SB Nation - Paul Posluszny

Patriots 17, Bills 10: Week 15 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:32:47 -0000

Listen. It's a holiday week. I'm on vacation for most of it. There was absolutely no way that I was going to waste my time re-watching the Buffalo Bills' 17-10 loss to the New England Patriots. It's enough that I'm a Bills fan, and therefore subjected myself to that type of performance once. It wasn't going to happen again. I'd like to spend my holidays sane.

Rather than talk about what I saw on the re-watch, therefore, I'm just going to dump the notes I took during the game as it happened live, krytime mind dump style. These notes won't appear in our usual verbose manner; rather, they're copied verbatim, in bullet point form. If you're confused by any of the references or the meaning behind some of the statements, feel free to ask.

Good game planning from Perry Fewell/Alex Van Pelt. Hit 'em where they're missing players. (Guess that only applies to the first drives.)
Richie Incognito is one of the strangest-shaped dudes I've ever seen.
Like what I'm seeing from Geoff Hangartner and Andy Levitre. Both solid players.
Terrible idea to sub in an extra OT on that goal line play. Just asking for a penalty. Bye, TD.

Pretty sad that BUF is so bad on misdirection that Welker can pick up a first down on an end around, 3rd & 2. They've got to know it's coming sometime. Nice play call.
Terrific read by Paul Posluszny on the interception.
Pats are going to have a field day rushing the passer. Belichick always knows how to get pressure.
Holy Lord, Donte Whitner looked awful in deep coverage. Ugly, ugly PI penalty on Moss.
Brady knows how to attack Jairus Byrd - go high. Byrd might never be a good red zone defender.
Man, I like watching Mike Wright play football. Tough dude.
Absolutely no way the Bills will be able to attack NE deep.
Why can't Terrell Owens be used the same way NE uses Moss? That middle route was too easy, and too quick.
Yet another penalty on the DBs. Getting abused.
Aaron Schobel isn't great, but he makes at least one heady play every game.
A quarter and a half in, we have a Lee Evans sighting.
Two holding penalties now on Incognito. Not surprising, but killer nonetheless.
Have to figure out a new way to praise Fred Jackson.
Drive killed by a terrible Ryan Fitzpatrick throw. Good idea, horrid execution - Josh Reed wasn't even open. Throw it away!
Another end around, this time to Matt Slater. So annoying to watch them repeatedly abused by this play.
Laurence Maroney looks fantastic. (Easy to do against BUF.)
PI on Reggie Corner. DBs are complaining, but the calls are legit. TD coming...
... and there it is. Maroney from a yard out.
Didn't like Fewell's decision to kick the long FG. Rather have seen a hail mary; down 14-3 at the half.
Screen pass execution not working - gee, I wonder why? Do you think Belichick might have expected it?
Terrence McGee's shoulder injury looks pretty serious. Might see Ashton Youboty next week, with Corner starting.
Six straight NE run plays. Should have been running more all day.
Shawn Nelson seems to be a focal point of the game plan. Nothing wrong with that.
Come on, T.O. He's losing focus. False start, probably a drive-killer.
Nice heads up play by Jackson, catching the tipped pass from Jonathan Stupar.
Nelson wide open - Fitzpatrick misses him by a good yard and a half. I want a QB. :(
NE three and out. Defense is doing its job; NE looks pretty out of sync, though.
Trent Edwards?!
Hate this move by Fewell. 5 is not your QB. Don't ask him to save the game.
Trent's down. Hobbles off the field. Horrible, horrible decision, Perry.
Surprised there aren't more boo birds - Fitzpatrick back in, Brian Brohm on the sidelines.
Another sack. Absolutely brutal pass blocking.
Josh Reed drops a touchdown. Holy crap. Zero focus from the receivers today.
Another NE three-and-out. Can't blame the D for this loss.
Roscoe Parrish with a 20-yard punt return. Bills ball, deep in NE territory. Might we be on to something?
Beautiful catch by Lee for the TD. First career TD against the Pats. It's about time.
Of course it's Aaron Maybin on the false start. Of course it is. Who else would it be? The blogging gods hate me.
Pats' first third-down conversion of the quarter is a stupid little throw to Welker. Ballgame.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/22

MattRichWarren — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:58:13 -0000

Sources: McGee to IR, Edwards and Scott Could Follow : Buffalo Sports Daily
"According to more than one source, Trent Edwards has suffered a significant high ankle sprain that will force him to miss the rest of the season. He suffered the injury while being sacked in the fourth quarter against New England on Sunday. Also, staring cornerback Terrence McGee will be forced to have surgery this week on the shoulder he injured Sunday and will be placed on injured reserve."

Fitz’s ankle injury on plant leg – Inside The Bills
"Ryan Fitzpatrick injured his right ankle in the game Sunday and that’s important that it’s his right ankle. For a quarterback when your plant leg is compromised by injury it can compromise throwing mechanics."

McGee hoping to be ready for Sunday – Inside The Bills
"Putting on deodorant this morning was hard, so jamming a receiver is definitely not an option right now," Terrence McGee said.

Bryan Scott injury update – Inside The Bills
Scott has a concussion according to Perry Fewell. "Under the new NFL guidelines for concussions Scott will not be allowed to return-to-football activities until he is fully asymptomatic, both at rest and after exertion, has a normal neurological examination, normal neuropsychological testing, and has been cleared to return by both his team physician(s) and the independent neurological consultant."

Brian Brohm may start
Bills QB situation up in the air - BuffaloBills.com
"There could be a quarterback change for the Bills for their Week 16 matchup against the Falcons in Atlanta, and it won’t be due to performance. Both Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered ankle injuries in Sunday’s loss to New England. Their status is day-to-day, as the coaching staff waits to see how the two signal callers recover between now and the middle of the week."

QB injuries will force Brohm under center : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Interim coach Perry Fewell offered few details Monday on the severity of the injuries to Fitzpatrick and Edwards, but the source said Edwards suffered a high ankle sprain. Such an injury takes several weeks to heal."

Buffalo Bills may give QB Brian Brohm a start | Democrat and Chronicle
"If neither can practice Wednesday, that will hinder their chances of playing at the Georgia Dome. It also would open the door for Fewell to go with Brohm, a move many fans would like to see because it could determine whether Brohm is a player the Bills can look to as a potential starter in 2010."

Interesting twist...Brohm to START in week 16 - Acme Packing Company
The guys at Acme Packing Company got wind of their old QB starting and wondered how he is going to do. Go give your opinion.

Injuries might open door for Brohm - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Brian Brohm may have to start on Sunday and Perry Fewell is understandably apprehensive. "To put him in that position might be a recipe for failure for him," Fewell said Wednesday. "It might not give him the best opportunity. It might not show us what he really can do."

Patriots' game recaps

Bills replay: Pats' unique defensive scheme led to sacks : The Buffalo News
"The Patriots used mostly linebackers and defensive backs on passing downs. Often times, they had only one or two players on the line of scrimmage, while the rest of the defenders milled around a few yards off the ball. The Patriots called the scheme "organized chaos," and it successfully created confusion because the Bills didn't know who to block."

That was Pretty Typical | Democrat and Chronicle | Three-Point Stance
Sal Maiorana uses the same start to his post-game blog that Brian did a day before and harps on penalties, inept offense, and everything else that has been plaguing the Bills this year and every other year this decade.

Game Recap: Patriots defeat Bills, 17-10 - Pats Pulpit
MaPatsFan looks back at the game that was, obviously from the Patriots' perspective.

Patriots ‘good enough’ to beat Bills | Olean Times Herald
Chuck Pollack gives his thoughts from the game Sunday beginning with, "It wasn’t much of a game."

Bills Daily - "Bills Daily Game Recap"
The Bills' blog's final recap of the Patriots game.

Scott Pitoniak: A forgettable Bills decade is coming to a sad conclusion
An unhappy recount of the last game and the last decade.

Bills Notebook: Poz’s pick adds to Bills’ league-leading total | Olean Times Herald
Bullet points from the Bills’ 17-10 loss to the Patriots on Sunday afternoon at "The Ralph".

Poz presses forward | BuffaloBills.com
Dan Bates spoke with Paul Posluszny yesterday about the linebacker's interception and the rest of the game against the Patriots.

Team in Transition
WGR 550 SportsRadio - Thurman Thomas Expecting a Big Splash From Bills
"I'm into it," said the Hall of Famer. "I'm not like Jim (Kelly) and want to be an owner but, I want to be a part of the turn-around. They know that. I've had some conversations with Russ Brandon. They're well aware of my situation and what I want to do over there. I want to be a part of this big splash that they're going to make."

Buffalo Bills have a long Christmas list | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
Bill beat writers Sal Maiorana and Leo Roth wonder: What will Santa leave under the tree for these Bills?

POLLOCK: QB just one problem Bills must address | Olean Times Herald
"Here’s the problem with the Buffalo Bills ... and you’ve known it all along. They’re just not good enough."

Blow Up This Roster - 13WHAM.com
Mike Catalana goes position by position explaining who can stay but more of who needs to go.

Sunday at the Post | National Football Post
"3. The Buffalo Bills have been very quiet in their search for a head coach and general manager. They seem inclined to go after a "name" head coach first, then allow him to have a say in the formation of the front office. But one thing is for sure: Russ Brandon will be leading the search and will be in the organization, no matter whom they hire."

Other Bills news and notes

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
"It doesn't look like the Bills will make a concerted effort to get young, inexperienced players like WRs Steve Johnson and James Hardy on the field these last two weeks. 'My objective is to put the best 45 out on Sunday to get a win,' interim coach Perry Fewell said."

Wilson: T.O.'s season of frustration continues | National Football Post
"You try to stay patient," Terrell Owens said. "It's just disappointing to be in this offense and know you can play and not really being utilized the way you can to help the team."

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Home of the Buffalo Sabres - Moment No. 7 (tie)
The seventh-biggest moment in the Buffalo sports scene during the 2000s was trading the Bills' 2003 first round pick to the Patriots for QB Drew Bledsoe.

Bills salute high school football - BuffaloBills.com
"At the Bills vs. Patriots game on December 20th, Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly handed out awards and congratulated the 2009 Buffalo Bills high school coaches of the week winners. Eric Jantzi, head football coach of the Class AA State Champion North Tonawanda Lumberjacks, and Jay Sirianni, head football coach of the Class "C" State Champion Southwestern Trojans were also announced as the 2009 Bills High School Football Co-Coaches of the Year."

Bills unlikely to see ‘Burner’ Turner Sunday – Inside The Bills
Michael Turner reinjured his ankle (putting several fantasy owners in a hole after one carry might I add) and will likely not play this weekend against Buffalo.

Law.com - Former NFL Player Henry Appeals Child-Support Ruling
Travis Henry must make child support payments and establish a trust fund of 250,000 dollars according to a judge. Henry's lawyer says this is a "double payment".

Bills Tweets
terrellowens | TweetPhoto
T.O. isn't cold anymore. :-) Check it out.

Twitter / DonteWhitner
Hope I didn't see moss jump in the stands and bills fans enbrace him!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope not!

Bills miss out on golden opportunity to upset Patriots

Brian Galliford — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:24:01 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

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I mentioned in yesterday's post-game recap that the Buffalo Bills' 17-10 home loss to the New England Patriots was very typical of a Bills loss. Playing a Patriots team that is a far, far cry from their glory year teams, Buffalo could only manage a sloppy 10 points in finding a way to fall just short, squandering one of their best chances yet of ending a six-year losing streak to this team.

On Saturday, I filled in for Kurupt in penning this week's "Keys to Victory" column. As such, you get to listen to me prattle on about how Buffalo lost because they didn't satisfy all of the criteria outlined in that particular post. Yes, K doesn't subject you to this type of post, which probably makes him a better person than me, but for one day, you'll have to deal with it. I don't vent very often.

Key 1: Find a way to get off the field defensively. The Bills fared well in this department for much of the game. Tom Brady and the Patriots converted just 5 of 12 third down opportunities on the day, limiting the Patriots' offensive exploits and holding Brady to a Fitzpatrick-esque stat line (11 of 23, 115 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT). In fact, the Bills did particularly well in this department in the fourth quarter, allowing only one Patriots first down in the final stanza.

Unfortunately, that first down came with two minutes remaining, on an eight-yard Brady-to-Wes Welker connection that put the game on ice for New England. Of course it happened then.

Key 2: Limit the big play. If I had to choose one game in the pre-season in which I would have guessed the Bills would not allow an opponent to gain 20 yards on a single play in said game, I certainly would not have chosen Week 15 against New England. That's exactly what happened on Sunday, however - the Bills did not allow their opponent to gain more than 20 yards on a single offensive play in the entire game. That's the first time that's happened this year, folks. New England's offense looked quite dysfunctional, obviously, but Buffalo deserves credit for at least giving themselves a chance to win at the end of the game by not allowing the Patriots any big plays offensively.

Key 3: Play mistake-free football offensively. After a thoroughly dominant opening drive in which the Bills did just about whatever they wanted offensively - how often have we said that in recent years? - a false start on the part of Andre Ramsey negated a Fred Jackson touchdown. Suddenly, that thoroughly dominant drive was a mere 3-0 lead, and all of Buffalo's momentum was gone.

Ryan Fitzpatrick can't go a full game without throwing a hideous interception directly to a defender; Jonathan Wilhite was the beneficiary of Fitzpatrick's terrible play this week. I also understand that not all of the Bills' 11 penalties (that yielded 124 yards) were not on offense, but the idea of "mistake-free football" was not present offensively or defensively on Sunday. Add in six sacks and two quarterbacks with ankle injuries, and yeah - Buffalo whiffed badly on this key, and it, more than any other factor, cost them the game.

Key 4: Get Lee Evans involved. Evans entered Sunday with 28 receptions for 397 yards in 11 career games against the Patriots. Although he did end up scoring his first career touchdown against the Patriots late in the fourth quarter in a last-ditch comeback attempt, Evans caught just three passes for 35 yards on the day. He did fare better than Terrell Owens, who caught just 2 passes for 20 yards in yet another awful showing from Buffalo's passing game.

Key 5: Give these Pats your best shot. Well, not so much. As mentioned, Buffalo got off to a really quick and dominant start in this game, running the ball down the Patriots' throats to the tune of an early field goal and netting a Paul Posluszny interception off of Brady on New England's first drive of the day. From that point on, however, it was the Buffalo Bills we've all come to know and ~~love~~ be completely apathetic towards. Jackson and Marshawn Lynch carried nine times on that opening drive; they'd only log 14 more carries in the remainder of the game. The penalties piled up, and so did New England's early lead (the Pats led 14-3 at halftime). When bad teams get down, they rarely find a way to reclaim a lead, and Buffalo's performance was par for the course. Effort? Sure. Urgency to win? I didn't see it.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/21

MattRichWarren — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:23:19 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

4 days ago: New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney (39) gets past Buffalo Bills cornerback Drayton Florence (29) during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009. The Patriots won 17-10. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

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Penalties, lack of offense lead to latest loss - BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills defense played valiantly holding Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to just 115 yards passing and giving up just 109 yards on the ground was an effective day for Buffalo. In the end there was just not enough support from the other side of the ball to stage an upset."

Bills' popgun offense produces dud : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"We were not converting on third downs," Fewell said in explaining the QB switch. "We needed something to give us some momentum so I made the decision. I thought Trent could come in and maybe give us a little spark, give us some momentum."

Bills' secondary contains Patriots' passing attack : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Maybe the Buffalo Bills' pass defense is for real after all. Led by tight coverage in the secondary, the Bills justified their No. 5 NFL ranking against the pass by slowing down the New England Patriots' vaunted attack. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who has been a Bills killer, was far from lethal Sunday. He completed only 11 of 23 passes for 115 yards — all season lows — with one touchdown and one interception. His passer rating was 59.1, which is far below the 102.6 rating he had in the previous 15 meetings with Buffalo."

Bills' aura of futility catches up with Fewell : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"Fewell has to know he's cooked. He was a long shot for the permanent job even if his team had won Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. But it's looking grim now, after the Bills lost to the Patriots, 17-10, in a game that was all too reminiscent of the losses that came before it in this dying, dysfunctional decade. "

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Immediate Reactions, Wk15
Nick Mendola has cracked, guys. He gives his immediate reactions to the Bills game before predicting "Atlanta 735, Buffalo -4" for next week.

Patriots Extend Streak to 13 Over Bills - 13WHAM.com - Rochester News, Weather, and Sports
"No matter how inconsistently the Patriots have played -- particularly on the road -- or what distractions they've faced, one thing remains constant: They can always count on beating their perennial patsy, the Buffalo Bills."

Postgame injury update – Inside The Bills
Trent Edwards (ankle), Terrence McGee (Shoulder/arm), and Bryan Scott (head) all sustained injuries sever enough to keep them from returning.

It's tough to pay attention to the Bills these days : Bucky Gleason : The Buffalo News
Bucky Gleason was so bored and distracted during the game Sunday his mind kept wandering to Brittany Murphy's death.

BillBoard: Woe for the '00s
Comparing the Bills losing decades of the Dolphins in the 70s to the Patriots in the 00s. It's surprisingly close.

Bills-Patriots report card : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The Bills get better grades than you might expect from the Buffalo News.

Quarterly report: Bills-Patriots : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The News' Mark Gaughan breaks down the Bills' 17-10 loss to the Patriots quarter-by-quarter, analyzing statistics, key plays and more."

Miscues add up to 124 yards in penalties : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The Bills had 11 penalties for 124 yards. They had more than 100 penalty yards in the first half alone."

Buffalo Bills: Two-Minute Read | Democrat and Chronicle
Breaking down the Buffalo Bills' Sunday loss to the New England Patriots.

Buffalo Bills' newest lineman states his case | Democrat and Chronicle
"Anytime you lose, you obviously didn't play well enough," said Richie Incognito when asked to analyze his game. "We'll watch the film and correct what went wrong and keep battling. But this group has a lot of fight in them and I like it. I'll fight with these guys any day of the week. We were close at the end, we just came up short."

Buffalo Bills' opening drive set bad tone | Democrat and Chronicle
"Nine minutes into the game, the Bills were ahead 3-0 and New England hadn't even touched the ball yet, and I knew Buffalo wasn't going to win. OK, I knew that all week, but this is what solidified my thought: Awesome opening drive, ruined by a false start penalty at the 2, and they settled for a Rian Lindell field goal. They needed a touchdown to start the game, and didn't get it. That set the tone for the rest of the day."

Buffalo Bills Report Card | Democrat and Chronicle
See what grades our experts give out and rate the Bills yourself. These grades make a lot more sense.

Buffalo Bills fall to New England Patriots | Democrat and Chronicle
"But when you factor in the litany of lousy plays the Bills offered up on a cold but mostly wind-free afternoon, the Bills have no chance against Bill Belichick's troops, not even when Tom Brady is looking merely mortal and the Patriots gain only 224 yards and score 17 points."

Quick Recap: Patriots defeat Bills, 17-10 - Pats Pulpit
Quick recap by the guys at Pats Pulpit.

Recap: Buffalo vs. New England
The Sports Network recap of the game.

Trent Edwards goes in, down and out - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham gives a good summary of Trent Edwards' day.

$50k to bolt St. Louis? Fine with Incognito - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"With the fine of 50 grand, I would have gladly paid more to get out of that situation in St. Louis," Incognito said Sunday after the New England Patriots beat the Bills 17-10 in Ralph Wilson Stadium. "So I chalk it up to that."

Rapid Reaction: Patriots 17, Bills 10 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham, who was in the press box at the Ralph, gives his game summary.

Fewell Deserves a Chance -- Somewhere Else | WGRZ.com
Ed Kilgore meanders around the roster, the front office, and Perry Fewell in his most recent post.

Take 13 | wgrz.com
"So that's it... 13-straight and little signs of progress. Owner Ralph Wilson wasn't talking when he left the locker room today. After he fired Dick Jauron he talked about the need for an overhaul. 13-straight losses to the team that's set the standard in the division should underscore that point."

Y’all’s forgiven in Patriot land - The Globe and Mail
"When they assemble next season, trying to avoid their 14th consecutive loss to New England, Buffalo will surely bear little resemblance to the team that walked off the field yesterday. "

Niagara Gazette - TIM'S TAKE: Bills wear stare of humility
"A blank look of humility, one that so many Bills players and coaches have brought to the Ralph Wilson Stadium podium over the past decade, was the common thread after yet another lackluster loss to the mighty New England Patriots on Sunday."

Niagara Gazette - BILLS NOTEBOOK: Edwards makes a cameo
"The sequence symbolized the demise of Edwards, who was still considered the future of the franchise the last time Buffalo met New England, in the season opener. Too many checkdowns, too many injuries, too many punts. "

Failure to lead - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow
"The first drive was the game plan, and then the next few series that we had, we got ourselves into some trouble," Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "When you’re going to play a game like that where you want to wear your opponent out, you have to play mistake free football."

Best and worst of yesterday’s game - BostonHerald.com
Ron Borges gives his thoughts on the game. Interesting bits I think.

Analysis/reaction: Pats 'good enough' in Buffalo - Patriots.com
Escaping Buffalo with a 17-10 victory, New England did what it needed to do, right when it needed to most.

Bills Daily Gameday Grades
Game grades from the Bills blog from the Pats game.

Bills Daily Gameday Review
The Bills blog recaps the game.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Bills Fall to Pats 17-10; Eliminated from Playoffs
"The Buffalo Bills were their own worst enemy in their 17-10 loss to the New England Patriots at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills gave the Patriots over 119 yards through penalties, which ended up being the difference in the game. "

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- Paul Posluszny is the first Bills LB to have an INT in back-to-back weeks since Bryce Paup, who accomplished the feat back in December 1995.
- Just when you think it couldn't get any worse, Bills WR Josh Reed drops a wide-open pass on a 4th-and-9 near the goal line on one of the few well-thrown passes by Buffalo today. Reed has had an awful day, with two muffed punts as well (which were recovered by Buffalo).

Bills Tweets
Twitter / Donte Whitner
In my post game interviews I was not saying I want to leave buffalo....I wanna stay here forever!

Twitter / Thurman Thomas
I have never met Randy Moss, he came up to me during warm-ups and said" what's up old school, you are the man" ... WOW, made me feel good..

Twitter / Donte Whitner
Hope I didn't see moss jump in the stands and bills fans enbrace him!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope not!

Terrell Owens
Sometimes things must come 2 an end, u hv 2 move on & accept wht life has 2 offer. So looking 4wd to 2010.

Bills drop No. 13 in a row to New England

Brian Galliford — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:20:14 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

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Well, that was typical.

Trailing 17-10 in the fourth quarter after Lee Evans caught his first career touchdown pass against the New England Patriots, the Buffalo Bills recovered an onside kick with three minutes remaining. The potential game-changing play was negated, however, by the fact that rookie defensive end Aaron Maybin crossed the 30-yard line prior to the ball being kicked. Offsides; no play; ball goes back to New England.

But that's not the end of the world - not when the Bills' defense has completely shut down the Patriots for the entire second half, holding them to three points in just under two quarters. On a third down, Tom Brady his Wes Welker for a first down - the Pats' only first down of the final quarter. Game, set, match.

The loss is Buffalo's thirteenth straight against Bill Belichick and the Patriots. It came in a pretty unique way; Ryan Fitzpatrick was benched, then Trent Edwards hurt his ankle and carted off the field, so Fitzpatrick came back in and hurt his own ankle, and then gave the Bills at least some semblance of a chance at winning the game late in regulation with his touchdown pass. Buffalo lost linebacker Bryan Scott late, too, as he joined Edwards as Bills carted off the field of play.

Buffalo lost this game well before Maybin's miscue, commiting 11 penalties for 124 yards and giving up six sacks on Fitzpatrick and Edwards. That's 165 free yards for a New England club that only gained 224 yards offensively - Buffalo actually out-gained the Patriots offensively, if you'll believe it, gaining 241 yards themselves. Penalties - the most critical of which were defensive holding or pass interference calls - absolutely killed the Bills in this game, particularly in the first half.

The loss overshadows strong individual efforts from Fred Jackson (80 rushing yards, 32 receiving yards, 108 return yards), Paul Posluszny (9 tackles, INT) and others. Buffalo held Brady in check; Brady completed just 11 of 23 passes for 115 yards, with one TD and the Posluszny interception. Despite the solid defensive effort, the team couldn't muster enough offensively to pull off the upset.

Buffalo is now 5-9 on the season, including a 2-3 record under interim head coach Perry Fewell. The team has officially been eliminated from playoff contention. Next week, they travel to Atlanta to take on a Falcons team that pulled off a last-minute win over the New York Jets on Sunday, evening their record at 7-7.

Bills 16, Chiefs 10: Week 14 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:44:53 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

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The Buffalo Bills improved to 2-2 under interim head coach Perry Fewell and 5-8 on the season in defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 16-10, in Week 14. The win featured the Bills' best rushing effort of the season (200 yards on the ground) and another four turnovers forced by the defense, all on interceptions.

As usual, we've got some quick thoughts and observations after reviewing the film from the win.

Aaron Maybin needs more playing time. Unfortunately, he's not going to get it. The Chiefs officially ran 69 offensive plays on the day, but Maybin was only lined up defensively on 12 of those plays.

There were two issues to getting Maybin onto the field more in this particular game. First and foremost, the Chiefs put a wrinkle into their offensive game plan in which they went no-huddle on nearly every third down opportunity they had. That decision likely took 3-6 snaps away from Maybin. The second issue appears to be that Fewell isn't comfortable allowing Maybin to do anything other than play right end, where Aaron Schobel takes the lion's share of reps.

People are still up in arms about Maybin's lack of production this season, but they should be more worried about the fact that the coaches aren't comfortable enough with him to give him reps at left end. (In fairness, Ryan Denney isn't seeing a lot of reps these days, either, as both Schobel and Chris Kelsay are having very solid seasons.) My opinion on Maybin hasn't changed - it's still way too early to write him off. His potential remains elite, and nothing he's done (or hasn't done) this season leads me to believe he won't reach said potential. But I'd feel more comfortable in that proclamation if Maybin got more snaps the rest of the way.

Paul Posluszny needs to move outside. He also needs to come off the field on obvious passing downs. Clearly, that's not going to happen on the season - Poz is the only NFL-caliber linebacker on the roster, after all - but it's something to bear in mind going forward. Posluszny is another defender who takes either way too much abuse or way too much praise, which is indicative of what he ideally brings to a football team - he's not an every-down defender or the cornerstone player for a defense, but he's not exactly a guy you just kick to the curb, either, because he can play.

I'm going to get a bit more into this once the season has closed and things (i.e. the coaching search and front office re-organization) have settled, but I firmly believe that the Bills are one major piece away from fielding a pretty excellent defense. That piece is a middle linebacker. No offense to Posluszny, who I think definitely has and deserves a place on this team, but he doesn't possess the block-shedding ability to be elite at his current position. Moving Posluszny outside, getting a healthy Kawika Mitchell back and inserting a talented middle linebacker that can shed blocks would do wonders for this defense. (Yes, I'm aware that a little depth at all positions wouldn't hurt, either. I said "major" piece.)

Expect more big runs allowed. That's not exactly rocket science, I realize, but there's actually a good reason that the Bills will likely give up more big runs this season beyond the "they stink at stopping the run" obviousness. Fewell spent a lot of time plunging 7 or 8 guys into the line of scrimmage at the snap in an effort to shut down underrated Chiefs back Jamaal Charles. On 19 of Charles' carries, that method worked, and Charles gained only 67 yards (3.5 yards per carry) on those runs. That's not exactly superb run defense, but it's better than awful.

But on just one play, Fewell got caught in a blitz, and Charles took the run 76 yards to the house. Donte Whitner had Charles dead to rights in the secondary, but Charles caught him flat-footed - and when Jamaal Charles catches you flat-footed, you're flat-out screwed. Charles ran by Whitner as if the Chiefs had installed a No. 20 statue in the middle of their Arrowhead Stadium field. Those big runs will continue to be a problem because the Bills, for obvious reasons, will need to keep plunging guys into the line to try to contain the run as best as possible.

Pound the rock. We talked about this at length yesterday, but I just thought I'd put in this friendly reminder.

Fitzpatrick's pocket poise is deteriorating. It's not difficult to fathom why, but obviously, that's bad news. Fitzpatrick became the starting quarterback full-time when Fewell was promoted to his current role, and the Harvard product got the nod because of his superior pocket presence and field vision when compared to backup quarterback Trent Edwards.

For a time - and by "for a time," I mean back-to-back performances against Jacksonville and Miami in which Fitzpatrick threw for 543 yards and put the ball in the end zone, via arm or legs, three times - Fitzpatrick played well. But in consecutive weeks, Fitzpatrick has looked much more wary in the pocket, and has not done as stellar a job at buying time and finding receivers as he did in previous weeks. (To his credit, he did exhibit excellent patience and pocket awareness on his first-quarter touchdown strike to Terrell Owens.)

Buffalo actually has a chance to pick up another win or two before the season ends. It won't happen unless Fitzpatrick plays with the swagger he exhibited in the win over Miami, and only that will give the coaching staff the confidence to re-open the playbook a little bit.

On Nic Harris. Many have asked me via e-mail about rookie linebacker Nic Harris, who made the start at strong-side linebacker in place of veteran Chris Draft. My answer: Harris looks like a fringe NFL player. He's instinctive, active and can run, but he's only physically able to play linebacker in this specific system, and he doesn't have the athletic prowess to play safety in any defensive scheme. I thought he was OK against the Chiefs, but that's not exactly difficult to do. Don't marry yourself to the idea of this guy turning into much more than a Keith Ellison-type reserve, particularly since a regime change might mean a scheme change, which would dramatically decrease Harris' chances of making the team next season.

Bills hang on, pick up 16-10 win over Chiefs

Brian Galliford — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:21:50 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

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The Buffalo Bills went into Arrowhead Stadium and picked up what can be loosely defined as a victory, outscoring the Kansas City Chiefs 16-10. Terrell Owens scored his fifth touchdown as a Bill, Rian Lindell kicked three field goals, and Bills defenders intercepted four Matt Cassel passes in the win.

At times, the Bills were borderline dominant. Buffalo ran the ball better than they have all season, with Fred Jackson (99 yards) and Marshawn Lynch (84) keying a 200-yard ground effort. Ryan Fitzpatrick couldn't make Buffalo's offense two-dimensional, however; in easily their most conservative game plan of the season, Fitzpatrick made many poor decisions in completing 12 of 20 passes for a hugely pedestrian 86 yards. His 9-yard strike to Owens put the Bills up 7-0 in the first quarter, but he lost a fumble and threw an ugly interception into triple coverage. Not his best effort, and it really hampered the Bills' ability to put the game away much sooner than they did.

Three offensive turnovers kept the Chiefs in it, and after the Bills opened up a 13-3 lead, Jamaal Charles raced for 76 yards and a score to cut the Buffalo lead to 13-10. Charles finished with 181 yards on 27 touches, with 143 of those coming on the ground. Just another running back shredding the Bills. Hope you started Charles in your fantasy leagues, Charles owners.

Buffalo's defense shut the door late in the fourth quarter, however. Jairus Byrd recorded his league-leading ninth interception of the season with roughly two minutes remaining, and after the Bills failed to pick up a first down and punted the ball back to Kansas City with a minute remaining, George Wilson intercepted a desperation heave from Cassel on the last play of the game to preserve the win. Wilson now has four interceptions on the season.

Paul Posluszny and Terrence McGee each recorded interceptions as well. Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Spencer Johnson and Bryan Scott recorded one sack apiece; without those big plays defensively, the Chiefs - who missed plenty of opportunities to take leads on this day - likely take the win.

The Bills improve to 5-8 on the season - they are now 2-2 under interim head coach Perry Fewell - while the Chiefs drop to 3-10. Buffalo hosts the 8-5 New England Patriots next Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/11

MattRichWarren — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:22:40 -0000

Buffalo Bills' special teams coming into form | Democrat and Chronicle
"I just took one of the young guys aside and explained what 'backdoor ear hole' means," Bills special teams coach Bobby April said. "That's a common term that I've used (for how you initiate angled contact with an opponent). He didn't know. In terms of having a lot of different guys out there, it's been unbelievable how many guys we've moved in and out. You're always teaching, but not with that much detail (at this time of the year)."

McGee looking good for Sun. – Inside The Bills
"Bills CB Terrence McGee practiced fully for a second straight day on Thursday enhancing his chances of returning to a full time role in Buffalo’s defensive lineup."

Really? The Buffalo Bills All-Decade Team : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran gives his team of the decade. FYI - the coach is Mike Mularkey and Trey Teague is the center. Yikes!

Bills kick game specialists roughing it – Inside The Bills
Special teams coordinator Bobby April accompanied his specialists out in the elements yesterday.

Bills linebacker Posluszny quarterbacks the defense : The Buffalo News
Rodney McKissic profiles Bills LB Paul Posluszny for the News' Friday Player Profile.

Question Mark: Plenty of blame for no LB depth : The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan answers questions on the linebacker depth issues, Trent Edwards' fall from grace, and the undefeated teams in the NFL.

Buffalo Bills' Parrish says confidence isn't lacking | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
"Roscoe Parrish is back returning punts for Bills, but he hasn't made an impact."

Chiefs QB Cassel Familiar With Former AFC East Foe Bills - Arrowhead Pride
"Cassel has started and beaten the Bills on two occasions and admits that he's a little familiar with them."

Chiefs Granted 24 Hour Extension To Sell Tickets for Bills Game - Arrowhead Pride
"The Kansas City Chiefs have been granted a 24 hour extension to sell the remaining unsold tickets for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com reports."

Video: AccuScore likes Bills to win in K.C. - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Jenny Dell of "Countdown Daily" delivers the AccuScore report for Sunday's game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. The Bills win a surprising 56 percent of AccuScore's 10,000 simulations."

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
Bills interim coach Perry Fewell is expecting a challenge in Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles. Buffalo is 32nd in the league in run defense. "Charles is really a fine running back," Fewell said. "He's not a power running back, he's more of an outside speed back - really good in one-on-one situations."

Countdown Daily Prediction: Bills-Chiefs - ESPN Video - ESPN
"Herm Edwards and Mark Schlereth give you their pick"

DL Mace brought back – Inside The Bills
"Just two days after being waived from the 53-man roster, DL Corey Mace was re-signed to the Bills practice squad. The defensive lineman was waived Monday as the team re-signed Joe Klopfenstein to give the Bills three tight ends on their roster. The open spot on Buffalo’s eight-man practice squad to re-sign Mace was created when LB Anthony Waters was signed by the New Orleans Saints."

John Clayton with Schopp and the Bulldog
The ESPN NFL correspondent talks with the guys each week.

Stadium Seating - Interactive Features - Portfolio.com
The Bills are having financial problems in Buffalo but Portfolio.com says Rochester, NY could support an NFL franchise. (Toronto, however, could not).

Team in Transition
Hiring Super Bowl-winning coach offers no guarantees of NFL title - Don Banks - SI.com
"The track record of coaches who have scaled the game's highest summit and then went on to work for other NFL franchises does not spawn some sort of murky debate. It's clear cut. The coaching magic that won a Super Bowl has never been rekindled to the same degree in a subsequent stop."

Bills notebook: Receivers coach Tolbert headed to LSU : The Buffalo News
Buffalo Bills wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert has been hired for a similar position at LSU, according to a report Thursday on neworleans.com. Tolbert played at LSU as a wide receiver from 1988-90.

Bills Tweets
Nic Harris
Man this snow is too crazy, first Blizzard! Sweet Jesus!!!

Lydell Sargent
Jst put up my first tree in my own place.Did it without moms helping me to!! Not the prettiest but it works fo http://tweetphoto.com/6186786

Sargent again
maybe its me but ur tree SHOULD be bigger than ur TV.lol<--haha well tht will NEVER happn n my house!!TVs alwys

Shawn Nelson
mannn its a blizzard out here in buffalo...........this is not of GOD!!

Twitter / Chris Mortensen
chance T.O stays in Buffalo. ))) I 'd guess very slim.

Run defense a key off-season priority in Buffalo

Brian Galliford — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:30:14 -0000

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Run and stop the run. It's an old football cliche, and it's cliche because it works. Successful NFL teams, by and large, are able to run the football effectively, and they're able to prevent their opponents from doing so.

The Buffalo Bills can't stop the run this season. Through 12 games, the Bills have surrendered 2,065 rushing yards, or about 172 rushing yards per game. The New York Jets - victors over Buffalo last night - have been particularly effective running against Buffalo, racking up 567 yards (283.5 per game) in two games against the Bills' porous run front this season. The Bills are ranked dead last in the league defending the run, giving up 11 more yards per game than the second-worst team - Oakland.

This season is the fifth of the decade in which the Bills have surrendered more than 2,000 rushing yards in a season. With four games remaining on the schedule, they're on pace to surrender around 2,700 rushing yards in 2009. If the Bills hit that number, they'll have fielded their worst run defense since 1978, when that 5-11 Bills outfit allowed its opponents to rush for a whopping 3,228 yards, or slightly over 200 yards per game.

Before they reach that lofty goal, however, there are some putrid Bills teams of yesteryear that they must first eclipse. The 1985 Buffalo Bills gave up 2,462 rushing yards on the season. They finished 2-14. (Surprise!) The '79 Bills (7-9) gave up 2,481 yards, and the 1983 Bills (8-8) gave up 2,503 yards. With four games left, at the current pace, these Bills are on pace to surpass all of those memorable teams.

Can the run defense be fixed?
Yes, it can. Anything can be fixed. But Buffalo's got a lot of work to do.

For starters, they need to make at least two major personnel changes. Buffalo's starting defensive tackle duo of Marcus Stroud and Kyle Williams are stout in the middle - according to Football Outsiders stats, they were the sixth-best DT duo in the league against the run in 2008 - but they also wear down, and Buffalo's depth players at the position lack the block-shedding abilities of Williams and the sheer power of Stroud. A massive defensive tackle would not only add a run-stuffing dimension to the defensive line rotation, but if he's big enough and can anchor, he also gives the team some schematic flexibility.

(Speaking of scheme - forget about changing it, because there's not a single scheme employed by NFL coaches that isn't equipped to stop the run. I know fans are clamoring for the 3-4, but ask the Cleveland Browns just how proficient they are at stuffing the run. Buffalo doesn't need a scheme change - though obviously they might get it with a new coach - they just need personnel tweaks.)

Paul Posluszny also needs to be moved out of the middle. In any defensive scheme, middle linebackers need to be able to shed blocks, and with all due respect to Poz - a guy I'm not nearly as down on as some folks here - he's not proven himself capable of slipping blocks consistently. Poz was a better player on the outside at Penn State, and that's where he belongs in the NFL, as well. Kawika Mitchell, when he returns, is still a solid fit at weak-side linebacker. That just leaves Posluszny's vacated middle linebacker spot as a major need area for this defense. Someone big, fast and capable of stacking and shedding, if you please, Mr. Future Bills GM Guy. Oh, and while you're at it, please find capable reserves at linebacker as well - we'll need more than one.

A little discipline wouldn't hurt, either. Buffalo has been susceptible to misdirection plays for years now; the Bills' ends and corners need to be more disciplined in their gaps to prevent big chunks of yardage being surrendered.

One last thing. The best friend of any run defense, good or bad, is a competent offense. Playing with leads is never a bad thing, despite Buffalo's best attempts to prove otherwise. Yes, Buffalo needs to fix its defense, but take a look around you - the best teams in the NFL this season have the best offenses. If you think the Bills have major work to do in shoring up their run defense, they've got a decade's worth of awful offensive football to shore up as well.

New York Jets Run Offense vs. Buffalo Bills Run Defense

John B — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:39:57 -0000

More photos » by Seth Wenig - AP

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The Jets went off for 318 rushing yards on the Bills in the first meeting. They are giving up 165.1 yards on the ground, which is the most in the league. They give up 4.8 per rush. That's Adrian Peterson's average over the past two seasons. That means every back they face turns into the 2008-2009 version of Adrian Peterson. Ok, that might be hyperbole, but the Bills are really bad at stopping the run. That's bad for them, considering the Jets are the number two rushing offense per game in football.

Surprisingly for a run defense so lousy, the Bills actually do not have a disaster tackle situation. Marcus Stroud and Kyle Williams are a good pair. Stroud's not having a great year, but he's still a guy who commands a lot of attention. Williams always seems to hold his own in the middle of the line. Aaron Schobel has also been decent.

Let's get into where the Bills will have problems. It's on the right side, which is New York's strength. End Chris Kelsay does a poor job holding the point of attack and containing. The Bills have also had a nightmarish year in terms of linebacker injuries. Chris Draft wasn't playing anywhere at the start of this season. He's now starting outside for Buffalo and seeing a ton of time. The other outside linebacker, Bryan Scott, is a safety by trade and very undersized for the position at 219 pounds. Paul Posluszny in the middle is an emerging quality young player, but there is very little depth for the Bills.

The problem for the Bills in the first game was even their good players against the run got beaten. Nick Mangold and Brandon Moore had their best games of the year against Stroud and company on the line. If the Bills have any hope of slowing down the ground game, this will have to improve. The way this offensive line is playing, that's a tall order. Even if the Bills play this to a draw, they are weak in the back of the front seven. We'll see a lot of eight man fronts out of necessity. I don't think the Jets go for over 300 yards again, but I do think they should have another good performance on the ground.