Most people don't like to rush to equate young NFL players with Hall of Famers of legendary status. Obviously, earning the rank of "legend of the game" takes many years of consistent production, and can not be applied to any player in his first or second year in the league. I would not presume to equate any such novice with any aforementioned Legend.

But I am shocked by the similar starts to their careers.

As I said, Joe Montana is a legend. I can't say it enough. Every time I say his name it is like the pure definition of the word quarterback. They are synonymous. When I first began watching football games some 20 years ago, I quickly learned that Joe Montana was the king of his craft. With him under center, the 49ers were never out of the game, and were usually going to win the game. Precision passing, a great knowledge and understanding of the game, quick decision making, and cool, calm and collected demeanor. That was Joe Montana.

And it sounds a lot like how we describe Trent Edwards. Let's take a look at just how similar they are.

Bill Walsh
The first thing that comes to mind is Montana's former coach, the late Bill Walsh, has often been cited as commending Marv Levy and crew following their selection of the QB in the third round of the 2007 draft. Walsh knew that Edwards was something special, and he called up Levy to tell him so. The Bills had Edwards rated very high in the draft and were thrilled when they picked him up in the third round. Hearing Walsh's endorsement of him as "the real deal" (or something to that effect) only further confirmed their selection.

Passing Style
I mentioned some of this above, but it bears repeating. As I have watched Trent this season, I've heard comparisons to a young Tom Brady. Brady was an unknown mid-late round draft pick who has obviously excelled. But I never quite bought that. Brady has a very different style. He has a slightly stronger arm and excels at the deep ball. Edwards can throw the deep ball, but that is not his strength.

It finally hit me a couple weeks ago. The closest match is Joe Montana. Montana was a very poised, confident, cool and collected leader on the field. His team was never out of it, and they believed he could bring them back. We see that already from Trent and his teammates. Montana didn't have the great physical talents of Elway (rocket arm), Marino (lightning-quick release), or Kelly (toughness, grit, and strong arm) of his day, but he always made the perfect throw to the perfect guy.

Accuracy
On top of his decision making, Edwards has been right on the money with his passes. He throws a perfect pass to the perfect place for his perfect receiver. He completed 80% of his passes in one of the games this year, and for the season is completing 65.5% of his passes. Montana was also an incredibly accurate passer. He was consistently between 65 and 70% for much of his career. A lot of this is attributed to being able to read the defense quickly and correctly, but of course also a testament to the skill of the passer, throwing an accurate ball.

The Draft
Trent Edwards was projected by some as a late first-round choice. The Bills were shocked that he was still on the board when they were making their third-round selection in the 2007 draft. They had to take him, even though they weren't planning to take a QB till the later rounds. Edwards was drafted in the third round of the 2007 draft at number 92 overall. Not too surprisingly, the Legend, Joe Montana was drafted by the 49ers in the third round of the 1979 draft, pick #82 overall.

Comeback Kings
This is perhaps the greatest similarity - and what alerted me to how much Edwards is looking like Montana. Joe Montana is known for connecting with Jerry Rice - a lot - and for winning Super Bowls, and for the things I mentioned above. But perhaps above all, he is known for engineering fourth quarter comebacks. And really, what better stat is there? Elway was great at this. And Montana was a master. He engineered 31 come from behind victories in his 16 year career, 26 of them as a 49er.

Trent Edwards has only started 13 games. Less than one full season. Thanks to trailing by one point at the start of the fourth quarter in yesterday's game against the Rams, Edwards is credited with another fourth quarter comeback in his fledgling career. Actually, that makes five. FIVE. Not only is Edwards a fairly impressive 9-4 as a starter, he also has five 4th quarter comebacks under his belt. Well on his way to 31? Perhaps...

First Year as a Starter
This is where I am getting into speculation a bit, but bear with me.

Joe Montana played a few games in 1979 and 1980. In fact, his first 4th quarter come from behind win was in December of 1980, subbing for the starter, Steve DeBerg. His play that season solidified him as the starter for the coming season. San Francisco had been 2-14 in '79, and then 6-10 in '80 - definitely not impressive. But 1981 was coach Bill Walsh's third season. He had been building the team in his image (much like Dick Jauron - currently in his third season - has done with the Bills) and they were poised to succeed under their new field commander.

Montana led the 49ers to an impressive 13-3 record that season. But it didn't stop there. That team, which Montana was officially commanding for the first time, hosted the NFC Championship game against Dallas. Dallas had a lead with under five minutes to go in the game. Montana got the ball at the 1 yard line and engineered an 89-yard drive that culminated with "The Catch."

A come-from-behind victory, taking his team to the Super Bowl. In his first season as the starter, in his coach's third season with the team. They even went on to win the Super Bowl that season. Montana had pretty average numbers, but as always, got the job done, and got the W.

Edwards' team is off to a 4-0 start, with three fourth quarter comebacks engineered by the poised, cool and collected, confident, unflappable quarterback. Could we possibly be seeing history repeating itself?

Bills fans certainly hope so!

Montana not only took his team to the Super Bowl - and won - his first year as the starter, but that really ushered in an era of dominance by Montana and the 49ers. They won four Super Bowls during his time there, and were a perennial force in the NFC.

Conclusion
It's obviously too early to call Edwards a legend. Or even a legend-in-the-making. But you have to admit... he bears a striking resemblance to The Legend. The Legend's coach saw something in this kid, too.

If Edwards is even close, Bills fans can look forward to great football for many years to come.

Labels: Hall of Fame, NFL, Players

4-0. Didn't see that coming two months ago.


1. Resilient. I used that word last week, and it's easily the best word to describe this team and how it plays. They just don't give up. They're not the best team in the league; they can't dominate teams like the Cowboys. But they'll stay in every play, and they'll stay in the game. Teams have to be good for sixty minutes to beat the Bills, and no one has done that yet. The Rams came out charged up, ready to save their coach's job and save their season. They couldn't do it against the Bills for 60 minutes.

2. Last week's slow start didn't bother me. This week's did. The first half the Bills looked very much like a team we saw a lot of last year - the 2007 Bills. Ineffective offense, bend, don't break defense that was breaking just enough to let the other team get the lead. It was pretty disturbing to watch. Can't keep winning playing like that.

And still, this team is doing what I hoped they would. Many fans were moaning about 2007, 30th in offense and 30th in defense. But I saw it differently. The Bills had a pretty good defense last year. Around the middle of the league in points allowed, the defense was losing games mostly because the offense couldn't stay on the field or score. After the season, I said the offense needed to improve to just an average NFL offense, and with that help the defense would be fine. So where are the Bills after four games? The offense is an average offense, in total yards and points, and the defense is top ten in both categories. Poz and Simpson came back, and Stroud, Mitchell and Johnson showed up, all big differences this year. But the most important thing is that the offense is now an average NFL offense. It puts together drives and finishes them. That play allows the defense to rest, and it also inspires the defense to put up those late-game three-and-outs that strangle the opponent and give the ball back to the offense.

3. Offensive line? Hello? Are you guys there? Do you have something against Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch? Are you trying to toughen them up? Let me clue you in: They're plenty tough enough. They don't need to get pounded like that, week after week. This team can be good, but those guys in the backfield need your help. I guess the second half was better; Trent wasn't constantly picking himself off the carpet. But please, let's protect the passer a bit, and maybe give Marshawn a chance to get past the first wave of tacklers. That was painful to watch; I can only imagine how it felt for our young stars.

4. The defense seems to be giving up more yards each week, but still, the defense is winning football games for the Bills. Once again in the second half, they shut down the opposition, and this time they got the go-ahead score themselves. They made it tough for the Rams to pass in the second half, and they made it tough to run, too. Only 157 yards in the second half, no scores. The depth on defense is proving valuable, too. They survived with McGee going to the bench, they played well when Stroud was out, and Denney was a presence today. A good defensive showing. We could get used to this.

5. Steven Jackson is one heckuva ball carrier. I wanted to stop the game and give a trophy to someone every time we stopped him for no gain. Speed, power, shiftiness. Big-time weapon, worth every dollar he got for his holdout. The Bills stopped him enough to win the game, but it wasn't easy. I'm glad the guy isn't playing in our division.

6. Hardy showed he isn't ready. He isn't NFL-tough yet. He has to catch at least one of those balls. He has to want the ball and go get it. He seems to be waiting for the ball to come to him; he hasn't gotten used to the fact that almost every time the ball is thrown to him in teh NFL, there'll be contact before it arrives. He'll get better, but he isn't ready yet.

7. I'm not sure Leodis is ready, either. He wasn't close to his man on many completions - in the vicinity, but not close like Terence is. And he (and Whitner) got themselves out of position on Jackson's touchdown run. The hit and fumble recovery showed that Leodis can make plays. He is a talent, and with Terence going down, it was good to have him there to step in. His education will accelerate if Terence is misses some time.

8. We've seen Trent-to-Lee up the left sideline several times now this season. It's time that teams understand that all Lee needs is a half step - Trent is going to put the ball where it needs to be, and Lee is going to catch it. If you single cover him out there, the Bills are going to take 30-40 yards or more.

9. This was one of those games we knew we were going to get from Trent - one of those games where he looked like a second-year quarterback. Most disturbing part was how often he threw into double coverage, and not just on the interception. He lost some of the discipline that has made him so effective up to now. He got his foot caught under Fowler's foot. He ran into Marshawn on a handoff. He held on to the ball too long in the face of a tough blitz. All the things young (and struggling) QBs do in this league. It wasn't the kind of performance a winning team needs. But he ended with decent numbers - passer rating of 81.6 and a W. He doesn't panic - he stays with his game, he hangs in, and he makes plays. This was his first ugly game this season, and it won't be the last, but if that's as ugly as it gets, the Bills have themselves a quarterback.

10. I like Poz. He seems to be around the ball all the time. He's a sure tackler. He isn't a star yet, maybe never will be. But he's good now, and he's going to get better with experience. He seems to be getting better from week to week. It's so nice to have a guy in the middle making plays again.


Two more takeaways for the Ball Burglar this week, and one for a score counts double. The Ball Burglar is on his way to another big season. Right now he's paying more than $290 for every takeaway, every nickel from Bills fans around the country. Add your dollar to the Burglar's bounty today at www.Ballburglar.com.

So the big question for the coming week is this: Are the Jets that good, or are the Cardinals that bad? You didn't have to be a Hall of Fame quarterback to find those open receivers. The Cards will be desperate for a win. Another tough road game for the resilient Bills.

I make weekly picks with the guys from Sports Talk Underground (site is currently down for some reason) and am currently in the middle of the pack, four games out of the lead. It's fun to compete against other NFL fans, and actually does make the other (non-Bills) games a tad more interesting. At least, I am a bit more interested in the outcome of those.

Since I am doing that already, and making picks using the Pro Football Picks app at Facebook, I thought it would be fun to give a rundown of my weekly picks here, as well as a brief thought or two on each game, and why I picked who I picked.

Since it's already 12:30 EST, I am just going to give my picks here below. Expect a more in-depth analysis next week. For now, here's how I think Week 4 will go...

(my pick is bold)
Denver at Kansas City
Houston at Jacksonville
Cleveland at Cincinnati
Green Bay at Tampa Bay
Minnesota at Tennessee
San Francisco at New Orleans
Arizona at NY Jets
Atlanta at Carolina
Buffalo at St. Louis
San Diego at Oakland
Washington at Dallas
Philadelphia at Chicago
Baltimore at Pittsburgh

A few interesting games on the list there this week. I'll be curious to see what happens in two very defensive games. Baltimore's defense is doing great, but their offense is horrid. Pittsburgh got killed by Philly's defense last week, but they should be able to beat a one-sided Baltimore team at home. Tennessee and Minnesota have to very, very solid defenses. The final score of this game could be 10-7! Should be a tough game for both.

Someone will have a victory (unless they tie!) in the state of Ohio after two 0-3 teams meet in Cincy. Washington at Dallas may be a tougher game than most think, being a division game, could be a hard-fought game.

And finally, will the Bills be able to blow out a team on the road?? Let's hope so!

Go Bills!

Labels: Games, Greg's Weekly Picks, NFL

The boys and I had fun doing a little "simulation" on our old Tecmo Superbowl game (updated with "current" players) just to see what might happen in today's game. I think that looks pretty accurate... :-)

Terrence McGee had 3 INTs in the game, Marcus Stroud had 3 sacks, and you can see the offensive production above. Lynch also caught quite a few passes (including a TD).

The Rams only TD was a 94 yard catch and run by Holt on the last play of the game!

I'm really hoping for a blow out today... I know the Rams will be playing hard, but... let's hope it goes something like this "simulation" above. :-)

Labels: Games

Following two straight fourth-quarter comebacks, the Buffalo Bills are alone atop the AFC East. All by themselves. That has not happened since week 13 of the 1996 NFL season. That is a long time.

We've heard the stats. The Bills are off to their fastest start since 1992. Not since that season has a Bills team started 3-0. And this week with the Bills facing the team who is arguably off to the worst start of all 32 NFL teams in 2008, most consider it a foregone conclusion that the Bills will be 4-0.

The last time the Bills started a season 4-0 was also 1992. Go back another year to find the last time a Bills team started the season with a 5-0 record. They lost their sixth game that year - the year after "Wide Right" - but went on to amass a 10-1 record, cruising to the AFC East crown and eventually, the AFC title.

But let's go back just a couple years. 1988. The Bills were coming out of relative obscurity. Back to back 2-14 seasons, followed by a 4-12 season (which saw the arrival of new - and equally obscure - head coach, Marv Levy) followed by a meager 7-8 season. They had not made the playoffs for six straight seasons, but there seemed to be reason for hope.

A very talented young team was being put together. Largely around stars like Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, and even Andre Reed (from tiny Kutztown State university) and a rookie RB from Oklahoma State, Thurman Thomas. A blockbuster trade had brought LB Cornelius Bennett to town, inspiring more hope from the Buffalo faithful. There was certainly potential...

But it had been so long since there had been a real winner in Buffalo.

All of a sudden though, the wins began coming. 1-0. 2-0. 3-0. People began wondering about this "surprising" team from Buffalo. Robb Riddick kept jumping over the pile for a goal-line TD. Butch Rolle continued to fool everyone as Kelly would fake the handoff and toss the ball to a wide open (little used) TE. (Didn't they watch the film? If Butch was on the field, he was going to get the TD!) A pretty solid offensive line, a QB who was showing he could will his team to win, a budding receiving star, and a scrappy defense - even a kicker who never missed. (32-33 FGs on the season, including an OT game winner that gave the Bills their first AFC East title in many long years.)

This team came out of nowhere to go 11-1, and grab the AFC East from their other four unsuspecting division rivals. And the rest of the NFL.

Flash forward to 2008.

This young, confident Bills team, being built around a young QB, a scrappy defense, a few solid veteran additions, a talented young RB - and even a kicker who never misses - has gotten out of the gates quickly. 1-0 after a blowout. 2-0 with a tough win on the road against a playoff contender. 3-0 following a sloppy performance, turned gutsy comeback. It looks like the sky is the limit for this young team, and it almost looks like we're 20 years in the past... ready to do it all again!

And the thing that gives me more confidence about that is watching our QB manage his offense.

If you take a look around our division - which the Bills currently lead by one game - who else would you rather have at QB in the crunch? Now that Tom Brady is gone, the starting four AFC East QBs are: Edwards, Brett Favre, Chad Pennington, and Matt Cassel. Cassel has looked quite pedestrian, Favre has seemed at best out of step, and Pennington is... Pennington.

Edwards on the other hand has been incredibly accurate, completing 67% of his passes - and much higher in the 4th quarters of all three games. In the first game, late in the third quarter, Edwards sealed the victory with a 30 yard bullet to TE Robert Royal to quickly buoy the Bills from a 10 pt lead to a 24 point lead, and victory. In game number two, Edwards rallied a very tired and heat-exhausted Bills team to a 4 point victory from 6 points down on the road against a team who never loses when leading at home heading into the 4th quarter.

And last week, Edwards looked even more determined and capable as the Bills' field general, picking apart the Raiders secondary in the 4th quarter, leading the Bills to score 17 points - even after the defense gave up a disheartening 84 yard TD catch and run by Johnnie Lee Higgins - giving the Bills the one-point victory at the final whistle.

Folks, what we have in Buffalo is a winning QB.

Cassel is not (yet) a winner. Favre has been, but is not looking like the Favre we have seen the past 16 NFL seasons. Pennington has never been a real winner. Edwards is looking like he is. And he's only started 12 NFL games! He is now 8-4 as a starter, and perhaps his last three games have been his most impressive.

When Tom Brady went down, I said it was way too early to change your AFC East predictions based solely on the loss of one player. It is a team game. BUT... after Miami's 38-13 drubbing of the Pats last week, and after two straight 4th quarter come-from-behind victories lead by Edwards, I am reconsidering. It still feels too early, but with a favorable schedule, and a QB who seems to have the confidence and the ability to rally his team to victory (and the apparent lack of that from the rest of the AFC East) I am truly beginning to believe.

I have said it many times actually. I believe this year is going to be much like that 1988 season. The Bills take most of the NFL world by surprise, and just keep winning. All the way to the AFC East title. Maybe - like 20 years ago - all the way to the AFC Championship game.

Maybe beyond.

We can't know. That is a long way away. It is a long season. But for now, it's fun to be in this Bills fan time warp. It was a pretty fun 6 years from 1988-1994. Maybe this time around, the Bills can finish it off with a big W. The biggest W this franchise has ever posted.

I don't think it will happen in 2008... but, you just never know.

Bring on the Rams, and let's keep this thing rolling!

Most statistical data was obtained from pro-football-reference.com. Some current stats also found at nfl.com.

Labels: AFC East, Bills History, Current Bills

The question that seems to come up following yesterday's exciting one-point, come-from-behind victory over the visiting Oakland Raiders seems to be, "Are the Bills for real, or did they just barely beat a really bad team?"

I can see both sides of this.

On the one hand, the Bills were heavily favored against the 1-1 Raiders. The Raiders were blown out by the Broncos in week one, but followed up with an impressive win over their even more hapless division foe, the Chiefs. Rolling up more than 300 yards rushing against any NFL team is nothing to sneeze at. However, the Bills were a fairly impressive 2-0, and figured to win big against a team in turmoil who had to travel all the way across the country to play this early game for them.

Much seemed to be against the 9-point underdog Raiders.

But, often being a clear underdog is more than sufficient motivation for an NFL team. The Raiders were confident following their win in KC, and they felt they could come into Buffalo and dictate the flow of the game with their strong defense and running game. They were pumped up by the notion that Buffalo - who has not been in the playoffs this millennium - were such heavy favorites.

They knew they could win, and they were going to.

From the start, the game couldn't have been scripted better by the Raiders. The first kick was returned 69 yards to the Buffalo 30. Next play, Bills are called for a neutral zone infraction, giving the Raiders 1st and 5 at the 25. You can't have a better start to a road game, especially against a heavy favorite.

The Raiders kept the field position advantage thanks to sloppy play by the Bills on offense and special teams. It started (but did not end) with that 69-yard return. Buffalo continued to have trouble covering punts and kicks. On offense, receivers were dropping passes (even Marshawn Lynch), players were fumbling (even Lee Evans), the offensive line was not blocking (Edwards was sacked 3 times in the first half), and committing drive-killing penalties.

In the second half the Bills improved their pass blocking, but the follies continued. Lee Evans was called for offensive pass interference (which he did not need to do to make the catch) and perhaps the most bone-headed play of the game, Roscoe Parrish fielded a punt inside his own endzone! He was tackled at the one yard line, and that led to a third-down interception of a Trent Edwards pass intended for Evans. There was some dispute (and an official review) of the call, but in the end, Oakland got the ball at the Buffalo 13, and scored their first TD of the day.

Only the defense performed admirably (even with the bad field position) only allowing Oakland ten total first downs, and holding them to 2 of 12 third down conversion attempts. The Raiders were in the red zone four times on Sunday, only scoring a TD once (when they got the ball at the 13). The Bills defense held the Raiders rushing attack to just 98 total yards, and one TD scored by QB JaMarcus Russell from the 1 yard line. Through the air, Oakland got 84 of its 149 yards on one play, which was about one-inch from being knocked down by LB Paul Posluszny.

This Team Knows How To Win

Facing a fourth quarter deficit for the second straight week, Trent Edwards (and the #5 defense in the NFL) rallied the team and looked determined to win. Despite sloppy play for the previous three quarters, Edwards and his receivers began carving up the Raiders defense. Josh Reed finished the day with 6 catches for 72 yards. Reed is now the third different leading receiver through three weeks for the Bills. And none of them are Lee Evans! Marshawn Lynch looked equally determined, running over opponents, lowering his head at the end of runs to add the exclamation point.

After the offense moved the ball down the field fairly easily to get within two points of the Raiders at 16-14, the defense figured they would continue the success they had been having against the Raiders offense. And for two plays, they did. The crowd was roaring, and the defense looked as determined as Lynch and Edwards to close out this game and post the "W".

But on third down, Russell threaded the microscopic needle, and the speedy WR Johnnie Lee Higgins split the safeties and cruised for the TD, putting the Raiders very much back in control, leading by 9 points with 6:23 to go.

Interestingly, on that play, Donte Whitner showed his own determination by taking a penalty for his team. Whitner was trailing Higgins on the play, and when Higgins slowed down to "coast" into the end zone for the last 30 yards, he took exception and tackled Higgins 5 yards deep in the end zone. Higgins was flagged for taunting, and Whitner for unsportsmanlike conduct. However, the end result of the play may have been continued (furthered?) determination by the Bills to pull out the win.

Edwards and Co. took the field once more, and again moved the ball (seemingly) with ease. Edwards was on fire, and the Bills took only 2:20 to score on a great pass to Roscoe Parrish. The quarterback was hit hard and knocked down on the play by several Raiders, but delivered the ball perfectly for the TD.

The inspired defense this time forced a three-and-out, and the Bills offense showing poise, talent, determination and confidence marched down the field - even running out the last 30 seconds of the game - to kick the winning field goal on the last play of the game.

Many question why Raiders' coach, Lane Kiffin, did not call either of his two remaining time outs in the final minute. Perhaps he was counting on Lindell missing his second FG attempt of the day? Perhaps he forgot how much time was left?

Perhaps he is trying to get fired?

For whatever reason, the end result was the Bills took complete control (except for the one play resulting in the long TD to Higgins) in the fourth quarter, and won the game.

Good Teams Win...

So far, through three weeks, the Bills have won three different ways. They beat the Seahawks by "going for the jugular" with a fake FG that started a quick 14-point surge in the third quarter of that game. They blew out a decent opponent. In week two, playing a hungry, talented Jacksonville team in their home-opener (in ridiculous heat) the Bills pulled off an impressive come-from-behind win. They won a tight game, on the road, against a good team. On Sunday, the Bills played a sloppy game against a team that was playing well, and lost in almost every category except on the score board. They won a game where they didn't play their best.

Those are the marks of a good team.

Sunday proved to me that this Bills team is indeed for real. They have the talent. They have a good scheme/game plan. They have good coaches. And most of all, they are learning how to be winners, and they have the determination and the confidence to go out and get it done.

This week against an 0-3 team which has been outscored 38-3, 41-13, and 37-13 through three weeks, the Bills will need to stay focused as they could easily think that they could cruise to a big victory. This week may have helped refine that focus. Winners don't often lose focus, and don't often lose games.

And from what I have seen so far, this team is full of winners.

Labels: Games

Three-and-oh for the first time since 1992. Please pardon the understatement, but things have changed.


1. Of course it's a cliché, but clichés become clichés because they're true. Good teams find ways to win when they aren't playing very well. For three quarters against the Raiders, the Bills simply kept making mistakes. They looked like they could win, the fans thought they could win, but as the game was slowly going down the drain, it seemed like they would lose. Then the team that fans had thought they had, or hoped they had, showed up. And the Bills found a way to win. Outstanding win for a young football team.

On the post game interviews, I heard two special comments from players. In the fourth quarter, when the defense was on the bench, Stroud was telling everyone that championship football teams win games like this. When the offense was on the bench, Edwards was telling his team that the game was not over, that everyone needed to get ready. Gotta love it.

2. Of course it's a cliché, but clichés become clichés because they're true. To win a football game, a team has to win in two of the three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams. For three quarters against the Raiders, only the Bills defense was winning. In fact, a spectacular defensive performance was being wasted. Then, the offense that fans thought they had, or hoped they had, showed up. The defense and the offense won two phases, and that was that.

3. Driving home after the game I heard some guy from Scouts, Inc. talking about quarterbacks. He was asked what he thought about Trent Edwards. He said something like "I don't think Edwards is a guy you can win with. I think he's just a manager. He isn't in a class with Cutler, etc." Huh? I mean, huh? That guy must have been watching some of the other 1:00 games and just following the score.

Trent was workmanlike for three quarters, trying to avoid the toughest pass rush he'd seen so far this season. He had balls dropped. He threw a few bad passes. He was forced to throw some away. By halftime, Trent hadn't played well, but he hadn't hurt us, and the Bills were still in the game.

In the fourth quarter, Trent was everything you could want. He was getting better protection, and he was moving well in the pocket. He kept the team organized, getting the play call and getting the team to the line of scrimmage and in to the play efficiently. One play in the fourth quarter, two players joined the huddle late, just as the huddle was breaking, and Trent got everyone back into the huddle to be sure they all were on the same page. Another time Marshawn got in late, and Trent made sure Marshawn had the play before the snap count.

What was most impressive, when you look back on it, was that on those pass completions on three scoring drives, receivers weren't making spectacular catches. Trent kept finding the open man and delivering completely catchable balls. He threw masterfully. He hit Reed repeatedly with balls Josh could do something with. He hit Roscoe perfectly, so that Roscoe could make the turn into the end zone. Hardy's drop was right where the throw needed to be.

Trent Edwards is just a manager? Ten fourth-quarter points on the road to beat Jacksonville? Seventeen fourth-quarter points at home to beat the Raiders?

The guy is still learning, but - WOW!

4. I know he's only in his second year, but Marshawn Lynch is one of the very best ball carriers in the clutch that I've ever seen. He must have had five carries yesterday (one on the shovel pass) either on third or fourth down or in the red zone when the Bills desperately needed the yardage. Marshawn got it every time. The guy will not quit until he gets what he needs. If you have a tape of the game, watch the shovel pass, the first touchdown, the second touchdown and a few of the third and short plays. The guy has unbelievable guts, heart and determination.

5. Sitting in the stadium, I saw no one who stood out on defense. And isn't that the kind of defense we want to have? Look at the stats. EVERYONE had a lot of tackles. Look at the total yards. Take away the long touchdown pass, and what did the Raiders get? Nothing. Granted, the Raiders have decided that they can't put the ball in Russell's hands all day long, so their offense is a bit one-dimensional. Whatever. The Bills' defense shut them down.

6. I liked Whitner's penalty. Yes, it could have hurt the team, but winner's need that attitude. They need pride in what they're doing, and Whitner was showing his teammates and his fans that he has that pride. He's a smart guy. It was a calculated move by a leader, calculated to show everyone what it takes. It said "I'm not afraid and I won't back down." I liked it. (May not have liked it so much if we had lost, I suppose, but we didn't. In fact, that play may have helped the Bills win.)

7. The 12th Man was pretty quiet most the game. The offense and special teams certainly weren't giving fans anything to yell about. But after the Lynch touchdown to get us to 16-14, the noise in the stadium was unbelievable. Maybe the loudest I've ever heard it. Easily as loud as the loudest noise at the Cowboys game last year. Stroud kept pumping his arms, pleading for more, and the crowd responded. Then the Raiders got the long TD, but no one thought it was over. As the defense returned, down 23-21, the noise came back. It was deafening. Russell had to be wondering what was going on. Magnificent.

8. The special teams got outplayed. The kickoff return to open the game, the missed field goal, and the punt run out of the end zone put the Bills in a hole each time. Their punter kept giving Roscoe deep, unreturnable balls.

*** Just like the special teams, the Ball Burglar barely showed up at the stadium yesterday. Not for lack of trying. Several times I saw defenders trying to strip balls, but it didn't work. ***

*** Four takeaways on the season so far. People keep signing up. The Burglar is paying over $270 for every takeaway the Bills get; but if you want more takeaways, he'll need to pay a lot more than that. Throw your buck or two into the kitty today. Go to www.Ballburglar.com, click on "Join" and sign up today. It'll only take a couple of minutes, and you'll be glad you did. ***

*** And watch these pages for an exciting announcement about the Burglar in the coming days. The Ball Burglar is on the move. ***

9. I haven't seen an injury report, but I understand Langston Walker left the game at some point. I don't know if he returned. I also didn't see Darian Barnes in at fullback in the fourth quarter. That may have been because the Bills wanted Schouman, the better receiving threat, on the field when they lined up with a fullback. It would be a shame if Barnes were injured, because the guy made some spectacular runs. What a gamer.

10. The half-time was moving - unveiling Bruce's name on the wall. Bruce spoke really nicely, from the heart. You could see in his face and hear in his voice how much his experience with the Bills fans meant to him. He was great. As I was leaving the stadium, filled with pride for my team and what they had just accomplished, I looked back and could see the Jumbotron. They were showing, for a few seconds each, short clips from the game, and it made me feel good. Then they froze a picture of Bruce on the screen, in his prime on the sidelines, in his blue (what we now call throwback) jersey, helmet off, big Bruce Smith smile, pointing his figure toward the camera, as if he were saying "Now, THAT'S what I'm talking about!" It was the perfect end to the afternoon.


There are no easy games in the NFL, expecially on the road. Enjoy the win, Bills, and then get ready for another battle this Sunday.

BuffaloBills.com posted this video today. It's Marshawn Lynch talking with the media. And it's kinda sad. Lynch is not his jovial self. You can see he is very guarded. And just not the happy guy he usually is. At least in front of this camera, these mics. Hopefully it's just that.

If it's not, I miss the old Marshawn. Hope he comes back.

Labels: Players, Videos

It’s only two games. It’s only two games. I keep telling myself, it’s only two games. It’s a long season. There are a lot of good teams. It’s only two games.

Two wins in two weeks against two playoff teams. What else can you ask for? Yes, it was the banged-up Seahawks from a weak division and it was the banged-up Jaguars. Still, it’s two wins in two weeks against two playoff teams.

Friends, we have a football team. We’ve waited for years for the right pieces and for the pieces to come together. It’s happening.

1. The Bills look like winners. This was an easy game to quit on, to throw in the towel and fly back home one-and-one, but winners don’t do that. After controlling the first half, the Bills gave up the TD on a long drive to open the second half, and then had the two plays the likes of which broke the Bills backs in year’s past. The recovered onside kick and the Edwards fumble. What happened? Two field goals. A touchdown might have put the game away, but the Bills defense said "NO." Then the offense had the resiliency, the heart and the players to get the TD to go ahead.

It was simply a quality win on the road, the kind of games winners win.

2. And then, after the go-ahead TD and after the defense completely shut the door on the Jags, it was Roscoe’s turn to do his thing. Sooner or later teams will simply stop kicking to him, and that will be too bad, because it sure is fun when they do! This one clearly goes to the special teams, because Roscoe had a lot of open space to operate in. What I liked best was seeing Whitner in the middle of the field, about to make a block when he realized Roscoe had already passed him!

3. You believe in Youboty? You better. Seems like he’s always in position on the pass. He’s become an effective pass rusher (I think he missed Garrard once). The play I like the best was on third down, and his man in the slot went into the flat behind the wide-out. Ashton swung around Jabari and got there to make the tackle short of the first down. It was great recognition, great closing speed, and a solid tackle. He looks like he was worth waiting for.

4. Was it Wendling who committed a split second too early on the onside kick? He turned downfield to block and couldn’t get back in time to make a clean play on the ball before the Jags arrived. It was a great call at that time, but you know that April will make a point of making sure guys stay home next time.

5. Kevin Faulk has made a living catching balls out of the backfield for the Pats. Hello, Freddy Jackson. Talk about adding a new dimension to the offense. Seven catches, 83 yards. He’s a serious threat out there.

6. The offensive line stood out. The Jags were one of the best against the run last year, and they showed it today. There wasn’t much room for Marshawn and Freddy (except on Marshawn’s touchdown. Inside the 10, Marshawn is money.) But the pass protection was really solid. Trent took nice drops, set up, and had time to look and lanes to throw through. Jason the Prodigal Son Peters looked a little helpless on Trent’s fumble, but those plays will happen. And Butler and Fowler got completely outplayed on one sack. Still, the offensive line ought to get a game ball, because the passing game won it for the Bills, and the line made the passing game go.

7. Did someone say passing? Tough to complain about a 120 passer rating. Trent threw a couple of balls behind guys, where tipped balls could have resulted in interceptions. He threw into double coverage once or twice. But 20 times he found the right receiver and gave him a catchable ball. The long ball to Evans – who also starred today – was simply a great play. Lee ran a great route, Trent recognized the opportunity, and the line gave him the time to wait for Lee to get open. The pass was perfect.

The TD to Hardy wasn’t perfect, but the reason you want a 6’5" receiver is to erase mistakes. What Trent did do correctly on that play was read the coverage and throw the ball where the defender had no play. Hardy’s catch was sure-handed, and his footwork superb.

8. Is this team that took no chances last year? Twice on the Bills final drive they passed when last year they would have run. The first was a critical first down to Schouman; the second was Trent’s last sack of the day. Even the sack was evidence of how much better this team has become. The coaches trusted Trent back there, Trent recognized his problem and nearly escaped, and Trent didn’t fumble or throw an interception. The Bills stay in field goal range, and they added on the important three points. (Nice hold, Brian.)

9. Two more takeaways. Bad, bad throw by Garrard to end the first half, and Terence was ready. The game-clinching fumble recovery was sweet – all about the pursuit that Perry Fewell preaches. There were a lot of Bills around that ball.

10. Hats off, again, to the coaches. Got this team ready to play a good team in a tough environment, called a good game, and came out with a win.

Back home for the Raiders. Another big quarterback, another good running back.

Back home for BRRRUUUUUUUUCE!!!!!! On the Wall of Fame, where he belongs.

The Ball Burglar – Bills fans helping kids – is paying over $265 for every takeaway the Bills get. That’s a good start, but not nearly where we want to end up. Fans around the country soon will be talking about the Ball Burglar, about how thousands of Bills fans came together, each paying only a dollar or two per takeaway, to do something really special for their team, for kids with serious illnesses and for western New York. Add your buck today.

http://www.ballburglar.com/.

Thanks.

The Buffalo Bills are 2-0. Two wins, zero losses. Two wins against playoff teams from 2007. One was a blowout, one was a come-from-behind win on the road. Both were very solid wins.

Aren't you a little bit surprised?

I am forever a fan of my team, and just generally an optimist in life. So, I always think my team can win. Indeed, I did pick them to win today (by a score of 21-17, no less) but as game time approached, my confidence was wavering.

It was going to be very hot... that was not in the Bills favor. Jacksonville was going to be ready - injuries or no injuries - to defend their home turf, and avoid starting the season 0-2. The crowd and home-field energy would be with them. Jason Peters would be starting... would that throw off any rhythm the offense had from the pre-season? And, did I mention it was extremely, ridiculously hot?

More Obstacles

The Bills got the ball first, and really controlled the game on their opening drive. They passed and ran at will. Marshawn Lynch scored on an 11-yard TD run to cap the drive that covered 82 yards. When the defense also managed to dictate the play on Jacksonville's first possession, it almost seemed it would be a rout.

But Jacksonville is good. And they proved it. They stayed with the Bills. They moved the ball very efficiently, getting Garrard outside the pocket (weakened by injuries to the offensive line). They played in an up-tempo, "hurry up" offense that did not allow the Bills much in the way of substitutions. They connected on many quick-hitting, ten to twelve-yard passes that kept drives alive. It was a great game plan.

The momentum really started to shift in their favor on their final possession of the first half. They put together a good drive (6 plays, 46 yards) that ended with an interception by Terrence McGee near the goal line, but the damage had already been done. That drive wore out our defense. No time to substitute, covering lots of ground quickly... you could see the heat starting to get to them.

Then, thanks to the "defer" choice from the beginning of the game, the Jags got the ball to start the third. So, the defense was out on the field again, and for much of the same. Quick hitting passes, and a bit of success on the ground for Jacksonville. Not only were they moving the ball, and threatening to score, they were also really wearing down our defense. The "hurry up" pace in the super heat was really starting to show. The tackling was sloppy, and the Bills were now the ones having the pace and play dictated to them.

Brilliant Move of the Day

The long first drive of the second half by Jacksonville was punctuated by a Maurice Jones-Drew TD run to tie the game at 10. It was a great drive, and already I was saying, "Our offense might be a tad rusty. They've been sitting for a very long time now, going back to the first half."

Well, perhaps Jack Del Rio heard me. In a bold (and brilliant) move, the Jaguars surprised the Bills with an on-side kick following the previous extra point ... and they got it! What a great call! The tired Bills defense now had to take the field again, and the Jags took it to them. They ran right at them, daring the Bills to stop them. And, mostly, they could not. Taylor, then Jones-Drew, then Taylor. The Bills were being dominated by the team who had definitely seized the momentum.

The defense stiffened, and held Jacksonville to a 50 yard field goal attempt. Kicker Josh Scobee blasted the ball through the uprights, hitting relatively high on the net behind the posts. Easily could have made the kick from another ten yards away.

On the following drive by the Bills despite a few good plays, Jason Peters on his first game back made a very big mistake and got beaten very badly by a rookie defensive end, who came around Edwards' blind side and knocked the ball out of his hands. Fumble. Turnover. Jags ball.

The momentum - thanks to good play and good coaching - had definitely completely swung in Jacksonville's favor.

Good Teams Weather the Storms

The Buffalo Bills of previous years would have been out as soon as the "tide turned." Once this shift in momentum happened, the Bills usually would begin to accept the inevitable. And when they did, it would usually play out that way. They would lose.

But not today. Not these Bills.

Donte Whitner declared to the world that these Bills would be in the playoffs. It's their time to win. He believes it, and he plays that way. The great thing is, his confidence is apparently infectious.

The Bills never felt they were out of it, and you could see every time the offense took the field again, they played with confidence. They converted third downs. In fact, six out of eleven. The defense did their part as well. Though the Jags had a good game plan, the defense only allowed them to convert on two of eleven third down attempts.

Players like Ashton Youboty made several key plays. Youboty had a sack, and some big open-field tackles to thwart Jacksonville drives. Kyle Williams had a big sack of Garrard to do the same. LB Paul Posluszny was all over the field and making big tackles. And offensively, RB Fred Jackson did not have much production on the ground, but had 7 catches for 83 yards. Big yards. Lee Evans included 4 grabs for 77 yards. Including a super huge catch late in the fourth quarter.

And what can you say about Edwards? 20-25 for 239 yards. Finished with only one TD pass, but for the second straight week... threw no picks. His passes were accurate, and had lots of zip on them today. And beyond the physical play, he really does have the poise, presence... whatever you want to call it. He is confident, and efficient, and productive.

Defining Moment

The entire game was played very well by the Bills, minus some over-pursuit by the defense, which sometimes led to shoddy tackling. The Bills played will in all phases of the game, just as in week one. But there was one moment that proved to me that this team is going to be different than previous versions of the Buffalo Bills.

Down 16-10 with under five minutes to go in the fourth quarter of a game on the road, played in near 100-degree heat... the Bills have the ball and are driving. They get one first down. Then convert a third down to get another. Finally they are faced with a becoming-critical 3rd-and-6 from the Jacksonville 44 yard line. It's too far for a FG, and the Bills need points. They need to convert this to keep the drive going.

Edwards drops back, surveys the field. The pocket is beginning to collapse around him, but he stands in, finds his target, and launches a perfect pass to the left sideline where his speedy receiver Lee Evans has beaten his man. Evans hauls in the catch for 37 yards and a first down at the Jags' seven yard line. On the next play, Edwards throws a perfect pass to the back corner of the end zone to rookie James Hardy, who was drafted to do precisely that.

Bills lead 17-16, and with one drive - really one play - took back all the momentum the Jags had built from the end of the second quarter up until then.

Confidence For a Reason

This Bills team is not just cocky, or delusional. They know they have a good team, and they are confident they can take the field and beat anyone they play, and they are doing it. Two for two so far. And as I stated above, these are two pretty good teams. Sunday's victory was on the road against not only a playoff team from the previous year, but one who is expected to go pretty far into the playoffs this year. The other win was a blowout of another perennial playoff team, the Seahawks.

There is still much youth on this team. Youth means inexperience, and likely, fluctuation of results. Usually a young team will lose games they are supposed to and win games they might not be "supposed" to win. Perhaps these two wins are the latter? From what I have seen, I would say they are actually the evidence that what Marv Levy began building three years ago might actually be starting to blossom.

Could this be the year we see the fruit of Marv's labor? Could this be the year Jauron gets a legitimate winning team and season? Many questions still after just two games, but as this short season has so far gone, the Bills continue to build confidence in their team. The next three games are against Oakland, St. Louis and Arizona. The Cardinals look a bit tougher than in recent years, but all of those games are "winnable" and if they keep believing they can do it, we may have ourselves an undefeated team going into the bye week October 12th!

There is much to do to get there, but this young Bills team seems both excited to, and capable of doing just that.

Bring on the Raiders!

Labels: AFC East, Games, Players

John's Quick Hits (working title until I can come up with something more creative for this type of article):

-Take away all our special teams (field goals and extra points included) and we still beat Seattle 12-10. That's all offense.

-Our defense matches up really nicely with Jacksonville's offense. With the middle of their O-Line banged up they will most likely throw quick slant passes and run to the outside. We should see what our DB's are made of.

-Maybe it was just me, but it was nice to see the Colts get punished for taking the early months of the season for granted. Sure Manning didn't play in the pre-season, but your defense made Kyle Orton look like John Elway.

-It pains me to say this, but I have to upgrade Tony Romo from mediocre to good. Congratulations buddy. Your promotion is contingent however, on Cleveland's performance against Pittsburgh, if Big Ben has as easy of a time with "Believeland's" defense then you might get demoted again.

-Tony Kornheiser is a terrible announcer. He simply parrots back uninformed NFL talking points from pre-training camp. His comments about the Packers, Farve and Rodgers Monday night simply highlight the fact he has never actually played the sport. Finding it hard to beleive that he is qualified for such a job I looked up his Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Kornheiser) where it said (I swear I copy and pasted this incase it has been changed by the time you verify it): "Kornheiser has hosted The Tony Kornheiser Show on radio in various forms since 1992; ... and served as an analyst for ESPN's Monday Night Football since 2006, where he has disgraced himself, ESPN, the NFL, and the human race in general." Thank God for Jaws.

-Can somebody please tell me why the Oakland Raiders get so many nationally televised games every year? The Broncos are a decent team, but I'd be surprised to see them in the superbowl this year. Joakland should do the world a favor and drop their football team completely after that embarrassment.

UPDATE: The Kornheiser Wikipedia page has been changed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Kornheiser I swear on my mother's grave I didn't make that up though

The Buffalo Bills find themselves in a very interesting position. After only one week of the 2008 NFL season, they are now being tagged by many as the favorite to win the AFC East division crown, by virtue of Tom Brady's quick and unexpected exit.

Just a week ago, most fans would give the Bills a bit of credit, putting them at second place in a division that clearly belonged to the Patriots. That was a decent acknowledgment of the Bills' potential, but other than me, I can't remember anyone saying (publicly) that the Bills even had a chance at the division title. Some have even said that just by adding Favre, the Jets are in the race, and could finish the season in that far away, distant - almost consolation - second place spot.

While, as a Bills fan, I appreciate the collective nod that the media pundits are giving us (as an aside... can we all PLEASE agree that the word is pundit, not PUNDANT or PUNDINT?!!) I would also like to throw out this bit of rational caution.

One man does not a football team make.

Yes, Brady is something like 100-27 in his ridiculously (perhaps illegitimate... video gate?) career as a starter for the Pats. And yes, he has led them to many Super Bowls and division and conference titles. Definitely a key piece of the puzzle. But I think we might want to slow down here a bit before just handing the Bills the title. There is still a lot to prove on their end.

The other piece of this is that the Bills just shellacked the Seahawks, 34-10, in their opener. It was close for a while, but then the wheels fell off in the third quarter for the Seahawks. (Thanks in large part to good play-calling, and execution, from the Bills.) They really looked great on all sides of the ball. Defense and special teams were stellar, and after a slow start offensively, Edwards and gang picked it up and scored 20 points themselves.

So the Bills looked great against one of the top NFC teams (presumably so) and their nemesis, Tom Brady, is now out for the year. (My bold prediction that the Bills would beat the Pats twice this year is looking a little less bold...) And now the Bills are the "favorites".

All I gotta say is, back to back 7-9 seasons... Dick Jauron has only had one winning season ever... lots of young players... unproven should be the banner over the tunnel entrance to the stadium for the Bills. There are just too many questions to slap them up there at the top.

But I must admit it's kind of fun, as a long-time Bills fan. Nice to see our team getting some respect again.

They started to earn it this week against Seattle, and it continues next week in Jacksonville. That's going to be a stiffer test for our run defense, as well as our offense. Jags will be hungry, and we are "UNPROVEN."

Time to start proving.

Labels: AFC East, Current Bills, Players

ORCHARD PARK, NY – Week one of the NFL was filled with the unexpected, but perhaps the top story of the week was former league MVP Tom Brady suffering a season ending blow from Chief’s safety Bernard Pollard to his left knee.

The Patriots were led to a 17-10 victory by garbage-time all star Matt Cassel who has not started a game since high school. This has led many in Pats nation to question their previously unquestionable dominance in the AFC (the “F” is for Farve) East.

Some of Brady’s teammates suspect foul play. “That hit looked dirty.” Said a laughably uninformed Randy Moss who was rethinking his large pay cut to play with a high-school quarterback.

“So Pollard gets tripped while trying to make a play is awkwardly pushed into Brady and people say that’s a clean hit?” Said village idiot and Dirty Players Association president Vince Wilfork, “I dive between two linemen at knee level and deliberately stick my elbow out at an opposing QB, or deliberately poke someone in the eye or … and I get labeled dirty? What’s up with that?”

Players all around the league have shown support for the mediocre-supermodel dating signal caller.

“You hate to see an injury like that to a player of that caliber.” Said Brett “better to be lucky than good” Farve of the New York Jets when asked about Brady, “It unfortunately forces people to talk a little less about me.”

“I cut my chin, wanna see?” Said a jubilant Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys. “I hope it scars.”

A list of quarterbacks invited to work out with the Pats has been released to the media Monday morning, among them, free agent Chris Simms.

“You thought my dad was a Patriots homer before?” Said Simms on a conference call Monday morning, “He’s going to be shameless.”

Perhaps the most interesting person on that list is Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman. Moorman was the only player in the NFL this week to have a perfect passer rating.

Pats coach and advocate for “Losing coaches right to blow off the post game congratulations” Bill Belichick said he was always impressed with Moorman saying, “I was always impressed with Moorman.

“His excellent punting skills always helped our offensive numbers by adding even more to our already impressive total yards for the day.”

Moorman has, however, declined the invitation saying that there are too many stars on that team and he would be underappreciated.

While Moorman is unquestionably the best football player ever, he has found a home in Western New York. He believes in his team and the coaches.

“Any team that can run a wishbone formation in the NFL and still win a game has got to be good” Commented Mooman about the offensive scheme Sunday. “Seriously.”

Stay tuned to the Buffalo Bills Review for more on this developing story.


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My friends ask me why I spend the entire weekend driving to sit in ugly weather and watch a football game. Bills 34, Seahawks 10, that’s why.

1. Complete victory. It was total domination. The defense imposed it’s will on the Seahawks, the offense moved the ball efficiently and made big plays at big times, and the special teams were, well, they were special. I know Bills fans everywhere kept watching the clock and imagining how the Bills could blow this lead, but the reality was that they could have played that game for three more hours and Seattle wasn’t going to get back in it. They were beaten.

2. Start with Lee Evans, the man who wants a new contract and reported for training camp every day anyway. Start with the block on Marshawn’s touchdown. That’s the play that tells what kind of player Lee Evans is. He engaged his man early and stayed with him, pushing and shifting his feet to keep his balance, blocking his man for nearly the last 20 yards of Marshawn’s run. When Marshawn hit the 10-yard line, it was clear it was a touchdown, because even if the defender slipped his block, Marshawn would find a way. It wasn’t necessary. Lee never gave the guy daylight to even TRY to make a play.

Nobody catches the deep ball better than Lee.

100-yard day to start to the season.

3. Marcus Stroud. Oh, my goodness! He’s a factor in every play. That man can MOVE. Pretty impressive how he chased Hasselbeck out of bounds. He beat his man several times and showed nice closing speed going for the sack. He was the disruptive force we all hoped he would be, and then some. Plus, he’s into the experience. He often was asking the crowd for more noise. He was talking to his teammates, one time walking into the defensive backfield to talk with Donte briefly before returning to his spot in the line.

4. If you’ve seen the replay of Roscoe Parrish’s punt return, I don’t have to say more. If you haven’t, go find it. In the postgame interviews, Roscoe agreed with a reporter that it was dangerous cutting back into the middle deep into a return, because the entire coverage team is coming down field to help, and that’s exactly what he did. Still, he cut to the middle and still managed to avoid the last wave of tacklers.

The fake field goal was a wonderful comic moment in a thoroughly enjoyable game. I didn’t see Denney standing out there until the ball was in the air. Delightful.

That play was followed immediately by the fumble and recovery on the kickoff, Lindel’s second big play on special teams, after his saving tackle earlier in the game.

Wendling nearly got the block when we jumped the line of scrimmage on the first Seahawks field goal.

Special teams bottom line: Opponents will spend more time preparing for special teams play against the Bills. The Bills sent a message – if you can imagine it, Bobby April is going to try it.

5. The rookies really weren’t a factor. Hardy got on the field for a few plays here and there but wasn’t a factor. McKelvin was in for a few dime packages.

6. The Bills defense was stifling. Schobel, Kelsay, Williams and Johnson all made plays, and all pressured the quarterback. Mitchell’s sack was simply amazing, and his tackling is gorgeous. Poz was solid. Greer and McGee had good coverage all day, and Youboty – remember that guy we all were excited about when the Bills drafted him three years ago and so many people wanted to cut after last season? – was making a lot of plays.

7. The offense, and Trent Edwards particularly, was putrid to open the game. Totally ineffective. It looked like 2007, or was it 2006? 2005? Anyway, it was bad. It might have been the rain. If I had to guess, it was simply a young quarterback and his offense needing to develop some feel for the game, and over the first 30 minutes, that’s what happened. I wouldn’t be surprised if Van Pelt was in his ear on the sidelines, calming him down and letting him know that our chances would come.

After the slow start, he showed great presence in the pocket and began delivering the ball all over the field with great accuracy. You could see it in the deep out pattern to Reed and the touchdown to Royal In both cases, he had the protection, read the play, waited and gave the receiver a ball he could catch.

8. Kirk Chambers needs a nod. I didn’t watch him a lot, but Kerney did not spend the afternoon in the Bills’ backfield, as many of us had feared.

9. The news of Brady’s injury swept the stadium like news of Achilles at Troy. Everyone knew minutes after it had happened.

Injuries are the only thing that’s wrong with this great game. Injuries are cruel. They can rip the heart out of a team and its fans. But they also can rally a team to something great. Don’t count the Pats out. I wish Brady a complete recovery.

10. Was the Bills game perfect? Far from it. Trent was ugly early, as ugly as I’ve seen him. The running game was barely adequate. The offense wasn't a scoring machine. The coverage teams coughed up several big returns. Kawika could have been better in pass coverage. Whitner stays with his man but has trouble breaking up the completions.

Still, for a season opener, it’s hard to find much to complain about. This was a complete win against a veteran team, a win where most of the things the Bills hoped they could do they did do. The Seahawks had some injuries; it’s hard to know how much impact that had on the game. But the Bills lost their starting weakside linebacker in mid-week, and they were playing with a makeshift offensive line. They had their own adversities to overcome, and they did.

In the coming weeks, big number 71 will work his way back into the lineup, and the rookies will begin to contribute.

There’s a lot to look forward to.


Final note: The Ball Burglar had himself a fine day, too. In the days before the game, a lot of fans joined the gang. The Burglar’s bounty right now stands someplace around $250 per takeaway, and he’s only just begun. The Burglar rewarded the fans for their support with two big takeaways, the game-changing fumble recovery, and McGee’s acrobatic catch that simply was icing on the cake.

Word is that the Ball Burglar made onto the Fox pregame show, too.

If you haven’t joined, what are you waiting for? A buck a ball is all the Burglar wants from you. Join today. www.Ballburglar.com. Thanks.

I’ll see everyone at McFadden’s in Manhattan on Sunday. Can’t wait.

Jason Peters is back, and I still can’t figure out how I feel about that.

It’s not that anyone is asking me. I’m pretty sure that Russ Brandon isn’t wondering what my opinion is on the subject. I haven’t gotten any phone calls or emails from Dick Jauron asking for my advice on what to do with Jason Peters now that he’s back. Ralph Wilson has not set up any meetings with me to discuss how they should proceed.

And boy am I glad!

Honestly, what do you do with this? Is the NFL so much a “business” that you just don’t worry about the disrespect that Peters showed the Bills organization and his teammates by not reporting for work when he was supposed to... for many months? Would you be able to do that where you work? Would your boss just work you right back into the rotation? How about if you were being paid a salary $3.25 million dollars to do that job?

Exactly.

I know the NFL is not “real life” but how is this a good thing? Peters may have all the talent in the world, but how can his little negotiating tactic - the "silent treatment" - go unpunished. Sure he's paying lots of fines, but that would happen to anyone, even a player who is actively trying to negotiate with the organization. Peters was not, and there should at least be some added consequence for that.

First things first. Peters must pass a physical. He was given one today when he reported, but the results are as of yet unknown. Assuming he has kept in shape (expecting that he would play this season) will he be added to the active roster? The Bills could surely use help at the tackle position, but is it a good idea to just throw Peters right back into the mix.

If the ultimate goal is winning (and if he passed the physical) the answer is, "Yes." Plain and simple, he's a great lineman, and will help this team win. But if the team morale is involved in the equation - or even just "the right thing to do" - then perhaps the Bills coaches have a tougher decision than we think. I may be thinking way too much about this, but if I was in the situation the Bills front office was in, I would trade this player, or just cut him. (Assuming of course that we have all the same details they do. Perhaps he wasn't as silent as we have all been told. Or perhaps he was.)

We know that he will not play Sunday. The Bills will rely on their current back-up tackles, Langston Walker and Kirk Chambers. Walker has been injured, but should be ready to go for Sunday. And he has a good test in Patrick Kearney, a solid DE.

It will be interesting to see what the front office and coaching staff decide to do with this situation. I really don't have a good answer. But whatever they do, they need to do it quickly, and keep moving forward. This team has a great nucleus of talent and a decent shot at advancing to the playoffs this season. Would be a shame to see Jason Peters' offseason antics ruin that.

Labels: Offseason, Players

According to Adam Schefter of the NFL Network Jason Peters is set to end his hold out. Chris Brown passed along this news on his BuffaloBills.com blog, and I'm sure updates will be posted there.

What do you think? How do the Bills move forward with Peters? What gives? Can you really not talk to anyone on your team for most of a year (and not show up for any scheduled work during that time) and just move ahead like nothing happened?

The report is he may play as early as next Sunday (Sep 14, Jags) but he can't be in great football shape, and there have to be some rifts that his holdout created. It shows lack of commitment to the team, and his teammates. Unacceptable. I believe he is only returning so he doesn't pay $200K per missed game or whatever it was going to be. Obviously he is talented... we'll see if that talent can smooth over this very poorly handled situation.

UPDATE: Peters will report to Bills Saturday morning.

Labels: News, Offseason, Players

Last season the Buffalo Bills finished with a losing record. Seven wins, nine losses. For the second year in a row. Everyone wants to win, and no one wants to lose, but obviously the 2007 version of the Buffalo Bills were cut some slack due to a ridiculously inordinate amount of injuries. Many of those injuries were season-ending.

There is hope in Buffalo this season. Hope for a winning season. Hope for a return to the playoffs after nearly a decade-long absence. Hope for continued success over the next several years. There is a strong, young nucleus of high-character, high-talent (at least, potential) guys. It would seem the sky is the limit.

But there is one thing that could turn a potential winning season into another 7-9 season. The injury bug.

In a strange, seemingly rash turn of events, LB Angelo Crowell will undergo knee surgery to correct a problem that has bothered him the past couple years. He was supposed to be out at least two to four weeks, but the Bills subsequently placed him on the injured reserve list. Now he is gone for the season.

No one is quite sure why he would wait until three days before the first game of the year, but some speculate it could have something to do with his contract expiring after the 2008 season. It is possible that his knee was just bothering him and he wanted to fix it. The apparent haste of the moves by both Crowell and the Bills would suggest there is more here than just a sore knee.

In addition to Crowell's absence, LB Paul Posluszny will possibly not be 100% for this game as he sustained an injury in Wednesday's practice. He's planning on playing, and coach Jauron also confirmed that.

So for week one, so far that's two starters down. And don't forget starting QB Trent Edwards is returning to action for the first time since injuring his leg in training camp. Edwards already has a reputation for being injury-prone, and he may not quite be 100% either.

Oh yeah, and there's the thing with Jason Peters...

There is always so much potential as you go into a new season. It's a blank slate, and you have the team assembled that you think will get the job done. But there are so many factors that can change that, and as Bills fans saw last season, the injury bug can bite hard.

I am admittedly a bit scared at the developments of today. Crowell was going to be a big part of our defense. We have good depth, but how many injuries can this up-and-coming team sustain before they cross that fine line between winning and losing? When does this team with so much potential go back to mediocre, and another season of around 500 football?

No one can say, but today definitely reminded me that there are no guarantees. Let's hope the Bills have gotten all of the injuries out of their system for 2008.

Labels: Current Bills, Games, Players