The Kansas City Chiefs (4-2) host the Buffalo Bills (0-6) at Arrowhead Stadium in week eight. This game will feature two surprise teams of the 2010 NFL season. Not many could have realistically thought of the Chiefs as a team that would be a division leader at this point and the Bills are doing worse than expected. Of course, the Bills haven’t played as bad as their record suggests they are and the Chiefs can’t look past the Bills who have hung tough against teams like the Patriots, Dolphins and lately the Ravens who went into overtime after the Bills blew a large lead.
Jon McGraw vs. Ryan Fitzpatrick
Although the Bills look lie a bad team, they have been competitive since they changed to Fitzpatrick at quarterback. Although he is 0-4 as the Bills starter, he has completed 81/128 for 969 yards with 11 TDs and 4 picks, a passer rating of 102. If he had been the starter for the first two games, he could be among the best quarterbacks (statistically) in the NFL. Jon McGraw is the man in charge of keeping a lid on the passing game as a free safety. The Bills’ wide receivers Roscoe Parish and Lee Evans each average over 10 yards per reception. McGraw will have his work cut out for him.
Jamaal Charles/Thomas Jones vs. Andra Davis
Charles and Jones have become one of the most underrated rushing tandems in the NFL as they have combined their different styles to create a monster running game. The Chiefs lead the NFL by averaging 176.5 rushing yards per game with their two man backfield. Andra Davis has been recognized as a very good inside linebacker in his career that has gone from Cleveland to Denver to Buffalo. He will have the task of stepping up into the running lanes of Thomas Jones. Jones is mostly an interior runner and can be taken down by Davis. Charles will be tough to stop by Davis alone as his speed has helped him average 6.0 yards per carry.
Dwayne Bowe vs. Reggie Corner
Dwayne Bowe has stepped up his game (18 catches, 341 yards, 5 TDs) and has been reliable for Matt Cassel. Reggie Corner has been filling in for the injured Terrence McGee at corner back for the Bills for the last three weeks and only has nine tackles with no picks to show for it. Dwayne Bowe can be a real problem for Corner who is 5’9″ and 175 pounds while Bowe is 6’2″ at 221 pounds. The five inch difference in height as well as the 46 pound difference will give Bowe the ability to reach the high passes better and push Corner around in tight coverage at the line of scrimmage. McGee has missed the last three games and is questionable.
Tamba Hali vs. Demetrius Bell
Hali has made 5.5 sacks and has wreaked havoc in offensive backfields. Bell will be lined up in front of Hali at right tackle for the Bills. If the Bills are to enjoy the talent that Ryan Fitzpatrick brings to their offense, they must give him time to throw and make big plays. At 307 pounds, Bell is a light tackle and will be better suited to match Hali’s speed rush to the edge. But Hali has seemed to have a knack of getting to the quarterback and I am sure that he already has his game plan ready to get around Bell and get to Fitzpatrick.
My Pick
It should be easy to pick the Chiefs here but it isn’t as easy as you would think. The Bills have had a fighting spirit in most of their games and haven’t stopped playing hard despite their 0-6 record. They just went into overtime against the Ravens, which is a moral victory to some people. But I say the Chiefs will win this game for two reasons. The Bills allow an NFL worst 174.5 rushing yards per game and the Chiefs have the best rushing game (176.5) in the league. That is my formula in predicting that the Chiefs will roll to a 5-2 record while the Bills stay win-less. Chiefs 31 - Bills 17
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Buffalo Bills Monday Mourning QB Oct 25, 2010
BY THE NUMBERS
506 -- Net yards gained by the Bills against Baltimore, the eighth-highest total in team history, but the most ever in a Buffalo loss. It was also the most yards yielded by the Ravens since 2000.
LINEUP WATCH
Aaron Maybin, Buffalo's first-round draft choice in 2009, was inactive for the first time in his 22-game NFL career. And what really made this tough to swallow for the struggling linebacker is that the Bills were playing in his hometown of Baltimore. PLAYER NOTES
--QB Ryan Fitzpatrick set new career highs with 374 yards passing and four TDs. It was the ninth-best passing yardage total in Bills history.
--WR Steve Johnson set career highs for catches (eight) and receiving yards (158), plus he scored a touchdown for the fourth game in a row.
--WR Lee Evans became the first player in Bills history to achieve a second game with three TD receptions. He also did it in 2005. The Bills lost both of the games.
--SS Donte Whitner led the Bills with eight tackles, but he had a rough day as he was beaten for two TDs by Todd Heap and dropped an interception that might have been a pick six.
--K Rian Lindell made both of his field-goal attempts including a game-tying 50-yarder with four seconds left in regulation.
--KR C.J. Spiller fumbled a kickoff late in the first half that set up a Baltimore touchdow
506 -- Net yards gained by the Bills against Baltimore, the eighth-highest total in team history, but the most ever in a Buffalo loss. It was also the most yards yielded by the Ravens since 2000.
LINEUP WATCH
Aaron Maybin, Buffalo's first-round draft choice in 2009, was inactive for the first time in his 22-game NFL career. And what really made this tough to swallow for the struggling linebacker is that the Bills were playing in his hometown of Baltimore. PLAYER NOTES
--QB Ryan Fitzpatrick set new career highs with 374 yards passing and four TDs. It was the ninth-best passing yardage total in Bills history.
--WR Steve Johnson set career highs for catches (eight) and receiving yards (158), plus he scored a touchdown for the fourth game in a row.
--WR Lee Evans became the first player in Bills history to achieve a second game with three TD receptions. He also did it in 2005. The Bills lost both of the games.
--SS Donte Whitner led the Bills with eight tackles, but he had a rough day as he was beaten for two TDs by Todd Heap and dropped an interception that might have been a pick six.
--K Rian Lindell made both of his field-goal attempts including a game-tying 50-yarder with four seconds left in regulation.
--KR C.J. Spiller fumbled a kickoff late in the first half that set up a Baltimore touchdow
Buffalo Bills Show Heart In Losing Effort To Ravens. "March To 0-16 Continues"
Buffalo, off to their worst start in 25 years, squandered a 14-point lead but came back with a gritty effort before losing 37-34 on a 38-yard field goal four minutes into overtime.
"We showed we can compete with one of the better teams in the league, scratch and claw and fight back," said quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who had four touchdowns in the loss.
"But every single one of those guys in that locker room is disappointed that we didn't come out on top."
The Bills lost their sixth straight game despite racking up 506 yards, the most the Ravens have allowed since 2000.
Buffalo stunned the crowd of 72,000 at M&T Bank Stadium as Fitzpatrick helped steer the league's 30th-ranked offense to a 14-point lead in the second quarter.
The Bills then self-destructed and allowed 10 points during the final minute before halftime to take a slim 24-20 lead into the locker room.
The Ravens scored a touchdown sixteen seconds into the third quarter to take a 27-24 lead and added another during the final minute of the quarter for a 10-point cushion. But the resilient Bills fought back to force overtime on a 50-yard field goal by Rian Lindell with four seconds to play.
"I'm really proud of the way we fought back. There's no quit in this football team. It's frustrating, especially to lose that way," said Fitzpatrick.
"We're going to get over the hump."
Cundiff's game-winning kick was set up when Baltimore's Ray Lewis stripped tight end Shawn Nelson of the ball at the Bills 45. An unnecessary roughness penalty to Buffalo after the play moved the ball to the Bills 29 and sealed their fate.
Still in search of their first win, Buffalo travels to Kansas City next week to take on the 4-2 Chiefs.
"In this locker room, we don't feel like an 0-6 team," said running back Fred Jackson. "We feel like we are better than that. The reality is we're 0-6 but we're going to keep plugging at it.
"We showed we can compete with one of the better teams in the league, scratch and claw and fight back," said quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who had four touchdowns in the loss.
"But every single one of those guys in that locker room is disappointed that we didn't come out on top."
The Bills lost their sixth straight game despite racking up 506 yards, the most the Ravens have allowed since 2000.
Buffalo stunned the crowd of 72,000 at M&T Bank Stadium as Fitzpatrick helped steer the league's 30th-ranked offense to a 14-point lead in the second quarter.
The Bills then self-destructed and allowed 10 points during the final minute before halftime to take a slim 24-20 lead into the locker room.
The Ravens scored a touchdown sixteen seconds into the third quarter to take a 27-24 lead and added another during the final minute of the quarter for a 10-point cushion. But the resilient Bills fought back to force overtime on a 50-yard field goal by Rian Lindell with four seconds to play.
"I'm really proud of the way we fought back. There's no quit in this football team. It's frustrating, especially to lose that way," said Fitzpatrick.
"We're going to get over the hump."
Cundiff's game-winning kick was set up when Baltimore's Ray Lewis stripped tight end Shawn Nelson of the ball at the Bills 45. An unnecessary roughness penalty to Buffalo after the play moved the ball to the Bills 29 and sealed their fate.
Still in search of their first win, Buffalo travels to Kansas City next week to take on the 4-2 Chiefs.
"In this locker room, we don't feel like an 0-6 team," said running back Fred Jackson. "We feel like we are better than that. The reality is we're 0-6 but we're going to keep plugging at it.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens Week 7 Predictions And Betting Odds
NFL Week 7 Predictions on the Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens Betting Odds: The Baltimore Ravens host the Buffalo Bills, Sunday Oct 24, as the Bills look for their first win of their season. These two haven’t met since the 2007 season. NFL oddsmakers have the Ravens as -13 point home favorites over the Bills while the game's total has been posted at 43 points.
The Bills (0-5) sat out on a BYE Week after they lost 26-36 to Jacksonville, at home. Against the Jags, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick made 20 of 30 passes for 220 yards with three TD’s. RB Fred Jackson had 12 carries for 73 yards, while WR Lee Evans and Steve Johnson each added a TD. The Bills put up 220 pass yards, so they are capable of airing out the ball. Buffalo allows a league-worst 182ypg, so expect Ray Rice to have a tremendous game. After struggling early in the season, Rice has shown signs of improvement as he's rushed for 221 yards in his last two games. Nobody gets lower than the Rutgers product, and 100-150 yards against the weak Bills defense seems more probable than possible. The Bills 2010 team leaders include; QB Ryan Fitzpatrick completing 52 passes on 85 attempts for 595 yards and seven touchdowns, Marshawn Lynch leads in rushing with 37 carries for 164 yards and Roscoe Parrish leads in receiving with 14 receptions for 217 yards and one touchdown. The Bills are ranked 30th overall on offense (251ypg) with a 31st ranked pass game (144ypg) and an 16th ranked ground game (106ypg). They have a 29th ranked defense (382ypg), with a 10th ranked pass rush (200ypg) and the league’s worst ranked rush defense (182ypg). The Bills defense allows the most amount of points per-game (32.2).
The Ravens (4-2) lost in New England 20-23 (OT) and sit second in the AFC North. QB Joe Flacco completed 27 of 35 passes for 285 yards with two TD’s. RB Ray Rice had 28 carries for 88 yards, while Anquan Boldin and Todd Heap each added a TD. The Ravens may have blown a 20-10 lead over the Patriots, but that shouldn't take anything away from this talented Baltimore team. The Ravens showed that their defense is still amongst the league's elite as New England had to fight for every yard. The Ravens ultra tough defense managed three sacks but pulled down two interceptions. The Ravens 2010 team leaders include; QB Joe Flacco completing 97 passes on 170 attempts for 1116 yards and five touchdowns, Race Rice leads in rushing with 87 carries for 363 yards and two touchdowns. Anquan Boldin leads in receiving with 28 receptions for 363 yards and three touchdowns. The Ravens are ranked 16th overall on offense (336ypg) with a 16th ranked pass game (224ypg) and a 15th ranked running game (111ypg). They have the third best ranked defense overall (280pg), with the third best ranked pass rush (175ypg) and a 13th rank rush defense (105ypg). The Ravens defense allows the second least amount of points per-game (15).
Recent Trends to Consider:
Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
Bills are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. loss.
Bills are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Bills are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog.
Ravens are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.
Ravens are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Ravens are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Ravens are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite of 10.5 or greater.
Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens
When: Sun, Oct 24, 1:00 PM E
Pick: Ravens -13
Point-Spreads.com NFL Week 7 Predictions on the Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens Betting Odds
The Bottom Line: The Bills are the worst. Be sure to get your NFL Week 7 Predictions on the Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens. Ravens 41-Bills 3
The Bills (0-5) sat out on a BYE Week after they lost 26-36 to Jacksonville, at home. Against the Jags, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick made 20 of 30 passes for 220 yards with three TD’s. RB Fred Jackson had 12 carries for 73 yards, while WR Lee Evans and Steve Johnson each added a TD. The Bills put up 220 pass yards, so they are capable of airing out the ball. Buffalo allows a league-worst 182ypg, so expect Ray Rice to have a tremendous game. After struggling early in the season, Rice has shown signs of improvement as he's rushed for 221 yards in his last two games. Nobody gets lower than the Rutgers product, and 100-150 yards against the weak Bills defense seems more probable than possible. The Bills 2010 team leaders include; QB Ryan Fitzpatrick completing 52 passes on 85 attempts for 595 yards and seven touchdowns, Marshawn Lynch leads in rushing with 37 carries for 164 yards and Roscoe Parrish leads in receiving with 14 receptions for 217 yards and one touchdown. The Bills are ranked 30th overall on offense (251ypg) with a 31st ranked pass game (144ypg) and an 16th ranked ground game (106ypg). They have a 29th ranked defense (382ypg), with a 10th ranked pass rush (200ypg) and the league’s worst ranked rush defense (182ypg). The Bills defense allows the most amount of points per-game (32.2).
The Ravens (4-2) lost in New England 20-23 (OT) and sit second in the AFC North. QB Joe Flacco completed 27 of 35 passes for 285 yards with two TD’s. RB Ray Rice had 28 carries for 88 yards, while Anquan Boldin and Todd Heap each added a TD. The Ravens may have blown a 20-10 lead over the Patriots, but that shouldn't take anything away from this talented Baltimore team. The Ravens showed that their defense is still amongst the league's elite as New England had to fight for every yard. The Ravens ultra tough defense managed three sacks but pulled down two interceptions. The Ravens 2010 team leaders include; QB Joe Flacco completing 97 passes on 170 attempts for 1116 yards and five touchdowns, Race Rice leads in rushing with 87 carries for 363 yards and two touchdowns. Anquan Boldin leads in receiving with 28 receptions for 363 yards and three touchdowns. The Ravens are ranked 16th overall on offense (336ypg) with a 16th ranked pass game (224ypg) and a 15th ranked running game (111ypg). They have the third best ranked defense overall (280pg), with the third best ranked pass rush (175ypg) and a 13th rank rush defense (105ypg). The Ravens defense allows the second least amount of points per-game (15).
Recent Trends to Consider:
Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Home team is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 meetings.
Bills are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a S.U. loss.
Bills are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Bills are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog.
Ravens are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite of 10.5 or greater.
Ravens are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game.
Ravens are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Ravens are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite of 10.5 or greater.
Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens
When: Sun, Oct 24, 1:00 PM E
Pick: Ravens -13
Point-Spreads.com NFL Week 7 Predictions on the Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens Betting Odds
The Bottom Line: The Bills are the worst. Be sure to get your NFL Week 7 Predictions on the Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens. Ravens 41-Bills 3
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Buffalo Bills vs. Baltimore Ravens NFL Gameday Preview
Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson recently celebrated his 92nd birthday. Wilson also came out and admitted that he knows why the fans in Buffalo are angry. The Bills have not made the playoffs since 1999 and the team is off to an 0-5 start this year.
While the betting Bills fans were a little relieved to hear the team owner acknowledge their pain, there was still no solution offered by Wilson for the immediate future. It will be more of the same for Bills fans this season.
It is rare that an emotion such as anger enters into an NFL betting discussion, but Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens are angry. Both of the Ravens losses this season were by five points or less, and the most recent loss was in Week 6 in overtime against the New England Patriots.
When the Week 7 NFL scores come rolling in at the end of Sunday’s play, it will be extremely evident how angry Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens are about their two losses this season.
Buffalo back-up quarterback Brian Brohm may get to see significant playing time this week, and if the Bills have a third-string quarterback, then he will probably get into the game as well.
The Bills offensive line has show no ability to stop any pass-rush thrown their way, and aside from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens have the most relentless pass rush in the NFL.
The Bills drafted running back C.J. Spiller because they felt he could make plays. While Spiller has shown signs of promise, behind that terrible Bills offensive line he has not been able to accomplish anything this season.
The Bills traded running back Marshawn Lynch to the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the season leaving Spiller and Fred Jackson as the running back duo in Buffalo. As talented as Spiller and Jackson are, they are not going to get anywhere in the Buffalo offense.
The Ravens offense, and more specifically, quarterback Joe Flacco, has been struggling despite a 4-2 record. Flacco has been inconsistent this season, and while he has been improving, his accuracy problems are starting to cost the Ravens points on the scoreboard. If it were not for the aggressive defense of the Ravens, Baltimore could easily be 1-5.
This week’s Baltimore Ravens NFL pick will see the Ravens have some time to work on their offense. The Bills defense started out impressive, but with the offense unable to stay on the field for any period of time, the Bills defense is getting tired.
The Bills are last in rushing defense allowing an average of 182 yards per game, and they are last in points allowed by giving up an average of 32 points per game. All of these numbers are inflated over the past three weeks as the Bills defense looks like it has simply collapsed under the weight of the offense.
The Ravens need this game against the Bills. The Ravens defense gets a chance to work out their aggression over the Week 6 loss by teeing off against the Bills offense. The Baltimore offense gets a chance to work on their passing game against a Bills pass-rush that offers no resistance at all. The Baltimore Ravens 41-3
While the betting Bills fans were a little relieved to hear the team owner acknowledge their pain, there was still no solution offered by Wilson for the immediate future. It will be more of the same for Bills fans this season.
It is rare that an emotion such as anger enters into an NFL betting discussion, but Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens are angry. Both of the Ravens losses this season were by five points or less, and the most recent loss was in Week 6 in overtime against the New England Patriots.
When the Week 7 NFL scores come rolling in at the end of Sunday’s play, it will be extremely evident how angry Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens are about their two losses this season.
Buffalo back-up quarterback Brian Brohm may get to see significant playing time this week, and if the Bills have a third-string quarterback, then he will probably get into the game as well.
The Bills offensive line has show no ability to stop any pass-rush thrown their way, and aside from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens have the most relentless pass rush in the NFL.
The Bills drafted running back C.J. Spiller because they felt he could make plays. While Spiller has shown signs of promise, behind that terrible Bills offensive line he has not been able to accomplish anything this season.
The Bills traded running back Marshawn Lynch to the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the season leaving Spiller and Fred Jackson as the running back duo in Buffalo. As talented as Spiller and Jackson are, they are not going to get anywhere in the Buffalo offense.
The Ravens offense, and more specifically, quarterback Joe Flacco, has been struggling despite a 4-2 record. Flacco has been inconsistent this season, and while he has been improving, his accuracy problems are starting to cost the Ravens points on the scoreboard. If it were not for the aggressive defense of the Ravens, Baltimore could easily be 1-5.
This week’s Baltimore Ravens NFL pick will see the Ravens have some time to work on their offense. The Bills defense started out impressive, but with the offense unable to stay on the field for any period of time, the Bills defense is getting tired.
The Bills are last in rushing defense allowing an average of 182 yards per game, and they are last in points allowed by giving up an average of 32 points per game. All of these numbers are inflated over the past three weeks as the Bills defense looks like it has simply collapsed under the weight of the offense.
The Ravens need this game against the Bills. The Ravens defense gets a chance to work out their aggression over the Week 6 loss by teeing off against the Bills offense. The Baltimore offense gets a chance to work on their passing game against a Bills pass-rush that offers no resistance at all. The Baltimore Ravens 41-3
Monday, October 18, 2010
Buffalo Bills Have Hit Rock Bottom Following 0-5 Start
Thurman Thomas didn't realize how low his beloved Buffalo Bills had sunk until the Hall of Fame running back walked past four fans wearing paper bags over their heads at last weekend's home game.
It was one thing for Thomas to chuckle at seeing disgruntled fans doing that in places like Detroit or even New Orleans, back when the Saints were still the 'Aints.
But Buffalo?
"The first thing that came to my mind was, 'Are these guys that bad?"' Thomas said a few days after encountering the fans at Ralph Wilson Stadium during Buffalo's 36-26 loss to Jacksonville. "And I got to thinking about it, you know, like, 'Wow, you only really see bags with teams that really stink."'
Hate to break it to you, Thurman.
These Bills are, indeed, really bad - entering their bye week at 0-5, marking their worst start in 25 years and with little sign of things getting better any time soon.
Safety Donte Whitner called the Bills a "laughingstock" while guard Eric Wood didn't dispute the possibility of going 0-16 following the loss to Jacksonville. The Bills once-hearty fans have turned angry or apathetic, with the team facing the prospect of having as many as five non-sellouts at home, including its game Nov. 7 at Toronto against Chicago.
Former coach-turned-TV-analyst Tony Dungy had difficulty determining whether the Bills or winless Panthers were worse during an NBC broadcast Sunday. He said the two teams would play to a 0-0 tie if they met this season.
And even Bills owner Ralph Wilson had few words to describe his team's woes, except to say, "It's bad," and suggest it might take as many as three years to turn it around.
Such is the sad state of a once-proud franchise that's gone from being the AFC's winningest team in the 1990s to one of the NFL's worst since 2000. It's a 10-plus-year stretch in which the Bills have enjoyed one winning season (a 9-7 finish in 2004) and failed to make the playoffs, tying Detroit for the longest active drought.
It's so bad, first-year general manager Buddy Nix said the biggest challenge he and coach Chan Gailey face is addressing the losing culture that's been allowed to fester.
"To be honest with you, it's the hardest thing you have to do," Nix said. "I don't care whether you want to admit it or not, but losing gets to be a habit. And it gets to be something you accept. And we're not going to do that."
This season's start marks the ninth time in 11 years the Bills have had a losing record five games in, a stretch of futility that's been the result of endless coaching and quarterback changes and inconsistent drafting.
Gailey is the team's sixth head coach since Hall of Famer Marv Levy retired following the 1997 season. The Bills have had nine quarterbacks start at least eight games since Jim Kelly retired after 1996. And Buffalo's drafts have produced as many first-round busts - offensive tackle Mike Williams, quarterback J.P. Losman, defensive tackle John McCargo and potentially linebacker Aaron Maybin - as proven regulars, including Wood and receiver Lee Evans.
Caught in the midst of criticism, frustration and ever dwindling expectations is a group of players searching for answers and clinging to what few positives they can, while believing one win could bring a turnaround.
"Our focus is trying to win a football game, getting some confidence back, trying to get a feeling of happiness," Evans said. "We're not trying to say there's nothing bad going on. ... But if we sat up here and thought about everything bad going on, it would make it real hard to come in."
The Bills offense lacks identity, and went through an upheaval after Week 2, when quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick took over as starter in place of Trent Edwards, who was released a week later.
Their defense has been even worse, having allowed 30 or more points in its last four games to mark the worst stretch in franchise history. And they can't stop the run, having allowed 689 yards rushing in their past three games.
Defensive end Marcus Stroud is stung by the level of criticism - some of it personal and profane - fans are heaping on the team.
"The fans are relentless. We're hearing it. Some of it is deserved and some of it isn't," Stroud said.
As for those who chose to wear paper bags, Stroud shook his head in wonder.
"If that's how you want to display your anger, that's cool," he said. "But one thing about it, cussing at us and wearing paper bags ain't going to do a damn thing to help turn it around."
Fans such as Mark Burr are fed up. Estimating he's attended more than 300 Bills games, he gave up his club seat season-tickets following the 2008 season and even passed up free tickets to go last Sunday.
"I have just programmed my DVR to record the games and make other plans for Sunday afternoon," Burr said.
Though crediting Wilson for his loyalty to Buffalo 51 years after establishing the franchise, Burr questioned the club's lack of direction.
"The incentive to win finishes a distant second to the bottom line," Burr said. "He has a reasonable expectation to turn an acceptable profit, but the product has suffered more often than not."
Wilson was open to paying for a high-profile coach this offseason, but the Bills were rejected by both Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher. The owner says there's no one else to blame but him for what's gone wrong.
The last time the Bills were this bad was in 1984 and '85, when they finished with 2-14 records.
Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith remembers fans wearing paper bags during his rookie season in '85. What's more memorable is how Smith joined Kelly, Thomas and Levy to form the core of a team that made four straight Super Bowl appearances from 1991-94.
"It's very difficult to see where we once were, and where we are now," Smith said.
Since February 2000 - when Smith, Thomas and receiver Andre Reed were all released - the Bills have always packed up after the regular season. As for this being the lowpoint and the dawn of something special, Smith wasn't sure.
"I hope. I try to be optimistic," he said. "But to be quite honest, since the team was broken up in 1999, we have not had the success that we had hoped for."
It was one thing for Thomas to chuckle at seeing disgruntled fans doing that in places like Detroit or even New Orleans, back when the Saints were still the 'Aints.
But Buffalo?
"The first thing that came to my mind was, 'Are these guys that bad?"' Thomas said a few days after encountering the fans at Ralph Wilson Stadium during Buffalo's 36-26 loss to Jacksonville. "And I got to thinking about it, you know, like, 'Wow, you only really see bags with teams that really stink."'
Hate to break it to you, Thurman.
These Bills are, indeed, really bad - entering their bye week at 0-5, marking their worst start in 25 years and with little sign of things getting better any time soon.
Safety Donte Whitner called the Bills a "laughingstock" while guard Eric Wood didn't dispute the possibility of going 0-16 following the loss to Jacksonville. The Bills once-hearty fans have turned angry or apathetic, with the team facing the prospect of having as many as five non-sellouts at home, including its game Nov. 7 at Toronto against Chicago.
Former coach-turned-TV-analyst Tony Dungy had difficulty determining whether the Bills or winless Panthers were worse during an NBC broadcast Sunday. He said the two teams would play to a 0-0 tie if they met this season.
And even Bills owner Ralph Wilson had few words to describe his team's woes, except to say, "It's bad," and suggest it might take as many as three years to turn it around.
Such is the sad state of a once-proud franchise that's gone from being the AFC's winningest team in the 1990s to one of the NFL's worst since 2000. It's a 10-plus-year stretch in which the Bills have enjoyed one winning season (a 9-7 finish in 2004) and failed to make the playoffs, tying Detroit for the longest active drought.
It's so bad, first-year general manager Buddy Nix said the biggest challenge he and coach Chan Gailey face is addressing the losing culture that's been allowed to fester.
"To be honest with you, it's the hardest thing you have to do," Nix said. "I don't care whether you want to admit it or not, but losing gets to be a habit. And it gets to be something you accept. And we're not going to do that."
This season's start marks the ninth time in 11 years the Bills have had a losing record five games in, a stretch of futility that's been the result of endless coaching and quarterback changes and inconsistent drafting.
Gailey is the team's sixth head coach since Hall of Famer Marv Levy retired following the 1997 season. The Bills have had nine quarterbacks start at least eight games since Jim Kelly retired after 1996. And Buffalo's drafts have produced as many first-round busts - offensive tackle Mike Williams, quarterback J.P. Losman, defensive tackle John McCargo and potentially linebacker Aaron Maybin - as proven regulars, including Wood and receiver Lee Evans.
Caught in the midst of criticism, frustration and ever dwindling expectations is a group of players searching for answers and clinging to what few positives they can, while believing one win could bring a turnaround.
"Our focus is trying to win a football game, getting some confidence back, trying to get a feeling of happiness," Evans said. "We're not trying to say there's nothing bad going on. ... But if we sat up here and thought about everything bad going on, it would make it real hard to come in."
The Bills offense lacks identity, and went through an upheaval after Week 2, when quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick took over as starter in place of Trent Edwards, who was released a week later.
Their defense has been even worse, having allowed 30 or more points in its last four games to mark the worst stretch in franchise history. And they can't stop the run, having allowed 689 yards rushing in their past three games.
Defensive end Marcus Stroud is stung by the level of criticism - some of it personal and profane - fans are heaping on the team.
"The fans are relentless. We're hearing it. Some of it is deserved and some of it isn't," Stroud said.
As for those who chose to wear paper bags, Stroud shook his head in wonder.
"If that's how you want to display your anger, that's cool," he said. "But one thing about it, cussing at us and wearing paper bags ain't going to do a damn thing to help turn it around."
Fans such as Mark Burr are fed up. Estimating he's attended more than 300 Bills games, he gave up his club seat season-tickets following the 2008 season and even passed up free tickets to go last Sunday.
"I have just programmed my DVR to record the games and make other plans for Sunday afternoon," Burr said.
Though crediting Wilson for his loyalty to Buffalo 51 years after establishing the franchise, Burr questioned the club's lack of direction.
"The incentive to win finishes a distant second to the bottom line," Burr said. "He has a reasonable expectation to turn an acceptable profit, but the product has suffered more often than not."
Wilson was open to paying for a high-profile coach this offseason, but the Bills were rejected by both Mike Shanahan and Bill Cowher. The owner says there's no one else to blame but him for what's gone wrong.
The last time the Bills were this bad was in 1984 and '85, when they finished with 2-14 records.
Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith remembers fans wearing paper bags during his rookie season in '85. What's more memorable is how Smith joined Kelly, Thomas and Levy to form the core of a team that made four straight Super Bowl appearances from 1991-94.
"It's very difficult to see where we once were, and where we are now," Smith said.
Since February 2000 - when Smith, Thomas and receiver Andre Reed were all released - the Bills have always packed up after the regular season. As for this being the lowpoint and the dawn of something special, Smith wasn't sure.
"I hope. I try to be optimistic," he said. "But to be quite honest, since the team was broken up in 1999, we have not had the success that we had hoped for."
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Buffalo Bills 25 Year Rebuilding Program; 0-5 Just As Expected
Of course, that’s a rhetorical question for you all.
Let me clear up any misconceptions: no one is surprised, shocked or scratching their heads at the Bills starting out 0-5.
Before this downward spiral commenced, there were many critics and pundits who were cruel to the Bills, pegging them to have three chances, four tops, to wins games this season. I didn’t necessarily like reading all the negative ink about the Bills, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t agree with it. Now as the Bills limp into their bye week with stinging pride and hurtful hearts, this team has a real chance to run the table backwards and finish 0-16.
There wasn’t really anything shocking about Sunday’s lost to Jacksonville, except maybe for the fact that Buffalo was actually favored in the game. I’d love a plausible explanation from Las Vegas as to how in the world they came up with that conclusion.
As for the game, the Bills lost to an average, young up-and-down Jaguars squad, and Buffalo made them look way better than what they really are. Despite forcing three turnovers and an early 10-0 lead, Buffalo did not want to win the game. Jacksonville scored 36 points, making it the fourth time in as many games an opponent hung 30-plus points on the Bills which had never happened before in the history of the franchise.
And of course the run defense was dreadful as ever. Jacksonville ran wild to the tune of 216 yards. The best thing you can say about the run defense is they kept the Jaguars out of the end zone. Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 84 yards. Deji Karim, making his first NFL appearance, had a nice debut with 70 yards. At this point we need to be asking, “Who hasn’t chewed out the Bills’ rushing defense?”. For the first time since 1972, Buffalo has now allowed 200 or more yards rushing in three consecutive games.
The stone cold truth is that this team simply doesn’t have the right personnel to excel in a 3-4 scheme. In short, there’s not much talent to work with. Despite what players have said in postgame interviews about talent not being issue, rather it’s all about execution. Players insist they’ve got the talent on this team. Honestly, I don’t see what Bills team they’re looking at. They’re using cast offs like Reggie Torbor and Akin Ayodele. Paul Posluszny is not a Pro Bowl caliber middle linebacker like some envisioned he would be. They say they have the talent. The record suggest they’re completely void of it. But when you ignore improving on both the offensive and defensive lines, it’s silly to expect a team to be anything other than brutal.
But I disgress, and yet I have to go back to what Chan Gailey said when he was fired hired, about how you can win in the NFL without stars. Yeah, so how’s that working out so far, Chan?
I wish this was just one of those years where a team hits a rough stretch, runs into a rough patch where things go awry for a month and at some point you know you’re going to dig your way out. That’s not the case with this team. This appears to be a 16-game rough patch.
All you had to do was look at the schedule. It didn’t appear kind and the reality is it’s going to get a lot worse. They had their chances with both Florida based teams, Miami and Jacksonville. Those seemed like the best bets for the Bills to get an early win or two. They failed on both counts. Nobody pegged them to beat Green Bay, New York Jets or New England.
At this rate, the only thing people have the Bills pegged for is an 0-16 season. After all, through five games the only thing we know for certain is that this team has proven they’re capable of losing every game. They’ve got 11 games left, but that doesn’t mean a hill of beans. It pretty much comes down to two, maybe three games: Oct.31 at Kansas City, Nov. 14 vs. Detroit, and Dec. 12 vs. Cleveland.
Nobody is shocked the Bills are at the bottom of the heap at 0-5. I doubt there will be many jaws hitting the floor if they finish 0-16.
Let me clear up any misconceptions: no one is surprised, shocked or scratching their heads at the Bills starting out 0-5.
Before this downward spiral commenced, there were many critics and pundits who were cruel to the Bills, pegging them to have three chances, four tops, to wins games this season. I didn’t necessarily like reading all the negative ink about the Bills, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t agree with it. Now as the Bills limp into their bye week with stinging pride and hurtful hearts, this team has a real chance to run the table backwards and finish 0-16.
There wasn’t really anything shocking about Sunday’s lost to Jacksonville, except maybe for the fact that Buffalo was actually favored in the game. I’d love a plausible explanation from Las Vegas as to how in the world they came up with that conclusion.
As for the game, the Bills lost to an average, young up-and-down Jaguars squad, and Buffalo made them look way better than what they really are. Despite forcing three turnovers and an early 10-0 lead, Buffalo did not want to win the game. Jacksonville scored 36 points, making it the fourth time in as many games an opponent hung 30-plus points on the Bills which had never happened before in the history of the franchise.
And of course the run defense was dreadful as ever. Jacksonville ran wild to the tune of 216 yards. The best thing you can say about the run defense is they kept the Jaguars out of the end zone. Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 84 yards. Deji Karim, making his first NFL appearance, had a nice debut with 70 yards. At this point we need to be asking, “Who hasn’t chewed out the Bills’ rushing defense?”. For the first time since 1972, Buffalo has now allowed 200 or more yards rushing in three consecutive games.
The stone cold truth is that this team simply doesn’t have the right personnel to excel in a 3-4 scheme. In short, there’s not much talent to work with. Despite what players have said in postgame interviews about talent not being issue, rather it’s all about execution. Players insist they’ve got the talent on this team. Honestly, I don’t see what Bills team they’re looking at. They’re using cast offs like Reggie Torbor and Akin Ayodele. Paul Posluszny is not a Pro Bowl caliber middle linebacker like some envisioned he would be. They say they have the talent. The record suggest they’re completely void of it. But when you ignore improving on both the offensive and defensive lines, it’s silly to expect a team to be anything other than brutal.
But I disgress, and yet I have to go back to what Chan Gailey said when he was fired hired, about how you can win in the NFL without stars. Yeah, so how’s that working out so far, Chan?
I wish this was just one of those years where a team hits a rough stretch, runs into a rough patch where things go awry for a month and at some point you know you’re going to dig your way out. That’s not the case with this team. This appears to be a 16-game rough patch.
All you had to do was look at the schedule. It didn’t appear kind and the reality is it’s going to get a lot worse. They had their chances with both Florida based teams, Miami and Jacksonville. Those seemed like the best bets for the Bills to get an early win or two. They failed on both counts. Nobody pegged them to beat Green Bay, New York Jets or New England.
At this rate, the only thing people have the Bills pegged for is an 0-16 season. After all, through five games the only thing we know for certain is that this team has proven they’re capable of losing every game. They’ve got 11 games left, but that doesn’t mean a hill of beans. It pretty much comes down to two, maybe three games: Oct.31 at Kansas City, Nov. 14 vs. Detroit, and Dec. 12 vs. Cleveland.
Nobody is shocked the Bills are at the bottom of the heap at 0-5. I doubt there will be many jaws hitting the floor if they finish 0-16.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Buffalo Bills Lose Jags 36-26. Countdown 0-16 Officially Begins
Despite two takeaways, over 300 yards of total offense and three touchdowns from Ryan Fitzpatrick, it wasn’t enough to secure the first win of the 2010 season for the Buffalo Bills.
David Garrard’s three touchdowns and Josh Scobee’s four field goals helped the Jacksonville Jaguars avoid a big letdown, as the Jaguars downed the Bills 36-26. Jacksonville has won two straight and improves to 3-2, while the Bills remain one of two teams in the NFL without a win so far this season.
The Bills raced out of the gate to a 10-0 early lead thanks to Lee Evans’ first touchdown of the season, a 45-yard strike from Fitzpatrick. Rian Lindell’s 29-yard field goal gave Buffalo the early double digit advantage. With just less than six minutes remaining in the first half and Buffalo on top 13-3, the Jaguars scored 10 straight points. Garrard capped off the first half comeback with a 1-yard pass to tight end Marcedes Lewis that tied the game at 13 with :25 seconds left in the first half.
Out of the locker room, Jacksonville wasted little time pulling ahead of Buffalo, as Garrard again hooked up with Lewis for a 27-yard score to give the Jags the lead at 20-13 with less than two minutes gone in the third. Fitzpatrick ’s five-yard touchdown pass to Steve Johnson got things tied at 20, but Garrard and the Jags would answer back near the end of the third quarter. His third touchdown of the day, this one to receiver Mike Sims-Walker, gave the Jaguars the lead 27-20. Jacksonville would not trail the rest of the afternoon.
Three straight field goals from Scobee (34, 40, 46) helped the Jaguars pull away from the Bills in the fourth quarter. With just over 90 seconds left in the game, Fitzpatrick again hooked up with Johnson on a 7-yard pass but the Bills couldn’t convert the two-point conversion. Jacksonville outscored the Bills 23-13 in the second half, and despite trailing at one point in the game 13-6, the Jaguars went on to outscore the Bills 30-13.
With the Bills still sitting on a goose egg in the win column, picking up their first win next week appears to be a tall order, as the Bills travel to Baltimore to square off against the Ravens.
David Garrard’s three touchdowns and Josh Scobee’s four field goals helped the Jacksonville Jaguars avoid a big letdown, as the Jaguars downed the Bills 36-26. Jacksonville has won two straight and improves to 3-2, while the Bills remain one of two teams in the NFL without a win so far this season.
The Bills raced out of the gate to a 10-0 early lead thanks to Lee Evans’ first touchdown of the season, a 45-yard strike from Fitzpatrick. Rian Lindell’s 29-yard field goal gave Buffalo the early double digit advantage. With just less than six minutes remaining in the first half and Buffalo on top 13-3, the Jaguars scored 10 straight points. Garrard capped off the first half comeback with a 1-yard pass to tight end Marcedes Lewis that tied the game at 13 with :25 seconds left in the first half.
Out of the locker room, Jacksonville wasted little time pulling ahead of Buffalo, as Garrard again hooked up with Lewis for a 27-yard score to give the Jags the lead at 20-13 with less than two minutes gone in the third. Fitzpatrick ’s five-yard touchdown pass to Steve Johnson got things tied at 20, but Garrard and the Jags would answer back near the end of the third quarter. His third touchdown of the day, this one to receiver Mike Sims-Walker, gave the Jaguars the lead 27-20. Jacksonville would not trail the rest of the afternoon.
Three straight field goals from Scobee (34, 40, 46) helped the Jaguars pull away from the Bills in the fourth quarter. With just over 90 seconds left in the game, Fitzpatrick again hooked up with Johnson on a 7-yard pass but the Bills couldn’t convert the two-point conversion. Jacksonville outscored the Bills 23-13 in the second half, and despite trailing at one point in the game 13-6, the Jaguars went on to outscore the Bills 30-13.
With the Bills still sitting on a goose egg in the win column, picking up their first win next week appears to be a tall order, as the Bills travel to Baltimore to square off against the Ravens.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Week 5 Preview
A more confident Jacksonville Jaguars team heads up to play the Buffalo Bills on October 10th. The Jacksonville Jaguars once again owned the Indianapolis Colts to
win their first game of the NFL season and save a couple of jobs in the process. The Buffalo Bills were expected to play the New York Jets tough in their AFC East battle but that is not the way their game went. The Buffalo Bills were blown out of their own building in an embarrassing loss.
Jacksonville Jaguars Defense vs Buffalo Bills Offense
The Jacksonville Jaguars defense has been inconsistent at best and they still gave up 28 points to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in their last game. The corners for the Jacksonville Jaguars are below average but the defensive line has been a surprise early in the 2010 NFL campaign.
The Buffalo Bills Fitzpatrick will have to pick on the Jacksonville Jaguars corners if wants to have success in this game. The Jacksonville Jaguars are very beatable on the edges and down the the field but they are strong in the middle. Fitzpatraick does have weapons at wide out with Lee Evans and Robert Parrish. The Jacksonville Jaguars defense has a slight edge over the Buffalo Bills offense.
Buffalo Bills Defense vs Jacksonville Jaguars Offense
The much maligned Buffalo Bills defense is not as bad as one would believe. They are solid on the corners with Leodis McKelvin and Reggie Corner and they have some strong linebackers in Paul Posluszny and Chris Kelsay. Many teams look to pass on the Buffalo Billd defense but the New York Jets had the right plan against them. The New York Jets pounded the ball inside and rarely threw the ball outside the hash marks.
The Jacksonville Jaguars offense was dormant until they faced the Indianapolis Colts in their last game. David Gerrard looked more confident as the game against the Colts wore on and if can parlay that attitude and bring it when he plays the Buffalo Bills he could win his second game in a row. The Jacksonville Jaguars offense has the edge over the Buffalo Bills defense but it is close. Jaguars 31- Bills 17.
win their first game of the NFL season and save a couple of jobs in the process. The Buffalo Bills were expected to play the New York Jets tough in their AFC East battle but that is not the way their game went. The Buffalo Bills were blown out of their own building in an embarrassing loss.
Jacksonville Jaguars Defense vs Buffalo Bills Offense
The Jacksonville Jaguars defense has been inconsistent at best and they still gave up 28 points to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in their last game. The corners for the Jacksonville Jaguars are below average but the defensive line has been a surprise early in the 2010 NFL campaign.
The Buffalo Bills Fitzpatrick will have to pick on the Jacksonville Jaguars corners if wants to have success in this game. The Jacksonville Jaguars are very beatable on the edges and down the the field but they are strong in the middle. Fitzpatraick does have weapons at wide out with Lee Evans and Robert Parrish. The Jacksonville Jaguars defense has a slight edge over the Buffalo Bills offense.
Buffalo Bills Defense vs Jacksonville Jaguars Offense
The much maligned Buffalo Bills defense is not as bad as one would believe. They are solid on the corners with Leodis McKelvin and Reggie Corner and they have some strong linebackers in Paul Posluszny and Chris Kelsay. Many teams look to pass on the Buffalo Billd defense but the New York Jets had the right plan against them. The New York Jets pounded the ball inside and rarely threw the ball outside the hash marks.
The Jacksonville Jaguars offense was dormant until they faced the Indianapolis Colts in their last game. David Gerrard looked more confident as the game against the Colts wore on and if can parlay that attitude and bring it when he plays the Buffalo Bills he could win his second game in a row. The Jacksonville Jaguars offense has the edge over the Buffalo Bills defense but it is close. Jaguars 31- Bills 17.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Buffalo Bills Will Go 0-16 This Season
Sal Maiorana - # The Bills, Lions and 49ers are the last three winless NFL teams. Worst of the worst? No doubt about it, it’s the Bills.
# This one blew me away. I’m in the press box, midway through the fourth quarter, I’m on Twitter, and I see that a few of my Twitter followers were really mad at me for my treatment of the Bills during the game. Are you kidding? Was I supposed to defend that performance? Applaud it? Ignore the horror of it? I know reality stinks, but folks, what stinks is this team.
# The final score of 38-14 wasn’t even indicative of the way the game went. It wasn’t that close. The Jets had the ball 40 minutes, they rushed for 273 yards, outgained the Bills by 221 yards, and anyone who watched would have to agree — the score could have been worse.
# Say what you want about SS Donte Whitner, that he was a wasted first-round pick or whatever, but the guy cares. The losing kills him, and so does the embarrassment. More Bills should care that much.
# I have defended Lee Evans and sympathized with him per his situation with this woeful team, but this guy has to start making plays, too. He had a few chances against the blitzing Jets, and he did nothing with single coverage. His lone catch came in the final minute. It went for six yards. In his last 25 games, he’s had one catch of more than 40 yards. He’s good, but he’s not an elite receiver in the NFL.
# I think I’m going to skip my weekly ripping of Aaron Maybin. Besides, it’s tough to rip him when I never saw him on the field. Oops, that might have been a rip.
# The Bills rushed for 114 yards. Looks good, right? It wasn’t. Their three stud RBs combined for nine carries and 40 yards.
# The Jets rushed for 273 yards. Yeah, that looks good. LaDainian Tomlinson was too old to play for the Chargers, but he had 133 yards against the Bills. Shonn Greene had 117. First time two backs have topped 100 yards rushing against the Bills in the same game since 2007.
# I’m guessing that $24 million Chris Kelsay contract extension has a few fans riled up. Yes, you were riled up before the game, and then you watched him play Sunday. I don’t get it either.
# It will be interesting to see who gets cut today. Last week it was Trent Edwards. Anyone have any nominees today? And no, you can’t say the whole roster, even though it’s warranted.
# This one blew me away. I’m in the press box, midway through the fourth quarter, I’m on Twitter, and I see that a few of my Twitter followers were really mad at me for my treatment of the Bills during the game. Are you kidding? Was I supposed to defend that performance? Applaud it? Ignore the horror of it? I know reality stinks, but folks, what stinks is this team.
# The final score of 38-14 wasn’t even indicative of the way the game went. It wasn’t that close. The Jets had the ball 40 minutes, they rushed for 273 yards, outgained the Bills by 221 yards, and anyone who watched would have to agree — the score could have been worse.
# Say what you want about SS Donte Whitner, that he was a wasted first-round pick or whatever, but the guy cares. The losing kills him, and so does the embarrassment. More Bills should care that much.
# I have defended Lee Evans and sympathized with him per his situation with this woeful team, but this guy has to start making plays, too. He had a few chances against the blitzing Jets, and he did nothing with single coverage. His lone catch came in the final minute. It went for six yards. In his last 25 games, he’s had one catch of more than 40 yards. He’s good, but he’s not an elite receiver in the NFL.
# I think I’m going to skip my weekly ripping of Aaron Maybin. Besides, it’s tough to rip him when I never saw him on the field. Oops, that might have been a rip.
# The Bills rushed for 114 yards. Looks good, right? It wasn’t. Their three stud RBs combined for nine carries and 40 yards.
# The Jets rushed for 273 yards. Yeah, that looks good. LaDainian Tomlinson was too old to play for the Chargers, but he had 133 yards against the Bills. Shonn Greene had 117. First time two backs have topped 100 yards rushing against the Bills in the same game since 2007.
# I’m guessing that $24 million Chris Kelsay contract extension has a few fans riled up. Yes, you were riled up before the game, and then you watched him play Sunday. I don’t get it either.
# It will be interesting to see who gets cut today. Last week it was Trent Edwards. Anyone have any nominees today? And no, you can’t say the whole roster, even though it’s warranted.
Buffalo Bills Report: Monday Mourning QB Oct 4, 2010
Coach Chan Gailey's return to the NFL as a head coach couldn't be going any worse. And things could get worse before they get better.
After a 38-14 loss at home to the high-flying New York Jets, Buffalo fell to 0-4, the only winless team in the AFC at the NFL's quarter pole.
The Bills host the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are coming off an upset of the Indianapolis Colts, this Sunday before a much-needed bye week. But their return to play has them playing road games at division leaders Baltimore and surprising Kansas City.
"We were a bad football team today," Gailey said after his team was thoroughly outplayed by the Jets. "When we protected, we couldn't catch it. We couldn't get off the field on third down. We couldn't convert third down. We were not good on special teams. We turned the ball over twice. We didn't get any turnovers. We got sacked three times. We didn't get any sacks. If you play that way, you're not going to win. You're not going to even look decent in this league."
At 0-3 in the AFC East, the Bills are looking indecent.
After the Jets loss, a game in which Buffalo was outgained 444-223 in total yards, emotions spilled over. Offensively, the Bills were 0-for-10 on third-down conversions. Defensively, they watched New York rush 49 times for 273 yards.
"I'm calling out my teammates and I'm calling out myself," safety Donte Whitner said. "It's not about X's and O's. It's not about the coaching staff. This is the second and third coaching staffs that have been here. It can't be about X's and O's and keep changing coaches. It's about who wants to come out and play with some heart. That's what it's about."
The Bills, who had a tumultuous week that included the release of demoted starting quarterback Trent Edwards and the release of linebacker Kawika Mitchell via injury settlement, fell behind 17-0 before a late first-half scoring drive engineered by Ryan Fitzpatrick.
But the Jets quickly put the game away with a 21-point third quarter. The Jets scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions with uncovered tight end Dustin Keller hauling in two scoring passes and ageless running back LaDainian Tomlinson scoring on a 26-yard run. Tomlinson finished with 133 yards rushing and two touchdowns overall. Shonn Greene added 117 yards on the ground and Mark Sanchez threw for two scores.
Buffalo, which led the AFC with 33 takeaways a year ago, has just one n four games. Despite switching to a 3-4 scheme, Buffalo is allowing an average of 31.3 points per game. Three defensive starters sat out against the Jets, but nobody is pretending the presence of Marcus Stroud, Andra Davis and Terrence McGee would've made a difference.
"That was bad, all around that was bad," said linebacker Paul Posluszny, who returned from missing two games with a sprained knee. "We come into the game saying we have to be more physical than them to win, and we weren't. They ran the ball all over us. I was embarrassed to be part of that. We have to take a close look and see what changes need to be made, and in a hurry, because that was a very poor performance by us."
After a 38-14 loss at home to the high-flying New York Jets, Buffalo fell to 0-4, the only winless team in the AFC at the NFL's quarter pole.
The Bills host the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are coming off an upset of the Indianapolis Colts, this Sunday before a much-needed bye week. But their return to play has them playing road games at division leaders Baltimore and surprising Kansas City.
"We were a bad football team today," Gailey said after his team was thoroughly outplayed by the Jets. "When we protected, we couldn't catch it. We couldn't get off the field on third down. We couldn't convert third down. We were not good on special teams. We turned the ball over twice. We didn't get any turnovers. We got sacked three times. We didn't get any sacks. If you play that way, you're not going to win. You're not going to even look decent in this league."
At 0-3 in the AFC East, the Bills are looking indecent.
After the Jets loss, a game in which Buffalo was outgained 444-223 in total yards, emotions spilled over. Offensively, the Bills were 0-for-10 on third-down conversions. Defensively, they watched New York rush 49 times for 273 yards.
"I'm calling out my teammates and I'm calling out myself," safety Donte Whitner said. "It's not about X's and O's. It's not about the coaching staff. This is the second and third coaching staffs that have been here. It can't be about X's and O's and keep changing coaches. It's about who wants to come out and play with some heart. That's what it's about."
The Bills, who had a tumultuous week that included the release of demoted starting quarterback Trent Edwards and the release of linebacker Kawika Mitchell via injury settlement, fell behind 17-0 before a late first-half scoring drive engineered by Ryan Fitzpatrick.
But the Jets quickly put the game away with a 21-point third quarter. The Jets scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions with uncovered tight end Dustin Keller hauling in two scoring passes and ageless running back LaDainian Tomlinson scoring on a 26-yard run. Tomlinson finished with 133 yards rushing and two touchdowns overall. Shonn Greene added 117 yards on the ground and Mark Sanchez threw for two scores.
Buffalo, which led the AFC with 33 takeaways a year ago, has just one n four games. Despite switching to a 3-4 scheme, Buffalo is allowing an average of 31.3 points per game. Three defensive starters sat out against the Jets, but nobody is pretending the presence of Marcus Stroud, Andra Davis and Terrence McGee would've made a difference.
"That was bad, all around that was bad," said linebacker Paul Posluszny, who returned from missing two games with a sprained knee. "We come into the game saying we have to be more physical than them to win, and we weren't. They ran the ball all over us. I was embarrassed to be part of that. We have to take a close look and see what changes need to be made, and in a hurry, because that was a very poor performance by us."
LT & Greene Run All Over Bills As Jets Crush Bills 38-14
Amid questions he had lost a step and at 31 might be washed up, LaDainian Tomlinson understood he wasn't in a position to ask for guarantees during his offseason search for a new team.
That's when Tomlinson met with Rex Ryan, and the New York Jets coach told him all he needed to hear.
"He said, `You earn your role on this team. Nobody is given anything,"' Tomlinson said. "That said it all for me."
Tomlinson recalled the conversation following the Jets 38-14 rout of the winless Buffalo Bills on Sunday, a game in which LT provided the most emphatic statement yet in showing he can still play.
In passing Tony Dorsett for seventh on the NFL career yards rushing list, Tomlinson scored twice while racking up 133 yards rushing to mark the first time he's broken 100 yards in 25 games - since he was with San Diego.
Who's over the hill now?
"Somebody forgot to tell him he's whatever age he is," Ryan said. "I thought he was going to be outstanding. But he's already better than that."
Tomlinson, who signed with the Jets a month after being cut by San Diego, provided all the credit to Ryan.
"You want to run through a brick wall for him," Tomlinson said.
The Bills' banged-up and porous run defense won't be mistaken for a brick wall any time soon, but it'll do.
Led by Tomlinson, the Jets (3-1) finished with 273 yards rushing - or 50 more than the Bills had on offense - on the way to winning their third straight, all against AFC East rivals.
Tight end Dustin Keller scored twice in a 1:33 span in the third quarter, while Mark Sanchez completed 14 of 24 for 161 yards and two scores, including a 41-yard pass to Braylon Edwards in a game the Jets never trailed.
"We don't want to get ahead of ourselves, we're doing all right," said Sanchez, who has yet to throw an interception in 103 attempts this season. "Even now, I think we still feel like we could be 4-0," he added, referring to a 10-9 season-opening loss to Baltimore.
The Bills should have such problems.
One of only three teams left without a win, Buffalo's off to an 0-4 start for the third time since 2001 and eighth time in team history. And the frustrations are suddenly beginning to show as it becomes more apparent the Bills are already well on their way to missing the playoffs for an 11th straight year.
"I'm calling out myself and I'm calling out my teammates," safety Donte Whitner said before expressing his anger further by using several profanities. "If we continue playing the way we've been playing, we're not going to get a win."
It looked that bad on both sides of the ball for Buffalo.
The defense allowed 444 yards, a week after allowing 445 - including 200 yards rushing - in a 38-30 loss to New England. In their past three games against the Jets, the Bills have allowed 840 yards rushing alone.
The offense proved equally inept under Ryan Fitzpatrick in his second straight start. Last week, the Bills cut former No. 1 quarterback Trent Edwards, who has since signed with Jacksonville.
"We were a bad football team," first-year coach Chan Gailey said. "You play that way, you're not going to win. You're not going look decent in this league. Today, we were awful."
Buffalo was so awful it managed 30 yards on its first four possessions, failed to register a first down on eight of 13 drives, and went 0 of 10 on third down. Fitzpatrick finished with a team-best 74 yards rushing and threw touchdown passes to David Martin and Steve Johnson.
For the Jets, things are looking even more promising as they prepare to get several regulars back in preparing to host Minnesota next weekend.
Aside from receiver Santonio Holmes set to return after serving a four-game NFL-imposed suspension, Ryan said there's a good chance cornerback Darrelle Revis (hamstring) and linebacker Calvin Pace (foot) will be healthy enough to play.
Then there's the already rejuvenated Tomlinson.
"I know what age I am. It doesn't mean I can't play," Tomlinson said. "I never lost confidence. I always knew I could do it. It was just about having an opportunity."
That's when Tomlinson met with Rex Ryan, and the New York Jets coach told him all he needed to hear.
"He said, `You earn your role on this team. Nobody is given anything,"' Tomlinson said. "That said it all for me."
Tomlinson recalled the conversation following the Jets 38-14 rout of the winless Buffalo Bills on Sunday, a game in which LT provided the most emphatic statement yet in showing he can still play.
In passing Tony Dorsett for seventh on the NFL career yards rushing list, Tomlinson scored twice while racking up 133 yards rushing to mark the first time he's broken 100 yards in 25 games - since he was with San Diego.
Who's over the hill now?
"Somebody forgot to tell him he's whatever age he is," Ryan said. "I thought he was going to be outstanding. But he's already better than that."
Tomlinson, who signed with the Jets a month after being cut by San Diego, provided all the credit to Ryan.
"You want to run through a brick wall for him," Tomlinson said.
The Bills' banged-up and porous run defense won't be mistaken for a brick wall any time soon, but it'll do.
Led by Tomlinson, the Jets (3-1) finished with 273 yards rushing - or 50 more than the Bills had on offense - on the way to winning their third straight, all against AFC East rivals.
Tight end Dustin Keller scored twice in a 1:33 span in the third quarter, while Mark Sanchez completed 14 of 24 for 161 yards and two scores, including a 41-yard pass to Braylon Edwards in a game the Jets never trailed.
"We don't want to get ahead of ourselves, we're doing all right," said Sanchez, who has yet to throw an interception in 103 attempts this season. "Even now, I think we still feel like we could be 4-0," he added, referring to a 10-9 season-opening loss to Baltimore.
The Bills should have such problems.
One of only three teams left without a win, Buffalo's off to an 0-4 start for the third time since 2001 and eighth time in team history. And the frustrations are suddenly beginning to show as it becomes more apparent the Bills are already well on their way to missing the playoffs for an 11th straight year.
"I'm calling out myself and I'm calling out my teammates," safety Donte Whitner said before expressing his anger further by using several profanities. "If we continue playing the way we've been playing, we're not going to get a win."
It looked that bad on both sides of the ball for Buffalo.
The defense allowed 444 yards, a week after allowing 445 - including 200 yards rushing - in a 38-30 loss to New England. In their past three games against the Jets, the Bills have allowed 840 yards rushing alone.
The offense proved equally inept under Ryan Fitzpatrick in his second straight start. Last week, the Bills cut former No. 1 quarterback Trent Edwards, who has since signed with Jacksonville.
"We were a bad football team," first-year coach Chan Gailey said. "You play that way, you're not going to win. You're not going look decent in this league. Today, we were awful."
Buffalo was so awful it managed 30 yards on its first four possessions, failed to register a first down on eight of 13 drives, and went 0 of 10 on third down. Fitzpatrick finished with a team-best 74 yards rushing and threw touchdown passes to David Martin and Steve Johnson.
For the Jets, things are looking even more promising as they prepare to get several regulars back in preparing to host Minnesota next weekend.
Aside from receiver Santonio Holmes set to return after serving a four-game NFL-imposed suspension, Ryan said there's a good chance cornerback Darrelle Revis (hamstring) and linebacker Calvin Pace (foot) will be healthy enough to play.
Then there's the already rejuvenated Tomlinson.
"I know what age I am. It doesn't mean I can't play," Tomlinson said. "I never lost confidence. I always knew I could do it. It was just about having an opportunity."
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