Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins Gameday Preview

Dolphins running game vs. Bills run defense
RB Reggie Bush (895 yards, 4.5 yards per carry) faces the NFL's 30th-ranked run defense in yards per game (144.1). He's also coming off a 104-yard performance against Jacksonville. Miami is missing Daniel Thomas (knee), its pass blocking/short-yardage/red zone specialist. But his loss shouldn't affect Bush, who is on the verge of back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. LB Nick Barnett (97 tackles) and DT Kyle Williams will be the biggest impediments to success for the Dolphins. EDGE: Dolphins
Dolphins passing game vs. Bills pass defense

QB Ryan Tannehill has gone three games without an interception and has completed 60.3 percent of his passes in his last four games. The health of WRs Davone Bess (back) and Brian Hartline (back) is a huge factor, however. Buffalo, the league's 15th-ranked pass defense, was tough on Tannehill last time. S Jairus Byrd and LB Bryan Scott had INTs in the final two minutes. If the WRs aren't healthy this could get ugly. EDGE: Bills
Bills running game vs. Dolphins run defense

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RB C.J. Spiller (1,047 yards, 6.5 ypc) had 91 yards rushing the last time these teams played. Look for him to do something along those lines again. Miami's run defense is eighth (100.9 yards per game) and tackles Randy Starks, who is questionable, and Paul Soliai make things tough. LB Karlos Dansby (111 tackles) also does good work. But Spiller is so shifty he only needs a small crack. Look for S Reshad Jones to crowd the line of scrimmage often. EDGE: Bills
Bills passing game vs. Dolphins pass defense
Miami's banged-up secondary is the biggest factor. CB Nolan Carroll (knee) is ailing and S Jimmy Wilson (hip) is slowed. And the Dolphins are the 26th-ranked pass defense with him on the field. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (22 TDs, 19 INTs) is ranked 19th with an 83.5 passer rating and WR Stevie Johnson (891 yards, 6 TDs) has been effective. Fitzpatrick has 5 TDs and 5 INTs in his last five games. Still, it's tough to overcome missing/slowed personnel. EDGE: Bills
Dolphins special teams vs. Bills special teams
Miami signed K Nate Kaeding and placed Dan Carpenter (groin) on injured reserve. KOR/PR Marcus Thigpen had a 96-yard KOR TD when these teams played. Of course, that was after Bills' PR Leodis McKelvin had a 79-yard TD. But McKelvin, the NFL in punt return average at 18.7 yards, is on injured reserve (groin) and won't play. Thigpen is third in kickoff return average (28.7) and tied for fifth in punt return average (12.0). Bills K Rian Lindell (20-for-21 on FGs) has made 95.2 percent of his attempts. Miami P Brandon Fields (50.6 yards per punt gross average) is a master at flipping field position. EDGE: Dolphins
Intangibles
Buffalo's defense is tied for last in points allowed (28.7 per game). That's not good for a road team. But Miami is without RB Daniel Thomas (knee) and TE/FB Charles Clay (knee) and the WRs will be affected by injury, too. Look for Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Sherman to continue using multiple sets and formations, and allow QB Ryan Tannehill to roll out and use his feet. Being at home should be a great asset in a game between fairly evenly-matched teams. EDGE: Dolphins
Prediction: Bills 20, Dolphins 17.

Buffalo Bills vs. Seattle Seahawks Gameday Preview

After the Seattle Seahawks sent a message to their opponent last week, Marshawn Lynch may want to do the same to his former team.
Lynch and the Seahawks try for their fifth victory in six games Sunday as they head to Toronto to face the Buffalo Bills, who appear bound to miss the playoffs for the 13th consecutive season.
Although the Bills' ground game has been strong thanks to C.J. Spiller's emergence, Lynch has turned into one of the league's most consistent backs since Buffalo traded him to Seattle for a pair of draft picks in October 2010. He ranks second to Adrian Peterson with a career-high 1,266 yards this season, and he needed only 11 carries to accumulate 128 yards and three touchdowns in last Sunday's 58-0 drubbing of Arizona.
"This is what we had hoped," coach Pete Carroll said. "We hoped that he would be a big-timer and we could make him fit in and feel comfortable and like his surroundings and really contribute in a big way. He has done everything. He's done everything we have asked of him."
The Bills chose Lynch 12th overall in the 2007 draft out of California and he surpassed 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, but he fell out of favor.
Along with rookie quarterback Russell Wilson and a stout defense, Lynch is a major reason the Seahawks (8-5) currently own the NFC's top wild-card position, and they're feeling especially good after the NFL's third-largest shutout win since 1950.
Seattle set a franchise record for points and matched its second-highest takeaway total with eight.
The Seahawks are one victory away from clinching their first winning season since going 10-6 in 2007. Their surge prompted next week's game against San Francisco to be flexed to the Sunday night spot.
That could be a showdown for the NFC West lead, though it's seemingly one of the last things on Carroll's mind.
"Yeah, whatever, it's moved back a little bit," he said. "That's two weeks from now."
The lopsided margin against Arizona gave the Seahawks plenty of opportunities to run the ball, which they did 42 times for 284 yards - the fourth-most in team history. Seattle's 152.3 rushing yards per game rank fourth in the league, although the Bills are sixth at 141.2.
Wilson sat out the final 25 minutes last Sunday as he became the first rookie quarterback to start and win his first six home games since the 1970 merger.
"You're trying to get first downs and keep the football, with the sensitivity of the situation," Carroll said. "You know you're going to run the football like crazy, which was awesome and we love to do that."
The Seahawks haven't been nearly as good outside of Seattle, going 2-5, although they won their most recent road game in Chicago.
Preparing to play a game in Toronto for the fifth straight season, the Bills (5-8) haven't given up on their first postseason appearance since 1999 - the league's longest active drought - though they must win out and receive plenty of help.
"Now, we don't have many wins to show for it at this point, but I believe we can get there," bills coach Chan Gailey said. "And I have a great deal of confidence in the direction we're headed."
Gailey has been criticized for his perceived under-utilization of Spiller, but with Fred Jackson put on injured reserve Tuesday because of a sprained MCL, he may have little choice but to give the ball to Spiller more often.
Spiller has 944 yards on 144 carries - a 6.6-yard average, the NFL's highest through 13 games since Jim Brown in 1963. However, he's carried the ball fewer than 10 times in six of Buffalo's games, gaining 37 yards on seven attempts against the Rams.
Still, Spiller hasn't complained publicly and continues to support Gailey as the team's head coach.
"Those people who want him fired, they must not understand football," Spiller said. "He's my coach, and I've got his back."
Perhaps a higher dosage of Spiller can spark an offense averaging 19.5 points over its last four games.
"My style is I'll never go up there and beg, beg, beg for the ball," he told the team's official website. "I understand we've got a lot of playmakers out there. Everybody wants to have the ball in their hands and everybody wants to make that play. I'm not different, but I'm not going to sit around and mope week in and week out."
Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman will have another week on the field after his appeal hearing for his four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs was delayed. Sherman had a pair of interceptions last weekend.
However, fellow starting corner Walter Thurmond won't play after injuring his hamstring during practice Wednesday.
Either Byron Maxwell or rookie Jeremy Lane will start in place of Thurmond for the league's third-ranked defense, which allows 301.7 yards per game.

Buffalo Bills vs. St. Louis Rams Gameday Preview

Buffalo Bills are fighting hard to get a wildcard playoff berth and they will face another hurdle in their road to postseason as they take on reviving St. Louis Rams in Week 14 game on Sunday, December 09, 2012, at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, New York.
Both teams are desperate to continue their winning momentum in race to save their season. This game would end the playoff hopes for one of these teams.
Rams (5-6-1) are currently feeling over the moon after beating the mighty San Francisco 49ers in Week 13 by 16-13 in overtime. The team is on course to win three games in a row for the first time since the 2006 season.
In order to qualify for the playoffs, Rams must win all of their next four games as they currently stand 11^th in the National Football Conference (NFC). Earlier this week, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said:
"This team is focused on Buffalo. It's our next opponent. There's too much that could happen right now. I don't even know what the record is of some teams in the division. So, we just go play."
Meanwhile, Bills (5-7) are also looking confident after getting their second victory in three games. The team is tied at second place in American Football Conference (AFC) East.
It will be a gigantic task for Bills to go to postseason after a league record 12 seasons. However, they will have to do it without many of their starters who are out due to injuries.
Defensive end Chris Kelsay, Center Eric Wood and right tackle Chris Hairston are all out for the rest of the season with season ending injuries.
Moreover, the offence will be without their top wide receivers Stevie Johnson and Donald Jones while cornerbacks Aaron Williams and Leodis McKelvin are also out.
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will go against his former team with a very thin offensive line that will include Sam Young, Kraig Urbik and David Snow.
The offence will come face to face against Rams defence that put up 13 sacks during the last four games. Giving his views about facing Rams defence, Bills head coach Chan Gailey said:
"They do a great job of rushing the passer and (Chris) Long will be a challenge over there for Sam. That will be a real challenge for him. To be honest with you, they rotate through a lot of guys that can play. This might be overall as athletic of defensive front, and powerful combined with quickness a defensive front, as we have played all season."
Bills defence has also shown good form in recent weeks as they limited the opposing defence to an average of just 17 points during last three games while compiling 11 sacks. Rams 24-Bills 17

Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Gameday Preview

The Jacksonville Jaguars will play against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Neither team is in the playoff hunt but both are already experimenting for next season.
Jacksonville seems to have resigned from seeing Blaine Gabbard (injured, demoted) as a cornerstone of their future. They will continue to play Chad Henne the rest of the way as they attempt to see if he can be the starter in 2013. The move may have as much to do with an underwhelming incoming quarterback class as it does with the actual ability of Henne.
Buffalo’s head coach Chan Gailey and general manager Buddy Nix both have spoken critically of their quarterback as well. The team plans to draft a quarterback to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick but that is not where the changes stop. CJ Spiller has taken over as the lead running back on the Bills as the team will hope for more flashy plays from the third year player.
So what is the spread in the Jaguars and Bills game?Buffalo is a six point favorite over Jacksonville. The over/under or total points for the game is set at 45.5 points.
Buffalo has shown flashes of putting up large sums of points but they have been inconsistent. Jacksonville struggled to score early in the year but since switching to Henne they have been significantly better. They have scored 61 points over their last two games against Houston and Tennessee.
Tireball.com Prediction: Do not base your picks on us but we like Jacksonville in this one. We like what Spiller brings to the Bills offense but the resurgence of Jacksonville with Henne is too much for us to ignore. The Jaguars upset Bills 27-24

Buffalo Bills vs. Indy Colts Preview

Mike Chappell - The NFL calendar is very clear: Wild-card weekend is Jan. 5-6.
The Colts and Buffalo Bills beg to differ. Basically, the playoffs begin Sunday in Lucas Oil Stadium.
"This is a playoff game for us," Colts interim coach Bruce Arians insisted. "We have to take that approach because Buffalo is taking that approach.
"They're do-or-die. We better be do-or-die."
The Colts are 6-4, good for the No. 5 seed as the first wild-card entry. Yes, if the season ended Sunday -- irrelevant but always entertaining to consider -- they'd be headed to Denver for a first-round clash with the Broncos. Andrew Luck vs. Peyton Manning.
The Bills are 4-6, but still have a pulse. After Sunday, their schedule is conducive to a serious December push.
A Colts loss -- at home against an erratic opponent that's allowing 30.2 points per game on the road -- would be crippling to their inspiring push to the postseason.
The Bills would remain mathematically alive with a loss, but essentially dead in the water. They haven't made the playoffs since 1999, the league's longest dry spell.
"The Colts are ahead of us in the standings," Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "This is almost a playoff game for us in terms of one we have to have at this point in the season."
Considering the jumbled mess that is the AFC wild-card chase, 9-7 should be enough. From here on out, each week either is a major step forward or a debilitating stumble.
"Every game is going to be a playoff game," veteran receiver Reggie Wayne said. "We are in a position now where if we win out, we're in. There are a lot of teams that want our position.
"I'm just looking at us. I just know if we take care of (it), we're fine. That's to keep winning games. The more we win, the better our opportunity."
Arians repeatedly has stressed all the Colts have done is get themselves into a position to achieve something significant over the final six games.
"We wanted to give ourselves a chance,'' Wayne said. "Once you get to the dance, anything can happen. We are just going to continue this journey, continue to ride this ship and at the end of the day, see where our chips fall."

Special day?

A pair of lapses last Sunday at Gillette Stadium severely marred what had been adequate work by the Colts' special teams coverage units.
New England's Julian Edelman returned one punt 68 yards for a touchdown, another 49 yards. Just like that, the seasonal average on punt returns bounced from 8.5 to 13.7, No. 30 in the league.
"If the wrong things happen at that wrong time, that's what can happen," special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf said.
And now, a Buffalo return game that simply is elite.
"They've got two exceptional returners in 16 and 21," Maalouf said.
That would be Brad Smith (No. 16) and Leodis McKelvin (No. 21). McKelvin ranks No. 1 in the league in punt returns (21.9) and tied for No. 7 in kickoff returns (28.3). He's the only player in the league to return two punts for TDs.
When the Bills opt to give McKelvin a blow, Smith returns kickoffs. He's averaging 28.7 with an 89-yarder for a TD.
"We've got to play with great technique and like our hair's on fire," Maalouf said.
Joe Lefeged is the Colts' top special teams contributor with 12 tackles, including 10 solos. He understands the challenge.
"We've already faced some great returners with Devin Hester and Percy Harvin," he said. "McKelvin is right there with them."

Arians: head coach?

Arians has directed the Colts to a 5-2 record since taking over for Chuck Pagano, who took an indefinite leave Oct. 1 to battle leukemia.
Has the experience as interim coach rekindled any thoughts of one day being a head coach at the pro level?
"I don't even think about it," said Arians, a 20-year assistant. "For me, it's still a day-to-day process just like the players. If I ask the players to stay within the moment, you better stay there yourself.
"We'll cross those bridges, if there are any bridges to cross, someday. Right now, it's just the Buffalo Bills." Colts 27- Bills 17

Buffalo Bills vs. New England Patritos Gameday Preview

PREDICTION: Patriots 45-17
KEYS TO THE GAME: The Patriots have won 22 of the past 24 meetings by dominating the turnover battle, and this season is no different. The Bills (minus-7) have to keep the game close enough to lean on their backfield tandem of C.J. Spiller (7.2 yards per carry) and Fred Jackson. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick can attack deep if he has time to find WR Donald Jones, who has seven catches for 191 yards in the past two games against the Patriots. New England keeps the throttle open, averaging an NFL-leading 32.8 points and 440.8 yards per game. He has looked to TE Rob Gronkowski early and often against Buffalo, especially in the red zone. The Bills can’t sit back in a deep zone or they’ll set up RB Steven Ridley for another big day. Ridley and Brandon Bolden combined for 243 rushing yards in the first meeting (a 52-28 Patriots victory at Buffalo in Week 4).
FAST FACTS: Brady is 19-2 with 49 touchdowns against Buffalo. … Fitzpatrick has 300-plus passing yards in three consecutive games. He had four touchdown passes in the first meeting.
PERSONNEL NEWS
BILLS
–TE Scott Chandler, who is coming off a poor game at Houston, will be looking to get on track against the Patriots Sunday in New England. Chandler had four catches for 62 yards and two TDs in this season’s first matchup with the Patriots and can expect some extra attention.
–RB C.J. Spiller is averaging more than 7.0 yards per carry but his workload has been less than demanding in Buffalo’s dysfunctional offense. Spiller had just six carries in last week’s loss to Houston. He had just eight carries in this year’s first matchup against New England, Sunday’s opponent in Foxboro. On the year, he has 78 carries for 562 yards.
–PK Rian Lindell converted all three of his field-goal attempts in last week’s loss to Houston, making him 8 of 9 for the season. He remains second on the club’s career scoring list with 924 points, trailing only Steve Christie (1,011 points).
–QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has 71 career touchdown passes with Buffalo, placing him fourth all-time. He’s six behind Jack Kemp for third place. Heading into Sunday’s game at New England, Fitzpatrick’s career record as a starter is 17-28 with Buffalo and 21-38-1 all time.
–DE Alex Carrington blocked his third career field goal last week at Houston. It was his second of the year, making him the first Bill since Bruce Smith (three) in 1996 to have two or more blocks in a season.
INJURY IMPACT
–LT Cordy Glenn, who returned to the starting lineup after missing three games with a high ankle sprain, came out of the Houston game in good shape. Buffalo’s depth at tackle is being tested due to injuries and it was critical Glenn returned at this juncture.
–DE Mark Anderson, a key free-agent signing, won’t be available to square off against his former team at New England on Sunday. Anderson remains sidelined after a surgical procedure on his knee and may need more surgery if he doesn’t come around soon. The Bills’ pass rush remains sporadic.
–WR Stevie Johnson is nursing a thigh contusion but is expected to play Sunday at New England. How the injury affects his speed will be of concern as Buffalo goes against New England’s No. 22 defense that can be vulnerable to big plays.
PATRIOTS
–CB Devin McCourty received praise from coach Bill Belichick this week for the versatile defensive back’s ability to tackle. Belichick went on to praise that ability in rookie corner Alfonzo Dennard while saying that skill was important for all New England defensive backs.
“I’d say it’s pretty important to us. Tackling is an important criteria for every position but especially the secondary, that’s kind of the last line of defense,” Belichick said. “If the nose guard misses a tackle then hopefully you’ve got some guys behind him. If you miss a tackle in the secondary, there aren’t a lot of guys left. You can’t expect the nose tackle to run him down either. I think it’s definitely important. Alfonzo, he plays strong. He has good playing strength, he’s a tough kid. Tackling is on the positive side for him.”
–TE Aaron Hernandez was back on the practice field Nov. 8 after missing the previous day’s action for the birth of his first child, daughter Avielle. “It’s definitely a great experience,” Hernandez said of the birth, he and his daughter interestingly sharing the same Nov. 6 birthday. “And a beautiful little girl. I’m excited.”
“One thing I know, it definitely changed my life. I’m going to look at things differently,” Hernandez said. “And I may be young and wild, but I’m not. I’m engaged now, and I have a baby. It’s just going to make me think of life differently, and doing things the right way, because I know another one’s looking up to me. I can’t just be young and reckless Aaron anymore. I’m going to try to do the right things, become a good father, and be raised like I was raised.”
–QB Tom Brady is obviously a pretty fashionable guy. He’s done plenty of photo shoots and magazine covers. He’s married to the world’s greatest supermodel. But sometimes his fashion sense is still questioned in New England. That was the case this week after Brady was photographed at a special Aerosmith concert in Boston wearing Dwight Howard-like black-frame glasses, a black coat and a flesh-colored V-neck shirt. At his weekly press conference a local writer told Brady that sometimes he dresses “kind of weird.”
Brady’s response? “Thank you.”
When a follow-up asked what was going on with his fashion and whether he laid his clothes out, Brady offered little.
“I have no response to that,” the quarterback said with a laugh.
–DT Myron Pryor began the season on PUP with a pectoral injury. The fourth-year player was not activated to practice in the three-week window to do so on PUP, so he will remain on PUP for the remainder of the season. Pryor also spent the bulk of last fall on IR after playing just two games before a shoulder injury.
–TE Jake Ballard, claimed off waivers from the Giants this preseason, will not practice coming off PUP but rather remain on PUP for the remainder of the 2012 season.
INJURY IMPACT
–RB Brandon Bolden did not practice on Thursday as he continues to rehab his knee injury.
–DE Trevor Scott missed practice on Thursday with a hamstring injury that’s kept him out the last couple weeks.
–LB Tracy White did not practice on Thursday due to the ankle injury that’s kept him out of action for a month now.
–CB Kyle Arrington was one of 14 Patriots who were limited in practice on Thursday as the cornerback deals with a concussion.
–DL Ron Brace (elbow) was limited in practice on Thursday.
–S Patrick Chung was limited for the second straight day due to his shoulder injury.
–S Steve Gregory (hip) was once again limited as he tries to work back into playing shape after missing more than a month of action.
–TE Rob Gronkowski (hip) was limited on Thursday, though he hasn’t missed any action with the injury that’s bothered him most of the season.
–TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) was limited on Thursday with the injury that was originally suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Cardinals.
–LB Dont’a Hightower continues to be limited in practice with a hamstring injury, though he returned to normal game action prior to the bye week.
–WR Brandon Lloyd (knee) was limited on Thursday.
–G Logan Mankins (calf/hip) continues to be limited with the injuries that have affected him all season.
–LB Jerod Mayo (elbow) was limited.
–OL Nick McDonald (shoulder) remains limited.
–LB Brandon Spikes was limited on Thursday with a knee injury.
–T Sebastian Vollmer continues to be limited with back and knee injuries, though the health issues haven’t forced him to miss much game time this year.
–WR Wes Welker (ankle) was limited on Thursday.
–WR Julian Edelman (hand) was listed as having full participation on Thursday.
–DL Kyle Love was full participation despite a knee injury.
INSIDE THE CAMPS
BILLS
The Bills are being forced to shake up their shaky defensive secondary in time to face Tom Brady and his high-scoring New England offense.
Left cornerback Aaron Williams is not expected to play after suffering a knee injury in last week’s loss to Houston, meaning Leodis McKelvin will return to the starting spot. McKelvin, a former first-round pick who leads the NFL in punt return average at 19.5, has been an inconsistent player at corner but the Bills will need him to respond to this opportunity.
Meanwhile, Da’Norris Searcy is starting to take more repetitions at strong safety, a developing story as the Bills get set to face the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski, who has enjoyed repeated success against Buffalo, such as five catches for 104 yards and a touchdown in New England’s 52-28 victory over Buffalo on Sept. 30.
Williams’ injury won’t sideline him for the rest of the year, coach Chan Gailey said, but it could linger a few games. He said he’s eager to see McKelvin step up. Buffalo’s next option is second-year pro Justin Rogers after veteran Terrence McGee went on season-ending injured reserve this week with a lingering knee problem.
“Yeah, I think he is very motivated,” Gailey said of McKelvin. “I think that Leodis has never lacked confidence. He has a great deal of confidence in himself, his abilities and ability to play. He practices hard every day he walks on the field. You have to ask him to get the answer, but I think he has a chance to go play extremely well. Hopefully he learned from some of the things that happened in the past.”
McKelvin is a gifted athlete who has the speed to run with any receiver in the league. His problems arise from questionable ball skills; he has never consistently timed his jumps defending passes and he has dropped many would-be interceptions.
He said he’s eager to get back into the starting lineup and that he’s got something to prove.
“Most definitely,” McKelvin said. “Every time you go out on the field you have something to prove. You have something to prove to the guys that you are playing against. You have something to prove to the guys you are playing with and you have something to prove to the guys that give me the trust to go out there and perform.”
Gailey said he’s not displeased with Wilson’s play but at age 30, Wilson may benefit from sharing some of the wear and tear.
“(I’m) very satisfied with George’s play,” Gailey said. “Da’Norris is a good football player and he has worked his rear off. He deserves an opportunity to play in the ball games. George was a little bit hurt last year and we think that if we can take 15, 20 plays a game off of him he will have a longer season. Be able to stay longer, healthier and prolong, not only this year, but his years down the road. If we did not have a good player, we could not do that but we have a good player (in Searcy). We feel like he deserves the opportunity to play some and somewhere somebody is probably going to get nicked up with only three safeties. We need somebody that has some experience, too.”
PATRIOTS
The defense has been the red-headed stepchild in New England for quite some time. Even dating back to the birth in 2007 of what has become the Patriots’ annual aerial assault on the rest of the NFL, the once proud defense was fading.
Now, over the last couple years, coach Bill Belichick’s defense has been among the worst in the game. The bulk of the problem has come in terms of stopping the pass.
New England currently sports the 22nd-ranked defense in the NFL. But while the run defense has been impressive over the first half of the season to rank tied for seventh in the league, the pass defense remains among the worst in the game at 28th overall.
But the story isn’t that much different than it was a year ago when the Patriots advanced to the Super Bowl despite the 31st-ranked pass defense. That team was also 5-3 midway through the season, but ran a perfect 8-0 over the second half.
Are the Patriots capable of another such run this fall? With the Texans and 49ers remaining on the schedule, it won’t be easy. But one thing that New England teams often hang their hat on is that they improve as the year wears on, playing some of their best football when the season “really begins” in November and December.
Why is it that Belichick’s squads tend to play the best later in the year?
“I think that throughout the whole season we really preach improvement every week,” defensive end Rob Ninkovich said. “So the goal is to improve every week, not make the same mistakes twice. Obviously that was kind of our theme last year, how we seemed to improve and build on what we had every week last year. So that’s really I think every team’s goal in the NFL is to improve every week, be a stronger team as the season rolls on.”
If the Patriots are to do that this fall, the pass defense will have to play better. The trade addition of Aqib Talib, who’ll complete his NFL suspension this Sunday, should help over the final seven games. It may also benefit the unit to play three games against rookie quarterbacks (Andrew Luck and Ryan Tannehill twice) as well as fledgling veterans like Mark Sanchez and Blaine Gabbert.
There is also a bit more confidence as New England prepares to host the Bills on Sunday, coming out of a bye week focused on some self scouting.
“You kind of, in that bye week look at all the games you’ve played and see the things that are working well for you and the things that haven’t gone your way,” Ninkovich added. “So I think that obviously it helps us to have that bye week right in the middle of the season. It gives you some rest and you are able to get a few days to look back on the games you have played and just improve on certain aspects of everyone’s game.”
That means building on the team’s strength, run defense, and the overall attitude that opposing attacks simply aren’t going to have success on the ground.
“That’s the mentality what you have to have,” Ninkovich said. “Really, every team we’ve played we’ve said, ‘Stop the run and get them one-dimensional.’ That’s the best way to make a team start throwing the ball is to shut down the run.”
Now, the goal is that when they force a team to throw the ball they’ll be able to keep them from completing too many of those passes. Though the pass coverage has taken a lot of heat, and Belichick felt the need to add a veteran cornerback like Talib at the trade deadline, the pass rush can be better as well.
Rookie Chandler Jones leads the Patriots with six sacks while Ninkovich ranks second with four for a unit that ranks 21st in the NFL in sacks per pass play.
“It works both ways,” Ninkovich said of New England’s two-headed struggles on pass defense. “The rush. The coverage. The coverage. The rush. There are times in the game where we have really done a good job in coverage and kind of not gotten to the quarterback like we should have. Then vice versa, where we’ve gotten to the quarterback. It all works together. So I think as we keep growing and building it’s our job as a D-line to do our very best to get to the quarterback.”
If that happens, then Belichick’s team might just go on one of its usual late-season runs toward the playoffs.
But it can’t happen unless the defense is better. Belichick sent a message with the trade for Talib, and it was received loud and clear in the defensive portion of the locker room.
“That we’re trying to improve and whatever we do here we do to try to win,” Ninkovich said. “Obviously we’re moving forward and trying to win more games.”

Buffalo Bills At Houston Texans Gameday Preview

 Coming off a bye-week the Houston Texans (6-1) are hosting the 3-4 Buffalo Bills. Houston is a fairly heavy favourite in their home encounter. The Bills have been a disappointment this year. Their record actually flatters a team that has been absolutely destroyed in three out of four losses and only had one win, over the even more lowly Kansas City Chiefs, which could be considered dominating.
 The Texans’ defence will face its biggest aerial challenge from the passing tandem of quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick and wide receiver, Stevie Johnson. Johnson leads the team in receptions, yards and is tied for most receiving touchdowns. In the red zone, also look for the Bills’ tight end, Scott Chandler, who is quietly on track to have his best season by a long margin. Chandler is emerging as one of the Bills’ better players, he is third in receptions and yards, and it will be up to the Texans’ linebacking core to stop him.
Also up to the linebackers is cutting down Buffalo running back, C J Spiller before he gets into open ground. Spiller has emerged as the dominant back in Buffalo after a disappointing start to his career that saw him being overshadowed by fellow running back, Fred Jackson.
Spiller and Jackson are both dual threat backs, capable of breaking runs and catching passes out of the backfield. But it is Spiller that has made the most of his opportunities, averaging 7.3 yards per rushing attempt and 9.1 yards per catch.
On offense, the Texans will be looking to prove that letting go of hybrid linebacker – defensive end, Mario Williams in the offseason was the correct decision. Thus far, Williams has been disappointing for the Bills since joining as a free agent. He is the biggest star on a defence that has underperformed significantly across the board. It has allowed an average of 424 combined yards each week to teams with significantly less offensive potency than the Texans. Look for running back, Arian Foster and quarterback, Matt Schaub to light up the field.
This game should not be close. The Texans have had two weeks to prepare for Buffalo and the Bills have not been able to put together a total performance for most of the season. Look for Houston to win and probably cover the 10-11 point spread.
The game is being shown at 1 PM EST on CBS. Only Texas and New York will automatically be able to view it however, as the marquee CBS matchup of the Denver Broncos versus the Cincinnati Bengals will take precedence across most of the USA. Texans 38 - Bills 14

Buffalo Bills Mid-Season Preview: The Bills Could Finish 6-10 Again

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

The Buffalo Bills are having a better season than usual so far this year. They were tied for the first place in the AFC East only a week ago and remain a respectable 3-4.
Yet so much in the NFL has to do with strength of schedule. It is easy to feel good as a team after games against Kansas City and Cleveland. After wins against the Browns and Chiefs and a blowout loss to the New York Jets, how many fans were really buying into the hype?
After Week 3, I predicted the Bills would lose six of their next seven to drop from 2-1 to 3-7. I stick by that prediction, and it will continue with a loss at Houston after the bye. Here is why.

Mario Williams chasing Alex Smith.
Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Defense? What Defense?
OK, the Bills spent $100 million on a flashy new defensive end (Mario Williams), so they're going to have a good defense for the first time since 1996... right?
No.
Calling the Bills defense the second-worst in the NFL would be homerism at this point. They yielded 48 points to the Jets, 52 to New England, 45 to San Francisco and 35 to Tennessee. They are dead-last in the NFL at stopping the run and not a whole lot better against the pass.
As Sal Maiorana of DemocratAndChronicle.com put it:

Mario Williams said he doesn’t care what we think about his performance. Truthfully, there hasn’t been a performance to care about. Let’s call it now—this guy is soft, and the Bills have apparently whiffed to the tune of $100 million. He was invisible yet again. He said in the locker room he needs to get better. You know what, he was supposed to already be better when he got here. He was supposed to be one of the best in the league. He’s not, and the team he left, Houston, is now 6-1 without him.

Strength of Schedule

Strength of schedule is crucial in the NFL and so often overlooked. The Bills have just finished the easy part of their schedule and are headed into the hard part.
Meanwhile, the rival Patriots and Jets are headed into very easy stretches. If the Bills lose two or three more in a row, that is not a collapse. That is just their schedule evening things out.
Buffalo has missed out on a golden opportunity to start the season hot. It had five winnable games in its first seven, while the rest of its division started out 4-3 or worse. The Bills could easily be in first place right now in the AFC East.
The fact that they are not bodes very poorly for the rest of their season. If they lose their next three games—in which they will be underdogs—they will be 3-7. Can the Bills recover from that to pull out a winning season?
Probably not.

NFL Trade Rumors - Dwayne Bowe To Buffalo Bills For Draft Picks

Larry Sealy - Kansas City has no shot of making the NFL Playoffs this season and star wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has requested a trade. The Chiefs could use some added draft picks to begin their rebuilding, especially on offense.

The latest rumor from Greg Maiola of Bleacher Report suggests the Buffalo Bills look into adding Bowe. Buffalo made several big moves this off-season and while they haven't played to expectations, the team is just one game out of the lead for the AFC East title.

Stevie Johnson is one of the better receivers in the league, but teams have started double-teaming him and that has hurt the Bills passing attack. Adding an All-Pro like Bowe to the other side of the line would open up the entire offense and give the fans reason for optimism for the rest of the 2012 season.

With the NFL trade deadline quickly approaching, this move makes sense for both teams and could actually help the Bills this season as they try to keep pace with new England and the NY Jets for the division title.

The Buffalo Bills vs. Tennessee Titans Gameday Preview

The Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans face off Sunday afternoon in Week Seven of the NFL regular season. The game will be broadcast live at 1 p.m. ET on CBS in certain markets, and you can also watch a live TV stream online for free here.
The Bills are coming off a big overtime win over the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona kicker Jay Feely tied the game at 16 with a 61-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter. But Feely's game-winning attempt as time expired was partially blocked, giving the Bills a second chance. Buffalo's Jarius Byrd then intercepted Kevin Kolb in overtime, setting up the game-winning field goal.

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Buffalo now stands at 3-3 on the season along with the rest of its division. The Bills have some winnable games down the stretch, including contests against the St. Louis Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars. With four evenly-matched teams in the AFC East, the Bills will need to take advantage of some of those contests to stay in the playoff race.
The Bills could do just that today against a Titans team that looks like a decent matchup for them on paper. Tennessee currently sports one of the worst rush defenses in the league, allowing nearly 130 yards per game on the ground. Buffalo, meanwhile, has two potentially explosive backs in Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller.  Spiller in particular is averaging over seven yards per carry.
Like Tennessee, Buffalo has also struggled this year to stop the run. In fact, the Bills have the worst rush defense in the league, allowing 173.5 yards on the ground per game. But the Titans have been equally as bad rushing the ball this year. Despite boasting a former All-Pro back in Chris Johnson, the Titans are averaging just 70 yards on the ground per game, worst in the league.
However, last week Johnson did appear on the verge of a breakthrough, rushing for 91 yards against a tough Pittsburgh Steelers defense. In that game, the teams were tied late in the fourth quarter when Steelers coach Mike Tomlin had his kicker attempt a 54-yard field goal. The kick fell short and gave the Titans a short field. Tennessee drove just 33 yards before Rob Bironas kicked the game-winner as time expired.
Backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck led the squad in that game, as starter Jake Locker was recovering from a shoulder injury. The second-year man has officially been ruled out of Sunday's contest as well.
These two squads went head-to-head last December, a game the Titans won, 23-17. Johnson, who failed to reach 100 yards rushing in seven out of his first eight games in 2011, ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns in that contest. Titians upset Bills 31-24

Buffalo Bills (2-3) at Arizona Cardinals (4-1) Gameday Preview

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Cardinals have allowed 17 sacks over the past two games and an offense averaging 2.7 yards per carry is down to its third-string running back. This is the week for Buffalo’s maligned defense to stuff the run and create impact plays in the pass rush, although it remains to be seen how the team reacts after spending the week in Phoenix following Sunday’s loss at San Francisco. The Bills’ offense is struggling with RBs Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller less than 100 percent and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick a turnover factory when forced into a one-dimensional attack. Arizona’s fast and attacking defense should control field position.
FAST FACTS: Fitzgerald has a 58.8 passer rating when the Bills are trailing this season. … The Cardinals have an eight-game home winning streak.
PERSONNEL NEWS
BILLS
–LB Nigel Bradham, a fourth-round pick out of Florida State, is still being considered a potential starter at strong-side linebacker Sunday in Arizona. The team is looking over all options in the wake of last Sunday’s ugly 45-3 loss in San Francisco, in which the Bills allowed 621 yards.
–OL Reggie Wells, who was signed to the active roster as an emergency replacement, is expected to be active for Sunday’s game at Arizona. The team is dealing with injuries to three offensive linemen, and Wells is a 10-year veteran with 91 career starts.
–WR/QB Brad Smith is slowly being worked into the offense. He had a 35-yard run from the Wildcat formation against San Francisco.
–WR Stevie Johnson has caught a pass in 37 consecutive games, tying Marlin Briscoe for seventh-longest streak in team history. However, he’s had a quiet season thus far with 21 catches for 234 yards and three scores.
–RB C.J. Spiller still leads the team with 365 yards rushing, but his workload has decreased dramatically following a shoulder/chest injury. He should be closer to 100 percent heading into Sunday’s game at Arizona.
–PK Rian Lindell had the team’s only points in a 45-3 loss to San Francisco. Lindell has attempted just two field goals this year, making both, giving him 900 career points with the Bills. Steve Christie holds the team record with 1,011.
INJURY IMPACT
–DE Mario Williams is now showing up on the team’s injury report with a wrist issue even though it hasn’t prevented him from practicing fully. Williams hurt his wrist before the season began, and the Bills didn’t see the need to list him. However, they are doing it now after issues were raised that they were hiding Williams’ injury, which is against NFL rules.
–RG Chad Rinehart, who has a calf injury, is looking like a game-time decision for Sunday’s game at Arizona. The staff was hoping he could get in some quality work before week’s end, but it’s day to day.
–OL Sam Young could get the start at right guard Sunday at Arizona as an emergency replacement. The team is dealing with injuries to three players; Young began practicing at right guard this week.
–FS Jairus Byrd, who was coming off a hip pointer, suffered a chest injury in the loss at San Francisco but is practicing on a limited basis in preparation for the Cardinals. That’s a good sign he’ll be able to go.
–DT Kyle Williams is on the injury report with an ankle ailment, but he’s expected to play Sunday at Arizona. That’s good news for a defense that allowed 310 yards passing and 311 yards rushing in a loss to San Francisco and needs its emotional leader on the field.
CARDINALS
–CB William Gay likely will return to the starting lineup this week after being demoted a week ago. Greg Toler suffered a hamstring injury while giving up a long touchdown and has not practiced this week.
–RB LaRod Stephens-Howling is expected to start against the Bills. RBs Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams are out with injuries.
–WR Michael Floyd’s playing time has increased the last two weeks, but his production hasn’t. Floyd dropped critical passes in both games.
–QB John Skelton could be the backup to Kevin Kolb against the Bills. Skelton hasn’t been active since suffering a sprained ankle in the season opener. He estimates he’s at 90 percent.
INJURY IMPACT
–CB Michael Adams hasn’t practiced this week because of a hamstring injury. If he can’t play, rookie Jamell Fleming would be the nickel back.
–LB O’Brien Schofield didn’t practice Thursday because of knee soreness. Schofield has missed parts of previous practices but has played in all five games.
–LB Quentin Groves, the backup to starter O’Brien Schofield, hasn’t practiced this week because of a hamstring injury. Groves didn’t practice last week, either, but he played against the Rams.
–FB Anthony Sherman hasn’t practiced this week because of a sore knee. Reagan Maui’a will replace him if Sherman can’t play.
–TE Todd Heap remains limited in practice with a sore knee. It seems doubtful he will play Sunday against the Bills.
–DE Darnell Dockett participated in just 19 plays last week, but he should be more active this week. Dockett has had extra time to rest his sore hamstring.
INSIDE THE CAMPS
BILLS
Things have gone from bad to worse for the Bills, who face the Cardinals on Sunday in Phoenix while dealing with a rash of injuries.
The latest bad news on the injury front involves defensive end Mark Anderson, who signed a four-year, $27 million contract in the offseason. He’ll undergo left knee surgery to repair a ligament damaged in last week’s 45-3 loss to San Francisco.
“He’s going to be out,” coach Chan Gailey said. “I don’t know how long. We’ll have to wait and see. They’re going to tell after they go in and look at it.”
Gailey expressed hope that Anderson wouldn’t miss the remainder of the season but it’s clear Anderson will be out for an extended period of time. It’s a major loss for a team that wasn’t generating a consistent pass rush with Anderson, who had 10 sacks for New England last season. Anderson has four tackles and one sack.
Mario Williams, who was handed a six-year, $100 million deal in March, has 13 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Buffalo ranks near the bottom of most defensive categories, and it allowed a franchise-record 621 yards to the 49ers.
The Bills have just three healthy defensive ends for the Arizona game: Chris Kelsay, Kyle Moore and Williams. They have just three healthy defensive tackles (Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, Alex Carrington), as Spencer Johnson is hobbled with a bad ankle. There are two defensive linemen on the practice squad they could activate: Jarron Gilbert and Jay Ross. The team is less inclined to do that and would like to get through the Cardinals game without making a roster move.
CARDINALS
The Cardinals are in search of one thing they can consistently do well on offense.
Run the ball? Sure, they would accept that.
Pass the ball? That, too.
As it stands now, the team doesn’t have any one thing it can rely upon. The running game has been worse than the passing game, and it’s not as if the Cardinals are gaining huge chunks of yardage through the air.
They have not had 300 yards of total offense in any of the five games this season. The offensive line, which played decently the first three weeks, has been terrible in that last two.
Kevin Kolb has been sacked 17 times, and the team is averaging 2.7 yards per rushing attempt.
Now, the Cardinals must try to develop a ground game without their two top running backs. Starter Beanie Wells is out for at least five more weeks with a turf toe. Backup Ryan Williams is out for the season after suffering a shoulder injury against the Rams last week.
The Cardinals are 4-1, thanks to an above-average defense and an offense that produced in a timely fashion over the first month.
The offense needs to get back to its September form. It missed chances for a handful of big plays early against the Rams on Oct. 4. St. Louis made those types of plays, took the lead, and then just teed off on Kolb, who had to throw 50 times.
This a winning formula for the Cardinals 27- Bills 13

Buffalo Bills Should Fire Dave Wannstedt "Bills 45-3 loss 49ers

The sorry Buffalo Bills and there bad Head Coach Chan Gailey walked out of Candelstick Park on the wrong side of a historic Blowout at the hand of the San Francsico 49ers..A week after allowing 45-second half points to the New England Patriots, the Bills allowed a franchise-record 621 yards, losing 45-3 to San Francisco on Sunday.“I have no answers and no excuses,” Gailey said. “I don’t have the answers and I have to find the answers. That’s my job.” Alex Smith threw for a season-high 303 yards and three touchdowns, and Frank Gore ran for 106 yards and a score as San Francisco surpassed its previous best of 598 yards in a 34-31 loss to the Bills on Sept. 13, 1992, which also had been Buffalo’s worst. Michael Crabtree (seven catches for 113 yards) and Vernon Davis (seven catches for 106 yards) each eclipsed the century mark as San Francisco (4-1) became the first team in NFL history with 300 yards passing and 300 yards rushing.Smith, the 2005 No. 1 pick out of Utah, threw touchdown passes of 43, 28 and 10 yards and exceeded 300 yards passing for only the third time in his career — and first in a victory. The last time came when he had 309 yards passing in a loss at Philadelphia two years ago. Finally, The only recourse for Bills fans is that either Ralph Wilson or Buddy Nix Should "Fire" Dave Wannstedt this week. The Bills have spent millions of dollars upgrading the defense and they are one of the worst defenses in "NFL History". The Bills defense is breaking records weekly with there poor defensive performance. Therefore, this has to stop right now or there will be a revolt amongst Bills fans. The Bills gave up"621 yards" in a professional football game

Buffalo Bills At New England Patriots Gameday Preview

PATRIOTS: QB Tom Brady only having four TDs is proof that the offense is struggling under new OC Josh McDaniels. Facing the Bills 19th-ranked pass defense could change that trend. ... With TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) out, WRs Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd were targeted 22 times against Baltimore. The two have combined for 38 catches and 488 yards but have yet to reach the endzone. ... TE Rob Gronkowski only has 14 catches for 156 yards and was a no-show last week with two catches. He’s due to break out. ... DT Vince Wilfork and LB Jerod Mayo anchor a rush defense that allows 81.0 ypg., third best in the league.
BILLS: RB Fred Jackson, C.J. Spiller or Tashard Choice lead a Bills offense that chews up 178.0 ypg. on the ground. Spiller ran for 308 yards before injuring his shoulder last week, and Choice toted the rock for 91 yards on 20 carries in relief. Jackson could return this week. ... QB Ryan Fitzpatrick takes a lot of heat, but he hasn’t thrown an INT the last two weeks. He has eight TDs this season. ... WR Steve Johnson has 172 yards receiving and three scores and will be the focal point of the Patriots secondary. ... DE Mario Williams, the $100 million man, was brought in for games like this. He has to get in Brady’s grill for the Bills to have any chance.
THE PICK: Chan Gailey’s Bills are looking to become AFC East contenders, and the Patriots are holding on for dear life. Even with Jackson returning for the Bills, it’s hard to bet against a Bill Belichick team that has its back against the wall. The Pats D slows down the Bills attack, and Brady takes care of the rest. New England (-4) 30, Buffalo 20. 

Buffalo Bills At Cleveland Browns 2012 Gameday Preview

Mike McClain - BROWNS ON OFFENSE: It was a complete turnaround for quarterback Brandon Weeden and running back Trent Richardson. Weeden looked comfortable and in control against the Bengals, completing 27-of-37 passes for 322 yards and two touchdowns. Richardson rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries and scored touchdowns on a 32-yard run and a 23-yard reception. Receiver Mohamed Massaquoi has eight receptions for 131 yards. A week after not catching a pass Greg Little caught five passes for 57 yards and one touchdown.
BILLS ON OFFENSE: Running back C.J. Spiller has been outstanding in replacing the injured Fred Jackson. Spiller leads the NFL with 292 rushing yards, adding three touchdowns. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has completed 28-of-51 passes for 373 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. Two of the touchdowns came in a 35-17 rout of the Chiefs. Receiver Stevie Johnson has six receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Scott Chandler and Donald Jones also have six receptions each. The line has yet to allow a sack.
BROWNS ON DEFENSE: There's concern about the cornerback spots. Joe Haden will serve the second game of a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. Sheldon Brown played only one down last week, but he's expected to play more this week because the Bills normally line up with three receivers. Buster Skrine started in Brown's place last Sunday and struggled. Middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson is off to a good start with eight tackles, three sacks and two interceptions. Strong safety T.J. Ward leads in tackles with 17. The defense is tied for second in the NFL with eight sacks.
BILLS ON DEFENSE: The Bills signed former Texans end Mario Williams to add spice to the pass rush, but he's still looking for his first sack. Signing Williams was a risk because of a recent history with injuries. Stopping the run has been a problem. Opponents are averaging 134 yards a game. Safety Jairus Byrd leads in tackles with 17. Linebacker Nick Barnett is second with 15.
BROWNS ON SPECIAL TEAMS: Kicker Phil Dawson has made all five of his field-goal attempts. Punter Reggie Hodges has a 34.4 net average. Joshua Cribbs is averaging 28.4 yards on kick returns and 12.4 on punt returns. The punt coverage unit was torched last week by Adam Jones, who went 81 yards for a touchdown.
BILLS ON SPECIAL TEAMS: Kicker Rian Lindell has yet to attempt a field goal. Punter Brian Moorman has a 31.2 net average. Leodis McKelvin has a 23.7 average returning kicks. He averages an eye-popping 31 yards on four punt returns, including a 60-yarder for a touchdown. The Bills are allowing 25.6 yards per punt return.
BROWNS MUST: Pound Richardson at a defense that's struggled stopping the run. Conversely, Spiller can't pick up big chunks of yardage. The team that runs better will likely win.
BILLS MUST: Put pressure on Weeden. Given time against the Bengals, Weeden looked like a time-tested veteran. Controlling the ball on the ground is paramount.
PREDICTION: Browns, 24-17

Buffalo Bills VS. Kanas City Chiefs 2012 Gameday Preview

Editor’s Note: We’re very lucky here at BLD to be part of Fansided, a wide-reaching network with blogs for every NFL team (as well as a huge selection of NBA, NHL, MLB, and other blogs as well). We’d be dumb not to take advantage of these resources, so welcome to our weekly feature: Behind Enemy Lines. Each week, we’ll be checking in with the staff from the Fansided blog representing the Bills’ opponent for that the week.
This week we’re checking in with Patrick Allen, senior editor of Arrowhead Addict, Fansided’s oldest and most successful blog. The work Patrick and his staff turn out is simply awesome. Be sure to check it for the latest Chiefs-related news.
Anyway, big thanks to Patrick for taking the time to answer some Chiefs-related questions for us as we get ready for Sunday’s huge home opener.
1) If any team had as bad a Week 1 as the Bills, it was the Chiefs. Is it already time to panic in Kansas City?

It was certainly a downer but only because of how lopsided the final score was. It is easy to panic when you get your butts kicked but as the chiefs showed us last year, you can get smoked in your first two games, losed the third and still nearly win the division. It is a long season.

The Chiefs were missing four starters on defense and the Falcons are one of the best teams in the NFL. They were just outmatched.

2) Are Chiefs fans pretty much ready to abandon ship on Matt Cassel, or is there still hope there?

Chiefs fans understand that Cassel has serious limitations but they also understand that he is the best QB on the team and for now at least, we’re stuck with him. Cassel is an interesting case. He can be very effective when everything else is going well. During the first half of the Falcons game he looked like an All-Pro. His problem is, when the going gets tough he crumbles.

3) There’s good news for the Chiefs defense, as it looks like CB Brandon Flowers will play. The defense really struggled in Week 1, so I imagine any good news is welcome. Are there reasons to suspect this unit is much better than it looked against the Falcons?

I think KC will do better simply because the Bills are no Falcons. I don’t mean that as an insult. The Bills crushed the Chiefs last year. Chan Gailey is a hell of a game planner so I would never feel comfortable going into a game against him.

But the Chiefs will be getting their best corner and their best pass rusher back this week so I think they will put up more resistance for sure.

4) Which young players are you expecting to have a breakout year for the Chiefs?

Dexter McCluster. It is his third season but it appears he has finally found a role in the offense a slot receiver. Also keep an eye on Jonathan Baldwin, the 2nd year WR out of Pitt. He has been wowing coaches in practice. It hasn’t translated into game performance yet but it will at some point.

5) Any other story lines to keep an eye on Sunday?

Eric Berry and Steve Johnson. There has got to be some bad blood there after SJ ended EB’s season last year. I don’t think Berry will be looking for a dirty hit on Johnson but I bet he will lay some wood on him if he gets the chance. Heck, I know I would if it were me. Then again, if I ran into Steve Johnson I’d probably just end up hurting myself but you get the point.

6) Finally, how about a prediction for the game?

The Chiefs are so inconsistent I don’t know what to think. I have seen them look great and terrible so far in 2012. But I think (hope) they put it together this week. Chiefs 24, Bills 21

Buffalo Bills Vs. Kanas City Chiefs Week 2 Game Preview

When: Sunday, Sept. 16
Time: Noon, Central Time.
Where: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY.
TV Broadcast: CBS – Spero Dedes, Steve Beuerlein, commentators. DIRECTV – 706.
Radio Broadcasts: Over 60 radio stations on the Chiefs Radio Network, see KCChiefs.com for affiliates, Mitch Holthus, Len Dawson, Kendall Gammon, commentators.
SIRIUS: 137 (KC), 112 (BUF). XM: 231 (BUF)
Two teams with preseason playoff aspirations that crashed to Earth in Week One, the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills, will try to right the ship on Sunday. On paper, all the trends go Buffalo’s way including the fact that the Chiefs haven’t won a game in Buffalo since the 1980’s, and that the Chiefs defense makes Bills QB, Ryan Fitzpatrick, look like Hall-of-Famer, Jim Kelly.
While the Chiefs went comatose in the second half in a 40-24 loss to Atlanta last week, the Bills self-destructed on a monumental scale and lost 48-28 to the NY Jets. Both teams will be somewhat desperate to turn their fortunes around even though it’s only the second week.
None of the Chiefs players would come out and say that this week’s game is a “must-win” situation, but luckily it seems like that might be what they’re thinking.
An 0-2 start wouldn’t mean the end of anything mathematically, obviously, but the Chiefs will be underdogs in their next three games (@New Orleans, vs. Chargers, vs. Ravens). An 0-5 start to the season doesn’t exactly take a lot of imagination to believe.
A win in Buffalo and an upset in one of the next three games would leave the Chiefs at 2-3 in their first five and they will be right in the thick of things in the AFC West – especially if one of the wins is against the Chargers. After Week 5, the Chiefs schedule begins to ease up and most Chiefs fans could see them winning these games. Well, some of them, at least.
Here are three things the Chiefs must do on Sunday to pick up their first win of the season:

• Do. Not. Turn. The. Ball. Over!!!! Ok … ok … this could be written every week, but after the Atlanta game (since Cassel obviously didn’t read my article last week when I said more than one turnover would kill the Chiefs’ chances of winning), it becomes even more important. It’s not rocket science, but when the Chiefs offense hangs onto the ball, their chances of winning increase dramatically. Cassel’s turnovers on three consecutive possessions turned an exciting and close game into heartache for the fans in Chiefs Red. This week, Buffalo can be an even bigger turnover machine than the Chiefs are, so keeping turnovers to one or less to sneak out of Buffalo with an upset win is critical.

• Therefore, take advantage of a turnover-prone Buffalo offense – Unlike the Falcons, the Bills don’t have multiple Pro Bowl caliber threats on offense, so Romeo Crennel should be able to game plan to stop WR Stevie Johnson and RB C.J. Spiller. Johnson, of course, is the one who cheap-shotted Chiefs safety Eric Berry last season and put him on the Injured Reserve list for the year. It would be hard to imagine ANYONE on the Chiefs defense losing track of where he will be at all times. Spiller is Jamaal Charles-lite and can kill the Chiefs with big plays. He’s the type of back where the Chiefs can stop him 10 rushes in a row and then he busts one for 75 yards and a TD. But he tends to fumble the ball. This is the time Glenn Dorsey, Dontari Poe and Tyson Jackson must make their presence felt against Buffalo’s O-line so that the linebackers can hit Spiller at the line of scrimmage and keep the big gains to a minimum. Finally, Tamba Hali needs to be foaming at the mouth to get to Fitzpatrick because he has more interceptions thrown than any other QB in the league over the last 12 NFL games. Pressure in his face will cause much-needed turnovers for the Chiefs defense.

• Brian Daboll needs to continue to diversify the Chiefs offense. The Bills made the Jets offense look downright invincible last week and even though you cannot bank on it happening with the Chiefs this week, KC showed in the first half against Atlanta that they can move the ball effectively. Sure … if Charles and Peyton Hillis are ripping off five yards per carry, then they’ll keep running the ball. However, offensive coordinator Daboll needs to keep the pressure on for the whole game and that means taking shots downfield to Bowe and Breaston and attack the middle with Boss and McCluster. When Jon Baldwin catches a pass or Tony Moeaki stops batting passes up in the air so they’re intercepted, they can become a bigger part of the offensive game plan.

Everything points towards Buffalo continuing their winning streak against the Chiefs other than the fact that KC has won 4 of their last 6 road games. The fan says that the Chiefs will rise up and cause three or more turnovers (while committing none) and sneak out of Buffalo with a 17-16 win. The realist that has been watching this team for the last month thinks the misery continues for another week:
Prediction – Buffalo 24, Chiefs 13

Buffalo Bills: Ryan Fitzpatrick Or Bust

Tauruas Londono - For better or worse, the Buffalo Bills FO is putting all of its chips on Ryan Fitzpatrick. It goes beyond Fitz's generous 7-year $62 million dollar deal. Much of the gamble now rests on the fact that the Bills will have little depth at the QB . Fitz not only has to be good, "scary good," he has to stay healthy.

Is it fair to say the Bills have razor-thin depth behind Fitz despite the possibility that they might enter the season with four QBs? It seems like the Bills would be wise to hold onto Tyler Thigpen as the season gets underway, if for no other reason than the fact that he knows Gailey's passing scheme far better than Tarvaris Jackson will on opening day. However, I'm under no illusions that Thigpen's days in Buffalo are numbered.

Whether or not Chan and Nix keep Thigpen for any length of time after preseason, there's little doubt that they're going to eventually wind up with one, yes one quarterback behind Fitz. From four to one seems like a big leap, but let's be clear about something; Brad Smith is absolutely not a legitimate every-down passer in this league. I'm not sure that he's a legitimate passer, period.

Chan is enamored with the idea of a utility man he can use in the wildcat, and Smith is that man. The fact he's officially the third-string QB has more to do with where Chan wants to fit him on the roster than providing authentic depth behind Fitz. Smith has to take up a spot somewhere.

That's all well and good, but it means that once Thigpen finally gets his walking papers (whenever that may be), Tarvaris Jackson will be the only real QB backing up Fitz. Make no mistake, having Jackson as back-up isn't a doom & gloom scenario. Jackson has started at QB in no less than 34 games. Last year, Jackson ended the season with a respectable 60.2% completion percentage and a QB rating of 79.2. You can't feel too bad about a back-up who has those numbers.

Fans might prefer a situation where the second-stringer was a young, up-and-coming talent (like, say, Fitz himself arguably was), but the Bills have decided to go in the opposite direction. As much as some fans might want the next franchise QB to be sitting on the sidelines, the Bills are intent on former starters (Vince Young and then Jackson) rather than starters-in-waiting.

For better or worse, Jackson will essentially be the only real back-up. Buffalo has no long-term solution at QB beyond Fitzpatrick (whose under contract until 2017). Meanwhile, Fitz is in an odd situation. He's a veteran in the first full year of his contract, and the expectations will be higher than at any time in his 7-year career.

Buffalo Bills: Roster Cuts Only Four Receivers on The Roster

Josh Roser - ...and then there were 53.

The Buffalo Bills cut down their roster to the league mandated number of players on Friday evening.

Crossing out several names local fans expected to see come opening day against the Jets (and keeping a few question marks as well... like our new kickoff/touchback specialist John Potter). Sure, the roster moves are likely not done and the season is still over a week away, but some of the moves were still a little shocking.

After a summer of activity, one that saw numerous tight battles at several positions, some fans may be amazed at who isn't (and is) on this roster now.

Here, then, is a quick look at some of the highlights of the roster slice and dice in Buffalo, a synopsis of those gone and those who aren't for 2012.

DT Dwan Edwards - The first announced cut, it was both expected and a little unfortunate, but Dwan's price tag for 2012 was a hefty $4.2 million as a backup and he never had a chance to start ahead of either Marcell Dareus or Kyle Williams.

That's a lot to pay an insurance policy, even if it's the injury-prone Bills.

Though he produced somewhat in the 3-4 the last two years, he just looked somewhat less at tackle in the 4-3 scheme and his stats from the last two years weren't exactly mind blowing (109 tackles, just 3.5 sacks).

He also only managed three tackles in his preseason work for 2012. A decent player and one who will surely become a solid producer for some other team with a 3-4 scheme (the Colts, or even the Patriot or Dolphins), the fact is Dwan never looked comfortable in new coordinator Dave Wannstedt's defense and it was a smart move (especially financially) to release him.

WR Derek Hagan... and Naaman Roosevelt... and Marcus Easley - After a summer playing "Guess who'll be the fifth receiver?", the answer turned out to be Brad Smith, I guess. Hagan looked to have the inside track during camp, but he only caught two balls in preseason work for 12 yards and was non-existent during the scoring drives with the first team (and second... and third).

Roosevelt used up his practice squad eligibility, the one way locals were hoping to keep the St. Joe's alum on the team, though he did have some good work with the backups in the preseason (10 for 102 yards) and could very well end up back on the team in the near future.

Meanwhile, Easley just couldn't be waited on any longer and after two years with season-ending injuries, his 100-yard kickoff return and two-point conversion in the fourth quarter against Detroit was just too little, too late (though he is still eligible to be signed to practice squad).

With just four receivers now left on the squad, you'd expect Buffalo to look a little thin in the passing game.

But keep in mind that many of those empty backfields we've seen in the preseason have included either a running back or receiver-esque tight end Scott Chandler in the fifth spot, sometimes both.

C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson are great dual-threats, with tremendous hands in addition to their solid run abilities, so there's no issue there.

Then there's Chandler, who has made some tough catches already this preseason (two in the Washington opener) and seems to once again figure largely in the Bills' passing attack in 2012.

With the added retention of speedy fullback Dorin Dickerson (4.40 40-yard dash), who'll likely see some work outside his position in two tight end formations, the Bills may not even have to resort to Smith as a receiver option... if they can stay healthy at the position. Big "if".

It was just kind of... anti-climactic is all, what with 10+ receiver options going into OTAs, but it shows how many multi-useful players are on the team, able to line up under the guise of several positions.

So, they should be fine with four... right?

LB Tank Carder - Of the rookies, this was the cut that surprised me the most.

Tank looked great in the Rose Bowl last year and had a pretty solid preseason to boot, but fellow rookie Nigel Bradham got the vote for rookie linebacker most likely to succeed in the regular season.

Carder was a beast on the field for the Bills in his limited work, getting 11 tackles in four games, but the Texas Chrisitian graduate  just couldn't find room on a roster that already had seven linebackers.

Bradham looked much better in pass defense and should be a nice keeper for Buffalo, but you've got to lament losing a young player who looked to have a great future (as well as the perfect football name).

NOT QB Tyler Thigpen - This one may have been a head scratcher to many fans, especially considering it'll cost $2.5 million for a guy the Bills aren't even considering their two, but with Tarvaris Jackson still trying to learn the offense and Brad Smith currently out with a groin injury, keeping Thigpen seems like a necessary evil just now.

Sure, he gave it a good old try in the final preseason contest, going 18-30 for 186 and a TD, but he also had two INTs and had thrown one in each of his other two games. The 60 percent completion rate against Detroit was his highest of the year, too, and his QB rating (a made up stat, I'm sure of it) was 44.5 for the entire preseason.

It's an expensive insurance policy, but hopefully Buffalo can restructure his deal, release him, or cut him and re-sign him at a lower cost.

It's a necessary keep for now, though, in light of the state of the backups should Fitz go down against the Jets.

NOT Terrence McGee - Yes, he's a hometown favorite. Yes, he's got a great career stat line. Yes, he's going into his tenth season with Buffalo, but his limbs are almost starting to fall off.

Fact: McGee hasn't played a full season more than once in his career and that was back in 2004.

Fact: He's only played in 15 games the last two years, 26 the last three.

Fact: Though he did see some time against Pittsburgh in Week 3 of the preseason, his four tackle night caused a "setback" in his rehabilitation and he's likely out week one at New York.

Though Terrence did restructure his deal to ensure he wasn't getting paid too much to sit on the bench, you've got to think that this was a roster spot that could have gone another way (maybe another receiver or linebacker), but maybe with the injury to Ron Brooks' foot, they wanted to keep another corner just in case.

However, without McGee ready to play and with Brooks down for now, that leaves only four healthy players at the position and you've got to think they could use another.

Still, McGee was the best option not named Gilmore or Williams, even if he hasn't been 100 percent since... 2004?

NOT Delano Howell - A late graduation from Stanford caused him to miss almost all of the OTAs and spring camps, but he made a big splash in games, seeming to be involved on almost every defensive play.

For the preseason, the undrafted free agent pickup has a healthy 22 tackles, with two deflections, but has been involved much more than his stats would indicate.

His game against Minnesota stood out the most, as he not only recovered a Leodis McKelvin fumble, but was involved in three great plays over one series (a tackle for loss, a pass breakup, and a third down stop).

He's a surprise not due to his play on the field, then, but in that he wasn't even on the radar for most of the off season.

To be fair, he's got two great veteran teachers to learn from in Jairus Byrd and George Wilson, so it looks like he got caught up pretty quickly and his horizon of potential is pretty high in Buffalo for the future (as their starters aren't getting any younger). 

The Bills looked thin at safety coming in to camp, so it was good to see a backup making a name for himself, so this was a nice keep.

Again, this roster isn't set in stone, so expect some changes between now and their meeting with Sanchez and Tebow week one, but at least fans can now stop wondering who will stay and start focusing on who will play.