Buffalo Bills: My Wish List for the 12 Days of Christmas

Here is a picture of Santa Claus skiing the slopes to relax and unwind before the big day. Since we have 12 days left until Christmas, what better time than now to create the 12 things on my wish list for the Buffalo Bills.

Santa, I have been good all year. I have turned in my three articles per week (sometimes more than three) so I hope you will grant these requests for our franchise. Thanks Santa, and I will be sure to leave out some cookies, milk, and some extra buffalo wings out for you by the fireplace.

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Buffalo Bills Commit To Their Running Game Against Kansas City Chiefs

The Buffalo Bills were facing one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL Sunday in the Kansas City Chiefs. So, what did the Bills do about it? They disdained the pass and made a concerted effort to establish their running game, for one of the few times this season.

The end result was that the Bills rushed 35 times for 200 yards, averaging 5.7 yards/rush. When you are averaging more than five yards per rush, you’re getting the job done. Just ask the Bills rushing defenders if you need more convincing.

Fred Jackson just failed to crack the 100-yard mark as he picked up 99 yards in 20 carries, while Marshawn Lynch had 84 yards on only 12 carries. Lynch had a long run today of 47 yards when he reversed his field and was sprung by a great block from QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, of all people.

The Bills only threw the ball 20 times all day. The leading receiver for the Bills was Fred Jackson, who had three catches for 23 yards. In fact, Terrell Owens and Lee Evans just barely managed to pick up more yards combined than Jackson, as they caught three passes for 26 yards. Hardly worth showing up for that.

Of the three catches for the pair of wide receivers, one of them was a short throw on a crossing pattern to T.O., who managed to just break the plane of the goal line thanks to a great block from Fred Jackson.

The touchdown moved Owens in to fourth place all-time on the touchdowns scored list. Quite a lofty place to be, so congratulations Terrell. He is starting to score touchdowns with more regularity, so he may be able to retain his key to the city after all.

How Did the Bills Run for 200 Yards?

The Bills just decided to keep giving the ball to Fred Jackson and let him do his thing. This game saw the Bills determined to establish the run, and they allowed Jackson to develop some momentum by feeding him the ball all day.

Jackson broke a number of tackles and continues to impress with how smoothly he runs. He absorbs punishment but finds a way to keep his balance and pick up additional yards after the initial hit.

Marshawn Lynch ran with purpose and looked like he wanted to mix it up today. Nice to see the long run by Lynch, and Fitzpatrick’s willingness to throw himself at the defender to spring Marshawn probably scored him some points with his teammates.

 

What Happened to the Bills’ Passing Game?

This game was one to forget if you are a fan of the Bills’ passing attack. Fitzpatrick was dealing with some pressure, but nothing more than he has seen in his prior starts. In fact, he was only sacked twice for the whole game.

Deep in Chiefs’ territory, Fitzpatrick attempted to use play action to fool the defense, as he wanted to throw the ball to Lee Evans in the back of the end zone. The problem was that Evans was the only receiver that ran a pattern; everyone else was on the line of scrimmage.

So by the time Fitzpatrick threw it up, three different defenders had already closed in on Evans, and they were easily able to intercept the pass. One of the worst decisions to throw the ball that I have witnessed from Fitzpatrick this year. 

Not only was it a terrible decision, but the actual play design was even worse.  Nobody was fooled on defense, and releasing an additional back or tight end would at least have provided Fitzpatrick with additional options.

I wonder if that was something that offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt drew up. Alex, please throw that play in to the shredder. The sooner, the better.

Fitzpatrick did pick up several first downs with his feet by scrambling or sneaking for the needed yards. He coughed up a fumble at the Bills’ 10-yard line in the first quarter, but luckily for Fitzpatrick, the defense bailed him out when they stopped the Chiefs on fourth down at the one-yard line.

Besides the sack and fumble, and the interception in the end zone, the Bills’ passing game also had one other turnover when Shawn Nelson caught a pass, only to allow a Chiefs defender to rip it out of his hands for another fumble. Losing the ball on three turnovers, and only throwing it for 86 yards, meant the Bills could have easily lost this game.

 

So, How Did the Bills Actually Win?

The Bills won this contest due to a bend but not break defense that allowed Matt Cassel to throw short passes that amounted to 224 yards total, albeit with a passer rating of only 35.4. The reason for the meager rating was due to a pair of fours: four interceptions and four sacks.

The Bills’ front line was applying solid pressure, and Aaron Schobel, Bryan Scott, Chris Kelsay, and Spencer Johnson all registered sacks. There were other plays where the Bills did not apply any pressure (usually on 3rd-and-long), and of course having all day to throw, Matt Cassel was able to pick apart the secondary for first downs.

The Chiefs kept going for it on fourth down. If they had settled for the field goal on the first drive down in the red zone, it would have affected the rest of the game.

They just were not content to take the points that were available to them, and felt the need to take on additional risks. Live by the sword, die by the sword.

The Chiefs only had one big play on offense when Jamaal Charles was the recipient of a great call, as the Chiefs handed the ball off while the Bills blitzed. He found no opposition at all as he ran through the line and proceeded to score from 78 yards away.

If you took away that one play, Charles would have rushed for only 65 yards for the day. Luckily for the Bills, they were able to contain Charles except for just the one big play.

Chris Chambers dropped a pass inside the five-yard line during the final three minutes of the game. That could have turned the game around. That was a big play as well.

In addition, the Bills won the battle of intangibles, and the special teams battle as well. That unit came through with a big performance. Brian Moorman had one highlight reel punt of 78 yards, and that helped the Bills average 20 yards more per punt than KC did.

In fact, KC was hoping for great field position, but Moorman’s punt forced KC back inside their own 10. They punted after a three-and-out drive, and since the punt only traveled 28 yards, the Bills were the team with the great field position.

Special teams rookie Ashlee Palmer absolutely drilled the Chiefs kick returner on two separate occasions in the game. He and fellow rookie linebacker Nic Harris had some big hits, along with one nice hit put on by the other rookie in the front seven, Aaron Maybin.

Jairus Byrd looked to be back from his groin injury issues as he was moving all over the field and came up with his ninth interception of the year. He and George Wilson were fighting over the ball in the end zone on the final play of the game.

It appeared either one of them could come up with the ball, but Wilson finally emerged with it, sealing the win for the Bills in the process.

Paul Posloszny and Terrence McGee also earned interceptions. Posluszny got burned on some bad reads or angles. He still finds himself out of position or is burnt too often trying to keep up with a faster running back.

 

What Was the Outcome of the Dreaded Third Down Conversion Rate for Buffalo & KC?

The teams went a combined 10-for-30 on third down, so they converted 33 percent of the time, higher than their normal averages. The Chiefs also tried to convert four times during the game on fourth down, only succeeding once.

Those three other stops proved to be the difference in the game.

For the record, KC improved on their low third down conversion rate by picking up seven first downs out of 18 attempts, while Buffalo was only 3-for-12 on third down.

Yet the Bills won the time of possession battle, with 30 minutes and change compared to 29 minutes and change. That was a direct result of handing the ball off for 35 rush attempts.

 

Bills Bits

There were no major injuries to report. Chris Draft did not start due to injury and Nic Harris stepped in and the rookie had some big hits in his starting assignment.

Buffalo only used the Wildcat formation for one play today. It seems like they keep showing it briefly just to make sure that their opponents need to spend time practicing against it.

Bryan Scott had a strong game with 10 tackles, a sack, and a great pass deflection that led to Jairus Byrd’s interception with the game on the line in the fourth quarter.

Josh Reed has all but disappeared in the offense since Fitzpatrick took over at QB. He had a pass thrown to him down by the goal line, but outside of that one play, I don’t recall any other passes being thrown to him.

Jamon Meredith came in to line up at tight end on several plays. Since Jonathan Scott and Kirk Chambers started at tackle, that is something that may be done again, using Meredith to block on the outside.

Shawn Nelson missed some time due to a sprained ankle, and no doubt that is why Meredith was in for him.

Today’s win gives Perry Fewell a .500 record at 2-2 as the Bills’ interim head coach. The Bills now have three games remaining, and they host New England next week, looking for revenge for that late loss from the opening Monday Night Football game.

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Buffalo Bills: A Decade of Draft Picks To Forget

It has been ten years since the Buffalo Bills have made the playoffs. Therefore, it is only fitting that we review the last ten years of Bills drafts to reflect on a very good reason for why the Bills failed to make the playoffs – because their draft classes have more often than not lived up to expectations. The biggest problem is that so many first round picks have been so bad. Especially when you consider that the Bills were picking in favorable position, which is what happens when you don’t make the playoffs. Pictured is poster boy for the bad first round picks – Mike Williams.

We will eliminate the worst draft classes and ask you to vote for your favorite draft class of the decade. Here’s hoping that a new GM that knows what he is doing will be on board to start off the next decade.

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Week 14 Preview: Bills at Chiefs: Can Either Team Convert a Third Down?

If you are looking forward to an offensive showdown this Sunday when the Buffalo Bills travel to face the Kansas City Chiefs, you have now been given sufficient notice to look elsewhere.

These are two struggling offenses, and their ineptitude in converting on third downs throughout the year is bordering on the ridiculous. Kansas City has only been able to convert on 22 percent of their third downs this year, while the Bills are only slightly better at 26 percent of the time.

The Chiefs inability to get a first down off of their third down plays is the worst level of converting in this decade. They at least were able to pick up six first downs last week out of 17 third downs against Denver.

The Bills on the other hand only converted once out of eleven tries on third down against the Jets. Like I said, these are two sorry offenses. Then you look at the defenses and you would have to realistically say that these are two sorry defenses.

Kansas City was torched for 413 yards last week against Denver. The Chiefs give up a whopping 394 yards a game on average, with 250 of that coming from the passing game. Hello Terrell Owens and Lee Evans!

As bad as the Chiefs passing defense is, the Bills rushing defense is their equal, as they have been gouged for 172 yards per game on the average, worst in the league.

So, as sorry as both offenses have been, they will now get a chance to go up against sorry defenses, so maybe this will be a chance for both offenses to pad their stats a little bit.

 

Overall, These Are Two Sorry Excuses for NFL Teams

Chiefs last week saw their prized, off-season acquisition, QB Matt Cassel go 10-29, netting 84 yards and two interceptions, good for a passer rating of 14.6. Needless to say, Cassel was yanked from the game in the third quarter, and sat out the rest of the game on the bench.

The Bills offense was absolutely dreadful in the Toronto home game contest last Thursday night, as they were only able to generate 36 yards in the entire second half. Another low light performance for the Bills offense, featuring talented players like Fred Jackson, Terrell Owens, Lee Evans, and Marshawn Lynch.

Both of these teams have a number of gaping holes and will be looking forward to the upcoming 2010 draft to fix some of their needs. Speaking of the draft, how will this game help to position both teams for where they make their selection next year?

 

Looking Ahead At The 2010 Draft – Where They Stand Now

Listing the teams with the fewest wins and working up in order from there:

One win so far this year: St. Louis, Tampa Bay, and Cleveland

Two wins so far: Detroit

Three wins so far: Kansas City and Washington

Four wins so far: Buffalo and Oakland

Five wins so far: Tennessee, Houston, Chicago, Carolina, San Francisco, and Seattle.

If the season ended today, Kansas City would be picking either fifth or sixth overall slot in the draft, while the Bills would be picking either seventh or eighth. You would feel pretty excited about getting a major talent with either of the team selection options at those lofty slots.

However, if the Bills win, they could leap up to somewhere in the twelfth or thirteenth position, which is a considerable change. I know we all want to see the Bills be a competitive team, but there are clearly ramifications with each win, and this is one of them.

For the record, the Bills played the Chiefs last year, and Buffalo came away with a 54-31 victory.

 

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Week 13 Preview: Buffalo Bills Host New York Jets In Toronto

This Thursday, the 4-7 Buffalo Bills travel to Toronto to play a home game against AFC East rival 5-6 New York Jets. This game taps in to the Bills large regional drawing area, and gives the fans that commute down from Canada, a chance to see a NFL game in their own backyard.

It will be interesting to see how loud the crowd is and who they are really rooting for. If the Bills win this game, they will then be tied with the Jets at 5-7.

Sitting there at 5-7 is a surreal place to be in the standings. Realistically, you are almost guaranteed to be eliminated from the playoffs, but at the same time, you have won too many games to be looking forward to having a top draft choice next spring. 

Just stuck in a place you hate to have your team in. But if the Bills are at 5-7 you would conclude that they are running on automatic pilot for their fourth consecutive season of 7-9 finishes. This is a drill that the Bills team and fans know all too well.

Ugh. I would prefer 8-8 of course, or even 6-10, just to avoid one more year of 7-9 and to break that string. The tag of four straight 7-9 finishes would be printed to nausea. I would be dreading the 2010 season as a result already.

Since both teams played on Sunday, this game will be a test for both first year head coaches – Perry Fewell of the Bills, and Rex Ryan of the Jets, to get a game plan orchestrated quickly and get the team organized and ready to play in a short week for preparation.

The game is sold out and Toronto officials are probably relieved to see a different Bills team than the one that showed up for the first ten weeks of the season. Under interim coach Fewell, the Bills are putting up points on the scoreboard and long range touchdown passes of 98 and 51 yards from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Terrell Owens help to create excitement.

The Jets trail Jacksonville in the chase for the final AFC East Wildcard spot, so they can’t afford to lose to Buffalo again. The Bills defeated the Jets back in week six 16 – 13, which broke the Bills long streak of losses against AFC East teams.

That game resulted in the Bills defense coming up with six interceptions, five off of then-rookie-phenom Mark Sanchez. It also marked a coming-out party for Bills rookie Jairus Byrd, who exposed Sanchez as a not-quite-ready-for-prime-time quarterback by coming up with two picks that day.

 

What Have The Jets Done To Control Sanchez’s Interceptions?

Sanchez has already thrown 17 interceptions, which is fourth highest total in the NFL. So, the Jets have gone to a new coding system that serves as a trigger-warning-mechanism for Sanchez, so he knows how much risk is involved with every pass play that is called.

Closer to his own end zone he is reminded to use extreme caution, passing only if the receiver is wide open. As they cross midfield and approach the enemy end zone, he is given a little more freedom to be looser with his throws. That is the current modus operandi.

The new system might be working, as he only threw one interception last week. The Bills feasted on Chad Henne last Sunday, and are probably looking forward to facing the rookie for the second time.

Another way that the Jets are minimizing Sanchez’s interceptions is by altering their offensive schemes. They are running the ball more and throwing it less. Last week, as an example, they ran it 39 times and only passed it 18 times.

 

Both Teams Have A Strong Secondary

The Jets pass defense is number two in the NFL, giving up only 176 passing yards a game, while the Bills are seventh overall, giving up 198 yards a game. The Bills are second in the NFL with 21 interceptions, while the Jets have 11 picks.

The Jets continue to promote Darrelle Revis as NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Revis has been a standout this year, and it will be entertaining game to see if the Bills new gunslinger Ryan Fitzpatrick is able to dial up any long passes to either Lee Evans or Terrell Owens against the Jets secondary.

Revis doubled his interception total last Sunday by picking off Jake Delhomme twice, returning one of them for a touchdown. Kerry Rhodes also had two picks in the same game.

Likewise, the Bills secondary is featuring their own star, Jairus Byrd. Byrd, has been slowed recently by a groin injury, and has now gone two straight games without a pick. He is tied for the NFL lead in interceptions at eight, with Darren Sharper of the Saints.

It will be curious to see how healthy he is on the artificial turf in Toronto, playing under the dome. You would like to see him be at full strength and using his instincts to fly all around the field anytime Sanchez is forced to put the ball up in the air.

For the Bills, their secondary had strong games turned in last week by safeties Donte Whitner, who led the team with ten tackles, and George Wilson, who is now the leading tackler on the Bills this season. As a result, you may see less of Byrd if he is still gimpy.

This is one of the biggest problems with the Bills, in that the leading tackler last week, in addition to the leading tackler for the season are both safeties. That means your front seven is not doing a good enough job at stopping the rusher at or near the line of scrimmage.

Getting in to the second wave of your defense repeatedly is never a good thing.

Whitner is finally starting to look healthy after being banged up with various injuries. In addition, a very strong game was turned in by Drayton Florence last week, as he came up with his own pick and was in on five tackles.

Terrance McGee has missed the past two games, but hopes to be back for this one. The Bills defense is continuing to get healthy, week by week, as best can be expected noting that they have already lost Leodis McKelvin, Kawika Mithcell and Keith Ellison for the season.

 

What Keys Will This Game Boil Down To?

The Jets offer up a top ten running back in Thomas Jones. His 959 yards so far is good for sixth place in the NFL. He probably cracks the 1000 yard mark in this game. The Bills porous rushing defense contained Maurice Jones-Drew two weeks ago, but allowed Ricky Williams to crack the 100 yard barrier last week.

Expect to hear Thomas Jones name called throughout the game as the Jets will be handing it off to him frequently.

If the Bills are able to stack the box against Jones, and limit his yardage on first and second downs, they will force the Jets in to third-and-long scenarios. That is when they stand a great chance to literally pick up where they left off, by grabbing some more of Sanchez’s throws.

The Bills will have to be committed to plugging the lanes and staying home on defense, to prevent Jones from cutting back against the grain, something the defense has been prone to allowing.

For all of their flaws, turning the ball over is something the Bills defense specializes in, as they lead the AFC in creating turnovers with 25 so far. If they can create some more turnovers, look for the new look Bills offense to capitalize quickly, like they did last Sunday against Miami.

For the Jets, they will attempt to pressure Fitzgerald and take advantage of the Bills young offensive lineman. New Bills guard Kendall Simmons has a short practice week to try to improve on his debut last week, and to continue to work with the other lineman to establish some sort of continuity.

It won’t be easy, as Demetrius Bell is still not able to practice. Having already lost Brad Butler and Eric Wood for the season, the Bills will need to get solid pass protection from Jamon Meredith, Andy Levitre and Jonathan Scott if they plan to give Fitzpatrick any time to get the ball down the field to Evans and Owens.

Fitzpatrick was sacked six times last Sunday, but as we learned, he is a threat to run the ball. He did account for 50 yards on scrambles, one of which was a 31 yard touchdown, the longest run by a Bills quarterback for a score in team history.

Just the week before, Terrell Owens and Fitzpatrick hooked up for the 98 yard pass play, the longest touchdown pass in team history. I wonder if the Bills can set a new record for three weeks in a row?

If this contest boils down to a close game decided by a field goal, both kickers have now been able to connect from at least 55 yards out – the Jet’s Feely has nailed a 55 yarder, while the Bill’s Lindell hit the dramatic 56 yarder last Sunday against the Dolphins.

Playing under the dome in Toronto, no telling how long a kick we might see at the end of the half, or end of the game, but a 60 yard attempt would not be out of the question.

 

What Has Changed Since The Last Time These Teams Met?

For the Jets, not a ton. They still feature Jones, and less Sanchez. One of their defensive stalwarts, Kris Jenkins, went down for the year against the Bills. The Jets leading tackler is linebacker David Harris.

Some of the early season buzz and success had lifted coach Ryan and quarterback Sanchez to epic levels, but the glitz and glamor has started to wear off on each of their stars.

For the Bills, so much has changed I hardly know where to begin. Under Perry Fewell, the Bills are demonstrating more swagger and confidence in their play. They show more emotion and that comes directly from Fewell.

Fitzpatrick is running the show on offense and Trent Edwards has been relegated to the bench. He has company, as Marshawn Lynch has lost the starting running back role to Freddy Jackson, due to less than inspired play.

The Bills are not afraid to stretch the field long, taking advantage of their pair of talented deep ball threats in Evans and Owens. Playing under the dome means no trouble from the elements, so I expect to see an aerial show, provided that Fitzpatrick is allowed to stand erect and throw.

I also expect to see lots of deep meaningful conversations taking place as Revis and Owens will be looking to one-up each other the whole game. That match up alone is worth turning in for, and with a national audience on top of it, you know both of them will be keyed up to establish some sort of dominance over their counterpart.

 

Bills Bits

No other earth-shattering news regarding the Bills head coach search since I ran my Thanksgiving Day Rumor Special article, http://bleacherreport.com/articles/297359-buffalo-bills-head-coach-search-merry-go-round-rumor-guide. Bill Cowher has apparently been approached by the Bears, and if he does listen to their pitch, you can consider that as a direct slap in the face to Bills owner Ralph Wilson and to the team’s fans.

Bills have added a new member to their practice squad this week by signing a defensive tackle Rashaad Duncan, who played in college at the University of Pittsburgh.

There were no new injuries from last week’s game, (for once), so the only players that seem to be either questionable or out for this week are: Demetrius Bell, Ashton Youboty, John McCargo, and Todd Johnson.

As competitive as the Bills team appears to be now under Fewell, his focus and mission is to win games for the Bills. Bills fans that were hoping to see extended game action for some of the newer or unproven Bills players down the stretch may have to cross that off of their Christmas wish list.

Giving players extended looks in games, and playing to win are not necessarily agendas that mesh well with each other. As a result, James Hardy, Steve Johnson, Nic Harris, Ashlee Palmer, Cary Harris and Brian Brohm sightings may be very few and far between for the duration of the season.

 

 

 

 

 

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Buffalo Bills: Perry Fewell Stakes Claim To Full-Time Head Coaching Job

As has been the case most of this season, the Buffalo Bills found themselves in another close game in the fourth quarter. The Bills were tied against the Miami Dolphins at 14 with only 3:35 left to play in the game. 

The Bills had the ball at the Miami 47 and had just allowed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to be sacked for the sixth time by the Dolphins defense on the play before. The Bills were now faced with a 3rd-and-18 and they completed a seemingly harmless screen pass to Marshawn Lynch that took the ball down to the Dolphins’ 38. 

Faced with a 4th-and-10, you realize at the 38-yard line you are in no-man’s land.

Your options are quite limited. You can either: 

1) Risk giving the Dolphins great field position if you go for it and fail (risky choice, but possible)

2) Punt it and keep Miami bottled up deep in their own end (conservative and safe)

3) Kick a field goal, which is the last thing you would do if you were a rational and sane coach (crazy, loony-bin choice that would make Bill Belichick’s decision against the Colts look like child’s play)

Why? Well for starters, your kicker has never kicked a field goal this long (56 yards) in his entire career. The percentage of 56-yard field goals made would discourage most people from even considering it.

Finally, and most importantly, a missed field goal would give Miami even better field position than turning it over on downs.

There are plenty of stories during the 50-year history of the Bills regarding long field goals that have failed when the game was on the line. But right now, this team belongs to Perry Fewell, and he is going to continue putting his own unique stamp on the team.

Fewell tore up the conventional wisdom playbook and ordered Rian Lindell to go out and try the 56-yard field goal. Lindell, with the wind at his back, split the uprights with at least four yards to spare, giving the Bills a 17-14 lead, one that they would never relinquish.

 

Perry Fewell Demonstrates Strong Decision Making Ability

This call took guts. I find it hard to describe the courage, insanity, or craziness that led Fewell to throw all caution to the wind and go for it. The Bills were playing at home, and they desperately needed a win there, having won only once in their last nine home games.

But more importantly, Fewell is making a statement that he has what it takes to lead a team and be a head coach in the NFL. In my mind, his stock, which had already been rising, shot up dramatically within the Bills hierarchy with this win.

After Lindell made the kick, I thought to myself, “There is no possible way that Dick Jauron would have made that same call. He is just too conservative for his own good.” Fewell operated with daring and bravado, and in doing so, he is showing the Bills how to take control in the fourth quarter, how to take a game over and how to win.

He is also teaching the Bills to believe in each other and themselves. Fewell showed that he had faith in Rian Lindell. Earlier in the game, Lindell was wide on a 43-yard try, but the faith that Fewell demonstrated in his kicker was richly rewarded.

The fourth quarter has been a thorn in the Bills’ side all year long. In the past three weeks, they were outscored in the fourth quarter by a combined score of 54-0.

Today, they outscored the Dolphins 24-0 in the fourth quarter. Quite a dramatic turnaround. Earlier in the week, Fewell addressed the fourth quarter woes in a press conference and said it would be something he would be working on.

Fewell’s ability to seize clock and game management situations should also be mentioned. He demonstrated it last week in his debut against Jacksonville, and did the same thing today against Miami.

This time, he utilized his saved up time outs to allow the Bills to have more than a minute to orchestrate a drive at the end of the first half. The drive stalled when Fitzpatrick threw a pick that I blame Shawn Nelson for.

That wasn’t Fewell’s fault, however. He showed faith in his guys and got the ball back for them to do something with it one more time before the half ended. His management of the clock and understanding of game situations appears to be light years ahead of anything we saw from Dick Jauron.

Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher, Brian Billick, Jim Haslett, Mike Martz, and all of the other prospective options for the Bills next full time head coach have been put on notice. Perry Fewell has the reigns of this team, and he is coaching like he wants to keep them in his possession. He just may be the right guy for the job after all.

 

What Did We Learn About The Bills In This Game?

For the Bills, there appears to be a growing level of confidence that they can be a big-play offense and are capable of putting up points on the scoreboard. After one of the four interceptions generated by the Bills defense, the Bills were able to score on a long distance play on first down.

Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a beautiful long pass to Terrell Owens for a 51-yard score, which meant for two consecutive games that this combination has hooked up for scores longer than 50 yards.

Fitzpatrick continues to show his ability to be a playmaker. One specific play had all three receivers running routes to the left side of the field.

When the pressure started to flush him out of the pocket, Fitzgerald found a way to scramble over to the vacated right side. He ran untouched for a 31-yard touchdown scamper.

Fitzpatrick was running for his life. Six sacks will do that to you, but he looked poised and remained calm in the face of adversity.

His only interception resulted from Shawn Nelson inexplicably running a route where he decided to let the defender take the inside position at the last second.

Another win as a starter ensures that Fitzpatrick’s stock is rising, while Trent Edwards is all but forgotten now. If the Bills are winning under Fitzpatrick, we may not see Brian Brohm’s debut this year after all.

Fred Jackson had gone the entire season without registering a single rushing touchdown. He had one called back due to penalty last week, but today Jackson scored two rushing touchdowns. His hard work has been rewarded.

Another factor that has been a sore subject for Bills fans is converting in the red zone. Today the Bills cracked the 20-yard line twice, and came away with two touchdowns. Can’t get any better than that.

Converting on third down has been a struggle all year as the Bills are last in the NFL in that category. Miami, on the other hand, is first in the NFL in that category.

So how did they fare today? The Bills converted on 3-10 for 30 percent, while the Dolphins converted on 5-13 for 38 percent. That is definitely better.

Newly signed free agent guard Kendall Simmons had some penalties and was bowled over for at least one of the Dolphins six sacks. The offensive line still is a big problem area, and with the loss of Eric Wood last week, this is a situation that will probably exist for the rest of the year.

Outside of Marshawn Lynch’s catch of the screen play that led to the Lindell field goal, he was basically absent from the game. Fred Jackson has taken over as the feature back and he had a strong game again for the Bills.

Not only did Jackson score his first two rushing touchdowns of the year, but he also amassed 73 yards rushing, 43 yards receiving, and another 61 yards in kick returns. I think that Fred Jackson is the Bills’ MVP so far this season. I can’t think of any other player that excels at every aspect of the game more than Jackson does.

His unassuming professional manner is something that people should try to live up to. He demonstrates no ego, and is all about the team. Give me a roster of all Fred Jacksons, and you will have a winner on your hands. 

 

What Did We Learn About Miami Today?

For the Dolphins, this game reminds me of the Bills-Jets game in New York. That was the game in which the rookie shine began to fade off of Mark Sanchez when he threw five interceptions on the day. I had a flashback to that game watching Chad Henne play.

Now that Ronnie Brown is gone for the year, the onus is on Ricky Williams to produce. However, Ricky is no longer a 20-something running back. In his 30’s, he needs to be spelled and rested when he is carrying most of the load.

The Bills gave Ricky his 100+ yard rushing game, but when the game was on the line, Ricky was worn out. Instead, the Dolphins had to rely on the arm of Henne to move the ball in the fourth quarter.

So the Bills defense pinned their ears back and started turning up the heat on Henne. The end result was three interceptions off of Henne, with each of the following registering one pick apiece: Donte Whitner, Drayton Florence, and just-up-from-the-practice-squad defensive tackle Corey Mace, the least likely pass interceptor you could imagine.

The Bills padded their AFC lead in interceptions by forcing Henne to put the ball up in the air. Jairus Byrd was unable to get any interceptions, as he still appears to not be playing at 100 percent, and was giving way to Donte Whitner for much of the game.

We also learned that Ricky Williams is not much of a threat when it comes to throwing the ball out of the wildcat formation. The last time Ricky attempted a pass was in 1999, and that nine-year layoff was very evident when he attempted to throw a pass into the end zone that was picked off by linebacker Chris Draft.

I suspect that it will be another nine or 10 years before Williams attempts another pass. The play by Draft was huge for the Bills at the time.

The Dolphins defense put strong pressure on Fitzpatrick all day long and caused an interception just before halftime. The Dolphins did give up a long touchdown to Terrell Owens, and they have to find a way to cure their own fourth quarter woes as well.

Coming into the game, the Dolphins had allowed the most points in the NFL in the fourth quarter with 117. The Bills were next in line at 109. Since the Bills added 24 points today in the fourth, Miami is now running away with that distinction.

Today’s game should give the rest of the league the formula for beating the Dolphins. Without Ronnie Brown, let Ricky wear himself out in the first half, and then pin your ears back and take it to Chad Henne in the second half. That simplified version of what happened seemed to work pretty well for the Bills today.

 

Most Memorable Game of the Season?

In this, the Bills’ 50th anniversary season, this game will be one of those contests that sticks in your head for quite a long time. The motto of this year’s marketing campaign was: “It is Amazing How Long a Moment Can Last”. The memory of Lindell making that field goal, and the follow up play of Fitzpatrick hitting T.O. for the long touchdown, are right in line with the marketing slogan.

The fact that these plays came against the hated AFC East rival Miami Dolphins makes them all the sweeter. Miami had dominated the last three meetings, but failed to dominate this one.

 

Short Week of Practice For The Bills

The Bills now have to quickly game plan for the New York Jets as they go up to Canada for an odd Thursday evening contest in their annual “Toronto home game”. Toronto fans should be excited to see the new T.O. and Fitzpatrick combination at work. The Bills are playing with more passion and sense of purpose under Fewell, and the team is becoming fun to watch again.

The Bills will be attempting to sweep the Jets this season, and once again will want to put pressure on Mark Sanchez, getting inside his head one more time. Or maybe we should make that five more times to be exact?

 

Is There Any Downside To This Win?

With each victory that the Bills secure under Fewell, they are going to be separating themselves from a high draft seed. The talk about going after a franchise quarterback will be more difficult if they wind up drafting in the 12-16 range.

I know it is way too early to know who is declaring, and how well some QBs are able to perform at the combines, but it is something to keep in mind. If the Bills keep winning, I am not sure that too many people are going to be complaining about it.

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Buffalo Bills: Head Coach Search Merry-Go-Round Rumor Guide

There have been quite a number of reports circulating lately on who is talking to the Bills, who is not talking to the Bills, and who wants to. People who have nothing to do with the Bills or care about the Bills, are tossing their two cents around like they own a bunch of man-hole covers.

You are getting ready to eat with the family, but want to come across as educated and on top of what is going on with your favorite team, the Buffalo Bills. Since you are the family authority on the Bills, print this update out ASAP!

This article will serve as a handy overview to bring to the dinner table with the family for Thanksgiving, so without further adieus, let me present the latest and greatest rumors condensed in to the “Head Coach Search Rumor Guide—Thanksgiving Edition Special”. Enjoy!

Heck, you can figure out a way to make a game of this. Make up clues for each coach on the list. I will start with some random clues, like:

1) I live in the high altitude of cold Denver, but sport a tan all year long.

2) I was a part of a certain Beatles song.—I am the Walrus—coo coo achoo

3) I am a small man coaching big men and I have a Napoleon complex living in a booth nowadays

You get the idea. Maybe make the person that comes up with the worst clue to have to do the dishes. Gobble gobble.

It has been roughly ten days since Bills head coach Dick Jauron was fired. During this time period, there have been a slew of candidate names bandied about. A quick list of the latest and greatest rumors, trying to sort what we know so far in to these categories:

Been talked to and interested: ex-Broncos coach Mike Shanahan

Been approached and not interested: ex-Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden

Been approached and not interested in interviewing until after the season: ex-Steelers coach Bill Cowher and current interim coach Perry Fewell

Has not been approached but wants to be: ex-Rams coach Mike Martz

Has not been approached because he is already eyeing something else: ex-Packers and Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.

Has not been approached yet until a role is to be determined for him: ex-Colts and Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy and ex-Giants and Cowboys coach Bill Parcells.

Has not been approached and may never be: Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis, CFL Coach Marc Trestman, and coordinator Leslie Frazier.

Has not been approached but was flattered to be rumored for consideration: Ex-Chiefs and Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer.

Another rumored name but not-ready-for-prime-time: U. of Buffalo Coach Turner Gil

Has not been prominently mentioned but could still land the job: ex-Saints coach Jim Haslett, ex-Giants Coach Jim Fassel and ex-Ravens coach Brian Billick.

Pass the stuffing please…..

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Dolphins @ Bills: Week 12 Preview and Keys To The Game

This Sunday the 3-7 Buffalo Bills will host the 5-5 Miami Dolphins in an AFC East contest that will help to shape several things of importance to fans of both franchises.

For the Bills, each loss means that they are assuring themselves of a high pick in the upcoming 2010 draft, where many fans are urging them to select a top flight franchise quarterback.

For the Dolphins, this game will result in them either being one game above a .500 record and inching closer to a playoff wild card slot, or one game below .500 and on the outside looking in with regards to the playoffs.

Miami has won three of their past four games, while the Bills have dropped three straight.

Both teams have suffered key injuries as of late, so each team figures to do some  shuffling around on both sides of the ball to compensate. Neither team offers up any fantasy stars or top 10 ranked players in any offensive category.

From a historical perspective, the Dolphins have won the last three games, outscoring the Bills by an embarrassing total of 79-29. They were the more physical team and controlled the line of scrimmage.

When the Bills traveled to Miami in week four this year, the Dolphins held the ball for 37 minutes compared to the Bills 22 minutes. Miami had the ball for 73 plays compared to 39 for the Bills.

The Bills threw three interceptions in the game, and Miami had no turnovers. Yes, it was pretty ugly. A game to forget for Bills fans, which proved to be a big step backwards for then starting quarterback Trent Edwards.

The Bills won their first three home games in the 2008 season. Since then, the Bills home record is 1-8. Terrible. Yet the fans continue to come out and support the team, hoping to file out of the stadium elated, not depressed.

In the past two weeks, Miami has lost top running back Ronnie Brown for the season, in addition to their elite nose tackle Jason Ferguson. Both of these players are going to be difficult to replace. Since Ronnie Brown was the featured guy in the Wildcat formation, it makes that aspect of their offense almost non- existent.

For the Bills, their whopping total of 14 players on the I.R. list is so staggering, that it is almost comical. First round draft choice Eric Wood and Seth McKinney are the latest additions to the list, as both were injured against the Jaguars.

To compensate for the losses, the Bills signed ex-Steelers free agent lineman Kendall Simmons and activated lineman Christian Gaddis from the practice squad. They also added two new players to the practice squad this week: offensive lineman Jason Watkins and defensive lineman Lonnie Harvey.

Who are all these new Bills?

In case you have been vacationing for the past month, and realize when you watch the game and see names and numbers that don’t seem very familiar, don’t feel bad. Maybe you swore off watching Bills games until Dick Jauron was fired.

There have been that many changes to the roster that you wouldn’t probably know these following names and numbers. We don’t yet know from this list who will be active on Sunday, but at least you will know who they are now:

No. 4—Brian Brohm—quarterback

No. 25—Ellis Lankster—defensive back

No. 35—Todd Johnson—defensive back

No. 47—Cary Harris—defensive back

No. 61—Christian Gaddis—offensive lineman

No. 66—Jason Watkins—practice squad offensive lineman

No. 71—Kendall Simmons—offensive lineman

No. 84—James Hardy—wide receiver (T.O. took his old number 81)

No. 87—Joe Klopfenstein—tight end

No. 98—Lonnie Harvey—practice squad defensive lineman

That is a bunch of moves. Thanks to Ralph Wilson and Russ Brandon, the Bills are doing their part to bring down the national unemployment rate. 

Keys To The Game:

When Miami Has The Ball:

Due to the season ending injury to Ronnie Brown, the Wildcat attack is not so wild. Think of it now as more like a kitten or (since this is the Dolphins)—more like a goldfish.

Miami’s featured back is now Ricky Williams, who is more of a power runner. He is still capable of hurting the Bills, so this is one of those games that the Bills will need to focus on stopping Ricky. If they can do that, they will have a great chance to experience a rare home win. 

Chad Henne had his first start at quarterback in week four against the Bills. He took care of the ball that day, handing it off to Brown and Williams and watched them rush for a whopping 250 yards. His leading receiver for that game was Rich Camarillo who accounted for 42 yards.

So, subtract Ronnie Brown, focus your attention on containing Ricky Williams, and tell Chad Henne that he has to beat you in the air. Bring him in to chilly, windy and/or wet Ralph Wilson stadium in the last week of November, and I like the Bills chances to throttle Miami’s offense.

Sure, the Bills have been banged up on defense, but there is help coming. Marcus Stroud thinks he can play on Sunday, and Terrance McGee returned to practice after missing last week’s game. Kyle Williams returned last Sunday and played well, as did Donte Whitner.

The Bills defense is actually getting healthier by the week, with the exception of linebacker. So, with the recent experience of people like Spencer Johnson and John McCargo, combined with the play of safety-turned-linebacker Bryan Scott, the Bills are going to be looking to establish more physical play and attack the Dolphins offense. 

Expect to see sustained pressure on Henne, forcing him to throw the ball in to the Bills secondary, which is excelling at interceptions.

Rookie safety Jairus Byrd is still leading the NFL in interceptions, but has been slowed recently due to a sore groin. He will be rotating in and out with Donte Whitner, as they expect to come in and out based on if they are expecting a run (Whitner) or a pass (Byrd).

The defensive front of Schobel, Stroud, Williams, Denney, Kelsay, McCargo and Johnson have done a very good of applying pressure. They will need to commit to that on Sunday.

I didn’t mention Aaron Maybin, because I still haven’t seen him apply any pressure yet this season. When he does, I will share it with all of you assuming I don’t hurt myself when I fall off of my chair.

From a linebacking perspective, Paul Posluszny, Chris Draft and Bryan Scott will need to turn in a strong effort against the rush, just as they did last Sunday in doing a solid job at thwarting Maurice Jones-Drew.

They need to do a better job of staying in their designated lanes when they blitz and stuffing the holes to avoid cut-back rushes. I vividly recall one blitz last Sunday when four Bills players were allowed to be herded off to the right side of the line.

They all just stood there in the bunch, while David Girard took off on a key scramble running right up the middle of the vacated line of scrimmage.That is an issue of discipline and is something that Paul Posluszny has not yet fully mastered.

When The Bills Have The Ball

Ryan Fitzpatrick is still going to be the starting quarterback for interim coach Perry Fewell. Fitzpatrick had the Bills leading for the vast majority of the game in Jacksonville and for the most part was accurate with his throws. Coming up with a 297 yard performance was a welcome sight for offensively-starved Bills fans.

Analyzing the numbers, this game stacks up as follows:

Bills offense – 28th in the league, averaging 275 yards a game. Miami’s defense is 19th in the league, allowing 341 yards per game. The Dolphins give up 105 rushing yards a game (12th) and 235 yards a game in the air (22nd). The Bills run game generates 102 yards a game (21st) and 173 yards in the air (25th).

Losing Jason Ferguson is a big blow for Miami. The Bills stand to have a better chance of controlling the pass rush and opening up a lane or two for the running backs without Ferguson being there to clog things up.

The Bills have been wanting to establish their ground game, but need more from Marshawn Lynch to do so. If Lynch can’t pick up his game, go with Fred Jackson full time, which seemed to work pretty well from what I recall for the first three weeks.

Lynch was injured in the second quarter against the Jaguars and never returned. He did practice this week, and is expected to play. So, it could very well be the Bills offense, and not Miami’s, that runs the most Wildcat formation plays this week.

What is so ironic about that is that Miami invented the Wildcat. If the weather does turn nasty, all the more reason to run it, as Ryan Fitzpatrick is not known as the most accurate passer in the league.

Fred Jackson will have a number of options for what he wants to do with the ball. His passing has not been tested that much yet, as he is one for one so far this year, but that one completion was a great touchdown pass to Lee Evans.

Terrell Owens is coming off of his big 197 yards of receptions against the Jaguars. The long touchdown pass should appease T.O. for awhile, but the home crowd will probably be wanting to see some big plays from him.

How effective will new addition Kendall Simmons be? Word now is that he could be starting this game, with only a handful of practices under his belt to learn the Bills offense.

Expect some blown assignments and maybe a penalty or two from him as he shakes off the rust. He only saw action in one game all year with New England, prior to the Patriots releasing him.

Bills Fan’s – Remember This Team?

It should be noted that the Bills fans have not seen the team at home in a while. Since the Browns game in week five, the Bills have only had one home game against Houston in week eight during all this time (a span of seven weeks).

Then you have the home game in Toronto a week from tonight (Thursday Dec. 3) with the final two home games coming over the final three weeks of the season.

Perry Fewell —Continuing To Put His Own Stamp On This Team

In his first week, Perry Fewell changed things up by having the Bills wear pads in practice to stress being more physical and getting the running game going again. This week, Fewell had the team practicing outside in the rain, which is something they might see in the game as well.

He continues to be passionate, and completely engrossed in his work, which is not atypical for NFL head coaches. He does not want to talk much about his chances to be the next Bills permanent head coach, (is there really such a thing as a permanent coach?), or to even speculate on all the developments of the big-name former head coaches that are in the mix for consideration.

Fewell said that he can’t control that. But he can control how the Bills play under him now, and he is doing everything in his power to have them play physical ball, be smarter and disciplined, and win a game.

Unanswered Bills Questions

Will the Bills be utilizing the Wildcat offense more? If Lynch is truly healthy, you would think the answer will be yes. If he is not, then the defenses can key on Fred Jackson, so it would be scrapped.

When will James Hardy see any game action? Bills need to find out if he has grown or developed at all since the bad injury occurred in his rookie year. He is apparently looking good in practice, so let’s see him in some games to see how he is playing.

Further development of Hardy along with tight end Shawn Nelson can only be a good thing for the 2010 Bills team. Nelson continues to show some great hands but his foolish chop block penalty last week was the reason that Fred Jackson lost his first rushing touchdown of the season. That is why they call it growing pains.

Speaking of assessing player development, the Bills would like to evaluate other players that have missed time lately such as: Donte Whitner, Jonathan Scott, and Jamon Meredith. Other Bills looking to play more to establish themselves are: Nic Harris, Ashlee Palmer, Brian Brohm, Cary Harris and Ellis Lankster.

Brohm may be a long-shot to play, but if the Bills think he has enough of the playbook down, I would like to see them put him in if there is blowout game over the rest of the season. Let him feel what it is like to be in a regular season game as opposed to an exhibition game, to let him get a taste of playing when it counts.

Some Bills that have seen increased reps that showed promise last Sunday were Spencer Johnson and John McCargo. McCargo was out of practice this week due to a  calf injury. They both put some nice licks on David Girard that was a pleasant surprise.

Fourth Quarter Blues

Will the Bills finally play a strong fourth quarter? The Bills coaches and the players have been talking about this subject for at least two or three weeks running, but have yet to show a strong fourth quarter performance since they beat the Panthers.

In the ten games this season, the Bills have had the lead or were tied coming in to the start of the fourth quarter in eight games. That means they found a way to lose that lead five of the eight times. That is something the head coach in 2010 has to address; how to win close games and instilling a self-confidence that those games are our’s to win.

Since today’s article is being written on Thanksgiving, I want to wish a wonderful holiday to everyone, and that you are able to appreciate and acknowledge what you are thankful for. Despite all the losses and heartache over the years, I am thankful to my dad for introducing me to the Bills and football, a game I love and a team I love as well. Happy Thanksgiving !

 

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Buffalo Bills— Whose Stock is Rising and Whose is Falling & Stuck on I.R.

Here is a picture of two of the Bills players who have seen their stock rising considerably – both safeties, and neither one began the year as a starter. But thanks to all the injuries, Jairus Byrd and George Wilson, here seen breaking up a pass against Miami, continue to impress with their strong play in the secondary.

Begin Slideshow

Analyzing Perry Fewell’s Head Coaching Debut for Buffalo Bills

As defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell had witnessed three straight seasons of the Bills playing two games under .500 ball, with marks of 7-9 every season. Learning how to win was going to take some time, and anyone that expected this team could learn overnight was probably guilty of some wishful thinking.

The Bills competed as they have done repeatedly throughout the year.  It was not the same team though, and the perception that it was a different team emanated from their new head coach, Perry Fewell.

Fewell was animated on the sidelines and was showing encouragement and getting in referees faces as needed. In fact, there was plenty of reasons to get in the zebra’s faces as they threw flags that wiped out two Bills touchdowns Sunday.

If you have been following the Bills all year, you know that touchdowns are hard to come by as is, much less having two of them taken away.  The first one was on a chop block by rookie tight end Shawn Nelson and the other by young lineman Jonathan Scott.

The touchdowns would have been a long pass to Lee Evans and the first rushing touchdown by Fred Jackson. Unfortunately, those plays will never make the record books, and it costs the Bills a badly needed win, as they lost 18-15.

 

Analyzing Fewell’s decisions throughout the game

Fewell had made it a point to emphasize that the team was going to be playing physical ball and had the team wear pads in practice to help drive the point home. Fewell wanted to emphasize the rushing game, but as it turned out Fred Jackson was only able to muster 35 yards rushing on nine carries. In the end, the rushing game was not effective at all.

The Bills were driving for a score towards the end of the first half. Studying Fitzpatrick, it seemed that he was rusty in running the two minute drill. I realize that you have to be able to move the ball to have a two minute drill, so in retrospect I doubt he has been doing that much of it.

They had a chance to spike the ball and have time for at least two shots in to the end zone from the ten. Instead they tried a running play and their frantic time out signal was recognized by the officials with one second remaining in the half. The Bills kicked a field goal to cut the deficit to 10-9.

When the game was coming down to the wire, Fewell made good use of his timeouts by being pro-active and taking the timeouts against Jacksonville’s offense, knowing that there was a good chance they were going to score. Fewell’s aggressive nature preserved a minute on the clock, time enough for the Bills to have a chance to get it close enough for a game-tying field goal.

Unfortunately, the fourth down pass went off of Terrell Owen’s hands and wound up being intercepted. Fewell did the right things in managing the game, considering what he had to work with.

Injuries: Reduced Bills To Resembling Only A Semblance of Their Starting Team

The Bills were once again the losers in the time of possession battle, as the Jaguars easily kept the ball more—36 minutes compared to 23.  They had the ball to work with almost one full quarter.

The Bills suffered four more injuries today, the worst being a severe broken leg to first round draft choice Eric Wood. Wood was a victim of a collision that pinned his leg resulting in a fractured tibia and fractured fibula. He had surgery in the hospital later after the game and remained in Jacksonville to have the operation.

Wood was in obvious pain.  Also hurt were defensive lineman John McCargo, running back Marshawn Lynch, and fill-in lineman Seth McKinney.  The Bills are very close to being on life support as they have zero reserves at a number of positions, which is alarming for a NFL team.

 

How bad is it?

With Lynch hurt, the Bills running backs are now down to Fred Jackson and fullback Corey McIntyre, who just came back from injury.  They recently waived Xavier Omon, which now looks like it could come back and haunt them.

The Bills only have five offensive lineman—Hangartner, Levitre, Meredith, Scott and Chambers.  This is critical.  They need to land at least two free agents as there is no experience to mention on the practice squad.  Demetrius Bell was inactive due to injury, so hopefully he can return soon.

The defensive line was down due to Marcus Stroud being ruled out. When John McCargo left due to a calf injury, Ryan Denney was asked to slide over from end to defensive tackle. That is not a great situation, no matter how you cut it.

 

Bills Bits

Terrell Owens exploded with 197 yards receiving. His first game as a Bill with over 100 yards, and he looked great throughout the game.

Roscoe Parrish made a dreadful decision (isn’t that the way most of his choices have ended up this year?), trying to return a punt from the four. He lost two yards forcing the Bills to start their drive on the two.

Ryan Fitzpatrick saw a favorable match-up and called in a deep pattern for T.O. The end result was a 98 yard touchdown play, the longest catch from scrimmage in the Bills history. Besides the one long play, T.O. had eight other catches for another 99 yards.

Fitzpatrick showed the ability to throw on the run, improvise, and be a play maker, all of which are things that Trent Edwards has demonstrated time and again that he is not capable of doing. Based on this showing, expect to see Fitzpatrick holding onto the quarterback job, at least for the immediate future.

Strong pressure was applied to the Jaguars’ quarterback, David Garrard, throughout the game.  Aaron Schobel had a sack, McCargo, Spencer Johnson and Kyle Williams laid Garrard out with some hard shots. The Bills defense did create a fumble and interception, but Jairus Byrd was really not close to being around the ball today, and his interception streak was stopped at five games.

The injury to Marshawn Lynch made the Wild Turkey offense obsolete, so the Bills only used it one time in the game. Depending on how badly he is hurt, it will greatly limit the Bills chances to run this formation.

 

Going forward

With each new injury, the talent level of the replacements—we are talking about adding players that have been out of football for a minimum of 11 weeks—is going to mean that the skills and talents of the Bills will be watered down with each new roster addition.

It will be increasingly difficult for the Bills to compete as these replacements take on a key role with the team. It will also force Bills fans to keep in mind that the guys on the field are not the true team, so booing this squad when they host Miami next week is not even remotely a reasonably fair thing to do.

Keep the faith Bills fans. Fewell made it more exciting, but with a limited hand to play with, how effective can his coaching be?

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