meriweather.
"We felt like we had a chance and we came up short," quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "The offense played better today, but it's all about winning."
The mobile Fitzpatrick provided a spark after starting in place of Trent Edwards, who led the Bills to the NFL's least productive offense in the first two weeks of the season.
Fitzpatrick completed 20 of 28 passes for 247 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
First-round draft pick C.J. Spiller scored his first NFL touchdowns on a 5-yard pass from Fitzpatrick and a 95-yard kickoff return, but Buffalo's last chance faded when Fitzpatrick threw an interception to Meriweather with 3 minutes left.
"He's always trying to make a play. You've got to give him credit for that," Gailey said of Fitzpatrick. "I don't want to temper him, but I want him to be smart."
New England tied Miami for the third-longest winning streak against a single opponent. The Dolphins beat the Colts in 14 straight games from 1980-1987. The Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984.
"Beating them (again) wasn't easy," Mayo said. "We still have a lot of work to do. Any division game is tough."
New England took a 17-16 lead at intermission on Stephen Gostkowski's 43-yard field goal on the last play of the half. Rian Lindell kicked three field goals in the first two quarters for Buffalo.
"We get a couple of touchdowns earlier in the game when we were in the red zone and things may be different," wide receiver Lee Evans said.
Moss caught a 35-yard scoring pass on the first possession of the second half, but Spiller returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, making it 24-23. Then Brady threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Rob Gronkowski late in the third and BenJarvus Green-Ellis scored on a 7-yard run midway through the fourth.
Buffalo made it 38-30 as Fitzpatrick hit Steve Johnson for a 37-yard touchdown with 4:08 remaining. Then the Patriots punted, but on the next play Meriweather got his interception.
The Patriots won without running back Kevin Faulk, who sustained a season-ending knee injury against the Jets. But Green-Ellis ran for 98 yards and Danny Woodhead scored on a 22-yard run after being released by the Jets and signing the previous weekend. It was his first NFL touchdown.
"They do a good job of changing up their tendencies," Buffalo linebacker Keith Ellison said of the Patriots, "running when you think they will pass and passing when you think they will run."
No matter what they do or how they do it, the Patriots beat the Bills. Playing the Miami Dolphins on the road next Monday night should be tougher.
They've all been tough for the Bills, despite their best offensive performance of the season Sunday.
"I've never felt good about a loss in my whole life," Gailey said. "There were some encouraging things, but you either win or you lose in this business. And we didn't win."
Not for Tom Brady.
The Patriots extended their winning streak over the Bills to 14 games with a 38-30 victory on Sunday, the most points Buffalo has scored in any of those meetings. New England gave up 374 yards to a winless team that totaled just 352 yards in its first two games.
"A win's a win," Brady said. "It doesn't really matter if you win by 50 or by one because the following week it really makes no difference how you did the previous week."
He proved that by rebounding from a subpar outing a week earlier in a 28-14 loss to the New York Jets. In the second half, he completed just 7 of 16 passes for 69 yards and two interceptions as the Jets outscored the Patriots 18-0.
"Two things helped us," wide receiver Wes Welker said Sunday. "We were more unpredictable on offense and we didn't shoot ourselves in the foot."
The Patriots (2-1) had their most balanced attack of the season with 252 yards and three touchdowns passing and 200 yards and two touchdowns rushing. But they led just 31-23 after three quarters.
"There were a lot of times in this game when we weren't playing too well," linebacker Jerod Mayo said. "We had to refocus and get back on track."
Brady improved to 16-1 against the Bills, completing 21 of 27 passes for 252 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Two of those scores went to Randy Moss. And Brady wasn't sacked once.
"A guy like that is going to have a big day if you don't get pressure on him," Buffalo coach Chan Gailey said.
Brady hasn't lost to the Bills (0-3) since the 2003 opener, but they stayed close for most of the game only to be done in by fourth-quarter interceptions by Patrick Chung and Brandon Meriweather.
"We felt like we had a chance and we came up short," quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "The offense played better today, but it's all about winning."
The mobile Fitzpatrick provided a spark after starting in place of Trent Edwards, who led the Bills to the NFL's least productive offense in the first two weeks of the season.
Fitzpatrick completed 20 of 28 passes for 247 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
First-round draft pick C.J. Spiller scored his first NFL touchdowns on a 5-yard pass from Fitzpatrick and a 95-yard kickoff return, but Buffalo's last chance faded when Fitzpatrick threw an interception to Meriweather with 3 minutes left.
"He's always trying to make a play. You've got to give him credit for that," Gailey said of Fitzpatrick. "I don't want to temper him, but I want him to be smart."
New England tied Miami for the third-longest winning streak against a single opponent. The Dolphins beat the Colts in 14 straight games from 1980-1987. The Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984.
"Beating them (again) wasn't easy," Mayo said. "We still have a lot of work to do. Any division game is tough."
New England took a 17-16 lead at intermission on Stephen Gostkowski's 43-yard field goal on the last play of the half. Rian Lindell kicked three field goals in the first two quarters for Buffalo.
"We get a couple of touchdowns earlier in the game when we were in the red zone and things may be different," wide receiver Lee Evans said.
Moss caught a 35-yard scoring pass on the first possession of the second half, but Spiller returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, making it 24-23. Then Brady threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Rob Gronkowski late in the third and BenJarvus Green-Ellis scored on a 7-yard run midway through the fourth.
Buffalo made it 38-30 as Fitzpatrick hit Steve Johnson for a 37-yard touchdown with 4:08 remaining. Then the Patriots punted, but on the next play Meriweather got his interception.
The Patriots won without running back Kevin Faulk, who sustained a season-ending knee injury against the Jets. But Green-Ellis ran for 98 yards and Danny Woodhead scored on a 22-yard run after being released by the Jets and signing the previous weekend. It was his first NFL touchdown.
"They do a good job of changing up their tendencies," Buffalo linebacker Keith Ellison said of the Patriots, "running when you think they will pass and passing when you think they will run."
No matter what they do or how they do it, the Patriots beat the Bills. Playing the Miami Dolphins on the road next Monday night should be tougher.
They've all been tough for the Bills, despite their best offensive performance of the season Sunday.
"I've never felt good about a loss in my whole life," Gailey said. "There were some encouraging things, but you either win or you lose in this business. And we didn't win."
Friday, September 24, 2010
Buffalo Bills Are Due For A Win Against The New England Patriots
After dropping their first two regular-season assignments, the Buffalo Bills are bracing for an even tougher test Sunday when they play the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
The Bills (0-2) are expected to go all out against the Patriots after they suffered a humiliating 34-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers last week.
However, history does not favor the Bills coming into Sunday’s matchup.
In their last 11 matches, the Bills were simply outclassed by their AFC East rival, as they lost by an average margin of 33-11.
Nevertheless, the Bills are determined to turn the tables this time around.
Bills safety Donte Whitner said he’s tired of being mocked on the field each time they suffer a defeat to the three-time Super Bowl winners.
"Yeah, by the end of the fourth quarter they are laughing at us,” Whitner shared of his humbling experience after losing to the Pats last season. ”It always happens.”
Whitner, who never won a game against the Pats since joining the Bills in 2006, believes the sole reason for their rival’s success vs. Buffalo is Tom Brady.
Since 2001, Brady went 15-1 against the Bills and completed 65 percent of his passes for 3,713 yards and 33 touchdowns.
The Bills have to contain Brady, if they would want to end the losing streak.
"We’re ready to beat New England and I know coach wants to go up there and beat New England. So we have an opportunity and what we do with that opportunity is up to us.” Whitner added. It will never happen Patriots 34-Bills 10
The Bills (0-2) are expected to go all out against the Patriots after they suffered a humiliating 34-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers last week.
However, history does not favor the Bills coming into Sunday’s matchup.
In their last 11 matches, the Bills were simply outclassed by their AFC East rival, as they lost by an average margin of 33-11.
Nevertheless, the Bills are determined to turn the tables this time around.
Bills safety Donte Whitner said he’s tired of being mocked on the field each time they suffer a defeat to the three-time Super Bowl winners.
"Yeah, by the end of the fourth quarter they are laughing at us,” Whitner shared of his humbling experience after losing to the Pats last season. ”It always happens.”
Whitner, who never won a game against the Pats since joining the Bills in 2006, believes the sole reason for their rival’s success vs. Buffalo is Tom Brady.
Since 2001, Brady went 15-1 against the Bills and completed 65 percent of his passes for 3,713 yards and 33 touchdowns.
The Bills have to contain Brady, if they would want to end the losing streak.
"We’re ready to beat New England and I know coach wants to go up there and beat New England. So we have an opportunity and what we do with that opportunity is up to us.” Whitner added. It will never happen Patriots 34-Bills 10
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Buffalo Bills vs New England Patriots Preview Week 3
The New England Patriots got off to a fast start with an impressive 38-24 home win over the defending AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals, but they were cut back down to size in Week 2 with a disappointing 28-14 loss to division rival New York. Fortunately, New England has an excellent opportunity to bounce back this week against the Buffalo Bills, who are coming off a 34-7 loss at Green Bay. In fact, NFL odds makers are expecting a blowout, listing the Patriots as a 13-point favorite with the total set at 42.
The Patriots took a 14-10 lead into halftime against the Jets, but they were outscored 18-0 in the second half. Mark Sanchez outperformed future Hall of Famer Tom Brady, as he was able to take advantage of New England’s young secondary.
The Jets went right at second-year corner Darius Butler, and it paid off. Braylon Edwards was able to burn him for a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Butler was also flagged for two pass interference calls that led to another New York score.
As a collective unit, New England had no answer for tight end Dustin Keller, who caught seven passes for 115 yards and a score. The Patriots are going to need Butler and Devin McCourty to improve if they are going to win the AFC East.
A date with the Bills could be just what the doctor ordered for these young corners and the rest of the defense. Buffalo is only averaging 89 yards per game through the air. Last week, quarterback Trent Edwards was just 11 of 18 for 102 yards and two interceptions. He was also sacked four times. A dominant performance against Buffalo could be the confidence booster this defense needs before heading to Miami in Week 4.
New England has won 13 in a row against Buffalo, and eight of those wins have come by at least 13 points.
Buffalo played division rival Miami tough in Week 1, losing by just 5 points, but the Bills were completely outclassed last week. They could be in for another embarrassing loss if the offense can’t find a way to move the football.
The Bills have had 23 total possessions in two games, and nine of those have been three-and-outs. Seven of those possessions have gone for negative yards. In all, Buffalo has managed just 23 first downs, 352 yards and 17 points on the season.
Going into the season, Buffalo felt it had a better chance of winning games by running the football, but this may be the week to turn Edwards loose to see what he is really made of. Thus far, the New England defense has allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 68.7 percent of their passes.
Defensively, the Bills must come up with some takeaways if they are going to pull off the shocking upset. The Jets were able to pick off Brady twice, and we saw the result. Consider that Buffalo is a perfect 7-0 against the spread since the beginning of the 2008 season when it forces two turnovers, winning these games by an average score of 27.1 to 18.9.
Buffalo Bills will lose to the New England Patriots once again. Patriots 41-Bills 13
The Patriots took a 14-10 lead into halftime against the Jets, but they were outscored 18-0 in the second half. Mark Sanchez outperformed future Hall of Famer Tom Brady, as he was able to take advantage of New England’s young secondary.
The Jets went right at second-year corner Darius Butler, and it paid off. Braylon Edwards was able to burn him for a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Butler was also flagged for two pass interference calls that led to another New York score.
As a collective unit, New England had no answer for tight end Dustin Keller, who caught seven passes for 115 yards and a score. The Patriots are going to need Butler and Devin McCourty to improve if they are going to win the AFC East.
A date with the Bills could be just what the doctor ordered for these young corners and the rest of the defense. Buffalo is only averaging 89 yards per game through the air. Last week, quarterback Trent Edwards was just 11 of 18 for 102 yards and two interceptions. He was also sacked four times. A dominant performance against Buffalo could be the confidence booster this defense needs before heading to Miami in Week 4.
New England has won 13 in a row against Buffalo, and eight of those wins have come by at least 13 points.
Buffalo played division rival Miami tough in Week 1, losing by just 5 points, but the Bills were completely outclassed last week. They could be in for another embarrassing loss if the offense can’t find a way to move the football.
The Bills have had 23 total possessions in two games, and nine of those have been three-and-outs. Seven of those possessions have gone for negative yards. In all, Buffalo has managed just 23 first downs, 352 yards and 17 points on the season.
Going into the season, Buffalo felt it had a better chance of winning games by running the football, but this may be the week to turn Edwards loose to see what he is really made of. Thus far, the New England defense has allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 68.7 percent of their passes.
Defensively, the Bills must come up with some takeaways if they are going to pull off the shocking upset. The Jets were able to pick off Brady twice, and we saw the result. Consider that Buffalo is a perfect 7-0 against the spread since the beginning of the 2008 season when it forces two turnovers, winning these games by an average score of 27.1 to 18.9.
Buffalo Bills will lose to the New England Patriots once again. Patriots 41-Bills 13
When Will the Buffalo Bills Win Their First Game Of The Season
Tim Graham - As hopeless as getting a victory would seem for the Buffalo Bills right now, let's stop for a moment and consider nobody should have expected them to win either of their first two games anyway.
They were supposed to be 0-2. They're supposed to be 0-3 after this week's road game against the New England Patriots and probably 0-4 after hosting the New York Jets.
Buffalo would have needed to pull off an upset to avoid that start.
ESPN's Power Rankings panel listed Buffalo as the NFL's worst team this week.
Still, I don't think a winless season is in the making. My preseason prediction was five wins, and I'm sticking with that for now.
AccuScore's latest data forecasts 4.5 wins for the Bills this year.
My question to you is: When will the Bills win their first game? Take a look at their schedule and give me your best guess.
Can they possibly shock the Patriots or Jets? The Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5? The Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8?
Might they have to wait until the Cleveland Browns in Week 14?
Make your pick in the comments section below. I'll gather your predictions and present them on the blog later in the week.
They were supposed to be 0-2. They're supposed to be 0-3 after this week's road game against the New England Patriots and probably 0-4 after hosting the New York Jets.
Buffalo would have needed to pull off an upset to avoid that start.
ESPN's Power Rankings panel listed Buffalo as the NFL's worst team this week.
Still, I don't think a winless season is in the making. My preseason prediction was five wins, and I'm sticking with that for now.
AccuScore's latest data forecasts 4.5 wins for the Bills this year.
My question to you is: When will the Bills win their first game? Take a look at their schedule and give me your best guess.
Can they possibly shock the Patriots or Jets? The Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5? The Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8?
Might they have to wait until the Cleveland Browns in Week 14?
Make your pick in the comments section below. I'll gather your predictions and present them on the blog later in the week.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Buffalo Bills: Ryan Fitzpatrick Bills New Starting Quarterback
"It is frustrating," Evans said. "Any time you lose a game and don't feel like you contributed to trying to make a difference, it is frustrating. But it's still early and hopefully we can move forward and get past this and get in rhythm and get some wins on the board." Said Lee Evans after he was only targeted once in an embarrassing loss to the Green Bay Packers 34-7.
The Buffalo Bills have announced that Ryan Fitzpatrick will start this week over Trent Edwards who has been unable to jump start the Bills offense.
Constant check downs and poor offensive line play have caused the lack of offense for Evans and the Bills but Evans insists that the Packers didn't do any "special" coverage to take him out of the game.
"It was pretty clean looks all day," Evans said. "They were trying to just be over the top with corners and run somebody underneath. But nothing really out of the ordinary or too hard to manage either way. It's just offensively we never got into a rhythm, just never got going."
It's been the same story for years and Evans has to be sick and tired of the lack of production and balls thrown his way...let alone balls thrown down the field.
Evans has caught only four passes this year for 34 yards after coming off one of his least productive seasons in 2009.
The Bills continue to explain to the media and to fans that they have multiple weapons in C.J. Spiller, Fred Jackson, Lee Evans, Roscoe Parrish, and Marshawn Lynch but can't seem to find a way to get them all involved or even for one of them to be productive.
The one time Evans was targeted , he drew a 24-yard pass interference penalty on a deep pass by Edwards which would lead to the Bills lone touchdown.
As Evans' stats continue not to live up to expectations one has to imagine that Evans has had enough of this and wants a quarterback who will at least throw to his wide receivers rather than constant check down and two yard passes to the running backs.
It marked the third time in Evans' 98-game career that he failed to catch a pass in a game.
While Evans at this time, refuses to place blame on any one person, the frustration is building year after year for one of Buffalo's top players who is unable to live up to his expectations due to the lack of offense.
The Buffalo Bills have announced that Ryan Fitzpatrick will start this week over Trent Edwards who has been unable to jump start the Bills offense.
Constant check downs and poor offensive line play have caused the lack of offense for Evans and the Bills but Evans insists that the Packers didn't do any "special" coverage to take him out of the game.
"It was pretty clean looks all day," Evans said. "They were trying to just be over the top with corners and run somebody underneath. But nothing really out of the ordinary or too hard to manage either way. It's just offensively we never got into a rhythm, just never got going."
It's been the same story for years and Evans has to be sick and tired of the lack of production and balls thrown his way...let alone balls thrown down the field.
Evans has caught only four passes this year for 34 yards after coming off one of his least productive seasons in 2009.
The Bills continue to explain to the media and to fans that they have multiple weapons in C.J. Spiller, Fred Jackson, Lee Evans, Roscoe Parrish, and Marshawn Lynch but can't seem to find a way to get them all involved or even for one of them to be productive.
The one time Evans was targeted , he drew a 24-yard pass interference penalty on a deep pass by Edwards which would lead to the Bills lone touchdown.
As Evans' stats continue not to live up to expectations one has to imagine that Evans has had enough of this and wants a quarterback who will at least throw to his wide receivers rather than constant check down and two yard passes to the running backs.
It marked the third time in Evans' 98-game career that he failed to catch a pass in a game.
While Evans at this time, refuses to place blame on any one person, the frustration is building year after year for one of Buffalo's top players who is unable to live up to his expectations due to the lack of offense.
Buffalo Bills Wrap Up Week 2: Packers 34- Bills 7
The storyline: The Bills ran into an offensive buzz saw and another stubborn defense in a game they were still somehow in at Lambeau Field until the second half. Green Bay held them to just 186 total yards of offense -- the second week in a row they failed to reach the 200-yard mark -- and pulled away in the final 30 minutes.
Key moment: Packers' linebacker Brandon Chillar intercepted Bills quarterback Trent Edwards on the first series of the second half, setting up Aaron Rodgers' 7-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver that put Green Bay ahead 20-7 and the Packers never looked back from there.
Key stat: Bills quarterback Trent Edwards was sacked four times -- three times by Packers linebacker Clay Matthews -- and was hit 10 times -- five times by Matthews, while struggling to an abysmal 37.0 passer rating (11-of-18 for 102 yards and two INTs). At this rate, he'll need to reserve a room at the local hospital.
Where they stand: With the loss Buffalo dropped to 0-2 and has to travel to New England on Sunday to play Patriots team eager to make someone pay for its poor performance in a loss to the New York Jets, so 0-3 is a very realistic possibility. The Packers, quickly becoming Super Bowl favorites, are tied atop the NFC North with the surprising Chicago Bears and will face the Bears at Soldier Field in the Windy City next Monday night.
Notable: The Bills didn't get a first down until the final play of the opening quarter and had zero net yards in the quarter, yet only trailed 13-7 at the half. Running back Marshawn Lynch, who has been dealing with trade rumors, led the team in rushing with 64 yards on 17 carries and his backfield mate Fred Jackson scored the lone touchdown on a 3-yard run in the second quarter. Rodgers scored the 10th rushing touchdown of his career on a 9-yard scamper in the third quarter that put the Packers ahead 27-7 and he is the only NFL quarterback with double-digit rushing touchdowns since 2008. Rodgers also completed 19-of-29 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns for a passer rating of 116.3.
Quotable: "If I had the answers, I would've used them during the game. Obviously we don't have those answers right now. We're trying to find the right combination of people and schemes to get this thing right, and it's not a quick-fix proposition."
Key moment: Packers' linebacker Brandon Chillar intercepted Bills quarterback Trent Edwards on the first series of the second half, setting up Aaron Rodgers' 7-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver that put Green Bay ahead 20-7 and the Packers never looked back from there.
Key stat: Bills quarterback Trent Edwards was sacked four times -- three times by Packers linebacker Clay Matthews -- and was hit 10 times -- five times by Matthews, while struggling to an abysmal 37.0 passer rating (11-of-18 for 102 yards and two INTs). At this rate, he'll need to reserve a room at the local hospital.
Where they stand: With the loss Buffalo dropped to 0-2 and has to travel to New England on Sunday to play Patriots team eager to make someone pay for its poor performance in a loss to the New York Jets, so 0-3 is a very realistic possibility. The Packers, quickly becoming Super Bowl favorites, are tied atop the NFC North with the surprising Chicago Bears and will face the Bears at Soldier Field in the Windy City next Monday night.
Notable: The Bills didn't get a first down until the final play of the opening quarter and had zero net yards in the quarter, yet only trailed 13-7 at the half. Running back Marshawn Lynch, who has been dealing with trade rumors, led the team in rushing with 64 yards on 17 carries and his backfield mate Fred Jackson scored the lone touchdown on a 3-yard run in the second quarter. Rodgers scored the 10th rushing touchdown of his career on a 9-yard scamper in the third quarter that put the Packers ahead 27-7 and he is the only NFL quarterback with double-digit rushing touchdowns since 2008. Rodgers also completed 19-of-29 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns for a passer rating of 116.3.
Quotable: "If I had the answers, I would've used them during the game. Obviously we don't have those answers right now. We're trying to find the right combination of people and schemes to get this thing right, and it's not a quick-fix proposition."
Friday, September 17, 2010
Buffalo Bills vs Green Bay Packers Week 2 Perdictions
Coming into this NFL regular season, the Green Bay Packers were considered Super Bowl title contenders and for good reason as they have one of the most potent offenses and arguably one of the best defenses in the league.
Even though the Packers have a relatively easy schedule compared to other Super Bowl title contenders like the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings, Aaron Rodgers and company were tested right out of the gate against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1.
They must be doing some thing right in the eyes of the online sportsbooks odds makers as they have the Packers at -12.5 over the Bills. That’s as large a line as we have seen this season.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, they saw their starting quarterback Kevin Kolb go down with a concussion early in this matchup, but Michael Vick stepped in and looked like his former self as he ran all over the Packers secondary with 103 rushing yards.
Along with rushing for over a 100+ yards, Vick also threw for 175 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions, but that wasn’t good enough to lead his team to victory as Green Bay went on to win 27-20.
In Week 2, things will only get easier for the Green Bay Packers as they will be at Lambeau Field taking on the lowly Buffalo Bills. Even though the Bills were thought to have one of the better running games in the league with running backs Fred Jackson, Marshawn Lynch and rookie C.J. Spiller coming out of the backfield, the Buffalo was disappointing to say the least against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 as their ground game was just awful.
Against the Green Bay Packers, the Buffalo Bills will be in for another long day as Charles Woodson and the Packers defense will look to dominate from start to finish against the Bills while Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense try to put a huge number on the scoreboard. There are a lot of great options for NFL football betting this week, so make sure to get in early. Green Bay Packers crush Buffalo Bills 45-14
Even though the Packers have a relatively easy schedule compared to other Super Bowl title contenders like the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings, Aaron Rodgers and company were tested right out of the gate against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1.
They must be doing some thing right in the eyes of the online sportsbooks odds makers as they have the Packers at -12.5 over the Bills. That’s as large a line as we have seen this season.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, they saw their starting quarterback Kevin Kolb go down with a concussion early in this matchup, but Michael Vick stepped in and looked like his former self as he ran all over the Packers secondary with 103 rushing yards.
Along with rushing for over a 100+ yards, Vick also threw for 175 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions, but that wasn’t good enough to lead his team to victory as Green Bay went on to win 27-20.
In Week 2, things will only get easier for the Green Bay Packers as they will be at Lambeau Field taking on the lowly Buffalo Bills. Even though the Bills were thought to have one of the better running games in the league with running backs Fred Jackson, Marshawn Lynch and rookie C.J. Spiller coming out of the backfield, the Buffalo was disappointing to say the least against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 as their ground game was just awful.
Against the Green Bay Packers, the Buffalo Bills will be in for another long day as Charles Woodson and the Packers defense will look to dominate from start to finish against the Bills while Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense try to put a huge number on the scoreboard. There are a lot of great options for NFL football betting this week, so make sure to get in early. Green Bay Packers crush Buffalo Bills 45-14
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Buffalo Bills vs Green Bay Packers Preview Week 2
The Green Bay Packers won their opener despite an imperfect performance from their star quarterback, but any more victories in 2010 must come without contributions from their top running back.
The Packers begin their home schedule - and life without Ryan Grant(notes) - on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, who have three healthy rushers but major offensive problems to correct.
Grant led Green Bay in rushing each of the last three years, but he won’t again after suffering a season-ending ankle injury during a 27-20 win at Philadelphia last Sunday.
AdChoices
“When you lose a running back of Ryan’s caliber, it’s a big loss, but this is something we have to deal with and move forward from as a team,” general manager Ted Thompson said in a statement.
Brandon Jackson(notes), who carried 18 times for 63 yards against the Eagles, will start in place of Grant. He’ll likely get some help from fullback John Kuhn(notes), who scored the Packers’ lone rushing touchdown with a three-yard plunge.
Aaron Rodgers(notes) may also carry a heavier load for the Packers, who are hopeful of an even better finish after going 11-5 and reaching the playoffs last year.
Rodgers threw for 4,434 yards and 30 touchdowns with seven interceptions in 2009, but was picked off twice last weekend and wasn’t pleased after going 19 of 31 for 188 yards and two TDs.
“I played terrible. It was as bad as I can play. I’ve got to be better,” said Rodgers, who had reached 200 yards passing in 20 of his previous 23 games. “I missed a lot of throws. The defense played good. We made enough plays to win. I personally made too many dumb mistakes.”
That defense limited the Eagles to three points in the first half, knocking Philadelphia quarterback Kevin Kolb(notes) out of the game on a big hit from standout linebacker Clay Matthews(notes).
A Pro Bowler as a rookie last year, Matthews overcame a preseason hamstring injury and picked up where he left off with two sacks, seven tackles and a forced fumble in the opener.
“We know what we have, we know what we can do,” Matthews said. “It’s all about putting it together now.”
A similar performance by Matthews won’t make things any easier for Buffalo, which wasn’t able to do much offensively during a 15-10 home loss to Miami last Sunday.
The Bills managed 166 yards - the fewest of any NFL team in Week 1 - and nine first downs. Their three-pronged rushing attack of Fred Jackson(notes), Marshawn Lynch(notes) and rookie C.J. Spiller(notes) combined for 38 yards.
Back as the starting quarterback after losing the job last year, Trent Edwards(notes) went 18 of 34 for 139 yards and a touchdown.
“Obviously, it didn’t go as we planned - and that would be an understatement,” first-year coach Chan Gailey said. “And that’s mostly my fault.
“I know where we want to go, and we’ve got a plan to get there. I told the players, ‘I don’t know if it’s going to take two games, five games, eight games. I don’t know how many it’s going to take, but we’re going to get there.”
While Gailey is new in Buffalo, offensive problems are not. The Bills have ranked no better than 25th in total yards in any of the last seven seasons, during which their AFC-worst playoff drought has reached 10 years.
They spent the ninth overall draft pick on the dynamic Spiller in hopes of jolting their attack, but after a promising preseason the former Clemson star had six yards on seven carries in his debut.
“I let a couple runs get away from me,” Spiller said. “I was trying to play too fast, but that just comes with getting adjusted. And now I’ve got a good understanding of what it will be like.”
Lynch had only three carries. The former first-round pick played at California with Rodgers and may be a potential trade target for the Packers.
Rodgers was a member of the Golden Bears the last time he appeared in the same game as Edwards, who attended rival Stanford.
The Bills will have at least one major hole to fill defensively as they attempt to slow down Rodgers. Middle linebacker Paul Posluszny(notes) is expected to miss about three weeks after injuring his knee Sunday.
The status of outside linebacker Reggie Torbor(notes) is unclear after he missed the opener with a chest injury
The Packers begin their home schedule - and life without Ryan Grant(notes) - on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, who have three healthy rushers but major offensive problems to correct.
Grant led Green Bay in rushing each of the last three years, but he won’t again after suffering a season-ending ankle injury during a 27-20 win at Philadelphia last Sunday.
AdChoices
“When you lose a running back of Ryan’s caliber, it’s a big loss, but this is something we have to deal with and move forward from as a team,” general manager Ted Thompson said in a statement.
Brandon Jackson(notes), who carried 18 times for 63 yards against the Eagles, will start in place of Grant. He’ll likely get some help from fullback John Kuhn(notes), who scored the Packers’ lone rushing touchdown with a three-yard plunge.
Aaron Rodgers(notes) may also carry a heavier load for the Packers, who are hopeful of an even better finish after going 11-5 and reaching the playoffs last year.
Rodgers threw for 4,434 yards and 30 touchdowns with seven interceptions in 2009, but was picked off twice last weekend and wasn’t pleased after going 19 of 31 for 188 yards and two TDs.
“I played terrible. It was as bad as I can play. I’ve got to be better,” said Rodgers, who had reached 200 yards passing in 20 of his previous 23 games. “I missed a lot of throws. The defense played good. We made enough plays to win. I personally made too many dumb mistakes.”
That defense limited the Eagles to three points in the first half, knocking Philadelphia quarterback Kevin Kolb(notes) out of the game on a big hit from standout linebacker Clay Matthews(notes).
A Pro Bowler as a rookie last year, Matthews overcame a preseason hamstring injury and picked up where he left off with two sacks, seven tackles and a forced fumble in the opener.
“We know what we have, we know what we can do,” Matthews said. “It’s all about putting it together now.”
A similar performance by Matthews won’t make things any easier for Buffalo, which wasn’t able to do much offensively during a 15-10 home loss to Miami last Sunday.
The Bills managed 166 yards - the fewest of any NFL team in Week 1 - and nine first downs. Their three-pronged rushing attack of Fred Jackson(notes), Marshawn Lynch(notes) and rookie C.J. Spiller(notes) combined for 38 yards.
Back as the starting quarterback after losing the job last year, Trent Edwards(notes) went 18 of 34 for 139 yards and a touchdown.
“Obviously, it didn’t go as we planned - and that would be an understatement,” first-year coach Chan Gailey said. “And that’s mostly my fault.
“I know where we want to go, and we’ve got a plan to get there. I told the players, ‘I don’t know if it’s going to take two games, five games, eight games. I don’t know how many it’s going to take, but we’re going to get there.”
While Gailey is new in Buffalo, offensive problems are not. The Bills have ranked no better than 25th in total yards in any of the last seven seasons, during which their AFC-worst playoff drought has reached 10 years.
They spent the ninth overall draft pick on the dynamic Spiller in hopes of jolting their attack, but after a promising preseason the former Clemson star had six yards on seven carries in his debut.
“I let a couple runs get away from me,” Spiller said. “I was trying to play too fast, but that just comes with getting adjusted. And now I’ve got a good understanding of what it will be like.”
Lynch had only three carries. The former first-round pick played at California with Rodgers and may be a potential trade target for the Packers.
Rodgers was a member of the Golden Bears the last time he appeared in the same game as Edwards, who attended rival Stanford.
The Bills will have at least one major hole to fill defensively as they attempt to slow down Rodgers. Middle linebacker Paul Posluszny(notes) is expected to miss about three weeks after injuring his knee Sunday.
The status of outside linebacker Reggie Torbor(notes) is unclear after he missed the opener with a chest injury
Monday, September 13, 2010
Buffalo Bills 3-4 Defense Played A Solid Game
Good but not good enough.
That seemed to be the general consensus on how the Buffalo Bills' new-look 3-4 defense performed in Sunday's 15-10 opening-day loss to Miami.
The Dolphins gained 296 total net yards, but only 119 came in the second half, when the Miami offense produced just a field goal.
Still, when it came time to make the critical stop or get the ball back for their stuck-in-the-mud offense, the Bills' defensive unit couldn't do it.
"A day like this, it's on our shoulders," said linebacker Chris Kelsay, who in the 3-4 alignment has shifted off the line of scrimmage from his old position of defensive end. "(We need to) get some turnovers, get some sacks, kill some drives."
Considering the weapons in the Dolphins arsenal — running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, wide receiver Brandon Marshall and tight end Anthony Fasano — surrendering just one touchdown was commendable.
"We don't have our heads down," strong safety Donte Whitner said.
The Dolphins moved the ball efficiently in the first half, scoring points on two of their first three possessions.
They drove from their own 49 to the Buffalo 14 before settling for a 32-yard field goal by Dan Carpenter on their first possession. Quarterback Chad Henne then directed an impressive 11-play, 65-yard drive for a touchdown 3:44 into the second quarter.
Henne threw over the middle 21 yards to Fasano, who beat linebacker Paul Posluszny deep at the Buffalo 5-yard line and was tackled at the 1. Brown leaped over the line for the touchdown on the next play.
"When we transitioned to the 3-4 a lot of people thought we were going to have a lot of problems," Whitner said. "We didn't really have a lot of problems with our outside backers. We wished we could have taken that first touchdown back, but we can't."
The Dolphins chewed up nearly seven more minutes of clock late in the second quarter but couldn't produce points as Carpenter's 46-yard field goal into the wind drifted wide left.
In the third quarter, the Dolphins never gained more than one first down on any of four possessions. But when the defense needed to make a critical three-and-out stop late in the fourth quarter, they failed.
"It would have been nice to get off the field at some opportunistic times," coach Chan Gailey said.
Also lacking: Turnovers. The Bills forced none.
"We need to try to force them into some bad throws," safety George Wilson said.
Which is why a solid performance wasn't good enough.
"Whether we played well," nose tackle Kyle Williams said, "or we played bad, we lost."
That seemed to be the general consensus on how the Buffalo Bills' new-look 3-4 defense performed in Sunday's 15-10 opening-day loss to Miami.
The Dolphins gained 296 total net yards, but only 119 came in the second half, when the Miami offense produced just a field goal.
Still, when it came time to make the critical stop or get the ball back for their stuck-in-the-mud offense, the Bills' defensive unit couldn't do it.
"A day like this, it's on our shoulders," said linebacker Chris Kelsay, who in the 3-4 alignment has shifted off the line of scrimmage from his old position of defensive end. "(We need to) get some turnovers, get some sacks, kill some drives."
Considering the weapons in the Dolphins arsenal — running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, wide receiver Brandon Marshall and tight end Anthony Fasano — surrendering just one touchdown was commendable.
"We don't have our heads down," strong safety Donte Whitner said.
The Dolphins moved the ball efficiently in the first half, scoring points on two of their first three possessions.
They drove from their own 49 to the Buffalo 14 before settling for a 32-yard field goal by Dan Carpenter on their first possession. Quarterback Chad Henne then directed an impressive 11-play, 65-yard drive for a touchdown 3:44 into the second quarter.
Henne threw over the middle 21 yards to Fasano, who beat linebacker Paul Posluszny deep at the Buffalo 5-yard line and was tackled at the 1. Brown leaped over the line for the touchdown on the next play.
"When we transitioned to the 3-4 a lot of people thought we were going to have a lot of problems," Whitner said. "We didn't really have a lot of problems with our outside backers. We wished we could have taken that first touchdown back, but we can't."
The Dolphins chewed up nearly seven more minutes of clock late in the second quarter but couldn't produce points as Carpenter's 46-yard field goal into the wind drifted wide left.
In the third quarter, the Dolphins never gained more than one first down on any of four possessions. But when the defense needed to make a critical three-and-out stop late in the fourth quarter, they failed.
"It would have been nice to get off the field at some opportunistic times," coach Chan Gailey said.
Also lacking: Turnovers. The Bills forced none.
"We need to try to force them into some bad throws," safety George Wilson said.
Which is why a solid performance wasn't good enough.
"Whether we played well," nose tackle Kyle Williams said, "or we played bad, we lost."
Same Ole' Sorry Buffalo Bills Fall Dolphins 15-10
The score doesn’t show how lopsided this game was. In fact, without watching the game, it would be hard to see how badly the Bills constantly backed themselves into a corner. Overall, the Bills were out-gained on the ground and in the air, had fewer first downs the the Dolphins, and had way more penalties. Simply put, the Buffalo Bills will have to go back to the drawing board to prepare for week two.
The Bills scored on a Rian Lindell field goal to make the score 10-3 in the first half. Going into half time, Lindell tried what was about a 62 yard attempt that fell just short of making the game 10-6. After halftime, the Bills’ defense woke up and went to work, allowing only three more offensive points for the rest of the game.
Trailing 13-3, the Bills scored a touchdown on a 31 yard touchdown pass from Trent Edwards to Roscoe Parrish. The pass occurred on a questionable 4th and 11 in the fourth quarter where a field goal would have made it a one possession game. Chan Gailey has made a name for being an innovator, and this type of call was further evidence of his aggressive play.
A call that back fired against Gailey however, was the punt play that resulted in a safety with the Bills needing to travel at least 70 yards to tie the game. On a fourth down play from their own one yard line, the Bills appeared to make an intentional safety when the long snapper threw the ball out of the back of the end zone. If this was an intentional call, I’m not sure that I completely understand the decision. Although the game was all but hopeless, I think you must take a shot in that situation. The safety for the Dolphins provided the final score of 15-10. Thankfully Bills’ fans, next week is a new week.
The Bills scored on a Rian Lindell field goal to make the score 10-3 in the first half. Going into half time, Lindell tried what was about a 62 yard attempt that fell just short of making the game 10-6. After halftime, the Bills’ defense woke up and went to work, allowing only three more offensive points for the rest of the game.
Trailing 13-3, the Bills scored a touchdown on a 31 yard touchdown pass from Trent Edwards to Roscoe Parrish. The pass occurred on a questionable 4th and 11 in the fourth quarter where a field goal would have made it a one possession game. Chan Gailey has made a name for being an innovator, and this type of call was further evidence of his aggressive play.
A call that back fired against Gailey however, was the punt play that resulted in a safety with the Bills needing to travel at least 70 yards to tie the game. On a fourth down play from their own one yard line, the Bills appeared to make an intentional safety when the long snapper threw the ball out of the back of the end zone. If this was an intentional call, I’m not sure that I completely understand the decision. Although the game was all but hopeless, I think you must take a shot in that situation. The safety for the Dolphins provided the final score of 15-10. Thankfully Bills’ fans, next week is a new week.
Buffalo Bills May Lose LB Paul Posluszny For The Year
The Buffalo Bills' already banged-up linebacking group could be down another key player after Paul Posluszny sustained what's being described as a potential long-term knee injury on Sunday.
Coach Chan Gailey said it's too early to determine the severity of the injury to Posluszny because the player is scheduled to have further tests following a 15-10 season-opening loss to Miami. Though Gailey said the injury could be "short term," he didn't rule out the possibility that it could be significant.
Posluszny was hurt on the first play of the third quarter when he was one of three Bills defenders to bring down running back Ronnie Brown along the sideline. Posluszny sat on the field for several minutes before getting up on his own.
Trainers examined Posluszny's right knee before having him jog off the field. Posluszny returned a few minutes later and ran along the sideline while wearing what appeared to be a brace before he was escorted back to the locker room.
The Bills are already thin at linebacker. Reggie Torbor did not play Sunday because of a chest injury, while Kawika Mitchell was placed on injured reserve Friday due to a foot injury.
To replace Mitchell, Buffalo signed free-agent linebacker Akin Ayodele, who was inactive on Sunday.
Buffalo reserve free safety Cary Harris did not return after pulling a hamstring. Gailey said it was too early to determine the severity of the injury.
Dolphins rookie first-round draft pick DE Jared Odrick did not return after leaving the field in the third quarter with a foot injury.
Coach Chan Gailey said it's too early to determine the severity of the injury to Posluszny because the player is scheduled to have further tests following a 15-10 season-opening loss to Miami. Though Gailey said the injury could be "short term," he didn't rule out the possibility that it could be significant.
Posluszny was hurt on the first play of the third quarter when he was one of three Bills defenders to bring down running back Ronnie Brown along the sideline. Posluszny sat on the field for several minutes before getting up on his own.
Trainers examined Posluszny's right knee before having him jog off the field. Posluszny returned a few minutes later and ran along the sideline while wearing what appeared to be a brace before he was escorted back to the locker room.
The Bills are already thin at linebacker. Reggie Torbor did not play Sunday because of a chest injury, while Kawika Mitchell was placed on injured reserve Friday due to a foot injury.
To replace Mitchell, Buffalo signed free-agent linebacker Akin Ayodele, who was inactive on Sunday.
Buffalo reserve free safety Cary Harris did not return after pulling a hamstring. Gailey said it was too early to determine the severity of the injury.
Dolphins rookie first-round draft pick DE Jared Odrick did not return after leaving the field in the third quarter with a foot injury.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins: Gameday Edition
The running game hasn't been stellar in the preseason, and although that does not suggest a trend that will carry into the regular season, it does concern that coaches were searching for the right combination of starters along the interior line, even through the final exhibition game. Ronnie Brown has shown no signs of the foot fracture that ended his 2009 season prematurely and Ricky Williams has shown little sign that his age (33) has started to become a factor in a decline. The Bills had the 30th-ranked run defense last season, but they are undergoing a dramatic change in replacing their 4-3 defense with a 3-4 look. The front seven for Buffalo, which includes Marcus Stroud, Andra Davis and Chris Kelsay, is a talented group.
WHEN THE BILLS RUN THE BALL
Injured Fred Jackson, arguably Buffalo's best running back, might not play. Backup Marshawn Lynch's availability also is in doubt because he also missed much of the preseason because of an injury. So the Bills are likely going to throw a huge dose of rookie C.J. Spiller, and electric runner totaled 51 rushing, receiving and kick/punt return touchdowns at Clemson, with 21 of those being 50 yards or longer. The Dolphins added Karlos Dansby to shore up a run defense that wilted to 18th in the NFL last season. The club also is expected to start rookie Jared Odrick at defensive end. But the focus of this run defense will be on new nose tackle Randy Starks, who is more mobile and is expected to create more of an upfield push given his quickness. If Starks is a hit, the run defense will be improved.
WHEN THE DOLPHINS PASS THE BALL
This is the year the Dolphins hope Chad Henne shows he is a game-changer rather than a game-manager at quarterback. Henne threw 12 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in 2009. He needs to have a 2 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio to be considered a highly effective quarterback. The Dolphins gave Henne an elite receiver in Brandon Marshall, who has not impressed during the preseason. The Dolphins suppose that will change starting Sunday. The Bills have perhaps the second-best secondary in the AFC East behind the Jets. Terrence McGee and Drayton Florence are excellent enough that former first-round pick Leodis McKelvin cannot crack the staring lineup. Jairus Byrd, hampered by a groin injury, led the NFL in interceptions last season and Donte Whitner and George Wilson are experienced and effective.
WHEN THE BILLS PASS THE BALL
Trent Edwards, the 92nd pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2007 NFL Draft, wasn't supposed to be Buffalo's starter because the coaching staff wanted to find a franchise quarterback. Although the staff didn't find one, Edwards improved and solidified his grasp on the position. He no longer has Terrell Owens, the team's leading receiver in 2009, on the roster, but Lee Evans has had a number of great games against the Dolphins. Miami's secondary is untried for the most part. Free safety Chris Clemons won the job after Miami tried and failed to find a viable starter in free agency. Jason Allen, long a disappointment because he hasn't lived up to his first-round draft pedigree, has won a starting cornerback job over Sean Smith. That's great news in that Allen raised the level of his game.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Dolphins were bad on special teams for much of 2008, for parts of 2009 and during this preseason. They saw two punts get blocked and their return coverage was subpar. That should not impugn kicker Dan Carpenter, who quickly is becoming one of the NFL's more dependable kickers. He kicked at Montana, so he knows a little something about booting the ball in swirling winds similar to the ones in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bills have undergone significant special teams turnover, including losing coordinator Bobby April and bringing in Bruce DeHaven, who was the special teams coach during the Bills' Super Bowl years. Former University of Miami and Miami High standout Roscoe Parrish needs 55 punt return yards to reach 1,500 for his career. He has three career punt returns for touchdowns.
COACHING
Chan Gailey is new to the Bills but hardly new to coaching. The Buffalo Bills' 15th coach in history was the coach in Dallas, where he posted an 18-14 record in two seasons, and was the coach at Georgia Tech, where he was 68-43 in nine years. Had the San Diego Chargers not lost in the playoffs in January 2007, Gailey was on track to succeed Nick Saban as the coach in Miami. For the Dolphins, Tony Sparano also is 18-14 in two seasons and is hoping he can return his team to the playoffs after falling out of contention in 2009. Sparano has put together a tough, physical team that might not be exciting in its approach but will try to eliminate mistakes and win at the line of scrimmage. In that regard, the Dolphins are molded with the same personality as their coach.
WHEN THE BILLS RUN THE BALL
Injured Fred Jackson, arguably Buffalo's best running back, might not play. Backup Marshawn Lynch's availability also is in doubt because he also missed much of the preseason because of an injury. So the Bills are likely going to throw a huge dose of rookie C.J. Spiller, and electric runner totaled 51 rushing, receiving and kick/punt return touchdowns at Clemson, with 21 of those being 50 yards or longer. The Dolphins added Karlos Dansby to shore up a run defense that wilted to 18th in the NFL last season. The club also is expected to start rookie Jared Odrick at defensive end. But the focus of this run defense will be on new nose tackle Randy Starks, who is more mobile and is expected to create more of an upfield push given his quickness. If Starks is a hit, the run defense will be improved.
WHEN THE DOLPHINS PASS THE BALL
This is the year the Dolphins hope Chad Henne shows he is a game-changer rather than a game-manager at quarterback. Henne threw 12 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in 2009. He needs to have a 2 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio to be considered a highly effective quarterback. The Dolphins gave Henne an elite receiver in Brandon Marshall, who has not impressed during the preseason. The Dolphins suppose that will change starting Sunday. The Bills have perhaps the second-best secondary in the AFC East behind the Jets. Terrence McGee and Drayton Florence are excellent enough that former first-round pick Leodis McKelvin cannot crack the staring lineup. Jairus Byrd, hampered by a groin injury, led the NFL in interceptions last season and Donte Whitner and George Wilson are experienced and effective.
WHEN THE BILLS PASS THE BALL
Trent Edwards, the 92nd pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2007 NFL Draft, wasn't supposed to be Buffalo's starter because the coaching staff wanted to find a franchise quarterback. Although the staff didn't find one, Edwards improved and solidified his grasp on the position. He no longer has Terrell Owens, the team's leading receiver in 2009, on the roster, but Lee Evans has had a number of great games against the Dolphins. Miami's secondary is untried for the most part. Free safety Chris Clemons won the job after Miami tried and failed to find a viable starter in free agency. Jason Allen, long a disappointment because he hasn't lived up to his first-round draft pedigree, has won a starting cornerback job over Sean Smith. That's great news in that Allen raised the level of his game.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Dolphins were bad on special teams for much of 2008, for parts of 2009 and during this preseason. They saw two punts get blocked and their return coverage was subpar. That should not impugn kicker Dan Carpenter, who quickly is becoming one of the NFL's more dependable kickers. He kicked at Montana, so he knows a little something about booting the ball in swirling winds similar to the ones in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Bills have undergone significant special teams turnover, including losing coordinator Bobby April and bringing in Bruce DeHaven, who was the special teams coach during the Bills' Super Bowl years. Former University of Miami and Miami High standout Roscoe Parrish needs 55 punt return yards to reach 1,500 for his career. He has three career punt returns for touchdowns.
COACHING
Chan Gailey is new to the Bills but hardly new to coaching. The Buffalo Bills' 15th coach in history was the coach in Dallas, where he posted an 18-14 record in two seasons, and was the coach at Georgia Tech, where he was 68-43 in nine years. Had the San Diego Chargers not lost in the playoffs in January 2007, Gailey was on track to succeed Nick Saban as the coach in Miami. For the Dolphins, Tony Sparano also is 18-14 in two seasons and is hoping he can return his team to the playoffs after falling out of contention in 2009. Sparano has put together a tough, physical team that might not be exciting in its approach but will try to eliminate mistakes and win at the line of scrimmage. In that regard, the Dolphins are molded with the same personality as their coach.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins: News And Notes
-The Bills announced their captains, selected by their teammates, for the 2010 season. They are: QB Trent Edwards, WR Lee Evans, LB Chris Kelsay, DE Marcus Stroud, P Brian Moorman and S George Wilson. Each player will wear a 'C' on their uniform ala hockey and their responsibilities will include communicating with officials on game day. Evans and Moorman enter their fifth consecutive season as captains. In May 2007, the NFL introduced the team captain initiative with the purpose of supporting and recognizing the importance of team leadership.
--Wilson, the team's locker room statesman, on the so-called "experts" picking the Bills to finish last in the AFC East and miss the playoffs for an 11th consecutive season: "Well, they only call you an expert when you're right. So right now we have control over whether or not the experts end up being right. I'll just say that we're not really focused on what anybody outside of our locker room is expecting of us or saying about us. We know that we're the guys that control that and all we have to do is go out there and prove it."
--The Bills made a very astute pickup with the signing of TE David Martin, who was released by the Dolphins last weekend. A key member of Miami's 11-5 team in 2008, Martin is a proven veteran capable of feeding Buffalo's coaching staff some useful information before Sunday's opener. The Bills tight end depth chart has been decimated by injuries and a four-game suspension to Shawn Nelson. "They just came calling," Nelson said of the Bills. "It was the right situation and there's an opportunity here to play ball. I know this division pretty well, so it was a good opportunity for me to help this team win." Martin caught 65 passes for 753 yards and five TDs for Miami in '07 and '08 before spending '09 on IR with a knee injury. The cut was clearly a difficult one for Dolphins coach Tony Sparano.
"Really tough, really tough," he said when asked about Martin. Martin said there are no problems with his knee and he's anxious to face his old team.
--The Bills awarded well-traveled FB Corey McIntyre with a two-year, $1.85-million contract extension this week. Coach Chan Gailey is someone who appreciates the dirty work he does. "You can't count, in statistics, what he brings to our football team. He's a true tough guy. He loves to play the game," he said. Fullbacks have been a dying breed in the NFL in recent years. "Yeah. I won't let it die," said McIntyre, an underrated receiver. "Even the other fullbacks out there, we continue to not let that position die. We love it. That's why we play it."
--The Bills are hoping to have FS Jairus Byrd available for Sunday's opener. Byrd, who hauled in team rookie-record nine interceptions a year ago, is coming off yet another groin operation. He has practiced all week but with good depth in the secondary Buffalo doesn't have to play him. "I'm encouraged. As a player and competitor, I feel like I can do anything," Byrd said. "Like I said, that's up to the coaches. That's not my decision. That's what they get paid for. I'll leave it up to them and whatever they say is best for the team, ultimately we want to win the game."
--After nine seasons of being a strict 4-3 defense, the Bills will debut their new 3-4 scheme against Miami on Sunday. But how much three-man front will Buffalo actually use? During the preseason, Buffalo used a lot of 4-3 variations and in its final preseason game against Detroit; the first unit played a true 4-3.
"We wanted to get that look out there so that teams have to prepare for it," LB Paul Posluszny said. "We could end up using it a lot. I don't know. But we needed to practice it in a game and get a feel for it." In Buffalo's base 3-4, the starting front seven is Dwan Edwards, Kyle Williams and Marcus Stroud on the line, Chris Kelsay and Reggie Torbor (if healthy) at outside linebacker, and Paul Posluszny and Andra Davis at inside linebacker. In its 4-3, Kelsey puts his hand on the ground to join Edwards, Williams and Stroud up front. Davis plays middle linebacker with Posluszny and likely either Torbor or newly signed Akin Ayodele on the outside. Ayodele provides depth after Kawika Mitchell was placed on injured reserve this week. Expect Miami to have some hunch what the Bills will do; Buffalo's new defensive coordinator, George Edwards, was their linebackers coach the past five seasons.
--Rookie WR David Nelson, who made Buffalo's 53-man roster as a free agent out of Florida, sent out a Twitter post with the news last Saturday before heading out to practice. "I was a little excited," he said. "You can't really express your true feelings through Twitter and text messages but there's definitely some excitement on my part. I (was excited) to tell my family and loved ones that all the hard work I've done and we've done together has paid off and we made an NFL roster."
--The team announced that season ticket sales are off by 20.5 percent compared to a year ago. Buffalo's 43,925 season tickets sold heading into Sunday's opener is 11,383 less than a year ago but still the fifth-highest total since 1995. Buffalo has also topped the 40,000 mark eight consecutive seasons. The national recession, departure of Terrell Owens, a ticket price hike and advances in HD television technology that makes watching from home appealing to a growing number of fans, are blamed as the reasons for Buffalo's season-ticket decline. The team's $59.19 average ticket price is still the third cheapest in the league.
BY THE NUMBERS
27 -- Number of 1,000-yard rushers in Bills' 50-year history, most of any NFL team.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I think he's gotten better and that's the best way I can judge somebody. He has got a much better understanding of what we're trying to do on offense. He seems to understand protections and routes and how things go together. He's a very accurate thrower. If we can give him time and guys will continue to work, he's got a chance to have a very good year, but we've got to keep progressing. I've seen a light at the end of the tunnel and that's what you're looking for, a light at the end of the tunnel." -- Coach Chan Gailey on QB Trent Edwards.
--Wilson, the team's locker room statesman, on the so-called "experts" picking the Bills to finish last in the AFC East and miss the playoffs for an 11th consecutive season: "Well, they only call you an expert when you're right. So right now we have control over whether or not the experts end up being right. I'll just say that we're not really focused on what anybody outside of our locker room is expecting of us or saying about us. We know that we're the guys that control that and all we have to do is go out there and prove it."
--The Bills made a very astute pickup with the signing of TE David Martin, who was released by the Dolphins last weekend. A key member of Miami's 11-5 team in 2008, Martin is a proven veteran capable of feeding Buffalo's coaching staff some useful information before Sunday's opener. The Bills tight end depth chart has been decimated by injuries and a four-game suspension to Shawn Nelson. "They just came calling," Nelson said of the Bills. "It was the right situation and there's an opportunity here to play ball. I know this division pretty well, so it was a good opportunity for me to help this team win." Martin caught 65 passes for 753 yards and five TDs for Miami in '07 and '08 before spending '09 on IR with a knee injury. The cut was clearly a difficult one for Dolphins coach Tony Sparano.
"Really tough, really tough," he said when asked about Martin. Martin said there are no problems with his knee and he's anxious to face his old team.
--The Bills awarded well-traveled FB Corey McIntyre with a two-year, $1.85-million contract extension this week. Coach Chan Gailey is someone who appreciates the dirty work he does. "You can't count, in statistics, what he brings to our football team. He's a true tough guy. He loves to play the game," he said. Fullbacks have been a dying breed in the NFL in recent years. "Yeah. I won't let it die," said McIntyre, an underrated receiver. "Even the other fullbacks out there, we continue to not let that position die. We love it. That's why we play it."
--The Bills are hoping to have FS Jairus Byrd available for Sunday's opener. Byrd, who hauled in team rookie-record nine interceptions a year ago, is coming off yet another groin operation. He has practiced all week but with good depth in the secondary Buffalo doesn't have to play him. "I'm encouraged. As a player and competitor, I feel like I can do anything," Byrd said. "Like I said, that's up to the coaches. That's not my decision. That's what they get paid for. I'll leave it up to them and whatever they say is best for the team, ultimately we want to win the game."
--After nine seasons of being a strict 4-3 defense, the Bills will debut their new 3-4 scheme against Miami on Sunday. But how much three-man front will Buffalo actually use? During the preseason, Buffalo used a lot of 4-3 variations and in its final preseason game against Detroit; the first unit played a true 4-3.
"We wanted to get that look out there so that teams have to prepare for it," LB Paul Posluszny said. "We could end up using it a lot. I don't know. But we needed to practice it in a game and get a feel for it." In Buffalo's base 3-4, the starting front seven is Dwan Edwards, Kyle Williams and Marcus Stroud on the line, Chris Kelsay and Reggie Torbor (if healthy) at outside linebacker, and Paul Posluszny and Andra Davis at inside linebacker. In its 4-3, Kelsey puts his hand on the ground to join Edwards, Williams and Stroud up front. Davis plays middle linebacker with Posluszny and likely either Torbor or newly signed Akin Ayodele on the outside. Ayodele provides depth after Kawika Mitchell was placed on injured reserve this week. Expect Miami to have some hunch what the Bills will do; Buffalo's new defensive coordinator, George Edwards, was their linebackers coach the past five seasons.
--Rookie WR David Nelson, who made Buffalo's 53-man roster as a free agent out of Florida, sent out a Twitter post with the news last Saturday before heading out to practice. "I was a little excited," he said. "You can't really express your true feelings through Twitter and text messages but there's definitely some excitement on my part. I (was excited) to tell my family and loved ones that all the hard work I've done and we've done together has paid off and we made an NFL roster."
--The team announced that season ticket sales are off by 20.5 percent compared to a year ago. Buffalo's 43,925 season tickets sold heading into Sunday's opener is 11,383 less than a year ago but still the fifth-highest total since 1995. Buffalo has also topped the 40,000 mark eight consecutive seasons. The national recession, departure of Terrell Owens, a ticket price hike and advances in HD television technology that makes watching from home appealing to a growing number of fans, are blamed as the reasons for Buffalo's season-ticket decline. The team's $59.19 average ticket price is still the third cheapest in the league.
BY THE NUMBERS
27 -- Number of 1,000-yard rushers in Bills' 50-year history, most of any NFL team.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I think he's gotten better and that's the best way I can judge somebody. He has got a much better understanding of what we're trying to do on offense. He seems to understand protections and routes and how things go together. He's a very accurate thrower. If we can give him time and guys will continue to work, he's got a chance to have a very good year, but we've got to keep progressing. I've seen a light at the end of the tunnel and that's what you're looking for, a light at the end of the tunnel." -- Coach Chan Gailey on QB Trent Edwards.
Friday, September 10, 2010
NFL Picks For Week 1: AFC EAST RIVALS MIAMI DOLPHINS AT BUFFALO BILLS
The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are set to square off in the first week of the NFL season.
After winning the AFC East in 2008, the Dolphins managed to win just seven games in 2009. The Bills struggled to get anything going last season, and wound up finishing the year at 6-10. Looking at the NFL odds for this game, the Dolphins come in as three-point favorites over the Bills on the road, with the over/under currently sitting at 38.5 points.
The Dolphins are counting on second-year quarterback Chad Henne to step in and really become the leader of the offense this season.
Henne started the final 13 games for the Dolphins in 2009, and played pretty well, considering the offense really didn’t have a go-to receiver and starting running back Ronnie Brown was lost for most of the season.
The Dolphins made one of the biggest moves this offseason, as they traded for wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who instantly changes the dynamics of the Dolphins' offense. Marshall is a premier receiver, and will give Henne a go to guy when he is in trouble—plus he will keep defenses from loading up on the running game.
The defense added middle linebacker Karlos Dansby this offseason, but there is a big question on who will provide the pass rush from the outside.
The Dolphins did add defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, who played a huge role in turning Elvis Dumervile of the Broncos into an elite pass rusher from the outside linebacker spot. The hope is that Nolan can do the same with Cameron Wake, who had five-and-a-half sacks for the Dolphins in his rookie season.
The Bills really struggled on the offensive side of the ball in 2009, but are hoping the addition of new head coach Chan Gailey and their first-round pick of running back C.J. Spiller can change that around this season.
I really expected the Bills to make a change at the quarterback position this offseason, but instead, they have decided to stick with Trent Edwards.
Some people questioned the draft pick of Spiller with the team having so many other needs, but I think Bills fans are really going to be pleased with what Spiller will give this team, as he is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. If the offense can find a way to stay on the field and put some points on the board, I think the defense will respond and play better this season.
Looking at the Odds
Not too many people are picking the Dolphins to have much of a shot in the AFC East this season, but I strongly believe they are much better than people think.
The addition of Marshall is going to really make the offense a dangerous unit to face this season. I believe you have to take the Dolphins to cover the 3 point spread in this one.
My final score prediction is Buffalo, 17, Miami, 24.
After winning the AFC East in 2008, the Dolphins managed to win just seven games in 2009. The Bills struggled to get anything going last season, and wound up finishing the year at 6-10. Looking at the NFL odds for this game, the Dolphins come in as three-point favorites over the Bills on the road, with the over/under currently sitting at 38.5 points.
The Dolphins are counting on second-year quarterback Chad Henne to step in and really become the leader of the offense this season.
Henne started the final 13 games for the Dolphins in 2009, and played pretty well, considering the offense really didn’t have a go-to receiver and starting running back Ronnie Brown was lost for most of the season.
The Dolphins made one of the biggest moves this offseason, as they traded for wide receiver Brandon Marshall, who instantly changes the dynamics of the Dolphins' offense. Marshall is a premier receiver, and will give Henne a go to guy when he is in trouble—plus he will keep defenses from loading up on the running game.
The defense added middle linebacker Karlos Dansby this offseason, but there is a big question on who will provide the pass rush from the outside.
The Dolphins did add defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, who played a huge role in turning Elvis Dumervile of the Broncos into an elite pass rusher from the outside linebacker spot. The hope is that Nolan can do the same with Cameron Wake, who had five-and-a-half sacks for the Dolphins in his rookie season.
The Bills really struggled on the offensive side of the ball in 2009, but are hoping the addition of new head coach Chan Gailey and their first-round pick of running back C.J. Spiller can change that around this season.
I really expected the Bills to make a change at the quarterback position this offseason, but instead, they have decided to stick with Trent Edwards.
Some people questioned the draft pick of Spiller with the team having so many other needs, but I think Bills fans are really going to be pleased with what Spiller will give this team, as he is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball. If the offense can find a way to stay on the field and put some points on the board, I think the defense will respond and play better this season.
Looking at the Odds
Not too many people are picking the Dolphins to have much of a shot in the AFC East this season, but I strongly believe they are much better than people think.
The addition of Marshall is going to really make the offense a dangerous unit to face this season. I believe you have to take the Dolphins to cover the 3 point spread in this one.
My final score prediction is Buffalo, 17, Miami, 24.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins Preview
This Sunday the Buffalo Bills take on their NFC East division rival Miami Dolphins to open the 2010 season.
Trent Edwards has performed well in the preseason and will be under center in the game and his teammates have faith in him to lead this team to their first postseason since 1999.
The addition of game breaking running back C.J. Spiller from Clemson will give the Bills something they have not had in a very long time, a true game breaker.
Spiller scored 51 touchdowns in his colligate career and scored in every way possible as he had touchdowns rushing, receiving, passing, and on kickoff and punt returns.
Lee Evans and Steve Johnson are the starting receivers and if the offensive line can give Edwards some protection, he will get them the ball.
The Dolphins have a strong pass rush, and signed a star linebacker in Karlos Dansby during the off-season so they will have their hands full on Sunday.
Since Chad Henne took over as the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins last season, the Dolphins looked like a different team. Henne has the size, arm and confidence to be a quality NFL quarterback.
The addition of receiver Brandon Marshall will also give the Dolphins a big boost and enable him to stretch the field opening up running lanes for a now healthy Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.
If Henne can move from being a mistake-free game manager and with the addition of Marshall become someone who can win a game with his arm, the Dolphins might be on the brink of something good.
It also helps the Dolphins that they are playing in Buffalo in September and not in the middle of winter.
It should be a good game, but I do not see either of these teams contending for the division title this season against the Jets or the Pats.
Trent Edwards has performed well in the preseason and will be under center in the game and his teammates have faith in him to lead this team to their first postseason since 1999.
The addition of game breaking running back C.J. Spiller from Clemson will give the Bills something they have not had in a very long time, a true game breaker.
Spiller scored 51 touchdowns in his colligate career and scored in every way possible as he had touchdowns rushing, receiving, passing, and on kickoff and punt returns.
Lee Evans and Steve Johnson are the starting receivers and if the offensive line can give Edwards some protection, he will get them the ball.
The Dolphins have a strong pass rush, and signed a star linebacker in Karlos Dansby during the off-season so they will have their hands full on Sunday.
Since Chad Henne took over as the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins last season, the Dolphins looked like a different team. Henne has the size, arm and confidence to be a quality NFL quarterback.
The addition of receiver Brandon Marshall will also give the Dolphins a big boost and enable him to stretch the field opening up running lanes for a now healthy Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.
If Henne can move from being a mistake-free game manager and with the addition of Marshall become someone who can win a game with his arm, the Dolphins might be on the brink of something good.
It also helps the Dolphins that they are playing in Buffalo in September and not in the middle of winter.
It should be a good game, but I do not see either of these teams contending for the division title this season against the Jets or the Pats.
Syracue Football: Syracuse Orangemen vs Washington Huskies Preview
The Washington Huskies face off against the Syracuse Saturday September 11 at 7pm at Husky Stadium. This matchup is sure to be one of the more interesting ones rounding out Week 2 of the season, and the college football odds show the Huskies -13 over the Orange. If you are going to wager on this game, then be sure to do it at BetUS where our readers can earn up to a $500 match bonus on their initial deposits.
The teams last met in 2007, with Washington getting the win 42-12.
Syracuse spent last season in a rebuilding mode and will look to have those changes pay off this season. Many of those changes were in the “intangibles” since Coach Marrone felt an attitude change was needed as the team had picked up many bad habits which undermined its performance.
Last season, the Orangemen went 4-8, including a 1-6 in conference record. This year a blend of veterans will be complimented by new recruits, and the offense will shift to old school formations and use a more pass oriented approach.
That approach worked well as the Orange’s sophomore QB Ryan Nassib added two touchdowns and 229 yards with a 17-for-27 passing effort against Akron, beating the Zips 29-3 and wining in its first home opener since 2003. Nassib appears to have stepped up from his backup role to lead the attack connecting with Aaron Weaver for a 23-yard score on the game’s first series and then finding Van Chew for a 26-yard touchdown five seconds before halftime for a 17-3 lead.
The rushing attack was led by 5th year senior RB Delone Carter who had 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter and rushed for 91 yards against Akron. Carter rushed for over 1,000 yards with 11 touchdowns in 2009 and will continue to be one of the Orange’s main offensive weapons easing some of the pressure off Nassib.
The O-line still has some concerns with some of the line positions being held by inexperienced players. Justin Pugh was a redshirt last season, and will be given a starter role based on high hopes and ability. Michael Hay is a JUCO transfer. Both need to perform out of the gate for the offense to work. Senior Ryan Bartholomew provided some veteran leadership at center, after transitioning over from guard. He has great upper body strength and should fill the role perfectly this coming season.
Pressure will be the game plan for the defense and it appeared to do its job against Akron, as linebackers Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue led a solid pass rush.
This team is not a high scoring offense, and will rely on the defense to hold the score close.
Meanwhile, the Washington Huskies head into the 2010 with plenty of promise despite coming off a disappointing 23-17 loss to BYU, as Washington’s Jake Locker passed for 266 yards, but missed passes on two fourth-down conversion attempts in the final period that could have put the Huskies ahead after allowing the Cougars to take the lead late in the third.
The Huskies will try to put the loss behind them as they prepare to host the Orange, a team Locker has had success against, winning his first career start as a redshirt freshman in 2007 with a 42-12 win at Syracuse.
They have infused a lot of talent into the roster in a short time. Locker for one is bursting with talent, but no team can rely on one man, and the offensive line didn’t help him much.
Despite Lockers best scrambling the line still allowed a sack rate of 7.1 percent a season ago and one in their loss to the Cougars to start 2010..
The ground attack continues to be led by RB Chris Polk who became the first Husky freshman to surpass 1,000 yards rushing. Polk ran for 92 yards on 16 carries for the Huskies in Saturday’s loss, and should see more carries against the Orange.
The Huskies may have the best receiving group in the conference. Junior Jermaine Kearse, Devin Aguilar, and James Johnson combined for over 1,800 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, but Kearse had the lone touchdown reception in their season opener.
The Washington defense did its job for the most part against BYU, and I suspect an even better showing against Syracuse. Take the Huskies -14 as they crush the Orangemen.
The teams last met in 2007, with Washington getting the win 42-12.
Syracuse spent last season in a rebuilding mode and will look to have those changes pay off this season. Many of those changes were in the “intangibles” since Coach Marrone felt an attitude change was needed as the team had picked up many bad habits which undermined its performance.
Last season, the Orangemen went 4-8, including a 1-6 in conference record. This year a blend of veterans will be complimented by new recruits, and the offense will shift to old school formations and use a more pass oriented approach.
That approach worked well as the Orange’s sophomore QB Ryan Nassib added two touchdowns and 229 yards with a 17-for-27 passing effort against Akron, beating the Zips 29-3 and wining in its first home opener since 2003. Nassib appears to have stepped up from his backup role to lead the attack connecting with Aaron Weaver for a 23-yard score on the game’s first series and then finding Van Chew for a 26-yard touchdown five seconds before halftime for a 17-3 lead.
The rushing attack was led by 5th year senior RB Delone Carter who had 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter and rushed for 91 yards against Akron. Carter rushed for over 1,000 yards with 11 touchdowns in 2009 and will continue to be one of the Orange’s main offensive weapons easing some of the pressure off Nassib.
The O-line still has some concerns with some of the line positions being held by inexperienced players. Justin Pugh was a redshirt last season, and will be given a starter role based on high hopes and ability. Michael Hay is a JUCO transfer. Both need to perform out of the gate for the offense to work. Senior Ryan Bartholomew provided some veteran leadership at center, after transitioning over from guard. He has great upper body strength and should fill the role perfectly this coming season.
Pressure will be the game plan for the defense and it appeared to do its job against Akron, as linebackers Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue led a solid pass rush.
This team is not a high scoring offense, and will rely on the defense to hold the score close.
Meanwhile, the Washington Huskies head into the 2010 with plenty of promise despite coming off a disappointing 23-17 loss to BYU, as Washington’s Jake Locker passed for 266 yards, but missed passes on two fourth-down conversion attempts in the final period that could have put the Huskies ahead after allowing the Cougars to take the lead late in the third.
The Huskies will try to put the loss behind them as they prepare to host the Orange, a team Locker has had success against, winning his first career start as a redshirt freshman in 2007 with a 42-12 win at Syracuse.
They have infused a lot of talent into the roster in a short time. Locker for one is bursting with talent, but no team can rely on one man, and the offensive line didn’t help him much.
Despite Lockers best scrambling the line still allowed a sack rate of 7.1 percent a season ago and one in their loss to the Cougars to start 2010..
The ground attack continues to be led by RB Chris Polk who became the first Husky freshman to surpass 1,000 yards rushing. Polk ran for 92 yards on 16 carries for the Huskies in Saturday’s loss, and should see more carries against the Orange.
The Huskies may have the best receiving group in the conference. Junior Jermaine Kearse, Devin Aguilar, and James Johnson combined for over 1,800 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, but Kearse had the lone touchdown reception in their season opener.
The Washington defense did its job for the most part against BYU, and I suspect an even better showing against Syracuse. Take the Huskies -14 as they crush the Orangemen.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins Report : Strategy And Presonnel
The Bills will keep their fewest number of draft picks in years, but not because their 53-man roster is getting tougher to make. WR Marcus Easley (fourth round) and LB Danny Batten (sixth round) have gone on injured reserve with season-ending injuries while offensive lineman Kyle Calloway (seventh round) was released at the cut to 75 players and quarterback Levi Brown (seventh) in the cut to 53.
Tackle Ed Wang (fifth) remains out after thumb surgery but will make the final roster in hopes of being able to fill a backup role this season. Easley's loss will be felt. The coaching staff was confident the raw University of Connecticut product could contribute as a rookie to a thin receiving corps. Calloway, who played at Iowa, faced long odds making the team as a backup tackle.
Meanwhile, second-year NT Lonnie Harvey was also cut. He joined the team's practice squad last November after spending time with Carolina and was third on the depth chart behind Torell Troup, the club's second-round pick who has enjoyed a stellar camp and will man the middle of Buffalo's new 3-4 defense in a rotation with Kyle Williams.
PLAYER NOTES
--QB Trent Edwards, who started all four preseason games for the Bills, was officially named the team's starter by coach Chan Gailey. The Bills host Miami on Sunday, a team that roughed Edwards up in a 38-10 victory last Oct. 4. Edwards was intercepted three times and sacked six times and he can only hope his suspect offensive line is up to the challenge.
--QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was officially named Trent Edwards' backup. If history repeats, Fitzpatrick will see plenty of action as Edwards has missed games due to injuries each of his three NFL seasons. Fitzpatrick was 5-5 in the games he started last year.
--RB C.J. Spiller, the No. 9 pick in the NFL draft, will see a lot of playing time in Sunday's home opener against Miami with veteran Fred Jackson questionable with a broken hand. Spiller will share the ball-carrying load with Marshawn Lynch as well as being used as a receiver and possibly kick returner.
--RB Fred Jackson will test himself in practice Wednesday but remains questionable for the Miami game with a broken hand. The hand is well protected but it's a question of ball protection for the coaching staff and the Bills have two healthy backs in Marshawn Lynch and rookie C.J. Spiller.
--TE Jonathan Stupar, a former Bills practice squad player, emerged as the starter with a strong camp aided by a four-game suspension slapped on Shawn Nelson. Stupar has six career catches so he's not expected to play a major role in the passing game against Miami.
--WR Lee Evans starts his seventh NFL season looking to earn his first Pro Bowl berth. It won't be easy. He is coming off his worst season with just 44 catches for 612 yards and he has yet to hit double-digits in touchdown receptions. With very little experience around him, it will be difficult for Evans to shake double-team coverage, at least in the early going.
--WR Steve Johnson, a third-year pro with 12 career receptions, will start Sunday against Miami. He had a quiet preseason but at 6-3, 198 brings a lot of physical traits to the table. He needs to show the Bills were correct in not retaining veteran Terrell Owens.
--CB Terrence McGee will test a tender foot he injured in practice last Saturday when the team resumes practice Wednesday. McGee said out practice Monday but his injury isn't believed to be serious.
--CB Leodis McKelvin, who missed practice Monday with an undisclosed injury, is expected back Wednesday. He'll start or play nickel in Sunday's opener against Miami.
--OLB Reggie Torbor, who has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury, hopes to start Sunday against Miami. He returned to practice last weekend and worked again on Monday. He's likely a game-day decision.
--FB Corey McIntyre has been given a two-year, $1.85-million contract extension running through 2012. The six-year veteran is a key cog in Buffalo's power packages and he's an underrated receiver.
--TE Derek Schouman was added to the injured reserve list. He had been designated waived/injured at the cut to 53 but cleared waivers, meaning the team retains his rights. He's recovering from a series of knee injuries but he's out for the 2010 season.
DRAFT PICKS TO STICK
Rd. 1/9, RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson -- Once considered a luxury pick on a team that had two good running backs, he's now emerged as the top drawing card. Taking advantage of injuries to Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, Spiller scored three TDs in preseason wins over the Colts and Bengals and awed onlookers with his stop-on-a-dime moves and speed. He even made a case for being the team's starter.
Rd. 2/41, NT Torell Troup, Central Florida -- The 6-2, 314-pounder had a stellar training camp, making all kinds of plays in practice while plugging the middle of Buffalo's new 3-4. He'll earn major playing time in a rotation with veteran Kyle Williams.
Rd. 3/72, DE Alex Carrington, Arkansas State -- With four tackles and no sacks through three preseason games, the Sun Belt Conference sack leader in 2009 hasn't made a big impact yet. But he'll make the roster and be used when needed in a rotation of players up front.
Rd. 6/178, MLB Arthur Moats, James Madison -- One of the pleasant surprises of camp, the Buck Buchanan Award winner had a team-best 18 tackles heading into the team's final preseason game. He has a nose for the ball and will push for backup time behind Paul Posluszny while playing special teams.
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS
Starter -- Trent Edwards. Backups -- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm.
Coach Chan Gailey, who has a good track record with quarterbacks and would like nothing better than to make Edwards another feather in his cap, was expected to name Edwards his starter following the team's final preseason game. Edwards started the first three games and took full advantage, completing 65 percent of his throws for a healthy 8.2 yards-per-attempt average. He made good decisions and seemed very much in command, all good signs after a season in which he went 2-6 as a starter and lost his job to Fitzpatrick. So who is No. 2? Fitzpatrick, who did some quality work a year ago (1,422 yards passing, 9 TDs, 10 INT), was the safe bet although Brohm's long-term potential is much greater. Buffalo's 157.2 yards per game passing tied for the NFL's lowest average in the past 30 years. The club's passing game has nowhere to go but up.
RUNNING BACKS
Starters -- Fred Jackson, FB Corey McIntyre. Backups -- Marshawn Lynch, C.J. Spiller.
While Jackson emerged as a standout all-purpose back (1,433 yards), the Bills' 25.8 third-down conversion rate tied for fifth worst by any NFL team over the past 20 seasons. Jackson must prove his one big year wasn't a fluke, but he's likely to miss the opener against Miami until a broken hand suffered in training camp is fully healed. Former first-round pick Lynch, who has been plagued by off-field issues, missed two preseason games with an injured foot. That opened the door for Spiller, the ninth overall pick in the draft, to show off his capabilities beyond just being a change-of-pace back. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns playing with the first unit. He's now Buffalo's top box office draw and the coaching staff will have fun devising ways to get him the ball. McIntyre is a solid blocking back when needed.
TIGHT ENDS
Starter -- Jonathan Stupar. Backups -- David Martin, Shawn Nelson.
Dreams of the tight end becoming a meaningful position in the passing game are on hold. Nelson, who flashed great potential as a rookie, was slapped with a four-game suspension to start the year for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Even before that, Jonathan Stupar a pedestrian blocking type, had been penciled in as the starter. Meanwhile, depth took a hit when Michael Matthews joined Joe Klopfenstein on the season-ending injured reserve list in training camp. Eight-year veteran Martin will back up Stupar during Nelson's suspension.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters -- Lee Evans, Steve Johnson. Backups -- Roscoe Parrish, David Nelson, Donald Jones.
With Terrell Owens and Josh Reed out of the picture, jobs were on the table for a host of young prospects. Emerging from a talented pack was Nelson, a free agent rookie out of Florida who seemed to catch every ball thrown his way in practice and preseason games. Johnson, a former seventh-round pick who has been grooming two seasons, did not have a breakout camp but was still the best bet to start alongside the underrated Evans (44 catches, 612 yards in '09) due to his experience and size. Two different coaching staffs have failed to capitalize on Parrish's unique skills but he's poised to resurrect his career as the slot receiver.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Starters -- LT Demetrius Bell, LG Andy Levitre, C Geoff Hangartner, RG Eric Wood, RT Cornell Green. Backups -- OT Jamon Meredith, OG Kraig Urbik, OG Cordaro Howard, OT Ed Wang.
The Bills' 30th ranking in yards, 30th ranking in passing yards, 32nd ranking in third-down conversions and 28th ranking in points could be traced to this eternally troubled unit. Other than Green, the starting five returns intact with Wood and Bell coming off major injuries. The good news is that both came out of camp healthy and ready to play, giving the line some unexpected continuity. Green (Oakland) struggled with penalties with the Raiders but does bring 46 career starts to Buffalo. Howard, who played for Gailey at Georgia Tech, was a nice find and the team likes Wang's potential.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Starters -- LE Marcus Stroud, RE Dwan Edwards, NT Kyle Williams. Backups -- DE Spencer Johnson, NT Torell Troup, DE Alex Carrington, DE John McCargo.
The Bills' switch to a 3-4 scheme was made in hopes of improving the team's horrendous run defense of recent seasons. The team allowed more than 156 yards on the ground a year ago. New coordinator George Edwards will use a heavy rotation of players up front, with Stroud, Johnson and McCargo making the switch from 4-3 tackles to 3-4 ends. Stroud, a former Pro Bowl player with Jacksonville, seems to have made the transition seamlessly and he brings a great work ethic with him each day. How Williams holds up as a 310-pound nose tackle remains to be seen but he'll be used more as an attack player than space-eater. Troup, a second-round pick out of Central Florida, had a nice camp and will help in a rotation with Williams. Edwards was a nice addition off of Baltimore's top defense and has a lot of experience in the 3-4.
LINEBACKERS
Starters -- ILB Andra Davis, ILB Paul Posluszny, SLB Chris Kelsay, WLB Reggie Torbor. Backups -- LB Antonio Coleman, ILB Kawika Mitchell, ILB Arthur Moats, ILB Keith Ellison, OLB Aaron Maybin, OLB Chris Ellis.
The strength of a 3-4 is a team's linebacker corps but Buffalo's is a work in progress. Former defense ends Kelsay, Maybin and Ellis are learning new positions. Out of the picture is Aaron Schobel, the team's No. 2 career sack leader, who retired. Posluszny, a physical, athletic player figures to excel in Buffalo's new look as he'll have to cover less space. Davis, a very productive nine-year vet who started in Denver's 3-4, was a key free agent pickup and has thus far held off Mitchell, who will nonetheless see a lot of playing time given his talents and experience. Kelsay, who had five sacks a year ago, had a strong offseason and has the size and feet to get the job done at strong-side linebacker. Maybin, the team's No. 1 pick in '09 who struggled as an undersized end, is a wildcard weapon the coaching staff can use in creative ways. Ellis is likely to get the start on the weak side until Torbor, another key free agent signing, returns from an undisclosed injury.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Starters -- LCB Terrence McGee, RCB Leodis McKelvin, FS Jairus Byrd, SS Donte Whitner. Backups -- CB Drayton Florence, CB Reggie Corner, CB Ashton Youboty, FS Cary Harris, SS Bryan Scott.
Easily the best and deepest unit on the team. Buffalo notched 28 interceptions last year, most since 1970 merger, with the rookie Byrd leading the way with nine. With a full season at free safety and good health, he'll be looking to top that total but he remains questionable for the opener after yet another groin surgery. At strong safety, Whitner has wrestled the starting job back and figures to excel in a system where he can run to the ball and make plays. He had a very strong training camp. The corner position is deep. McGee will team with either McKelvin, coming off a broken leg that sidelined him for most of last year, or Florence to form a solid 1-2 punch. Florence and McKelvin waged a tight battle all summer. Either way, both will see a lot of action with the amount of nickel used by teams today.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Rian Lindell, P Brian Moorman, LS Garrison Sanborn, KR Leodis McKelvin, PR Roscoe Parrish.
Bruce DeHaven, a member of Buffalo's Super Bowl coaching staffs, returns to take over for Bobby April, who fielded some of the best units in NFL history. The Bills figure not to miss a beat, though they did struggle some in the preseason. The kicking game is solid led by Lindell and Moorman. Lindell finished with 108 points and Moorman finished with a 40.2-yard net average for the first time, a very impressive feat for a cold-weather punter. Long-snapper Sanborn was solid in his first season. There is also no shortage of return talent. Rookie running back C.J. Spiller is in the mix to return punts and kicks with McKelvin and Parrish record setters from past years.
Tackle Ed Wang (fifth) remains out after thumb surgery but will make the final roster in hopes of being able to fill a backup role this season. Easley's loss will be felt. The coaching staff was confident the raw University of Connecticut product could contribute as a rookie to a thin receiving corps. Calloway, who played at Iowa, faced long odds making the team as a backup tackle.
Meanwhile, second-year NT Lonnie Harvey was also cut. He joined the team's practice squad last November after spending time with Carolina and was third on the depth chart behind Torell Troup, the club's second-round pick who has enjoyed a stellar camp and will man the middle of Buffalo's new 3-4 defense in a rotation with Kyle Williams.
PLAYER NOTES
--QB Trent Edwards, who started all four preseason games for the Bills, was officially named the team's starter by coach Chan Gailey. The Bills host Miami on Sunday, a team that roughed Edwards up in a 38-10 victory last Oct. 4. Edwards was intercepted three times and sacked six times and he can only hope his suspect offensive line is up to the challenge.
--QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was officially named Trent Edwards' backup. If history repeats, Fitzpatrick will see plenty of action as Edwards has missed games due to injuries each of his three NFL seasons. Fitzpatrick was 5-5 in the games he started last year.
--RB C.J. Spiller, the No. 9 pick in the NFL draft, will see a lot of playing time in Sunday's home opener against Miami with veteran Fred Jackson questionable with a broken hand. Spiller will share the ball-carrying load with Marshawn Lynch as well as being used as a receiver and possibly kick returner.
--RB Fred Jackson will test himself in practice Wednesday but remains questionable for the Miami game with a broken hand. The hand is well protected but it's a question of ball protection for the coaching staff and the Bills have two healthy backs in Marshawn Lynch and rookie C.J. Spiller.
--TE Jonathan Stupar, a former Bills practice squad player, emerged as the starter with a strong camp aided by a four-game suspension slapped on Shawn Nelson. Stupar has six career catches so he's not expected to play a major role in the passing game against Miami.
--WR Lee Evans starts his seventh NFL season looking to earn his first Pro Bowl berth. It won't be easy. He is coming off his worst season with just 44 catches for 612 yards and he has yet to hit double-digits in touchdown receptions. With very little experience around him, it will be difficult for Evans to shake double-team coverage, at least in the early going.
--WR Steve Johnson, a third-year pro with 12 career receptions, will start Sunday against Miami. He had a quiet preseason but at 6-3, 198 brings a lot of physical traits to the table. He needs to show the Bills were correct in not retaining veteran Terrell Owens.
--CB Terrence McGee will test a tender foot he injured in practice last Saturday when the team resumes practice Wednesday. McGee said out practice Monday but his injury isn't believed to be serious.
--CB Leodis McKelvin, who missed practice Monday with an undisclosed injury, is expected back Wednesday. He'll start or play nickel in Sunday's opener against Miami.
--OLB Reggie Torbor, who has been sidelined with an undisclosed injury, hopes to start Sunday against Miami. He returned to practice last weekend and worked again on Monday. He's likely a game-day decision.
--FB Corey McIntyre has been given a two-year, $1.85-million contract extension running through 2012. The six-year veteran is a key cog in Buffalo's power packages and he's an underrated receiver.
--TE Derek Schouman was added to the injured reserve list. He had been designated waived/injured at the cut to 53 but cleared waivers, meaning the team retains his rights. He's recovering from a series of knee injuries but he's out for the 2010 season.
DRAFT PICKS TO STICK
Rd. 1/9, RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson -- Once considered a luxury pick on a team that had two good running backs, he's now emerged as the top drawing card. Taking advantage of injuries to Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, Spiller scored three TDs in preseason wins over the Colts and Bengals and awed onlookers with his stop-on-a-dime moves and speed. He even made a case for being the team's starter.
Rd. 2/41, NT Torell Troup, Central Florida -- The 6-2, 314-pounder had a stellar training camp, making all kinds of plays in practice while plugging the middle of Buffalo's new 3-4. He'll earn major playing time in a rotation with veteran Kyle Williams.
Rd. 3/72, DE Alex Carrington, Arkansas State -- With four tackles and no sacks through three preseason games, the Sun Belt Conference sack leader in 2009 hasn't made a big impact yet. But he'll make the roster and be used when needed in a rotation of players up front.
Rd. 6/178, MLB Arthur Moats, James Madison -- One of the pleasant surprises of camp, the Buck Buchanan Award winner had a team-best 18 tackles heading into the team's final preseason game. He has a nose for the ball and will push for backup time behind Paul Posluszny while playing special teams.
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS
Starter -- Trent Edwards. Backups -- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm.
Coach Chan Gailey, who has a good track record with quarterbacks and would like nothing better than to make Edwards another feather in his cap, was expected to name Edwards his starter following the team's final preseason game. Edwards started the first three games and took full advantage, completing 65 percent of his throws for a healthy 8.2 yards-per-attempt average. He made good decisions and seemed very much in command, all good signs after a season in which he went 2-6 as a starter and lost his job to Fitzpatrick. So who is No. 2? Fitzpatrick, who did some quality work a year ago (1,422 yards passing, 9 TDs, 10 INT), was the safe bet although Brohm's long-term potential is much greater. Buffalo's 157.2 yards per game passing tied for the NFL's lowest average in the past 30 years. The club's passing game has nowhere to go but up.
RUNNING BACKS
Starters -- Fred Jackson, FB Corey McIntyre. Backups -- Marshawn Lynch, C.J. Spiller.
While Jackson emerged as a standout all-purpose back (1,433 yards), the Bills' 25.8 third-down conversion rate tied for fifth worst by any NFL team over the past 20 seasons. Jackson must prove his one big year wasn't a fluke, but he's likely to miss the opener against Miami until a broken hand suffered in training camp is fully healed. Former first-round pick Lynch, who has been plagued by off-field issues, missed two preseason games with an injured foot. That opened the door for Spiller, the ninth overall pick in the draft, to show off his capabilities beyond just being a change-of-pace back. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns playing with the first unit. He's now Buffalo's top box office draw and the coaching staff will have fun devising ways to get him the ball. McIntyre is a solid blocking back when needed.
TIGHT ENDS
Starter -- Jonathan Stupar. Backups -- David Martin, Shawn Nelson.
Dreams of the tight end becoming a meaningful position in the passing game are on hold. Nelson, who flashed great potential as a rookie, was slapped with a four-game suspension to start the year for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Even before that, Jonathan Stupar a pedestrian blocking type, had been penciled in as the starter. Meanwhile, depth took a hit when Michael Matthews joined Joe Klopfenstein on the season-ending injured reserve list in training camp. Eight-year veteran Martin will back up Stupar during Nelson's suspension.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters -- Lee Evans, Steve Johnson. Backups -- Roscoe Parrish, David Nelson, Donald Jones.
With Terrell Owens and Josh Reed out of the picture, jobs were on the table for a host of young prospects. Emerging from a talented pack was Nelson, a free agent rookie out of Florida who seemed to catch every ball thrown his way in practice and preseason games. Johnson, a former seventh-round pick who has been grooming two seasons, did not have a breakout camp but was still the best bet to start alongside the underrated Evans (44 catches, 612 yards in '09) due to his experience and size. Two different coaching staffs have failed to capitalize on Parrish's unique skills but he's poised to resurrect his career as the slot receiver.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Starters -- LT Demetrius Bell, LG Andy Levitre, C Geoff Hangartner, RG Eric Wood, RT Cornell Green. Backups -- OT Jamon Meredith, OG Kraig Urbik, OG Cordaro Howard, OT Ed Wang.
The Bills' 30th ranking in yards, 30th ranking in passing yards, 32nd ranking in third-down conversions and 28th ranking in points could be traced to this eternally troubled unit. Other than Green, the starting five returns intact with Wood and Bell coming off major injuries. The good news is that both came out of camp healthy and ready to play, giving the line some unexpected continuity. Green (Oakland) struggled with penalties with the Raiders but does bring 46 career starts to Buffalo. Howard, who played for Gailey at Georgia Tech, was a nice find and the team likes Wang's potential.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Starters -- LE Marcus Stroud, RE Dwan Edwards, NT Kyle Williams. Backups -- DE Spencer Johnson, NT Torell Troup, DE Alex Carrington, DE John McCargo.
The Bills' switch to a 3-4 scheme was made in hopes of improving the team's horrendous run defense of recent seasons. The team allowed more than 156 yards on the ground a year ago. New coordinator George Edwards will use a heavy rotation of players up front, with Stroud, Johnson and McCargo making the switch from 4-3 tackles to 3-4 ends. Stroud, a former Pro Bowl player with Jacksonville, seems to have made the transition seamlessly and he brings a great work ethic with him each day. How Williams holds up as a 310-pound nose tackle remains to be seen but he'll be used more as an attack player than space-eater. Troup, a second-round pick out of Central Florida, had a nice camp and will help in a rotation with Williams. Edwards was a nice addition off of Baltimore's top defense and has a lot of experience in the 3-4.
LINEBACKERS
Starters -- ILB Andra Davis, ILB Paul Posluszny, SLB Chris Kelsay, WLB Reggie Torbor. Backups -- LB Antonio Coleman, ILB Kawika Mitchell, ILB Arthur Moats, ILB Keith Ellison, OLB Aaron Maybin, OLB Chris Ellis.
The strength of a 3-4 is a team's linebacker corps but Buffalo's is a work in progress. Former defense ends Kelsay, Maybin and Ellis are learning new positions. Out of the picture is Aaron Schobel, the team's No. 2 career sack leader, who retired. Posluszny, a physical, athletic player figures to excel in Buffalo's new look as he'll have to cover less space. Davis, a very productive nine-year vet who started in Denver's 3-4, was a key free agent pickup and has thus far held off Mitchell, who will nonetheless see a lot of playing time given his talents and experience. Kelsay, who had five sacks a year ago, had a strong offseason and has the size and feet to get the job done at strong-side linebacker. Maybin, the team's No. 1 pick in '09 who struggled as an undersized end, is a wildcard weapon the coaching staff can use in creative ways. Ellis is likely to get the start on the weak side until Torbor, another key free agent signing, returns from an undisclosed injury.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Starters -- LCB Terrence McGee, RCB Leodis McKelvin, FS Jairus Byrd, SS Donte Whitner. Backups -- CB Drayton Florence, CB Reggie Corner, CB Ashton Youboty, FS Cary Harris, SS Bryan Scott.
Easily the best and deepest unit on the team. Buffalo notched 28 interceptions last year, most since 1970 merger, with the rookie Byrd leading the way with nine. With a full season at free safety and good health, he'll be looking to top that total but he remains questionable for the opener after yet another groin surgery. At strong safety, Whitner has wrestled the starting job back and figures to excel in a system where he can run to the ball and make plays. He had a very strong training camp. The corner position is deep. McGee will team with either McKelvin, coming off a broken leg that sidelined him for most of last year, or Florence to form a solid 1-2 punch. Florence and McKelvin waged a tight battle all summer. Either way, both will see a lot of action with the amount of nickel used by teams today.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Rian Lindell, P Brian Moorman, LS Garrison Sanborn, KR Leodis McKelvin, PR Roscoe Parrish.
Bruce DeHaven, a member of Buffalo's Super Bowl coaching staffs, returns to take over for Bobby April, who fielded some of the best units in NFL history. The Bills figure not to miss a beat, though they did struggle some in the preseason. The kicking game is solid led by Lindell and Moorman. Lindell finished with 108 points and Moorman finished with a 40.2-yard net average for the first time, a very impressive feat for a cold-weather punter. Long-snapper Sanborn was solid in his first season. There is also no shortage of return talent. Rookie running back C.J. Spiller is in the mix to return punts and kicks with McKelvin and Parrish record setters from past years.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Buffalo Bills QB Trent Edwards Has Renewed Confience In Bills New Offense
Shortly after Buffalo Bills coach Chan Gailey finished discussing how much Trent Edwards has improved this pre-season, the quarterback in question walked by and took a spot on a bench outside the locker-room.
"I think he's gotten better, and that's the best way I can judge somebody," Gailey said after practice Monday, providing his first in-depth insight on Edwards since naming him the starter two days earlier. "I've seen a light at the end of the tunnel. And that's what you're looking for."
However bright that glimmer is — or how much Edwards might have overheard — is not entirely apparent.
So when it was Edwards' turn to speak to reporters, the quarterback wasn't prepared to acknowledge he's accomplished anything just yet by having won a three-way, off-season-long competition for the job.
"I'm fortunate to be in the position I am," Edwards said. "But I can't sit here and be proud of myself by any means."
What does mean something to Edwards is the insight he's drawn from the few ups and many downs he's endured in three previous seasons in Buffalo. He's gone from being a fan-favourite as a rookie starter to having many of those same supporters derisively label him "Captain Checkdown" and "Trent-ative" a year ago before being benched midway through last season.
"I feel like I've been through a lot in my career here. I feel like I've seen it all," Edwards said. "I've seen the highs and lows and I'm still standing here."
With a newfound perspective, Edwards prepares to make the most of his second chance in leading the Bills as they get ready to host Miami in the season-opener on Sunday.
It's a fresh start for the former third-round draft pick out of Stanford, who spent the past three seasons struggling to find his rhythm in a conservative attack employed by defensive-minded coach Dick Jauron, who was fired in November.
That's all changed under Gailey, an offensive specialist who has introduced a more aggressive approach.
Edwards refuses to dwell too much on what happened in the past.
"I know we want to sit here and try to find reasons on why we're working better, and why we weren't last year," Edwards said. "For some reason, we're clicking right now."
What's evident is the increase in production the offence enjoyed this pre-season when Edwards led the starters to score five touchdowns in four games. That was a switch from last year, when the Bills starting offence was limited to two field goals in five preseason games.
Just as important, Edwards has begun shedding the checkdown label by showing he is, in fact, capable of completing deep passes.
This pre-season, he connected on four passes of at least 25 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown to Lee Evans. In seven regular-season starts last year, Edwards completed just 11 passes over 25 yards — and that was despite the Bills offence featuring the one-two receiving tandem of Evans and Terrell Owens.
Evans is impressed by what he's seen from Edwards, who has proven to be more assertive on and off the field.
"You see him taking control of the quarterback position. And what I mean by that, he's understanding what defence are trying to do and making adjustments," Evans said. "From his point of view, people can't be telling him what (the adjustments) are, he has to see them. And so that's where he's grown."
Bills defenders have even seen a change in Edwards.
"He's carrying himself like a veteran quarterback," defensive end Marcus Stroud said. "Despite what everybody was saying and writing him off and everything, he still came in here like he was the leader, like he was the starting quarterback. And everybody took notice of that."
Edwards was conscious to make sure he carried himself with more confidence in a bid to lead by example.
"I'm carrying myself the way I want to see my teammates carry themselves," he said. "That's what I want out of my teammates and that's the attitude and approach I'm taking."
As impressed as Gailey's been, so far, he's aware there will be challenges ahead. One key to Edwards' success is getting protection from an offensive line that hasn't been healthy this preseason. Another key is Edwards continuing to develop.
"He's got a chance to have a very good year," Gailey said. "But we've got to keep progressing."
"I think he's gotten better, and that's the best way I can judge somebody," Gailey said after practice Monday, providing his first in-depth insight on Edwards since naming him the starter two days earlier. "I've seen a light at the end of the tunnel. And that's what you're looking for."
However bright that glimmer is — or how much Edwards might have overheard — is not entirely apparent.
So when it was Edwards' turn to speak to reporters, the quarterback wasn't prepared to acknowledge he's accomplished anything just yet by having won a three-way, off-season-long competition for the job.
"I'm fortunate to be in the position I am," Edwards said. "But I can't sit here and be proud of myself by any means."
What does mean something to Edwards is the insight he's drawn from the few ups and many downs he's endured in three previous seasons in Buffalo. He's gone from being a fan-favourite as a rookie starter to having many of those same supporters derisively label him "Captain Checkdown" and "Trent-ative" a year ago before being benched midway through last season.
"I feel like I've been through a lot in my career here. I feel like I've seen it all," Edwards said. "I've seen the highs and lows and I'm still standing here."
With a newfound perspective, Edwards prepares to make the most of his second chance in leading the Bills as they get ready to host Miami in the season-opener on Sunday.
It's a fresh start for the former third-round draft pick out of Stanford, who spent the past three seasons struggling to find his rhythm in a conservative attack employed by defensive-minded coach Dick Jauron, who was fired in November.
That's all changed under Gailey, an offensive specialist who has introduced a more aggressive approach.
Edwards refuses to dwell too much on what happened in the past.
"I know we want to sit here and try to find reasons on why we're working better, and why we weren't last year," Edwards said. "For some reason, we're clicking right now."
What's evident is the increase in production the offence enjoyed this pre-season when Edwards led the starters to score five touchdowns in four games. That was a switch from last year, when the Bills starting offence was limited to two field goals in five preseason games.
Just as important, Edwards has begun shedding the checkdown label by showing he is, in fact, capable of completing deep passes.
This pre-season, he connected on four passes of at least 25 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown to Lee Evans. In seven regular-season starts last year, Edwards completed just 11 passes over 25 yards — and that was despite the Bills offence featuring the one-two receiving tandem of Evans and Terrell Owens.
Evans is impressed by what he's seen from Edwards, who has proven to be more assertive on and off the field.
"You see him taking control of the quarterback position. And what I mean by that, he's understanding what defence are trying to do and making adjustments," Evans said. "From his point of view, people can't be telling him what (the adjustments) are, he has to see them. And so that's where he's grown."
Bills defenders have even seen a change in Edwards.
"He's carrying himself like a veteran quarterback," defensive end Marcus Stroud said. "Despite what everybody was saying and writing him off and everything, he still came in here like he was the leader, like he was the starting quarterback. And everybody took notice of that."
Edwards was conscious to make sure he carried himself with more confidence in a bid to lead by example.
"I'm carrying myself the way I want to see my teammates carry themselves," he said. "That's what I want out of my teammates and that's the attitude and approach I'm taking."
As impressed as Gailey's been, so far, he's aware there will be challenges ahead. One key to Edwards' success is getting protection from an offensive line that hasn't been healthy this preseason. Another key is Edwards continuing to develop.
"He's got a chance to have a very good year," Gailey said. "But we've got to keep progressing."
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Syracuse Football: Syracuse Orangemen Crush Akron Zipps 29-3
They haven't skipped a single beat from last season and sent a surge of confidence through Syracuse fans that good things are on the way again this season (even though that was Akron out there). The Zips only had 166 yards of total offense, were 4-for-17 on 3rd down, managed just 55 yards rushing, and got a steady wave of Derrell Smith, Doug Hogue, Chandler Jones, Bud Tribbey, and Shamarko Thomas goodness.
*Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue ladies and gentlemen. They simply live up to the hype every time. Both all over the field all night and stood out as the best players on the defensive side of the ball. Again. Enjoy 'em this year folks before they play on Sundays next season.
*Who else is excited about what Chandler Jones is going to bring this season? He wasn't a stat machine in this one (2 tackles) but his presence was clearly felt all night on defense and he even blocked a kick.
One other play stands out. Jones was eyeing Akron QB Patrick Nicely on a pass play like a hawk, jumped up when Nicely pump-faked, landed, and still chased him down for the tackle. For a guy who goes 6-5, 250, he moves like a linebacker.
*I thought Ryan Nassib had a solid, solid debut as a starter. 17-for-27, 229 yards, 2 TD.
You could see how fired up he was to play in the first half, the guy was practically twitching out there, but settled in and you could tell that he had command of the offense and started to ooze confidence all game. What I really liked was how intent he was on getting rid of the ball quickly, even when the offensive line had its breakdowns.
We knew coming in he had arm strength and that arm strength was displayed in full on a number of throws. Not only did his throws have zip, but were put in the right spot almost every time. Think of Van Chew's 47-yard catch in the 2nd quarter. Chew had to fight off the defender, was on the way down, and simply reached up for the ball at the last possible second. When he did, the ball was right in the receiver diamond.
I'm not a fan of Nassib running the ball (we'll get to that) but when he had to scramble he did it effectively, even displaying a smart slide on the sideline when Akron's Mike Thomas had him targeted for a big hit.
I'm excited to see what he can do when more of the playbook opens up for him and the game plan isn't as simple and vanilla as it was for this game.
*Gotta give some love to Van Chew, who had 3 catches for 79 yards in this game. By the way, Chew had 6 catches for 66 yards for the entire 2009 season.
We noted the great 47-yard catch above. Chew also made a highlight reel TD right at the end of the first half on a terrific pump-and-go throw by Ryan Nassib.
I don't think he is # 1 WR material quite yet, but proved in this game that he can be a threat out there, has terrific athleticism, and can make a catch or two in duress.
*Delone Carter didn't quite have the all-star day he did last year vs Akron (30 carries, 174 yards, # TD) with 26 carries for 91 yards and TD in this one, but he did what he was asked to in this game and that is grind.
Doug Marrone wanted to run as vanilla a game plan as he could and exploit the power running game. Carter did that as best he could behind an offensive line that is still getting the gears going.
We all know what happened in the offseason. The fact that he was even out there for this game was big. I'm not sure Antown Bailey could have grinded and gotten 26 carries in like that had he been given the #1 job in the case of a Carter absence.
*I liked what I saw out of Aaron Weaver in his Syracuse debut. He made a nice play on the opening TD and provides Nassib with a big target (6-2, 220) who is hard to bring down. I think he is going to be one heck of a red zone threat and his previous game experience at Hofstra is going to pay off when Nassib needs a guy to lean on against more experienced defenses.
*I thought Alec Lemon had a nice game with 5 catches for 49 yards and the best thing about him is he fights to get open. But, like Chew, I'm not sure if he # 1 WR material. We'll see how it develops.
*Nick Provo had one big play, a catch for 33 yards, but don't let this game fool you. I think Provo is going to be targeted a heck of a lot more as we go along. He provides a terrific stop gap for Nassib if this developing core of WR's can't get open against some of the better defenses on the schedule.
*We saw some flashes as to why people have been so high on Bud Tribbey for so long. I'll never say "Art who?", but Syracuse is in good hands at the NT. Tribbey was dominant in the middle. He was making plays even with a blocker hanging off him half the time. Akron had nothing for him.
*The special teams certainly had some issues that need to be cleaned up (stop me if you have heard that one before), but props to Mike Holmes for the blocked FG return for a TD.
*Have to hand it to Akron LB Mike Thomas. What a beast he was in this game. 14 tackles, a forced fumble (which he recovered), and he broke up a pass. Dude was everywhere on the field making plays all night long.
*Syracuse was 10-19 on third down. Nice. Real nice.
*Syracuse had 20 first downs to Akron's 9.
*Syracuse had 202 yards rushing to Akron's 55.
*Total yards. 431-166. That is domination my friends.
*Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue ladies and gentlemen. They simply live up to the hype every time. Both all over the field all night and stood out as the best players on the defensive side of the ball. Again. Enjoy 'em this year folks before they play on Sundays next season.
*Who else is excited about what Chandler Jones is going to bring this season? He wasn't a stat machine in this one (2 tackles) but his presence was clearly felt all night on defense and he even blocked a kick.
One other play stands out. Jones was eyeing Akron QB Patrick Nicely on a pass play like a hawk, jumped up when Nicely pump-faked, landed, and still chased him down for the tackle. For a guy who goes 6-5, 250, he moves like a linebacker.
*I thought Ryan Nassib had a solid, solid debut as a starter. 17-for-27, 229 yards, 2 TD.
You could see how fired up he was to play in the first half, the guy was practically twitching out there, but settled in and you could tell that he had command of the offense and started to ooze confidence all game. What I really liked was how intent he was on getting rid of the ball quickly, even when the offensive line had its breakdowns.
We knew coming in he had arm strength and that arm strength was displayed in full on a number of throws. Not only did his throws have zip, but were put in the right spot almost every time. Think of Van Chew's 47-yard catch in the 2nd quarter. Chew had to fight off the defender, was on the way down, and simply reached up for the ball at the last possible second. When he did, the ball was right in the receiver diamond.
I'm not a fan of Nassib running the ball (we'll get to that) but when he had to scramble he did it effectively, even displaying a smart slide on the sideline when Akron's Mike Thomas had him targeted for a big hit.
I'm excited to see what he can do when more of the playbook opens up for him and the game plan isn't as simple and vanilla as it was for this game.
*Gotta give some love to Van Chew, who had 3 catches for 79 yards in this game. By the way, Chew had 6 catches for 66 yards for the entire 2009 season.
We noted the great 47-yard catch above. Chew also made a highlight reel TD right at the end of the first half on a terrific pump-and-go throw by Ryan Nassib.
I don't think he is # 1 WR material quite yet, but proved in this game that he can be a threat out there, has terrific athleticism, and can make a catch or two in duress.
*Delone Carter didn't quite have the all-star day he did last year vs Akron (30 carries, 174 yards, # TD) with 26 carries for 91 yards and TD in this one, but he did what he was asked to in this game and that is grind.
Doug Marrone wanted to run as vanilla a game plan as he could and exploit the power running game. Carter did that as best he could behind an offensive line that is still getting the gears going.
We all know what happened in the offseason. The fact that he was even out there for this game was big. I'm not sure Antown Bailey could have grinded and gotten 26 carries in like that had he been given the #1 job in the case of a Carter absence.
*I liked what I saw out of Aaron Weaver in his Syracuse debut. He made a nice play on the opening TD and provides Nassib with a big target (6-2, 220) who is hard to bring down. I think he is going to be one heck of a red zone threat and his previous game experience at Hofstra is going to pay off when Nassib needs a guy to lean on against more experienced defenses.
*I thought Alec Lemon had a nice game with 5 catches for 49 yards and the best thing about him is he fights to get open. But, like Chew, I'm not sure if he # 1 WR material. We'll see how it develops.
*Nick Provo had one big play, a catch for 33 yards, but don't let this game fool you. I think Provo is going to be targeted a heck of a lot more as we go along. He provides a terrific stop gap for Nassib if this developing core of WR's can't get open against some of the better defenses on the schedule.
*We saw some flashes as to why people have been so high on Bud Tribbey for so long. I'll never say "Art who?", but Syracuse is in good hands at the NT. Tribbey was dominant in the middle. He was making plays even with a blocker hanging off him half the time. Akron had nothing for him.
*The special teams certainly had some issues that need to be cleaned up (stop me if you have heard that one before), but props to Mike Holmes for the blocked FG return for a TD.
*Have to hand it to Akron LB Mike Thomas. What a beast he was in this game. 14 tackles, a forced fumble (which he recovered), and he broke up a pass. Dude was everywhere on the field making plays all night long.
*Syracuse was 10-19 on third down. Nice. Real nice.
*Syracuse had 20 first downs to Akron's 9.
*Syracuse had 202 yards rushing to Akron's 55.
*Total yards. 431-166. That is domination my friends.
Buffalo Bills Release James Hardy, Chad Jackson, Curt Chambers
ORCHARD PARK — The Buffalo Bills
are going with a young receiving corps after releasing wideouts James Hardy and Chad Jackson to set their 53-player roster Saturday.
Hardy was a 2008 second-round draftpick whose career in Buffalo had been hampered by injuries. He missed all but the final two games last season while recovering from knee surgery. An undisclosed injury also prevented him from playing in the team's first two preseason games last month.
Jackson signed with the Bills in March in a bid to revive his career after he had been out of football last season. He broke into the NFL in 2006 with New England as the team's second-round draft pick.
Among the 19 total players released were veteran guard Kirk Chambers and quarterback Levi Brown, a rookie seventh-round draft pick out of Troy University. Running backs Chad Simpson and Joique Bell, who both had solid preseasons, were also cut, meaning Buffalo will carry only four running backs, including fullback Corey McIntyre.
Veteran tight end Derek Schouman was waived/injured as coach Chan Gailey said the team was not prepared to wait for the player to recover from a knee injury he sustained two weeks ago.
Strong safety Jon Corto was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list after having surgery in July to repair a broken wrist.
Assessing his receivers, Gailey said Nelson and Jones were both rewarded for solid preseasons.
"In our opinion, they gave us the best chance to win football games," said Gailey, in his first year as Bills coach. "One thing when you come in without any preconceived ideas, everybody gets to start on an even keel. And those guys played well, when they got their chances. They made the most of it."
Nelson, one of TimTebow's
Hardy was a 2008 second-round draft
Jackson signed with the Bills in March in a bid to revive his career after he had been out of football last season. He broke into the NFL in 2006 with New England as the team's second-round draft pick.
Among the 19 total players released were veteran guard Kirk Chambers and quarterback Levi Brown, a rookie seventh-round draft pick out of Troy University. Running backs Chad Simpson and Joique Bell, who both had solid preseasons, were also cut, meaning Buffalo will carry only four running backs, including fullback Corey McIntyre.
Veteran tight end Derek Schouman was waived/injured as coach Chan Gailey said the team was not prepared to wait for the player to recover from a knee injury he sustained two weeks ago.
Strong safety Jon Corto was placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list after having surgery in July to repair a broken wrist.
Assessing his receivers, Gailey said Nelson and Jones were both rewarded for solid preseasons.
"In our opinion, they gave us the best chance to win football games," said Gailey, in his first year as Bills coach. "One thing when you come in without any preconceived ideas, everybody gets to start on an even keel. And those guys played well, when they got their chances. They made the most of it."
Nelson, one of Tim
Friday, September 3, 2010
Buffalo Bills 2010 Projected 53 Man Roster
The Bills will keep their fewest number of draft picks in years, but not because their 53-man roster is getting tougher to make. WR Marcus Easley (fourth round) and LB Danny Batten (sixth round) have gone on injured reserve with season-ending injuries while offensive lineman Kyle Calloway (seventh round) was released at the cut to 75 players. Tackle Ed Wang (fifth) remains out after thumb surgery but will make the final roster in hopes of being able to fill a backup role this season. Easley's loss will be felt. The coaching staff was confident the raw University of Connecticut product could contribute as a rookie to a thin receiving corps. Calloway, who played at Iowa, faced long odds making the team as a backup tackle. Meanwhile, second-year NT Lonnie Harvey was also cut. He joined the team's practice squad last November after spending time with Carolina and was third on the depth chart behind Torell Troup, the club's second-round pick who has enjoyed a stellar camp and will man the middle of Buffalo's new 3-4 defense in a rotation with Kyle Williams.
PLAYER NOTES
--RB Marshawn Lynch, who injured an ankle in the preseason opener at Washington, was expected to play in Thursday's final tune-up game at Detroit.
--RB Fred Jackson, who suffered a broken hand in the preseason opener at Washington, is back practicing with a special brace but remains a long-shot to start the season opener Sept. 12 against Miami. Ball protection and catching hard passes are still a concern.
--OT Cornell Green is nursing an undisclosed injury and will be a game-time decision for the Lions game.
--OT Ed Wang remains sidelined after thumb surgery. The rookie fifth-round pick is expected to make the club's final 53-man roster and be available at some point to fill a backup role.
--WR Roscoe Parrish is making a strong bid to earn the starting slot receiver role. He has seven catches for 82 yards and a touchdown through three preseason games.
--LB Arthur Moats, a sixth-round pick out of James Madison, is making a strong push to earn a roster spot. He has a team-high 18 tackles, including 12 solo stops and a forced fumble. Buffalo's special teams are also in need of replenishing.
Kyle Calloway, the team's final draft choice last April out of Iowa picked in the seventh round 216th overall, was released. He was far down the depth chart at right tackle.--NT Lonnie Harvey, who was attempting to make the 53-man roster after spending time on Buffalo's practice squad last year, was released. He was a long-shot for a backup spot.
DRAFT PICKS TO STICK
Rd. 1/9, RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson -- Once considered a luxury pick on a team that had two good running backs, he's now emerged as the top drawing card. Taking advantage of injuries to Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, Spiller scored three TDs in preseason wins over the Colts and Bengals and awed onlookers with his stop-on-a-dime moves and speed. He even made a case for being the team's starter.
Rd. 2/41, NT Torell Troup, Central Florida -- The 6-2, 314-pounder had a stellar training camp, making all kinds of plays in practice while plugging the middle of Buffalo's new 3-4. He'll earn major playing time in a rotation with veteran Kyle Williams.
Rd. 3/72, DE Alex Carrington, Arkansas State -- With four tackles and no sacks through three preseason games, the Sun Belt Conference sack leader in 2009 hasn't made a big impact yet. But he'll make the roster and be used when needed in a rotation of players up front.
Rd. 6/178, MLB Arthur Moats, James Madison -- One of the pleasant surprises of camp, the Buck Buchanan Award winner had a team-best 18 tackles heading into the team's final preseason game. He has a nose for the ball and will push for backup time behind Paul Posluszny while playing special teams.
Rd. 7/209, QB Levi Brown, Troy -- No. 4 on the depth chart, the Sun Belt Conference player of the year didn't see much action this summer but could make the roster as the team's third QB as a developmental project.
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS
Starter -- Trent Edwards. Backups -- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm, Levi Brown.
Coach Chan Gailey, who has a good track record with quarterbacks and would like nothing better than to make Edwards another feather in his cap, was expected to name Edwards his starter following the team's final preseason game. Edwards started the first three games and took full advantage, completing 65 percent of his QUARTERBACKS
Starter -- Trent Edwards. Backups -- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm, Levi Brown.
Coach Chan Gailey, who has a good track record with quarterbacks and would like nothing better than to make Edwards another feather in his cap, was expected to name Edwards his starter following the team's final preseason game. Edwards started the first three games and took full advantage, completing 65 percent of his throws for a healthy 8.2 yards-per-attempt average. He made good decisions and seemed very much in command, all good signs after a season in which he went 2-6 as a starter and lost his job to Fitzpatrick. So who is No. 2? Fitzpatrick, who did some quality work a year ago (1,422 yards passing, 9 TDs, 10 INT), was the safe bet although Brohm's long-term potential is much greater. One was likely to be released with rookie Brown earning the No. 3 job as a long-term project. Buffalo's 157.2 yards per game passing tied for the NFL's lowest average in the past 30 years. The club's passing game has nowhere to go but up.
RUNNING BACKS
Starters -- Fred Jackson, FB Corey McIntyre. Backups -- Marshawn Lynch, C.J. Spiller, Joique Bell, Chad Simpson.
While Jackson emerged as a standout all-purpose back (1,433 yards), the Bills' 25.8 third-down conversion rate tied for fifth worst by any NFL team over the past 20 seasons. Jackson must prove his one big year wasn't a fluke, but he's likely to miss the opener against Miami until a broken hand suffered in training camp is fully healed. Former first-round pick Lynch, who has been plagued by off-field issues, missed two preseason games with an injured foot. That opened the door for Spiller, the ninth overall pick in the draft, to show off his capabilities beyond just being a change-of-pace back. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns playing with the first unit. He's now Buffalo's top box office draw and the coaching staff will have fun devising ways to get him the ball. McIntyre is a solid blocking back when needed.
TIGHT ENDS
Starter -- Jonathan Stupar. Backups -- Shawn Nelson, J.P. Foschi.
Dreams of the tight end becoming a meaningful position in the passing game are on hold. Nelson, who flashed great potential as a rookie, was slapped with a four-game suspension to start the year for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Even before that, Jonathan Stupar a pedestrian blocking type, had been penciled in as the starter. Meanwhile, depth took a hit when Michael Matthews joined Joe Klopfenstein on the season-ending injured reserve list in training camp. Six-year veteran J.P. Foschi was signed and will back up Stupar until Nelson is eligible.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters -- Lee Evans, Steve Johnson. Backups -- Roscoe Parrish, David Nelson, James Hardy, Chad Jackson.
With Terrell Owens and Josh Reed out of the picture, jobs were on the table for a host of young prospects. Emerging from a talented pack was Nelson, a free agent rookie out of Florida who seemed to catch every ball thrown his way in practice and preseason games. Johnson, a former seventh-round pick who has been grooming two seasons, did not have a breakout camp but was still the best bet to start alongside the underrated Evans (44 catches, 612 yards in '09) due to his experience and size. Jackson, the former New England second-round pick, was also in the picture. Hardy, a 2008 second-round pick, is back from ACL surgery and brings great size to the table but is still raw in his route skills. Two different coaching staffs have failed to capitalize on Parrish's unique skills but he's poised to resurrect his career as the slot receiver.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Starters -- LT Demetrius Bell, LG Andy Levitre, C Geoff Hangartner, RG Eric Wood, RT Cornell Green. Backups -- OT Kirk Chambers, OT Jamon Meredith, OT Nick Hennessey, C Sean Allen, OG Jason Watkins, OG Cordaro Howard, OT Ed Wang.
The Bills' 30th ranking in yards, 30th ranking in passing yards, 32nd ranking in third-down conversions and 28th ranking in points could be traced to this eternally troubled unit. Other than Green, the starting five returns intact with Wood and Bell coming off major injuries. The good news is that both came out of camp healthy and ready to play, giving the line some unexpected continuity. Green (Oakland) struggled with penalties with the Raiders but does bring 46 career starts to Buffalo. Chambers is a solid backup. Howard, who played for Gailey at Georgia Tech, was a nice find and the team likes Wang's potential.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Starters -- LE Marcus Stroud, RE Dwan Edwards, NT Kyle Williams. Backups -- DE Spencer Johnson, NT Torell Troup, DE Alex Carrington, DE John McCargo.
The Bills' switch to a 3-4 scheme was made in hopes of improving the team's horrendous run defense of recent seasons. The team allowed more than 156 yards on the ground a year ago. New coordinator George Edwards will use a heavy rotation of players up front, with Stroud, Johnson and McCargo making the switch from 4-3 tackles to 3-4 ends. Stroud, a former Pro Bowl player with Jacksonville, seems to have made the transition seamlessly and he brings a great work ethic with him each day. How Williams holds up as a 310-pound nose tackle remains to be seen but he'll be used more as an attack player than space-eater. Troup, a second-round pick out of Central Florida, had a nice camp and will help in a rotation with Williams. Edwards was a nice addition off Baltimore's top defense and has a lot of experience in the 3-4.
LINEBACKERS
Starters -- ILB Andra Davis, ILB Paul Posluszny, SLB Chris Kelsay, WLB Reggie Torbor. Backups -- ILB Kawika Mitchell, ILB Arthur Moats, ILB Keith Ellison, OLB Aaron Maybin, OLB Chris Ellis, OLB Donovan Woods.
The strength of a 3-4 is a team's linebacker corps but Buffalo's is a work in progress. Former defense ends Kelsay, Maybin and Ellis are learning new positions. Out of the picture is Aaron Schobel, the team's No. 2 career sack leader, who retired. Posluszny, a physical, athletic player figures to excel in Buffalo's new look as he'll have to cover less space. Davis, a very productive nine-year vet who started in Denver's 3-4, was a key free agent pickup and has thus far held off Mitchell, who will nonetheless see a lot of playing time given his talents and experience. Kelsay, who had five sacks a year ago, had a strong offseason and has the size and feet to get the job done at strong-side linebacker. Maybin, the team's No. 1 pick in '09 who struggled as an undersized end, is a wildcard weapon the coaching staff can use in creative ways. Ellis is likely to get the start on the weak side until Torbor, another key free agent signing, returns from an undisclosed injury.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Starters -- LCB Terrence McGee, RCB Leodis McKelvin, FS Jairus Byrd, SS Donte Whitner. Backups -- CB Drayton Florence, CB Reggie Corner, CB Ashton Youboty, CB Ellis Lankster, FS George Wilson, FS Cary Harris, SS Bryan Scott.
Easily the best and deepest unit on the club. Buffalo notched 28 interceptions last year, most since 1970 merger, with the rookie Byrd leading the way with nine. With a full season at free safety and good health, he'll be looking to top that total but he remains questionable for the opener after yet another groin surgery. At strong safety, Whitner has wrestled the starting job back and figures to excel in a system where he can run to the ball and make plays. He had a very strong training camp. The corner position is deep. McGee will team with either McKelvin, coming off a broken leg that sidelined him for most of last year, or Florence to form a solid 1-2 punch. Florence and McKelvin waged a tight battle all summer. Either way, both will see a lot of action with the amount of nickel used by teams today.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Rian Lindell, P Brian Moorman, LS Garrison Sanborn, KR Leodis McKelvin, PR Roscoe Parrish.
Bruce DeHaven, a member of Buffalo's Super Bowl coaching staffs, returns to take over for Bobby April, who fielded some of the best units in NFL history. The Bills figure not to miss a beat, though they did struggle some in the preseason. The kicking game is solid led by Lindell and Moorman. Lindell finished with 108 points and Moorman finished with a 40.2-yard net average for the first time, a very impressive feat for a cold-weather punter. Long-snapper Sanborn was solid in his first season. There is also no shortage of return talent. Rookie running back C.J. Spiller is in the mix to return punts and kicks with McKelvin and Parrish record setters from past years.
PLAYER NOTES
--RB Marshawn Lynch, who injured an ankle in the preseason opener at Washington, was expected to play in Thursday's final tune-up game at Detroit.
--RB Fred Jackson, who suffered a broken hand in the preseason opener at Washington, is back practicing with a special brace but remains a long-shot to start the season opener Sept. 12 against Miami. Ball protection and catching hard passes are still a concern.
--OT Cornell Green is nursing an undisclosed injury and will be a game-time decision for the Lions game.
--OT Ed Wang remains sidelined after thumb surgery. The rookie fifth-round pick is expected to make the club's final 53-man roster and be available at some point to fill a backup role.
--WR Roscoe Parrish is making a strong bid to earn the starting slot receiver role. He has seven catches for 82 yards and a touchdown through three preseason games.
--LB Arthur Moats, a sixth-round pick out of James Madison, is making a strong push to earn a roster spot. He has a team-high 18 tackles, including 12 solo stops and a forced fumble. Buffalo's special teams are also in need of replenishing.
Kyle Calloway, the team's final draft choice last April out of Iowa picked in the seventh round 216th overall, was released. He was far down the depth chart at right tackle.--NT Lonnie Harvey, who was attempting to make the 53-man roster after spending time on Buffalo's practice squad last year, was released. He was a long-shot for a backup spot.
DRAFT PICKS TO STICK
Rd. 1/9, RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson -- Once considered a luxury pick on a team that had two good running backs, he's now emerged as the top drawing card. Taking advantage of injuries to Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, Spiller scored three TDs in preseason wins over the Colts and Bengals and awed onlookers with his stop-on-a-dime moves and speed. He even made a case for being the team's starter.
Rd. 2/41, NT Torell Troup, Central Florida -- The 6-2, 314-pounder had a stellar training camp, making all kinds of plays in practice while plugging the middle of Buffalo's new 3-4. He'll earn major playing time in a rotation with veteran Kyle Williams.
Rd. 3/72, DE Alex Carrington, Arkansas State -- With four tackles and no sacks through three preseason games, the Sun Belt Conference sack leader in 2009 hasn't made a big impact yet. But he'll make the roster and be used when needed in a rotation of players up front.
Rd. 6/178, MLB Arthur Moats, James Madison -- One of the pleasant surprises of camp, the Buck Buchanan Award winner had a team-best 18 tackles heading into the team's final preseason game. He has a nose for the ball and will push for backup time behind Paul Posluszny while playing special teams.
Rd. 7/209, QB Levi Brown, Troy -- No. 4 on the depth chart, the Sun Belt Conference player of the year didn't see much action this summer but could make the roster as the team's third QB as a developmental project.
UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACKS
Starter -- Trent Edwards. Backups -- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm, Levi Brown.
Coach Chan Gailey, who has a good track record with quarterbacks and would like nothing better than to make Edwards another feather in his cap, was expected to name Edwards his starter following the team's final preseason game. Edwards started the first three games and took full advantage, completing 65 percent of his QUARTERBACKS
Starter -- Trent Edwards. Backups -- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm, Levi Brown.
Coach Chan Gailey, who has a good track record with quarterbacks and would like nothing better than to make Edwards another feather in his cap, was expected to name Edwards his starter following the team's final preseason game. Edwards started the first three games and took full advantage, completing 65 percent of his throws for a healthy 8.2 yards-per-attempt average. He made good decisions and seemed very much in command, all good signs after a season in which he went 2-6 as a starter and lost his job to Fitzpatrick. So who is No. 2? Fitzpatrick, who did some quality work a year ago (1,422 yards passing, 9 TDs, 10 INT), was the safe bet although Brohm's long-term potential is much greater. One was likely to be released with rookie Brown earning the No. 3 job as a long-term project. Buffalo's 157.2 yards per game passing tied for the NFL's lowest average in the past 30 years. The club's passing game has nowhere to go but up.
RUNNING BACKS
Starters -- Fred Jackson, FB Corey McIntyre. Backups -- Marshawn Lynch, C.J. Spiller, Joique Bell, Chad Simpson.
While Jackson emerged as a standout all-purpose back (1,433 yards), the Bills' 25.8 third-down conversion rate tied for fifth worst by any NFL team over the past 20 seasons. Jackson must prove his one big year wasn't a fluke, but he's likely to miss the opener against Miami until a broken hand suffered in training camp is fully healed. Former first-round pick Lynch, who has been plagued by off-field issues, missed two preseason games with an injured foot. That opened the door for Spiller, the ninth overall pick in the draft, to show off his capabilities beyond just being a change-of-pace back. He averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns playing with the first unit. He's now Buffalo's top box office draw and the coaching staff will have fun devising ways to get him the ball. McIntyre is a solid blocking back when needed.
TIGHT ENDS
Starter -- Jonathan Stupar. Backups -- Shawn Nelson, J.P. Foschi.
Dreams of the tight end becoming a meaningful position in the passing game are on hold. Nelson, who flashed great potential as a rookie, was slapped with a four-game suspension to start the year for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Even before that, Jonathan Stupar a pedestrian blocking type, had been penciled in as the starter. Meanwhile, depth took a hit when Michael Matthews joined Joe Klopfenstein on the season-ending injured reserve list in training camp. Six-year veteran J.P. Foschi was signed and will back up Stupar until Nelson is eligible.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters -- Lee Evans, Steve Johnson. Backups -- Roscoe Parrish, David Nelson, James Hardy, Chad Jackson.
With Terrell Owens and Josh Reed out of the picture, jobs were on the table for a host of young prospects. Emerging from a talented pack was Nelson, a free agent rookie out of Florida who seemed to catch every ball thrown his way in practice and preseason games. Johnson, a former seventh-round pick who has been grooming two seasons, did not have a breakout camp but was still the best bet to start alongside the underrated Evans (44 catches, 612 yards in '09) due to his experience and size. Jackson, the former New England second-round pick, was also in the picture. Hardy, a 2008 second-round pick, is back from ACL surgery and brings great size to the table but is still raw in his route skills. Two different coaching staffs have failed to capitalize on Parrish's unique skills but he's poised to resurrect his career as the slot receiver.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
Starters -- LT Demetrius Bell, LG Andy Levitre, C Geoff Hangartner, RG Eric Wood, RT Cornell Green. Backups -- OT Kirk Chambers, OT Jamon Meredith, OT Nick Hennessey, C Sean Allen, OG Jason Watkins, OG Cordaro Howard, OT Ed Wang.
The Bills' 30th ranking in yards, 30th ranking in passing yards, 32nd ranking in third-down conversions and 28th ranking in points could be traced to this eternally troubled unit. Other than Green, the starting five returns intact with Wood and Bell coming off major injuries. The good news is that both came out of camp healthy and ready to play, giving the line some unexpected continuity. Green (Oakland) struggled with penalties with the Raiders but does bring 46 career starts to Buffalo. Chambers is a solid backup. Howard, who played for Gailey at Georgia Tech, was a nice find and the team likes Wang's potential.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Starters -- LE Marcus Stroud, RE Dwan Edwards, NT Kyle Williams. Backups -- DE Spencer Johnson, NT Torell Troup, DE Alex Carrington, DE John McCargo.
The Bills' switch to a 3-4 scheme was made in hopes of improving the team's horrendous run defense of recent seasons. The team allowed more than 156 yards on the ground a year ago. New coordinator George Edwards will use a heavy rotation of players up front, with Stroud, Johnson and McCargo making the switch from 4-3 tackles to 3-4 ends. Stroud, a former Pro Bowl player with Jacksonville, seems to have made the transition seamlessly and he brings a great work ethic with him each day. How Williams holds up as a 310-pound nose tackle remains to be seen but he'll be used more as an attack player than space-eater. Troup, a second-round pick out of Central Florida, had a nice camp and will help in a rotation with Williams. Edwards was a nice addition off Baltimore's top defense and has a lot of experience in the 3-4.
LINEBACKERS
Starters -- ILB Andra Davis, ILB Paul Posluszny, SLB Chris Kelsay, WLB Reggie Torbor. Backups -- ILB Kawika Mitchell, ILB Arthur Moats, ILB Keith Ellison, OLB Aaron Maybin, OLB Chris Ellis, OLB Donovan Woods.
The strength of a 3-4 is a team's linebacker corps but Buffalo's is a work in progress. Former defense ends Kelsay, Maybin and Ellis are learning new positions. Out of the picture is Aaron Schobel, the team's No. 2 career sack leader, who retired. Posluszny, a physical, athletic player figures to excel in Buffalo's new look as he'll have to cover less space. Davis, a very productive nine-year vet who started in Denver's 3-4, was a key free agent pickup and has thus far held off Mitchell, who will nonetheless see a lot of playing time given his talents and experience. Kelsay, who had five sacks a year ago, had a strong offseason and has the size and feet to get the job done at strong-side linebacker. Maybin, the team's No. 1 pick in '09 who struggled as an undersized end, is a wildcard weapon the coaching staff can use in creative ways. Ellis is likely to get the start on the weak side until Torbor, another key free agent signing, returns from an undisclosed injury.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Starters -- LCB Terrence McGee, RCB Leodis McKelvin, FS Jairus Byrd, SS Donte Whitner. Backups -- CB Drayton Florence, CB Reggie Corner, CB Ashton Youboty, CB Ellis Lankster, FS George Wilson, FS Cary Harris, SS Bryan Scott.
Easily the best and deepest unit on the club. Buffalo notched 28 interceptions last year, most since 1970 merger, with the rookie Byrd leading the way with nine. With a full season at free safety and good health, he'll be looking to top that total but he remains questionable for the opener after yet another groin surgery. At strong safety, Whitner has wrestled the starting job back and figures to excel in a system where he can run to the ball and make plays. He had a very strong training camp. The corner position is deep. McGee will team with either McKelvin, coming off a broken leg that sidelined him for most of last year, or Florence to form a solid 1-2 punch. Florence and McKelvin waged a tight battle all summer. Either way, both will see a lot of action with the amount of nickel used by teams today.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Rian Lindell, P Brian Moorman, LS Garrison Sanborn, KR Leodis McKelvin, PR Roscoe Parrish.
Bruce DeHaven, a member of Buffalo's Super Bowl coaching staffs, returns to take over for Bobby April, who fielded some of the best units in NFL history. The Bills figure not to miss a beat, though they did struggle some in the preseason. The kicking game is solid led by Lindell and Moorman. Lindell finished with 108 points and Moorman finished with a 40.2-yard net average for the first time, a very impressive feat for a cold-weather punter. Long-snapper Sanborn was solid in his first season. There is also no shortage of return talent. Rookie running back C.J. Spiller is in the mix to return punts and kicks with McKelvin and Parrish record setters from past years.
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