Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs Gameday Preview Sept. 11 2011

The Buffalo Bills are hoping they have made the correct moves to revamp a defence that ranked dead last against the run in 2010.

Those moves will be put to the test in a big way this Sunday when they travel to Kansas City.

Head Coach Chan Gailey will bring his Bills into Arrowhead Stadium for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff with the Chiefs, the team that fired him before the 2009 season.

“I want to win them all,” Gailey told reporters Wednesday. “But when you’ve been somewhere and they’ve fired you? Yeah, if you said it didn’t mean a little more you’d be lying.”

The team’s off-season moves were made to beat teams like the Chiefs. Gone are former high draft picks Aaron Maybin and Paul Posluszny. In are Kirk Morrison, Nick Barnett and third-overall draft pick Marcell Dareus.

Though Bills fans haven’t had much to be excited about for the past three losing seasons in Orchard Park, the six-foot-three, 340 pound Dareus gives them hope.

Mike Mayock, the NBC College Football analyst and NFL Draft guru, rated the defensive lineman out of the University of Alabama his No. 1 defensive player in this past year’s draft class.

Dareus’s athleticism and size allow him to play anywhere on the line of the Bills 3-4 defence.

“He’s exactly what we thought we were going to get,” Gailey said. “He’s a big strong individual who plays with an edge … I think he’s going to be a very good football player for a long time in this league.”

Dareus will join with Kyle Williams and Dwan Edwards to be much more stout at the point of attack, hopefully clogging the running lanes for the Chiefs’ Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, who combined to rush for a league-best 2,363 yards last season.

“You have to get where you’re supposed to be, and you gotta get there fast with this guy,” Williams said about Charles. “If he gets a step, nobody’s gonna catch him.”

Charles primary concern

In his third season, Charles accumulated 1,467 yards on the ground, and another 468 through the air. He is most certainly the primary concern for the Bills defence.

They must also be conscious of the Chiefs’ passing attack, a unit led by quarterback Matt Cassel and his number-one wide out Dwayne Bowe.

The two hooked up on a franchise-record 15 touchdown passes last year, the best combination in the NFL, and added a proven receiver in Steve Breaston.

One way to disrupt the passing attack is with an effective pass rush, and that’s where the Bills’ rejuvenated Shawne Merriman expects to make an impact.

“Lights Out” went to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three years of his career, accumulating 39 1/2 sacks with the San Diego Chargers. But he suffered a season-ending knee injury early in 2008, and it has plagued him ever since.

The 27-year-old has totaled just four sacks over 18 games the past three years.

But with apparent good health and a strong pre-season under his belt, Merriman may be primed to wreak havoc on Cassel, who was rumoured to have fractured a rib in the final pre-season contest, but has said he will play regardless.

On the other side of the ball for the Bills, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will have to keep a keen eye on Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali, whose 14 1/2 sacks were second in the league last year.

Many are anxious to see how two young stars develop in the new season.

Fourth-year receiver Stevie Johnson came into his own in 2010, hauling in 1,073 yards and 10 majors. Running back CJ Spiller had a quiet rookie season after getting drafted ninth overall in 2010, but appeared to make strides late in the season.

Combined with veteran Fred Jackson, the Bills may have a dynamic back field duo of their own in the making.

What to watch for on offence: Will Donald Jones be able to fill the void left by the trade of Lee Evans?

What to watch for on defence: If the front seven holds up against the Chiefs running attack, how will the secondary play when tested?

Last Meeting: Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop made a 35-yard field goal with the clock showing zeros in overtime, giving Kansas City a 13-10 win in Week 8 last year. Charles ran for 177 yards in a game that saw both Succop and Bills kicker Rian Lindell miss potential game-winning kicks in OT.

Buffalo Bills Blitz Prediction: Bills 17, Chiefs 21.

Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs Free Pick Sunday Sept 11, 2011

Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs NFL Free Pick: This game has really jumped around. I believe it opened at -7 then went down as far as -5, maybe even 4.5 – I got it when it was -5 at each book that I follow, and I thought that was really right on the money. The Buffalo Bills couldn’t really stop any kind of rushing attack last season and the Chiefs just ran the ball on anybody and everybody they lined up against on Sunday. Jamaal Charles had an amazing season, averaging over 6 yards per rush and breaking big play after big play.

But has their been some sense of “fat and happy-ness” going on with the Chiefs? Nobody expected them to do anything last year and suddenly they’re in the playoffs. It didn’t go so well from there, but regardless, making it to the playoffs is definitely success. This preseason, they’ve been playing like a team that already won, and therefore they’ve been garbage. They were so bad that their head coach played them the entire 4th preseason game, a contest where most starters hardly play, if at all.

The Bills may not have a chance to win 10 games this season, but they’ve been fighters for a while now. Still, I went with the Chiefs because of their impressive home field advantage, and their solid running game against a bad run defense. But I’m far from cashing this check before I watch the entire game.

NFL FREE AGENCY ROUNDUP FEB. 28

The Kansas City Chiefs have landed there New Quarterback Matt Cassel with a trade with the New England Patriots. Matt Cassell played all sixteen games with the Patriots and led the to a 11-5 record tied for the lead in the AFC East. Matt Cassell threw 21 Touchdowns and 11 Interceptions and had a 90.0 Quarterback Rating. This is a big pick up for New Kansas City Chiefs General Manger Scott Pioli because he, gives the Chiefs a staring Quarterback and credibility in the fight for AFC West. There are still some nice veteran free agent players on the free market like Ray Lewis, Marvin Harrison, Curt Warner, Keith Brookings and T.J. Houshmandzadeh who are looking for a big contract and a nice signing bonus. Finally, it seems like some teams are tighten there belts when it comes to spending money because, of the bad economy. There will be a large number of teams who will not participate in free Agency and concentrate all there efforts in the NFL Draft.

BUFFALO BILLS MASSACARE THE CHEIFS 54-31

The Buffalo Bills finally break there four game losing streak by defeating the hapless Kansas City Chiefs 54-31 in Arrowhead Stadium. The Bills Defense came up with some big turnovers that changed the whole complexion of the football game in the Second Quarter. The Bills got two quick interceptions against Tyler Thigpen and that turned 14-10 Chiefs lead into a 30-17 halftime lead in favor of the Bills. The Bills finally got a respectable performance from Trent Edwards who managed the game extremely well against one of the worst defenses in the NFL. The Bills seem to get there offense going by running the ball with Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson and completing some quick passes to Josh Reed and Lee Evans. The Chiefs game came at the right time for the Bills after losing four straight games and turning the ball over eleven times in there last four games. The Bills defense looked terrible early in the game when the Chiefs drove the ball downfeild on there first drive to score a quick seven points. The Bills offense came back and tied the score with a impressive drive lead by Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch. The Bills actually showed a little bit of character against one of the worst teams in the NFL by not totally, collapsing and losing a game to the Chiefs that would have ended there season before Thanksgiving. Finally, the Bills are still alive to make a playoff push and the probably will have to win all there game to make the playoffs becuse they blew a easyass game agaist the Browns.

BUFFALO BILLS-KANSAS CITY CHIEFS PREVIEW

The Bills are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Cleveland Browns 29-27 last Monday Night in Orchard Park, New York. The Bills are now on a four game losing streak and they are now in last place in the AFC East. The Bills still have a outside chance of making the playoffs if they can get a important win against the 1-9 Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday. The Chiefs have been struggling all year with there Quarterback situation and that has caused the Chiefs to be one of the worse teams in the NFL. The Chiefs first started out the year with Damon Haurd as there starting Quarterback then he, got hurt and they turned the team over to Brodie Croyle who was slated to be there Quarterback of the future. Croyle got hurt and the Chiefs were pressed to put in the third string Quarterback Tyler Thigpen. Tyler Thigpen over the last four games has been a surprise for the Chiefs fans and he, has been playing extremely well since, being put in the Line-up as starting Quarterback. The Chiefs have been competitive in all there games since, Thigpen has taken the regins of the offense but, they have not come up with a win. The Chiefs Offense will also, be getting there starting Pro Bowl Running Back Larry Johnson back from his prolonged off the field problems. This should help a much improved Chiefs offense play better against a struggling Buffalo Bills Defense. The Chiefs have a excellent Wide Receiver in Dawayne Bowe who has superstar written all over him and Bills defense has a serious problem of making young players like Bowe into gameday superstars. The Chiefs has a young defense that is struggling against the run. The Chiefs are rated 31st against the run and the Bills should continue to run the ball with Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. The Bills Offense needs to complete some passes to there Wide Receivers because, it seems like Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish are not even a part of the game plan. Trent Edwards has no confidence in throwing the ball downfeild because he, is scared that he, is going to throw a interception. Edwards has to break out of this slump if the Bills are expected to make a playoff run in the final six games of the season. Finally, I don't see the Bills turning around this Free fall with Dick Jauron as Head Coach. I see the Buffalo Bills Offense struggling against the Kansas City Chiefs and I also, see Tyler Thigpen having his best game of his career against the Bills. The Chiefs will defeat the Bills 27-17 and end the Bills playoff hopes this season.