Brett Favre: Inductee to The Hall Of Shame

When I look at the picture above, I think to myself, “Yeah Brett, what the Hell are you doing to the NFL and it’s fans?”  The answer is simple: Ticking them off.

As I searched for pictures of Brett Favre in a Packers jersey, it reminded me much of what he actually has become in Green Bay: An afterthought.  Aaron Rodgers is the present and future, and although Brett brought a Lombardi trophy back to Wisconsin, I believe he’ll never get his respect back.

Recent ESPN fetishes for Favre have showed that he wants to play again in 2009, not for the Jets, nor the Pack, but for the Vikings?  Any Kraft cheese helmet wearing fan’s jaw dropped at this abomination of a report.  Sure it was in the works last year, and it has been a possibility this entire offseason, but for it to manifest in to truth would be unfathomable, like Phil Mickelson actually sinking a meaningful putt or Dane Cook actually telling a joke he wrote.

Fans are telling Brett to do what Rosie O’Donnell should’ve done years ago, which would be to let it go and quit already.  Where’s Donald Trump when you need him?

As a general fan of football, I would be OK with Barry Sanders, Daryle Lamonica, or Jack Kemp making a comeback and coming out of retirement, but Brett, we’ve seen it before, and you’re done.  Going to the enemy will further sully your career and make you more hated than the $5.00 footlong commercials.

Sure, Brett still loves the game.  At soon to be 40-years-old, who wouldn’t love playing America’s favorite game?  It’s been done before, Brett, so please, ride off into the sunset rather than add to your career interception records.

If he comes back, expect another mediocre season and pure hatred in Lambeau, and an induction in to the, “Hall of Shame”.

The Top 16 NFL Fan Bases: A Recipe For Controversy:

The Top Anything List. For years, the media and bloggers such as I have made top 20’s, 15’s, 50’s, 27’s, whatever, and it’s always a great way to stir up controversy.

When you’re a Bills, Chiefs, or Browns fan, these lists may be the only thing you can look forward to. On the other hand, if you’re a Colts fan in Lucas Oil Stadium, sipping champagne and watching the game on a television in your box, you couldn’t care less about what some blogger on Bleacherreport.com thinks.

Enough chatter, here’s the 100%, foolproof, statistically accurate top 16 fans in the NFL.

Buffalo Bills Defense: Surprising Young Talent Could Mean Surprise Cuts

 

Many names have been frequenting Buffalo Bills lead writer Chris Brown’s blogs of organized team activities (OTA’s). Trent Edwards, Terrell Owens, Lee Evans, Kawika Mitchell, Fred Jackson, Ellis Lankster, Ashlee Palmer…

Wait.

Defensive back Ellis Lankster and linebacker Ashlee Palmer? 

The Bills’ seventh round pick out of WVU in 2009 and an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss, respectively, have been making some plays and turning coaches’ heads these past few weeks, but coaches aren’t the only ones noticing.

Bills fans aren’t too shocked that late round and undrafted players make noise for the organization. Names like Derek Schouman, Stevie Johnson, Demetrius Bell, John DiGiorgio, and Jon Corto are some late round to undrafted names that still find comfort at One Bills Drive.

Although OTAs are usually too early to gauge how well a player can play in pads or at full speed, it’s still an indication of mental stability and awareness. 

Many Bills fans remember Martin Nance, a wide receiver UDFA for the Bills in ’06, flashed his go-to brilliance from college that netted Ben Roethlisberger a first round selection (both played for Miami of Ohio), but when the pads were on, he couldn’t keep up the pace.

On an opposite note, a name from last year that is participating in what is hoping to be his "true" rookie season is linebacker Alvin Bowen, who tore his ACL last year prior to full camp.

Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell has kept a sharp eye on the tackling machine out of Iowa State this year, even going so far as to state that when now Tampa Bay Bucaneer Angelo Crowell went down with an injury last year, he could’ve seen Bowen step quickly into the spot, rather than former sixth round pick Keith Ellison.

Alongside Bowen in most of the drills has been middle linebacker John DiGiorgio, the undrafted player in 2006 out of Saginaw Valley State who started 13 games for the Bills in ’07 after then starting middle linebacker Paul Posluszny went down with an injury. He proved why he deserved to be in the NFL, notching 113 tackles, two sacks, and an interception in the 13 starts.

Could Ashlee Palmer be this years John DiGiorgio for Buffalo? With so many question marks within the linebacking corp, he could make it, but has to beat out Bowen, Corto, Ellison, free agent pick up Pat Thomas, second year player Marcus Buggs, and rookie project Nic Harris in no sure order.

Ellis Lankster, on the other hand, has a bit of a longer leash to work with.

With Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin seeming locks to man the starting corner jobs, it’s a list of maybes beyond that.

A healthy Ashton Youboty proves to be a capable threat, as he showed early on last year before getting placed on the IR. Second year surprise pick Reggie Corner compliments his last name admirably, and did so when called upon in ’08, as he has also done in OTAs this year.

Journeyman Drayton Florence seemed to be a steal last year in free agency for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but has done little of what was expected of him since. The other corners on the roster are fifth year man Dustin Fox and fellow rookies Lydell Sargeant and Cary Harris.

If Florence can’t convert to his San Diego playing days and Youboty can’t stay healthy, Ellis Lankster may be the fifth or sixth corner on the depth chart day one.

Lydell Sargeant is another name that should be kept close to a Bills followers ears, since he has also been an impressive physical specimen and ball hawk in OTAs.

It will be no easy task, but if these players can show Perry Fewell and the rest of the coaches in pads what they did in organized activities, the 53-man roster may be within their grasp.

 

7-9: The Make-or-Break Numbers for Bills Coach Dick Jauron

Buffalo Bills head coach Dick Jauron is known as a “player’s coach.”  His players love to play for him.  If he says jump, they jump, if he says run, they run, if he says win…

Well they haven’t figured that part out yet.

He certainly seemed to have things working on all cylinders at the beginning of last season, starting off with an impressive 5-1 record.  The Bills annihilated the Seattle Seahawks on opening day, beat the AFC West Champion San Diego Chargers, and only lost to the Super Bowl runner-up Arizona Cardinals in Arizona during the first six games.

Then the AFC East bared it’s fangs.

Any NFL follower knows that losing division games is costly, especially when you lose all six, and that’s what Jauron and the Bills did in 2008.  Accompany that with a nail-biting loss to the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football, the aforementioned Arizona loss, and an embarrassing loss to San Fransisco at home in a must-win game, and you end up with Dick Jauron’s familiar .438 win percentage.

Another 7-9 season won’t cut it for Jauron, and he of all people should know it. After ten years out of the playoffs, the Bills hope that their head coach will at least make it to his second playoff appearance.

The Bills seem to have all the right puzzle pieces, both personnel-wise and player-wise, but those pieces have yet to fall in to place. Assistant head coach and Special Teams Coach of the Year Bobby April always seems to have a top-five special teams unit. Perry Fewell is an exceptional defensive coordinator, and Turk Schonert has plenty of weapons at his disposal in his second year as the offensive coordinator.

So where is the finger to be pointed for the past three years?

The itchy trigger finger of many Bills fans throw it straight in Jauron’s direction, due to his four straight 7-9 seasons as a teams full time head coach (one with the Chicago Bears).  Add his 1-4 record as interim coach of the Detroit Lions, and there hasn’t been much winning in a Jauron regime as of late.  In fact, in his nine years as a head coach, he’s only had one winning season, but the blame can’t be solely placed on him.

When Ralph Wilson Jr. cleaned house prior to the 2006 season, there was a mess to be cleaned up. With the firing of general manager Tom Donahoe and the departure of head coach Mike Mularkey, Marv Levy and Jauron seemed to be the correct janitors for the job.  Under Donahoe, the Mike Williams experiment ended with a shoddy offensive line, the defense was aging and hit or miss, and there seemed to be no legitimate starter at quarterback.

While Tom Donahoe’s regime netted starters for many other teams throughout the league, the Levy, Jauron and Russ Brandon-led Buffalo Bills have produced ten starters through the draft—12 if rookies Eric Wood and Andy Levitre maintain their spots atop the guard depth charts.  Of the 13, three franchise players in Marshawn Lynch, Trent Edwards, and Paul Posluszny look to be cornerstones and contributors for many years to come.

They’ve also added solid nickel and dime corners Ashton Youboty and Reggie Corner, slot receivers in Stevie Johnson and James Hardy, and depth at tight end in Derek Fine and Shawn Nelson, something the Bills haven’t seen for years.

Through free agency, the front office grabbed mainstay tackle Langston Walker, superstar wide receiver Terrell Owens, and recently added Geoff Hangartner from the Carolina Panthers to man the center position on offense. 

Defensively, they traded for massive defensive tackle and 2008 Pro Bowl alternate Marcus Stroud, and picked up the Bills’ most productive linebacker in recent memory, Kawika Mitchell, through free agency, along with rotational defensive lineman Spencer Johnson and veteran corner Drayton Florence.

The right players were picked up, the holes appear filled, and there’s an experienced coaching staff in Buffalo. So what’s next?

Three years of rebuilding after a seven-year debacle in Buffalo seems enough to turn a franchise around, and that is what Jauron and company hope to do in the 2009 season.  In a tough division with a strong schedule, there is no sure thing for the Buffalo Bills, but Ralph Wilson Jr., the Bills players, and the fans have put their faith in Dick Jauron.

Under Jauron, if the puzzle pieces fall in to place, it may not turn out to be the Mona Lisa, but if the Bills can make the playoffs, at least the Bills faithful will be smiling.

Buffalo Bills: The Five Most Effective Plays for the 2009 Season

OTA’s are underway, most pieces are in place, and the Buffalo Bills are preparing for the 2009 season. Trent Edwards is still under center, Lee Evans is still one of the best deep threats in the game, Marshawn Lynch is still “Beastmode”, and newcomer Terrell Owens is still T.O. The Bills only have one glaring question mark on offense, and that’s the offensive line. Behind a newly aligned offensive front, if Trent has time, we may see these plays develop.

No Pisa, No Problem in Buffalo: Defensive Preview

Very soon after being released by the St. Louis Rams, Pisa Tinoisamoa took a trip to One Bills Drive in Orchard Park, N.Y. 

Fans were excited to hear that the tackling machine was in town, hopefully filling the void Angelo Crowell left when he signed in Tampa Bay and that backup Keith Ellison currently held. 

With no signs of a contract in place, a photo was soon leaked of Tinoisamoa wearing a Bears T-shirt.  He soon signed a one-year deal with the Bears.

Bills message boards erupted, calling Ralph Wilson cheap, saying Ellison isn’t even worthy of a Bills uniform let alone to start, and an array of “the sky is falling” type messages.

It’s not even training camp yet.

Although Bills fans are anxious for the upcoming season after three straight 7-9 finishes under Dick Jauron and a 10 year drought from the playoffs, the defense should be a bright spot. 

With returning playmakers Terrence McGee, Kawika Mitchell, Marcus Stroud, and a potentially healthy Aaron Schobel, things can only look up for the Bills D.

As the cliché goes, it all starts in the trenches, and that’s where Buffalo looks to shine. Being the only team in the AFC East to not implement the 3-4 scheme, the Bills have a beefy middle and quick defenders on the outside line. 

Marcus Stroud, the trade pickup last season, didn’t disappoint.  With injury concerns, he played in all 16 games for the Bills, notching 45 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a much overlooked stat, 7 deflected passes. 

Alongside him comes the surprising upstart Kyle Williams, who was thought of as merely depth when drafted in the fifth round in 2006, but broke in to the starting role and has been a great run stuffer. 

Spencer Johnson provides rotational depth all along the line, and John McCargo has shown flashes but has yet to fill his first round potential.

On the outside, Aaron Schobel hopes to make a healthy return, across from playmaker/question mark Chris Kelsay.  Until last year, Schobel hadn’t had less than 6.5 sacks in a given year. 

He only played in five games last year, notching one sack, but says he’s ready to come back healthy.

Chris Kelsay has never been the pass rusher Bills fans want him to be, but he has an instinct to know where the ball is at all times. 

It could be a three-way battle for the starting left end spot, since the Bills drafted pass rusher Aaron Maybin 11th overall in the draft, and Ryan Denney has always been a rotational player at the position. 

Chris Ellis could step in on the right side when Schobel is resting and might live up to his third round pick last year.

The focal point of the Bills defense is the linebacking corp.  After being placed on the IR most of his rookie campaign, middle linebacker Paul Posluszny came back to anchor the group with a team leading 110 tackles. 

He’s instinctive and doesn’t get fooled too easily, and if he can stay healthy, he could put up better numbers this year. 

John DiGiorgio provides solid depth in the middle, as he showed two years ago when Posluszny went down.

Kawika Mitchell was a great pick up for the defense last year, as he filled in admirably, with 82 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions. 

His game-saving interception against the Chargers was a thing of beauty, and he has a fierce mentality on the field. 

The major question is, who will play opposite him outside?

Incumbent starter Keith Ellison has filled in adequately, but the Bills need a better defender on the outside. 

There are still options in free agency, but defensive coordinator Perry Fewell and linebacker coach Matt Sheldon have their eyes set on someone else already in the organization.

Alvin Bowen was placed on the IR early in the offseason last year after showing impressive speed and ability in OTAs. 

This year he’s done the same, and Fewell stated that if Bowen was healthy last year, he most likely would’ve filled in for the injured Angelo Crowell, who is now in Tampa Bay. 

In a three-way battle for the position, rookie Nic Harris could be a darkhorse.

Coach Dick Jauron, when asked why he drafted so many defensive backs in this year’s draft, said that in their division you can’t have too many DBs. 

Corners Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin look to man the starting spots, as both are terrific ball hawks. 

The loss of Jabari Greer is a bit of a sting, but with such depth as Ashton Youboty, Reggie Corner, and veteran free agent Drayton Florence, the Bills should be OK at the position. 

Rookies fighting for a spot on the roster are Ellis Lankster and Cary Harris.

Safety is a strong spot on the team, too.  Donte Whitner, although not an Ed Reed-type player yet, knows how to find the ball in the ground game but needs to improve his ball coverage skills.

As a more rotational spot, free safety is manned by Ko Simpson, Bryan Scott, George Wilson, and rookie Jairus Byrd. 

Byrd was the Bills’ second round pick this year and a ballhawk at Oregon, which is something needed by the teams defense who faces Tom Brady twice, along with Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Jake Delhomme this year.

Bryan Scott took most of the snaps at free safety towards the end of last year, while Simpson and Wilson came in on primarily passing downs.  John Wendling and George Wilson are best suited as special teams players but can fill in when called upon.

The playbook can’t be mapped until you can take a look at the team during training camp but expect some hybrid defenses under Perry Fewell. 

With speed on the outside, a 3-4  with Kyle Williams, Marcus Stroud, and Spencer Johnson as the front three with Aaron Maybin, John DiGiorgio, Paul Posluszny, and Kawika Mitchell manning the back four could be a possibility.

With the Bills finishing last in defense for the AFC East last year, the team has to cause more havoc in opposing backfields and cause more turnovers. 

With the addition of a healthy Schobel and Aaron Maybin to hunt down quarterbacks and Jairus Byrd to find the errant throws, both of those problems could be fixed.

For any promising unit that has improved over its past year, things can only look up for the Buffalo Bills’ defense.

Buffalo Bills’ 50th Anniversary Team: Second String

As part of their 50th Anniversary festivities, the Buffalo Bills let fans vote for who they thought should be on the all time team. Many sure names made the list, such as Jim Kelly, Bruce Smith, Billy Shaw, and Marv Levy, but some others were left off. Who would be the second string? What about third? To answer the burning question, here’s the Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary All Time Team: Second String. The third string will be for players who played admirably in backup roles.

Buffalo Bills’ Special Teams: Preview and Rule Changes

It’s preseason and rookie Leodis McKelvin is waiting to return a kickoff at the Rodger’s Centre.  The ball is in the air, and Duke Preston, Darian Barnes, and Courtney Anderson line up in the three-man wedge, with Justin Jenkins breaking off to create a hole for McKelvin to take it to the house.

Flag.

“Personal foul, forming a wedge.  The ball will be spotted 15 yards from where the wedge was formed, first down.”

Of course that flag was never thrown and that penalty was never called, but if the formation happens this year, you can guarantee you’ll see yellow on the field.

The NFL passed a new rule that the wedge, a staple of any level of football since it’s earliest days, is now banned in the NFL.  The bunch on onside kicks and peel-back blocks are also now penalized.  This will most certainly change the way that special teams coach Bobby April sets up the return teams.

In an interview with Chris Brown, senior writer for the Buffalo Bills, April seemed a bit up in arms about the change. “Any time you try to legislate hitting out of the game you’re going to run into problems because the essence of the game is hitting and contact. So when you legislate the essence of the game out of the game there is going to be a lot of compromising. There is going to have to be a lot of change involved.”

For an excellent special teams coach like April, this shouldn’t be a problem, but from a referee’s perspective, it puts far too much personal judgement into play.  Special teams is probably the most violent aspect of the game.  Physical specimens sprint as fast as they can at each other, and they expect them to ease up?

No one can be too sure how the rules will develop, but one thing you can be sure of: the Bills will have another great special teams unit.  April received the Special Teams Coach of the Year Award this past April (ironically), and has the right men at his disposal to do it.

With a record-setting and league-leading 16.3 yards per return, Roscoe Parrish is as electric of a punt returner you can get.  His speed and athleticism made fans question why he was on the trade block before the draft. While many blew a sigh of relief when he wasn’t traded, they may not have had to. Running back Fred Jackson and cornerback Leodis McKelvin both did very well when called upon, with Jackson’s highlight return coming on an impressive sprint down the sidelines for 34 yards in St. Louis last year.

Terrence McGee has always excelled in his kick return abilities, but when Leodis McKelvin was drafted, Terrence was ready to step in to purely a corner role.  McKelvin did an amazing job in his role, helping the Bills to an incredible 24.2 yards per return. The Bills also led the league in returns over 40 yards, and tied the San Diego Chargers with 43 returns over 20.

Punter Brian Moorman put up big numbers as usual, with a net average of 39.1 yards per punt, and Rian Lindell still knows how to handle the pressure of long shots in windy and unrelenting weather.

All of these players come back as the major special teams contributors, while prime special teams tacklers George Wilson and John Wendling will also be back on the field.

With the rule changes, it will be interesting to see what happens around the league in the return game.  Bills fans can count on one thing, though:  it’s bound to be exciting when Roscoe and Leodis are waiting deep.

AFC East Offseason Review: Wildcats, Minutemen, Planes and Bison

It’s 2:34 in the first quarter of Week Three. Chad Pennington runs off the field, but Chad Henne doesn’t run on. The huddle breaks, and Ricky Williams lines up wide to the left, while Ronnie Brown sits in the shotgun. Ricky goes in motion toward Ronnie, Ronnie takes the snap to paydirt, thus stunning Bill Belichick and the Patriots.

But it didn’t end there.

What seemed like a one time trick play turned in to the league-wide phenomenon known simply as “The Wildcat.” Fred Jackson lined up with Trent Edwards at receiver for the Bills, the same in New York, where Thomas Jones stared down Brett Favre spread wide to the right.

The Wildcat, Brett Favre and the Jets, Tom Brady’s injury, the collapse of the Bills—all of these things led to the AFC East becoming one of the most exciting and competitive divisions in the NFL.

Things can only get more exciting this year. The draft is over and each team is getting ready to start their OTA’s and training camp. Here’s a recap of what each team has done so far this offseason.

 

Miami Dolphins (11-5)

The Miami Dolphins shocked the NFL by turning the league’s worst record in 2007 into an AFC East-leading 11-5 in 2008. That turn around was due mostly to the steady and strong play of new quarterback Chad Pennington. A healthy Ronnie Brown also worked wonders for an offense that finished 12th in total yards per game.

The Dolphins did little in free agency, picking up line help in Joe Berger and Jake Grove. They also replaced Andre’ Goodman with ex-Cardinal Eric Green.

Where they truly shined, as all Bill Parcell-led teams do, was through the draft.

It was no surprise that the Dolphins would address two things early on: The secondary and a weapon worthy of the Wildcat. They did both, and they did both very well.

The ultimate weapon for the Wildcat was snatched up in the second round in former WVU star Pat White. With an accurate arm, quick moves and receiver speed, he can line up and do anything in the formation.

When you face Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Joey Galloway, Lee Evans, and newcomer Terrell Owens in four games a year, you can never have too many corners. The Dolphins effectively picked up the best in the draft in Vontae Davis, and matched the size of Owens and Moss by drafting physical specimen Sean Smith out of Utah.

The 6’4″, 214-pound Smith has the leaping ability to negate the jump ball, and will probably be a staple in the red zone defense for years to come.

 

New England Patriots (11-5)

Tom Brady is healthy, and Bill Belichick is still the head coach. That’s enough to be scared of if you have to play the Patriots.

They hit two lotteries in the NFL this offseason, in both free agency and the draft. You can never have too much depth, but when that depth is starting quality, things get scary.

The additions of Fred Taylor and Joey Galloway add great depth to the backfield and receiving corp, and Shawn Springs, Tank Johnson, and Tully Banta-Cain will fight for starting roles on the defensive side of the ball.

Anyone who’s a fan of an AFC East team got chills on draft day when they saw the Patriots continuously trade back. Bill Belichick with so many picks is a dangerous thing, and he proved it when he drafted hard-hitting safety Patrick Chung, run-stuffer Ron Brace, and corner Darius Butler.

Chung will most likely get the nod to replace Rodney Harrison, and Brace looks to be the replacement for veteran Vince Wilfork down the road.

 

New York Jets (9-7)

The Promised Land never came when Brett Favre took the helm in New York. The sky was the limit to start the year, and it appeared that everything was going to go right. A weak end to the season (1-4 in their last five) cost the Jets a playoff spot, but so did interception machine Brett Favre.

The new regime under Rex Ryan wasted no time bringing in old faces from the Ravens. Jim Leonhard, Marques Douglas, and Bart Scott all did well in Baltimore, and Rex couldn’t let the free agents test the market.

Although at the time it may not have been their main goal, it would seem in retrospect that they stocked up in free agency so they could make a big move in the draft.

The Jets traded far up the board to take former USC QB Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft. They had only two other selections for the entire draft, and spent them on areas of need in running back Shonn Greene and offensive lineman Matt Slauson. Expect Greene to be a factor in later years, with Thomas Jones aging.

One major question looms in the Big Apple, though: Who starts Day One? Sanchez is a one-year starter from USC with all the tools, but can he make the jump from one year of college ball to the NFL? Kellen Clemens is the incumbent as of now, but Mark Sanchez has made it public he plans to be taking the snaps on opening day.

With no clear receiving threat, it wouldn’t be a big shocker if the Jets took a chance on veteran Marvin Harrison, who has been very quiet during the free agency period.

 

Buffalo Bills (7-9)

“I don’t know what else we gotta do, we’re playin’ ball up here in the B’lo.” Those were the words said by DT Marcus Stroud after a 23-14 victory over the San Diego Chargers in Week Seven.

Up to that point, they were.

The Bills started off hot, with a 4-0 record heading in to the desert, before getting beat up on by the Arizona Cardinals. Trent Edwards was injured in that game, and J.P. Losman took the helm. Since J.P.’s departure, Bills fans are excited about the addition of Ryan Fitzpatrick, who did well in taking over for the injured Carson Palmer last year.

New addition Terrell Owens was a head-scratcher for some, but a breath of fresh air for QB Trent Edwards and WR Lee Evans. Edwards now has proven red zone threat, and Evans doesn’t have to constantly face double-teams anymore.

The Bills cleaned house on their offensive line, getting rid of centers Duke Preston and Melvin Fowler, cutting Derrick Dockery, and trading left tackle Jason Peters to the Eagles.

They addressed the center position and depth by bringing in offensive linemen Seth McKinney and Geoff Hangartner. In the draft, they addressed major needs in the line by drafting center Eric Wood and guard Andy Levitre.

The biggest addition through the draft should be Aaron Maybin, a pass-rushing machine out of Penn State.

Of all the teams in the AFC East, the Bills may have the most question marks heading into Day One. Can the offensive line gel and hold up against the strong defenses of the AFC East? How will Terrell do in cold weather and with a young quarterback? How will the loss of Marshawn Lynch affect the Bills for the first three games? Will they go 7-9 again?

Here are five things people should look for out of the AFC East this year.

 

1. Tom Brady’s return.

After going down week one with a knee injury and very limited time to prepare for this year, will one of the games best quarterbacks be rusty, or will he return to his gunslinger mentality without missing a step?

 

2. The New York Jets’ quarterback play.

Of the two fighting for the number one spot, either can be success stories or flop. Clemens gets the nod in my opinion, giving Sanchez time to get a feel for the game and learn the system. If Sanchez is to start, it’s a heavy burden to be a rookie and step in to Brett Favre’s shoes.

 

3. Pat White and the Dolphins.

Will the Dolphins have another division-leading year, and how will Pat White help the Wildcat? The offense will be an exciting thing to watch with Chad Pennington and the array of weapons at his disposal.

 

4. The T.O. show.

The receiving corp in Buffalo is scary on paper, along with Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, and Dominic Rhodes in the backfield, but with an unpolished offensive line, can Trent get the ball to them without being rushed? If he can, it’ll be an intriguing offense in Buffalo.

 

5. Who takes the cake?

Four solid teams, all vying for that top spot in the AFC East.

 

Expect an exciting finish to the season, some heated rivalries rekindled, and some nasty play on the field when these teams suit up against each other on Sundays.

 

What to Make of the Buffalo Bills Offseason

When you trade Jason Peters, cut Derrick Dockery and Robert Royal, and let Melvin Fowler and Duke Preston move on through free agency, you open a glaring hole in the trenches. 

The Bills felt last year that they solidified their defensive line through additions of Marcus Stroud and Spencer Johnson, and were content with a starting offensive front in Langston Walker, Brad Butler, Melvin Fowler, Derrick Dockery, and Jason Peters. Now, Buffalo fans are scratching their heads at an offensive line that is only two fifths of what it was last year.

Disgruntled Pro Bowler Jason Peters was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for three draft picks. Derrick Dockery ended up where he started in Washington, and Robert Royal appears to take Kellen Winslow Jr.’s spot in Cleveland.

But who came to the Bills?

The free agency period brought in two players: former Carolina Panther Geoff Hangartner, and journeyman Seth McKinney, both C/G players who’ve done well when called upon.

In the draft, the Bills selected 28th overall C/G Eric Wood, hoping for him to fill the hole that was opened when Dockery left. With Hangartner projected as the starting center and Wood being heralded as the new left guard, who would fill the left tackle responsibilities? 

As of now, the projected line is, from right to left respectively, Brad Butler, rookie Andy Levitre, Geoff Hangartner, Eric Wood, and Langston Walker. 

Langston would move back to the spot he played in Oakland, and Butler would move back to his natural college position of tackle. The Bills front office seems content with this line, but an interesting prospect just became available.

Levi Jones has come on the market, and could help protect Trent Edward’s blind side while the rookies get used to the system. With the selection of Andre Brown, the Bengals felt that Jones was expendable, and the Bills could take a chance on the tackle who turns 30 prior to the 2009 NFL season.

He would help solidify an offensive line that needs to give Trent Edwards time to throw to a revamped receiving corp, including new additions in Terrell Owens, rookie Shawn Nelson, and Dominic Rhodes out of the backfield.

With the backfield and receiving corp seemingly solidified and an offensive line that is ready to work together, it’s time to look at the Bills defense.

A healthy Aaron Schobel makes the Bills secondary look good, as well as help create some havoc in the oppositions back field. Hoping that he comes back healthy, Bills fans are also excited in rookie acquisition Aaron Maybin.

With probably the quickest first step of any defensive end in this years draft, the undersized but very quick Maybin brings hope to a pass rush that had a meager 24 sacks last season, good enough for 28th in the league.

With a very strong secondary, consisting of stand outs Leodis McKelvin, Terrance McGee, and Donte Whitner, the Bills have the tools to stop high powered passing offenses that make up the AFC East. With the addition of ball hawk Jairus Byrd, who had 17 interceptions in his career at Oregon, you should expect more turnovers in the pass defense.

The only real hole, if you can call it one, is at linebacker with a depth player Keith Ellison manning one of the OLB spots. With the recent release of Pisa Tinoisamoa, the Bills could take a look at the speedy tackle machine. There have been some injury concerns in the past, but he was healthy for the majority of each season. 

Rookie Nic Harris, a converted safety, could fight for the role of outside linebacker, along with backup Alvin Bowen, who missed all of last year with a torn knee ligament. It should be the most interesting position battle this offseason in Buffalo.

Do the Bills feel they have a team that Donte Whitner guaranteed would get to the playoffs last year, or are they heading back to another 7-9 season? 

As Terrell will tell you, Bills fans, just get your popcorn ready, it’ll be an interesting year.

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