Buffalo Rumblings

Bills three games out in division after bye

2009-11-08T21:55:32Z

No matter what happened on Sunday, the Buffalo Bills - enjoying their bye week this week - would have technically remained in last place. So, even though the New England Patriots held home field advantage and handed the Miami Dolphins their first division loss 27-17, the Dolphins' 3-5 record bests the Bills' 3-5 record because of Miami's 38-10 walloping of Buffalo in Week 4.

The Dolphins did, however, flex their muscles at Gillette Stadium, imposing their will for stretches and playing the Patriots as tough as expected. In a quarterbacks' league, however, Tom Brady will always trump Chad Henne, particularly when New England's passing weapons are much better than Miami's. Brady made a few big throws, Henne didn't, and the rest is history.

The New York Jets (4-4) joined Buffalo on the bye this week. New England now has a two-game lead over the Jets in the division, with the Bills and Dolphins three games out. Only the Patriots (2-1) and Dolphins (3-2) have multiple wins in the division, with the Bills (1-2) and Jets (1-3) bringing up the rear. The standings as the second half of the season commences:

#	Team	Rec.	Div.
1	Patriots	6-2	2-1
2	Jets	4-4	1-3
3	Dolphins	3-5	3-1
4	Bills	3-5	1-2

NFL Week 9: Buffalo Rumblings Authors Picks

2009-11-08T14:14:25Z

Week 9 of the 2009 NFL regular season is set to kick off at 1:00 PM ET today, and the authors of Buffalo Rumblings are back to provide our picks for all 13 games on the docket. Nine of us are participating, and once again, we encourage you to leave your own picks in the comments section. All of our picks are after the jump. The standings after eight weeks of NFL action:

#1: Brian Galliford (82-34)
#2: poz (80-36)
#3: krytime (79-37)
#4: Ron From NM (77-39)
#5: Kurupt (76-40)
#6: MattRichWarren (75-41)
#7: MARVelous (74-42)
#8: sireric (72-44)
#9: WABillsfan (70-46)

Game	Brian	poz	krytime	Ron	Kurupt	MRW	MARV	sireric	WA
BAL at CIN
ARI at CHI
WAS at ATL
GB at TB
MIA at NE
KC at JAC
Game	Brian	poz	krytime	Ron	Kurupt	MRW	MARV	sireric	WA
HOU at IND
CAR at NO
DET at SEA
TEN at SF
SD at NYG
DAL at PHI
PIT at DEN

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/8

2009-11-08T13:03:20Z

The Bills Should Have No Illusions About What They Are | Ed Kilgore | WGRZ.com
"We're past debating the future of Dick Jauron as coach of the Buffalo Bills. There is no question they'll have a new head coach next season, but will Ralph C. Wilson allow COO Russ Brandon to do what REALLY needs to be done as this team heads for a tenth straight season without a playoff berth?"

Analysis: Why the Bills have failed to make the playoffs | Democrat and Chronicle
Sal Maiorana gives his very thorough breakdown on what has kept the Bills so mediocre for so long.

Mount Crushmore: What went wrong? | Democrat and Chronicle
Interactive graphic with some of the faces of who is responsible for the last decade without the playoffs.

How Bills D-line improvises – Inside The Bills
Buffalo’s veteran defensive linemen have been given the freedom to improvise with their pass rushes by the defensive coaching staff. Chris Kelsay explains how it happens.

Kelsay credits DBs with sack total – Inside The Bills
Kelsay credits the DBs with making the QB hold onto the ball longer. Perry Fewell gives props to new DL coach Bob Sanders.

Getting Maybin going | BuffaloBills.com
"Our focus [over the bye] is to shore up our run defense first," said defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. "And then what we can do with our top pick to help him be more effective in the second half of the season."

Bills are stalled in twilight zone : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The cold, sobering reality for the Buffalo Bills and their fans is there is no quick fix for their offensive problems at the midway point of the 2009 season.

Voice of the Fans | Democrat and Chronicle
Fans give their thoughts on the last ten years.

Leo Roth: State of the franchise has Talley tweeting mad | Democrat and Chronicle
That burning love of team, profession and city is why Darryl Talley takes it upon himself these days to call out the current Buffalo Bills. The front office. The coaches. The players. The ball boys. Anyone responsible for a decade of disaster.

Niagara Gazette - BILLS: T.O. sizzle has fizzled as team stumbles into bye
It wasn’t that long ago, in the springtime of the Buffalo Bills’ offseason, when T.O.-mania was in its infancy. A buzz of hope bloomed around town that this franchise might finally be relevant again.

Calls and effect: AFC East penalty tracker - AFC East - ESPN
The Bills (59) and Demetrius Bell (9) still lead the AFC East in penalties but the gap is closing, for the team anyways.

In three-and-outs, Pats rank top six both ways - AFC East - ESPN
The Buffalo Bills are 19th on offense at 36.8 percent and 17th on defense at 35.6 percent.

Gameday Prep: Bills Play Next Week | The Goose's Roost
The Goose's Roost previews the day in football.

Taking a peek at Buffalo's remaining schedule

2009-11-07T18:00:30Z

It's the bye week for the Buffalo Bills, and no matter how comforting the fact that the Bills cannot lose this weekend is, a weekend without Bills football is still kind of a drag. We'll equip you for the weekend ahead with prediction and open game threads for Week 9 football, but as it's still only Saturday (the first week of a two-week layoff is always the longest), we'll table that for the day and instead focus on taking a peek at the rest of the Bills' schedule this season. The short version: as usual, the Bills have some very tough matchups.

November 15: at Tennessee Titans (1-6)
- Chris Johnson has firmly established himself as one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NFL. The second-year running back out of East Carolina is averaging a whopping 6.9 yards per rush this season, and currently leads the NFL with 824 rushing yards. He is one of only a handful of offensive weapons in the league capable of scoring whenever he touches the football. The Titans are just 1-6 on the season thanks to horrendous play from their defense and a very difficult schedule (their opponents are a combined 29-15), but as long as Johnson is on the field and their defense limits big plays, this team is still talented enough to compete with anyone out there.

November 22: at Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)
- Jacksonville's got a case of the same affliction the Bills haven't been able to shake off for years: they're only capable of beating bad teams. True, their win over Houston in Week 3 was impressive, but Houston has only just started to realize their immense potential in recent weeks. Jacksonville's wins over Tennessee (who wiped the floor with them last week) and mighty St. Louis are hardly illustrious, and they've been crushed by Arizona and Seattle, as well. Still - Buffalo isn't exactly tremendous competition, and given the way Maurice Jones-Drew is running this season (5.5 yards per attempt, 10 TD), this game should be a struggle for the Bills, even while the Jags are very much a beatable opponent.

November 29: vs Miami Dolphins (3-4)
- This will be the first time the Bills play Miami at Ralph Wilson Stadium since a 38-17 drubbing of the Fish in 2007. The Dolphins have since beaten Buffalo in three straight, and even though they'll be on the road, they are perhaps the biggest challenge facing these Bills left on the schedule. Their offensive line is the most dominant unit in the league, and their defense has given Trent Edwards fits for two straight seasons. Given the way Miami physically dominated Buffalo in Week 4, and the style of football they play, a Bills upset win over a much better team would be delightfully surprising.

December 6: vs New York Jets, in Toronto (4-4)
- Look, I'm going to be honest: I despise the Jets and Rex Ryan, but I also respect their style of play. They dominated Buffalo in Week 6, but Mark Sanchez was feeling quite generous on that afternoon, and allowed the Bills to escape with an overtime win. Buffalo flat-out sucked in Toronto last year, losing to Miami 16-3, and the Jets, if you recall, ran for 318 yards against the Bills even in defeat. If the running game keeps it up and Sanchez doesn't, I don't see how Buffalo ekes out a win in a game that you can bet Ryan will hype up all week as a revenge game.

December 13: at Kansas City Chiefs (1-6)
- Set aside the fact that this game will be played in Arrowhead for a moment. We've finally reached a team on our schedule that compares favorably to us - offensively, at least. Matt Cassel is struggling in Todd Haley's offense, the offensive line is a work in progress, and the team lacks skill position playmakers. Defensively, the Chiefs are slightly worse than Buffalo as well (overall), though they're obviously better at stopping the run, as <i>every</i> NFL team is better at stopping the run than the Bills. I realize that playing against a statistically comparable team in Week 5 didn't help (the Bills lost 6-3 to Cleveland <i>at home</i>), but this is the most winnable game left on the schedule, even if it's in a notoriously tricky stadium.

December 20: vs New England Patriots (5-2)
- The winning streak is up to 12. That's six seasons' worth of the Patriots beating down the Bills, no matter the venue. Buffalo nearly got them in Week 1 this season, but something tells me Bill Belichick will have a better game plan (more film to go on, after all), and Tom Brady has almost completely knocked off the rust from his year-long layoff. Let's just say it would be mind-blowing if the Bills ended their losing streak.

December 27: at Atlanta Falcons (4-3)
- How lucky are the Falcons? They take Michael Vick No. 1 overall, and even with all of the turmoil that ultimately created for the franchise, they still got to see some astonishing plays and some playoff wins under his "leadership." Vick does his thing, they're down and out for a year, and then bam - they go out and get Matt Ryan. He still struggles with consistency some, but the guy just oozes leadership and potential. He looks like the next great NFL quarterback. The Falcons team around him, by the way, is young, physical and getting better. This will be a tremendously difficult challenge for the Bills.

January 3, 2010: vs Indianapolis Colts (7-0)
- Right now, the three best teams in football (arguably) are New Orleans, Indianapolis and Minnesota. It figures that Buffalo would get two of those teams on their schedule. The big ray of hope in this game right now is the getting-tired "Indy could be resting its starters" argument. Even if that's the case, the Colts are a deep, talented football team. Obviously, if Peyton Manning is on the sidelines, that's a tremendous boost to Buffalo's chances, but this will still be a difficult game for the Bills to win. They haven't displayed the ability to overpower a team with their running game, and that's where Indy is most vulnerable at this point.

Bills' major area of regression in 2009: penalties

2009-11-07T13:06:39Z

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

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It's fairly easy to blame coaching for every little problem with a given NFL team, and just as easy to ignore giving credit where credit is due to a coach for team strengths. For Buffalo Bills head coach Dick Jauron, credit is hard to come by these days - his Bills are currently 3-5, and as they're also on the heels of three straight 7-9 seasons, consternation surrounding the coach and his team is at an all-time high.

For all of Jauron's faults and virtues, one fact was continually glossed over throughout Jauron's first three years in Buffalo: his Bills teams were some of the most disciplined and technically sound in the game. Jauron got little credit for that. This season, thanks to the Bills taking the youth route at key positions - admittedly, decisions that Jauron had heavy influence in - the Bills are uncharacteristically mistake-prone. Here's a quick history of Buffalo's discipline (or lack thereof) under Jauron.

In 2006, Jauron's first season in Buffalo, the Bills committed 87 penalties on the season - between 5 and 6 per game. That total was tied for the eighth-lowest in the NFL.

In 2007, the Bills improved in the penalty department under Jauron, committing just 78 on the season (4.9 per game). That total was tied for the seventh-lowest total in the league, and the Bills shared that honor with Bill Belichick's 16-0 New England team.

In 2008, the Bills once again improved in this area, dropping their penalty total to 71 on the season - 4.4 per game, and good for the second-lowest total in the NFL (tied with New England again, and behind Atlanta).

In 2009, we've seen a complete regression, thanks mostly to the youth issues along the offensive line. Through just eight games, Buffalo has committed 59 penalties - the highest total in the league at 7.4 per game, or three more penalties per game than they averaged a year ago.

The lack of discipline has undoubtedly been a key factor in the Bills' struggles this season. (Buffalo's opponents have been helpful, committing 36 penalties to the Bills' 18 in their three wins.) Jauron's decisions to make wholesale, youthful changes along the offensive line and in other key areas have led to these issues, and it may ultimately cost him his job. To his credit, however, the penalty issue has gotten slightly better as the season has worn on; after committing 28 penalties in Weeks 1-3, the Bills have totaled 31 penalties in their last five games, a difference of 3 per game. In addition, in their last two games, the Bills have committed just 7 penalties while going 1-1.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/7

2009-11-07T13:21:06Z

Rosenhaus says Bills line "potentially worst in the league" | ProFootballTalk.com
Terrell Owens' agent goes off on the Bills coaching, QB play, and pays special attention the Bills offensive line as reasons why his client is under performing in Buffalo this year.

Bills sack numbers are up | BuffaloBills.com
Through the first eight games the Bills rank seventh in the league in sacks with a respectable 18. To a man credit is paid to Buffalo’s new defensive line coach Bob Sanders (pictured above during training camp).

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Excuse me, Mr. Wilson
Nick Mendola wonders aloud what it would be like to sit down with Ralph Wilson like two members of Cleveland's Dawg Pound did with Brown's owner Randy Lerner. His main question is how does Ralph feel about this team and he comes up with three possibilities.

Between the Lines: Who Sends the House and Who Plays It Safe? -- NFL FanHouse
Most of the Bills sacks (61.1% or 11 of the 18) have come on 4-man rushes.

Fan Friday 11-6 – Inside The Bills
Chris Brown answers questions on huddling, concussion helmets, Jairus Byrd's Pro Bowl chances, the LB-safety shuffle due to injuries, and Byrd's chance at defensive rookie of the year.

Bills players renew college ties | BuffaloBills.com
A handful of Bills players are spending part of their five day break taking on the role of fans as they will travel to the stadiums of their alma maters Saturday afternoon.

Decade of Disappointment | Democrat and Chronicle
If you haven't seen it, the Rochester D&C and WGRZ in Buffalo have put together a report about the Bills since the Music City Miracle. Sunday is the big day so look for more in this Sunday's D&C.

Take your pick: Jauron-Edwards or Fassel-Losman - AFC East - ESPN
WECK in Buffalo had Graham on and proposed a straight trade of Jauron and Trent Edwards for Fassell and J.P. Losman. I'm gonna pass. What do you think?

Most absurd AFC East result: Browns 6, Bills 3 - AFC East - ESPN
Tim Graham names the one game I attended this year the most absurd of the first half in the AFC East after fan voting.

Final Word: AFC East - AFC East - ESPN
For reasons (hopefully) clear to all Bills fans, the Bills need to reinstall Trent Edwards as the starter if he is healthy.

What To Look For: Week 9 - Baltimore Beatdown
With a sack this week, Dwight Freeney would join Bruce Smith with the third longest streak of 8 games with a sack.

A Hanging 10 Extra
George Wilson "makes" a miracle basketball shot while chilling with Gibran Hamdan.

Your chance to have a voice in HOF voting

2009-11-06T17:31:39Z

Fans of the NFL do not have a vote when it comes to placing players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Thanks to an NFL partnership with Van Heusen and JC Penney, however, NFL fans now have a voice and public acknowledgment in the Hall of Fame voting process. The Van Heusen Fan's Choice vote is the result of that partnership, and gives fans some (unofficial) say in the Hall of Fame voting process.

The Buffalo Bills have been fortunate enough to place key members of the organization into the Hall of Fame in recent years, including Marv Levy, Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith and team owner Ralph Wilson. There are, however, still players deserving of that honor - Andre Reed, Steve Tasker, Darryl Talley, Kent Hull and Cornelius Bennett, as examples - that aren't being hyped up enough. In the Fan's Choice vote, for example, Reed is the highest-voted former Bill, but he's approximately 10,000 votes behind leading vote-getter Jerry Rice. I urge everyone to head on over to the voting page and make that change a little.

Again, even though the fan vote does not officially count towards the actual Hall of Fame voting process, the results of this vote will be announced by NFL Network shortly before the official results are announced early next year. Go vote! And, if you've never seen this video... well, let's just say that I've been looking for an excuse to post it for a couple of weeks now, and this is the perfect spot for it.

First-half defensive rookie of the year -- Bills S Jairus Byrd: Buffalo knew something other teams...

2009-11-06T16:07:02Z

First-half defensive rookie of the year -- Bills S Jairus Byrd: Buffalo knew something other teams didn't when it used the 42nd overall pick on a cornerback who is playing better than any top pick.

Adam Schefter

Playoffs or not, Bills have much to learn post-bye

2009-11-06T14:04:49Z

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

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The Buffalo Bills are 3-5, and as they enjoy their last weekend off until their 2009 season comes to a close - whenever that may be - it's time for us fans to stop reflecting on what they've done through the first half of the season and to start discussing what we might learn over the next eight weeks.

Clearly, the big questions in Buffalo remain the coaching situation - which is probably tied directly to the outcome of the season - and the quarterback position, which we've discussed very thoroughly over the last couple of days. But from a player personnel standpoint, there is still plenty of progress to be made for several young players. What follows is a breakdown of Bills players with the most to gain, most to lose, and those waiting for some developments to unfold.

Three Bills with the most to gain developmentally
Demetrius Bell. Buffalo's starting left tackle has had his share of struggles early in his career, particularly with consistency (which isn't a surprise) and mistakes (which are incredibly irritating). He's cleaned up his act in the latter department in recent weeks, and it's therefore not impossible to think he can work out some consistency issues over the next eight games, too. No one denies that Bell has solid talent. If he proves he can play left tackle in this league, that's one less major issue the Bills will need to address in the off-season.

Aaron Maybin. I've preached patience in regards to Maybin, and even though that argument is nearly universally accepted, fans still don't like the pick because Maybin's rookie contributions have been minimal. Depending on how the rest of the season goes, however, there's a strong chance Maybin's playing time could increase as the season progresses, particularly as he's already starting to see a few more snaps per game. Again - this is a player whose talent is undeniable. If he starts producing in the second half of the season, the minds of a large number of fans will be put at ease.

Jairus Byrd. Yes, he's been Buffalo's MVP through the first half of the season, thanks to his league-leading seven interceptions. He's a leading candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year. But he's not a complete, two-dimensional safety yet. If his groin injury doesn't hamper him over the next two months, Byrd has a chance to gain a ton of starting experience and develop his tackling skills. The more he plays, the closer he comes to becoming an all-around playmaker, and if that happens, he could be considered one of the elite defensive backs in the NFL.

Three Bills with the most to gain if they're on tape for a new coaching staff
Trent Edwards. That one's pretty obvious. He's a young player that has some talent, and he's shown (very occasional) flashes of competence at the game's most important position. If a new coaching staff is in Buffalo in 2010, that staff's most important decision will be centered around what to do at quarterback. A strong finish to this season could help Edwards survive a regime change. Of course, it could also help save his current coach's job, as well.

Paul Posluszny. The completely unbiased view of Posluszny outside of Buffalo right now is as follows: perfect teammate, tremendous competitor with leadership skills and smarts, limited playmaker and an injury risk. He might be playing out of position as well, and is this kid's ceiling as high as originally thought? Like Edwards, Poz isn't going to be leaving Buffalo any time soon, but if he wants to remain this team's starting middle linebacker through next off-season, he needs to close this season well.

Donte Whitner. He's missed at least one game in each of his four pro seasons, including four of the Bills' first eight games this season. Prior to his departure from the lineup, Whitner was playing at the highest level of his career - but as he's missed time, Byrd has established himself as one of the elite young defensive backs in the NFL. Whitner has been a team captain, but he's not anymore. His production remains an issue, even if his versatility remains a tremendous asset to this team. Again - he won't be going anywhere any time soon, but he's got a lot to prove if he's to remain a key part of Buffalo's defense through a regime change.

Three Bills playing out the string
Roscoe Parrish. He's been relegated to third quarterback duties, and there's a chance he could be released when the team activates James Hardy from the PUP list. One of the elite punt returners in NFL history, Parrish has worn out his welcome in Buffalo thanks to a mistake-prone 2009 season and his inability to learn the Bills' offense.

Chris Ellis. A third-round pick in 2008, Ellis had a quiet rookie season and, thanks to the presence of three veterans and Maybin, hasn't had much opportunity this year, either - he's been active just once. He barely hung on to a roster spot as it was, and did so only after a strong pre-season. Unless a veteran or two leaves and the coaching staff remains intact, Ellis is unlikely to get his career started in Buffalo.

John McCargo. He's been hurt, ineffective, traded, and returned to the Bills over the past couple of seasons. He is the only Bills defensive tackle that doesn't have a contract that expires in the 2013 season - and the Bills could use additional beef at that position. Add it all up, and McCargo is probably done in Buffalo after this season ends.

Three Bills pondering future roles with the club
Brad Butler. He started the season off relatively well at right tackle, but now he's on IR, and Buffalo's offensive line is a mess. A new regime would almost certainly address the O-Line, and particularly each tackle position, but Butler also has a contract that expires in 2013. He'll be in Buffalo for a while - the question is simply where he'll be playing, and whether or not he'll be starting.

Eric Wood. Again, Wood's not going anywhere soon - the only Bills locked up as far into the future as Wood is are WR Lee Evans, DE Aaron Schobel and Maybin. But most NFL personnel executives saw Wood as a pure center prospect entering the 2009 NFL Draft. Obviously, he's playing guard in Buffalo. I, for one, would support the move, but Wood needs to put good tape together so a new regime - or even the current regime - wises up and puts him at center.

Leodis McKelvin. He had a so-so rookie campaign, and to say the start of his 2009 season was disastrous would be a monumental understatement. Now he, too, is on IR, and Buffalo's secondary is getting along swimmingly without him. CB Drayton Florence has filled in admirably in his stead; his play has been so good, in fact, that if it continues, McKelvin may not regain his starting role in 2010.

Three Bills free agents waiting on tenterhooks
Terrell Owens. T.O. is in a tricky position. His numbers are so far down that it seems unlikely that many teams will be interested in him as a UFA in 2010, even if he's been on his best behavior as a Bill. Then again, he's unlikely to stay in Buffalo beyond this season if Dick Jauron is let go. Owens has eight more games in Buffalo, and then it's anyone's guess what happens from there.

Ryan Denney. People tend to grossly underestimate just how valuable Denney is to this team. He gives the Bills quality reps as a rotational defensive lineman - at both tackle and end, by the way - and he's been one of Bobby April's key special teams players throughout his career. He's scheduled for free agency after the season, however, and the Bills have serious investments in Schobel, Maybin and even DE Chris Kelsay. Particularly if Jauron leaves, but even if he doesn't, he could be looking for a new home.

Keith Ellison. He's currently fourth in the NFL with 68 tackles, and he's clearly having his best season as a pro. He's been an incredibly valuable commodity to Perry Fewell, as he has played all three linebacker spots - strong, middle, weak - as the Bills have dealt with ridiculous injuries and shake-ups at the position. But he also has his limitations, and while the Bills have been able to scheme around them, a new regime might not view Ellison in quite the same light. He'll be a UFA as well (though if there's no new CBA, he'll be an RFA), and like many players, Ellison's Bills fate may be tied directly to his play the rest of the season as well as the fate of the coaching staff.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/6

2009-11-06T12:34:41Z

Offense focused on moving the sticks | BuffaloBills.com
The Bills have used the bye week to focus on converting third downs. This will help even out the time difference their defense is on the field.

Bills' Hardy will join the crowd : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The Bills have until Wednesday to activate or IR James Hardy. Jay Skurski puts forth the names of Roscoe Parrish and Todd Johnson as likely casualties.

Where Bills run ‘D’ is getting hurt – Inside The Bills
The Bills are giving up the majority of their yards to the outside with opponents averaging 7.31 yards per rush on Buffalo's left side (Kelsay). Chris Brown gives a complete breakdown of where the yards are coming from.

Don’t blame the run game – Inside The Bills
Chris Brown shows that most of the Bills problems are on converting third and short yardage.

Question Mark: No-huddle offense hastened Walker's exit from Bills : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan of the BUffalo News answers questions on Langston Walker, futility following turnovers, and Jeff Garcia.

Bills still have a shot to win AFC East - AFC East - ESPN
AccuScore pegged the Bills' chances at winning the AFC East at 1 percent and their chances of making the playoffs at 2 percent. Zubaz reference, too.

The Real Biggest Reason The Bills Don’t Win : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran goes back to 2002 to show how Tom Modrak has become the namesake of the article.

Rookie Watch - ESPN
Jairus Byrd comes in 4th on the midseason list of rookies behind Percy Harvin, Michael Oher, and Brian Cushing.

Bills kickoff 50 days of savings | BuffaloBills.com
Every day through December 24th there will be a special merchandise offer for Bills fans to take advantage of. Check it out.

With no game preview the pickings are slim, folks. Catch up on the front page articles.

SB Nation's Mid-Season NFL Studs, Duds Awards - SB Nation

2009-11-05T17:35:45Z

SB Nation's Mid-Season NFL Studs, Duds Awards - SB Nation

The football bloggers at SB Nation were polled, and the results are now published: SB Nation's 2009 NFL Mid-Season Studs and Duds Awards are up.

No, Jairus Byrd did not get mid-season Rookie of the Year, but not for the lack of a serious campaign on my part. Check out the full list of award winners at the link above.

Bills have tried various methods to address QB

2009-11-05T17:00:33Z

More photos » by Stephan Savoia - AP

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Since Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly retired after the 1996 season, the Buffalo Bills have tried virtually every strategy available to find the next great franchise quarterback. With Trent Edwards faltering in his third year, the Bills may once again be in the market for the "next franchise quarterback". How might the Bills go about obtaining him? What has the organization tried in the past that may make them weary to go down a specific path again? The quarterbacks' winning percentages with the Bills are listed following each bio.

Draft a second-tier prospects in picks 15-45: Todd Collins (1995-1997), J.P. Losman (2004-2008)
The Bills selected Todd Collins No. 45 overall in the 1995 draft. That year, he started his first game in relief of an injured Kelly. The following year, he started three more games before taking over as the full-time starter when Kelly retired. In 1997, Collins' only full season as the starter, his numbers were adequate, going 215 of 391 with 2,367 yards. His 55% completion percentage and 12-13 TD-to-INT ratio were very lackluster, as was the team's 6-10 record. (41% winning percentage)

J.P. Losman was drafted No. 22 overall in the 2004 draft. In fact, the Bills traded up to get him, giving away their 2004 second-round pick and 2005 first-round pick to obtain the rights to the Tulane QB. Losman started for only one complete season throwing for 3051 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2006. The Bills went 7-9 that year but in 2007 Losman took a severe step back losing the first three games of the year and looking awful in the process. (30% winning percentage)

Trade for a promising backup: Rob Johnson (1998-2001)
Following the one season with Todd Collins, the Bills traded their first- and fourth-round draft picks to the Jaguars for backup quarterback Rob Johnson. In three season in Jacksonville, Johnson had started one game and thrown 35 passes. Due to chronic injuries, Johnson started a majority of games for the Bills only once, in 2000, going 4-7 as a starter. His stats were impressive; he could just rarely led the Bills to a victory. (35% winning percentage)

Sign a free agent to stabilize the position: Doug Flutie (1998-2000), Kelly Holcomb (2005-2006)
36-year-old Doug Flutie joined the Bills in 1998 at the same time as Johnson. Flutie had last played in the NFL in 1989, but had found success in the Canadian Football League, breaking passing records and winning six league MVP awards and three Grey Cups. As starter for Buffalo, he found his way onto the field in relief of the oft-injured Johnson and won a lot of games for the Bills. In 1998, he went to the Pro Bowl after leading the Bills to the playoffs, going 7-3 in his 10 starts. He once again led the Bills to the playoffs in 1999, compiling a 10-5 record as the starter. Wade Phillips, for reasons only known to him and a select few, named Johnson the starter for the playoff game, and following the (dubious) loss to the Titans, Johnson entered the 2000 season as the starter. Flutie was released after the 2000 season for salary cap reasons. (70% winning percentage)

In Holcomb's first year with the Bills, he started exactly half of Buffalo's games opposite Losman, winning exactly half of his starts. He was seen as the safe, knowledgeable veteran, in contrast with the wild and risk-taking Losman. He managed to complete 67% of his passes - the highest percentage in team history with at least 40 passes - but his yards per attempt was so low (6.6) that it hardly scared opponents' defenses. In 2006, Losman started every game for Buffalo, and following the season, Holcomb was traded to the Eagles, who turned around and traded him to the Vikings. (50% winning percentage)

Starter by default: Alex Van Pelt (1995-2003)
Alex Van Pelt was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers a few months after they selected him in the seventh round of the draft. Buffalo signed him and he sat behind Kelly and Collins... and every other quarterback the Bills brought in after them. He started three games in relief of Collins in 1997, but returned to the bench until November of 2001, when he replaced the injured (again) Johnson. Van Pelt and Johnson each started 8 games that year, with AVP throwing for an impressive 2,056 yards and 12 touchdowns. Following that season, the Bills made a bold move to bring in a different answer to the question of Buffalo's starting QB. (38% winning percentage)

Trade for an established vet: Drew Bledsoe (2002-2004)
Following the 2001 season, Buffalo sent their 2002 first-round draft pick to the New England Patriots for Drew Bledsoe, who had become expendable with the emergence of Tom Brady. Bledsoe had a superb first year in Buffalo. He set the franchise record for passing yards (4,359), completions (375) and attempts (610), and became the last Bills quarterback to be voted to the Pro Bowl. In 2003, he had less of everything, including wins. After that season the Bills drafted Losman, and Bledsoe produced another so-so campaign under new coach Mike Mularkey. They almost managed to make the playoffs, dropping the final game of the season to Pittsburgh's backups. (48% winning percentage)

Draft a guy in a later round: Trent Edwards (2007-present)
In the 2007 draft, the Bills selected Edwards in the third round. At the time, Edwards was considered a value pick and a replacement at backup for the departed Holcomb. But Losman suffered ~~a dirty~~ an unfortunate injury, and Edwards stepped into the starter's role. Edwards won three of his first four starts, the lone loss being a heartbreaking MNF defeat at the hands of the Cowboys, before succumbing to injury himself. Upon his return, he won two more games, pushing his record to 6-1 as Bills starter and exciting the fan base. The Bills started hot again in 2008, rolling off four straight under Edwards. But over the course of the year wins, became fewer, though Edwards was still improving. So far to start the 2009 season, Edwards has appeared to show signs of regression, and is not considered by most fans to be the "next great franchise quarterback" anymore. (52% winning percentage)

Draft a top tier guy in the first 15 picks: None
In 2004, the Bills were rumored to be interested in trading up to select Ben Roethlisberger, but the Jaguars, the supposed other party, decided to draft the immortal Reggie Williams instead. The Bills have not had many high first-round picks, due in large part to trading them to obtain Johnson, Bledsoe and Losman. In 2006, the Bills passed on Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler to draft Donte Whitner (No. 8), and in 2007 decided against Brady Quinn in favor of Marshawn Lynch (No. 12).

The real problem with going down this road this year are the teams in front of the Bills in draft order (at least as it stands now). The Rams, Seahawks, Redskins, Raiders, Titans and Browns may all be in the market for a quarterback, and are ahead of Buffalo now, and will likely remain there. The Jaguars will also be picking in the vicinity of the Bills, and possibly will be searching for a quarterback. In order to secure their favorite player, the Bills may have to move up from around spot nine or ten into the top four picks. This type of move would be very costly, both in picks and salary, but would be the only way for Buffalo to guarantee selecting a top tier quarterback.

Rumblings Draft Scouting: Quarterbacks with a Pro Tweak

2009-11-05T12:47:38Z

More photos » by BAHRAM MARK SOBHANI - AP

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In light of recent discussions we've been having around these parts - namely, the future of the Buffalo Bills' quarterback position - we thought it'd be an opportune week to provide a slight tweak to our regular Thursday scouting piece. Rather than simply talking about the week in college football, talking up (or talking down) prospects, or ranking players at positions as we've done in the past, we thought this week would be ideal to apply this type of post to the Bills.

Yesterday, we discussed the fact that Trent Edwards probably won't be realizing his full potential as a pro quarterback in a Bills uniform. It also isn't a lock that the Bills will look to the 2010 NFL Draft for a replacement should it come to that. With that in mind, we took a look not only at the top collegiate quarterbacks playing right now, but the list of current pro quarterbacks scheduled to hit free agency in 2010, as well.

The result of that effort is this post - a look at our top ten quarterback prospects for the Bills to peruse through should they be seeking a new starting quarterback this coming March. Please note that, in true 'beauty lies in the eye of the bolder' fashion, we're not actually campaigning for the Bills to go out and get any of these players. Not yet, anyway. This is merely a ranking of quarterbacks that might be available next spring - and for those who might not, we'll discuss those options briefly as well. It's all after the jump.

1. Jake Locker, Washington Huskies (JR)
As each day passes, Locker creeps closer to becoming the consensus top quarterback prospect in the nation. At the very least, he's viewed by NFL personnel men league-wide as the quarterback with the best mix of skills available as it presently stands. Locker's stats aren't great, but numbers never tell the whole story, anyway. He's only 21 years old, so he's got some maturing to do - and truth be told, he'd be best served by finishing out his career at UW. Given the Sam Bradford Factor, however, that's looking less likely to happen by the day.

Locker's got an NFL body, an NFL arm, and plenty of hard-to-spot qualities such as leadership, pocket awareness, creativity and a short learning curve. Those last traits are why he's so high on scouts' boards right now. It would be risky for an NFL team without an established offensive line and a patient front office and fan base to install him as an immediate starter, but there's little question that as far as college quarterbacks go, Locker is the closest thing to a sure bet that you can currently find. (Which obviously doesn't make him a sure bet at all, but that's beside the point.) Unfortunately, in order to acquire him, a team would probably need the No. 1 overall pick.

2. Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish (JR)
We like Clausen for a few reasons. First and foremost, he's having a terrific junior season, and he's putting up big numbers and playing clutch football against some really solid opponents. We also like the fact that he's overcome some seriously ridiculous expectations as a highly-touted recruit and is performing well in his third year under Charlie Weis. If you play clutch football in the face of high expectations at a big-time school, you're going to impress a lot of people - and Clausen has definitely done that this year. People will nit-pick his Philip Rivers-like throwing motion, but forget about that - Clausen is a legitimate NFL talent with a bright future.

3. Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins (UFA)
First off - the shoulder. Despite early reports that his third shoulder injury could jeopardize his career, Pennington's season-ending surgery actually revealed minimal damage to the rotator cuff that he's had repaired twice previously in his career. As it stands right now, Pennington is expected to be cleared to resume throwing this winter. If he decides to continue playing - and if he's healthy, why wouldn't he? - he'll be an unrestricted free agent, as he signed a two-year deal with Miami back in August of 2008. Pennington obviously has limitations to his game, but if a new coach doesn't want to install a rookie and wants to win right away, Pennington absolutely still has the leadership and game management skills to get the job done, even at age 34 (in June of 2010). If Buffalo is looking for a veteran stopgap to provide some influence for a young guy - even Trent Edwards! - Pennington is a perfect fit.

4. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma Sooners (JR)
Yes, his shoulder injury is a concern, but it's not a major one. He did, after all, return to the Oklahoma lineup briefly, and even upon exiting once again, it was revealed that the injury had not worsened. That's the good news. Bradford has clearly enjoyed an illustrious and highly productive career at Oklahoma, but entering his junior campaign, many scouts wondered aloud if he'd be able to thrive behind a re-tooled Sooners offensive line. The obvious answer to that question is 'no.' Bradford also needs to learn to play under center, but no one questions his accuracy and strong decision-making. He's got the tools to be an excellent pro quarterback, but right now, the questions surrounding Bradford are slightly bigger than those surrounding Locker and Clausen.

5. Ryan Mallett, Arkansas Razorbacks (SO)
Yes, he's only a sophomore. No, he's not anywhere near being ready to take over an NFL franchise - heck, he hasn't even turned Arkansas into a serious contender in the SEC yet. Yes, he would be extremely intelligent to stay in school, particularly considering the fact that if he waits even a single year, he has No. 1 pick potential. But in terms of college quarterbacks, no single prospects oozes as much jaw-dropping potential as the 6'7", 238-pound sophomore with the strongest arm in the nation. He has tremendous strides that need to be achieved in areas such as leadership, poise (especially on the road), and accuracy. But you can bet large sums of dinero that NFL scouts have noticed this kid's raw talent. He has first-round potential this year, and if he stays in school to learn for one more year (or two) under Bobby Petrino, he might just be considered the "next great thing" at the position in 2011 or 2012.

6. Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins (UFA)
The Redskins are a mess, and very little of it is Campbell's fault. The guy has absolutely no support from his organization - they recruited Brett Favre and Mark Sanchez heavily, after all, even with Campbell still on the roster - and his coaches have gone through more coordinators than even Buffalo has. Through it all, he's managed to put up at least respectable career numbers (60.7% completions, 8,723 yards, 43 TD, 40 INT, 81.2 QB rating). He'll only turn 28 this December. He's got an immense amount of untapped potential. Time is running short on some potentially lucky team's ability to tap into that potential, but a change of scenery could do the embattled Campbell a world of good.

7. Christian Ponder, Florida State Seminoles (JR)
No college quarterback has made greater gains this season than Ponder, a junior enjoying a fantastic season at Florida State. He's not the ideal prospect - though he's a great athlete with a good arm, he lacks prototypical NFL size - but even considering that fact, Ponder has legitimate 2010 NFL Draft prospects given how excellent he's been this season. You'll find more talented players and you'll find guys with better intangibles, but Ponder gets the job done. It'll be interesting to see how his '09 season concludes - if he keeps up his red-hot streak, he could solidify himself as a first-round pick next April.

8. Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos (UFA)
Orton has established himself as the ultimate game manager in the NFL. He's got massive limitations and will never put up big numbers, but he's still found a way to start his career with a 27-13 record. He's listed as a free agent at the moment, but considering Denver's season, if they keep winning, there's only a minimal chance that he'd hit the open market. Josh McDaniels likes him, and if Denver isn't in a position to bring in a quarterback more to McDaniels' liking, they definitely won't let Orton walk.

9. Tarvaris Jackson, Minnesota Vikings (UFA)
He was drafted too early in 2006, and though that isn't an indictment of him as a player, it helps explain some of the expectations he's failed to meet in Minnesota. Jackson has, however, proven himself capable of playing at high levels, as he guided the Vikings to a playoff appearance in 2008 while throwing 9 TD to just 2 INT as a part-time starter. He's only marginally accurate and still has massive inconsistency issues to work through, but he's a phenomenal athlete that can hurt you with his legs, and his arm is pristine. With Brett Favre only in the first of a two-year deal and Sage Rosenfels in tow, it's not inconceivable that the Vikings let Jackson walk. He'll be 27 next April.

10. Jevan Snead, Mississippi Rebels (JR)
Snead makes this list based on his NFL measurables and rocket arm alone, because to say that he's been crushed by massive pre-season expectations this year is an understatement. Snead is having an awful junior year at Ole Miss. The hype was well-founded - Snead threw 26 touchdowns and 13 picks as a redshirt sophomore in the SEC - but he's shown highly questionable decision-making skills in a junior campaign that has seen him throw another 13 picks already (to 15 touchdowns) while completing just 51.5% of his passes. He'd be insane to enter the 2010 NFL Draft, and he probably won't. But if he does, teams will absolutely look at him as early as the second round based on his talent level alone.

In addition, these players and/or quarterback situations are worth closely monitoring. As it stands right now, none of these players will be available via the Draft or free agency next off-season, but the chance exists that one or all will be released or traded.

Donovan McNabb and Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles. McNabb seems as if he's constantly on the cusp of being moved, and Kolb put up gaudy statistics in brief appearances earlier this season while McNabb was injured. Andy Reid's a bold guy. If he decides to stick with McNabb for the remainder of the latter's career, Kolb is tasty trade bait; it works in reverse if Reid decides it's Kolb time in Philly.

Kerry Collins and Vince Young, Tennessee Titans. It's not likely that Young leaves Tennessee any time soon considering owner Bud Adams' affinity for him, but if Young continues to play well during the remainder of the '09 season, Collins - a wily veteran who wasn't at all pleased by the decision to bench him in favor of Young - might be on his way out of town. He, too, would make a nice veteran stopgap for a younger player, but as of right now, he's under contract for 2010.

Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals. Warner signed a two-year deal this past off-season and is likely to wrap up his career in Arizona at the conclusion of the 2010 season. If he decides to retire a year early, Leinart takes over the reigns. But Leinart isn't a player that Ken Whisenhunt acquired, and if Warner sticks around beyond '09 and Whisenhunt sees a young guy he likes better, Leinart could be on the move.

Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams. He's been terrible in St. Louis for a few seasons now, but he can't accept all of the blame for that, given the Rams' inability to get players to protect him. It'll be really hard for the Rams to part ways for him, considering his cap hits from 2010 through 2013 equal $46 million, but if he does leave St. Louis, he, too, has the look of a passable stopgap option.

Brady Quinn, Cleveland Browns. Cleveland is a mess, and even though Eric Mangini didn't fall in love with Quinn immediately, it's unlikely a new regime will. He does have some talent, but some personality quirks have turned some heads over the past couple of years as well. Still, in the way of young signal-callers with some untapped potential, Quinn is at least worth discussing, isn't he?

That's the list, folks. It's up to you to formulate opinions (or just share the ones you've already formulated) on whether or not any of these names are more desirable than Trent Edwards'.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/5

2009-11-05T11:58:58Z

Sullivan: Bills could use blast from Super Bowls past : Sports Columns : The Buffalo News
Jerry Sullivan advocates for the Bills to look no further than Cleveland and restructure their front office midseason. He specifically mentions hiring Thurman Thomas and Jim Kelly as offensive consultants even if it's a gesture to the fans. Could the guys pictured above help?

Scott at LB a real possibility – Inside The Bills
Jauron calls Bryan Scott at linebacker a "possibility" and Chris Brown thinks Scott would get the start should Keith Ellison not be able to go citing Chris Draft's insertion into the lineup as the coaches wanting experienced players there.

Byrd’s status – Inside The Bills
"It sounds as if Jairus Byrd should be good to practice at some point next week. If not Monday when the team returns from their bye weekend, then Wednesday."

Marcus' Mailbag | BuffaloBills.com
Check out Marcus Stroud's video and see footage from his bowling event and what guys have planned for the bye week.

Bills Roundup | BuffaloBills.com
The Bills look to regroup over the bye week.

Back to basics for O-line – Inside The Bills
The bye week practices were an opportunity for Buffalo’s offensive linemen to tighten up their individual game with a hard core return to the basics

T.O. knows Alvin and the Chipmunks – Inside The Bills
"Just in this last game offensively we only had like 45 plays and defense they were out there like 70-plus plays," Terrell Owens said. "When you give a team a short field, Barney Fife and Alvin and the Chipmunks can go out there and score." He was laughing by the way.

10th Annual Hunter’s Hope Ball – Inside The Bills
The 10th Annual Hunter’s Hope Candlelight Ball will be taking place in just a couple of weeks, on Nov. 20th at Samuel’s Grande Manor in Clarence. Hunter's Hope is the charity founded by former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly to honor his son, Hunter, and the fight he had with Krebbe's disease.

Bills notebook : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Tackle Jonathan Scott, out the past three games with an ankle sprain, was back working at practice for the first time since his injury.

2009-10 Buffalo Bills Poster Series | Buffalo News
The 50th Anniversary team was featured on the back page of the Buffalo News.

Bills fans’ early exit from lousy game seen as helping to cut arrests in half : City & Region : The Buffalo News
With fans leaving the game early last weekend, the Orchard Park police saw a sharp decline in the number of arrests on game day.

Who makes the playoffs from the AFC East? - AFC East - ESPN
Even if the Bills somehow manage to get back to 5-5 their final three games are against the Patriots, Falcons, and Colts (though the Colts should have the number one seed wrapped up by then). Playoffs?

Here's a grade for T.O., Ginn: Incomplete - AFC East - ESPN
ESPN Stats have compiled a list of dropped passes through Week 8 and found Buffalo Bills receiver Terrell Owens leads the league with nine.

Video: Buffalo Bills at the bye - AFC East - ESPN
ESPN's Trent Dilfer takes a look at the state of the Buffalo Bills' offense as the team heads into its bye week 3-5. Dilfer says it starts not with getting Terrell Owens involved, but establishing the run.

POLLOCK: In short, ‘D’ hasn’t been bad for Bills | Olean Times Herald
"And, as much as Buffalo’s offense deserves criticism, the preoccupation with its ineptitude has stolen the credit coordinator Perry Fewell’s defense deserves."

Have the Bills hit rock bottom? | WGR video
Jerry Sullivan sits down with Schopp and the Bulldog to talk about the ineptitude of the Bills offense.

Examining Trent Edwards' steady decline in Buffalo

2009-11-04T17:15:12Z

More photos » by Steven Senne - AP

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In case you missed it, here's the short, up-to-date version of the latest on the Buffalo Bills' quarterback "situation" (or lack thereof): Trent Edwards has returned to full practice during the Bills' bye week, and barring an unforeseen setback in his recovery from a Week 6 concussion, he is expected to start in Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans. Ryan Fitzpatrick, who guided the Bills to three abysmal offensive performances and, curiously, a 2-1 record in essentially three full games as the starter, will return to backup duties.

Edwards will very likely, therefore, resume a Bills career that has reached new lows after the team lost four of his first five starts this season. This is a pivotal season for Edwards, not just because of the circumstances with the team, but because it's his third season in the NFL. That's typically when you know what you have in a player. Last I checked, that third season is not yet over for Edwards.

There's very little counter-argument that can be made against this one, singular fact: Edwards has stunk in 2009. His statistical output is at an all-time low, the team has less confidence in him than ever, and most importantly, he's not guiding the Bills to wins. As is the case in the vast majority of football situations, one man can't be fully blamed for a specific issue. But given the way Edwards has gotten to this point, and the events likely to occur should the Bills' season continue the way it has, the odds against Edwards reviving his career in Buffalo are monumentally long.

Was continuity really continuity?
Buffalo's had a lot of bad quarterbacks suit up for them in recent years, and considering the way he's played this season, Edwards has kind of a "best of the worst" feel about him. Considering the fact that the one constant in all of the quarterback shuffling the Bills have done is the Bills themselves, a legitimate argument can be made that Edwards' lack of progress has a great deal to do with his circumstances.

Edwards entered the league in 2007 as a third-round draft pick and saw live game action much sooner than he probably should have when he took over for an injured J.P. Losman in a Week 3 loss to New England. Edwards had a promising - yet highly unspectacular - rookie season under the tutelage of Steve Fairchild, then the offensive coordinator. That's when things began to go downhill.

Fairchild left after the '07 season to coach at Colorado State, but given the poor performance of the offense in his two-year run as coordinator under Dick Jauron, he wasn't likely to be back, anyway. Turk Schonert, quarterbacks coach under Fairchild, was Jauron's choice to replace Fairchild, and the move was made to preserve continuity for the Bills' young starting quarterback. It didn't happen in exactly the same fashion this past September, but when Schonert was relieved of his duties just days prior to the Bills' season opener, Alex Van Pelt once again represented an effort for continuity.

Continuity, however, was not completely achieved. It never can be - just ask Baltimore, whose defense is working through a pretty drastic adjustment period as they transition from Rex Ryan to Greg Mattison in the coordinator role. Mattison worked under Ryan, and so he could preserve his terminology, but no matter how much effort is put into continuity, you're going to run into different ways to call games or approach game plans simply because the person is different. Turk Schonert called games and approached the work week differently than Fairchild did. Alex Van Pelt, too, is different from Schonert. Add in the brief, forced, and ultimately failed no-huddle experiment, and despite the efforts to keep Edwards as comfortable as possible in this offense, continuity was clearly not achieved. Edwards has had three coordinators in three years. That fact alone is the chief reason behind his lack of development on the field.

(On a side note, most of you have labeled me as a "Jauron supporter," and that's not untrue. I like the man, and think the vitriol surrounding him is largely unfounded. One thing I will always say about Jauron, however, is that the man simply can't choose an offensive coordinator to save his life. He's had a lot of bad luck there, and particularly in Buffalo, where he's had three coordinators in four years. No matter which way you slice it, and no matter the intentions behind those changes, those were conscious choices that Jauron made, and they have had a detrimental effect on Edwards' development.)

The steady decrease in quality pass protection
Buffalo had one of the best pass-blocking units in the NFL in 2007. That was the year that Jason Peters established himself as an elite tackle in the game (a fact that is now probably much more debatable). Edwards played roughly 9 full games as a rookie, and despite his overwhelming lack of experience, he was sacked just 12 times.

The pass protection wasn't awful in 2008, either, though it certainly declined. Last season, Edwards played roughly 12 full games around injuries (concussion, groin), and in those games, he was sacked 23 times. For those of you doing the math, that's a half-sack more per game. Not great, but still acceptable.

Then came 2009, and the now-infamous complete overhaul of the offensive line. Despite the individual talent that some of the Bills' current linemen possess, it's painfully clear that they're one of the worst units in the league - if not the worst. Edwards has played a hair over five full games this season, and he's been sacked an alarming 19 times. He's also spent much more time running than usual; he set a career high with 117 rushing yards in 2008, but already has 102 this season. That stat, too, is partially indicative of line play.

I've gone on record as saying that good quarterback play is more important than good line play, but really, that argument is just splitting hairs, and it's tough to have one without the other. Not only has Edwards had a lack of continuity in offensive philosophy, but the Bills' offensive line has also seen a slow and dramatic decline in pass blocking during his three years on the job. Both of those issues, it should be noted, are directly related to some good and bad (obviously mostly bad) coaching decisions. No one should deny that the line needed to be fixed last off-season, but that "fix" isn't working this year, and it's been to Edwards' detriment on the field.

The perfect storm behind Edwards' decline
Coaching quarterbacks is a tricky business, particularly when they're young. Much of the approach taken in coaching up a quarterback has to do with developing mechanics, honing the ability to read an NFL defense, and designing an offense that emphasizes said quarterback's strengths.

Edwards, at the outset of his career, looked like the perfect game manager, with potential to grow beyond that once he gained some confidence and won some ball games. So that's how Buffalo coached him up. Limit your mistakes. Take what the defense gives you. Take shots carefully and in a calculated fashion. Score points and be aggressive when it's warranted, of course, but at least to start your career, keep us in games first and foremost.

For a time, it worked. Even as a rookie, but particularly early in his second season, Edwards put together some clutch performances and won some games. He made big throws in critical situations and, in many cases, put his team in position to win games. He was young and his play was extremely inconsistent, but when you see flashes of clutch play, there is good cause for excitement when talking about your young quarterback.

That's when things stopped clicking for Edwards. There are lots of factors at play - those mentioned, along with stiffer competition and Edwards' own inability to continue to develop - but it is what it is. He's now more inconsistent than ever, and again, the chief reason behind that inconsistency is the inconsistency in philosophy. As Edwards gained experience, he was supposed to mature beyond 'game manager' to 'game winner.' As Edwards dealt with mounting expectations, the offensive philosophies changed around him and his line play deteriorated. Through it all, he was urged to push through it and keep working. It appears that Trent did so by using his original coaching philosophy - game manager - as a crutch. Trent looks like he's playing to control what he can control, and the perfect storm of circumstances have exacerbated those tendencies to the point that Edwards is now one of the most gun-shy quarterbacks in the league. Again, part of that is his own fault - better players push through awkward circumstances and emerge as stars - but clearly, the circumstances didn't help, and aren't currently helping.

What happens from here?
As mentioned at the top, Edwards will resume his starting role after the bye week, and barring another injury or further decline in his play, the idea is for him to close out the season in that role. There is a chance that Edwards will improve over these next eight games, just as there is a chance that the O-Line will gel and Alex Van Pelt will emerge as a better play-caller. If anyone is expecting any or all of those to occur, they're in the distinct minority.

Edwards will also likely be here in 2010, given his small salary and his being a stand-up, intelligent individual who is still in possession of some serious talent. He might not be anything more than a backup, but he'll probably be in Buffalo. If the Bills can't find a way to shock the world and make the playoffs (or go on some crazy end-of-year winning streak), however, it's very likely that he'll be entering his fourth season with a new coaching staff - one that didn't draft him, by the way - and new offensive philosophies and linemen. Why would growth be expected under a new regime if the same problems exist?

A lot has to happen if Edwards is to revive his career in Buffalo. He and the teammates/coaches around him need to improve if he's going to be a productive player over the second half of the season. He'll need to be borderline excellent - again, with similar gains from his teammates and coaches - if he's going to save his coach's job. Only the latter will earn him real continuity entering 2010, and as it stands now, real continuity may not be ideal in every sense of the phrase for Edwards.

I'll never say "never" when it comes to a player potentially emerging as a consistently good football player, and I certainly won't say it in regards to Edwards, who is that rare (probably) failed quarterback experiment in Buffalo who is actually endearing as a person. He's a smart kid that works hard and genuinely wants to be excellent at his profession. Given the way his career has unfolded and the direction the Bills are likely to head after this season, however, it seems like a virtual certainty that if Edwards ever reaches his full potential as an NFL quarterback, it probably won't be as a Buffalo Bill.

Notes from the Bills' O-Line: Week 8 vs Texans

2009-11-04T12:55:49Z

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

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Well, it took a while coming, but the Buffalo Bills ran into a team that refused to sink into mediocrity for an entire game. The Houston Texans shot themselves in the foot for the entirety of the first half, but during halftime, someone in their locker room said something to the effect of, "Hey, we're better than this." Sadly, a corresponding comment in Buffalo's locker room went something more like, "Keep on keeping on."

While it is small consolation, the Bills' offensive line actually improved in one key area: killed plays. While the line has been averaging 7.8 killed plays per game, that number dropped to 5 against Houston. Every lineman but one killed a play. You'll no doubt be surprised to learn that the lone exception was one Kirk Chambers.

I knew that Mario Williams had a quiet day, but I was stunned to see that he didn't even show up on the stat sheet. Yeah, weird. I'm guessing that Williams was slipping in a pool of his own drool as he salivated at the thought of going up against Buffalo's below-average tackles. Super Mario did have an impact, even if it didn't make for a line on the stat sheet, it just wasn't as much as could have been foreseen.

Drive 1
Pass 1: Josh Reed 4 yards
Demetrius Bell sealed 91 inside where Andy Levitre was waiting for him. Geoff Hangartner and Eric Wood doubled 95. Marshawn Lynch chipped Willams for Jamon Meredith, though it didn't look like Meredith really needed the help. Derek Fine let 94 move to the inside and kept him from getting back to the outside to chase Ryan Fitzpatrick on the rollout. By the way, I was absolutely delighted to see that Buffalo finally caught on to the fact that everyone else had caught on to the naked bootleg to the right/none-yard pass to the TE. The Texans seemed genuinely surprised when Fitzpatrick rolled to his left and threw the ball to a WR instead. Way to (finally) adjust!

Run 1: Lynch 8 yards through the right C gap
94 knocked Bell backwards and knifed inside to chase the play. He almost had a tackle for loss (TFL). Levitre went to the second level but had no one to block. Hangartner and Wood doubled 91. Hangartner blocked him down the line while Wood peeled and tried in vain to pick up 56 in the second level. Meredith tapped 59 in the second level but didn't lock him up. Fine let Williams rush upfield and kept him out of the play.

Run 2: Lynch 8 yards through the left C gap
Bell pushed 91 inside to seal the edge. Levitre helped with 91 then hit 59 in the second level. He then, possibly against explicit directions to the contrary since no one else did for most of the day, sustained his block until Lynch was past him. Hangartner and Wood doubled 95. While Hangartner moved him to the right, Wood peeled and hit 56. Meredith let Williams go upfield and then stoned him when he tried to chase the play. Fine jumped inside of 94 and rode him around on a circle away from the play.

Run 3: Lynch -1 yard through the right C gap
Bell chucked Williams then hit 59 in the second level but didn't sustain his block. Levitre stood up 91 and then got a two-yard push on him. Hangartner and Wood doubled 95 and drove him three yards to the left. Meredith ignored 94 to go hit 31. 94 killed the play by sending Lynch deeper than he should have had to go. However, Lynch avoided 94 and could have easily picked up the 2 yards needed for a first down by simply plunging straight ahead. Instead, he danced as he tried to spring it for a bigger gain. He's got to understand that getting the first down gives Buffalo three more chances to pick up a big play. In theory. Stop laughing! It could happen. Well, you can't rule it out at any rate... Meanwhile, Fine got under Williams' right shoulder and kept him on the edge of the LOS.

Pass 2: INC bad pass to Reed against a blitz
Bell pushed 99 past Fitzpatrick. Levitre and Hangartner doubled and stuffed 94. 91 spun inside of Wood and got into the pocket. Wood stuck with him and pushed him past Fitzpatrick. Williams got around the corner and hit the QB after the ball was away. Lynch picked up 59 who came in late, but only because Lynch had stayed in to block.

Blitzes: 1
Stacked box: 0
Drive Killer: Lynch's decision to dance instead of crash forward for easily attainable yardage

Drive 2
Pass 3: Terrell Owens 3 yards
Williams got around Bell and got a hand on Fitzpatrick after the throw. Levitre and Hangartner kept 95 on the line of scrimmage (LOS). Wood and Meredith doubled 94 and Lynch picked up 91 when he stunted. Meredith was hurt on the play, bringing Chambers in for the balance of the game. Yes, Buffalo has been snake bit at the tackle position...

Run 4: Lynch no gain through the right C gap
Bell kept Williams on the edge of the LOS. Levitre chucked 95 and was then too slow to catch 56 at the second level. (56 is Brian Cushing, by the way, and he's really fast.) Hangartner helped 95 go to the left and thus out of the play. Wood rode 91 down the line and to the ground. Chambers didn't really block anyone. He tried to help Wood with 91, but Wood was already taking him away from Chambers. Had Chambers instead shot into the second level, he could have picked up 59, which would have gotten Lynch a yard or two. Fine rode 94 to the inside to set the edge.

Pass 4: Steve Johnson 5 yards (on third and 7)
Bell beat Williams to the corner. Williams shoved Bell further upfield to get inside of the pocket, but too late. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 94 initially. Hangartner kept his head moving and saw that Wood needed to release 95, so Hangartner left Levitre and picked up 95. Wood had to release 95 to keep 99 from cutting inside of Chambers. It was an example of excellent communication by the offensive line. Meanwhile, Johnson had to come back from beyond the sticks to catch the misplaced pass by Fitzpatrick. Had Fitzpatrick put the ball where it needed to be (instead of two yards short of the line to gain), Johnson would likely have had first down yardage.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive Killer: Fitzpatrick's bad pass

Drive 3
Run 5: Fred Jackson 3 yards through the right C gap
Bell let Williams go upfield and kept inside of him until the play was over. Levitre went to the second level and hit 59, but didn't sustain his block. Hangartner got a little push on 92, but 92 swam past his right shoulder to get inside and chase the play. Wood chucked 91 and then popped Cushing, but didn't sustain his block. Cushing slowed Jackson down. Chambers drove 91 inside and down. Fine pushed 29 all over the field. Jonathan Stupar had a slow motion cut attempt on 94. 94 never went down, but it really slowed him down.

Run 6: Jackson 4 yards through the left B gap
Bell hit 54 and pushed him inside. He didn't sustain his block and 54 was in on the tackle. Levitre hit 54, but didn't sustain that block either. Hangartner jumped to the left of 92 and kept him from chasing the play. Wood pushed 91 to the right, then went upfield and abused 26 deep in the secondary. Chambers doubled 94 with Fine and kept him on the edge of the LOS.

Pass 5: Sack -8 yards against a 5 man blitz
Williams blew past Bell which forced Fitzpatrick to step up and into Cushing. Levitre kept 94 from working his way inside. 94 spun and got free, but too late to make a difference. Hangartner tossed a blitzing 59 to the ground. Wood and Chambers doubled 94. Fine and Stupar doubled 98. Had Bell made his block, Fitzpatrick could have drifted to his right, as there was good protection to that side. Cushing would have had to slow to turn the corner and Fitzpatrick would have had time to get his pass off. Possibly the most galling thing about the play is that the Bills had 7 blockers and still gave up the sack.

Blitzes: 1
Stacked box: 0
Drive Killer: Bell's non-block on Williams.

Drive 4
Run 7: Owens 29 yard reverse for TD through the left C gap
Bell went to the second level and missed the cut on 54, but got enough of him to slow him down. 54 was about 2 steps too late to push Owens out of bounds. Levitre pushed 95 to the right. Hangartner let 95 penetrate to the right and chase the fake. Wood submarined 91 and put him down. Chambers turned 94 away from Owens and kept him there. Fine had no one to block, and Stupar tapped 56. Evans sprang the play when he came back to pick up the defensive back, sealing him off from Owens' run lane.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive Killer: N/A

Drive 5
Pass 6: Fine 9 yards
Everyone blocked like it was a run to the right. Fitzpatrick again rolled out to the left, which again caught the defense off guard.

Run 8: Jackson 3 yards through the left C gap
Bell pushed 91 to the inside to set the edge. Levitre went to the second level and stuck to Cushing, who still managed to get in on the tackle. Hangartner stood up 95. Wood helped with 95 and then popped 59, but he didn't sustain his block, instead moving on to hit 54. Chambers turned Williams upfield and kept him from chasing the play. Fine locked up 29 and wrestled him around the secondary. Stupar had a beautiful cut on 94 to open the run lane.

Pass 7: INC against a 5 man blitz
Bell handed 94 to Levitre to pick up a blitzing Cushing. Unfortunately, Levitre was helping Hangartner with 91 and never even looked at 94. 94 decked Fitzpatrick while he was throwing, leading to the INC. Wood stuffed 95 and Chambers stopped Williams at the corner. This was not a display of effective communication. Levitre should have kept his head moving.

Run 9: Jackson 3 yards through the A gap
Bell and Levitre doubled 91. Hangartner and Wood took 95 three yards off the line. Wood then picked up Cushing and battled him in the second level. Chembers got inside 94 and kept him on the edge of the LOS. Stupar hit 59 in the hole, kind of like an effective fullback. (I wish Buffalo had one of those.) Fine stuffed Williams on the edge of the LOS.

Pass 8: Reed 15 yards against a 6 man blitz
Bell stuffed 98. Levitre, Hangartner and Wood easily handled a pair of defensive linemen. Chambers effortlessly beat Williams to the corner. Fine stopped 59 and Jackson picked up a delayed blitz by Cushing.

Run 10: Jackson 4 yards through the left C gap in Wildcat formation
Bell went to the second level and hit Cushing but didn't sustain his block. Levitre kept under 95's left shoulder to slow him down. Hangartner went to the second level and didn't hit anyone, never mind that 59 was right in front of him. Wood got a three-yard drive on 92. Chambers tapped 54 but didn't sustain his block. Fine blocked 93 at the edge of the LOS and slowed him down enough to open the run lane.

Run 11: Jackson 1 yard through the left C gap in Wildcat formation
Bell drove 95 inside to set the edge. Levitre helped with 95 but then wasn't fast enough to catch anyone in the second level. Hangartner worked 92 down the line to the right. Wood turned 54 away from the play in the second level. Chambers kept Williams on the edge of the LOS. Fine didn't really block 93 on the edge of the LOS and then also didn't really block a LB in the second level.

Pass 9: Sack -2 yards against a 6 man blitz
Bell fought Williams to the corner. When Fitzpatrick stepped up in the pocket, Williams shed the block and got in on the tackle. Levitre stopped 94, but 94 was in on the tackle when Fitzpatrick tried to scramble. Hangartner let 59 shoot right past him and then curiously set up to pick up any blitzer. Wood did an okay job on 91. 98 went to the corner and easily beat Chambers back to the inside with a spin move. Jackson did a pretty good job picking up 59, all things considered, though 59 did cause Fitzpatrick to pull the ball down and try to scramble.

Blitzes: 3
Stacked box: 0
Drive Killer: Hangartner's non-block on 59 on third and 5

Drive 6
Pass 10: Lynch -2 yard screen
Bell let 98 push him upfield then jumped outside to seal him away from the screen. Levitre semi-shielded 91 but didn't keep him from disrupting the play. Hangartner ran outside and pushed Cushing past the play. Wood couldn't get inside or under 91, even with Levitre slowing him down. Chambers got inside Williams and kept him sealed away from the play.

Run 12: Lynch 5 yards through the left C gap
Bell went to the second level and tried to keep Cushing away from the run lane. Levitre turned 94 and drove him three yards down the line. Hangartner chucked 91 and hit Cushing in the second level as well. Wood got inside of 91 and kept him away from the play. Chambers stopped 98 on the edge of the LOS. Fine crossed the formation to hit Williams, who still got in on the tackle.

Pass 11: Reed 9 yards
Bell stopped Williams. Levitre helped Hangartner with 94 and then, by staying aware of what was going on around him, helped Bell with Williams. Wood took 91 on an arc away from the QB and stuck with him after 91 tried to throw him off. Chambers kept 98 down after he slipped while trying to turn the corner.

Run 13: Lynch 14 yards through the A gap
Bell went to the second level and hit Cushing, turned him around, and then put him down. Levitre dropped back and blocked Williams like he was in pass protection. He then went to the second level but couldn't find anyone to hit. Hangartner turned 94 to the left to set one wall of the run lane, while Wood turned 91 to the right to set the other wall. Chambers had no one to block and wandered into the second level. Fine pushed 98 upfield and around the corner. The hole was so big that Lynch had plenty of room to juke 59. The hole was so enormous because the Bills caught the Texans in a blitz.

Pass 12: INC tipped pass against a 6 man blitz
Bell stuffed 98. Levitre was crushed by 94, who barely broke stride. Hangartner picked up a blitzing 59 and turned him out to open the throwing lane. Wood picked up 91, but let him get a hand up to tip the pass. Chambers neutralized Williams. Jackson stopped Cushing.

Pass 13: Evans 5 yards
Bell and Levitre doubled 94. Hangartner stopped 91. Wood had no one to block and kept looking from 91 to 90 to pitch in if he was needed. Chambers pushed Williams well past the corner.

Pass 14: INC to Owens in end zone against a 6 man blitz
This certainly appeared to be a called run play to the right, and everyone blocked like it was. Had Fitzpatrick handed the ball off to Lynch, it looked like he had a clear path to the pylon for a TD. Instead, Fitzpatrick threw the ball on a sight read. Unfortunately, he threw the ball two beats too late. If he'd thrown it on time, Owens would have had a TD pass in his (stone) hands.

Blitzes: 1
Stacked box: 0
Drive Killer: Fitzpatrick's poorly timed throw to Owens

Drive 7
Run 14: Lynch 3 yards through the left B gap against an 8 man front
Bell turned 93 out, but he slid back inside to chase the play and get in on the tackle. Levitre drove 91 three yards to open the hole. Hangartner chipped 91 and went to the second level where he tapped 54. 95 went down the line with Wood and was in on the tackle. Wood just couldn't cut him off. Chambers hit 31 at the second level. Fine hit Cushing and kept himout of the play. Stupar crossed the formation to hit Williams.

Pass 15: INC long pass to Owens
Bell did a good job not letting Williams get upfield. Hangartner and Levitre doubled 93. Wood did a good job taking 91 past Fitzpatrick and Jackson helped Chambers with 94.

Pass 16: Lynch 5 yards
Bell beat Williams to the corner and reacted well to his attempt to move back to the inside. Levitre and Hangartner doubled 94. When 91 twisted, Levitre picked him up. Wood helped Hangartner with 94 when 91 twisted away from him. Jackson chipped 98 on the way out to the flat for Chambers. Lynch didn't run his pattern past the sticks. He was tackled immediately and two yards short of the first down.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 1
Drive Killer: Lynch's decision not to run his pattern to the sticks

Drive 8
Run 15: Lynch 4 yards through the left B gap
Bell fell on 29, who was just trying to absorb a blocker. Levitre pulled and cut Cushing in space. Hangartner pulled and inadvertently shielded 91 from the play. Wood hit 95 but lost him in the wash, while Chambers had no one to block. Stupar missed a cut on Cushing and Fine jumped inside of 94 to keep him from chasing the play.

Pass 17: Scramble 3 yards against a 5 man blitz - Lynch called for holding
Bell handled Williams. Levitre danced with 54 who never sold out on the blitz - possibly waiting to cover Lynch if he left the backfield. Hangartner and Wood doubled 95, but Wood kept his head turned towards 91 in case Chambers needed help. Chambers didn't need the help. The holding call was pure BS. 59 blitzed and plowed into Lynch. His momentum caused both players to go down in a heap.

Pass 18: Owens 10 yards
Lynch was assigned to help Chambers, but it really wasn't needed. Levitre gave ground to a bull rush by 95, but 95 lost his balance and fell forward. Hangartner was ready to help with 91 or pick up a blitzer. Wood took 91 upfield and Chambers stuffed 94.

Pass 19: INC Lynch drop against a 6 man blitz
Bell almost put Williams down. Levitre pushed 94 inside and got out for the screen. He then pushed 54 past Lynch. Hangartner was ready to block downfield. Wood let 91 go upfield but stuck with him in order to block him if he chased the play. 98 wound up tripping, so Chambers kept him down. It was the perfect play call, and if Lynch hadn't dropped it, he had all kinds of room in front of him. There were only 5 defenders downfield and Lynch had a couple of linemen in front of him.

Blitzes: 2
Stacked box: 0
Drive Killer: Lynch's drop

Drive 9
Run 16: Jackson 4 yards through the right C gap
Bell locked up 94 on the end of the LOS. Levitre tried to turn 91 away from the play. He didn't succeed, but he kept under his pads and slowed him down considerably. Hangartner pushed 91 and wasn't fast enough to catch the linebackerss. Wood pushed 92 to the inside and away from the play. Chambers missed a block on 54 in the second level. Fine didn't get much of a block on Cushing. Stupar crossed the formation and cut Williams.

Run 17: Jackson 4 yards through the left C gap
Bell sealed 94 inside with Levitre's help. 91 shot inside of Hangartner and should have had a TFL. Wood hit 54 in the second level. 54 threw off his block, but Wood circled back and nailed 54 again. Chambers hit 92 but couldn't stay with him due to the wash. Stupar kept after Cushing and kept him out of the play. Fine hit 59 and stopped him in his tracks.

Run 18: Jackson no gain through the right C gap
Bell tried to cut 54 in the second level and wasn't fast enough. He did slow him down. Levitre cut 94 immediately. Hangartner went to the second level and rode 59 down. Wood got wiped out while blocking 91 by the Hangartner/59 pileup. 91 went down as well, but got up to get in on the tackle. Chambers pulled to lead the play and pushed Cushing out of the way. Fine was chopped down in the wash. Stupar killed the play by being driven 4 yards upfield by 98. That sent Jackson way too deep to get back to the line, and let the secondary react and make the tackle for no gain.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive Killer: Stupar

Drive 10
Run 19: Lynch 5 yards through the left C gap
Bell and Levitre pushed 91 three yards to the right and into the wash. Hangartner held his ground against 98. Wood chipped 98 and went to the second level, but had no one to block. Chambers kept Williams on the edge of the line. Perhaps he was just frustrated, but Williams didn't really seem particularly motivated on the play.

Pass 20: INT
94 got past his block, fell, got up and hit Fitzpatrick below the knees. Levitre tried to help with 94, but was shielded from him by Bell. Hangartner kept 91 on an arc away from Fitzpatrick. Wood and Chambers doubled 98, while Wood stayed alert for any blitzers. Jackson and Lynch picked up a stunting 98. T.O. broke off his pattern, so there was no one deep except Texans. However, the drive was actually killed by the refs. There's no excuse in the world for the refs not throwing a roughing the passer flag on the Texans. It was the exact same hit that put Brady out for the year in 2008 and is supposed to be a point of emphasis with officials. Funny how that doesn't seem to apply to Buffalo's quarterbacks.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive Killer: ref's non-call of a blatant roughing the passer penalty

Drive 11
Pass 21: Owens 14 yards
Bell pushed 98 past the corner. Levitre stuffed 94. Hangartner and Wood doubled 91, while Hangartner kept looking for blitzers. Chambers beat Williams to the corner.

Pass 22: Owens 8 yards
Bell pushed 98 to the inside to Levitre and picked up a twisting 94 from him. Hangartner and Wood doubled 91. Chambers stuffed 90 at the corner.

Pass 23: Lynch 3 yards
Bell stopped Williams. Williams worked back to the inside and Bell wouldn't have been in position to stop him if the QB had held the ball. Levitre pushed 91 upfield and away from Fitzpatrick. Hangartner had no one to block. Neither did Wood, so he helped Chambers with 94.

Pass 24: Owens 4 yards
Bell and Levitre pushed Williams past the corner. Hangartner had no one to block. Wood handed 91 to Chambers in order to pick up a twisting 94.

Pass 25: Evans 24 yards
Bell and Levitre doubled 94 while Hangartner and Wood tag teamed 91. Chambers took Williams all the way around the corner.

Pass 26: INT off tipped pass
Bell hit 56 and pushed him downfield, where he was in perfect position to tip the pass and make the INT. Levitre had no one to block. Hangartner was driven back to Fitzpatrick by 93's bull rush. Wood picked up a stunting 95 and Chambers easily handled Williams. Fitzpatrick didn't keep track of Cushing and threw the ball without realizing he was in the throwing lane.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive Killer: Fitzpatrick's INT

On the third drive of the second half, the crowd really hated the third consecutive running played that was called (Run 18), but I didn't. Buffalo was trying to impose its will on Houston, and the previous 9 non-Wildcat runs had gained at least 3 yards. Buffalo was running the ball reasonably well, and a run on third and 2 against a 7 man front was a high percentage play. It just so happened that Stupar didn't do his job. The only way you can pin that one on Dick Jauron or Alex Van Pelt) would be to blame them for not doing a better job of coaching Stupar during the week... but even that rings hollow as Stupar, by and large, had a pretty good day blocking on run plays.

You can blame Jauron for the fake punt following the Stupar debacle. After all, the Bills were only down by 7. However, the Bills' offense had done nothing (again), and it seemed pretty clear that the defense had been worn down to a nub (again). In this case, blaming Jauron for his preparation during the week seems more reasonable. After all, it's not like the offensive woes are a new phenomenon.

Is anyone else wondering if Buffalo - in ‘win now' mode during the off season - erred by picking Aaron Maybin instead of a guy like Cushing? Cushing looked terrific and super fast. Yeah, I know. If Buffalo had picked him he'd be on IR due to the defensive injury curse that seems to hang over the Bills. Still, the guy has been productive, while Maybin has yet to contribute.

People might point to Buffalo's low rushing output, but consider that Buffalo averaged 5.4 yards per attempt against the Texans. Throw out Owens' reverse, and it's still a respectable 4.1-yard average. 30 runs would have put the Bills on pace for about 150 yards. Unfortunately, the miscues (bad passes, drops, missed blocks) meant that the Bills didn't have those extra 10 downs. I was both surprised and disappointed to see Buffalo essentially abandon running between the tackles for the game. Yes, the way to attack a 4-3 is on the edge, but that doesn't make it alright to abdicate the middle.

Left C	Left B	A	Right B	Right C
9-64	3-11	2-17	0-0	5-10
7.1	3.7	8.5	0.0	2.0

After a disastrous outing in Miami, Chambers bounced back to have a very average game. He did a good job containing Williams (as did Bell), sometimes with assistance and sometimes on his own. This was the Chambers of previous years, the one who was good enough to fill in for starters. Let's hope he's back to stay instead of just visiting, since it seems likely that Buffalo will be calling on him again soon.

Don't get too excited about the high run grade for Levitre or the low run grade for Hangartner. In each case, the small number of run plays magnifies the good/bad plays. Levitre had 4 good run plays against no bad ones, while Hangartner had 3 bad run plays against zero good ones. When I do the mid-season grades write up, you'll see that Levitre isn't that good and Hangartner isn't that bad when viewed over time. (Also, Meredith had only 3 run plays and 3 pass plays and had 1 bad play in each category.)

Player	Run Grade	Pass Grade
Demetrius Bell	75.0	73.5
Andy Levitre	79.2	72.7
Geoff Hangartner	71.8	74.2
Eric Wood	76.1	72.7
Kirk Chambers	75.0	74.1
Jamon Meredith	68.3	68.3

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/4

2009-11-04T11:41:46Z

In-season coaching change is nothing but a knee-jerk reaction | NFL.com
It appears Jim Zorn and Dick Jauron will keep their jobs. Some fans might not like that, but it's not as if an interim coach is going to make a long-term difference.

Pro-football-reference.com blog " The Best 2-Game Stretches of the Decade (2000-08)
Buffalo has two of the top eleven: The first two games of the 2003 season and the 12th and 14th games of the 2006 season. The Bills have three more on the best list and only three on the bottom list. Go to PFR to check out those gamelogs if you would like.

The Bills’ Midseason Five Least Valuable Players : Buffalo Sports Daily
Aaron Maybin, Demetrius Bell, Marshawn Lynch, Terrell Owens and Trent Edwards make the dubious list.

McGee's injury
Terrence McGee undergoes knee surgery | ProFootballTalk.com
On Tuesday, Terrence McGee underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

Hoping McGee’s ready for Titans – Inside The Bills
"Without McGee, Buffalo would presumably start Reggie Corner and Drayton Florence outside, and then when they go to a nickel package, Corner would move into the slot with Ashton Youboty outside."

BillBoard: McGee has minor surgery
"It mostly was affecting me during the week," McGee said. "After the game you wake up the next day and you really feel it then. So during the week coaches have been giving me time to recover so I’d be able to play on Sunday. During the game on Sunday the majority of the time it would be all right."

Byrd's injury
Byrd now in holding pattern | BuffaloBills.com
When asked if he could miss any games as a result of the nagging condition or the groin injury Byrd is hopeful that he won’t. "I wouldn’t go that far," he said. "Next week we’ll know more."

Byrd still soaring | BuffaloBills.com
Jairus Byrd continues to pick off passes.

Other injuries
Lots of players watching – Inside The Bills
Between injured players and vets there are 16 players either absent or watching practice. Full list here

Scott gets reps at LB – Inside The Bills
Bryan Scott was getting reps at outside linebacker in practice Tuesday as an emergency option. Why not? Jairus Byrd isn't sitting down anytime soon.

Bills notebook: McGee has minor knee surgery : The Buffalo News
"I felt good. I did a little bit more [Tuesday] in practice," Trent Edwards said. "I feel I'm getting better each day, getting stronger."

News Bits
Video: Countdown Daily Huddle - AFC East - ESPN
John Clayton tells you the latest news from each team inside the AFC East.

SI poll: Joey Porter NFL's second-dirtiest player - AFC East - ESPN
The Buffalo Bills, with a league-leading 59 penalties, didn't have any players among the top 20. Hines Ward was first.

Week 9 power rankings: AFC East (sorry, Dolfans) - AFC East - ESPN
After another loss the Bills stayed exactly where they were - 22. They have never been higher than 21 nor lower than 25 this year.

How I See It: AFC East Stock Watch - AFC East - ESPN
Stock Falling: Bills quarterback situation

Who's more lovable: Jauron, Mangini, Cable? - AFC East - ESPN
Eric Mangini has surpassed Dick Jauron as the lowest approval rating. Tom Cable is still doing better than Jauron, though.

Niagara Gazette - BILLS: Byrd soars into rair
It’s gotten to a point where Jairus Byrd even amazes us during the bye week.

Around the AFC East | The Sports Network
Buffalo is now 29th in NFL total offense (264.8 yards per game), 28th in passing (154.8 yards per game) and 26th in scoring (15.4 points per game).

NFL Power Rankings, Week 9: There Will Be Blood -- NFL FanHouse
The Bills fall from 22 to 23 after the loss to the Texans who surged to number 11.

Semi-pro player tackles own teammate on a punt return - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The reaction of the guy is friggin priceless. I had to share.

Don't miss 'Buffalo Bills Now!' tonight at 9:05 PM

2009-11-04T00:01:18Z

For those of you hanging around your computer this fine Tuesday evening and hankering for even more Buffalo Bills talk, I'll be joining "Coach" Sal Capaccio on "Buffalo Bills Now!" tonight at 9:05 PM. Buffalo Bills Now! is a live Internet talk show devoted to Bills talk for the serious Bills fan. Opinionated, informative, and, obviously most importantly of all, entertaining! (Well, Sal is, at least.) Sal and I will chat with you via a live chat box, and Sal takes your calls, as well.

See it on the webcam and listen to it here. You can also view previous shows at this link. For those of you who don't know Sal, be sure to check out his work at both SalSports.com and Buffalo Sports Daily. Hope you can join! The live stream is after the jump.

Live Broadcast by Ustream.TV

Bills CB McGee, S Byrd undergo bye week procedures

2009-11-03T19:30:38Z

by David Duprey - AP

View full size photo »

The 3-5 Buffalo Bills are on their bye week, and as is common during an NFL team's bye week, the banged up Bills are attempting to get healthy. For two key Bills defenders, that meant undergoing medical procedures.

ESPN.com is reporting via the AP that starting cornerback Terrence McGee had his knee scoped on Monday, and is expected to miss roughly two weeks of action. McGee hurt his knee in a Week 4 loss to Miami, but despite being forced to miss some practice time due to the injury, McGee still made four straight starts after the injury. There is a chance McGee might not be ready for the Bills' next game, a November 15 road date with the Tennessee Titans.

Meanwhile, rookie phenom safety Jairus Byrd continues to deal with a nagging groin injury that started prior to training camp in July. According to a BuffaloBills.com report, Byrd admitted today that the groin issue that's been bothering him for the last few weeks was, indeed, related to the sports hernia injury that caused him to miss two weeks of training camp in July. He met with a specialist in Philadelphia in relation to the injury yesterday, and mentioned that he underwent a procedure on the injury. Byrd, too, is expected to be ready for the Titans game. Byrd has seven interceptions in four starts this season and is a strong early candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Other brief injury news: Trent Edwards is expected to start in Tennessee... Aaron Schobel, according to the same AP article linked above, is expected to be ready for the Titans... Corey McIntyre, Jonathan Scott, Jamon Meredith, Kyle Williams, Keith Ellison and Donte Whitner are all considered day-to-day or, in most cases, week-to-week... Bryan Scott has returned to the practice field and saw reps at linebacker on Tuesday, according to BuffaloBills.com.

Jairus Byrd up for Rookie of the Week

2009-11-03T18:20:24Z

This is Buffalo Bills free safety Jairus Byrd's third week as a nominee for NFL Rookie of the Week. Go to this link to vote for him and give us something positive in this otherwise lame, post-loss bye week. Here's his write up:

Byrd recorded five tackles and two interceptions in the Bills' 31-10 loss to the Houston Texans. Byrd is the first rookie and second player since 1960 to have three consecutive multi-pick games and now leads the NFL with seven interceptions.

He's up against Brian Cushing, Percy Harvin, Lardarius Webb, and Sherrod Martin. Vote now, Bills fans!