Bills, Buccaneers, Chiefs: Fantasy Implications of Coordinator Firings

For what had to be a first in NFL history three offensive coordinators were fired two weeks or less before the regular season.

Each team—Chiefs, Buccaneers, and Bills—had similar issues before the moves were made. Together they combined for two wins total all preseason. With the first team offense on the field, a time when chemistry and fluidity are expected, combined they scored only two offensive touchdowns.

In the past, if a coach struggles during the early season stages the organization didn’t shy against firing for lack of results.

But when was the last time it has happened so early?

Of course firing the offensive coach doesn’t immediately fix the problems of the lifeless O’s. It can actually turn out to be the start of a chemistry building process that teams would like to have already crafted before or during preseason.

Below is a breakdown of each team’s decision and the fantasy impact it may have.

Kansas City Chiefs

Many questions surrounded the organization before the move was made after the knee injury to their new quarterback Matt Cassel, during a 14-10 loss to the Seahawks.

The former Patriots QB is expected to miss two-to-four weeks, leaving the Chiefs with Brodie Croyle as the starter for week one. Croyle has never won an NFL game and is 0-8 in the past two seasons.

“I don’t think we’re going to be a high-powered group right now,” Chiefs coach Todd Haley said after the game.

The Chiefs scored only two offensive touchdowns combined in four games this preseason.

Haley, the offensive coordinator for the Cardinals in 2007-08, vows to do everything he can to bring the Chiefs—a team who has won only six games in the past two seasons—to respectability again.

Larry Johnson is still a threat in the backfield, but if teams stack the box he will have nowhere to run.

The loss of tight end Tony Gonzalez will hurt the Chiefs and I don’t expect much play from the Chiefs TEs.

Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe returns—the Chiefs leader with 86 receptions for 1,022 yards and seven TDs last season. Bowe is expected to have another good year as part of the third-year wide receiver theory. The Chiefs also picked up WR Terrance Copper who had 38 receptions for 511 yards with five TDs for the Saints last season.

WR Bobby Engram hopes to bounce back a season after injuring his shoulder producing only 47 receptions for 489 yards in 2008. In ‘07 Engram tallied a career-high 94 receptions for a career-best 1,147 yards with six TDs.

“A consistent message is what I’ve been sending these guys,” said Haley, “not the same message but a consistent one.”

Expect Haley to lean on his offensive assistants such as O-line coach Bill Muir who has 32 years NFL experience and was the Buccaneers coordinator for six years (2002-08).

“It’s going to be a lot busier,” said Haley.”I’m grateful that I have some former coordinators around me.”

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers followed suit by firing their offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski on September 3, ten days before the start of the season. Similar to the Chiefs, they also have a first-year head coach in Raheem Morris, Tampa’s defensive backs coach for the past two seasons.

At 33, Morris is the youngest coach in the NFL. The final decision to fire Jagodzinski fell on the young coach’s shoulders, and many say he is way over his head.

“It was time, before the last preseason game to make the decision so that we could move on and be ready,” said Morris.

Team sources said that conflict had been building since early in training camp with coaches and players disagreeing with Jagodzinski’s coaching philosophies and teaching methods.

The team may have made this decision early on as running backs coach Steve Logan, who was Jagodzinski’s offensive coordinator at Boston College, was the one calling plays during the preseason.

“We’re in constant evaluation of our staff,” said Morris. We need to be more precise, we need to be more detailed, and we need to have more direction to where we’re going to go.”

Taking over the offensive coaching duties is former Rams off. coordinator in 2007-08 — Greg Olsen. Olsen led the 11th-ranked Buccaneers passing offense in the NFL in 2008, but lost QB Jeff Garcia in the offseason.

Former Jaguars QB Byron Leftwich has only played 14 games in the past three seasons and will take over the starting role for Tampa Bay. He will try to develop chemistry with TE Kellen Winslow—signed in the offseason—who hopes to bounce back to his ’07 form (82 receptions, 1,106 yards and five TDs) after a drop off from last year with the Browns (43 catches for 428 yards and three TDs).

“We’re talking about a different direction in our passing game a little bit,” said Morris, ”more vertical balls down the field.”

Always a deep threat, WR Antonio Bryant will lead the Bucs receiving corps. Last season Bryant had 83 catches for 1,248 yards (15.0 a catch) and seven TDs.

In addition to Olsen as the off. coordinator Morris intends to rely a lot on eighth-year wide receivers coach and asst. head coach Richard Mann. In his press conference the new head coach stated that the passing game was going to be an area of change.

On the other side will be Michael Clayton, who had 38 receptions for 484 yards and one TD.

Besides the names of the backs with the acquisition of Derrick Ward, who’s ranked 25 on some analysts board of top RBs,the Bucs running philosophy will remain the same. They expect a three committee approach with Earnest Graham and Carnell “Cadillac” Williams two and three on the depth chart, respectively.

“The plan has not changed,” said Morris. “We’re still a zone-blocking scheme led by Pete Mangurian and how heavily influenced he was with that running attack.”

“This offense was headed on the right direction,” he said. ”Now we have to finish off the deal with some different guys.”

Buffalo Bills

Schonert was said to be the culprit of the no-huddle approach, as a member of the Bengals coaching staff that won the Super Bowl in 1988, beating Bills in the AFC Championship with that same approach.

With his departure, former Bills QB and quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt was promoted to offensive coordinator. Before the move in Buffalo there was a plea for Trent Edwards to take over the offensive play-calling duties. There has to be more of a push to give him the play-calling duties now, touted by many as the way to be successful in the no-huddle as Jim Kelly was in the ’90s.

Kelly supported the Bills in the decision to promote Van Pelt.

“I think he’s got everything he needs,” Kelly said. “The only thing he might lack right now is the experience. But in order to get that experience, you’ve got to be thrown into the fire and you’ve got to experience it first-hand. “

Those around the league had high hopes for the Bills offense as they picked up Terrell Owens and Dominic Rhodes in the offseason. But the offense struggled to find consistency, Rhodes was released, and the no-huddle which is most effective at quick drives keeping defenses on their toes backfired, requiring the Bills defense to stay on the field more time.

Head coach Dick Jauron will be under fire all season to perform and if the Bills struggle out the gate don’t be surprised to see him go as well. The final decision for Van Pelt to go was made by Jauron, who knows his performance will determine if he stays with the Bills for a fifth-year.

It didn’t feel like we we’re progressing,” said Jauron. “You didn’t get the feel that we we’re going forward.”

Jauron mentioned that Eric Studesville will continue his duties at running backs coach. With Marshawn Lynch suspended and after Rhodes’ departure, Fred Jackson and Xavier Omon will carry the load at least until week four.

Jackson ran 130 times last season for 571 yards and three TDs and Omon had a less-than mediocre preseason with 29 carries for 79 yards and one TD.

At receivers the Bills have T.O., alongside Lee Evans, with Josh Reed and Roscoe Parrish in the slot. Evans has always been a deep threat and should get more work finally able to escape the double team with T.O. on the other side.

Though Owens is turning 37 this season, he continues to be one of the hardest trained athletes in the NFL. Last season he caught 69 passes for 1,052 yards and 10 TDs.

Edwards looked like he was on the same page with Owens in the preseason opener — the Hall of Fame game — getting it to the Pro Bowl receiver with two easy receptions, but a toe injury kept Owens out for the remainder of the preseason.

The Bills third-year quarterback is not worried about the teams’ non-production in the preseason and is confident that the work the team put in during practice was enough to prepare them for the regular season.

Van Pelt won’t have much time to work with the offense as the Bills head to New England September 14 for the Monday Night opener.

“These next six or seven days might determine what they are going to do because basically we’ll see how things will work under Alex,” said Kelly. “I’m sure he’ll have some adjustments to make. You can’t just totally overhaul your whole offense. You have to stick with a lot of similar things.”

Summing it up

Though they all had different approaches and replacements after the firings, one goal remains the same for all coaches—produce offensively.

They better mold quickly as each faces one of last season’s top 10 defenses in its opener.

The Chiefs play at Baltimore, the Buccaneers play at home vs. Dallas and the Bills play at New England.

 

Check out Top Fantasy Football’s Dominator service to stay up-to-date all season long on the players you draft, injury reports up to game time, weather conditions, and waiver wire suggestions to snatch victory from the hands of your other league owners.

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The K-Gun Reloaded: Buffalo Bills Shooting for Respectability with New Offense

In 1989, after losing to the Cincinnati Bengals coached by Sam Wyche in the AFC Championship Game, the Buffalo Bills knew that they needed to make a change.

Led by third-year quarterback Jim Kelly—the 1984 USFL MVP—and equipped with versatile running back Thurman Thomas, wide receivers Andre Reed and James Lofton, along with speedy Don Beebe in the slot, and a sure-handed tight end in Pete Metzelaars, the Bills were ready to install a new offense under fourth-year head coach Marv Levy.

So was born the K-Gun—the no-huddle offense in Buffalo.

Four Super Bowl appearances and 20 years later, the 2009 Buffalo Bills are bringing back the K-Gun, or what some like to call the T-Gun, to resurrect a deceased offense.

The names are different, but the skills are comparable.

Like Levy, head coach Dick Jauron is heading into his fourth year.  

Third-year quarterback Trent Edwards is no Kelly yet, and the UFL is no USFL, but he has the intelligence and accuracy to employ what is to many a complicated offensive scheme.

Each one of the three running backs in blue and white are versatile, from Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch to Fred “Shake ‘n’ Bake” Jackson and championship-tested Dominic Rhodes.

The three receivers: Lee Evans, the sure-handed franchise receiver; Terrell Owens, the veteran who consistently performs on the field; and Roscoe Parrish, the speedy “break your ankles” receiver coming out of the slot.

The Bills have not determined who will be their go-to tight end, as they have four capable players in Derek Fine, Derek Schouman, Jonathon Stupar, and rookie Shawn Nelson out of Southern Miss.

Nelson is more of a hybrid WR/TE who performed well as a four-year starter in college with 157 receptions for 2,054 yards and 16 touchdowns.

“The no-huddle lends itself to guys that are big-play guys,” said Wyche after it was reported in April, “because if you get a defense that’s just a little fatigued, just a little off their first-step quickness, and you get the explosive guys, they can hit the home run.”

Throughout OTAs and training camp at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, NY, the Bills put their planned no-huddle offense on full display. For the duration of practices entire weeks straight, they would not set up in a huddle even once.

Then the football world, or at least the 7.9 million viewers of the NFL Hall of Fame Game, got a glimpse of the T-Gun. 

“If we huddled up, I seriously wouldn’t know where to stand,” left tackle Langston Walker said before the game against Tennessee. “The only time I see us huddling is timeouts and change of possession. That’s about it.”

They didn’t huddle up one time in that game, and although the first drive ended in an interception, the first unit showed some promise in the system, converting a couple of third downs with throws to its newly acquired All-Pro receiver.

“Owens operating in no-huddle inspires fanciful notions in the minds of Buffalo fans,” said Buffalo News writer Jerry Sullivan.

“They remember how the K-Gun rolled up points and staggered NFL defenses during the Super Bowl years. The offense has been dull and ineffective for years. The no-huddle would give the offense an identity, and afford the fans much-needed hope.”

 

Strength at Offensive Line?

What helped the ’90s K-Gun offense click was the fact that its offensive line had spent a season together, and other than right tackle Howard Ballard, the other four had created a bond for more than three years.

The 2009 Bills: three new offensive linemen, two rookies, all five in new positions.

Maybe this is a reason the Bills made the decision to revive the classic O.

With a no-huddle offense that keeps defenses on their toes and off guard, they can get the ball out of Edwards’ hands quickly, requiring less blocking time.

Sure-handed RBs and WRs will provide Edwards with some quick options once the ball is snapped.

With T.O. and Evans on the outside, teams will have to at least consider double-teaming one of the two, leaving speedy Parrish or sure-handed Josh Reed open in the middle. Edwards can dump the ball off to the backs and let them make a play.

“The people who love the no-huddle most are the offensive linemen,” said the Bills’ offensive coordinator from the ’90s, Ted Marchibroda, “because of the fact the no-huddle tires the defensive line out tremendously very quickly.”

Second preseason game: The first stringers get more snaps, and Edwards goes 10-for-10, showing improvement and getting the ball out of his hands quickly in the no-huddle.

Jim Ritcher is a former left guard for the Bills who played on the ’90s Super Bowl teams. He noted how the no-huddle can wear out an opposing team.

“Every 20 seconds we were getting off a play,” Ritcher said. “It’s not really difficult, but you have to be in good shape. Defense is so much tougher than offense anyways, when you’re running all over the field like a defensive player has to do. It’s much more tiring.”

 

Owens Gets Key to City, Give Edwards Key to Success

Another reason the no-huddle offense was so effective for Kelly and the ’90s Bills was Kelly’s freedom to call the plays. Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert for the ’09 Bills has yet to relinquish those duties to Edwards.

After the Hall of Fame Game, the third year QB mentioned his reasoning for throwing an interception on the Bills’ first stringers’ only drive.

Getting the play call in late didn’t help, and because of that, Edwards said that he probably should have checked down. If No. 5 called his own plays, they wouldn’t have that problem.

The T-Gun took a step back after a third preseason loss to the Packers, in which Edwards threw an interception and was sacked twice with a fumble in five series.

“You’ve watched the games just like I have,” Edwards said after practice Monday.

“I don’t know if you’ve seen any throws I could have made down the field. If you want to call the plays and throw the ball down the field, that’s fine. I’m taking what the defense is giving me and continuing to go through my reads, and that’s the way I’m coached.”

Fans who like the implementation of the Bills’ new offense are rallying for Edwards to get the freedom he needs.

Besides, if the Bills are going to trust the Stanford alum with such a scheme, why not give him the tools he needs to be successful?

In the end, it comes down to the performance on the field. Like the great Marv Levy said after a ’96 win when asked if he was bringing back the no-huddle:

”A system did not win this game tonight,” Levy said. ”People and execution win games.”

Prediction: Joe Flacco Will Break Baltimore Ravens Passing Records In Two Years

Baltimore Ravens all-time passing leader: Kyle Boller—7,846 yards.

Baltimore Ravens current quarterback: Joe Flacco—2,971 yards.

It took Boller five seasons and 53 games to reach his pass total, although he threw for 2,559 yards in his only full season in 2004.

In one season, Joe Flacco surpassed all expectations to move up the depth chart, and become the leader of the defensive juggernaut Ravens.

This year, a more comfortable Flacco looks to increase his yardage total from last season and lead the Ravens to the postseason once again.

Although the Ravens receiving corps is not the most talented in the league, they have three talented running backs that can catch the ball in Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le’Ron McClain, and not necessarily in that order.

In the Ravens first preseason game Thursday, Flacco went 9-of-15 for 103 yards, playing the entire first quarter and some of the second. He ran the offense efficiently, hitting Mason a few times, and exploiting the young talent at receiver. He also used the talented running backs, leading them to two field goals in his limited playing time.

Flacco’s rookie yardage total was good enough to tie for the franchise’s fourth highest with Vinny Testaverde in ’96, Steve Mcnair in ’06, and Elvis Grbac in ’01, respectively.

Number two on the Ravens all-time passing yardage list, Testaverde, only played two seasons with the birds. He threw for 7,148 yards in his two seasons, making the Pro-Bowl in ’96, almost eclipsing Boller’s two-year total, but he left for the Jets after the 1997 season. 

At Flacco’s current pace, he will surely become Baltimore’s career-leading passer in 2010, in only his 3rd season, barring a trade or an injury that keeps him out of significant playing time.

The Ravens finally have that franchise quarterback that they have always been looking for under head coach John Harbaugh.

 

Fred Jackson Deserves Buffalo Bills Starting Role

Last season, Fred Jackson proved that he could handle more carries. A multi-purpose back, he carried the ball only 130 times for 571 yards in 2008 while splitting time with “Beast Mode,” Marshawn Lynch.

He excelled each time he was in the game and filled in admirably in the season finale versus the Patriots, rushing for 136 yards on 27 carries even though Buffalo’s dreadful offense that day couldn’t put any points on the board.

According to BuffaloBills.com, after Lynch’s suspension was upheld Monday, Jackson was named the starting running back.

“Going into the season, unless something happens, it would be Freddy,” said Jauron. “Freddy would be the starter. But both (Jackson and Rhodes) will be playing a lot.”

Until this point I don’t even think the Bills have known how to take full advantage of Jackson’s ability. Real Bills fans saw flashes of his greatness early on watching him in the ’07-’08 preseason.   

Jackson is used to playing at a high level—he just hasn’t always been giving the opportunity on a national stage.

Jackson’s senior year at D-III Coe College in 2002 he rushed for 1,702 yards and 29 touchdowns.

After being seen as too small a player for the NFL (6’1, but only 195 lbs.), he went to play indoor football for the Sioux City Bandits where he earned $200 a week. In 2005, he was named United Indoor Football co-MVP as he ran for 1,770 yards and 41 touchdowns for the Sioux City Bandits.

Former Bills head coach Marv Levy saw his potential as a fellow Coe College alum and assigned him to NFL Europa in 2006. That year, Jackson led the Rhein Fire with 731 rushing yards and was assigned to the Bills practice squad after bulking up to 215 lbs.

He hasn’t looked back since and despite battling for playing time, his level of play has increased in the past two seasons with the Bills.

The rest of the league will find out the type of player Jackson really is, while Lynch serves his suspension. Not to mention that Rhodes will take some attention off of Jackson, and the Bills offense should be far improved.

Hate to say something like this about such a great player such as Lynch, but perhaps his suspension could be a blessing in disguise; especially for Fred Jackson’s career, who has developed a great friendship with Lynch in his first two seasons.

Certainly, when Beast Mode returns we can all expect him to be the starter, as he’s still the feature back in the Bills offense. The Bills will have a bonafide, more experienced one-two punch (as if they didn’t last year) with two guys capable of the starting role.  

Jackson, who signed a four year deal with the Bills in May, is a threat as a receiver as well. In 2008, Jackson caught 37 passes for 317 yards but only scored three TDs while rushing in Buffalo’s predictable offense.

Expect Jackson to see the end zone much more this year, both as a receiver and running back for the revamped Buffalo Bills offense.

Would The Jets Be AFC East Favorites If Pennington Was Still Their Quarterback?

Chad Pennington was drafted 18th overall by the New York Jets in 2000, the same year they saw the departure of Bill Parcells.

At the time, Vinny Testaverde was the quarterback and led the team to a 9-7 record.

Utilizing Jets all-time great running back Curtis Martin and getting the ball to speedy and relentless wide receiver Wayne Chrebet, the Jets went 10-6 and made the playoffs in ’01.

Testaverde was benched early in the ’02 season with the team at 1–4, and it was time for Pennington to step in. He did admirably, throwing for 3,120 yards, 22 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He finished with a rating of 104.2.

The Jets once again made the playoffs. On top of that, Pennington’s team crushed Peyton Manning’s Colts 41-0 that season.

Each year Pennington has been healthy as the starter (’02, ’04, ’06), the Jets made the playoffs. In the years that he went out due to an injury (’03, ’05, ’07), the Jets missed the playoffs. 

After Pennington was exiled to Miami last season, he finished second in MVP voting to future Hall of Famer, Peyton Manning. The Dolphins came literally out of nowhere, stole the division, and went to the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Jets, with heavily criticized to end the season, quarterback Brett Favre, missed the playoffs by one game.

As the Jets prepare for training camp, and with a quarterback competition looming, you have to think that some in the Jets organization wish Pennington was back.  

The Dolphins have no identifiable superstar, but they have a solid team that learned how to win last year. And unlike the Jets, they have the most important position solidified. Additionally, with the return of Jason Taylor, they are ready to make another playoff run.

That doesn’t mean that the Jets and Rex Ryan are going to just lay down and accept a mediocre season at the bottom of the division. Besides, in the past few years the AFC East has been anything but predictable.

As he said when he was hired in January, “This team is right there…I expect to win and win early.” 

Are his words enough to give Jets fans hope? Or will they spend every waking Sunday thinking about the what-ifs?

If Pennington was still quarterback would the Jets be looked upon as legitimate competition, or even in some people’s eyes, a favorite to win the AFC East?

Ka_Mitchell55 is a Super Bowl Optimist for the 2009 Buffalo Bills

“Its goin 2 b a great ride to our destination. People dont believe n US. If ur 1 of these people, eat a fat duck. We’re on a mission. MIAMI!!”

This quote is directly from Buffalo linebacker Kawika Mitchell’s twitter account. For those that don’t know, Miami is where Super Bowl XLIV will be played next February.

He’s not making a foolish guarantee like Donte Whitner did before the start of the 2008 season. Mitchell is an optimist and a hard worker; and he’s championship tested.  

Mitchell is one of the two guys on the Bills with a ring—Dominic Rhodes is the other. On the Giants in ’07, his team accomplished the improbable ’07 win over the then undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

Mitchell, who changed his number to 59 when he joined the Buffalo Bills, knows what it’s like to be an underdog. 

Now he’s in the city full of underdogs—and underperformers, if you followed the past 50 years in Buffalo sports history.  

The Bills are 50-1 early odds to win Super Bowl XLIV, according to The Online Wire.  Nobody is betting on the Bills. How surprised would we be if they won the big game? 

There’d be riots in the streets of Buffalo. The scene would be similar to the one in Boston after the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series. 

It seems like the Bills have a better chance to win this year than in any other year. Granted they’re a young squad, but it won’t be the first time a team has won without being playoff tested.

To accomplish such a tremendous feat, Mitchell and Rhodes must be instrumental leaders in the locker room and out on the field.

Last year—Mitchell’s first with the Bills—he honed that leadership role during the rough point of last season when the Bills squandered a division lead and finished 2-8 after a promising 5-1 start. He tried to develop a “mentality adjustment” among players in the locker room in hopes of turning things around and re-claim Buffalo’s position as the league’s elite.

At the end of the season things, didn’t turn out the way they had hoped for. 

In 2008, Mitchell made 82 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and three defended passes. 

Several Bills players began to look towards Mitchell through the season’s ups and downs.

Mitchell’s previous team—the ’07 Giants—was always a team that overcame diversity.

Two years after getting a ring, Mitchell knows his role going in, and so do the rest of the Bills young “veterans”.

He looks to perform even better on a more solidified linebacker corps with rookie and veteran depth. 

The Top Buffalo Bills Plays From 2008

The top plays from last season were recently published on a video on buffalobills.com.

Watching them gets me pumped up for the season every time.

My top ten from last season:

1. Roscoe’s punt return for TD in the season opener at home versus the Seahawks. He juked out the entire Seahawks special teams.

2. Lee Evans catch against the helmet in week six versus the Chargers. Simply amazing…David Tyree-esque.

3. Marshawn Lynch’s catch-and-score on MNF versus the Cleveland Browns. He threw down/juked more than five defenders.

4. The fake field goal TD pass from Brian Moorman to Ryan Denney in the season opener. How was he so wide-open?

5. Leodis McKelvin’s kick return versus the Browns on MNF. It came at the perfect time, right when the Bills needed it. Too bad we couldn’t generate any offense that night.

6. Lee Evans 80+ yards TD catch versus the Cardinals. He’s the best in the game at long TD catches.

7. McGee’s rip-away interception versus the Seahawks. He just pulled it out of his hands.

8. Fred Jackson carrying Jets in the end-zone for a TD. Determination defined.

9. James Hardy’s winning TD catch in the corner of the end-zone versus the Jaguars early in the season. His only TD catch of the season. Hope to see more this year.

10. Trent Edwards head-first diving touchdown versus the Chiefs. Just when everyone was questioning his toughness, he goes out and runs for two TDs.

What’s your top five?

How T.O. Could Single-Handedly Revitalize Buffalo’s Struggling Economy

We all know about Terrell Owens’ ability to bring media attention.

Now he has 17 cameras that follow his every move with the new reality show to air soon on VH1. As much as you may be sick of seeing him, you can’t blame it on Owens.

He sees the opportunity to make money, and to set himself up for a career, post-football.

Let’s take a look on the local economy in Buffalo; a struggling economy, where everyone is escaping in favor of nicer weather, cheaper taxes, jobs, and frankly…nicer weather.

A once thriving industrial city has businesses fleeing quicker than Sabres owner Tom Golisano.  

So how can Terrell Owens help the city of Buffalo?

To start off, despite three consecutive 7-9 seasons, season-ticket sales had topped the 50,000 mark in May.

What about the increased media presence in the Queen City. There are surely people out there whose sole job is to follow Owens, 24/7. The number of media will without doubt increase as football season begins, just praying for Terrell Owens—to do something—T.O. worthy.  

Not to mention, the Bills play the Patriots in the Monday Night season opener, putting Owens’s first game with the Bills versus Tom Brady’s return to the field, sure to be a highly viewed game. The game is in New England, but it will set the stage for the rest of the season.

Every Bills game is sure to have an increased viewership from last season, and will put the Bills on a national spotlight much more; especially if they can put a playoff-run together.   

According to Arizona State University, who researched the effect on Phoenix during the Super Bowl, when people get excited about football, statistics show that impulse buying increases (restaurant and tavern tabs, team gear, etc.).

The teams that make it to the Super Bowl will reach an international audience, which could bring business from Toronto (Canada’s “NYC”), to Buffalo.  

“(A Super Bowl team) will be mentioned collectively a million times by media throughout the world. That says we’re open for business.  There’s a psychology to winning, and it will benefit (team) greatly.”

A trip to the Super Bowl is obviously a best-case scenario, but not unrealistic in the near future.

T.O.’s success could keep the Bills in Buffalo for years to come as they catch the attention of investors all over the world.  It could introduce the business world to all the other “marketable guys” the Bills have.

The team is young and if they prove they can be successful this season, fan spending will increase as they should anticipate team competitiveness for years to come.

Local sporting goods stores like Laux, who have six stores in Western New York, will positively increase sales, and grow their international exposure.

Third-year Bills QB Trent Edwards has had a firsthand look on how having T.O. will impact things around One Bills Drive.

“It’s fun having him on here,” said quarterback Trent Edwards during OTAs.
“There are more fans and there are more (media) here watching us and covering us. The more people who are here to watch us, the better.”

Since the Super Bowl runs in the ’90s, Buffalo has never really gotten national attention.  I only just realized this when I stepped out of Western New York for the past eight years, having to rely on national media for television highlights.

At least Chris Berman was very supportive during our the Bills 4-0 run to start last season, “Nobody circles the wagons, like the Buffalo Bills!”

And ESPN commentator Ron Jaworski is from Buffalo, he should give us props at the MNF season opener.  

Team success will speed up the proposal to build a stadium, possibly downtown.  Even more north, in I don’t know…Lockport, or North Tonawanda, making it easier for those crossing the border to attend games, and expanding the city and fan base.

Big things are possible, looking ahead to the next 50 years of Buffalo Bills football, but it all falls on success of this football team in ’09.

Why Mark Sanchez Is Under More Pressure Than Any Rookie QB in NFL History

Forget about the first pick and Lions starter Matthew Stafford for a minute. Pressure on him?

His new team went 0-16 last season! A one-win season can be seen as an improvement.

On the other hand, after a disappointing finish last year and the departure of Brett Favre, the New York Jets traded up to the fifth pick for Mark Sanchez in this year’s draft.

For what? So that he could sit on the bench and watch Kellen Clemens? Along with Bleacher Report senior writer Angel Navedo, I sincerely doubt it.

Sanchez was excited to join the Jets organization back in January, stating, “It’s going to be a blast” after he was drafted.

When asked about the pressure of playing in New York, Sanchez said, “Los Angeles is in a large media market, so I know how to handle the interviews and conference calls, and television interviews.”

Sure he does—when his team is winning like the Trojans were last season. But if the Jets perform at a subpar level in their difficult first half of the season, how will Sanchez react?

Will the Jets revert to the four-year veteran Clemens?

Clemens knows the system already, and regardless of what critics think, he is determined to prove himself as the designated starter come September.

“I’m going out this year, and my expectations haven’t changed since the draft,” said Clemens during OTAs. “I fully expect to be under center opening day when we go down to Houston.”

Sanchez knows a few plays too.

“When the Jets handed me their playbook, I was pleasantly surprised to see that some plays in there had very similar concepts and ideas and reads,” he said.

As GM Mike Tannenbaum mentioned after Sanchez was drafted, the inevitable QB competition has begun and will continue through training camp.

Tannenbaum and head coach Rex Ryan must have taken into account that Clemens had a year under future Hall of Famer Brett Favre, not to mention a few behind playoff-tested Chad Pennington.

The next Jets quarterback will play in the shadow of Favre, which is not as big as it was for Aaron Rodgers, considering the drastically different methods of departures, but he is still an all-time great.

Green Bay’s Rodgers had a pretty good season in 2008 (4,038 YDS, 32 TDs, 13 INTs), his first year post-Favre, whose influence surely still lingers around the Jets locker room.

Added pressure on Sanchez comes from the fact that the Jets went 9-7 last year and missed the playoffs by just one game.

Critics were furious, and the media was spellbound, as the New York Post called them the “same old Jets” after their loss to Pennington’s Dolphins in Week 17.

Jets fans have been uneasy about the quarterback position basically since the departure of Broadway Joe.

Last year the Jets saw the departure of Pennington to division rival Miami, who took the Jets to the playoffs every year he was healthy. According to recently departed receiver Laveranues Coles, he was booed and bashed most of his stay in New York. 

They also saw their dreams of Favre taking them to the playoffs diminished by that same Pennington.

The people of New York, Gang Green side, are hungry for the playoffs this year, the same as any year.

But look at the AFC East. The improved Dolphins won the division last season and will be looking to repeat, the Patriots will see the return of 2007 MVP Tom Brady, and the Bills look much improved with the addition of Terrell Owens.

The Jets? New coach, new quarterback, young receivers, young running backs. Even with a solid offensive line and defense, it spells underdog to me.  

Coming from USC, Sanchez is not used to the underdog role. 

The way he deals with the pressure will characterize his young career.

Former Buffalo Bills Safety Jim Leonhard Can Be a Playmaker for New York Jets

Jim Leonhard made a lot of plays in the Baltimore Ravens playoff run last year. Nicknamed “White Lightning”, he is set to have a breakout year with the new Jets defense.

He spent three seasons with the Bills as a reserve safety and special team’s guru before the Bills let him slip away after his contract expired. Baltimore signed him two months later to a one-year contract, after seeing how he filled in impressively in 2007 for expected starter at free safety this year for the Bills, Ko Simpson.

He started 13 games at safety for the Ravens and his playoff performance caught so much of then-Baltimore’s defensive coordinator Rex Ryan’s eye, that the now-Jets head coach brought him along, expanding his role in the Big Apple.

Much has been said of Leonhard’s leadership skills even before he sat in the locker room for more than 19 games with Ray Lewis, the man who redefined defensive leadership.

Aside from his defensive role, where he is expected to supplement Kerry Rhodes, Leonhard is going to be returning punts, utilizing his playmaking ability.

White Lightning will face the Bills twice next season. The 5’8″, 186-pound playmaking safety says he loves to make a player think twice before underestimating him.

“I’ve never been one to shy away from contact, I’m willing to throw my body in there and do whatever it takes,” said Leonhard in an interview with SNY.

As a free safety against the Bills, Leonhard will be over the top of either Evans or Owens. Can he back his words up with his play against the Bills stacked receiving corps and elite special teams unit?

“You see someone that doesn’t give you so much credit. You go out there and kick his butt a little bit; it feels good that they realize they messed up,” Leonhard said.

Let’s face it; now on a Jets squad led by defensive-minded Ryan as head coach, Leonhard could thrive and develop into a star safety alongside Rhodes.

“You see a lot of people walking around with smiles on the defensive side of the ball because they feel they can have a breakout year,” said Leonhard, who helped Ravens go from 5-11 in 2007 to 11-5 in 2008.

The Jets defense is no joke. Take into account they also signed Bart Scott from Baltimore and Lito Sheppard from the Eagles, to go with an already stacked defense featuring Shaun Ellis, Darrelle Revis, and Calvin Pace (although he will be sitting out the first four games).

The Jets’ spent the majority of their offseason energy on defense.They may feel threatened to stop three unpredictable offenses in their division (NE, Buf, and Miami).

The Bills should definitely take into account Leonhard when they play the Jets weeks six and 13.

With all of Buffalo’s playmakers on offense, the Bills-Jets matchups will be quite a battle.

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