SB Nation - Jonathan Scott

Owens, four others questionable for Patriots game

Brian Galliford — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:18:49 -0000

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens, who missed practice on Thursday and Friday due to illness, has been listed as questionable for Sunday's home tilt with the New England Patriots.

Owens, who has 45 receptions for 705 yards and 4 touchdowns on the season, is Buffalo's leading receiver. The upset-minded Bills would likely be forced to start Josh Reed next to veteran Lee Evans on Sunday if Owens can't go. Owens was in team meetings on Friday, reports BuffaloBills.com, and Owens has been listed as questionable and played in games earlier this season.

Coming up on the end of the one-year, $6.5 million deal he signed this past March, Owens may be embarking on the final three games of his Buffalo career. He will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Meanwhile, three other players - left tackle Jonathan Scott, reserve tackle Jamon Meredith and special teamer Justin Jenkins - are listed as questionable alongside Owens. Unlike T.O., all three participated in practice on Friday.

Jairus Byrd, who continues to deal with a groin injury, is listed as probable.

To close out the week, head coach Perry Fewell had the Bills practicing outdoors. Here's a worthy note from WGR 550:

Andy Levitre was the only Bill to brave the frigid outdoor practice in short sleeves, and scoffed at the idea of wearing long sleeves.

Bills need to keep pounding the rock

Brian Galliford — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:46:13 -0000

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The Buffalo Bills have struggled to run the ball this season. Amidst massive offensive line changes and a three-game suspension to former starting running back Marshawn Lynch at the outset of the season, the Bills have surpassed 100 rushing yards as a team in just 6 of 13 games this season, to the team's overall offensive detriment.

Things are turning around for this unit, however. Interim head coach Perry Fewell has re-established the importance of the running game into his offensive game plans, and as a result, the Bills have rushed for over 100 yards as a team in three of Fewell's first four games as the head man, all in the last three contests. Buffalo's 200-yard rushing effort in yesterday's win over the Kansas City Chiefs may have been their most dominant ground performance of the season.

Why are the Bills suddenly running the ball well? It has a lot to do with the fact that the team has finally strung together a few games in which the same offensive line has started. Buffalo has begun games with seven different line combinations this season - most in the NFL - but in their last three games, the Bills have been fortunate to start the same five along the offensive line (Jonathan Scott, Andy Levitre, Geoff Hangartner, Kendall Simmons and Kirk Chambers). Say what you want about the quality of our opponents or the issues that remain up front, but continuity has played an important role in the run game increases over the past three weeks.

This is a trend that needs to continue, particularly if Fewell is serious about removing the interim tag from his current job title. The only thing that matters to Fewell's job prospects right now is wins. Forget style points. Fewell doesn't need them. He just needs to keep winning, and if he wants to do it, he'll continue to emphasize the running game.

Lynch and Fred Jackson are simply too good to not get touches. Yes, the same can be said of Terrell Owens and Lee Evans, but let's face facts - Ryan Fitzpatrick is much more adept at getting touches for Lynch and Jackson than he is for Owens and Evans. If you want those receivers to get the ball, run a reverse.

Speaking of Fitzpatrick, a good running game is his best friend. It opens up the play-action game and, as much of that particular brand of offensive football features rollouts, it allows Fitzpatrick to utilize the one consistent strength to his game - his ability to make plays with his legs.

The offensive line is OK with a run-dominated offensive game plan, too. This is a group that has fatal pass protection flaws. They only gave up two sacks to the Chiefs, and the fact that that two-sack performance feels like a milestone achievement should speak volumes. But no matter how deficient this unit is pass-blocking, they know how to run block, because every blue-collar offensive lineman knows how to run block. It's what they've done their entire lives. There are no finesse players on this line. Every one of those guys is physical and plays the game with the correct demeanor. Their strength is in run-blocking. They may not be very good at it, but it's what they're best at. Let them continue to do what they're best at.

In 2008, Jackson and Lynch combined to rush for 1,607 yards and 11 touchdowns on 380 carries. Buffalo's quarterback play has gotten worse from '08 to '09, as hard as that is to believe, and as a result, the rushing numbers have suffered; the two backs have 1,153 yards and 4 touchdowns on 284 carries this season. But in their last three games, their numbers have picked up, with the two backs rushing for 353 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Buffalo's next three opponents are ranked Nos. 17 (New England), 23 (Atlanta) and 18 (Indianapolis) against the run. The matchups are there for the Bills to keep running the ball effectively. It's what Buffalo's offense does best, and the team's two most consistent threats just happen to be runners. Knowing Fewell's preferred brand of football and his quest for a starting job, the Bills should - and likely will - keep pounding the rock.

Bills send LT Demetrius Bell to IR

Brian Galliford — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:42:10 -0000

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Update: BuffaloBills.com is now reporting that D-Bell has been placed on Injured Reserve, ending his 2009 season. OL Andre Ramsey was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster. End Update

Three Buffalo Bills players will miss the team's Week 14 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, but of those sitting, left tackle Demetrius Bell is the only starter. This according to BuffaloBills.com.

Bell, who began the season as the starting left tackle, has missed all or part of the Bills' last four games as he deals with a knee injury that might prevent him from playing again this season. That streak now extends to five games. Also out for this contest are tight end Joe Klopfenstein (who re-joined the team this week) and receiver Justin Jenkins.

Jonathan Scott will again start at left tackle in place of Bell. Kirk Chambers, who is questionable this week but is expected to play, will start at right tackle. Andy Levitre, Ryan Denney, Chris Draft and Jairus Byrd are all questionable as well, but BuffaloBills.com reports that it's anticipated that all players listed as questionable will be in the lineup.

Shawn Nelson, John McCargo and Ashton Youboty are all probable. McCargo and Youboty have each missed action in the past few weeks, but will be available this week.

Meanwhile, Terrence McGee, who was active but did not start in the Bills' Week 13 loss to the Jets, practiced fully all week and will start in Kansas City.

Jets 19, Bills 13: Week 13 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:16 -0000

by Chris Young - AP

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It's Monday, and even though the Buffalo Bills are a full three days removed from their most recent loss - in this case, a 19-13 loss to the New York Jets in Toronto - Monday means it's film session day.

You know the drill. We've added a few thoughts about teams and games outside of this (dreary) matchup, so that's slightly different, but you know what to expect. As always, feel free to add your own thoughts and observations to those presented here in the comments section.

Rex Ryan has Buffalo's number. Buffalo put up 29 points in two games against the Jets this season. They ran the ball well in (extremely occasional) spots, and were able to hit the (extremely occasional) big play. But New York's offense was also very kind to Buffalo, giving them plenty of opportunities to put both games away, and the Bills were only able to do so once. Just how thoroughly is Rex Ryan's defense owning Buffalo's offense? Take a quick look at Ryan Fitzpatrick's stat line in the two games: 39.6% completions (19 of 48), 214 yards (4.46 yards per attempt), 1 TD, 2 INT, 3 sacks and a quarterback rating of 43.2. Fitzpatrick's quarterback rating of 43.2 is only slightly higher than the number of yards per quarter Thomas Jones picked up against the Bills this season (39.9).

Ryan's defense didn't do a ton, but given Buffalo's massive upheaval along the offensive line, it did the only thing it needed to do: run a bunch of exotic blitzes and confuse the hell out of Buffalo's blockers. Just like in Week 6, the Bills had opportunities to make plays down the field in this one - Lee Evans was open on intermediate routes several times, for example - but overload blitzes and stunts got pass protection out of whack, and Fitzpatrick was forced to either throw an inaccurate pass or eat the ball nearly every time.

I feel bad for Ron From NM. Not because of anything he's done or anything that's in his control. I just feel bad that most of the excellent, hard work he puts into analyzing Buffalo's offensive line on an annual basis will be largely meaningless this season. Demetrius Bell hasn't played enough to be evaluated fairly. Grades on Jonathan Scott, Kendall Simmons, Kirk Chambers and Jamon Meredith will be largely meaningless, because none of those players figure to be in Buffalo's long-term plans.

If I were Ron - and if I were him, he'd be me, and he'd probably use my body to do his usual analysis anyway - I'd just focus on three guys in my ultimate end-of-season analysis. Those three guys would be Andy Levitre, Geoff Hangartner and Eric Wood. They're the only guys who've played enough to fairly evaluate, and considering that fact alone, it's not hard to understand why Buffalo's offense is so ridiculously awful.

Given everything that's happened up front this season, as well as the fact that the Jets threw exotic looks at the Bills again, I came away impressed with Levitre. I think it's pretty safe to say that he has been the Bills' best lineman this season, his first in the league. He's played in every game, he's acquitted himself nicely when asked to play positions beyond his skill level (left tackle), and while he's had his ups and downs, his technique and consistency have come a long way since September 14 in New England. He's going to be a good player in this league for a while.

We've already talked about the abysmal run defense. Read that article if you missed it, but if you're looking for the Cliff's Notes version: backside contain and gap discipline are lacking, the linebackers stink, and the secondary is hit-and-miss in run support across the board.

That's it. I don't think I can talk about the rest of the team, because the game was so dreadfully boring and repetitive that we won't learn anything new by re-hashing what we've been talking about for three months. Blech. This team is awful to root for sometimes.

Mark Sanchez has the stuff to be the real deal. When I'm looking at a young quarterback, I don't care as much about the throws and the production as I do about what he looks like in the pocket. Sanchez has a little bit of a Tony Romo flair to him - he's quite mobile, can throw from different arm angles, and can create throwing lanes with his movement. He's terrific with ball fakes, and he has the arm to eventually make "all the throws," as they say in the biz. Yes, he's struggled in two games against the Bills this year, but I beg you to understand that that is not likely to continue. Sanchez is gonna be pretty good.

The AFC East stinks. Is there a more overrated division in the NFL? Our division leader is 7-5. Buffalo has beaten each of the two teams currently a game behind New England - who also barely beat us in the season opener. New England split with New York and Miami, two highly, highly average teams. I mean, they lost to the Bills, for crying out loud.

Going into the season, fans fretted about the "difficulty" of the two divisions the AFC East would be playing in 2009 - the AFC South and the NFC South. Granted, those two divisions sport the only two undefeated teams in football, but beyond those two teams, there aren't any others that strike fear into its opponents, with the possible exception of the Tennessee Titans of the last six games. This division is 7-5 against the NFC South - although, to be fair, they're 7-1 against teams not playing in New Orleans - and, more pertinently to the overrated argument, they're 3-6 against the AFC South.

There aren't any elite divisions in the NFL this season - mostly because there aren't many elite teams - but the AFC East race, at least in my personal opinion, is one of the least exciting out there. Which is, of course, a bummer.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/5

MattRichWarren — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 14:13:22 -0000

Jackson still lead back – Inside The Bills
"Fred is still our featured back," said interim coach Perry Fewell. "We’re just trying to get our playmakers the football. It wasn’t a conscious effort to not give Marshawn the football."

Buffalo Bills' receivers fall short of expectations | Democrat and Chronicle
"Owens and Evans are culpable in Buffalo's offensive fizzle, too. Neither Owens nor Evans has done particularly well regardless of how many defenders are covering them, and that was readily apparent against the Jets."

D-line grinding | BuffaloBills.com
"Buffalo’s starting defensive line turned in 25 tackles against the Jets with almost a quarter of them (6) going for loss in the game with three others going for no gain. They also had four of the team’s five sacks in the game."

Jets/Toronto Leftovers
Line woes encourage Bills' foes to blitz : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The Jets blitzed relentlessly on third downs. The Bills could not give quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick enough time to throw downfield. The Bills converted just 1 of 11 third-down situations."

Jets in Toronto - Gang Green Nation
Gang Green Nation gave away two tickets to a father and son. He shared his game experience there.

Final Word: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
- Toronto doesn't seem to care much about the Bills playing in their town.
- Marshawn Lynch finally looked like himself Thursday night.

Bills in Toronto Tonight, but No Buzz | wgrz.com
"If you walked down Younge Street, which is the largest street in Canada today, and say what's going on tomorrow, most people would say I don't know. There is no buzz about the Buffalo Bills playing the New York Jets tomorrow night here."

Sports on the Air: Millen gets high grades for Xs and Os : The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News TV critic, Alan Pergament, analyzes the broadcast from Thursday night.

Plenty T.O. ponder | Football | Sports | Calgary Sun
"Beyond that, North America's most popular pro league has every reason to consider Toronto as a home for a team. And the gorilla-sized one is, well, size: Toronto's metro population (5.1 million in 2006) would make it 10th largest in the U.S., ahead of such areas as Boston, Detroit, Phoenix, San Francisco and 18 others that lay claim to NFL clubs."

Grounded: Buffalo surrenders six yards a snap and falls to 4-8 with loss in Toronto
"Perry Fewell swears his team wasn’t outmuscled ... but with all due respect he would be wrong," says Chuck Pollack.

Bills-Jets notebook: Buffalo’s last prime time win came in 2001
"Anybody entering the Rogers Centre can’t miss two enormous photos attached to the windows. Those two ill-timed photos have been fodder for Toronto columnists to point out the front office failings of both franchises."

Whoop, there it is : Bills & NFL : The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News first quarter report.

Ground control : Bills & NFL : The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News second quarter report from the Jets game.

Catching on fast : Bills & NFL : The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News third quarter report from the Jets game.

Getting the boot : Bills & NFL : The Buffalo News
The Buffalo News fourth quarter report and wrap from the Jets game.

T.O. doesn't pass the test against Revis | National Football Post
"Revis is playing the best football of anyone at his position this year—better than Champ, Woodson, etc—but we used to expect T.O. to win these matchups, regardless," says former Bills DB Matt Bowen

Hog Town First Down | The Goose's Roost
TGR has provided us with a look at the promo video from Toronto about the Bills coming to town.

Other News and Notes
WGR 550 SportsRadio - Let's find some Bills truths
Nick Mendola gives general focus points for what the Bills should do this offseason as well as lists of who can stay and who can go.

Fan Friday 12-4 – Inside The Bills
Chris Brown answers questions on the Toronto series being divisional games, Nic Harris, switching to the 3-4, the jerseys ("Not expecting it to change any time soon."), and the QB position into 2010.

Between the Lines: Who's Given Up The Most Sacks -- NFL FanHouse
Jonathan Scott has given up the fourteenth-most sacks in the NFL but is allowing an average of 2.7 seconds for the QB to throw the ball on those attempts.

Bills to report back Monday – Inside The Bills
After three games in 11 days the Bills were given the weekend off by interim head coach Perry Fewell.

Miami Dolphins LB Jason Taylor: Fined for hit on Bills' QB -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Miami Dolphins linebacker Jason Taylor has been fined $5,000 by the NFL for his hit on Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick on Sunday.

Indianapolis Colts worked out former Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman - ESPN
The Indianapolis Colts worked out former Bills quarterback J.P. Losman Friday.

Driver who hurt 7 after Bills game pleads guilty : Northern Suburbs : The Buffalo News
Brandon McLean pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular assault, reckless endangerment, assault and driving while impaired by alcohol and drugs. He faces about 25 years in prison.

Rauch, Knox deals a bargain; Jauron’s record in middle : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan answers questions on paying top coaches in Buffalo's past, the worst coach in Bills history, moving the Thanksgiving game from Detroit, and how much of players and coaches contract are guaranteed.

No jail for theft of $70,000 from Bills : Buffalo/Erie County : The Buffalo News
"Former Buffalo Bills employee Bonnie Krauss, who had been indicted for stealing more than $70,000 from the team, was spared a jail term Friday by a Buffalo judge."

New York Jets Run Defense vs. Buffalo Bills Run Offense

John B — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:00:26 -0000

by Dean Duprey - AP

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The Jets lost Kris Jenkins in the first game, leaving a void on the defensive line for the rest of the year. The defense really stepped up in games against teams with powerful running attacks like Miami and Carolina. The Bills aren't on the same level. They're averaging a pedestrian 4.1 per run and only gain 104.6 per game, not terrible but on the bottom half of the NFL.

Fred Jackson is now the starter for the Bills. He's more dangerous than Marshawn Lynch. Think of him as Leon Washington to Lynch's Thomas Jones. Jackson is very quick, capable of making guys miss in space, and a threat as a pass catcher out of the backfield. His 4.2 average per carry is over a yard better than that of Lynch, who started his year suspended and never really got things going.

A good chunk of the blame should go on the run blocking. Lynch is good at hitting holes. Buffalo has been terrible at opening them. The Bills tried to revamp their offensive line during the offseason. lnjuries have played a role, but even without them things have looked bad. Geoff Hartinger was supposed to bring veteran stability to the center positon. His play has been uneven. Rookie guard Eric Wood was doing well, but he's on IR, replaced by unremarkable Kirk Chambers. Other rookie guard Andy Levitre has gone through ups and a lot of downs. Tackles Jonathan Scott and Demetrius Bell have been flagged a combined 15 times in 12 combined starts. Bell will sit this one out with a knee injury, leaving Jamon Meredith likely in his place. We all know the Jets don't have many playmakers on the line, but this matchup is a favorable one.

McGee, Byrd questionable for Thursday night Toronto tussle

Brian Galliford — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:38:46 -0000

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While Terrell Owens puts on his best giddy face for the cameras and scores of reporters covering the Buffalo Bills' latest excursion to Toronto, there's actual news to discuss about tomorrow night's divisional battle with the New York Jets.

The injury reports are out, and two of Buffalo's main defensive cogs are questionable: starting cornerback Terrence McGee and starting free safety Jairus Byrd. McGee, who has missed the Bills' last three games recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery he had during the team's Week 9 bye week, is considered a game-time decision. Byrd is as well, as he deals with a groin injury that has bothered him off and on since before training camp.

Demetrius Bell, John McCargo and Ashton Youboty have all been ruled out. Just like in last week's victory over Miami, Jonathan Scott is expected to start at left tackle.

For the Jets, they'll be without two cornerbacks - Dwight Lowery and Donald Strickland - as well as guard Robert Turner. Mark Sanchez, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Shaun Ellis, Calvin Pace, Jim Leonhard and Eric Smith are all listed as probable, and all will play.

Bills Fantasy Friday: Week 12 Start 'Em/Sit 'Em

Kurupt — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:00:15 -0000

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Amazingly, it's already Week 12. The fantasy football regular season is coming to a close in the next few weeks, and it's time to make one final push to the playoffs. The Buffalo Bills might be out of it, but most fantasy teams are still fighting for that championship. Congratulations to all those teams that have been good enough to clinch a playoff berth already. For the rest of you (us!), buckle up, the crazy roller coaster ride of fighting for playoff berths continues! Head on in after the jump for the individual players of note for this Sunday's Miami Dolphins visit to the Buffalo.

Quarterbacks
Chad Henne - Henne made his first NFL start the last time these teams met. He threw for just 115 yards and was sacked 6 times that day, but the Dolphins hardly needed him to do much. That trend has continued for much of the season, as Miami continues to rely heavily on the ground game. However, Henne has thrown 26 or more passes in five of his last six games. Many of those passes are of the short, underneath variety as Henne has averaged 6.4 yards per attempt or less in all but one of his starts. Expect that trend to continue, as well. He has done a nice job protecting the football, throwing just four interceptions and not losing a fumble over 218 pass attempts. On the other hand, he has just 6 touchdowns. Expect the Bills to force Henne into making plays, just don't expect him to make many big plays. He might not make many mistakes, though, either. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Ryan Fitzpatrick - Fitzpatrick looked much better against the Jaguars, although he was still amazingly erratic and inaccurate. The final numbers looked good (297 yards, 1 touchdown, 9.6 ypa) even if most of his passes didn't. Fitzpatrick continues to look downfield more than Trent Edwards ever dreamed of, and was finally able to get Terrell Owens involved. Lee Evans also caught a long touchdown that was negated by penalty. Expect those attempts to continue. I wouldn't expect 297 yards any time soon, or even 200 yards, but if he continues to throw it around, the big play potential is there. Fitzpatrick and the Bills get to face the 22nd ranked Dolphins' pass defense this week. With all that said, he still stinks as a starting quarterback and shouldn't even be a consideration for fantasy owners, especially those of you with playoff aspirations. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Running Backs
Ricky Williams - Is the holistic one the fantasy story of the year? Probably not, but he is one of the nice surprises for fantasy owners. With Ronnie Brown out for the season, Williams is going to be a huge part of the rest of the fantasy season. If you are lucky enough to have him for your playoff run, enjoy! Wiliams already has 10 touchdowns this year, has averaged 5.3 yards per carry and has even added 212 receiving yards. He also needs to average about 54 yards per game to have his first 1000 yard season since 2003. He's going to get that, barring injury, and is going to help a lot of fantasy teams win down the stretch. With the juicy Bills matchup, expect a big week out of him again this week. Even after holding Maurice Jones-Drew to just 66 yards on 25 carries this past week, don't expect that type of success for the Bills defense to continue. Williams had 85 yards and a touchdown in shared duty the first time around. Expect those numbers to go up this week. Verdict: Start 'Em

Marshawn Lynch - As of the time I'm writing this, it's unclear as to whether Lynch will play this Sunday. I'm going to say he is simply because we haven't heard of any major damage. Assuming he does give it a go, I wouldn't expect him to have big numbers again. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that Fred Jackson sees more carries anyhow. The Dolphins are 12th in the NFL in run defense giving up about 106 yards per game. Lynch has been a major fantasy disappointment this year. I'd expect it to get worse before it gets better. Keep him benched until we see some signs of life out of him. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Fred Jackson - Jackson continues to see roughly 10-12 touches a game on offense. I would guess that number goes up this week with a banged up Lynch being questionable. If Lynch were to miss the game, Jackson is probably a solid RB2 this week. Remember late last season when Lynch was out and Jackson ran wild? Well forget about that. Other than Lee Evans, every single other starting player on offense is different. Don't expect a similar close to the season for him this year. BUT you can expect solid numbers, especially if he gets the full workload. If Lynch plays this week, I'd still consider Jackson a flex option as he seems to be getting involved in the passing game more, while continuing his kick return duties. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex, and a RB2 if Lynch sits

Wide Receiver
Davone Bess - Bess leads the Dolphins with 46 receptions for 397 yards. When your leading receiver averages 8.6 yards per catch, it's safe to say none of these guys are startable. I actually really like Bess as a slot receiver in real life, but he's not a fantasy option and neither are his fellow Dolphin receivers. Bess does have 16 catches for 191 yards in his last three games, so he does have some PPR value. If you are stuck and need a guy to get you 6-8 points in your PPR league, Bess could be your guy. Other than that, don't start him or Ted Ginn, Brian Hartline and Greg Camarillo. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Lee Evans - Poor Evans. He lost out an amazing 53 yard touchdown catch last week because Jonathan Scott couldn't avoid the Three Stooges penalty. He finished with just one catch for 15 yards. Many people wanted to start Evans after his nice game the previous week against Tennessee and his solid production with Fitzpatrick under center before. Pity you folks. If there's one fantasy football mantra to follow, it's never start Lee Evans, ever! He will burn you. He has routinely hurt the Dolphins in the past, but again, don't. start. Lee. Evans. If he puts up big numbers on your bench, so be it. That means the Bills offense did something good and you didn't have to worry about whether he'd actually do anything in your starting lineup. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Terrell Owens - Welcome to the 2009 NFL season T.O.! You were missed. I really don't know what to make of his performance against Jacksonville. Is it a sign of things to come down the stretch, or is it just a blip on an otherwise quiet radar? Did the promotion of Perry Fewell to head coach mean anything for Owens? There are too many questions and too many useless performances from Owens this year to consider moving him back into your starting lineup. He is, however, back in the discussion. If Fewell's gameplans are to get Owens involved early and often, he could be one of the playoff heroes in fantasy football this year. It wouldn't surprise me if Owens were to have a nice finish to the season, I just want to see how he's used this week before recommending him again. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Tight Ends
Joey Haynos and Anthony Fasano - Both barely have 100 yards receiving on the season. They are barely a part of the Dolphins' passing game, they shouldn't be a part of yours. I'd rather start a Bills Tight End. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Shawn Nelson - Nelson made a beautiful catch over the top of the defender against Jacksonville, but again wasn't much of a factor overall. That should continue, although it'd be nice to try utilizing him more in the passing game. He's not even worth considering here. I'd rather start a Dolphins Tight End. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Kickers
Dan Carpenter - Carpenter has been rather good for Miami this year, connecting on 16 of his 17 field goal attempts. Against the Bills, he might be worth a spot start. As always, I'd be looking at a guy on a team with a better offense. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Rian Lindell - Lindell has also been quite good for Buffalo, hitting 17 of his 19 field goal attempts. Just like Carpenter, I'd be looking at a guy with a better offense. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Defense/Special Teams
Miami D/ST - This unit had four sacks and an interception last week against Carolina. Going against the sieve that is the Bills' OL and Ryan Fitzpatrick, those numbers look likely again. I wouldn't start them, though. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Buffalo D/ST - They sacked Henne six times in the first matchup, but don't go expecting that again. Expect a sack or two and maybe an interception. Injuries have ravaged this unit that was only mediocre to begin with. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Sleepers
None. Really, I don't see a surprise performance out of anyone in this game. It'll probably be a boring field goal contest with Ricky Williams running wild.

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The Thanksgiving games have come and gone, so your Week 12 matchup is likely well under way. This Sunday will make or break a lot of fantasy seasons. Good luck and enjoy the games!

Rumblings Draft Scouting: Offensive Line Prospects

Brian Galliford — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:47:21 -0000

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It's been a couple of weeks since we've done a Rumblings Draft Scouting piece - the Buffalo Bills' firing of Dick Jauron and the subsequent rumor mill chatter kept us pretty busy - but now that things have died down some, our weekly scouting piece returns.

At the time that this post was published, Buffalo currently has five healthy offensive linemen - Andy Levitre, Geoff Hangartner, Jonathan Scott, Kirk Chambers and Jamon Meredith. One might argue that, at a maximum, two of those players are legitimate NFL prospects. Demetrius Bell might be considered legitimate, too, but he's having trouble staying healthy, and it might not be wise to count on him as a starter in 2010.

Naturally, we thought y'all might enjoy talking about 2010 NFL Draft prospects on the offensive line. Away we go.

Offensive Tackles
1. Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State (6'5", 300-pound senior)
- The nation's top pass protector without question. Possesses elite athleticism and footwork. Has been dominant against top-flight competition as a senior. Still something of a liability in the run game, and can be overwhelmed at the point of attack. Smart kid with a good work ethic and the frame to add a little bulk. Okung is really the only tackle that is a mortal lock for the Top 10.

2. Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers (6'5", 330-pound junior)
- Many scouts will tell you that Davis is a road grader who fits best on the right side. I don't see it. I see a powerful guy who can play the left side, even at his weight, and who is slightly better in pass protection than he is run blocking. I really like his athleticism, and he plays the game with the right demeanor. I'll consider Davis the most well-rounded tackle if he declares, but his ceiling is lower than other players'. I'd take him in the Top 12 without hesitation.

3. Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa (6'6", 304-pound junior)
- I really like Bulaga as a prospect, but he's just not the elite player that you see taken at the very top of the first round these days. Bulaga's very technically sound and has a great reach to help him in pass protection, but he's not an astonishing athlete, and again, his upside might be somewhat limited. He's a safe pick, however, and could be considered an instant starter on the blind side.

4. Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland (6'7", 310-pound junior)
- Campbell might be the highest-upside tackle in the nation right now. He's a phenomenal athlete with great length, and he's really come on as an elite lineman as a junior despite playing for a very mediocre Maryland team. But he's also missed a lot of time with nagging minor injuries, much like Bell, and that's a pretty major concern. He's pretty boom-or-bust, and he might not declare, but he's definitely a Round 1-type prospect.

5. Charles Brown, OT, USC (6'6", 298-pound senior)
- I look at Brown as a poor man's Okung. He's an elite pass protector with great footwork and the ability to consistently mirror. He plays with surprising power and isn't one-dimensional, but like Okung, he can still be controlled at the point of attack. He's a bit of a project player in that he'll need a year or two in a weight program to reach his full potential, but he's got elite left tackle written all over him. Right now, I consider him a fringe Round 1 prospect.

Others to keep tabs on: Jason Fox (Miami, FL), Selvish Capers (West Virginia), Trent Williams (Oklahoma), Ciron Black (LSU)

Interior Linemen
1. Stefen Wisniewski, C, Penn State (6'3", 297-pound junior)
- I don't think Wisniewski will enter this year's draft, but it's still at least possible. Centers are becoming hot commodities - two were drafted in the first round last year - and Wisniewski has the look of a top-end NFL anchor. He plays with great leverage and really understands angles and how to open up run lanes.

2. Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida (6'5", 318-pound junior)
- This guy is fun to watch. He's a really big kid and plays a very physical brand of football. He can bend and anchor, and even better, he looks completely at ease on the move when pulling or getting to the second level. Many scouts will consider him the best center in the draft, even ahead of Wisniewski, and it'd be hard to argue with them.

3. Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho (6'5", 330-pound senior)
- I consider Iupati the most NFL-ready lineman currently playing college football. He's huge, moves extremely well for a man his size, and is absolutely dominant at the point of attack. He's also an incredibly motivated and humble young man. The big question surrounding Iupati is whether or not he'll be able to adjust to a pretty massive change in competition level, but as far as run blockers go, Iupati is the best of the best this year. Another immediate starter.

4. Eric Olsen, C, Notre Dame (6'4", 305-pound senior)
- If Buffalo's new regime digs versatility as much as the one currently on its way out, Olsen will be high on their board. He was a guard up until this season, when he shifted over to the pivot. He's had a great season and made the switch seem effortless. He's not a top-end athlete, but he's well-rounded enough to be a starter at either center or guard in the NFL for quite a while.

5. Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida (6'5", 320-pound senior)
- Yes, he's the brother of Maurkice. No, he's not as talented as his younger brother. But Mike is an excellent pro prospect in his own right - he plays the same physical style of football and is fluid enough athletically to block at all levels. He's not the borderline first-round prospect that every name on this list is (with the exception of Olsen), but he, too, has the look of a guy a team can plug in at guard immediately and let him play for a long time.

Bills' battered O-Line takes another big blow

Brian Galliford — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:05:47 -0000

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We knew, as the Buffalo Bills entered the 2009 regular season, that the team's top-to-bottom re-structure of the offensive line was a huge question mark. Jason Peters had been traded. Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker had been released. Melvin Fowler and Duke Preston were unceremoniously allowed to test the free-agent waters. Demetrius Bell made a seemingly miraculous leap from 16-game healthy scratch to starting NFL left tackle, Geoff Hangartner was signed from Carolina, Eric Wood and Andy Levitre were drafted early, and Brad Butler moved to the position he manned in college.

Presto change-o! Buffalo had the NFL's most inexperienced offensive line. It was painfully clear that bumps in the road were expected - and they came in the form of drive-killing penalties and inconsistent blocking. But through it all, we decided by and large that it would be entertaining and interesting to watch these young guys develop as individuals and come together as one cohesive unit.

So much for that pipe dream. Through the first ten games of the season, Buffalo has been absolutely ravaged by injuries up front. They've been forced to field eight different line combinations during that time frame. The tackle position has been hit so hard by the injury bug that it's now affecting the guards; add in the latest and most brutal injury, a double fracture to Wood's lower left leg, and the verdict is simple. Buffalo can no longer hope to see tangible development from this offensive line. It is in complete disarray.

By the way, folks - Wood's surgery was successful. Seth McKinney, meanwhile, was lost for the season on Sunday as well. Buffalo now has one healthy guard - Levitre.

The line combinations
Look, I tried to comb through each of the Bills' ten games to chart each and every line combination the Bills have used this season. I went through each game twice to fleece out every minor injury that forced a player in for even a snap or two. I'm fairly confident I still missed something, so keep an eye on Ron From NM's comments in this post, if he has any. He's the line guru, after all.

The original starting five didn't even get through two full games. Four opening-day reserves - Seth McKinney, Jonathan Scott, Kirk Chambers and Jamon Meredith - have seen significant playing time.

1. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Butler
2. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Scott
3. Chambers - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Scott
4. Scott - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Chambers
5. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Meredith
6. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Chambers
7. Levitre - McKinney - Hangartner - Wood - Chambers
8. Scott - Levitre - Hangartner - Chambers - Meredith

Where the Bills once had continuity - in the interior - that's gone by the wayside. Only Geoff Hangartner has been the constant, and even he has been battered, dealing with a back injury earlier in the season.

Not much more development to be had
If you've seen the replay of Wood's injury, you're painfully aware of just how over his rookie season is. He suffered fractures to both his tibia and his fibula - word is one or both were compound fractures - and stayed in Jacksonville last night to have metal rods inserted to stabilize the leg. He'll end up on IR, and will have played a little under ten games. He got some development and played reasonably well this season, but there's no more development to be had for Wood this season - hopefully, just a lot of healing.

Bell might get a little development time if he ever gets healthy, but he's been in and out of the lineup so much this season that any development he's made has been negligible. Levitre might continue to develop, so long as he isn't forced to play two different positions each and every game. The guy is a guard, and while he's to be commended for capably manning both spots, it's best if he sticks to left guard.

Hangartner is what he is. There's no development to be had there, though the guy deserves a steak or something for finding a way to make it through ten games. That's a rarity in Buffalo. The rest of the players that have seen field time aren't worth considering, as they're not the types of players around which championship-caliber offenses can be built. For the young players that really matter - Wood, Levitre and Bell - hopes for further development this season are minimal at best.

Buffalo needs a franchise quarterback. It is, without doubt, the organization's biggest issue from a personnel standpoint. Given the sheer amount of upheaval along the offensive line, that unit rates a very close second.