Perhaps next year, Marshawn Lynch will be invited for real. In 2008, serving as an injury replacement for Tennessee's Chris Johnson, Lynch ended up leading all rushers in the game. Lynch had 48 yards on 6 carries (some were pure "Beast Mode"!) which tied Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, who had 48 yards on 8 carries. Lynch wasn't on the field very much, but almost every time he was, he made something happen.

His first appearance was a long run off the left side. Later on that drive, the AFC offense stalled on third down and short, with the RB unable to pick up the necessary yardage. Offensive Coordinator, Cam Cameron (of the Ravens) sent in Marshawn to pick up the yard, knowing that is what he is good at. The TV crew had him mic-ed, and we heard him say, "Marshawn better get this..." (Perhaps Lynch did a little begging to get in there?)

He did indeed, being stopped two yards short of the mark, he fought and fought until he had it. Beast Mode!

Lynch also had a run on a third down where he carried the pile of players - offense and defense - about six or seven yards for the first down.

It was great to see our Buffalo Bills represented well - in play, if not in number - in this year's Pro Bowl. Hope to see many more there in the years to come!

Labels: Games, News, Players

It's probably not the way he wanted to get there, but Marshawn Lynch will be attending his first (of many?) NFL Pro Bowls in a couple weeks. Thanks to an injury to Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans, Lynch will be participating as an injury replacement. Had the Bills not completely self-destructed in the final 10 games of the season, I believe Lynch would have easily been selected as one of the three RBs to represent the AFC. He continued to improve as the season progressed, and it definitely one of the top backs in the conference, and perhaps the league.

Good for you, Marshawn! Now I'm looking forward to watching the game! No Peters, and lotsa Lynch!

Check out the full article at BuffaloBills.com.

Labels: News, Players

As I'm sure you've heard, and according to BuffaloBills.com, Jason Peters will skip the Pro Bowl again. This year no official reason has been given for his absence:

At this point no official reason has been given for his inability to participate although Peters did miss the last two games of the 2008 regular season with a knee injury.

Sheesh. Can we please TRADE Jason Peters for a top draft pick??? I stand by my idea as the best possible move for Peters and the Bills. What will stop the "two-time Pro Bowler" from holding out again this offseason? Why would the Bills want to deal with that again, and why in the world would they increase his salary based on his 2008 performance?

They shouldn't. And I really hope they don't.

Trade him. Draft the top LT. And then draft one of the top three centers to replace all three of our current subpar centers who are all going to be free agents this offseason. (Chris Brown presents a good case for this at BuffaloBills.com.) I think Walker, Dockery, and even Butler, Chambers and the young fella, Bell are all pretty good linemen. Throw in a couple rookie studs, and we should have a pretty solid O-line. (A line that steadily improved all last season, especially in the running game, which started horribly.)

At least we know, Peters must go.

Labels: Draft, Free Agency, Links, Offseason, Players

Last week, as the Bills had (somewhat unimpressively) clawed their way to a 16-7 lead in Miami against a charged-up divisional opponent looking to topple the division leaders, they may have discovered just how much #82 brings to the table.

Over the years, Josh Reed has been much-maligned for his under production. After all, he was the Fred Biletnikoff award winner in 2001. When you are proclaimed the nation's top receiver coming out of college, certainly much is expected.

But not much was seen. Bills fans did not see the numbers you might expect from such an award winner. In fact, the number that might have stood out the most was the number of times he dropped passes. "Don't throw it to Reed," shouted Bills' faithful, "he'll drop it!!!"

And indeed he did.

Still, #82 persisted on the Buffalo Bills roster. Bills coaches would consistently laud his superior blocking skills. He was an assett to the team's run game. (But, shouldn't a receiver be an asset to the passing game?) They would also say he is a great route runner. (OK, that's a plus for a receiver, but then you have to also catch the ball!!!) Year after year, training camp would come and go and somehow, someway, Josh Reed continued to make the final roster.

But what happened over the last couple years has definitely swung the balance of many Bills fans allegiance in Reed's favor.

Reed has become (a name I have dubbed him on the Buffalo Bills Review), Mr. First Down.

When the Bills need a clutch catch, Reed makes it. Reed is the one who gets open, makes the tough grab, fights off the tackles, and gets just enough yards for the first down. First, he often runs routes that get him open beyond the first down markers - something many receivers do not seem to understand. Second, he makes the catch - something he did not seem to previously understand. And third, he often gains tough yards after the catch to ensure he gets the first down.

Perhaps we saw his importance to the Bills offense somewhat amplified last week when, in the second half after the team lost him to an injury, the offense was seemingly incapable of sustaining drives. Thinking back to games earlier this season, many of the 4th quarter come from behind victories involved multiple catches by Mr. First Down to keep the chains moving.

Reed is not a big play (meaning long yardage) receiver. He doesn't score many touchdowns. But he is an essential part of the Bills offense, and when he misses any time it will take a big effort from his replacements to fill his shoes. I'm not certain James Hardy, Justin Jenkins and all three tight ends can really do that.

They'll get a chance to give it a try this week. Reed has not practiced this week (in fact, he was wearing an immobilizer boot on the ankle with the strained achilles) and looks very doubtful for the game Sunday.

The once-maligned, under-achieving receiver has become an essential (and greatly missed) piece of the Buffalo Bills offense. Nice job, Josh. You are forever in the mind of this Bills fan... the original...

Mr. First Down.

Labels: Current Bills, Games, Players

A few weeks ago, the Bills completed their efforts to lock up one of their star players for a few more years. Lee Evans signed a contract that will keep him playing in Buffalo through the 2012 season. That’s a good chunk of time, and Evans is a great player to build an offense around. In his first three years, he is on pace to be one of the best Bills receivers of all time.

But the Bills can not be satisfied. They have a bit more work to do.

Some fans and most of the media believe that the front office should now turn their focus toward left tackle, Jason Peters. Peters certainly has shown he is a great talent at that position, but I really believe he hurt his cause this past off-season by not only holding out, but reportedly refusing to even communicate with the Bills at all.

Where did that get him? So far through 4 games played he has been directly responsible for a couple turnovers, and some bad, drive-killing penalties. He has deservedly faced the reproof of many fans. And with two years remaining on his contract after this season, I’m really not sure it’s in the best interest of the Bills to focus on extending his deal right now. What can he do? Hold out again? Would that work for him?

No, there are two players who clearly are the heart of the offense moving forward. Two players who have at least a couple more years on their contracts, but who should be the primary focus of an aggressive and determined front office. Two more players you can really build a team around, not only because of talent, but character, heart, work ethic, and other such intangibles.

Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch should be directly in the crosshairs of Russ Brandon and his staff.

Edwards has proven already in his very short career that he has an understanding and command of the game of football, and an ability to read defenses and make decisions that goes beyond the talent he also has to get the football downfield to the receiver. His record as a starter is 9-4He is definitely a franchise quarterback, and needs to be treated as such. The Bills do not want to be renegotiating his contract in the final season of his current contract. They would do well to begin talking this offseason.

By the numbers, you could argue that Bills RB Marshawn Lynch is not a spectacular, franchise running back. He almost never cracks the century mark. His touchdown production has tailed off. His average per carry is usually under 4.0.

But numbers do not always tell the story.

If you get to watch Lynch, you know that his heart is enormous. When his team is down, he incredibly steps up his game another notch or two. He runs hard on every run, and usually is fighting through a few tackles before he even reaches the line of scrimmage. He calls his second gear “Beast Mode”, and over his short two year career there have been some amazing displays of that extra tough running.

Aside from the raw talent of both Lynch and Edwards, both players have displayed a strong work ethic in practice and in the off season, and that “second level” of determination to win in games. When they are on the field, the team - and the fans - can count on them to produce. That is rare, and critical.

So with Evans on the payroll for four more seasons, it’s time the Bills lock up the other two pieces of their main offensive attack: Marshawn Lynch, and Trent Edwards. With Edwards, Lynch, and Evans as the core, the Bills could have a potent offense for a long time to come.

Labels: Players, Transactions

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

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

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

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

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

What is it with the initials J.P.? The Bills currently have two players with those initials on their roster, and in many ways, both are "Just Problems".

The obvious problem is Jason Peters. Peters managed to go for the entirety of training camp without reporting, but, perhaps even worse, not communicating with the Bills. (At least, according to all public reports.) I really think there must be more to the story than we know, because how can any intelligent negotiator think that this is a good strategy? Peters is under contract (for three more years!) and has, in my opinion, tossed any leverage he had right out the window by not showing that he is committed to the Buffalo Bills team and organization.

Bad move #1 by J.P.

Now there is another Bills player who is more commonly known by the initials, J.P. That of course is our beloved (now backup) quarterback, Jonathan Paul Losman. Losman decided to speak to the press following Tuesday night's practice this week, which may have been a mistake. He had been publicly silent since after the Jacksonville game last season (his last as a starter) and apparently, judging by his comments Tuesday night, that was a wise move.

The full-bearded QB was pretty forthright in his comments, for which he should be commended, but unfortunately, those comments revealed the real problem with this J.P. - he is not (at least yet) a "professional" athlete.

What we heard from QB J.P. was that he is doing the team a favor by being here, and practicing hard. We heard that it's "hard to get motivated" (apparently because he's not the starter) and that he has to think "overall big picture." It is obvious from his comments that he does not plan to be with the Bills next season. (And realistically, I don't think the Bills plan for to be here either.)

The professional athlete would not find it difficult to be motivated. The motivation should not come from some given or earned position, but rather just to do your best, and contribute to the team. There's no need for any other motivation. The man is being paid millions of dollars to be ever-ready to jump in and lead the team. He is still (as of now) the second quarterback on the team, which is actually a very important position, both in practice and in the game should there be an injury to Edwards.

A professional athlete is motivated by his own drive to be the best he can be. Period.

Bad move #2 by J.P.

Message to all Bills bearing the initials J.P.:
Football is a TEAM game. You are not the team, nor are you even the focus of the team. The team will go on without you. Your apparent lack of understanding may be jeopardizing any career you hoped to have in the NFL.

I really hope that the Bills do not have to rely on the QB J.P. this season for any length of time. His comments betrayed his "overall" attitude. And that's unfortunate. I really do like the kid. I think he is also really talented. But he doesn't get it.

I am also (mayeb, was also) a fan of our LT J.P. He is a great story, seems like a good kid, and I was rooting for him. I guess my sub-conscious deadline was the end of training camp. Now that it has passed with seemingly no effort on the part of Peters at all to honor his contract and put the pressure on the Bills to make the next (first) move... I have lost tons, or possibly all respect for him. I am afraid that might be true of the Bills, too.

I am not certain what effect the players named J.P. will have on this 2008 Bills team, but I would caution the front office to think twice in the future about drafting or signing any players bearing those initials.

They do seem to stand for, "Just Problems."

Labels: Current Bills, Players

Dave sent around an email to his BBR cohorts this past weekend upon returning from his vacation, and catching the Bills game on "tape" delay. To my genuine surprise, it was super positive! He even said if Peters comes back that the Bills are a playoff team!

Could it have simply been due to a great vacation, making the world look a bit rosier? Or could the Bills really be such a good team that even The Drake can see the upside?

I'm going with the latter!

I was (along with every Bills fan I've heard or read) quite impressed with the first team offense and defense. We mixed up the play calls, even opening with several passes that stretched the defense and opened up the running game. We had long sustained drives (even a 90 yarder!) that included converting third downs, and scoring red-zone TDs. We even had TEs catching TDs!

And the defense certainly held their own against a talented Pittsburgh offense. Their first score was really against our second-string guys. The first teamers got an INT, and held them to a punt, and were pitching a shut out!

Do I need to mention Leodis McKelvin? This guy looked fantastic before he returned that kickoff 95 yards for his first (unofficial) NFL TD!

Right now, exclamation points abound for hopeful, excited Bills fans. Our team could really be good this year!

One major positive aside from the great play of the starters is the quality depth that the Bills have assembled. Think about guys like Keith Ellison and John DiGiorgio, George Wilson, Ashton Youboty, Will James and even Leodis McKelvin. Our D-line includes rotation guys like (right now) John McCargo, Spencer Johson and Ryan Denney. And on offense, Dwayne Wright and Xavier Omon are pretty decent third and fourth string RBs!

The biggest question for this team is perhaps its head coach. I personally think Dick Jauron has done a fantastic job turning around this team in turmoil. Now it is a team with great potential. Moving Schonert to Offensive Coordinator looks like it may be a huge help, as well. The issue is not his personnel moves, it's his record. He has only had ONE winning season. Ever.

Let's hope (based on the team on paper, and what we saw from the starting units last week) that this is the year he gets his second winning season!

Labels: Coaching Staff, Games, Players, Pre-Season

When I first heard the possibility of Brett Favre being traded to the Jets, I actually thought that was a very good fit. The team is similar in a lot of ways to the Green Bay team he played with last season. Very young, unproven talent... good potential. Maybe now that he really has been traded to NY, he can take the Jets to the next level?

Wouldn't it be interesting if all of a sudden, the up-and-coming Bills and the Favre-powered Jets were not only competing with the dominant division leader, New England, but actually ended up 1-2 in the standings at the end of 2008? If Favre can play like he did last year, I don't think it's that far fetched. The games against the Jets are just a bit harder for the Bills now.

Will be interesting to see how Brett does in another jersey. (Best headline, from NFL.com: New Jersey For Favre. Ha! ... the "NY" Jets play in the state of New Jersey...) :-) It won't feel right at first, but will definitely add to the competition in the AFC East. Jets face the Bills first in 2008 on Nov 2nd, in Buffalo. I've mentally circled the date.

Welcome to the AFC East, Brett!

Labels: AFC East, News, NFL, Players

There's a disturbance in the force at Bills training camp this mid summer's eve. And it's no minor one. This disturbance could get downright ugly.

As Dave pointed out earlier the disturbance is emanating from our left tackle, Jason Peters.

Perhaps you could have guessed this, but I have a slightly different opinion on this than Dave. Not entirely. I completely agree with his points (except, not sure where he's going with the "Sabres..." one, perhaps just that they lose all their best players?) But I do not agree with who it seems he thinks is to blame.

See, I believe the Bills. From everything they have said, they have had no contact at all with Peters since the end of the 2007 season. What? What kind of negotiating tactic is that? How is that being a team player? Should there be some participation here? I could be wrong (I'm sure I have not seen everything that has been published on this) but I don't think I have ever seen where Peters' agent, or Peters himself have ever even asked for a contract extension!

If Jason Peters would like to be paid more money, I'm all for it. I think allowing the fewest sacks in the league last year, and the fewest for any Bills team in a decade, speaks for itself. Peters was selected by his peers to represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl. He's definitely a great player, a great story, and from what I hear, a great man.

But is this his best strategy?

Peters has three years left on a very lucrative contract. He's making millions a year, and there's no reason to believe that the Bills won't restructure that to lock him up long term. Look what they have been doing. They signed Schobel and Kelsay to long term extensions last year. They are working on Lee Evans right now (although his contract is closer to its end) and they restructured Moorman, Lindell, Kyle Williams, and others. The Bills are very willing to reward players who show promise, and a commitment to the organization.

I do not believe Peters is serving his own best interest by not reporting to training camp.

Some have speculated that the hold out has something to do with the injury he suffered late last season, and a slow recovery from the subsequent surgery. Not sure if that's the case. It does seem like Peters just wants to be paid more. Traditionally the left tackle is the highest paid position, but the Bills shelled out mega dollars last season for LG Derrick Dockery and RT Langston Walker. Both of whom are integral pieces of the offensive line, and both of whom dwarf Peters' salary.

So he has a reason to be disgruntled. But he has no reason to believe the Bills will not extend the same offers (pro-active offers) that they have to several other players over the last several years.

My advice to Jason is to dump whoever the guy is who is advising him to hold out of training camp. It's a blemish on him, and as Dave said, a distraction to the team in an otherwise very promising pre-season. There could be very good things for Buffalo this year, but Peters' strangely silent quest for more money (or so we presume) will not help that at all.

It can only hurt.

Labels: Players, Pre-Season, Training Camp

Got this link as a response to the article posted directly below. Donte Whitner was one of the players I have heard saying, "We just want to make the playoffs," so this was good to see. I do know he made the guarantee on ESPN that we'd make the playoffs, but again, is that enough? Apparently Donte wants more.

Really like this kid. Think he's gonna be great for the Bills for years to come. Seems Levy wasn't crazy when he made him the 8th overall pick in his first year as the Bills GM... :-)

Labels: Offseason, Players, Videos

Well, it's finally over. The Buffalo News is reporting that Marshawn Lynch pled guilty to a minor traffic violation today (read his complete statement here) and now - hopefully - we can get back to Bills football.

From Lynch's statement, he was unaware that anything actually happened. I'm not sure if this is all lawyer finagling or what (and I still don't know why this took so long!) but I am really ready to just move on. This is certainly a warning to Lynch and all the other Bills to not do stupid stuff, and maybe just not be out and about at 3:30 in the morning! But, finally, thankfully... it's over.

Will the team apply any further discipline? Will the league? For a minor traffic violation? I think not. Will Lynch be sued by the victim of the minor traffic violation? Perhaps. (Has he already been? Not sure...) But hopefully this is the end of this off-season saga.

Now, the final business of the off-season is offering Jason Peters a deal that will get him in camp, and offering Lee Evans a contract extension that will keep him in Buffalo beyond this year. Both of those things (in my opinion) must happen.

We are less than a month away from players reporting for training camp! We are only 43 days or so away from the Bills first pre-season game. Only 72 from the first regular season game. The season is fast approaching!

Thanks to today's plea, hopefully the turmoil is also fast leaving.

Labels: News, Offseason, Players

Thanks to nearly perfect attendance, and excellent performance in the practices, the OTAs (Optional Team Activities) and the mandatory minicamp have come to a close one day early. Coach Jauron decided to forego the final day of the minicamp, stating both of those reasons.

And indeed, the Bills have had some excellent attendance and performance on the field. The offense has been implementing lots of new looks, and working a lot on red-zone plays. The defense has also been making some stellar plays and trying to keep in "football shape".

Things are very promising at One Bills Drive!

But then there are the dark clouds.

In the past couple weeks, legal troubles and contract squabbles have darkened the otherwise very positive vibe emanating from the Bills headquarters. You've read it here, the Bills have a lot of pieces in place for a very good season in 2008. Unfortunately, at least two players (probably more) have been in the news in the wrong way lately.

Lynch is still being somewhat evasive in his dealings with the authorities regarding the hit-and-run incident involving his vehicle. A grand jury is being assembled. Players are being subpoenaed. It's just not what a team wants to be in the news for. Not at all.

Jason Peters, the Bills Pro Bowl LT, wants more money. Apparently, though there are 3 years left on his contract, he'd rather make more money right now... so he did not attend any of the OTAs or the mandatory minicamp. He will be fined at least $10,000 by the NFL. Obviously the Bills would like Peters to have joined the team for the OTAs and the minicamp, but most of the players feel he will be fine once he reports to training camp. QB Trent Edwards thinks Peters can just show up for week one of the regular season and pick up where he left off. That might be a stretch.

Not too long ago, rookie WR James Hardy was also in the news in a negative light. He was rumored to have brandished a handgun in an argument with his father. Both deny the incident occurred as alleged. But, the message boards were buzzing, and the "reputation" Hardy already brings to the Bills as a bit of "trouble" was perpetuated, whether the claims were well-founded or not.

All this obviously brings up the question of character. People are beginning to wonder if this Bills team is a squeaky clean as your typical Dick Jauron team. From some appearances, it is not. Lynch and Hardy are expected to be big contributors to the Bills this season, but how can they if they are in trouble with the law? Peters and Evans, two Pro Bowl players, and critical pieces of the Bills offense, are working on re-negotiating contracts. (Evans is doing so much more peaceably, and with some more apparent progress.)

The waters are a bit troubled at One Bills Drive.

Overall, coming off the off-season workouts... the Bills are in good shape. Personally, I believe the Marshawn Lynch event (which is rumored to also involve rookies James Hardy and Steve Johnson, and second year player Christian Gaddis) will eventually go away. The alleged infraction is a misdemeanor, and for first time offenders generally does not carry stiff penalties. Peters will be signed. Evans will be signed.

But are these incidents "signs" of things to come? We can hope not.

Football starts in earnest at the end of next month. We're only a handful of weeks away now. The pads will be on, football will be in the air. Hopefully it will be a bit "cleaner", more peaceful air.

Labels: Current Bills, News, Offseason, Players

After an overview of the Bills offense yesterday, we turn our attention to the revamped Bills defense. It was actually the defense that received the bulk of the attention in free agency, as well as the #1 selection in the 2008 draft. Bringing in a couple recognizable names, and one less recognizable name, the Bills bolstered their defense in all the right places.

Let's take a look at the defensive unit the Buffalo Bills will (likely) field in 2008, position by position, starting up front.

DE
One of the main concerns surrounding the Bills defense the past several seasons has been stopping the run. They have not been able to do it, and the unit taking the most blame has been the defensive line. Although the Bills have a Pro Bowl DE in Aaron Schobel, some say he is just a pass rusher, and does not defend well against the run. The stats would show otherwise. Schobel set a single-season career-high in tackles, despite the dip in sacks from his first Pro Bowl season in 2007. There is more to Schobel than just his pass rush.

So with the Pro Bowler Schobel on one end, and Chris Kelsay, Ryan Denney, and 3rd-round draft choice, Chris Ellis, leading the way, Buffalo is hoping they have the pieces they need for an effective pass rush from the outside, but also quickness to the ball against the run.

DT
That will, of course, be helped by the interior defensive linemen. Arguably the biggest move the Bills made in the off-season (pun intended) was to beef up the middle of their defensive line by trading for Marcus Stroud, perennial Pro Bowl lineman from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Stroud is exactly what the Bills were looking for. He's large (6'6", 310 lbs) and he's experienced (8 years in the league) and he's a player that the opposing team must account for. Just adding Stroud to the mix already makes the defensive ends mentioned above that much better, as the offensive line has to account for him.

In addition to the new big man, the Bills pulled off an "under the radar" signing of Specner Johnson from Minnesota. This free agent acquisition has experience stuffing the run, playing next to the Williamses (Pat & Kevin) with the Vikings. Johnson will add depth to an interior line that now features Stroud, promising third-year player John McCargo, and Kyle Williams. The Bills released Larry Tripplett just before the free agency period began, likely knowing they were going to bring in the two defensive tackles.

Some Bills fans will still bemoan the fact that our DL is small, but for the scheme the Bills run, that's what they need. Their defensive scheme is about quickness to the ball, and that is definitely the model of player they have signed and drafted. Still, the addition of Stroud to the team - assuming he can play at the same level he has in his career thus far - will markedly improve the entire Bills defense.

LB
There was a decent amount of turnover at the linebacker position, too, this offseason. The Bills released Coy Wire, and lost Josh Stamer to free agency, and have not yet renewed the contract of free agent Mario Haggan. Mostly those guys contributed on special teams, but they were certainly depth players at LB.

The Bills did bring in a few new faces at linebacker, most prominently Kawika Mitchell (pronounced kuh-WEE-kuh) from the Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Mitchell only played one year in NY, but was a starter there on a good defense and the Bills are hoping Mitchell completes the starting trio here of Mitchell and Angelo Crowell on the outside, with Paul Posluszny in the middle. They also added depth (as well as special teams help) by drafting Alvin Bowen in the 5th round of the draft.

Probably the biggest boost to the Bills defense will be the return of Poz. Posluszny was a force in his very short two-game season as a Bill. He was a tackling machine. Always on the ball. He says he learned a lot this season (he was with the team all year, even though on injured reserve) and is ready to jump back in and contribute on the field. He should bring a big, big lift to the Bills defense, which already will be improved with the addition of Stroud up front.

CB
With the 11th pick of the draft, the Buffalo Bills selected Leodis McKelvin. Many expected the Bills to grab a corner in the first round, and McKelvin was ranked by most as the best at his position in this year's draft, so this pick was no surprise. The Bills are very excited to have him as he is a super-athletic, hard-hitting, naturally gifted player. He will push for the starting spot opposite Terrence McGee, and has the added bonus of being a fantastic kick returner. Look for him to take his fair share of those duties alongside fellow return aces McGee and Roscoe Parrish.

Cornerback was labeled a "position of need" for the Bills heading into the draft, but with the addition of McKelvin, as well as fourth round selection, Reggie Corner (yes, a cornerback named Corner...) the Bills are actually quite full at that spot. Incumbent starter McGee is likely to retain his starting spot, but vying for the opposite starting role are McKelvin, Jabari Greer, veteran free agent Will James, and Ashton Youboty. Youboty has not yet lived up to the starting role the Bills thought he would play, drafting him in the 3rd round in 2006.

S
The Bills were definitely hit hardest on defense last season. Of all the injuries they sustained, it seemed the most damaging were to the defensive unit. Losing Poz early on hurt. A week prior they lost starting LB Coy Wire, and starting FS Ko Simpson. Simpson had a promising rookie season in tandem with fellow rookie Donte Whitner. Bills fans were excited to see that duo back for another bigger and better season in 2007. Simpson, however, was injured for the season in the first game against Denver. Getting him back should provide a big boost to the Bills secondary.

Donte Whitner is the leader of this group, and definitely one of the leaders of the defense and the team as a whole. He's a hard hitter, and a vocal presence on the field. He doesn't have a "nose for the ball" as far as INTs go, but that's where Simpson seems to excel.

Due to injuries last season, wide-receiver-turned-safety George Wilson saw a lot of playing time as a starter, and performed admirably. So much so that when he was lost for the remainder of the season against the Dolphins late in the year, his loss definitely affected the team. Getting so much playing time and experience in 2007 should guarantee Wilson a spot on the roster and give the Bills some solid depth at the safety position. The Bills also really like 2007 draft choice John Wendling - an athletic, heady player who also contributed well on special teams.

DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW
No coaching changes here, just roster regeneration. There was definitely the normal turnover following last season via free agency, roster cuts, and the trade for Stroud, not to mention five players picked up in the draft - including probably starter Leodis McKelvin. But the main thing Bills fans will notice about their teams' defense in 2008 is the addition of some familiar faces. Both Posluszny and Simpson should be a big lift to a defense that, with all the pieces listed above, could potentially be a top ten defense in 2008. (Barring 17 season-ending injuries of course...)



SPECIAL TEAMS
I need to mention this unit here, too, as it will again play a key role in the Bills success this year. From dazzling kick returns by 2007 league leader Roscoe Parrish, and Terrence McGee, and newcomer Leodis McKelvin (who compares himself to Devin Hester), to the great kickers that we have in Brian Moorman and Rian Lindell, to the great kick coverage teams that Bobby April fields every season... special teams will affect the outcome of games.

The unit took a pretty good hit this offseason via free agency and the Bills just trimming their roster. Special teams stars Sam Aiken, Josh Stamer, and Jim Leonhard all went to new teams in the offseason while Mario Haggan, Coy Wire and a few others are not currently on an NFL roster. The Bills filled those holes in the draft in rounds three through five with Chris Ellis, Derek Fine, & Alvin Bowen, all of whom have excelled at special teams at the collegiate level.

Though there were some losses, there were some great gains for this unit as well, and - especially in the return game - it should add some razzle-dazzle to the Bills team in 2008!


BUFFALO BILLS TEAM OVERVIEW
So to conclude, with some decent - and key - improvements on offense and defense, as well as the return of many players from season-ending injuries in 2007, the Bills are poised to make a serious run at the playoffs, and perhaps their division title for the first time since 1995. With a fairly favorable schedule, and all the pieces the staff have put in place, it's certainly a possiblity, and for the first time in quite a while, Bills fans feel it might be more than just wishful thinking.

In 1986, Marv Levy came to a floundering, directionless team and gave it instant respect. There were some pieces in place, but over the next two seasons (and beyond) he crafted it into his team, along with Bill Polian and John Butler. By the 1988 season, this laughable NFL franchise found themselves in the AFC Championship game, after going 12-4 and winning their division.

This Bills team is now entering their third season after Marv came back to town, and moulded the team once more. This team is definitely stamped by Marv Levy. Might this be 1988 all over again? Could enough of the pieces be in place that this year will begin a stellar run of championship after championship?

Might the Bills not only reach, but win a Super Bowl before turning 50? (Which happens in 2010.)

All of these things are far off, but perhaps not as far as some might think. Many experts are alerting NFL fans to watch this young team being assembled in Buffalo. They just might be ready to make some noise.

Only a couple more months till we get to find out.

Bring on the 2008 NFL season!

Labels: Current Bills, Offseason, Players

I am just a fan. I only know the Bills from a distance, but I love Bills football, and enjoy following every little detail. Even when they really aren't that great, I root for them, and follow them. And I'm pretty certain I always will.

I am also an optimist. I tend to look for the best side of everything in life, and can usually find it. Thus, many of my predictions (and on our show, my "reviews") regarding Buffalo Bills football tend to be a bit, shall we say, "rosy".

I say all of that to preface what I am about to say regarding the 2008 version of the Buffalo Bills. (At least, what I am guessing will be the 2008 version.) Some may simply dismiss the following predictions as the ramblings of a rabid, overly optimistic, homer Bills fan. And that's fine.

But I gotta say, folks... this team really has a lot of the pieces to the puzzle!

Let's go position by position, starting with the offense. Everyone loves offense, and I think we might actually have some this year!

QB
The Bills enter the season with a solid answer for who their starting QB will be. Edwards earned himself the role last season with not only a winning record (5-4) in games he started, along with his general poise on the field, and command of the offense. (What little there was last season!) This is nothing new, however, as entering 2007, JP Losman was firmly entrenched as the starter. The difference this season is the Bills seem confident with Edwards as their signal caller (he is the QB selected by Jauron and his staff) and even better for Edwards, there is a new offensive coordinator, without an overhaul of the offensive system.

With most of a year of playing in the NFL under his belt, as well as a new coordinator - a former NFL QB who has a reputation for wide open offenses - Edwards stands to have a solid-to-great sophomore season, mainly due to some additions to the Bills arsenal. (See below...)

I must also mention the fact that J.P. Losman managed to stick around for at least the last year of his contract. The Bills have said all along that they really like Losman (as a QB) and feel they have two great young quarterbacks on their team. I believe Losman - erratic as he may be - is a great backup option, should Edwards be injured during the season. He knows the offense, is comfortable with the players, and certainly has the physical tools to be a solid NFL QB. It's the mental tools that are in question with Losman.

RB
The centerpiece of the Bills offense has to be Marshawn "Beast Mode" Lynch. He gained 1,000 yards in a season where he missed three games due to an ankle injury, and would have been much more productive in an offensive scheme that involved him more in the passing game. Assuming that is part of the plan in 2008, Lynch should be poised to be a terror to opposing teams in his second season in the NFL. He's fast, powerful, and never gives up on a play. If he's able to play a full season, he should easily rack up 1,200 yards rushing, or more.

The Bills surprised many by drafting a running back in the later rounds of the 2008 NFL Draft. Xavier Omon, from a small Division II school. At first glance, the pick is perplexing. The Bills did not seem to have a need at RB. But upon further review, this kid was just off-the-charts amazing at his collegiate level! Over 7000 yards rushing, and 98 TDs total (rushing/receiving) in four years of college. He had 37 TDs in his senior season alone! He's small, fast, powerful, and obviously has great running back instincts. It's possible the Bills may have found a Maurice Jones-Drew to their Fred Taylor.

WR
The other "name" player on the Bills offense would be Lee Evans. Evans had a statistically disappointing season in 2007, but most would blame that on the unimaginitive offensive play calling, as well as no real number two receiving threat on the roster. This year, with the key addition of James Hardy, Evans could be much more free to put up the kind of numbers the Bills were expecting to see from him.

Hardy was drafted in the second round, and is the ideal fit for the Bills offense. One major missing piece last year was any sort of red zone threat. They needed - and Jauron said as much this off-season - a big, tall wide receiver. Hardy is anywhere from 6'5" to 6'7" (reports vary) and 220 pounds. He's "a head taller than almost every other player," according to Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com. He should be a force to reckon with. I predicted when we drafted him that he would get six red zone TDs this season. I think I probably underestimated that number.

Now, with Hardy taking pressure off of Evans - as well as adding much-needed touchdown scoring - there are still some formidable weapons for opponents to cover in the Bills receiving corps. First there is the dependable Josh Reed. We nicknamed him "Mr. First Down" last season, as he caught so many balls that went for first downs - especially on third down plays. He's got good hands, runs good routes, and the Bills love his blocking skills. Josh Reed is an underneath, over-the-middle kind of guy who was forced to be the #2 man the past year or two. Now moved to #3, he should see a bit more success, as well as help move guys off of Evans and Hardy.

Add Roscoe Parrish to this already decent group, and you have some great big-play potential. Parrish has not been used that effectively by the Bills yet, in my opinion. His speed and moves on punt returns could be put to use in a more wide open scheme that gets him the ball on a slant route (or even a screen) where he's already got the jets burning! Parrish should be able to stretch the field for the Bills offense, if the scheme employs his blazing speed as well.

TE
The Bills were expected to address the tight end position in the draft, and did - to an extent. Most fans and experts alike figured on the Bills drafting a big-play receiving tight end. What they got instead was a solid, all-around TE from Kansas, Derek Fine. Fine not only is an "all-around" tight end, he also played on all four special teams units. The Bills lost a lot this off season on special teams, so this was also a big hole to fill. Fine seems to be a "fine" addition at two spots the Bills needed to address this off season.

There are incumbents still hanging around, of course. The erratic Robert Royal is probably the starting TE by default. Remains to be seen if Fine can supplant him. Also, the Bills brought in Atlanta's Courtney Anderson via free agency. Anderson was a backup to Pro Bowl TE Alge Crumpler for the Falcons. 2007 draft pick, Derek Schouman, tops a no-name cast filling out the rest of the TE roster. This is one of the weaker positions for the Bills offense (on paper) going into 2008, barring stellar production from Fine, or perhaps Anderson or Royal.

OL
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the Bills offensive line showed marked improvement in 2007, and has remained intact, with a possible addition via the draft. (Although, Demetrius Bell, one of the Bills seventh round choices, is certainly a "project".)

Starting on the left side, Jason Peters had a Pro Bowl season his first full season at left tackle! Can't get much better than that. Peters is respected around the NFL as one of the better LTs in the game. Next to him is Derrick Dockery, who was maligned for being a bit overpaid, but that left side of the line for the Bills not only allowed way fewer sacks in 2007, most of the running plays also went their direction.

On the right side, the Bills still like 2006 draft choice, Brad Butler, and the behemoth at right tackle, Langston Walker. The Bills also re-signed veteran Jason Whittle who spent nearly all of last season on injured reserve. The Bills have some decent depth at the position with Whittle, Duke Preston and Kirk Chambers. Lots more guys on the roster as well, all of whom are enormous!

The one question a lot of Bills fans have with the O-line is center Melvin Fowler. He is definitely smaller than the rest of the line, and seemed to be overpowered fairly easily last season. Some thought that the team would address that position in the draft, but they did not.

OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW
Probably the most anticipated change on the offensive side of the ball is the change at the top. Turk Schonert, who as I mentioned already, is known to like a more wide-open offensive approach, has taken the reins and promised to have an offense that is similar, yet will look totally different. A Bills fan can only hope.

Assuming a more inventive offense, maybe even a four-wide formation on occasion - utilizing Evans, Hardy, Reed & Parrish simultaenously, as well as Lynch out of the backfield - this offense could really be scary to the opposing defensive coordinator. You can no longer double-cover Evans. It might be pretty hard to stop Hardy, if he can compete at the NFL level. Lynch should have more room with a passing game to which defenses are forced to pay more respect...

In the end, this 30th-ranked offense from 2007 should see dramatic improvement in 2008, which is very welcome news to Bills fans. At the very least, there should be many more renditions of the Shout! Song belted out by ecstatic Bills fans whose team should be able to put up six points in the Red Zone much more often than last season.

Fasten your seat belts, Bills fans. It should be an exciting '08!

TO BE CONTINUED...
A look at the defensive side of the Bills roster coming soon...

Labels: Current Bills, Offseason, Players

Just wanted to pass along some observations about Bills second-round pick James Hardy from Indiana.

Let me start by saying that I'm a sportswriter here in Indiana and IU football is one of my fall beats. I went to just about every home game the past couple seasons in Bloomington and also went to the Insight Bowl this past season out in Arizona.

So, I've seen Hardy up close a lot. And before he was at IU, a good friend of mine from Fort Wayne, who worked at one of the dailies there, told me about this kid named James Hardy -- who at that time was Fort Wayne's version of LeBron James.

Hardy was a great basketball player before football. In fact, he only took up football in his junior season of high school to help out a cousin of his who was coaching F.W. Elmhurst -- one of the worst football programs in the entire history of high school football. And I'm not kidding.

When I was working in The Fort for two years, I NEVER saw Elmhurst win a single game. I believe at one point they lost something like 60 straight games and set a state record for futility.

Why do you care?

Well, because Hardy made a big difference there. In his senior season, they even won four games -- which was a huge accomplishment. He went down to IU to play both football and basketball, but after a year of hoops he gave it up and concentrated on football -- where he obviously had the best shot of making it to the professional ranks.

In short, Hardy has terrorized the IU receiving record books since the day he stepped onto the field at Memorial Stadium. He might not be the quickest guy off the line. He might not have bulging pipes. But he is easily the tallest guy on the field roaming through the secondary, and QBs can't miss him. He also knows how to shake defenders and has solid hands to go with that vertical leap.

He should be a red zone nightmare for opposing D-coordinators.

He does come with some drawbacks, of course. Who doesn't?

In the past, he's quit on some routes and been bumped off others too easily -- leading to bad INTs. He's not the physically strongest guy on the field, either, not does he have blazing speed like Randy Moss.

He did have one scrape with the law between his freshman and sophomore seasons -- in which he was originally accused of shoving his child's mother while she was supposedly holding the baby.

That's the bad news. The good news is that since that incident, he hasn't had any known run-ins with the law. He did get suspended for a couple of games in deceased former IU coach Terry Hoeppner's final season -- for unspecified reasons. But it was sort of leaked that Hardy's attitude needed an adjustment when it came to getting along with then new QB Kellen Lewis.

They worked it out, and then started dominating defenses.

Put it this way ... Hardy still had a year of eligibility left at IU and was only a couple of TD catches away from setting the all-time Big Ten record for career TD grabs. Former Michgan star Braylon Edwards holds the record and another former Michigan star, Anthony Carter is second.

Both of them needed four seasons to get where they got. Had Hardy returned, he likely would have set the new record so far out there that it might never have been broken again.

And that was all for a fledgling young Big Ten team that just made a bowl game last season for the first time in 13 years!

Hardy's probably not going to stretch the field too much for the Bills in the NFL, but he should be a big factor picking up key first downs and, of course, touchdowns.

Should be fun to watch him ...

Labels: Current Bills, Draft, Players

I found a cool video on NFL.com today featuring our favorite passer-catcher combo, Jim Kelly and Andre Reed. They were number five in a list of greatest passing combos. They were pretty great! This short video has some great highlights from those years. Reed made some just spectacular grabs!

Can't embed NFL.com videos, so click here to view it at their site.

Enjoy!

Labels: Bills History, Players, Videos

The Bills went a long way toward improving their run defense—as well as their pass rush—by making a trade this past weekend for DT Marcus Stroud, formerly of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Stroud is a big man, but also very quick, and a great pursuer. He's 6'6" and 308 pounds. That's a big man in the middle, something the Bills have been sorely lacking in recent years. And, it has shown as Buffalo's run defense has been in the statistical cellar for the past three seasons.

The first free agent to sign was Kawika Mitchell from the world champion NY Giants. Mitchell came over to NY from the Chiefs as a free agent in 2007, and then signed a five-year deal Friday to play for the Bills. His style is reminiscent of the great Buffalo Bills LB Darryl Talley. Buffalo fans hope he can match Talley's energy and accomplishments over the next five years or more.

Now with a solid corp of line backers in Paul Posluszny, Angelo Crowell, and Kawika Mitchell, the Bills turned their attention to the fat guys.

At just about the time the deal for Stroud was announced, the Bills also inked a deal with free agent DT Spencer Johnson of the Minnesota Vikings. Johnson played alongside former Bills DT Pat Williams and Vikings other fat man, Kevin Williams. Johnson joked about his day in the sun being overshadowed by the trade for Stroud, saying he's used to it with Kevin & Pat.

Even though apparently used to being "second fiddle", Johnson was also quite happy to be joining a line with Marcus Stroud, and presumably fellow Pro Bowler, Aaron Schobel. Add to that a couple young guys in Kyle Williams (Johnson can't get away from the Williamses) and John McCargo, as well as Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney, and the Bills defensive line no longer looks like a liability.

Additions were not the only news out of One Bills Drive this past week. Prior to Friday's signings, the Bills parted ways with DT Larry Tripplett, as well as several other players leading up to the start of free agency. Gone now are Anthony Thomas, Coy Wire, Peerless Price, CB Jerametrius Butler, G Aaron Merz, and Kiwuakee Thomas.

Out with Kiwuakee, in with Kawika.

Rumors abound now on the offensive side of the ball, with vists from free agents Alge Crumpler and WR Bryant Johnson said to be happening this week. Nothing is confirmed regarding any offensive signings, but the Bills are known to be looking at the tight end position as well as adding a big, tall number two wide receiver.

Just as in 2007, the Bills have made some very fast moves with their available cap money, and in general, it seems Bills fans—and the Bills front office and coaching staff—are even more pleased with the first crop of free agent signings in 2008.

Labels: Current Bills, Free Agency, Offseason, Players

Last year the Bills showed no hesitation whatsoever in delving into the free agent market. In fact, I believe they signed their first free agent at midnight of the first day. The other two free agents they inked were signed by noon the next day. At the latest. The Bills knew who they wanted, and they made sure they got them.

The offensive linemen signed turned out to be pretty productive for the Bills, but some still question the amount they were signed for. Giving up such large chunks of money for what many labeled "mediocre" linemen was not what Bills fans expected from their team who was sporting one of the largest salary cap margins going into the free agent season.

This year, I really have no idea what to expect. I have said on our show that I believe the Bills will pursue Ernest Wilford from the Jaguars. He's a tall, strong, decent wide receiver who can help in the red zone as a possession guy. Another free agent I'd like to see the Bills pursue is Alge Crumpler, formerly starting TE for the Falcons. This guy was a pro bowler not too long ago, and with the Bills sorely lacking at the tight end position, seems like Crumpler could make an impact right away, which wis what you want from a free agent singing.

The Bills tend to build through the draft but I would expect them to go after the two players mentioned above, as well as perhaps a veteran DL, LB, and maybe even QB. (Depending on what they are trying to do with JP Losman.)

There are some current Bills players who might test the free agent market. Among the Bills with no contracts are Anthony Hargrove, Michael Gaines, Sam Aiken, Mario Haggan, Ryan Neufeld, Josh Stamer, and then restricted free agents Jim Leonhard and Jason Jefferson. Not a lot of big names. They will probably re-sign a lot of these guys. There are a few players who, due to injury, didn't really get to play at all last season - which was their first as a Bill - including Jason Whittle, Jason Webster, and Al Wallace. The least likely to return might be Anthony Hargrove, due to his off-field issues.

It's open season starting this Friday, February 29th! We'll see who our new Bills will be.

Labels: Free Agency, Offseason, Players

The 2007 Buffalo Bills season might very well be remembered for the many shortcomings and failures that seem to be plaguing the organization in the first decade of the two thousands. Whether it's the laundry list of injuries - seventeen players on injured reserve by the end of the season? - including the life-threatening, paralyzing injury to TE Kevin Everett, or the many gaffes by the Bills coaching staff - there is plenty to forget from the Bills eighth straight season without a trip to the playoffs.

However, this season had it's share of memorable moments as well.

Being the eternal optimist, and preferring to look at the sunny side of life, I thought it fitting to wrap up the third season of the Buffalo Bills Review with some favorite moments from the season that was. I can't cover them all, but this is a pretty comprehensive list of the significant, the amazing, and the just plain fun plays and events from the season past for us Bills fans.

Trent Edwards
When the Bills selected Trent Edwards in the 2007 draft, I admit, I was perplexed. It was a good pick, and I did applaud the Bills for, if nothing else, landing a good backup that could benefit us (later) in a trade.

Boy was I wrong!

From the get go this guy was obviously better than we fans thought. He impressed in pre-season, but that's just pre-season. He then got an early chance to show his stuff in maybe the worst situation imaginable - in New England, with very limited preparation going into the game.

This is where my list begins. Here are my Trent Edwards highlights from the 2007 season.

1. On his first drive as an NFL QB - thrust into the game by an injury to the starter - Edwards moves a struggling offense efficiently and impressively against the vaunted New England Patriots. The Bills scored a TD on the drive and held what would become one of the only leads on the Patriots all year in their perfect 16-0 season.
   
   
2. In Edwards first start in Week 4 at home against the NY Jets, he again moves the ball efficiently, and observers notice that there is something special about this kid. He just has "it", people were saying. Apparently the coaches believed this as well as a normally conservative coaching staff elected to not only go for a TD on 4th down on the goal line, but to call a play-action, roll out pass to TE Michael Gaines. That play showed extreme confidence in the rookie, showed what Edwards is capable of, and showed that Losman was on his way out.
   
   
3. In an emotionally charged game following the death of Washington Redskins' safety Sean Taylor, the Bills were able to stay in the game against an obviously fired-up Redskins team. Very late in the game, with the Bills down only two points, Edwards needed to drive a good chunk of the field to even get his team in field goal range. Showing poise beyond his youth, Edwards moved the team, completing a perfect, laser pass to Josh Reed across the middle of the field, setting up a makeable 51-yard field goal attempt for his kicker, Rian Lindell. Clutch pass, perfect pass, Bills win.
   
   
4. The hated Miami Dolphins were coming to Buffalo, in December... winless. It was a Bills fan's dream. And Edwards did not disappoint. The rookie tossed up FOUR TD passes in the game, throwing three in the first half, and the fourth was a 70-yard bomb (in the snow!) to the speedy Lee Evans.

Marshawn Lynch
Aside from the surprise of our third round pick, Trent Edwards, there was the expected great play of our first round pick, Marshawn Lynch. He was the second running back taken in the draft - behind Adrian Peterson, in whom the Bills were also interested, and he did not at all disappoint!

Some Lynch highlights from the 2007 season include:

1. In his very first game, on his very first NFL touchdown, fans in attendance at Ralph Wilson Stadium could tell that Lynch was something special. On a run off to the right side, Lynch showed his speed, his agility, his shiftiness, and most of all his POWER. He went into what he calls "Beast Mode" and literally carried three Denver Broncos several yards into the end zone. As Bills play-by-play voice, John Murphy exclaimed, "Marshawn Lynch would not be denied!" Great sign of things to come.
   
   
2. In a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at The Ralph, Lynch not only dominated on the ground, posting the first 100 yard game of his career, he also passed for a touchdown! On a drive where he carried six straight plays to move the Bills into scoring range, the half-back option pass was the perfect call, and worked just like they drew it up! (Soon after throwing the TD pass, Lynch also ripped off a 50-plus yard TD run!
   
   
3. Another GREAT example of "Beast Mode" was on the two-point conversion play following a hard-earned TD run against Miami which would tie the game up late in the fourth quarter, Lynch was hit hard by the Dolphins defender, and even knocked backwards. Always up for the challenge, Lynch twisted and turned and pushed and lunged forward into the end zone for the tying points. Lynch also drove the Bills into field goal range on the subsequent Bills possession - earning the final needed yards with a sprained ankle that would keep him out for the next three weeks. Pure Beast Mode!
   
   
4. In his first game back after the injury, Lynch again faced the Dolphins and showed no sign of weakness in his ankle. Lynch rushed for 107 yards on his "bum" ankle. This was amazing enough by itself, but making the day even more fun was backup running back Fred Jackson rushing for 115 yards on the day! Two 100-yard rushers against the Dolphins. Nothing could be better!

Monday Night Football, October 8th - vs the 4-0 Dallas Cowboys
One of the more memorable games of the years was the Bills first Monday Night home game in something like thirteen years! The place was rockin' like never before, and the Bills showed up to play against a team they seemed to be far outclassed by. And, in the end, Bills fans will remember the insanity of the final minutes that stole the victory from them, but the game did have its moments...

1. On cocky young Dallas QB Tony Romo's first pass, undrafted free agent WR-turned-FS, George Wilson, intercepts and returns the pass for a touchdown! That set the tone for one very wild evening at The Ralph, and was a career highlight for Mr. Wilson (that would be George...) as well I'm sure!
   
   
2. Seeing Tony Romo so flustered as to throw FIVE picks and even fumble once - very Eli Manning... - was just simply a highlight of the year. I don't care if the Bills lost the game, that was definitely a highlight. The Bills defense was opportunistic that night to say the least!

Random Memories
There were many more great memories from the 2007 season. They are a bit more random, so I'll list them individually below in no particular order.

• Willis McGahee's much-anticipated return to Buffalo was probably not what he hoped it would be. The Bills did allow him one drive on which he scored a 46-yard TD, as well as racked up over 70 yards (finished with 130-something, I believe). I'm still convinced he had enough friends left on the team that they let him have that one drive, just to be nice. :-) The rest of the day the Bills defense pretty much shut him down, and the Bills won 19-14.
  
  
• On his first punt return of the season, Roscoe Parrish took the ball 74 yards for the touchdown. The tiny return man would end up leading the league in punt-return average for the 2007 season!
  
  
• Late in the year, the Bills had a chance to still make the playoffs, but needed to beat the Giants and the Eagles to do that. They had the Giants at home, and took an early 14-0 lead! The Giants came back to tie the score, and appeared to be going for more until the defense stiffened and forced the Giants to decide whether to go from the one yard line, or kick the easy field goal. They chose to go for it, and on 4th down, John McCargo knifed his way through the Giants offensive line and made a HUGE tackle for a loss. Great play, great stand.

Kevin Everett Returns
My final - maybe favorite? - memory from the 2007 Buffalo Bills season is probably the best because it is fairy tale ending of one of the worst moments of the year. Yes, there were some ugly football moments, but the ugliest life moment happened on the opening kickoff of the second half of the first game. Kevin Everett made a crushing tackle on the Denver Broncos return man, and he never got up. The stadium was silent, and there was a giant knot in my stomach as I had seen the whole thing, and knew exactly what was going on.

Days went by and the reports were not good. Fractured vertebrae and definitely won't play football again. Might not walk again. Might not live. Hit this young team hard. Very hard. I'm pretty sure it affected their performance in at least the next game.

But then the weeks went by and the reports improved. A lot! Incredibly, what was once life-threatening was turning into a miraculously speedy recovery! Reports began to circulate late in the season that Everett would actually return to Buffalo and walk out on the field for the Bills' final home game against the Giants!

Well, there was no public appearance by the quiet Bills tight end. But, he did return to Buffalo. Perhaps his walking into the Bills locker room inspired the fast start the Bills saw that day, but whether it affected the play on the field, it certainly affected the players personally. It was the storybook ending to a rough, unprecedented injury-riddled season for the Buffalo Bills.

Whether you will remember the losing record, or the injuries, or any or all of the fun moments listed above, the 2007 Buffalo Bills season was certainly memorable. And with some impressive play by rookies and other unknown players, as well as many players who didn't even really get a chance to play in the 2007 season, 2008 is looking promising for the Bills. With a few off-season moves, and a new offensive play caller, this back-to-back 7-9 team could surprise some folks next year. Could be impressive.

Could even make the playoffs?

But we get ahead of ourselves. Another season is in the books, time for a short break, and then the Bills start building for next season. For now, let's just take a moment and enjoy the memories!

Labels: Current Bills, Games, Players

A friend sent me a link today to a story about Kevin Everett's recovery from Sports Illustrated this month. It's such an amazing story! How can you go from paralyzed to WALKING in three months??? It really is a miracle. I know it's modern science too, but I think God must have had some part in it, cause this doesn't happen for everyone!

Great stuff about a great guy who is a Buffalo Bill. Go Kevin!

Labels: Articles, Current Bills, Players

I have been meaning to write many articles this week. A thorough recap of the game this past Sunday against Baltimore, highlighting some of the pretty amazing things I see in our rookie quarterback, Trent Edwards. Another article breaking down the stats on how the Bills truly did shut down Willis McGahee on his first visit to his old stomping grounds—on his birthday no less. And, I have wanted to weigh in on the whole Bills-games-in-Toronto issue.

But I haven't. And, I won't.

(Quite) Unfortunately, I do not get paid to write about the Bills, and my work load at the moment seems insurmountable. Tack on the fact that we leave for California in less than 24 hours, and yeah... I'm feeling the pressure!

For that reason, here are a few quick thoughts on all of the above topics.

QB Trent Edwards
It is now official. Trent Edwards is the starting QB for the Buffalo Bills. Not just for this week. For good. Dick Jauron said, "Hopefully we won't have to make a change there," in his press conference yesterday. The Bills like what they see in Edwards, and for good reason.

Not only does Trent have a good arm, is very accurate, and can put some zip on the ball, he's also a very quick learner and very confident in the pocket. His abilities to handle the offensive schemes were showcased when the Bills ran the no-huddle offense for most of the game against Baltimore. The QB has to read the defense, and make the call from some pre-set plays in that situation. And he did a great job with it! His confidence and poise in the pocket are demonstrated by the number of sacks he has taken. Some of the credit goes to the offensive line, but much of it goes to Trent for knowing when to release the ball, and where to put it.

One of the more amazing things from Sunday's game was the FIVE offsides penalties Edwards was able to pull the Ravens into! It could have been six, but the call went against the Bills when Michael Gaines jumped at the same time as the Ravens defender. His cadence was excellent, keeping the Baltimore defense either moving backward by penalty, or at least a little hesitant to jump at the snap.

Add to his very good play for a rookie the fact that the team is now 2-1 when he starts (and could, almost should be 3-0, barring the miracle finish by Dallas) and you have a no-brainer decision. Edwards gives the team the best chance to win now, and most likely in the future.

Good decision by the Bills.

Willis Held In Check
When Willis came out on the Ravens' first drive of the second half and just started getting huge chunks of yards, I was definitely worried. I thought maybe he or the Ravens had figured out something, and it was going to be a long day. That was every Bills fan's worst nightmare... Willis running wild on us, leaving with the win.

But he didn't.

Really, the Bills did a great job stopping McGahee all day. An amazing job, actually. I knew what I saw, and what I saw was a great performance by the Bills defense, and a completely shut down performance by Willis. Well, almost completely.

So late that night I broke down the stats. I wanted to see if I had just imagined that we did shut him down. I did not.

On that one drive to open the third quarter, Willis had 4 carries for 72 yards, including the one TD run of 46 yards where the Bills only had ten guys on the field (but I don't think the eleventh would have mattered). Willis finished the day with 19 carries for 114 yards. Take away 46 and he has 18 for 68 yards. That's 3.7 yards/carry. Take away that drive (were the Bills still in the lockeroom or something?) and he has 14 carries for 42 yards! OUCH! That's 3 YPC.

More stats? The Bills held Willis to 1 yard on 2 receptions (and he also dropped one, that was thrown behind him). The Bills also held him to zero or negative yards on 4 carries. 9 of his remaining 15 carries were for 4 yards or less. Mostly less.

The Bills came into the game having done very well against the Jets runningbacks and the Cowboys runningbacks. They wanted to do the same against Baltimore, who are a run-oriented team. And, they wanted to shut down Willis.

They did.

The Move To Toronto
First of all, the Bills are not moving to Toronto. They are merely playing a game or two in Toronto—where many Bills fans reside. All of this speculation is definitely premature, and completely unnecessary. In my opinion, of course.

Here's what we know. The NFL decided that up to two regular season games per year would be played outside of the US through the 2011 season. Their hope is that each team would be able to participate in that. The Bills stated that they would like to be proactive in that experiment by suggesting that they play a game in very nearby Toronto, which is currently a major region that they draw from.

The Bills have played there before. In 1995 and 1997, the Bills played two preseason games in the Skydome. (They won both!) So they are no strangers to Toronto, and those games did not precipitate a move to Canada. They broaden the region that the Bills cover.

Seven years ago, the Bills made a similar move when they shifted their annual training camp to St. John Fisher College in Rochester. There are many Bills fans in the stadium on Sundays who make the drive from Rochester, and moving training camp to their city only made sense. It gave the Bills more of a presence in Rochester, and likely has won them some more fans.

That is precisely what the Bills are hoping would happen with a regular season game in Toronto each year.

This is not without NFL precedent, either. The Green Bay packers played several games a year in Madison, WI several years ago now. They are also a small-market, regional team, and wanted to have a more regional appeal. It worked just fine, as far as I know.

The Bills are not moving to Toronto. The NFL will not allow that. Ralph Wilson certainly won't. And I would say, as much as they are able, NY State will not allow it either. But one game in Toronto, even annually, makes a lot of sense for expanding the reach of this small-market team. Bring in more fans, more corporate luxury box buyers... and the Bills remain in Western New York.

The Bills will likely play a pre-season game in 2008 in Toronto. It remains to be seen what the NFL will decide as far as regular season games there. The Bills have crossed a few hurdles, getting approval on the first stages of this plan. Next is the NFL.

Seems like a great plan to me, and I hope they can make it happen. I'd love for them to play a game over here in Rochester, closer to where I live, but we don't have a facility like the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

So north of the border we go!

(But just for one game.) :-)

Labels: Bills History, Current Bills, Games, News, NFL, Players, Training Camp

[From highschool.rivals.com]

A former NFL wide receiver whose nine-year career was spent with the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers, this devout Christian now volunteers his time coaching tiny Aurora (Ill.) Christian High School -– enrollment 376 -– because of his faith.

In nine NFL seasons, Beebe caught 219 passes for 3,416 yards and 23 TDs.

"There's no money involved," Beebe said. "It's my calling. I felt God calling me to coach kids."

When former Bills coach and current general manager Marv Levy asked Beebe to join Buffalo's coaching staff in 2006, Beebe immediately turned him down to remain with Aurora Christian.

"Why do something just for money?" Beebe said. "My passion is here and with these kids."

In four seasons as head coach, Beebe transformed a struggling program into a Class 3A state power by setting examples and building traditions.

He maintains heart outweighs talent.

Read more...

Labels: Articles, Bills History, Players

With the NFL trade deadline fast approaching, some have suggested (even starting right here with Your Truly of the Buffalo Bills Review) that the Bills should trade JP Losman while they still can. Losman is under contract with the Bills through the end of the 2008 season. That means this season is very likely his "contract" year. His play in 2007 will determine the value of his next contract with Buffalo—or if he is even offered one.

Is it just crazy talk to be suggesting the Bills dump a guy whom they have developed for four years now? This was to be his "breakout" season. He was injured on the first play of the third game this year, so we only saw him play in two games, but it would certainly not qualify as a "breakout season".

In an article following Trent Edwards first start, I echoed the sentiments of Jerry Sullivan of the Buffalo News when I declared that game the beginning of the Trent Edwards Era. Of course that is premature, but I saw in one game what I have been wanting to see for three years from Losman. I have never been a JP basher. If you had to label me, I would likely fall in the "JP Supporter" camp. I do see the upside of Losman.

But in all of two starts I have seen way more upside from Trent Edwards. Poise, confidence, composure, quick release, quick decision making, accuracy, arm strength... I'd say on all but the last one Edwards possesses at least a slight edge over Losman. The main difference between the two is Losman's 30-plus NFL games to Edwards three. But so far that difference only appears to matter on paper.

Benefits of a Trade
I know trades don't happen that often in the NFL. They are especially rare during the season. However, let's look at some positives of moving JP Losman right now.

• Contract:
  The Bills will be making a decision this year whether or not to extend Losman's contract. Has he shown enough in his four years here to warrant an extension? Maybe the Bills are asking themselves right now, "Has Edwards shown us enough in just three games?" It makes sense to make a move now, if they are going to do it inevitably anyway.
  
  I think the Bills know what they are going to do with him. They know whether they will offer him an extension, or not. If they shop him around, and find a buyer now, they can get something in return. Not sure that happens in the off-season.
  
  
• Controversy:
  Buffalo has had way too many QB controversies since Jim Kelly retired. Flutie/Johnson, Bledsoe/Flutie, Bledsoe/Losman, Losman/Holcomb, and now the playoff-starved fans are sensing another following the excellent play from rookie Trent Edwards. Losman has never won the hearts of Buffalo fans. Not that they hate the kid, mind you. He's just never completely won the city over. Enter Edwards. Enter controversy.
  
  A swift and immediate trade would end said controversy. Trent Edwards has looked more than competent at the helm of the Bills ship. Without the option of going to Losman, there would be no QB controversy. There would be no distraction for the rest of the team.
  
  
• There is a Need:
  I was joking a week or two ago about Atlanta needing a QB (because of how awful Joey Harrington is) but now there are even more desperate teams to talk to. Desperate enough to bring in 43-year-old QB Vinny Testaverde in Carolina! Miami, Carolina, St. Louis, and others are all hurting for a good QB. JP has the physical talent to be that, which earned him his status as a first-round selection in the 2004 draft. Desperate teams may be willing to offer something for Losman based on his potential, despite his track record as a Bills starter.
  
  
• Do it for JP:
  As I stated above, Losman has never won the hearts of this city. He is a likable guy, and I think he is well liked in the locker room. But from what I have heard—and just my opinion from observing Edwards' play—there is more reason for confidence in Edwards as the QB than anything we've seen from Losman in his entire career here in Buffalo. Sometimes it's just good to move on. With a year left on his contract, JP needs to make a good showing, and perhaps with the QB shortage, trading him allows him to do just that, while offering the Bills some compensation for him. (Maybe more than they might get otherwise, since there is an immediate need on several teams.)

So the dilemma for the Bills becomes, do you take a chance on the kid (Edwards), or do you show some loyalty to a guy you have poured four years of development into, who also wears the big C on his jersey. Doesn't that mean something, too? He is one of the six captains of the 2007 Buffalo Bills. That has to count for something.

And I believe that is what Dick Jauron thinks as well.

My opinion is that the right move for the Bills—and for JP Losman—is to move him right now. There should be some willing takers, even in exchange for only a draft pick. (The way the Bills have been drafting the past two seasons, that could be a very valuable pick!) If Edwards is the guy, there's no reason not to.

That said, more than likely we will see JP back under center for the game against Baltimore, and then the NY Jets, and then I am not sure what will happen. If Losman plays up to his full potential, he keeps his job, and the Bills do have a QB "controversy" on their hands. If he's mediocre or worse, he rides the pine the rest of the year as the Bills develop Edwards.

The Bills have until October 16th to decide. My vote is to let the Edwards era begin.

We'll have to wait and see how Levy and Jauron vote.

Labels: Bills History, Current Bills, Players

I think we may have witnessed history on Sunday, folks. It could be that from the ashes of this "lost" season full of broken players, we may have discovered what we have all been longing for since the retirement of our beloved Jim Kelly. It's possible that not only did Trent Edwards win the first game of the 2007 season for the Buffalo Bills, he may have won himself a job, as well as the hearts of the entire city of Buffalo, and Bills fans around the world.

You think I'm kidding?

When was the last time you felt confident when a Bills QB took the field? When was the last time you knew we could convert a third down play? How about a 4th and goal from inside the one... on a play-action, rollout pass to the TE??

Yeah, that's what I thought.

There are three things that I really noticed yesterday. (1) Better play calling, including - and especially - (2) the call to go for the TD on 4th and goal, and (3) the play of Trent Edwards. I do believe they are all interconnected, but let's look at each area individually.

Steve Fairchild Opens Up The Offense
Just last week I finally came around to my fellow BBR co-host, Dave's way of thinking. He has been on Jauron, and more specifically Fairchild's case since they got here. Bad play calling has been a frequent subject of the popular "See Dick Coach" segment. And last week, my biggest beef was just that - offensive play calling. I attributed that to Steve Fairchild, and stated that the Bills could not get rid of him soon enough! Horrible use of our talent, I thought.

What a difference a week makes.

I can't say I'm sold on the offensive genius of Steve Fairchild, but did you notice that they finally opened up the playbook this week? There were rollouts and play-action passes, there were misdirections, end-arounds, and yes... we threw passes to our tight ends! They had seven receptions between them! There were even a few Lee Evans sightings!! Six, to be precise!

The offense did a great job of mixing up the pass and the run, and sticking with the run even when the Jets were bottling up Lynch pretty effectively. The run game only averaged 3.1 yards per carry. (But did score a TD when Lynch ran one into the end zone in the third quarter.)

What brought about that sudden change of philosophy? Why did the playbook open up so much that our offense looked like a completely different group of players?

4th Down and Goal
We'll finish that thought in a moment. First, in continuing with the play calling theme, there was one play in particular that once the call was made, showed me that we were serious about winning.

With a precarious 10-7 lead, the Bills got the turnover they needed. Jabari Greer stepped in front of a Pennington pass and gave the Bills the ball at the NY Jets 25. Fantastic field position that they really needed to take advantage of. The Bills were on the good side of a penalty, which put them in a first and goal at the NY 9. From there, Lynch got back to back four yard carries, which set the Bills up with a third and goal at the one. Unfortunately, the Jets stopped Lynch for no gain on the third down play, and - much to my quite vociferous chagrin - the Bills sent out the kicking team.

Thankfully, the coaches had instructed Moorman to call a time out as the play clock ran down, which he did. This not only smartly used the clock... it gave them a chance to reconsider the decision.

The offense came back out, and my jaw hit the floor. It was the right call - it's what they should have done in the first place - but I still couldn't believe they were really doing it! Lynch had been able to get at least a yard on almost every carry that day, so with a 3-point lead, it made sense to go for it from inside the one. Barring a turnover, you either go up by two scores, or you give them the ball inside their own one, which still puts you in a very good spot. It was the right call, too, for a team that really needs confidence.

What I was not prepared for was the actual play that was called.

They sent Edwards onto the field with this call: a play-action, rollout pass to the TE Gaines. Every player I have heard, and the head coach as well, have all said that took guts. Calling a play action pass with a rookie QB starting his first game? Guts.

And that leads me to the final of three intertwined highlights from yesterday's game.

Trent Edwards
When Edwards came into the game against the Patriots, I told my family (with whom I was watching the game) that the game was lost. Not Trent's fault... you just can't expect a rookie who has not practiced as the starter all week, to come in and beat the best team in the league. And, aside from a quite welcome shock on the first drive, I was right. He was not able to do anything out there after that drive. They did a good job confusing him.

Not so this week. With a whole week to prepare, Edwards looked confident, made quick decisions, and threw accurate passes. He was sacked a time or two, and did throw an interception, but overall, there was definitely something different about our passing game.

To be fair, for much of the game I kept saying, "If they would open up the offense for JP, he might look like this too!" And, I understand that it was the Jets. They are not much better than the Bills. (Maybe they aren't better?) So, was I just seeing a mirage? Was this all inflated results due to a poor opponent, home field advantage, and (for some strange reason) better play calling?

By the end of the game, and especially when they called the play-action pass on 4th and goal, I knew that it was not.

See, I think I finally realized that maybe the reason the play calling looked so bad - so conservative, so vanilla - was more on the quarterback than on the coach? It could just be really, really bad timing for JP. All of it. They seemed to have thrown in some more wrinkles in the game he started in New England, but he didn't get to carry them out. And Trent's first start was at home against the Jets. But I gotta think it's more than that.

We've seen JP for four season. We've seen Trent for two games. Nearly every Bills fan I have read or heard or talked with sees that Edwards is the future, and should probably even be the present. That's so crazy, because Losman seemed to be "coming around" at the end of last season. But there's just something different about Edwards. And I think the play calls from his coaches proved that they know that too.

So, I'm off Fairchild's back, and big time on the Trent Edwards band wagon. I can't wait to see what the offense can do at home, on a Monday night, against the undefeated Dallas Cowboys! I don't imagine the Bills end the game on top on the scoreboard, but I do think we will give them a good challenge, if Edwards wasn't just smoke and mirrors.

Something tells me that he is not, and that is the best news Bills fans have had in a very long time!

[related articles]
Trust Me: The Kid Stays In The Picture (Buffalo News)

Labels: Current Bills, Games, Players

Seriously, folks... when have you EVER seen so many serious injuries to one team, and by only week three of the season??

JP Losman went down on the first play of the first series yesterday (and he should have stayed down, but that's another story...) and then we lose Poz not too much later. Like him or not, JP is as essential to the Bills as Poz. Both of those are big losses, and thankfully they are not season-ending as some originally speculated regarding the injury to Posluszny.

Add to these two guys the major injuries we have already sustained: Ryan Denney, Keith Ellison, Al Wallace, Aaron Merz, Coy Wire, Ko Simpson, Jason Webster, Kevin Everett. And, don't forget that Josh Reed missed last week's game, and Terrence McGee missed yesterday's game. Jason Whittle also left yesterday's game with a hamstring injury. We had one active, healthy QB on the roster yesterday when Losman went down, and just three CBs. When Poz went down, we had only four healthy LBs, with one of those guys (Leon Joe) being brand new to the system.

And don't forget our friend Anthony Hargrove, who decided to get himself in trouble, and is suspended through next week's game against the Jets. That leaves our active, healthy DEs at: Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Ryan Neill (our long snapper) and another new guy, Bryan Copeland.

With all of these injuries, our already young team is just that much younger and inexperienced. And in plain English - not as good. They can't be. We're playing our THIRD STRING defensive players in some cases. We are moving guys (John DiGiorgio) into positions they have never played before. Not just in the NFL... they have never played them before.

So in case you are thinking, "Yeah, I knew they were this bad!" You might want to consider that we have had some unprecedented roster shake ups thanks to injuries and the one suspension. The question is not really whether anyone saw this coming - since, no one could have - but really it's "Can the Bills recover the 2007 season?"

After week one's injuries, the Bills brought in a handful of available free agents, and at least CB Bryan Scott has been in on a few plays on the field already. Now with Losman gone for a couple weeks maybe, do the Bills bring Craig Nall back? Do they get someone else? Kevin Eakin is on the practice squad, and could be activated as an emergency option. Do we cut some of our excess at RB (Anthony Thomas, Josh Scobey) to make room for another LB or DL? I'm not even sure how much the Bills can do with salary cap and maybe roster move restrictions?

It's a mess. A real mess. One like I've never seen before.

The good news is, for the most part the offense is still in tact. JP's injury is short term, and with a week of practice, Edwards should fill in admirably. Aaron Merz was certainly a loss, but he was not a starter... just depth. Same goes for Kevin Everett. (TE was shored up with the additions of Michael Gaines and Matt Murphy after Everett's injury.) So the offense has been much less hampered by the injury bug.

The bad news? What in the world is wrong with the offense??? It's understandable that we are the #32 defense in the league. We barely have any starters left. Even some of our 2nd stringers are injured. But the offense does not have the luxury of such an excuse. The Buffalo Bills offense is ranked #32 of 32 because they have not executed, and from my observations, the game planning and in-game decision making of the coaching staff is just putrid.

When the Bills marched down the field on the first drive, many Bills fans figured that Trent Edwards was our savior. After all, the whole ineptitude of the offense in 2007 - and really the last four years - is 100% on the shoulders of JP Losman, right? Turns out, after that first drive, the NE coaches were able to adapt to what Edwards brought to the game, and they made him look worse than Losman. Why is that? If NE can adapt, why can the Bills NOT? What is wrong with these coaches?? They are not able to put our players in a position to win, or even to just make the play.

Injuries or not (and remember, on offense, it's mostly "not") the Buffalo Bills coaching staff has to find a way to produce some wins this year, or there will be some major shake ups. I don't know how much power Marv Levy really has at One Bills Drive, but I'd think he has enough to bend Mr. Wilson's ear and cause some turnover in a very inferior game planning staff. I think that's mostly on Steve Fairchild, but if there are others... they need to go as well.

Yes folks, thanks to the curse someone has put on the Buffalo Bills (maybe the city of Los Angeles?) it looks like it will be another loooong season here in Buffalo. But take heart. The Bills are coming home, and the Jets haven't looked much more impressive (though at #32 on offense and defense, EVERYONE has looked at least a little more impressive!) and we do stand a chance of grabbing our first win. With the JV Bills team.

Maybe we could dress some of the Jills for the game? :-)

Labels: Current Bills, Players

There is good news regarding Kevin Everett today! Not only is he making great progress, with doctors saying he could walk - even within the next couple weeks! - he was well enough to be moved home to a hospital in Houston, where he can be near family and friends. There are so many good reports, it's incredible. Wanted to share those links here. What an amazingly cool story!

Everett Transferred to Houston Hospital (BuffaloBills.com)
Everett’s Mother Confident In Son’s Determination
Everett Shirts Hit Store Shelves

Labels: News, Players

The rumors were true. Kevin does have movement in his legs and arms. It's minimal, but pretty encouraging. The doctors won't say that he will walk again, but it's not impossible. This is such good news. Better than I thought we'd hear.

You can read and watch more at the following links:
Everett's Improved Condition (BuffaloBills.com)
VIDEO: Everett Update (BuffaloBills.com)

Labels: News, Players

It's just a sad day. That happens after a Buffalo Bills loss. Any Monday after a loss is no fun. You replay the game in your head, and especially when it was close, you wonder, "What if they had just..." and myriad alternate realities dance through your head.

Today is no exception. But as I mentioned earlier, the day is sad on so many more levels than just the final outcome of the game.

Leaving the game minus four players with major injuries - TE Kevin Everett the most severe with a possibly career-ending injury - certainly added to a very down, depressed Bills lockeroom. Losing a game - in which you never trailed - by one point on a field goal that was kicked in an NFL record 11 seconds from the end of the previous play. Losing the home opener in front of 74,000 loud, excited fans. All of these add up to a pretty depressing day for players, coaches and fans alike.

But there were some highlights to yesterday's game. Perhaps, as usual, focusing on the good accomplishments from the day before can lift some of the sadness of the defeats.

HIGHS

• Marshawn Lynch
  One of the best performances yesterday - and most promising for the future of the Bills - was given by rookie RB Marshawn Lynch. Oft criticized in the pre-season, Lynch put a lot of that criticism to rest with 90 yards rushing on 19 carries, with 1 great TD run. Two plays stood out. The TD run where he carried several people with him into the end zone, and a 4th and 1 play where he drove forward and got the first down on a second and third and fourth effort. Those plays stood in stark contrast to the efforts we saw from Willis McGahee over the past couple years.
  
  Only downside of Lynch's play yesterday was a critical missed block on the opening drive. Bills were moving the ball well, but Lynch missed his man and gave up a big 14-yard sack that resulted in no points for the Bills offense. Bad way to start the game... rookie mistake. Lynch did make a few more rookie mistakes, and was noticeably - and unexpectedly - absent from the passing game, but overall was a bright spot in the loss.

• Special Teams on a Special Day
  It was fitting that on Steve Tasker's day, the Special Teams for the current Bills team were a big part of the game. Roscoe Parrish had a fantastic return for a TD. McGee almost broke a kickoff return for another TD. The kicking units covered kicks and punts very well, setting Denver up inside the 1 yard line for their first drive. There were some mistakes. Moorman had a bad kick or two, Lindell missed his only FG attempt. But as always, special teams played brilliantly and certainly gave us a great chance to win the game.
  
  Watch the half-time presentation (as well as some other bonus Steve Tasker highlight video) at BuffaloBills.com:
  
  
• Poz
  When the Broncos offense took the field for the first time, Paul Posluszny made his presence known. On nearly every play, the stadium announcer would name the Denver ball carrier, and then say, "Tackle made by Paul Posluszny!" The crowd would follow that with a supportive cheer. After about the fifth repetition of that sequence, you could hear the almost sarcastic tone with which the announcer said, "Tackle by... Paul Posluzny!", which the crowd responded to with an even louder cheer!! Poz ended the game second in tackles with 10, and was in position on most every play. He had some great penetration on a few running plays, and was just all over the field. I knew he was good, but yesterday Bills fans got to see that Poz may be something really special for years to come.

• Donte Whitner
  Actually, the defense overall played great. They made big plays when they needed to, and even given some rough circumstances, did very well overall. The stats don't say that, but my football sense does. I was there, and saw a unit that gave a LOT yesterday. Everything they had. Three starters went down in the game, including one who was replacing another starter! That's a lot to overcome. The flow of the game put them in some tough situations, which mostly they overcame. Overall, definitely a B+ (at least) for the Bills defense.
  
  One of the standouts was S Donte Whitner. Whitner was in on many plays, several for a loss. He was quite noticeable, and was living up to his #8 overall selection. Some Bills fans still question his being selected that high in the 2006 NFL draft, but Whitner has backed that up with some great play-making on the field, including yesterday's game against the Broncos.

LOWS

• JP Losman
  I have to cut JP a little slack in that the offense was put in some strange situations due to good drives by Denver, the punt return for a TD (which kept the offense off of the field), and some of the injuries. But really, he had a very bad game. He never got into any kind of rhythm. A lot of that can be attributed to play-calling. But some of it has to fall on JP. One of the critical plays he missed was on third down on the Bills' third possession. Parrish had beaten Bailey, and would have had the much-needed first down, but JP underthrew him. Pretty badly. Add to that the final possession where he overthrew a wide-open Lee Evans on a potential game-sealing bomb... and JP definitely did not contribute much to the game. He was 14-21 for 97 yards, 0 TDs and 1 strange INT. Not a good day for our signal caller.
  
  
• Bills Coaches
  As I said, JP does take a lot of the blame, but perhaps most of it goes to the Bills coaches? The offense was very predictable instead of the high-octane, spread formation that many Bills fans were expecting. Yes, Denver's defense did a good job shutting that down, but it did not appear the Bills were even trying to go that route. When they did spread out the defense, they went with short passes to the wideouts, hoping they could make something happen with the YAC. (Yards after catch.) That play was definitely not working for us.
  
  Then, there was the most questioned play of all. 3rd and 5 with just over 2 minutes to go. The Bills have the lead, and the ball, and just need a couple more first downs. Instead of going with Marshawn, who had been hot and had converted on some very big plays, they elected to throw deep for only the second or third time all day. Lee Evans definitely was open, but it's a low percentage play at best, and the percentages won. JP overthrew by a few yards (and threw to the wrong shoulder) and the Bills punt the ball. Had they made the play, the fans may be a bit more lenient, but that was NOT the call you make in that situation. In my opinion.
  
  
• Terrence McGee
  Yes, Terrence McGee. I know, he had a fabulous return, and he's always good for at least one of those per game. And, he actually made a couple good plays on defense, both on run and pass defense. He was defending that 2-point play that did not work for Denver. But I had a big beef with him yesterday. I counted two times that he outright DROPPED the ball and one more time where he was in position to make a play on the ball and did not. I know his main role is not to get the INT, but to defend against the pass. However, we need McGee to make those big plays. Especially on the ones that hit him in the hands!
  
  The first of the two glaring drops was the play before the Broncos only TD of the game. They Broncs had been driving, making our tired defense look silly, but McGee stepped in front of a Cutler pass, and had he caught it, would have probably gone the distance on the return. Great play on the ball, got both hands on it... but dropped it! ARGH! Next play, Denver scores. The other really bad one was a bootleg on which Cutler threw an ill-advised pass deep to Walker, but McGee had plenty of time to read the play, make his break, and got both hands on the ball. Our section was cheering on the obvious INT, until we noticed the ball rolling on the ground. That would have out a stop to a critical fourth quarter drive. (I think we got the ball back from them on that one anyway, but still... you have to make that catch when you get both hands on the ball!)
  
  
• Chris Kelsay
  This is pretty minor, but on one play, Bills DE Chris Kelsay had Cutler lined up for a big sack but did not wrap him up - and looked silly in the process. Cutler managed to get away, and even completed a pass for a first down on that drive. I believe it resulted in 3 points as well. That was really, really bad tackling.

THE UNFORTUNATE

• The Refs
  I do get tired of saying this - and really tire of sounding like I am whining, or making excuses - but the refs did have an adverse affect on the game yesterday, that they should not have had. There was a late facemask call that went against the Broncos that should not have been called, but I am pretty sure that was one of those "make up" calls, which doesn't ever really make up for the previously bad calls!
  
  The refs missed lots of holding calls, several facemask calls, and worst of all, they missed a timeout call from Angelo Crowell on the final Denver drive, which led to a Denver first down. It was fourth and two, and Crowell was signaling for a TO, and all the Bills were expecting the refs to call it. They somehow missed it, and the Bills defense was (at least slightly) caught off guard, and Cutler rushes around the right side for a critical first down.
  
  I'm quite tired of the refs having such a big (negative) impact on the Bills.
  
  
• The First Quarter
  I have already alluded to it, but as the Bills offense seemed to the casual observer to be sputtering in the first quarter, I noticed that there were circumstances that led to that. Oddly enough, they were initially a good thing for the Bills. The Bills began the game with a very good drive. It stalled when Lynch missed a block, and Losman was sacked. No points, but a great special teams play for the Bills put the Broncos inside their 1 yard line. Broncos called a great play to get out of that trouble, and got a couple first downs... but the defense held, and forced a punt. Roscoe Parrish runs that punt back for a TD, putting the Bills up 7-0! Fantastic, except that the defense who had just worked hard to shut down the Denver offense, has to go right back out and do it again.
  
  At this point they are tired, so they give up a few more first downs, but hold again, and only allow a field goal. Bills offense finally takes the field again after being off the field for about nine minutes. They run three plays, and have to punt, resulting in the defense taking the field again. The Bills stopped that drive, but already the Denver offense had 11:03 minutes of possession to the Bills 2:25, since their first drive. That tired out our defense, and never allowed our offense to develop any sort of rhythm.

• The Injuries
  Add to the circumstances above some very serious injuries to our defensive starters, and the emotionally draining injury to Kevin Everett to begin the third quarter, and the Bills were definitely in a really tough position to pull out a win, even being at home. Besides Everett, the Bills lost saftery Ko Simpson (broken ankle, lost for the year), Jason Webster (broken arm, out indefinitely) and replacement starting LB Coy Wire (knee sprain, out indefinitely). This is on top of some major injuries in the preseason to Ryan Denney and Keith Ellison. It's been a very rough start to the season for the Bills, health-wise.

My overall opinion of the game has not changed. In the stadium yesterday, it felt like the Bills fought hard, played a very solid game, and most certainly could have won that game. Questionable play calling, and the above unfortunate circumstances allowed Denver to pull out a win in a fantastic way (for them, at least), but overall, the Bills deserve a B+ for their effort yesterday. Most of the negative grade (for me) goes to the coaches and the refs. I was shocked when I saw the final stats and the Broncos had a 100 yard rusher (ok, that wasn't a shock), a 100 yard receiver, and a 300 yard passer. The defense - at least according to my perception at the game - seemed to have a fantastic game against a very good team.

The road ahead for the Bills is very, very tough. Both of their next two opponents won their opening games in very convincing fashion. The Bills have to go on the road, with a severely depleted roster - and very heavy hearts - and take on two of the better teams in the AFC, including their arch rivals, the New England Patriots. It is very possible, even likely, that the Bills begin 2007 at 0-3.

This team has some great talent. We saw a bit of it yesterday. Buffalo Bills Review is hoping that the coaches can learn to take better advantage of it. It'll be tough, but here's hoping! Go Bills!

Labels: Current Bills, Games, Players

(Counting down to Opening Day at The Ralph, I'm going to highlight four critical questions facing the Bills as we head into the 2007 season. This is the fourth of four articles, focusing on our team youth and inexperience.)

I've got to stop looking at our roster.

When I scanned down the vitals for our team, I saw a bunch of short guys. Fast, definitely. But still short. And when I focused on the "experience" column, I saw something that I knew, but when I really thought about it, it was staggering.

Of the 53 players on the Bills' active roster, only nine - NINE - players have more than 5 years experience in the NFL. Nine? Wow. Most of those guys are obviously starters, but two of them are our kickers, two more are substitutes, and one - Anthony Thomas - will likely not be a starter for long.

The youth movement definitely continues at One Bills Drive with more and more veterans being let go. This offseason the most well known were Takeo Spikes, London Fletcher, and Nate Clements. The season before it included Sam Adams, Lawyer Milloy and Troy Vincent. Add to that list Kelly Holcomb, Craig Nall, Mike Schneck, and a few others. Old guys, watch out. Marv is swinging his axe.

Last season we did OK with our rookies. Two rookies started at safety. Terrance Pennington came in at right guard and did very well, helping to turn around a putrid offensive line. Keith Ellison also did a great job as a starting linebacker. Even Kyle Williams deserves some props. Rookies all performing very well.

Now those guys are second year players, and Marshawn Lynch and Paul Posluszny and Dwayne Wright are hoping to get in on the action. John McCargo is hoping he stays healthy this year. Even JP Losman is really only in his second year as a starter. Everywhere you look there are guys with 5 years or less in the NFL.

I think we have seen that just going out and signing all the finest free agent veterans really does not work. (Ahem... Redskins, anyone?) but what of the lockeroom - and on-field - leadership? How much of a role does veteran experience play in a team's overall performance?

There is a verse in the Bible that I am reminded of. "Do not let them look down on you because of your youth." I am really hoping that we won't be disappointed by this very inexperienced team this year. Truthfully, I am of the opinion that while veteran experience is helpful, it is not necessary. A rookie needs to play smart, but he can be a superior player to a 7 or 8-year veteran. What remains to be seen is whether or not we have those talented though inexperienced players.

What I think we will see this year is the Buffalo Bills growing up. Starting with JP Losman. And Lee Evans. We'll see them become a regular, dominant offensive force. We'll see JP take charge of this team. It's already begun.

The national media stops at the roster. Where I began, they stop looking. They see the severe lack of experience and just write off our Bills. They certainly could be right. But I have sneaking suspicion that they will be eating their words as they tout this "Cinderella team from Buffalo" in 2007. This team has some great young talent.

This season, let's drop the "young", and just keep it "great".

Labels: Current Bills, Players

(Counting down to Opening Day at The Ralph, I'm going to highlight four critical questions facing the Bills as we head into the 2007 season. This is the third of four articles, focusing on our defensive backs.)

When I visited training camp this summer, one of the things I noticed in person, and perhaps even more on the printed roster, was the size of our football team. Or, more precisely, the lack of size. Aside from our behemoth offensive line, led by 6'8" 366 pound Langston Walker, our team is definitely on the lighter side of the NFL.

One of the more noticeable positions is defensive back. Our CBs are all either 5'9" or 5'11". Donte Whitner is 5'10". Our tallest DB, Ko Simpson, is 6'1". Jim Leonhard is only 5'8" and 185lbs!! These guys are not that beefy, either. McGee is the heftiest at CB - 198lbs. Our safeties are just over 200lbs.

But does that matter, if they can play the position well? I think it might.

When you look at our division, what do you see? Randy Moss of the Pats at 6'4" certainly stands out. But there are other star receivers who have a slight height edge on our DBs, and an even bigger apparent edge. Chris Chambers of the Dolphins knows how to make us look pretty bad, and Laveranues Coles does a fine job as well.

At the end of last season, when we all knew Nate Clements would be finding a new place to play cornerback, I said on our show that the scariest position to me was our defensive backfield. I just didn't know who we were going to put back there. And to tell the truth, after watching this pre-season... I'm still pretty concerned.

Terrence McGee is a fine athlete, and will get his share of INTs. But is he a solid, every down CB? Jason Webster has some experience in the NFL, but I'm still not convinced that he is a good answer for Clements' replacement. Then we have some decent depth guys, Jabari Greer - who had a great pre-season - Kiwuakee Thomas, and Ashton Youboty - who to this point, still only has "promise". Is that roster of guys going to be enough to stop Moss, and Chambers, and Coles?

Brady, Pennington, and maybe even Trent Green must be at least a little excited to go up against this very green unit. There are ten DBs on the roster, and the average experience is 3.4 years, bumped up by two guys entering their 8th year in the league. (Webster and Thomas.) The most experienced safety is Jim Leonhard, entering his third year in the NFL.

This is definitely a BIG question entering the 2007 season. One to which I do not have an answer. We hope the front seven can put enough pressure on the QB to give the DBs a bit of a break, but other than that, we'll just have to see.

Moss, and Chambers, and Coles... Oh My!!!

Tomorrow: Question #1 - "Are We Too Young?"

Labels: AFC East, Current Bills, Players

(Counting down to Opening Day at The Ralph, I'm going to highlight four critical questions facing the Bills as we head into the 2007 season. This is the second of four articles, focusing on our running game.)

We've heard it said over and over again by Dick Jauron and his staff, "We're going to take a running back by committee approach this season." When we first heard those words, Willis McGahee had just been shipped to Baltimore and the Bills were left with Anthony Thomas, Shaud Williams, and whoever they might be able to acquire in free agency and the draft. So, at that point a committee sounded pretty good.

But then they landed Marshawn Lynch with the #12 pick. He was very highly rated, maybe only second in the draft to Adrian Peterson. And not long after Lynch, we picked up another RB who seemed promising - Dwayne Wright. All of a sudden we have a premiere RB in Lynch, and a decent stable of backs with A-Train, Lynch, Williams, and Wright. Maybe the committee is the right way to go?

Add an amazing pre-season performance by I-AA college player, Fred Jackson, and maybe even throw Josh Scobey in the mix, and the coaches stick to their original prediction that we'd see a team of guys handling the ball this year rather than a feature back. Now Shaud Williams and Josh Scobey are gone, but we're left with four very good options in our backfield: Lynch, Thomas, Wright & Jackson.

But does a committee really work? Don't we need to get one guy "in a rhythm"?

I am reminded of 1988. The Bills did not have a feature back that year. Thurman Thomas was a rookie, and did get a good deal of the carries as the season wore on, but as I remember it, Thomas shared the carries with Robb Riddick, Ronnie Harmon, and even Jamie Mueller. He ended up with 881 yards that season, and had a decent rookie year not bearing the burden of being the feature back.

Perhaps that could be the best thing that could happen to Marshawn Lynch? He won't have the pressure of being the go-to guy. He's part of the committee. He's not even the chairman right now. That job - until further notice - belongs to the more seasoned "A-Train". (I believe he will begin to take over the bulk of the carries as the season wears on, but for now, Thomas gets the starts.)

Really, what will make the difference in the run game for the Bills is not whether Lynch is the featured back, or part of a running back committee. Really it comes down to our offensive line opening holes for one or all of those guys. In the pre-season we did not see much of that, and by the coaches' own admission, they just need more time to "come together".

Unfortunately, we only have three more days.

The Bills will take a committee approach at the running back position this fall. I do believe it can and will work. I think Lynch will develop very well in that system - where he does not bear the full burden. We'll just have to see how the big boys up front can "come together". And our rookie may just be elected chairman of the committee by the end of the year.

Tomorrow, Question #2: "Moss & Chambers & Coles, Oh My!"

Labels: Current Bills, Players

Well, I have to admit, I am definitely surprised. Not that I didn't expect to be, but I am surprised at how I was surprised. Never would I have expected the Bills to cut one of the remaining QBs. Even thought Craig Nall was definitely going to be #3... he was certain to make the team.

But he didn't.

Nor did Shaud Williams, Mike Schneck and Terrence Pennington. All played pretty big roles in the 2006 Buffalo Bills team. Brad Cieslak is another relatively familiar name. Two rookies also did not make the cut, Derek Schoman and C.J. Ah You. Both of those guys will likely be signed to the practice squad, however, assuming they are not picked up by another team before tomorrow.

Nall is the most surprising because he did not play poorly. And, you just keep three QBs. Apparently the Bills are either needing to gamble, or are happy with their emergency backup, should Losman and Nall both go down.

Notable players who made the team include RB Fred Jackson, who had a fantastic - nearly perfect! - pre-season, as well as S George Wilson, who was converted from WR after barely missing the cut last season. Also new to the team, TE Matt Murphy, S John Wendling (rookie from Wyoming), and OL Kirk Chambers. Chambers apparently beat out Terrance Pennington, who started for the Bills the last half of last season.

There are always surprises, so I'm not sure why I am surprised... but I am definitely surprised.

Stay tuned for this week's BBR. We'll talk about the players who did and didn't make the team, and lots more!

Labels: Current Bills, Players

I posted this as a thread at the Buffalo Bills Message Boards... but thought it might be worth posting here as well. Comments welcome here, but you can also just join the conversation (if there will be one) at the Bills website.

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My first year as a Bills fan (had just moved to Buffalo area one year prior) I got to see a pretty amazing rookie running back rack up 880 yards rushing. Not the magic number 1000, but still decent. Good thing was, he had some veteran help. Between Jamie Mueller's pounding, Robb Riddick's pile-jumping, and Ronnie Harmon's extremely unorthodox one-handed grip on the ball, the Bills had a pretty nice, full backfield. And they made it work.

Rookie Thurman Thomas was the beneficiary of a complement of RBs.

This year, another amazing rookie dons the Buffalo Bills red white and blue, and he also has a decent group around him. From the pounding of Dwayne Wright (or some of our TE/HBs) to the steadiness of the veteran A-Train... and add either Shaud Williams' shiftiness, or Fred Jackson's powerful, determined running to that.

That's a decent complement of RBs.

I think we might have a similar situation to 1988. Lynch (despite the stats in the pre-season) sure seems to have the talent. Not calling him a Hall-of-Famer just yet, but it's interesting to note that though Thurman led the team in yards his rookie season, he did not have to carry the full load.

Nor, I think, will Marshawn.

If our behemoth o-line can open some holes... we could see a pretty decent running game in 2007.

Labels: Bills History, Players

On Willis' first carry down at Ravens' training camp, a ROOKIE LB (6th rounder, no less) hit him so hard that he knocked the ball loose. Nice!

Check out the full article at Ohio.com. (Not sure where Ohio plays into this...)

Also, see Chris Brown's blog at BuffaloBills.com for more fuel on the McGahee fire that will be raging me thinks by Oct 21 when he makes his return to Buffalo. Should be very interesting...

Labels: Links, News, Players

Hey folks!

I just posted a lengthy article over at the BBR @ BuffaloBills.com Blog about some Bills-related fun and frivolity from this weekend. We got to meet three Buffalo Bills players, and hang out and even play football with one of them! Check out the article for the full story.

As for the photo above... that is a scan of the autographed piece of paper I am sending to Uncle Josh, of Buffalo Bills Review fame. :-)

For those of you who have been with us from the beginning... you know the story of how Rian Lindell became "No Foot". Josh was calling him out in PRESEASON!!! Crazy. Anyway, turns out Lindell had a phenomenal year, and an even better one last season. So we have weekly "No Foot" tallys during the season, even made a "No Foot for Pro Bowl" shirt!!! (Available at the BBR Store!)

Anyway... I had the opportunity to explain the story to Lindell on Saturday, and he thought it was hilarious. So I asked him to send a note to Uncle Josh... the creator of that moniker, and ... the above is what he wrote.

Hilarious! Thanks No Foot!! :-)

Can't wait to do the first show of season three! Training camp is coming soon! We'll have some interviews with players, reports from camp, and all sorts of fun things!

Go BILLS!!!

Labels: BuffaloBills.com, Players