SB Nation - Teddy Lehman

2009 Schedule Preview: Week 3 @ the Buffalo Bills

Saintsational — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:00:21 -0000

The Saints follow up their game in Philadelphia with another trip to the Northeast to take on Buffalo in a week three late game. The Bills finished 2008 with a less-than-mediocre 7-9 record and hope to get over that .500 hump this season. It's been a while, four years to be precise, since these two teams last met in the regular season. The Saints have the misfortune of playing in frigid Buffalo but the fortune to have it scheduled during the mild-weather month of September when it shouldn't be an issue. Let's take a look at what fans can expect against the Saints first AFC East opponent of the year.

Bills Offense

Buffalo has had a pretty action-packed off-season this year and much of that excitement has been on the offensive side of the ball. Obviously, the signing of wide receiver Terrell Owens has contributed most to that excitement. Owens is a game changer and inevitable Hall of Famer who always seems to play well in his first year with a new team. T.O. will play opposite wideout Lee Evans, teaming up to create a formidable aerial threat. With former Tulane quarterback J.P. Losman now out of the picture, it will be the responsibility of Trent Edwards to get Evans and Owens the ball, making sure to keep the latter happy on the field. Ryan Fitzpatrick was brought in this year to provide a little competition in camp but the job is Edwards' to lose.

The other big story of the Bills off-season was the trade of offensive tackle Jason Peters to the Eagles. It is that loss of Peters as well as guard Derrick Dockery combined with a lot of other offensive line tinkering that has Bills fans worried about the state of their quarterback protection. Last years team ranked poorly in sacks per pass attempt and this year, things could get worse before they get better.

On the ground the Bills remain strong. Marshawn Lynch continues his duties as the number one back with Fred Jackson and newly acquired Dominic Rhodes taking on backup roles.

This could be a good, early test. If Gregg Williams does suceed in building that blitzing, attack-style defense we've all been promised then they should have no problem exploiting Buffalo's weak offensive line and rattling unproven quarterback Edwards. Allowing him time to throw to Owens and Evans could be damaging to our secondary. Advantage: Saints.

Bills Defense

First round draft pick Aaron Maybin has been tapped to hopefully play alongside veteran Aaron Schobel and be the defensive end of the future, adding talent and depth to a pass rush that has been lacking. Getting the most out of this unit will be a deciding factor in the overall success of the Bills defense for 2009. In the linebacking department, Keith Ellison, Pat Thomas and John DiGiorgio were all signed in the off-season with the hopes of shoring up the middle of the field and offsetting the loss of several players.

One of the bigger hits to the Bills defense this off-season was the loss of cornerback Jabari Greer to our very own New Orleans Saints. Decent against the pass last year, the Bills should still have a solid secondary with Terrence McGee, Leodis McKelvin and Drayton Florence as well as newly drafted and versatile Jairus Byrd. The secondary is rounded out by aptly named Reggie Corner.

Though the Bills may match up well against Saints receivers, their lack of a pass rush should give Brees time to find the right guy. This will also be a good game to establish a ground attack.

Bills 2008 Season

7-9 Record

Last Meeting

October 2, 2005

Week 4	1	2	3	4	OT	Final
Bills	7	0	0	0	--	7
Saints	0	13	0	6	--	19

Why the Saints Can Win

Brees should have all day to do his damage.

Why the Saints Can Lose

T.O. or Evans could have a great game.

Prediction

Saints 27 - Bills 17

Newly Acquired

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

RB Dominic Rhodes

WR Terrell Owens

G Seth McKinney

C Geoff Hangartner

ILB Pat Thomas

CB Drayton Florence

CB Ellis Lankster

CB Cary Harris

RB Bruce Hall

LB Keith Ellison

OL Kirk Chambers

FB Corey McIntyre

CB Dustin Fox

DE Marcus Smith

LB John DiGiorgio

WR Justin Jenkins

WR Felton Higgins

OL Chris Denman

WR C.J. Hawthorne

2009 Draft Picks

DE Aaron Maybin

C Eric Wood

CB/S Jairus Byrd

G Andy Levitre

TE Shawn Nelson

SS/OLB Nic Harris

CB Cary Harris

CB Ellis Lankster

Key Losses

QB J.P. Losman

TE Robert Royal

G Derrick Dockery

G Jason Whittle

C Duke Preston

C Melvin Fowler

OLB Angelo Crowell

OLB Blake Costanzo

ILB Teddy Lehman

CB Jabari Greer

OT Jason Peters

Linkage

Buffalo Rumblings

SB Nation Bills Coverage

Saints @ Bills Coverage

Buffalo Bills Roster

Buffalo Bills Depth Chart

Buffalo Bills Transactions

Poll

Do you consider the Saints game against the Bills to be an easy victory?

Sure thing.

34 votes

There's no such thing as an easy victory.

167 votes

I do but I would never admit it.

20 votes

The Bills definitely present a challenge.

97 votes

318 votes | Poll has closed

State of the Bills Roster: Middle Linebackers

Brian Galliford — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:00:10 -0000

Where will Posluszny play in '09? (buffalobills.com)

The "State of the Bills Roster" series trucks on! If you're new around these parts within the past nine months or so, this series is an off-season progression of posts in which we'll break down Buffalo's roster in-depth. From these discussions, we'll put together a "Community Needs List" in priority order, then begin researching potential free agent and draft acquisitions that will satisfy all of the Bills' needs as we perceive them.

We continue our foray into heavy-duty off-season work at Buffalo Rumblings right now. It's our "State of the Roster" series, off-season mode, and we'll continue the discussions by breaking down the Bills' situation at inside linebacker.
Previous installments: QB :: RB :: TE :: WR :: OT :: G/C :: DE :: DT
New: Prioritized Offensive Needs List

Opening statement
If there was one area on the Bills' team that was more negatively effected by Buffalo's well-publicized lack of a pass rush last season, their linebacking corps was it. In zone coverage, linebackers are the weakest links, and these players can only be playmakers when they don't have to move around in a zone waiting to be burned by receivers and tight ends. That happened far too often in 2008. The jury is still out on whether Buffalo's linebacking corps can make big plays routinely; regardless of that fact, change seems likely at this position. We'll start inside.

#51 Paul Posluszny (starter)
6'1", 238 pounds
Age: 25 in October 2009
Contract status: 2 years remaining (UFA after 2010); owed $1.265M in base salaries.
- There is a growing contingent of Bills fans who believe that Posluszny would be better off playing on the outside, a position he excelled at while in college at Penn State. There are whispers that Buffalo's coaching staff might agree with that, although in all honesty, it was difficult to complain about Posluszny's performance in 2008. Unsurprisingly the team leader in tackles, Poz was better than advertised in pass coverage, but like the rest of his fellow linebackers, lacked finish to his game. Could Poz perform better on the outside? We won't know unless it's tried, but for the time being, Poz remains this team's starting inside linebacker - and that's not the worst proposition I've ever heard by a long shot.

#52 John DiGiorgio
6'2", 229 pounds
Age: 26 in June 2009
Contract status: Restricted Free Agent.
- As a former undrafted free agent, DiGiorgio has vastly exceeded expectations simply by contributing something at some point in the early portions of his career. He proved adequate as a reserve in 2007 when he lined up at two linebacker positions, and he's a favorite of special teams coordinator Bobby April. The chances that DiGiorgio gets a tender offer to come back as a reserve linebacker and special teams player for the Bills in 2009 are very good, but make no mistake: DiGiorgio is a reserve through and through.

#58 Teddy Lehman
6'1", 238 pounds
Age: 28 in November 2009
Contract status: Undisclosed.
- Lehman was signed during the '08 season as a street free agent while the Bills were going through linebackers like underpants (Buffalo eventually had four linebackers on injured reserve). He likely got a one-year deal at the veteran minimum, and the chances that he's retained as a serious part of the team's future plans are minimal.

The Breakdown
Keepers: Posluszny, DiGiorgio. Regardless of where Posluszny lines up in '09, he's a good young player that has the ability to get a lot better as he gains more experience. DiGiorgio should be back because of his versatility and good favor with April.

Extendables: None.

Expendables: Lehman. Linebackers like him are a dime a dozen.

Questionables: None.

What we need: It might be just me, but I'm pretty content with Posluszny playing on the inside. He plays with good leverage, hits lanes hard, and while he finds himself out of position from time to time, he'll iron those issues out with more experience. But if the Bills want to maximize a player's potential (for once), they'd be better off moving Posluszny to the strong side, where his lane-clogging ability will be emphasized further and his coverage skills not so readily exposed. We'll see if that happens. If it does, the Bills should target an inside linebacker with a bit more size to shed, clog and explode through the line. If Poz stays inside - which I'm believing a little less every day - then the Bills will likely focus their attentions on the outside spots.

That's it. I'm done with the easy stuff. Now it's on you, folks. Make sure to vote in the poll on whether or not you think Poz should play inside or outside next season - it'll help us determine whether or not MLB is an actual need next season. Also, if you're Buffalo, is getting DiGiorgio back in town a priority? Have fun with this, and let's get brainstorming.

Poll

Should Paul Posluszny play inside linebacker in 2009, or should the Bills move him to the strong side?

Keep him inside

89 votes

Move him to strong side

261 votes

350 votes | Poll has closed

Lynch returns to practice; Peters still sitting

Brian Galliford — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:30:15 -0000

Lynch practices, should play in Week 17 (buffalobills.com)

After resting his ailing shoulder injury on Wednesday, Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch returned to practice Christmas Day and, barring any unforeseen setbacks, should be available for the Bills' season finale home tilt against the New England Patriots.

Veteran linebacker Kawika Mitchell, who also missed practice Wednesday with a knee ailment, returned to practice yesterday and, like Lynch, should be available Sunday.

Meanwhile, Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters missed his second straight day of practice Thursday, leaving his status for Sunday's Patriots game much more up in the air. Kirk Chambers filled in for Peters in last Sunday's win over Denver, and he would get the call once again if Peters is unable to go. There is no word on whether Peters will play through his knee injury to avoid missing a second straight Pro Bowl.

Receiver Roscoe Parrish (knee) missed practice both Wednesday and Thursday as well; he injured his knee in practice prior to Sunday's win, but was able to play. If he can't go, rookie Steve Johnson is likely to see more playing time. Johnson has recorded a touchdown reception in each of Buffalo's past two games.

Cornerback Jabari Greer, like last week, was limited the past two days, and his status will likely be questionable for the Pats game. Linebacker Teddy Lehman will also likely be questionable.

Speaking of Jabari Greer, Chris Brown of the official site spoke with the corner about his upcoming free agency. Greer didn't exactly keep it a secret that he'd prefer to stay in Buffalo, but also seems to realize that names like McKelvin, Corner and Youboty could lead to his landing elsewhere. Regardless, he's about to see a significant increase in pay.

ESPN.com's Tim Graham gives us another article in which we hear that head coach Dick Jauron still has the respect and admiration of his unified locker room. For a second straight week, the Bills will theoretically be playing to save their coach's job. That's a great sentiment and all, but when did playing to win become inadequate motivation for a football team?

Well, if playing to win and saving your coach's job isn't enough motivation, receiver Josh Reed's got it right: playing to spoil a Patriots playoff bid is certainly motivating. 10 straight losses to the Pats might dull some of that enthusiasm, however...

Jerry Sullivan decides to set aside his campaign against Dick Jauron to sing the praises of Bill Belichick. Having respect for what a man's done is one thing, but using the success of an enemy to repeatedly poke at your own organization's downfalls is, quite frankly, a bit too nauseating for my taste. Maybe you disagree.

Joe P ought to enjoy this one. Mark Gaughan thinks the Bills would be smart to buck their trends and draft a tight end that is one-dimensional (read: a pass-catcher). I agree. The Bills have two very good, well-rounded tight ends in Derek Fine and Derek Schouman to do the dirty work at the position. They can be excellent reserves. A guy like Oklahoma's Jermaine Gresham, for example, would diversify Buffalo's inconsistent offense in ways that Fine and Schouman can only dream of.

Shutting down Ginn is a must for Bills

Brian Galliford — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:19:59 -0000

WR Ginn torched Bills in Week 8 (Associated Press)

Flash back to Week 8 of this 2008 NFL season. Our Buffalo Bills are 5-1, and the stinking, hated rival Miami Dolphins are a mediocre 2-4. Life is good. Miami's biggest mistake of the previous regime - in fact, the beacon of their mediocrity - is former first-round WR Ted Ginn, whose impact has been negligible in nearly a season and a half in the NFL. The Bills faced the Dolphins that week; Ginn entered that game with just 20 grabs for 177 yards. Shutting this kid down was going to be cake.

Then it wasn't. Facing a hobbled Bills corner in Terrence McGee, Ginn exploded, nearly doubling his yearly receiving total by hauling in 7 receptions for 175 yards. On a day in which Buffalo contained Miami's vaunted rushing duo, it was Ginn that allowed Miami to pull out a big win. The Bills are 1-4 since that game; the Dolphins are 4-1, and have leapfrogged Buffalo out of the AFC East cellar.

Take a look at the photo in this article. Let it seethe. Take it all in. Ready to punch through a wall yet? That's exactly how I want you to feel. That picture is a symbol of Buffalo's downfall; of this team's inability to shut down a player that, up to that point, hadn't delivered on his talent. Ginn hasn't had an overwhelming game since, though he's been much more productive. Buffalo has a competitive roster, and one veteran - McGee - is more competitive than the rest. Think McGee isn't excited for the rematch?

Fear not. He is. Well... maybe excited is a bit strong.

I just want to have a good game and not have a repeat of what I did previously. I don't feel like I'm out there trying to prove something; I just want to go out there and play some good football.

Well, we'll be emotional for you, Terrence. Get aggressive, man - this weekend, Ginn needs a couple of teeth knocked out. Or, at the very least, to be slowed down - Miami's offense thrives on big plays, and if Ginn isn't a factor, there will be a lot of pressure on Miami's ground game. Containing Ted Ginn may be the biggest key to victory for Buffalo's defense this week - if they'd had it in Week 8, they might have squeaked out a win - but I'm sure Kurupt will cover that tomorrow morning.

Quick injury update for y'all. QB Trent Edwards, TE Robert Royal and CB Jabari Greer all missed practice Thursday, and the chances that any of them will play on Sunday are remote. RB Marshawn Lynch, DE Chris Ellis, DE Copeland Bryan and LB Teddy Lehman were all limited - but don't worry about Lynch. He's expected to be fine for Sunday's game. The best news is that DE Aaron Schobel and SS Donte Whitner both practiced fully for the second straight day, and the chances increased that both return to the lineup in Toronto. I know he's not the most popular guy around here, but seeing Schobel back in the lineup would be welcome for my sore, bored eyes.

Jerry Sullivan pens an article for The Star in which he refers to Bills fans as "jilted lovers" when it comes to watching a home game in Toronto.

The folks at The Rogers Centre were able to sell out Sunday's game, meaning that I'll be able to watch the game live on Sunday. Time will tell if this is good news or bad news.

As Kurupt informed us yesterday, Bills CB Leodis McKelvin was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for November. Congratulations, Leo. And as a rather important aside, we're now working on re-constructing Buffalo's defensive backfield to represent the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with three candidates - Leo (Leodis), Don (Donte Whitner) and April O'Neill (Ko Simpson) - already solidified. If you've got ideas, make them known. This may be the most important project we've ever done as a community.

This isn't shocking, but it's worth reading anyways - Dolphins coach Tony Sparano is concerned about Buffalo's return men. I can see being worried about Leo, but Roscoe Parrish has been off the past month or so, making poor decisions and just not returning very effectively. Perhaps if Buffalo's defense can play as they did against San Francisco, however, Roscoe can return to form.

Dolphins RB Ricky Williams is an endless source of entertainment for me. It's not because of his past, either. I don't know what it is, but I have a strange respect for the man, and every word uttered from his mouth enthralls me. In his latest interviews, Ricky admits to having an affinity for Canada.

With Edwards ailing, Losman could start Sunday

Brian Galliford — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:50:05 -0000

With Edwards ailing, Losman could start (buffalobills.com)

In last Sunday's lovely loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the big halftime development of the game was QB J.P. Losman filling in for an injured Trent Edwards in the second half. Losman led the offense to just 3 points in a 10-3 loss.

Edwards' groin injury continues to bother him, and it forced him to miss practice Wednesday. With Edwards likely to miss Thursday and Friday's practices as he continues to rehab, the chances that Losman will start this Sunday's matchup with the Miami Dolphins in Toronto have skyrocketed. And folks - it might not be a bad thing.

Hear me out. First, I'm not suggesting another quarterback controversy, nor am I suggesting that this move should have been made long ago, like our favorite imbecile from The Buffalo News. But it's not exactly a secret that Edwards has struggled over the past six games, and those struggles have correlated directly to the team's 1-5 record. Maybe a week off to blow off some steam and get healthy is exactly what Edwards needs. Maybe a week on the sidelines to see things in a different light would be highly beneficial to the ultra-talented second-year quarterback.

For better or worse, this is Edwards' team, and he remains the future of the franchise. But there are other ways to improve besides playing on the field, and as a more prominent point, the Bills clearly need a spark on the field. Maybe Losman can provide that spark. It's more likely that he can't, but honestly, there wasn't a negligible difference between Edwards and Losman in last week's loss to San Francisco (Edwards playing with an injured groin). Get the kid healthy, and give him a week to observe, rather than carry the team. It can be a good thing, and it may not end up being terrible for the Bills' on-field product, either.

So if Losman starts on Sunday? That's great in my book. Here's the caveat: it can't last beyond the second Edwards is healthy again. If it does, this franchise is sucked right back into that vortex of doom that is a quarterback controversy, and that can't happen.

Speaking of Trent Edwards, despite his recent struggles, his positional coach - Alex Van Pelt - still thinks Trent is going to be a great one. His words of wisdom to Trent? As Mark Gaughan puts it, "...unwavering confidence in the face of adversity is an essential characteristic of a good quarterback."

Some news to discuss on the injury front: Edwards, Robert Royal, Jabari Greer and Chris Kelsay all missed practice Wednesday, while Teddy Lehman and Copeland Bryan were limited. The good news? Donte Whitner believes he'll be making his return to the lineup, and - wait for it - Aaron Schobel practiced fully. The consensus seems to be that Schobel is still a week away, but if the vet can gut it out and play against Miami, it'd be a pretty substantial emotional lift to this team.

Let the countdown begin: 4:00 PM Eastern today (Thursday) is the deadline for the folks at the Rogers Centre to sell out the remainder of Sunday's Bills/Dolphins tickets. If they're not sold out, the game won't be televised in either Toronto or Buffalo. Time to bust out the mercy-bailout ticket purchase, Toronto and/or Buffalo business owners. I can't miss this game. Approximately 1,000 tickets remain, and the game is expected to sell out.

Hooray for Jim Kelly, who briefly discussed the fact that he wants to buy the Bills once Ralph Wilson decides he's done with his baby. Obviously Kelly didn't get into specifics about the investors who have contacted him about keeping the Bills in Buffalo, but he did offer up this little tidbit that is sure to engender feelings of love for Buffalo's golden boy:

I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the number of people who have contacted me, that they want to be a part of the team that stays here in Buffalo... To be honest with you, there are some people who said they wanted to own the team and take it somewhere else. I will not engage in any conversation with anybody who wants to take the team and move it - whether it's north of the border or some other city in the United States.

Long live Jim Kelly. Anybody want to hook him up with a second American Express card?

This is a fine fan-written article about Bills fans' behavior at The Ralph on Sundays. Let's just say it's bad. I heartily agree, by the way - it's a rough go of it at that stadium. It's borderline embarrassing.

More coming your way this afternoon. Hang tight.

49ers-Bills: Wednesday Injury Report

Fooch — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:44:07 -0000

Thanksgiving is tomorrow but the 49ers did get a practice in today, which means time for the first injury report of the week. As you'll see, it's a good news/bad news report for the 49ers.

San Francisco 49ers
Out: S Dashon Goldson (knee), KR Allen Rossum (ankle)

Did Not Participate in Practice: CB Walt Harris (hamstring), LB Takeo Spikes (not injury related), LB Patrick Willis (ankle)

Limited Participation in Practice: WR Arnaz Battle (foot), WR Josh Morgan (groin)

Buffalo Bills
Did Not Participate in Practice: DE Copeland Bryan (foot), LB Keith Ellison (ankle), CB Jabari Greer (knee), LB Teddy Lehman (hamstring), TE Robert Royal (hamstring), DE Aaron Schobel (foot)

Limited Participation in Practice: S Donte Whitner (shoulder)

Maiocco indicated Harris, Spikes and Willis are all more than likely going to play. The bad news comes in the form of Allen Rossum being ruled out. He has been one of the best kick returners in the league and losing him is definitely a blow to the 49ers. Based on this past week, Delanie Walker will likely be the guy returning kicks. If he's active I wouldn't mind seeing Reggie Smith get a shot. He returned punts at Oklahoma so why not give him a shot at that since he's not doing much else?

The good news is that Battle and Morgan have both returned to the practice field. Given the cold weather I'm not optimistic that Morgan will play. He's got a groin injury and as with hamstrings I don't imagine cold weather is all that good for them. And I'd like to see a little bit more of Dominique Zeigler, which would be tough if Morgan and battle were 100%.