SB Nation - John Wendling

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Link, 12/10

MattRichWarren — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:01:51 -0000

Bills' Maybin barely toes the line : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"In time, Maybin might turn into a star. But it's disconcerting to watch so many other rookies having good years while the Bills' top pick struggles to find himself. Well, they're 4-8. Maybe someone up top should tell Fewell the time has come to find out about Maybin."

All Fundamentals Team - Brian Moorman
The Bills' punter was named to the USA Football "All Fundamentals team" for his excellent form on and off the field.

Lindell having another strong season | BuffaloBills.com
"The most accurate kicker in franchise history, Lindell is putting together another solid season. Entering this weekend’s action the veteran kicker is 20-23 on field goal attempts this season (87%). With four games left to play Lindell is within striking distance of his single-season career high in field goal percentage set back in 2006 when he went 23-25 for a 92 percent success rate."

Bills bleeding away points in the red zone : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The Bills have scored just nine touchdowns inside the opponent's 20-yard line, tying the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders for the fewest in the NFL. The Bills' 27 red-zone possessions are tied with the Detroit Lions and Sunday's opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs, for the fifth fewest in the league."

Byrd’s injury improving – Inside The Bills
"Fewell wasn’t ready to go so far as to say that Jairus Byrd’s snaps will be increased significantly as a result of his improved condition. But it’s a good sign that the rookie ballhawk could be out on the field more than he has been in recent weeks."

Bills notebook: Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Cornerback Terrence McGee practiced fully for the first time since having knee surgery during the bye week. Whether he's able to return to the starting lineup won't be known until the end of the week. Defensive tackle John McCargo also practiced fully after being sidelined the last two weeks with a calf injury."

Injury report – Inside The Bills
Terrence McGee practiced fully. Check out the list of players who didn't here.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Bills vs. Chiefs; So Similar, It's Scary
"Fewell was asked if some of the Bills younger players, like Aaron Maybin, James Hardy and Steve Johnson would see playing time over the last few weeks of the season. He replied that he's trying to put the best 45-man roster on the field each week and that the younger players that aren't playing as much will get a chance when he (Fewell) feels that they give the Bills a chance to win. "

Time for Bills to go with Brohm? | Democrat and Chronicle
"One way the Bills could make some headway on 2010 is to start finding out, as soon as possible, if new quarterback Brian Brohm is someone that could help the team."

Back to Work With the Bills | Democrat and Chronicle | Three-Point Stance
Sal Maiorana looks back at the Jets loss and forward to next season.

Bills looking toward 2010 for Maybin - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"I think he's going to be a dynamic player for us," said Perry Fewell. "It's very tough to play in this league, and I think he will get better, and he’ll be a top-flight pick. Maybe not at the end of this season, but he’s going to be a top-flight pick for this football team."

Video: AFC East Huddle - AFC East Blog - ESPN
ESPN's John Clayton takes his weekly spin around the AFC East and touches on a variety of subjects.

Jones, McNabb headline the top fantasy starters for Week 14 | NFL.com
Terrell Owens is a "Start 'Em" this week now that he's not locked up against Darrelle Revis.

wgrz.com | Buffalo, NY | Bills Roundtable
Watch 2-On-Your-Side's Adam Benigni and Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle on this week's Bills Roundtable.

Owens and Lynch have long pass contest | WIVB.com
45 second clip of Terrell Owens and Marshawn Lynch in a long pass contest following Wednesday’s practice.

Bills search for motivation | WIVB.com
"We're all competitors number one," Fewell said Wednesday. "We talked about it this morning, that in order to get what you want in life, you have to have enthusiasm and a vision. Our vision is to win."

Bills top draft pick DE Maybin remains motivated - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
"Maybin is willing to lower his expectations a little for this year. The level of confidence he has in his abilities, though, remains unchanged."

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
Bills interim coach Perry Fewell on LT Demetrius Bell (knee): "That's a day-to-day thing with Bell. He worked out Monday, really looked good on Monday. Did not participate today so we’re just trying to find out what the problem is there."

Further Evidence Edwards Is Done : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran, who two weeks ago called for Briam Brohm to get a look, now wants Trent Edwards back as the starter since he lit up the Chiefs a year ago.

Countdown Daily AccuScore Report: BUF-KC - ESPN Video - ESPN
Jenny Dell tells you the chances the Bills go into Kansas City and beat the Chiefs

Saints sign LB off Bills practice squad – Inside The Bills
"LB Anthony Waters, who was signed to Buffalo’s practice squad on Oct. 14 in the wake of a rash of injuries at the LB position, has been signed by New Orleans as they deal with injuries themselves at the LB position."

Owens open to re-signing with Bills in 2010 | BuffaloBills.com
"Terrell Owens seems to view the Bills as the victim of circumstance in 2009, which is why he’s not as discouraged by what has transpired this season as some might think." He is quoted as saying, "It’s no coincidence as (Ryan) Fitz(patrick) has been in the offense that I’ve been getting involved and he’s kind of been dropping back and looking downfield and he’s seen on the film where I have been open and we’ve taken full advantage of that."

Bills Week 14: Bills at Chiefs | Buffalo News Video
"The Bills head to Kansas City this week where they face the the Chiefs. Last time the Bills played in Arrowhead Stadium the Bills racked up 54 points in a win. Can the Bills repeat this season? Al, Sully and Rodney take a look at the matchup."

Bills celebrate Play 60 with students | BuffaloBills.com
The event included appearances by wide receiver Lee Evans, safety George Wilson, linebacker Chris Draft, long-snapper Garrison Sanborn, linebacker Jon Corto, defensive end Aaron Maybin, safety John Wendling and team mascot Billy Buffalo as they encouraged kids to stay fit.

Wilson: Bills work out Pettiti | National Football Post
The Bills worked out former Cowboys offensive tackle Rob Pettiti, late of the UFL's Florida Tuskers, Tuesday.

Team in Transition
WGR 550 SportsRadio - Getting a new football coach - in 12 stages
Jeremy White's 12-step program of getting over your old coach and finding your enthusiasm for the next season.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Assistants will draw interest for head-coaching jobs
"With the majority of the teams likely to be looking for new head coaches at the end of the season also having financial concerns that figure to keep them from pursuing heavy hitters such as Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden and Mike Holmgren, PFW this week takes an in-depth look at the more affordable alternatives whom our leaguewide sources have identified from the NFL assistant-coaching ranks."

2010 NFL Draft
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | Cover-3: A Man Named Suh
FO profiles the big Nebraska DT.

Locker might return to Washington - San Jose Mercury News
"Washington coach Steve Sarkisian says he's "very optimistic" that star quarterback Jake Locker will return to the Huskies for his senior season rather than enter the NFL draft."

Bills Tweets
Nic Harris
Off tired, think this is what they call the rookie wall, imma fight thru! Time to bite down!

Letterman writer Eric Stengel
Terrell Owens has signed with a modeling agency. A couple of gigs and maybe the guy can finally get some attention!!

Identifying the "crux players" on Buffalo's roster

Brian Galliford — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:00:30 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

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Two weeks ago - a day before the Buffalo Bills fired head coach Dick Jauron, in fact - we here at Buffalo Rumblings took a look at the core players of Buffalo's roster. The idea behind the post was to identify players that, based on their contract status with the franchise, are very likely to survive a regime change at One Bills Drive.

We'll recap the fruits of that labor quickly after the jump, but the purpose of this post is to take that exercise a step further. With the core players out of the way, it's time to look at the players that I'll term "crux players" - guys with flexible contract situations that will define a new regime's focus on re-building the Bills.

Core player recap
We named 17 current Bills as "core players," splitting the group up into vested veterans, young players with promise and role-playing veterans awaiting new roles once the regime change is complete. Of those 17 players, we defined a solid 9 as starting-caliber, a further six as fringe starters, and two as reserves. Here's that breakdown:

Starters: RB Fred Jackson, WR Lee Evans, G/C Eric Wood, DE Aaron Schobel, DT Marcus Stroud, LB Kawika Mitchell, CB Terrence McGee, FS Jairus Byrd, P Brian Moorman

Fringe starters: TE Shawn Nelson, OT Brad Butler, OG Andy Levitre, DE Aaron Maybin, DT Kyle Williams, CB Leodis McKelvin

Reserves: C/G Geoff Hangartner, DT Spencer Johnson

Keep in mind that all of these players are currently under contract through the end of the 2012 season. That means that, if each plays to the end of their contract, they'll be in Buffalo for another three years. The fact that each player has at least three years left on his deal at least ensures that they'll be part of the roster in Year 1 of a new regime, and many of them will be playing considerably large roles.

For this exercise, the criteria changes a bit. "Crux players," as far as we're concerned for now, are players that, once the 2009 season ends, will have either one or two years left on their current deal. Each is under contract for the 2010 season, but each also has a deal that makes it possible for a new regime to play football in 2010 without these players under contract. They are truly "crux" players in that a new regime will be making its most important decisions amongst this group. The entire new direction of the franchise from a personnel standpoint will be based largely on evaluations of these 19 players.

Keep in mind, also, that this list changes if 2010 is an uncapped year. Ask MattRichWarren about it.

Buffalo's 19 "crux players"
You'll have a task at the end of this exercise, but for now, here's a quick summary of the 19 crux players on Buffalo's roster:

Trent Edwards, QB - Signed through 2011. He's been benched and needs a new environment, but some talent remains.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB - Signed through 2012. Has proven to be reliable as a backup, but is not considered a franchise signal-caller.
Brian Brohm, QB - Signed through 2012. A project player with some solid tools, there's a chance he never sees the field for Buffalo.
Marshawn Lynch, RB - Signed through 2013, with an opt-out clause in the final year. No longer the starting running back, Lynch might be the subject of trade talks this off-season.
Corey McIntyre, FB - Signed through 2011. Run-of-the-mill player.
James Hardy, WR - Signed through 2012. Buffalo invested a second-round pick in him, and the talent is there, but Hardy has had injury issues and hasn't seen the field much.
Roscoe Parrish, WR - Signed through 2012. Has clamored for a trade, but a new regime might be inclined to keep him as a punt returner. Unlikely to get PT as a WR anywhere.
Steve Johnson, WR - Signed through 2012. Held in high regard by current regime, but that could change quickly, and doesn't carry the same investment as Hardy.
Derek Fine, TE - Signed through 2012. Probably survives a regime change because he's a role player with special teams ability.
Demetrius Bell, OT - Signed through 2012. Has struggled with injuries and on the playing field, but again, there is raw ability to work with.
Chris Kelsay, DE - Signed through 2011. A heady veteran who has improved under position coach Bob Sanders, but has a large salary that might seal his fate.
Chris Ellis, DE - Signed through 2012. Does not play a significant role now and that's not likely to change, but represents a significant investment ('08 third-round pick).
John McCargo, DT - Signed through 2011. Nothing more than a rotational tackle at this point in his disappointing career.
Paul Posluszny, LB - Signed through 2011. Sure to be the most intensely-debated player on this list.
Drayton Florence, CB - Signed through 2011. Has been excellent as a fill-in starter, and has scheme versatility.
Reggie Corner, CB - Signed through 2012. Reserve-type corner that has his uses, but should never be counted on as a starter.
Donte Whitner, S - Signed through 2011, with an opt-out clause in the final year. Could be a UFA as soon as this coming March. New regime might feel differently about him.
John Wendling, S - Signed through 2011. Special teams player only.
Rian Lindell, K - Signed through 2012. Reliable and gets more consistent with age.

Your Task
There's your list, folks. Some of those names obviously carry much more weight and importance than others. Your task: pick out the players that you believe are worth keeping around. Then, of those names, split them into starters and reserves. Combined with your input from the original post, this should really cement your ideas about where you'd take the franchise if you were GM.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/25

MattRichWarren — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:29:33 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

about 1 month ago: Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew (32) runs for second-quarter yardage as Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Spencer Johnson moves into make the tackle during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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Wilson making mark at strong safety | BuffaloBills.com
In six starts this season Wilson stands third on the team in tackles, is tied for second in forced fumbles, fourth in sacks and fifth in pass breakups. He also caught his third interception of the season last week.

Bills' Johnson lending a hand on D-line : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Spencer Johnson's (pictured above) name may not jump off the stat sheet from Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but his impact was certainly felt by interim Bills coach Perry Fewell.

Give The Ball To Brohm : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran suggests that Brian Brohm is the only potential franchise QB on the roster so he should get some playing time down the stretch this year.

Team in Transition
Bill Cowher Snubs Bills, Would Not Snub Bears Or Texans - SB Nation
Apparently Bill Cowher would be "excited" to coach the Bears or Texans. Guys - welcome to the QB quandry.

Schottenheimer says he's not a coaching candidate | ProFootballTalk.com
"I'll be very candid with you and say it's nice to think that people would consider you," Schottenheimer said, "but the reality of it is is that after 30 great years I'm really not going to go back down that road again."

Cowher isn’t shuffling off to Buffalo | National Football Post
Robert Boland says Bill Cowher may or may not be interested in Buffalo but he is not going to give away the leverage he has over the Bills and other teams. He also doesn't want the Bills to pit Shanahan against Cowher.

Schottie addresses Bills coaching rumors – Inside The Bills
Chris Brown laments the disinterest of Marty Schottenheimer because of his great coaching record.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - NFL.com's Jason LaCanfora joins THSS
"It's more just a sort of extension of where Coach Cowher is coming from in terms of having a commitment to honor right now at CBS," LaCanfora said. "He doesn't want to become a part of a coaching search while guys like Perry Fewell are trying to make a statement."

Shanahan stays on Buffalo Bills wish list | Democrat and Chronicle
A person familiar with the Bills' search told The Associated Press that the team has contacted the former Denver Broncos' coach. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Bills are not discussing the search.

Bills owner Wilson willing to write the check, but who'll cash it?
Mike Holmgren has rejected an overture from the Bills as well, presumably because he has his eye on one or more other opportunities that would likely involve him taking only a front-office position.

NFL Videos: Around the League
Will Bill Cowher coach in Buffalo next season? Get the latest on that story and more from Jascon La Caforna.

News and Notes
Dolphins vs Bills: Five Good Questions - The Phinsider
Brian Galliford of Buffalo Rumblings joins the Phinsider to discuss the Bills as we look towards Sunday's Dolphins/Bills game.

Blogger's Blitz: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham analyzes the state of the Patriots, Bills, Jets and Dolphins

Even in defeat, Fewell rouses Bills fans - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Fewell, the Buffalo Bills' interim head coach, lost his first game as Jauron's placement but as of Tuesday night was pulling down a 65 percent in SportsNation's weekly NFL head coach approval ratings.

Week 13 power rankings: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham lists the AFC East teams best wins, worst losses, and close calls. The Bills-Patriots game is both teams' close call game and the Bills win over the Jets is their worst loss.

How I See It: AFC East Stock Watch - AFC East Blog - ESPN
The Bills offensive line stock is falling - and let's face it how could it not be - and Terrell Owens stock is rising.

Buffalo City Mission's Photos | Facebook
Chris Draft, Terrell Owens, Bryan Scott, and C.J. Hawthorne helped out at the Buffalo City Mission yesterday.

Bills bring cheer to kids | BuffaloBills.com
Bills offensive lineman Kirk Chambers, linebacker Jon Corto, kicker Rian Lindell, and safety John Wendling visited with children and their families from the Women’s & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo on November 23rd.

Niagara Gazette - BILLS DVR REWIND: Small errors keep killing Bills
Tim Schmitt looks back at the Bills loss to the Jaguars to give his thoughts.

Buffalo Bills' QB situation among the worst in the NFL | Democrat and Chronicle
Bob Matthews ranks the Bills QB situation 29th in the NFL.

Bills Tweets
Kawika Mitchell
rehab is goin good. Healin up and storin up energy

Aaron Maybin
just got done serving dinner to over 300 kids and their families in downtown buffalo. Great time!

Adam Caplan
Source said they brought in a young guard today, no name guy.RT @mdschmidt: @caplannfl Any word on other OLs Buffalo might be pursuing?

Donte Whitner
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strength.when u go through hardship and decide not to surrenderthat strenth

Bills 20, Panthers 9: Week 7 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:39:06 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

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I could get used to this. I know I shouldn't, but I definitely know, one hundred percent, that I can get used to re-watching Buffalo Bills victories. Buffalo's most recent victory, a 20-9 win over the Carolina Panthers, puts the Bills at 3-4 on the 2009 season - and while they aren't playing anywhere near playoff-caliber football, they're keeping themselves alive despite a pitiful start to the season.

There's a lot to cover in this particular installment of our weekly film session. Let's go.

Ryan Fitzpatrick. It is absolutely terrifying to say this, but get used to watching Fitzpatrick play, folks - there's a very strong chance you'll see him in the lineup for a while. Why? It's pretty simple, really - Fitzpatrick currently gives Buffalo the best chance to win football games. That's not saying a lot - for Trent Edwards or for Fitzpatrick.

Buffalo's offense looks different with Fitzpatrick at the helm - no one can deny that. They're much less prone to mistakes. The best examples there are turnovers (in eight quarters of play, the Bills have turned it over just once with Fitzpatrick at the helm), and far more importantly, sacks (Fitzpatrick has been sacked just twice in two games, whereas Edwards was sacked 19 times in a little over five games). Forget about their skills as a quarterback. If I know Dick Jauron, I'm looking at things like pocket presence, poise and decisiveness right now - because Fitzpatrick has displayed a crystal clear advantage in all three of those departments over the past two weeks, particularly in avoiding a solid Panthers pass rush and making a few really nice throws on Sunday.

Fitzpatrick is what he is. Don't expect him to get better. More efficient, possibly, but not better overall. He's got a bit of swagger, he's solid in the pocket, and he's got a pretty strong arm. He's not terribly accurate - he's only completing 44.7 percent of his passes this season, after all - and he doesn't put a lot of touch on his throws (Bills receivers dealt with a lot of high throws and balls glancing off their hands - Terrell Owens specifically - because Fitzpatrick decided to throw in howitzer mode). It's a mark of how much Edwards has regressed in basic areas that we can truthfully say that Fitzpatrick is our best chance at making the playoffs. It's obviously not ideal, but it is what it is.

The running game. It's pretty easy to get on Fitzpatrick for his bad stats over the past two weeks, but it's also more than fair to say that he's been steering a completely one-dimensional offense. Buffalo, which ran the ball very effectively early in the season - even while piling up defeats - hasn't been able to run the ball effectively at all in the past two weeks. The Bills ran for 53 yards on 29 carries against Carolina, whose run defense was down near the bottom of the league entering the contest. Fred Jackson has 54 yards on 20 carries in the past two weeks. Marshawn Lynch? 101 yards on 36 carries. Oh yeah - he also scored the Bills' first rushing TD on the season in this win.

Defenses aren't doing anything special to stop the run, either. The Bills are seeing more stacked boxes than perhaps they did earlier in the season, but they see their fair share of seven-man fronts, too, thanks to Owens and Lee Evans on the outside. The blocking isn't there, and the running backs haven't played up to their usual standards, either. If Alex Van Pelt can find some rhythm for his running game, Buffalo's offense might finally start clicking - and Fitzpatrick might actually complete more than half of his pass attempts.

Offensive tackles. It is plainly obvious that, aside from quarterback - yes, folks, Buffalo will be looking at quarterbacks next off-season, regardless of what happens this season - the Bills' biggest need offensively is a tackle. Demetrius Bell is OK. He played pretty well against the Panthers, and every week he looks a little more comfortable on the field. There's a chance that he sticks around, particularly if he continues to improve. Right tackle is another story altogether. Jamon Meredith, making his second professional start, was repeatedly viciously abused by Julius Peppers. Obviously, that wasn't unexpected, but half the time it looked like he was just letting Peppers pick him up off the ground to slow down his acceleration. He's got some athleticism, but he's decades away from being worthy of dressing regularly for NFL games. I never thought I'd be pining for the return of Jonathan Scott, but here I am, pining for the return of Jonathan Scott.

Terrell Owens. Part of me just wants to see a guy like Fitzpatrick or Lee Evans rip into this guy. Buffalo does what it can to get him involved early in games, and T.O. just lets the opportunities slip through his hands - literally. Nothing would help the Bills more in games such as the ones they've played over the past two weeks than grabbing an early lead. Owens has had chances to make plays early in ball games - whether to sustain drives or of bigger scale - and those opportunities have been blown. Not only would it be fun to see the bemused expression on Owens' face if Fitzpatrick lit him up on the sidelines (yes, I'm aware it'll never happen), but it might actually provoke Owens to act like he gives a crap on the football field.

John McCargo. I paid close attention to McCargo, who saw his first "extensive" playing time thanks to the knee injury that sidelined Kyle Williams early in this one. My verdict: McCargo is useful, but he's absolutely nothing more than average. He can stack and shed, he can penetrate, and he's tough against the run with a good motor, but he's just "a guy" - he'll never be a game-changer. He's exactly where he belongs - fourth in the rotation. Buffalo could use some additional beef in the middle of their D-Line rotation, and if that comes at the expense of McCargo next off-season, I'm OK with it.

Yet another linebacker shakeup. Most of you probably noticed this during the game or heard about it afterward, but Perry Fewell made yet another change at linebacker. Keith Ellison, who was the strong-side linebacker for the past two seasons, is now playing the weak-side role vacated by Kawika Mitchell. Ashlee Palmer, who got the nod for Mitchell after his season-ending knee injury, is out of the lineup. Chris Draft, a street free agent signing, is the new SAM linebacker. It didn't really help - the Bills still gave up 4.6 yards per rush to a Panthers team that inexplicably allowed Jake Delhomme to air it out 44 times - but Draft at least attacked the line of scrimmage and had a big hand in a key fourth-and-one stop in the second half. Did I mention the Bills need help at linebacker, too?

Jairus Byrd. There isn't really much more to say than what we've said on each of the past two Mondays, but I thought I'd offer this up: Byrd doesn't look like he ran a 4.67-second 40-yard dash in pre-draft workouts. Many questioned his athleticism coming out of college based on this single time, but it's pretty clear that Byrd is a fantastic athlete. He's really the ideal package at free safety - he's got terrific sideline-to-sideline range, he hits with solid leverage, and I don't think I need to tell you he's got great ball skills. I'm not sure he'll ever be a top-notch run defender, but at free safety, he really doesn't need to be. This guy is an absolute pleasure to watch - but wrap up that ball carrier, Jairus. He had an ugly missed tackle on DeAngelo Williams' fourth-quarter touchdown run.

Special Teams. Name a guy who plays special teams for the Bills, and I'll tell you that they had a great day on Sunday. Well, I take that back - name a guy who plays special teams and isn't a returner, and I'll tell you that he had a great day. Buffalo's return units continue to be pretty average, though Fred Jackson is still capable of making plays back there, with the scoot-up-the-sideline routine his go-to return.

The coverage units were back with full force on Sunday. Maybe the Panthers just aren't great on special teams - OK, the Panthers aren't great on special teams - but we saw big hit after big hit from the Bills on Sunday. John Wendling, Corey McIntyre, Ashlee Palmer, Jon Corto, Jonathan Stupar, Ashton Youboty - all of these and many others had big hits either on return men or on blockers. Rarely have I seen Bills special teams units be as physically dominant as they were on Sunday. Special teams will always be underrated by the masses, but the ability of Bobby April's units to physically manhandle the Panthers and flip field position was a huge factor in the Bills pulling out a win on the road.

Bills scrape out improbable road win over Jets

Brian Galliford — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:23:49 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

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No matter what your feelings about the 2009 Buffalo Bills - what your viewpoints of the future of the franchise are, or the coaching staff, or the quarterback, or anything else - it's still fun to see Rex Ryan's sad face.

Buffalo ended a three-game losing streak, as well as an eight-game losing streak in the AFC East, by scraping a 16-13 overtime win over Ryan's New York Jets in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

It's difficult to believe Buffalo pulled off a victory in this game when considering the fact that Trent Edwards left the game in the second quarter with a concussion, and the fact that the Jets ran for a whopping 318 yards. Helped out by five interceptions on Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez - who was several kinds of terrible on the day - Buffalo did enough to stay in it through three quarters. Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Lee Evans on a 37-yard scoring strike to tie the game in that stanza.

The Bills had an opportunity to win the game at the end of regulation, but some conservative play-calling on Buffalo's part left Rian Lindell with an impossible-to-make 46-yard field goal attempt into stiff winds at The Meadowlands - which the kicker pushed well to the right, sending the game to overtime. Lindell made up for it with 2:44 left in OT, knocking in a 47-yarder after essentially the same setup from Buffalo's offense - except this time, he had the wind, and the kick snuck through.

Buffalo may not have had the opportunity at Lindell's winning field goal had the Jets not mishandled a snap on a Jay Feely field goal attempt that never happened. The muffed attempt led to an ugly throw from holder Steve Weatherford, and the attempt was intercepted by reserve safety John Wendling for the Bills' sixth interception on the day.

We'll have more on the game tomorrow, including proper acknowledgement to rookie safety Jairus Byrd, who is quite the player, folks. That's decidedly not the way Buffalo drew it up. The run defense was putrid, and the offense, while improved overall, still was extremely underwhelming. But in the NFL, a win is a win - and this is not a poor opponent the Bills just beat. Savor it. It's not clear how many more we'll see this year. And no matter what, never, ever forget Rex Ryan's sad face.

Defining the Buffalo Bills' roster bubble players

Brian Galliford — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:00:24 -0000

For one last time, at least for another year or so, we're about to talk about the roster bubble. It's pretty difficult to define a roster bubble, particularly if you're nerdy enough - like yours truly - to project an NFL's 53-man roster obsessively until your thoughts are no longer relevant.

Heading into their pre-season finale, the Buffalo Bills (and more particularly, its coaching staff) very likely has their final 53 already selected. For fans, however, speculation rules the day this time of the year. This post is meant to do three things: define Buffalo's list of "bubble" players, force you to pay attention to those bubble players, and serve as one last spot for y'all to formulate your thoughts before tomorrow's "Buffalo Rumblings Roster Projection Contest" begins.

Staying with the team, but they don't count yet (2)
RB Marshawn Lynch (Reserve/Suspended) - Lynch probably won't play tonight, and he begins his three-game suspension on Saturday.
WR James Hardy (Physically Unable to Perform) - Right now, Hardy is on Active PUP, meaning that he counts against the active roster, and that he can be activated at any time. Active PUP ends when the pre-season ends. It's very likely the coaches will give Hardy an extra six weeks to get into football shape and all healed up by placing him on Reserve PUP.

With those two moves in mind, the Bills will have 72 active players. That list, obviously, needs to be whittled down to 53 - so 19 more must go.

Certain cuts (11)
Let's face it - if any of these eleven players make the roster, every single one of us will be floored.

QB Matt Baker, RB Bruce Hall, WR Felton Huggins, WR C.J. Hawthorne, TE Tyson DeVree, OT Nick Hennessey, C Christian Gaddis, DE Ataefiok Etukeren, DT Derrick Jones, DT Corey Mace, LB Ryan Manalac

That list puts us down to 61 players. We've now officially reached the bubble portion of our roster.

THE BUBBLE (15)
I've got 15 players listed as "on the bubble." All of these players have at least something going for them that could keep them on the roster through the weekend. By current math, eight of these players will make the final roster, while seven will try to latch on with other NFL teams.

RB Xavier Omon, FB Corey McIntyre, WR Justin Jenkins, TE Jonathan Stupar, OT Jonathan Scott, OG Brandon Rodd, DE Chris Ellis, DE Copeland Bryan, LB Marcus Buggs, LB Jon Corto, LB Alvin Bowen, LB Ashlee Palmer, CB Cary Harris, FS Ko Simpson, SS John Wendling

Picking eight of these names as keepers may seem easy, but it's made a bit more difficult by potential surprises. We've got four such scenarios below. For every scenario that comes to fruition below (and we're not saying any of them will), pick another name from the above list and toss it onto your final roster.

Surprise cuts/roster decisions (4)
TE Derek Fine - He's dealing with a hamstring issue, and to say the competition at tight end is heavy is an understatement. It wouldn't completely shock us to see him released, even after being a 2008 fourth-round draft pick.

OT Langston Walker - WGR 550 reporter Paul Hamilton is already on the record as saying Walker could be a surprise release. I'm not sure I buy that, particularly given Demetrius Bell's bad back, but Walker's apparent fall from grace seems legitimate. I can't fathom a scenario in which the Bills would be comfortable entering a season with three highly unproven tackles - but in the spirit of "it wouldn't shock me," we'll list Walker anyways.

DE Ryan Denney - The Bills, for the first time in what seems like forever, actually have some depth at the defensive end position. They've got three young ends - two listed on the bubble above - that have proven worthy of roster consideration. It's difficult to imagine the team cutting Denney, but it's not impossible. They could also dangle him in trade talks if they try, as some suspect they might, to swing a deal for veteran linebacker depth.

CB Ashton Youboty - Speaking of veterans that are candidates to be dangled in trade talks, meet Mr. Youboty. 25-year-old corners with some promise aren't exactly easy to come by, but the Bills have solid depth at corner without considering Youboty. (There's also a reason I listed Cary Harris as "on the bubble" above.) Buffalo obviously doesn't feel the need to actively try to trade Youboty, and he certainly won't be released. But if the right offer comes along - particularly if it involves that aforementioned veteran linebacker - the Bills might just pull the trigger.

***

That's it. That's about as ironclad as you can get on a pretty ambiguous topic. I'm off to Ralph Wilson Stadium to take in tonight's game; the open thread will air at 6:00 PM ET, and I'll have a recap up for y'all when I get back from the stadium. Enjoy yourselves this evening.

Young Bills playing for roster spots as Bills close pre-season

Brian Galliford — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:30:13 -0000

After a month of progressively worsening pre-season football, the Buffalo Bills will gladly bring their fall session of practice games to a close this evening when they take on the Detroit Lions in each team's pre-season finale. Though the team's starters aren't expected to see much time (if any), there is still plenty to monitor as roster cut-downs are looming.

There are several intriguing battles, players and situations to keep track of - not the least of which is the battle we polled y'all about this morning. Head on in past the jump for all of the end-of-pre-season goodness.

Will Edwards play?
QB Trent Edwards has been the opposite of the toast of the town over the past two weeks. There is some speculation out there that Edwards, who sports a 46.9 quarterback rating this pre-season, might sit the game out entirely. He didn't play in last year's pre-season finale (also against Detroit), but he was dealing with a minor injury at the time, and was held out as a precautionary measure.

Edwards certainly hasn't been given much help this pre-season. He's entered each game without a game plan, three of the games without WR Terrell Owens (who probably will not play tonight), and has been asked to perform without those assets and behind a work-in-progress offensive line. Those aren't excuses, but should we have expected something different? If Edwards doesn't play tonight, I'm sure folks will be angry. At least, at that point, they'll be piling on someone else. I think Edwards will play, if only for a series.

We'll miss you, Marshawn
This is the last time we'll see Marshawn Lynch until October 4 - if he plays, that is. Lynch, as you're well aware, will serve a three-game suspension to start the season. He will not be eligible to practice or work out a team facilities until the week prior to the Bills' early-October matchup in Miami, when he'll make his (hopefully triumphant) return to the lineup. Keep your head down and your nose clean, Marshawn.

Final auditions for bubble players
Several veterans and youngsters, as you well know, are currently battling for roster spots. Here are a few key veterans who need solid performances to make sure that they remain Bills through the weekend.

TE Jonathan Stupar - Was the NFL's pre-season receiving leader through three games, but got completely blanked when he was bumped up the depth chart in Pittsburgh. Derek Fine probably won't play tonight, and Derek Schouman will see limited action, so Stupar gets another chance to make an impression. Another shutout obviously won't help his cause.

OT Jonathan Scott - Given Demetrius Bell's back injury, the possibility exists for the Bills to keep nine offensive linemen, at least to start the season. Scott has struggled of late, as has Brandon Rodd, another contender for the ninth lineman spot (if, again, it exists).

DE Chris Ellis - Just one of a handful of defensive ends with a lot to gain or lose tonight. (I could technically put Ryan Denney on this list, but the chances of him going anywhere are quite slim.) Ellis has had a surprisingly productive pre-season, which has likely saved his once-tenuous hold on a roster spot after a slow start to training camp. Still, given the flux at other positions, it's tough to call Ellis a lock.

DE Copeland Bryan - You have to feel for Bryan a little. He's clearly sixth on the DE list in terms of priority (i.e. he was neither drafted nor re-signed by this team), plus he's dealt with a nagging hamstring injury throughout the pre-season. Yet despite a very strong pre-season effort that includes two sacks and two forced fumbles, he might not even make the team.

Pretty much every reserve linebacker - The three starters aren't going anywhere. Neither is rookie fifth-round pick Nic Harris, who has been inconsistent but productive in the pre-season. That leaves two (with a small possibility for three) spots open for two of Marcus Buggs, Ryan Manalac, Alvin Bowen, Ashlee Palmer and Jon Corto to claim. With the exception of Manalac, this one is very close, and quite difficult to call. Obviously, a strong performance from any of these players could ultimately sway the coaching staff's decision in their favor.

CB Ashton Youboty - There isn't any realistic scenario that could play out this weekend in which Youboty gets cut. I'm not making any promises on the trade front, however - if the Bills don't like their depth at linebacker and want to swing a trade for a vet, Youboty is the player the team would most likely dangle. The chances are strong that Youboty will be on the field in New England (for the Bills) on September 14, but it's not a lock.

SS John Wendling - I won't even list Ko Simpson here, because I think it's close to a virtual certainty that his days in Buffalo are numbered. (Barring injury, of course. Knock on wood, everyone.) Wendling, however, is a different scenario altogether - he's been a centerpiece of Bobby April's special teams units for two years, but he's not a lock to make it this year, particularly considering the team's excellent depth at cornerback, defensive end and wide receiver.

Also, one last note - dig your thinking caps out of whatever crevasse you've left them in, because we've got a contest running from tomorrow (Friday) morning through roster cut-downs. Bet you can't guess what the contest entails; there will be a prize, however, so stay tuned.

Seven Bills in need of strong pre-season finishes

Brian Galliford — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:00:24 -0000

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The Buffalo Bills will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday evening in their fourth pre-season game of the year. That contest will be the last time that the Bills' current 80-man roster plays together in a live setting; next week, NFL teams are required to begin trimming their rosters down to the 53-man limit. Rosters must be trimmed to 75 on Tuesday of next week, and all the way down to 53 next Saturday.

Needless to say, several players have a lot to prove over the next week or so - even those who aren't necessarily on the roster bubble. We've got seven such names for y'all to ponder.

DE Aaron Maybin. Yeah, we know - he's obviously not going anywhere. But Maybin will be making his pre-season debut on Saturday - yes, it's official, barring a practice injury over the next couple of days - and how he looks will factor into final roster decisions. If he looks like a first-round pick should - talented and ready to make an impact - the Bills might be willing to shed a veteran at his position. If Maybin looks ill-prepared to make an impact as a rookie, the mindset changes in finalizing the roster.

(On a side note, I shudder to think what this blog, other Bills discussion locales, and my e-mail inbox would look like if Maybin struggles on Saturday. Please don't suck, kid.)

DE Copeland Bryan. His fate is tied in part to Maybin's, as outlined above, but Bryan has done his fair share of proving to this point in the pre-season. In each of the past two games, he has recorded a sack and a forced fumble. If he keeps up his impressive play, he'll make Buffalo's decisions at defensive end much more difficult, regardless of how Maybin performs. Then again, despite his impressive play, Bryan is still decidedly sixth on the depth chart, even if he's taking practice reps ahead of 2008 third-round pick Chris Ellis.

CB Ashton Youboty. After sitting out the Hall of Fame Game with a groin injury, Youboty has turned in solid (if unspectacular) performances over the past two weeks. The performances have not been enough to quell speculation that Youboty might be on his way out of Buffalo, however. With nickel corner Drayton Florence still shelved with a knee sprain, Youboty's roster spot seems assured if Florence's health is still iffy in the days leading up to the final cut-down. That injury, however, does not guarantee him playing time.

TE Derek Fine. Let's face it - all the skepticism in the world in regards to the quality of second- and third-team opposition doesn't take away from the fact that TE Jonathan Stupar is the team's leading receiver this pre-season (15 receptions, 155 yards, TD). Fine, meanwhile, has been merely passable, flashing his occasionally excellent run blocking and his abilities as a short-area receiver. If Buffalo's coaches decide to take the best players, an argument could be made that Stupar edges out Fine.

Fine will likely miss the Steelers game with a hamstring injury - so the door is now wide open for Stupar, as the third tight end this weekend, to steal a roster spot. A lackluster pre-season finale could end Fine's Bills career before it really gets started. We're not saying it's likely. We're just saying it's possible.

LB Pat Thomas. The veteran linebacker returned to practice this week after missing two-plus weeks of games and practices with an ankle injury. Buffalo's depth at linebacker is highly unsettled, and nobody outside of rookie Nic Harris is a lock to make the roster. Thomas has an advantage because of his NFL experience, but his roster spot will need to be earned as the pre-season wraps up.

SS John Wendling. How many defensive backs can the Bills keep? 6 corners and 4 safeties? How about 5 corners and 5 safeties? 6 corners and 5 safeties seems like a stretch, but it might be the only way a guy like Wendling can crack the roster, despite his being in Bobby April's good graces as a core special teams player. A few big hits and/or plays defensively could help Wendling's case.

WR Justin Jenkins. No single player is in a more unique position on the team. Will the team find a trade partner and adequate compensation for Roscoe Parrish? How soon will James Hardy be able to take the field? Exactly how concerned should we be about Terrell Owens' toe injury? If any one of these players isn't available, Jenkins probably makes the roster. Then again, if all three of them can take the field, Jenkins is a goner. His fate is tied almost totally to what happens with other players, despite the fact that he's a dependable special teams player and a reliable pre-season receiver. If he makes some plays in the final two pre-season games, the Bills might pick up the pace with some players (Parrish) and decide to wait on others (Hardy) - Jenkins has some cards left in his hand to play.

Any other players you'd add to the list, Rumblers?

Eight Bills position battles that will dictate roster decisions

Brian Galliford — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:15:08 -0000

In the spirit of the topic of the day - roster projections - I thought it might be a useful little exercise to break down some of the more ferocious battles going on at the moment for Buffalo Bills roster spots. Obviously, with the initial roster cut-downs taking place a week from today, the intensity in some of these battles should be cranked up to another level.

This is only my opinion, but I believe that there are eight battles taking place right now in the eyes of the coaching staff that could have large ramifications on how the final roster ultimately takes shape. My views on those eight battles appear after the jump.

Ryan Denney vs. Chris Ellis vs. Copeland Bryan
May the best two men make the roster!
- I know that the idea of the Bills keeping six defensive ends has swept Bills nation and captured the imaginations of the masses, but I sincerely doubt that the coaching staff would be willing to sacrifice a player at another position for depth at the position that might not dress on Sundays. The good news is that the play has been solid enough to this point in the pre-season that the likelihood of the team keeping five ends is high. Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay and Aaron Maybin aren't going anywhere. That means that two of the three players listed above could stay. The smart money says Denney and Ellis will stay, but don't sleep on Bryan - the coaches really like him. If Ellis and Bryan continue to impress the way they have in the past two pre-season games, the coaches could get gutsy and take the youth route at a position that needs it.

Projected winners: Denney, Ellis

Derek Fine vs. Jonathan Stupar
May the best man make the roster!
- It might surprise you to see Fine's name in any sort of competition not involving the starting tight end role after the hype this off-season. Derek Schouman is a near-lock to start, and rookie Shawn Nelson will see playing time in specific offensive packages to make use of his athleticism and length. Meanwhile, Jonathan Stupar is the team's leading receiver in the pre-season with 15 grabs for 155 yards and a touchdown. Fine has been solid enough, but nowhere near as impressive as Stupar. Is it possible that Stupar could supplant the 2008 fourth-round pick on the roster? Again, the smart money says no, but you shouldn't scoff at the notion. Stupar has been that impressive.

Projected winner: Fine

Ashton Youboty vs. Ellis Lankster
May the best man... well, this one's tricky!
- Unlike the first two battles outlined above, this one isn't so black-and-white. The simplest way to put it is this: Ellis Lankster is a lock to make this team. He will not be cut. Case closed. Where the wrinkle comes in is if the coaches feel that he can adequately be bumped ahead of Youboty on the depth chart. With the top four corners pretty much set in stone at this point, Youboty and Lankster are duking it out for the fifth corner role. If Lankster is perceived as ahead of Youboty on cut-down day, Youboty could be released or traded. The coaches aren't thrilled with his injury history, which, despite his solid play when healthy, makes him a liability on the roster. Smart money says both will make the team, but if the Bills want numbers at another position, Youboty could get the axe. It all depends on how close Youboty and Lankster compare in the coaches' eyes.

Projected order of finish: Youboty, then Lankster. Six corners seems likely at this point.

Pat Thomas vs. Marcus Buggs
May the best man make the roster!
- Paul Posluszny needs a backup, and unfortunately, it's not going to be John DiGiorgio, who'll spend a second straight season on IR. Thomas and Buggs spent much of training camp flip-flopping Mike roles with the second and third defensive units. Though Thomas has been considered the slight leader in this race all along thanks to his NFL experience, he's currently dealing with an ankle injury. That ankle injury was once considered minor - yet it's kept him out of two weeks' worth of practices and pre-season games. Perhaps that ankle injury isn't as minor as once thought. Meanwhile, Buggs hasn't been spectacular, but he's a good athlete and can help on special teams. Please stay healthy, Poz.

Projected winner: Buggs

Alvin Bowen vs. Jon Corto vs. Ashlee Palmer
May the best man make the roster!
- Just like at middle linebacker, Kawika Mitchell and Keith Ellison need backups. The good news is that rookie fifth-round pick Nic Harris has cemented himself as Ellison's chief understudy. That leaves one spot open - working under the very likely assumption that the Bills will open the season with six linebackers on the active roster, as they did in 2008 - for one of these three young outside linebackers. Palmer is a ghost participant here - he was very impressive early in camp, but an ankle injury has caused him to miss two pre-season games, and could keep him out for the foreseeable future. He seems destined for the practice squad. Meanwhile, Bowen and Corto are essentially the same player - undersized, speedy athletes that will see most of their time on special teams. I'll tell you this: the coaches like Bowen, but they love Corto.

Projected winner: Corto

Ko Simpson vs. George Wilson
May the best man make the roster!
- At a bare minimum, the Bills will keep four safeties. Donte Whitner, Bryan Scott and Jairus Byrd are locks to make the roster. Simpson and Wilson are currently duking it out for the final spot. Neither has been particularly impressive in coverage, but Wilson has looked a bit better in run support. The deciding factor here may be the fact that Wilson was a special teams captain in 2008, while Simpson... was not. Meanwhile, John Wendling will have to wait to see what happens at other critical positions before finding out if he'll make the team as a pretend safety and a full-time special teams ace.

Projected winner: Wilson

Xavier Omon vs. Corey McIntyre
May the best man moonlight on the roster for a month!
- I know, right? This battle is keeping you up at nights, so epic is the role to be won and the contestants for the job. Long story short, the Bills will need an emergency third running back to start the season while Marshawn Lynch serves his three-game suspension. Both Omon and McIntyre have seen extensive special teams action, and both have gotten their fair share of touches at running back. McIntyre has been serviceable, but Omon has made plays. Still, this competition is not over.

Projected winner: Omon

Jonathan Scott vs. Brandon Rodd
May the best man hope that 9 offensive linemen are needed!
- It's not a lock that the Bills will keep nine offensive linemen, and as it sits right now, the top eight is very much set in stone. Then again, the line has been incredibly inconsistent this pre-season, and a few players have had issues with minor back injuries. It's possible the coaches might want to keep a ninth lineman around simply to have the player on the practice field and still familiar with the system in the event more depth is needed. If that's the case, one of these players would stick.

Projected winner: Scott, if and only if a ninth lineman is needed

2009 Bills Training Camp is officially in the books

MattRichWarren — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:45:09 -0000

This morning was the final day of 2009 Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford. I was in attendance today - as I was for a dozen practices this year - as the moving vans arrived and the team headed back to Orchard Park for the remainder of the pre-season. Due to the copious amounts of rain yesterday, my phone was not operational for Twitter updates this morning, so I am going to change up and give you a timeline of the typical practice after the jump with my notes from today.

I arrived early thanks to a friend who attends SJF. She gave me her parking pass and I rolled into the parking lot instead of taking the blasted shuttles. That was pretty sweet.

9:30 - 9:40 Special Teams - Punt Team
Bobby April led the punt team through some work on blocking, then on getting off their blocks; meanwhile, the gunners worked at the other end of the field. As has been a continuous trend, Ryan Neill got all first team work with Garrison Sanborn squarely behind him. Working at gunner (in no particular order) were Justin Jenkins, Reggie Corner, Ashton Youboty, Felton Huggins, Jairus Byrd, Shaine Smith, Lydell Sargeant, John Wendling, and Ko Simpson. Easily the most vocal player during this work was Marcus Stroud, standing on the sideline.

9:40 - 9:49 Walk Through vs. Scout Teams
The first team offense was without Terrell Owens again today; Owens has been officially ruled out of Saturday's pre-season contest in Green Bay. Josh Reed took his reps on the outside. Bryan Scott continued to practice following his injury and alternated moving up in the box with Donte Whitner during the exercise.

9:49 - 9:55 Warm up and Stretch
Easily the most boring thing to watch in practice, it's also the best to see who is participating. QB Matt Baker was stretching, but didn't throw a pass all day, instead standing and watching in a ball cap. WR James Hardy joined Owens in the training room, and defensive tackles Corey Mace and Marcus Smith watched from the sidelines. TE Shawn Nelson was late arriving on the field, but eventually joined the team during team work. Everyone else was participating fully.

9:55 - 10:11 Position Work
At this point in the practice, the team broke up into their position groups: DL, LB, DB, OL, TE, WR, RB, QB and ST (kickers, punters and long snappers). Without pads on, the OL and DL were working on footwork and hand techniques on opposite ends of the field. The RB and QB groups started together working on hand-offs before the RB group went to work on footwork and cuts. LBs were working on gap assignments, and DBs were focusing on backpedaling and ball skills. TEs were focusing on blocking and when to move off onto the blitzing linebacker. The WRs were catching passes after breaking off routes, but the most interesting part was that a coach was smacking them with a pad when the ball was in the air. Essentially the guys had to keep their focus even though they were being hit as the ball arrived. Then the WRs and QBs got together and worked on pass routes before the TEs and RBs were mixed in as well.

10:11 - 10:19 7on 7, OL vs. DL
While the offensive and defensive linemen did some one on one work, the first team offense and defense worked in the passing shell. It was around this time that people were figuring out that T.O. was just not going to show up. Many were sad. It would have been nice for him to at least come out and wave or something. Skill players with the first team offense were Lee Evans, Derek Fine, Josh Reed (in for Owens) and Shawn Nelson in the slot. He moved in tight on a couple plays as well before Roscoe Parrish replaced him. Roscoe and Nelson's reps were split pretty evenly as the "third WR" option. Good to see the big guy getting some first team reps. As an aside, it's pretty clear that Derek Schouman and Derek Fine are 1A and 1B and will rotate with Nelson. We officially have a three-headed monster at TE.

Trent Edwards was hitting guys in stride today and not one throw hit the ground during position work or 7 on 7. He was working the ball down the field, hitting Evans and Reed for gains on 15-20 yards. Ryan Fitzpatrick also looked good, completing good passes before throwing a 30+ yard bomb to Justin Jenkins. It was a gorgeous arching pass right over the top of the defender. Even Gibran Hamdan got in on the act, threading the ball between two defenders for a 25-yard pickup to C.J. Hawthorne.

10:19 - 10:31 Special Teams - Kick Return
Bobby April had the front six on one side of the field and his back five on the other. The starters for the front line were George WIlson, Jon Corto, John Wendling, Marcus Buggs and Justin Jenkins (L to R facing the kicker), with Shawn Nelson about ten yards behind Wendling. They were working on picking up their guys based on what the kick team does. The wedge (April used the term) portion was Leodis McKelvin returning with Xavier Omon five yards in front of him, and Spencer Johnson five yards in front of Omon. The Dereks were about five yards further up splitting the field in thirds. When the ball was kicked deep, the Dereks stood about three yards apart and Johnson came between them about two yards back. They also worked on short kicks and getting communication down so they know who is going to catch it.

10:32 - 10:38 11 on 11
The first full-team work of the day again highlighted the offense as they continued to practice without pads. James Hardy made his way onto the field prior to the team work, walking out and talking with teammates. Bryan Scott had a simulated stop in the backfield on a Roscoe reverse, the second of those I witnessed today. Jairus Byrd had a nice pass breakup on a Gibran Hamdan throw working with the third team. Answering some questions, the second team center was Brandon Rodd and Seth McKinney, running second team guard, slid over to the pivot with the third team. Watching more position battles, Chris Ellis is clearly getting more reps than Copeland Bryan, who ran third team today. Ellis has been seeing second team reps while Aaron Maybin continues his holdout.

10:38 - 10:54 Walk Through vs. Coaches
A staple of the end of practice is a walk through against a team of coaches simulating a defense. It's not interesting to watch, but the fans were getting anxious and began chanting. At one point between plays, Eric Wood and Langston Walker raised their arms in the air exhorting the chants to continue and get louder. The first team offense was working against the coaches, but on the other side of the field, it was the second and third team defense getting the reps against the ghost team.

10:54 - 10:58 Stretching and Team Huddle

10:59 Position Meetings and Break
DB, OL, LB, and TE met with their position coaches briefly while the rest of the team made their way towards the locker room for the final time this year. After practice, Fitzpatrick signed autographs and Walker and Butler threw their gloves into the stands.

***

Best Development of the Day
Only one Trent Edwards pass hit the ground all day. It was a yard overthrown to Lee Evans on the sideline about 18 yards off the line of scrimmage.

Worst Development of the Day
The moving vans were moving stuff from the sidelines and locker room during the entire practice. I still have at least one camp story to tell and you should see that later this week, but for now, the only time we'll see the Bills is when they play the Packers this weekend.