SB Nation - Sabby Piscitelli

The 5 Things the Bucs need for a happy 2010

Niko Houllis — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:50:52 -0000

What the Bucs need to do to have a better 2010...

In no particular order, here are five things the Bucs need to do to insure a happy Buccaneers 2010 season; with an extra point after the jump.

Continue to show improvement in play- The Bucs have been blown out by double digits in 5 of the first 7 games. In the last four? The Bucs lost one big, but won one, and lost the other two by a combined 5 points!.... in the last minute of each game! Josh Freeman is outplaying the other two big named rookie quarterbacks, as Josh is now 69 out of 125 (55.2%) for 793 yards 7 TDs and 5 Ints. His 76.5 QB Rating is higher than the 62.4 for Stafford or 62.1 for Sanchez. Both of those QBs have thrown for less completion %, and have a higher interception rate too.
Maintain continuity- Many fans want to see Bill Cowher coach this Bucs team. Yet Cowher's success comes from his ownership giving him 15 plus years to run the team, and not let him go at the first sign of a poor record or poor showings. The Quick Pull that fans want to do with Raheem is exactly the thing that would have ruined Cowher. Redskins QB Campbell is a fine example of what happens to a QB who gets a new Coordinator each year. Closer to home Bucs Shawn King had a new coordinator each year, Shula in '99, Les Steckle, Clyde Christianson, Jon Gruden was no. 4 in 4 years. Keep Raheem Morris, Greg Olsen, and remove the Bates defensive coaches so everyone is on the same page. We are seeing this improvement we have been looking for all year. If it continues, this offseason isnt the time to do it.s
Import more defensive talent, starting with the Defensive Line- Now that its obvious the Bucs return to the Tampa Two is a little more long term, the restocking of the Bucs defense is now on a lesser scale. Before the season is over, the defensive coaches need to assess if anyone on the roster is capable of taking over the undertackle 3 technique. If not, then this is a critical position on the roster that must be addressed in the NFL Draft, and Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh is a popular choice for that particular need. The secondary will need some attention too, as Ronde Barber is not getting younger, and Sabby Piscitelli needs to be assessed if he is the man to take the free safety position for the Bucs.
Punting is fundamental- Its not FUN though for Bucs fans, watching Dirk Johnson punt that is. The Bucs 'for real' punter Josh Bidwell's condition must be assertained to determine if his season ending injury is going to hamper his efforts in 2010. The last thing a struggling defense needs is a poor punter. Connor Barth seems to be the real deal in the place kicking department. When he misses, he misses by feet, not stadiums. Matt Bryant was similar.
Find a franchise running back- Take a moment to get your breath back after reading this one...and tell everyone which of the three running backs is a real, bonafide franchise back, that can be relied upon in a pinch. Cadillac? Love the whole story, its a great one, but he is 90% of what he was. A franchise back can break a 45 yard TD. Which one of our Backs do you see doing that? Derrick Ward has been a disapointment, but will be given another chance next year. Earnest Graham may be the real deal, but we need an LT, a Bettis, an........Alstott, to go with our Freeman.

OK OK, Extra Point- It may not sound popular. But number 5 + 1; Re-sign Antonio Bryant- Forget the injury. They happen. Its not a career bug, but it was bad enough that it affected most of he season. Not really his fault. What did he do with it? Did he cause a disruption in the lockeroom? Wasnt that the worry after all about AB? Not that he could do the job, but that he wouldnt turn into a head case. Two seasons now, and the worse we have is Bryant saying throw the ball more please. Tell me he is wrong first before you let him go, because you can bet there will be a line at the Free Agency window if he is not given a long term contract. Also...start Sammy Stroughter and Maurice Stovall so 1) Sammy can show he is a serious #2 guy, or 3) Stovall can finally show us he is more than a special team star.

Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations

Ted Bartlett — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:30:14 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

2 months ago: Denver Broncos' Knowshon Moreno, top, leaps over Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Browse more photos »

Happy Tuesday, friends and welcome to another edition of Shallow Thoughts & Nearsighted Observations, where we're always aiming to deliver the best thing since Starks in Clark's Wallabees. It's a feel-good Tuesday, right? Our Broncos are 3-0, but it's a much more legitimate-feeling 3-0 than last season's version. The respect is still slow in coming, but it's coming bit by bit.

The most important thing I've witnessed happening is a growing confidence and self-respect among our fan base. MHR is mostly known as a positive-thinking community, so maybe a lot of us were on the feel-good train earlier than others, but I can feel it really starting to take hold. Contrast that to Cleveland (where most are aware that I reside). The feeling around here is just awful, and we can all be glad not to be feeling that way. It's on to the Cowboys game, but first let's do this thing here. Ready.... BEGIN!!!!

1. I was browsing through my Facebook news feed on Sunday night, and I saw this gem from NYCBroncosFan (Later posted on MHR by John Bena):

"Denver rookie head coach Josh McDaniels doesn't have a grasp on how to build a team." - John Clayton, April 23rd, 2009

Doesn't have a grasp, huh? That's a really, embarrassingly arrogant comment, because if you're commenting on other people's "grasps," it necessarily follows that you fancy yourself an expert, who is far beyond mere grasping of the operative subject. I spent some time excoriating Clayton last week, but since that's like stealing a candy bar from a developmentally challenged baby chinchilla, I have no interest in continuing with that tack this week. At some point, the referee calls the fight, and I'll take a bloody win by TKO. It's his blood, and not mine, after all.

What I want to talk about in this prime ST&NO real estate today is the idea of team building. For one thing, what in the world would John Clayton know about building a football team, any damn way?

OK... sorry about that. I guess I need to work on impulse control. Let me start again. New paragraph.

Deep breath. And another. OK, beginning again, in a more measured tone, I didn't tweet a whole lot on Sunday (@TedBartlett905) because I spent a lot of the game on the phone with my brother Chris, a Los Angeles-based fellow Broncos fan. He's a smart guy (it runs in part of the family), and we were talking about team building. His fanhood of Correll Buckhalter continues to grow, and he said that his impression was that Buckhalter was a winning player, and that he never perceived him that way in his Philadelphia days.

Some discussion ensued, and he said one of his classic, succinct "Chris things" that he bestows upon the world sometimes.

"Building a team isn't about getting the best players, it's about getting the right players." Chris Bartlett, September 27, 2009

Riddle me this, friends. Who is the worst player on the 2009 Broncos? That's a tough question to answer, because whoever it is, he is a pretty good football player. As far as I am concerned, this team has zero bad players on it. Now think back to last year. It was a horror show of bad players on defense, right? There were at least 5 starting by the end of the year, and another starting at RB, after all the injuries. Think how many of these players are out of the NFL now, who didn't even get a sniff of a training camp this year. Nearly all of them.

CBS showed a graphic of the sources of player acquisition for the Broncos' 53-man roster.

2009 Free Agency	17	32.08%
2009 Trade	3	5.66%
2009 Draft	9	16.98%
2009 College Free Agent	1	1.89%
Holdovers	23	43.40%

Total	53	100.00%

That is an astounding amount of turnover, but it represented the importation of the right players, if not necessarily the best players. Instead of Channing Crowder, we got the much cheaper Andra Davis, who has been great for the Broncos through 3 games. Instead of Albert Haynesworth or Chris Canty, we got the very cost-effective Ronald Fields, who has also been outstanding. Derrick Ward? How about Buckhalter instead? Only two somewhat highly-priced players were brought in via Free Agency; Brian Dawkins (5 years, $17 Million) and Andre' Goodman (5 years, $20.4 Million), and both of them have been worth their weight in gold. (To get all finance-nerd on you, Dawkins weighs 210 pounds, which is 3,062.5 Troy Ounces. Gold traded at 990.42 USD per Troy Ounce on Monday night, so I just valued Dawkins at $3,033,161.25, which is pretty close to the average annual value of his contract of $3.4 million. Funny how that worked out.) :)

When you know exactly what you want to do on the football field, and you know exactly how you want to do it, you can go out and decisively get the right players to do those things in those ways. Of course, your ability to project the fit of the new players, and evaluate their talent is key. For my money, every single player whom the new Broncos staff signed, drafted, and traded for has performed EXACTLY as expected, if not better. The only bust was J.J. Arrington, who didn't recover well from an injury and cost $100,000 (and nobody was counting on him too much, anyway). It was $100,000 well spent, because a healthy Arrington would be a contributor on this team, and they weren't expecting him to necessarily be healthy anyway.

There is no glaring weakness on this whole football team. That's a lofty statement, but I think it is a true one. The Broncos can run and throw, from big or small personnel groupings. They can stop the run and the pass, and be effective blitzing both and dropping, in base personnel or sub packages. The special teams have been excellent, through 3 games, even if I am a little reluctant to call that a sure thing yet. How many teams can say all of that? I can't really think of any, beyond the Giants and the Ravens. Maybe the Broncos' strengths aren't as strong as some other teams', but their weaknesses are mostly less weak. You'd better bring your "A" game when you play this team, because they're going to compete with you.

The 2009 Denver Broncos are a good football team, and they can compete with anybody in the NFL. This fact becomes clearer all the time, which is to say that most people still aren't hip to it, yet. They'll get there, though, eventually. Thinking ahead to 2010, anybody the Broncos bring in will be to upgrade a position of some strength. To me, that is a textbook way to build a team. As for John Clayton, I wonder when Josh McDaniels gets his apology, for the mean-spirited, myopic, and idiotic comment of April 23rd. I am betting on never.

2. Information From My Eyes - Denver at Oakland Edition:

a. I was just saying how the Broncos don't have any particular glaring weaknesses. An area where they can (and need to) perform better is in short-yardage running. I thought Russ Hochstein looked pretty bad as the goal-line FB for 3 straight plays; I want to see Spencer Larsen back filling that role if Peyton Hillis is going to be the ball carrier. I actually think that Knowshon Moreno could be the better option, though. He runs with quickness and violence, and I think he can be really effective down at the goal line.

b. Jabar Gaffney was a fantastic acquisition, and he continues to make key plays for the Broncos. He would be the number one guy for the Raiders if he'd signed there, and the Crypt Keeper wasn't setting the depth chart. I am glad he signed in Denver and that he plays a great deal for the Broncos.

c. Renaldo Hill has been such an unsung guy throughout his career, but he's a really good player. He is always in the right position, and plays the game with awareness and intelligence.

d. Does anybody realize the the Broncos' defense is now number 1 in the NFL in both yards and points per game?

e. I'll talk more about Ryan Clady in the Between The Lines segment, but he tied an NFL record Sunday by posting his 19th consecutive game from the start of his NFL career without allowing a full sack. The player he tied is Ryan Young, a forgotten former Jet, who began his career in 1999. It says here that next week, Mr. Clady will dominate DeMarcus Ware, as he did in the 2008 Preseason, and he'll hold the record alone.

f. I'd like to see Eddie Royal get the ball more on offense, and I am sure I am not alone in that camp. It just seems to me that the Broncos were sure they could run the ball at will against Cleveland and Oakland, and decided to follow that plan without a lot of deviation. When you get substantial leads, passing seems more risky than what you want in the second halves of games.

g. I didn't think RIch Gannon was particularly critical of the Raiders Sunday, and I wonder if John Herrerra's ~~clownish~~ typical ploy worked, by chastening Gannon's commentary about his former team. It's pretty ridiculous that the Raiders are so allergic to criticism, and the better way to avoid it is to lose the Commitment To Sucking.

h. I usually get things right, and I still think JaMarcus Russell can salvage his career and be a good QB. I have to say, though, that ever since I said that he looked good in Week 3 of the preseason, he has played terribly. He clearly isn't playing with much confidence right now, and it is incumbent on the Raiders' staff to set him up for success by asking him to do things he is comfortable doing. My understanding is that they're messing with Russell's mechanics a lot in practice, and while he definitely needs refinement, the regular season is no time for overhauls.

i. Could Darrius Heyward-Bey possibly look more clueless on the field? That guy is a project, because he doesn't know how to run routes, and he's inconsistent catching the ball. Louis Murphy is better than him now, and probably always will be. Of course, Murphy didn't have too great a game Sunday, either.

j. Nice job of holding by Brett Kern, as two Lonie Paxton snaps weren't too great. Matt Prater did his job Sunday, which should keep his critics temporarily at bay.

k. Has anybody else noticed that the Broncos' captains aren't wearing the "C" patches? I was under the impression that doing so was a Roger Goodell mandate. Does anybody know more than me about this?

l. I also noticed (last week) that the Broncos' name wasn't painted in the end zones at Mile High, and all there were were the diagonal stripes. I didn't really care for the look, and I wonder what the rationale for it is.

3. Information From My Eyes - Other Games Edition:

a. The Patriots sure have been struggling in goal-to-go situations the last couple weeks. I think if I had Randy Moss, I'd definitely be looking to hit some fade routes on teams down there. Part of the problem is definitely that their line isn't getting the same push as in past seasons

b. Brian Williams was released by the Jaguars, but still looks pretty useful to me. He broke up a deep ball to Randy Moss that would have been a sure TD, and generally looked to me like a solid player. For the Patriots, they were in on the Jaguars Retreads Act too, with Fred Taylor looking very good, and getting over 100 yards and a TD. Taylor is a formerly great player, who has declined to being merely a good one, but he was a classic Patriots bargain acquisition.

c. Ryan Mouton for the Titans may be playing himself out of a job, and he personally cost his team the game against the Jets (with help from Kerry Collns). Mouton hasn't shown much positive in the return game, and has shown trouble holding on to the football.

d. As for Collins, he was in a no-win situation, but he needed to play better. Sunday's game was a classic case of the game getting away from the better all-around team early on, and causing them to play from behind, to their operational detriment. Collins is not built to play like that, and he responded accordingly.

e. I haven't seen a lot of the Redskins this season, so I watched a bit of the Detroit-Washington game Sunday. The Skins are getting atrocious play from their offensive line, and are another team that should have taken Michael Oher. Jim Zorn has faced a lot of criticism for his scoring area play-calling, but the fact is, if the line doesn't block anybody, Clinton Portis can't pound the ball in.

f. The Lions are on the right track, and it's clear how much better coached they are than they have been - maybe ever in my lifetime. Matthew Stafford, Kevin Smith, and Calvin Johnson are an outstanding trio on offense, and Brandon Pettigrew is another nice weapon. The Lions need more talent to be a real contender, but they will steal a few more wins this season, like they did on Sunday, and add to their talent base in the next offseason. They'll grow up with Stafford, and finally be a legitimate team.

g. Tampa Bay is a terrible team right now, especially on defense. Tim Crowder is playing significant snaps for them, which speaks to their relative talent level, when he was the odd man out in Denver. Even a good play, like Sabby Piscitelli's tackle for a loss on Brandon Jacobs to force a FG rather than a TD is wasted, because the Bucs can't put together any kind of consistent performance in the other phases of the game.

h. Percy Harvin is a dangerous, dangerous player. He never returned kickoffs at Florida, because the best kick returner in America, Brandon James, was there, too. Harvin took one back 101 yards in the third quarter Sunday, and looked like he was born to do it. He has now scored in every game this season, and could challenge Mark Sanchez to be Offensive Rookie of the Year, if he keeps it up.

i. The 49ers got their own huge special teams play, when Ray McDonald blocked a FG attempt and Nate Clements took it back 59 yards for a TD as the first half ended. Both of those special teams plays felt like huge momentum shifts, and neither particularly ended up affecting the final score, thanks to Brett Favre's heroics.

j. A young defensive player I like a lot is Thomas DeCoud, a Safety for the Falcons. He was a third-round pick last season, and he showed very well against the Patriots on Sunday, especially in breaking up a well-thrown Tom Brady-to-Randy Moss deep ball.

k. The Cincinnati Bengals look real to me, as real as Carson Palmer can make them. The big surprise to me is how well their offensive line is playing, even without top draft pick Andre Smith. Andrew Whitworth is better than I thought he was, and he's doing pretty well at Left Tackle, even if James Harrison did get him once for a sack on Sunday. When Smith gets healthy, he'll step right in at RT, and they'll be even better, because he can blow guys off the ball.

l. For more Bengals fun, the winning Touchdown was caught by another ST&NO Favorite, Andre Caldwell, who is turning into a nice WR. He was a great player throughout his career at Florida, his brother Reche played in the NFL, and you have to love a WR whose nickname is Bubba. He is part of a really good group, along with Chad Ochocinco, Chris Henry, and Laveranues Coles (yet another ST&NO Favorite), and he makes the Bengals that much harder to defend, especially when you remember to worry about the highly underrated Cedric Benson. If I were the Bengals' offensive coordinator, I'd be going 4 wide with Benson all game long, and making teams try to stop me from running with their sub packages. The Bengals' coaching budget is too light to have that much creativity, though. It costs money, after all.

m. The Steelers defense really misses Troy Polamalu from a scheme perspective, because his presence allows them to do a lot of the exotic blitz packages they normally do. Polamalu is one of the very fastest players in the NFL in pads, and can consistently show blitz, and get to deep center field from there at the snap.

n. I think the Cardinals lost the Sunday Night Game on one play, when Tim Hightower fumbled inside the Colts' 5-yard line in the second quarter. If they scored, they'd have taken a 10-0 lead, and instead, the Colts just took off after that play. I question the mental toughness of the Cardinals team, and especially Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who seems like he doesn't want me to be right in praising him a few weeks ago.

o. Donald Brown is a much better player than Joseph Addai in all phases of the game, and it's absolutely no accident that he's getting the crunch-time snaps for the Colts, even if Addai is nominally the starter.

p. Dwight Freeney's injury could be catastrophic for the Colts, if he has to miss a lot of time. A lot is made of how irreplaceable Bob Sanders has been in years past, but I actually think Melvin Bullitt does a really nice job filling in for him. Freeney is the irreplaceable one for the Colts, make no mistake about that. If they can't rush the passer with 4 men, they're suddenly as vulnerable against the pass as they are against the run.

q. The Ravens are hitting on all cylinders right now, and look like the best team in the NFL, to me. I don't think they miss Rex Ryan too much, as it looks like Greg Mattison has their defense playing just as well as Ryan did. Mattison isn't well known to NFL fans yet, but he's a great coach (I am familiar with him from his college days).

r. Brady Quinn is not the problem for the Browns, and neither would Derek Anderson be, although Quinn is better. I talked about how the Broncos hit on all of their offseason acquisitions - well, the Browns missed on all of theirs, from the looks of things so far. They're talent-poor, and they look like they know they are losers. It's going to be a long season here in the metro area, but at least the locals are used to this. I can't imagine how Eric Mangini and George Kokinis evaluated this to be a competitive group of players.

s. Stick a fork in the Dolphins, even before Chad Pennington was lost for the season. Chad Henne is not the answer, and he'll prove that as the season goes on. Pat White isn't either, as a full-time QB, so I expect Miami to be shopping after this season, with a high first-rounder to spend. After passing on Matt Ryan in 2008, you wonder if they'd do it again.

t. Darren Sproles proved once again that he is a second banana, and not a lead back.

u. The longest run the Broncos have given up this season was 20 yards, to Cedric Benson. If Felix Jones is healthy next Sunday, and the Broncos miss setting the edge at an inopportune time, that could go out the window. The only RB who's more dangerous to the outside is Jones' draft classmate Chris Johnson, and it's not a very big difference. Jones strained his left knee on a 40-yard run in the 3rd quarter Monday night.

v. You know who has developed into a terrific player is Thomas Davis, who was a first-round pick as a Safety for the Panthers in 2005. It took him awhile to learn how to play LB, but he has really turned into a Pro Bowl-caliber guy. He is excellent in coverage, and really hits guys.

w. I only saw the very end of the Seattle-Chicago game, and didn't care enough to record or watch the Short Cut. What I saw though told me what I already knew, which is that Seneca Wallace isn't good enough to be a backup QB in the NFL. When he was forced to throw the ball from the pocket in a compressed-time situation, and beat zone defense with strong throws, he was unable to do it. The Seahawks have to know this by now, and should have addressed it in the offseason.

x. The Texans got screwed on that offensive pass-interference call on Kevin Walter, to be sure, but Chris Brown has to hold onto the ball going into the end zone. The Texans are a team that just can't seem to consistently do the little things to win games, which doesn't reflect very well on MHR favorite Gary Kubiak and his staff. To be honest, doing the big things well and missing the little things is sort of Later Years Shanahan-ish, when you think about it. I hope Kubiak and Company can get it turned around.

4. Between The Lines

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders

a. Once again, the Broncos were nearly flawless in pass protection - this time, against the best pair of DEs they've seen this season. Kyle Orton took one significant hit, on an outside stunt by Gerard Warren, after he'd gotten rid of the ball. Ryan Clady owned Richard Seymour, to the point where Seymour was called for a personal foul for pulling Clady's hair. On the right side, Ryan Harris dominated Greg Ellis, as well. Ellis came into the game with 3 sacks but never got a sniff of Orton. The inside of the Broncos' line also held up well, against their somewhat-lesser individual competition. Largely since the Broncos rarely had to throw, the Raiders never generated a significant rush in this game. ESPN.com didn't even give Warren credit for his QB hit, and had the Raiders entirely shut out in their box score.

b. For their part, the Raiders struggled in pass protection, before finally pretty much giving up on throwing the football. I had to look up who #51 was, because he showed up in my notes several times with terrible plays. It's Chris Morris, a natural Center, who was playing Guard. In addition to two holding penalties, he got beaten a few times. Mario Henderson struggled mightily with Elvis Dumervil, who had two sacks and should have had two more (Darrell Reid's hands-to-the-face penalty cost him one, and JaMarcus Russell dragged him past the line of scrimmage on another). Robert Ayers lined up all over and got a lot of pressure. I am really pleased with his growth. Darrell Reid got a sack, and Vonnie Holliday and Marcus Thomas also got good pressure in spots. The Broncos sacked Russell 3 times, and hit him 3 more.

c. The Broncos line also dominated in the running game, again splitting about half and half between zone- and man-blocking concepts. The only black mark was the failure to convert 3 straight runs from the 1-yard line early in the game. Ryan Harris was dominant in the running game, and was key to springing both of Correll Buckhalter's long runs. Clady was his normal self, and his cut block on Nnamdi Asomugha allowed Knowshon Moreno to score his first-ever TD. The Broncos rushed 45 times for 215 yards (4.8 per rush) and the Moreno TD. I did think the Broncos slowed down a bit when Russ Hochstein and Tyler Polumbus played a lot in the second half. I really enjoyed Richard Quinn's blocking, and he showed again that he is just another player who is perfectly fitting his role, as imagined when he was acquired.

d. The Raiders came into the game with a pretty vaunted rushing attack, and it never really got going. They rushed for 95 yards on 21 carries, but it was tremendously disjointed, and 15 of those yards came on one run by Russell. Henderson was a bit better in the running game for Oakland, and Samson Satele showed a bit of surge a few times, too. For the most part, though, the Broncos held the line of scrimmage, and maintained their gap discipline well. Mario Haggan had a really nice game against the run, and forced a Darren McFadden fumble, which Thomas and Reid unfortunately failed to recover, after the three of them had combined to stack up a play. McFadden got a couple of outside creases, but nothing consistent at all.

e. The Broncos dominated both lines in this game, and there was no bigger reason why they won. It was so clear that even the fairly reticent Josh McDaniels claimed the victory in these areas.

Green Bay Packers at St. Louis Rams

a. I feel like I have been telling this story for two years (possibly because I have been), but the Packers are bad in pass protection. Leonard Little beat Allen Barbre twice for sacks, and Aaron Rodgers avoided 5 other near sacks by running with the ball (he had 8 carries for 38 yards and a TD). If the Rams were any better on the defensive line, Rodgers could have had a more-typically painful day. I didn't see much of anything from Chris Long in the pass-rushing department, even against the underwhelming pass blocking of Daryn Colledge.

b. The Packers disappointed in terms of rushing the passer. Aaron Kampman got a sack and injured Marc Bulger, but the Packers never hit Kyle Boller after that. I was really surprised, because the Rams' OT combination of Alex Barron and Adam Goldberg is decidedly below average. Barron was solid, but Goldberg surrendered the Kampman sack and had a holding penalty, on a play where I initially wrote "great block" (The replay showed it to definitely be a hold). Jason Brown has been a very nice acquisition for the Rams, and anchored the middle. I really didn't see much from Clay Matthews, and I haven't yet.

c. The Packers' rushing stats looked pretty good, with 37 carries for 152 yards and 2 TDs. The truth is, the gains made by Ryan Grant were very hard-fought, and only averaged 3.8 yards per carry. The overall number is dramatically inflated by Rodgers' 38 yards and Donald Driver's 13. Chris Long did show well in the running game, and Clifton Ryan hung pretty tough inside, but the best run stopper was S Craig Dahl, not a lineman.

d. The Rams actually did a very nice job of run blocking, led by Jason Brown and RG Richie Incognito. Barron and Goldberg were OK outside, but the battle was won inside. For the Packers, ST&NO Favorite Cullen Jenkins had a disappointing game, but NT Ryan Pickett showed pretty well. B.J. Raji was active for the first time, and I never noticed him in this game once, and I'm not even sure that he played, since he didn't register on the stat sheet.

e. I'd give a slight edge to the Rams overall, which is mostly probably due to low expectations. I just can't get past the feeling that the Packers are really bad on the O-Line, and it's a shame, because they're very good otherwise. The Rams have to feel pretty good about their performance, and maybe it carries over to games against lesser competition.

5. So, I guess this makes me something of a flip-flopper, but I am going to briefly explain a change in previously stated policy, so we're all on the same page, and nobody wonders. I have previously declared that I would henceforth refer to several underwhelming football writers by unflattering nicknames. I have decided to change course on that policy, and call them by their names.

I like to think that this column is pretty good, and I don't want to detract from that. There's no need to feed the God of Obviousness by calling people names, and I can get cheap laughs by other methods. I will still feel free to criticize stupid things that people write, but I will call their writers by their chosen names.

6. Back to football, I decided to name glaring weaknesses by team, to illustrate my point in item 1. I am limiting this to whole phases of the game, and mostly not subsets of a phase of the game.

Dallas Cowboys - Pass coverage, Pass rush (other than DeMarcus Ware)

New York Giants - None, but pass protection is sometimes close to being one.

Philadelphia Eagles - Running the ball inside

Washington Redskins - The offensive line in both the running and passing games

Green Bay Packers - Pass protection (a major weakness)

Detroit Lions- Pass protection, run defense, pass defense

Minnesota Vikings- Pass protection, Pass coverage

Chicago Bears - The offensive line in both the running and passing games, and pass coverage from safeties

San Francisco 49ers - Pass offense, Pass rush

Seattle Seahawks - Run offense, Pass protection

Arizona Cardinals - Pass protection (a major weakness, like Green Bay)

St. Louis Rams - Everything, except for punting and place-kicking; this is the least talented team in the NFL

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Pass rush, Run defense, Pass offense

Carolina Panthers - Run defense

Atlanta Falcons - Pass defense and Interior run defense

New Orleans Saints - Pass defense (it's somewhat improved, but I don't trust it after Kevin Kolb lit them up)

New England Patriots - Pass protection, Pass rush

New York Jets - Pass protection (though it is improving)

Miami Dolphins - Passing offense

Buffalo Bills - Pass defense

Pittsburgh Steelers- Pass protection, Run offense

Baltimore Ravens - None

Cleveland Browns - Everything except special teams

Cincinnati Bengals - Pass protection (but they're improving lately)

Oakland Raiders - Pass offense, Run defense

Kansas City Chiefs - Run defense, Pass rush, Pass offense

San Diego Chargers - Run defense, Pass rush

Jacksonville Jaguars - Pass offense, Pass defense

Houston Texans - Pass protection, Run defense

Indianapolis Colts - Run defense

Tennessee Titans - Pass offense, Pass coverage

7. Retired for John Elway

8. I saw where ESPN Dallas was launched this week, joining Chicago and Boston as cities where the Worldwide Leader has spread. I wonder when/if Denver gets its own site. If it happens, their writers better consistently bring their "A" games to compete with MHR.

9. Big up Matt Bowen of the National Football Post for being the first widely-distributed national NFL writer to admit he didn't see the Broncos coming, and that they're for real.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Time-to-hop-on-the-Broncos-bandwagon.html

Can the Broncos keep it going?

Sure they can. I fully understand that the early season schedule has been favorable for the Broncos, but looking ahead, they still have two games against Kansas City, one more at home versus the Raiders (three games they should win) and two big games against Philip Rivers and the Chargers.

Anybody who can divorce themselves from their preconceived notions can see that the Broncos are doing all of the little things that win games. That's the crux of Bowen's realization, and I salute him for being the first to have the combination of acumen and guts to see it and say it.

10. An early thought on next week's Cowboys game. Dallas has a massive offensive line, and they tend to wear teams down by the time the second half rolls around. That's what happened with the Panthers Monday night. I think the Broncos will be tougher to wear down, because they use such an interchangeable rotation of defensive linemen, and there's no particular drop-off in quality when the subs come in. Every player in the rotation is contributing, and I think it bodes really well for success in Week 4.

That's all for this week, friends. Check us out Saturday morning for Lighting Up

2009; Unraveled

Niko Houllis — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:14:49 -0000

"I don't know what Josh Freeman could have done"

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You ever get one of those shirts where you see a string loose. So you pull on it, and you keep pulling, and all the while your tearing the very fabric of your shirt apart.

Welcome to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2009 style. They have completely unraveled themselves.

86 Total Yards.

If it weren't for Josh Johnson's late game spark, it would have been 35. No matter. Not since the days of Steve Spurrier Quarterbacking the orange numbered Bucs have we been so offensively challenged. No were not talking Run & Gun Spurrier, were talking None & Done.

Call it payback from the football Gods. Many a Bucs teams would do THIS to the visiting team at Raymond James. But those days are gone too. An equally ineffective defense that now misses tackles on a quarterly basis can finally officially put a law suite in against the offense for lack of support!

When asked about what went wrong, coach Raheem Morris insisted its not fair to blame any one man, that the Bucs were simply out manned by a much better team. When asked if Josh Freeman or Josh Johnson will start playing next week, Raheem replied that the damage was done by more than just one person, and that he could not imagine any ONE play that Freeman would have made the difference. That no matter the end result, Josh Freeman at QB would not have mattered. I get that. I get it when he calls the Giants a Grown Man team, like the Bucs want to be someday. But are the Bucs that far away from the end product?

And you have to wonder, when you watched Josh Johnson move the sticks, would he have moved the chains earlier in the game when it mattered?

One change for the positive; with all the negative press surrounding Sabby Piscitelli and his blunders from game one, it would appear he is making up for those over the last two weeks. On a monster sack, the Giants missed a short FG at the end of the half that would have appeared to give the Bucs new life.

So wouldnt they have tried to get some points before the half like they did against Dallas?

Upon further review, the Cowboys game appears to be a fluke. Mirrors or Magic, the kind unseen around these parts since Sam Wyche and Ray Perkins. Running attack with Cadillac and Ward? POOF! Gone. Passing game? Kazzaam! Gone.

Up next for the Bucs is a road game in Washington with a Redskin team that is also struggling. It will be the last chance for a win until Carolina comes to town, or until the Bucs grow up and play Big Man football.

Bills avoid letdown, beat Bucs 33-20

Brian Galliford — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:30:58 -0000

After a crushing 25-24 defeat at the hands of New England on Monday Night Football, we asked the Buffalo Bills to avoid the letdown in their Week 2 home opener. For the third straight time after a loss on a national stage, the Bills rebounded with a victory, handing a 33-20 defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while evening their record at 1-1.

This was not a perfect day for the Bills. Four players succumbed to injury, with two (RT Brad Butler and TE Derek Schouman's knee injuries) looking far more severe than the other two (TE Shawn Nelson's shoulder and CB Leodis McKelvin's ankle). The team committed another 7 penalties and turned the ball over twice. After a lightning quick 17-0 start, this game was far too close for far too long. While the Bills flirted with disaster, they also flirted with dominance - and strides were made in this victory.

Offense beginning to take shots, play with attitude
Trent Edwards had another strong day at quarterback, showing poise and toughness in completing 21 of 31 passes for 230 yards and two long scores - one each to each of his top receiving targets, Terrell Owens (43 yards) and Lee Evans (32 yards). Buffalo didn't get a lot of balls thrown in these two players' directions, but they made the most of those deep opportunities.

Edwards' solid start to the season continued. Through two games, he's thrown four touchdown passes - keep in mind he'd thrown just 18 in his career, and 11 in 2008, heading into this season - and is sporting a quarterback rating of 104.9. He continues to make plays with his legs, rushing for another 24 yards on Sunday, and though his one interception wasn't pretty, it came alongside big plays down the field.

Buffalo's offense is now responsible for 43 points through two games - 17 in New England, and 26 yesterday. They'll need to up their production a bit if they want to beat New Orleans in Week 3, but considering what the offense looked like in the pre-season, we'll take 22 points per game for the time being.

It's all about Fred "Action" Jackson
With Buffalo driving late in the second quarter with a 20-7 lead, Jackson fumbled the ball, which Bucs S Sabby Piscitelli promptly returned for 72 yards, with Byron Leftwich hitting Carnell Williams for a score on the next play to cut the lead to 20-14. That was a big blow and, at a minimum, a 10-point swing, but put that play out of your mind - fumbles happen. We're talking about one bad play from Jackson in a veritable treasure trove of great plays through two games.

As Buffalo's only productive running back, Jackson has been asked to carry the load, and to say he's handled it well is to put it mildly. Through two weeks, Jackson has accrued 328 total yards and a touchdown, and he is Buffalo's leading receiver - both in receptions and in yardage. Jackson rushed for 163 yards on 28 carries in the victory over Tampa, and considering how incredibly vital he has been to Buffalo's work-in-progress offensive attack, there's little doubt who the Bills' MVP is through two games.

It's helped, of course, that Buffalo's offensive line continues to exceed (admittedly low) expectations. Edwards was sacked twice more (that's six on the season) and took a few big hits, but the line did a stellar job giving Edwards time to throw for the most part, and they certainly did well opening up rushing lanes for Jackson. LT Demetrius Bell improved on a rough start in New England, taking only one penalty and playing with much more consistency. The loss of Butler, however, could be a huge blow; Jonathan Scott played admirably at right tackle in Butler's stead, but he isn't Butler. Scott limits what the Bills can do hitting the edges of a defense in the run game.

Defense still has some work to do
Helped out by a Bucs offense that struggled to find its rhythm, the Bills made significant improvements in several key areas, including third down defense (the Bucs converted just 4 of 16 opportunities) and in the run game (the Bills held an excellent Buccaneers ground game to just 57 yards on 19 carries). Perry Fewell dialed up blitzes early and often, and though he got mixed results, enough pressure was generated on Leftwich to fluster him. Leftwich finished the day completing 26 of 50 throws for 296 yards, three scores and two costly interceptions.

Many will point out that Leftwich's two picks were gifts, and they're partly right. Let's not pretend that these weren't very athletic plays, though. The touchdown itself was a gift in terms of Whitner's interception, but the catch itself was an outstanding athletic play. Whitner's running mate, Bryan Scott, got in on the action as well, scooping a bobbled throw off the turf and returning it for big yardage. Buffalo's opportunistic secondary will need to step up its play next week with Drew Brees coming into town.

But DT Kyle Williams - who enjoyed a second consecutive outstanding performance, by the way - said it best post-game: Buffalo's defense needs to be a bit more resilient in tough situations. Allowing a touchdown on the first play after Piscitelli's fumble return was ugly. So was the touchdown drive the Bucs put together after the Bills took a 30-14 lead on Owens' touchdown catch. Those are drives that the defense needs to avoid. Those drives kept the Bucs in it for far too long. That's an area that the Bills' defense in particular needs to work on - closing.

Game Balls
RB Fred Jackson - I said enough above, I believe, but I'll say this again: he's our MVP by miles through two weeks.

C Geoff Hangartner - Jonathan Scott gave Hangartner a ton of credit post-game for being the veteran leader and communicator on an impressive young offensive line. The rookies get all the talk, but Hangartner's the key player up front.

S Donte Whitner - I got on Whit's case pretty hard this off-season. Whitner has played like a man possessed in these first two games; aside from the pick-six, Whitner had a big stop on a fourth-and-one yesterday, and been all over the map in making 18 stops in those first two games. Yeah, he's been in on giving up some big throws as well, but for now, his move to free safety looks like it's paying big dividends. He is now playing the way you'd expect a first-round pick to play.

Buffalo (1-1) will meet the New Orleans Saints (2-0) next Sunday in Orchard Park. The Saints, behind Brees' 8 touchdown passes in two weeks, are the talk of the league right now, averaging 46.5 points per game. To say that this will be a tremendous challenge for our young Bills is putting it mildly.

Bucs come out flat, fall to Bills 33-20

Buc Wild — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:30:18 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

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A tough, tough game to take. This was just about as bad as things could go. Not only did the Bucs not win, but the way they played in every phase was just uninspiring.

This game most likely represent the Bucs best chance to win over the next few games (though the Redskins certainly aren't blowing anyone away). With a trip up to see Buffalo, a win was needed to get things moving the right direction. Instead, we got another loss, some bad habits, and very few highlights handed to us.

The Bucs would start this game in just about the worst way possible. The Bucs went three and out and were immediately hit back by a 32 yard TD pass from Edwards to Evans. 7-0 Bills. The Bucs got the ball back and were manufacturing a decent drive, when on a first and 10 play Leftwich dropped back, had a Bills defender at his ankles, and rather than take the sack tried to dump it off to Cadillac. He overshot Cadillac, right into Donte Whitner's arms, and he proceeded to return it 76 yards for the TD. 14-0 Bills.

On the next possession, another decent drive was being put together when a Leftwich pass bounced off of Stroughter and into the arms of Bills defender, though it looked as if it hit the ground. The play was challenged and upheld and led to a Bills field goal. 17-0 Bills.

The Bucs answered right back, finally putting some points on the scoreboard. A quick Leftwich to Winslow strike for 42 yards got the Bucs going in the right direction. 17-7. The Bucs D would use the bend dont break philospohy and gave up a field goal to push it to 20-10.

After a few punts were traded and just before halftime, Edwards and the Bills were moving the ball and inside the Bucs 20 when Fred Jackson would go off tackle, where he was met by Ronde Barber. Jackson fumbled it straight into the arms of Sabby Piscitelli who would return it all the way to the Bills 8 yard line. Cadillac would punch it in, and just like that it was 20-14 Bills.

Both offenses were sluggish in the second half with punts being alternated until Edwards overthrew a receiver, leading to a Piscitelli interception. it wouldn't lead to any scoring and the third quarter ended with no offense or any real highlights.

The Bills started the 4th quarter with a Lindell field goal to push it to 23-14. After a Bucs punt, the Bills struck again. A 43 yard TD pass from Edwards to T.O. put the Bills up for good at 30-14. The Bucs made an effort to come back and converted to 4th downs, the final conversion being a two yard strike from Leftwich to Stevens. The two point conversion failed, leaving the score at 30-20. The Bills would tack on a field goal, and while the Bucs drove deep into Bills territory, it was too much to overcome. No more points were put on the board and the game ended 33-20.

It was a game that lacked effort, big plays, consistency, and discipline. The Bucs hung in there after the 17 point opening quarter, but could never make it all the way back.

The Bills take on the Saints next week in Buffalo, and the Bucs will welcome the Giants into Raymond James Stadium.

Keys to Victory: Bills vs Buccaneers

Kurupt — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 13:00:16 -0000

With Monday night's heart breaker behind us, it's time to cheer for the Buffalo Bills as they make their Ralph Wilson Stadium regular season debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bills will be trying to bounce back from their 25-24 loss to the Patriots, while the Bucs are looking to rebound from the 34-21 smackdown Dallas laid on them. Both teams are searching for win number one. After the jump are the keys to the Bills' ending that search.

Get after Leftwich: Byron Leftwich is from the Drew Bledsoe school of quarterbacks: big, strong, huge arm, totally immobile. With a slow windup as part of his throwing motion, getting to Leftwich will completely alter his throws, which will hopefully lead to some turnovers. His inaccuracy will be apparent if his timing is thrown off by a good rush. The defense cannot let him sit back there and try to pick us apart. Tampa does have a solid offensive line, so getting to Leftwich might be easier said than done. I'd like to see more blitzing this week, especially more creative blitzes designed to actually, you know, get to the quarterback. Unlike last week, the Bucs don't have the same caliber receiving options for the Bills' defense to worry about. It's a good opportunity to go extra hard after the quarterback.

Force Leftwich to beat us: I don't know about many of you, but I'd feel much more comfortable with Leftwich and a mediocre group of receivers trying to beat us than I would if they were handing it to their solid trio of backs. With Cadillac Williams looking healthy, Derrick Ward providing a quality all-around threat and Earnest Graham as a tough short-yardage option, shutting the Tampa run game down will be priority number one. With starting center Jeff Faine out with a triceps injury, Kyle Williams' and Marcus Stroud's job will be a little easier.

Start strong: There's nothing worse than coming out flat in your home opener. Many Bills fans want this game to be a blowout. If that is to occur, a fast start would be welcome. Like the Bills, Tampa is built to play with a lead. If the Bills can get up early, that increasees the need for Leftwich to make plays, which should play right into what the Bills want to do. A strong start also keeps the fans into it and fired up.

Get Evans and Owens the ball: One of the league's best receiving duos combined for just 5 receptions and 71 yards against the Patriots. For the money these guys are earning, that just doesn't cut it. The Patriots effectively doubled both of them throughout the game, but offensive coordinator needs to find ways to get them the ball. Owens is one of the best receivers in the league going over the middle, catching the underneath passes and turning them into big plays; Alex Van Pelt needs to make sure this offense incorporates more of those passes this week (and the rest of the season). If the offense is able to get T.O. going, there could be more opportunities for Evans deep. With Tampa's inexperienced defensive backfield, outside of Ronde Barber, there will be opportunities for Trent Edwards to challenge the likes of Sabby Piscitelli and Elbert Mack. Tanard Jackson missing the game due to suspension is also a big plus for the Bills' offense. It's time to get Owens and Evans more involved; you don't pay these guys big contracts to be decoys.

Continue using plays that work: It sounds so simple, but the Bills really need to continue working screen passes and outside runs into their game plan. I expect they will. With an offensive line proving to be athletic enough to move around and lead block for Fred Jackson on the outside, these plays are already looking like strong points in our offense. Why fix something that's not broke?

Show a sense of urgency: One thing this team never seems to show us is a sense of urgency. Well, even though it's only Week 2, they need to pick up a win here. A loss means a two-game deficit in the AFC East already and a blown chance at picking up a victory in a game they should win. Dick Jauron has to have them ready to play and ready to take it to a team that quite frankly isn't as talented.

Make Special Teams special again: We all know that the Bills' special teams really struggled last week. Brian Moorman had a 37.5 net punting average, which was impacted by a couple of shanks. The Patriots averaged nearly 30 yards per kick return, while the Bills averaged less than 25. Leodis McKelvin fumbled, apparently. It just wasn't a good performance for Bobby April's units. But Tampa Bay didn't exactly have a good performance against Dallas, either. They had mediocre return and coverage units, and also allowed a blocked FG. Mike Nugent missed his only other FG attempt, finishing 0/2 on the day. The two teams ranked No. 27 and No. 28 in Special Teams DVOA last week. For the Bills, that's a major disappointment. Improvements across the board would really give them an edge this week, something this team should be counting on. I fully expect McKelvin to make amends for his mistake last week quite soon.

***

This week's keys to victory seem pretty simple... slow the Tampa run game, force Leftwich to win the game, get the receivers involved and play confident, strong football. That's always easier said than done, however. Feel free to add your keys to victory in the comments section. Go Bills!

Week 2 Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1) @ Buffalo Bills (0-1)

Buc Wild — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:00:32 -0000

by Brian Blanco - AP

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Week 2 is descending upon us rather quickly. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will try to shake the stink of a 34-21 loss off their backs while the Buffalo Bills are trying to get back to an even keel after an emotional letdown and loss at the hands of the Patriots. Sunday's game will also be the 50th anniversary celebration of the Bills All Time AFL Team, so the team should be extra fired up.

The Bucs have some problems to fix, we know that, but how do they match up with Bills?

Overview/Team Stats

Thankfully this game takes place in September, as I don't want to hear about the Bucs and cold weather. Sure, we more or less broke that dismal record a few years back, but I'd rather avoid it whenever possible. The Bucs will travel north to the land of the unknown for them. What they'll find is a rather angry and hungry team, looking to get win number one on the year, much like the Bucs.

This is an important game for both teams as each team tries to hold off the 0-2 hole to start the season. For the Bucs, it's more about momentum as an 0-2 hole with the Giants, Redskins and Eagles all on tap may cause for a dreary start.

The Bills have a potent offense, and a player you may not have heard of. Terrell Owens. Oh, you've heard of him? He had a pretty quiet showing in Monday night's loss, so I'm sure he's amped up to get the ball and do some celebrating. And no better team to do that against than our Bucs, who ranked in the bottom 3 in pass defense.

But how do these two teams match up? Let's look at some handy dandy stats to find out

TEAM	TOTAL DVOA	TOTAL DAVE	RANK	OFF DVOA	RANK	DEF DVOA	RANK	S.T. DVOA	RANK
TB	-44.60%	-15.20%	27	43.00%	3	75.70%	32	-11.90%	28
BUF	0.00%	-25.80%	32	31.30%	5	21.20%	26	-10.10%	27

Somewhat similar teams. While the Bucs offense was better than average (based on opponent and situation), the defense was much worse, though Buffalo still feel in the bottom third of the league. Special Teams they're pretty similar. Hard to believe that the team that hung in with the Patriots is relatively close to the team that got smoked by the Cowboys in terms of rankings.

The traditional stats show a similar picture.

TB	Team	Buf
450	Off Yds/Gm	276
5	Rank	20
276	Passing	186
174	Rushing	90
33:32	T.O.P.	22:52
21	Pts/Game	24
14	Rank	9
462	Yds All/Gm	441
29	Rank	26
34	Points All	25

Neither team is exaclty building up a head of steam going into week 1.

When Buffalo has the Ball

Buffalo is in a similar predicament as the Bucs, having fired their OC just weeks before opening day. They run more of a no huddle offense this year, aimed at keeping the defense on the field and wearing them down. Their top running back, Marshawn Lynch has 2 more games left on his suspension, but they have a capable back up in Fred Jackson.

Also, you might have heard, they have a new wide receiver opposite Lee Evans. His name is Terrell Owens. While he wasn't involved in the game on Monday night, you can bet he wants to see more action this coming Sunday. A tough match up for any defensive secondary, it doesn't get much easier with Lee Evans on the opposite side and Roscoe Parrish in the slot.

A quick look at their 2008 and 2009 numbers as individuals. Remember that 08 numbers are based on a complete year, thus DYAR will be significantly higher (in theory)

Player	DVOA 08	DVOA 09	DYAR 08	DYAR 09
Trent Edwards	-0.30%	31.80%	278	69
Fred Jackson	7%	4.30%	91	8
Lee Evans	11.20%	-39.60%	191	-12

This could pose some problems for the Bucs as two top tier WR's will surely test our secondary. The Bucs flat out have to do two things better. 1) Generate a pass rush (yes, you Gaines Adams) and 2) maintain some sort of deep safety and not bite. The safety issues will come down to discipline. Can they maintain their responsibilities and not get caught free lancing. This was a huge issue last week obviously.

The front four generated zero sacks, a handful of pressures, and our best player, at least in terms of expectations (Adams) generated zero stats of any kind, unless you count the penalty. That can't happen again. Buffalo's OL was pretty average last year and ranked 25th in sacks given up and sack rate, so the opportunities are there. They ran a lot of screens, something the Bucs LB's will have to be all over. Barrett Ruud will have to lead on the defensive side and find a way to get involved.

I would imagine T.O. would draw Talib in coverage, but this is dicey. T.O. has size, speed and strength. Evans has speed. Where do you put Talib and where do you put Ronde? I expect either a ton of blitzes to limit the amount of coverage either has to do, or tons of LB/Safety help. After the Dallas debacle, this could be bad. Let's hope Bates and Morris got some things fixed as the Bucs should be tested often through the air.

When the Bucs have the ball

We saw how high the Tampa offense was ranked, how they performed, and how both the pass and run were above average. This will have to continue. Two heads of the three headed monster will need to be on point. Last week it was Caddy and Ward. This week? Could be the same, or maybe Graham gets involved. Either way, we have to run the ball successfully. Count it as a loss if Leftwich throws more than 35 times.

The offensive line did a fantastic job neutralizing the Dallas pass rush. Buffalo will need to be thwarted just the same. As Niko showed you, the OL did a great job in the run game. They opened holes, held blocks and got to the second level. This needs to continue, and I have no reason to believe it won't.

The question mark going into the game will be on Leftwich and the passing game. Can he and OL repeat their zero sack performance and will he avoid the turnover? The passing game has already seen a big loss in losing Jeff Faine. He is the captain of the line and did a fantastic job of pointing out coverage and blitzers.

The passing game may also be hurt if Bryant is 100% or doesn't play. This knee injury sounds like a season long aggravation. He either has to tough it (and who knows how successful he can be then) or call it a season and hang it up. Clayton performed well, but Winslow has to step up. He made a few grabs, but will need to be a solid #2 WR.

Terrance McGee was pretty successful in holding Moss in check until a late grab and run happened. Paul Posluzny is out with an arm injury, which should be good for the tight end passing game and running game. Aaron Schobel will look to apply pressure in the four man front the Bucs will face. The Bucs need to establish the line of scrimmage to have success in the ground and air game.

Special Teams

Both teams had severe special teams issues. Leodis McKelvin fumbled a kickoff late to set up the Pats for the winning score. The Bucs couldn't muster more than 40 yards in the air on punts and saw their kicker go 0-2 on field goals, including a block. Field position is always key, so look for Dirk Johnson to kick a bit deeper, if he's capable. Mike Nugent has to start making some field goals, if nothing else than for confidence of himself or the fans. Roscoe Parrish and Clifton Smith are two dynamic return guys, so there is the potential for a big play on any kick.

Key Matchups

Terrell Owens vs Aqib Talib - I'm guessing Talib draws T.O, on Sunday. Look for the second eyar corner to stay physical with T.O. and try to frustrate him. He should have some safety help over the top (should being the operative word). T.O. is a dynamic WR, but teams have shown they can win without him touching the ball. I'd like to see the Bucs pressure the Bills to do just that.

Sabby Piscitelli vs himself - Seriously. He has to go back out there and forget last week. Important things are depth, assignment and wrapping up. He has to be disciplined. The Bills WR's aren't slouches and will make him pay.

Gaines Adams vs Demetrius Bell & Brad Butler - Gaines has to win this battle. He is supposed to be on his way to becoming a premier pass rusher. This is a good time to start. Facing two unheralded tackles may be just what he needs.

Donald Penn vs Aaron Schobel - Give Penn his due. He put a stop to Demarcus Ware last week, and now we need the same performance against Schobel. He (Schobel) had a great pick and return for a score last week, let's hope he has no more playmaking in his future.

Antonio Bryant vs Terrence McGee - If Bryant plays, he's going to draw McGee in coverage. Bryant has to win this battle, at least enough to get targeted and free up other options. McGee did a pretty good job against Moss last week, hopefully Bryant will be 100% and give McGee some fits.

Jonathan Compas vs Buffalo DT's - Who the heck is Jonathan Compas? He's Jeff Faine's replacement, that's who. Faine and the OL did an excellent job. Now Compas must come in and guide the Buc's OL and help Leftwich in the passing game.

What to watch for

Will Antonio Bryant be 100%. A key factor in the Bucs passing game, he makes the deep plays go.

The Bucs kicking game. Deep or high punts (or both), and made field goals.

Under Pressure. The DL for the Bucs has to generate pressure and force Trent Edwards to make mistakes. The Bucs OL has to keep Leftwich upright.

Well, there you go, the breakdown on Sunday's game. My prediction will come on Saturday afternoon, but feel free to drop your thoughts and predictions in the comments section.

Bills Fantasy Friday: Week 2 Start 'Em/Sit 'Em

Kurupt — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:30:15 -0000

Welcome back to Week 2 of Fantasy Football Friday at Buffalo Rumblings. Week 1 saw a couple of Buffalo Bills put up nice fantasy performances against the Patriots, while a couple of others were total disappointments (cough, Lee Evans, cough). The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit the Ralph this Sunday for a 4:05 tilt in the Bills' home opener. Once again, we'll be taking a look at the individual fantasy players of note and offering up some generic advice. Check out my suggestions for Bills and Buccaneers after the jump:

Quarterbacks
Byron Leftwich - As a real life quarterback, I think Leftwich is one of the worst starters in the league. That doesn't mean he can't be a decent fantasy option for a desperate owner. Against the Cowboys, Leftwich put up a solid line of 276 yards, completing 61% of his passes and adding one touchdown. As an offense, the Bucs put up 450 yards, much to the surprise of fans everywhere. Leftwich was a big part of that, but isn't a guy that fantasy owners should really be considering as an option. It's unlikely he'll be consistent enough to put up totals like that on a week-to-week basis. However, after seeing Tom Brady shred the Bills for 378 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the Bucs may be more than willing to establish the passing game this week. I expect the Bills defense to come after Leftwich in hopes of forcing him into mistakes due to his slow release and lack of mobility. With Antonio Bryant iffy, Leftwich could be without his best option. It's tough to envision him putting up big numbers this week, on the road, in a hostile Ralph. Unless you have Donovan McNabb as a starter and are in a deep league, you will have better options. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Trent Edwards - Edwards was one of the Bills who put up nice fantasy numbers in Week 1. It was a surprising effort considering his poor pre-season play, the move to Alex Van Pelt and a very questionable offensive line. He quieted the critics, at least for one week, but he needs to do more to prove he's worthy of being a weekly fantasy option. Edwards and the Bills' passing game does seem to have a great matchup this week, however. The Bucs defense allowed Tony Romo to throw for 353 yards on just 16 completions, with three 40+ yard touchdowns. Its safe to say the Tampa D just might be susceptible to the big play. With their best defensive back out again this week (Tanard Jackson), and young players still getting comfortable (Sabby Piscitelli, Elbert Mack), look for Alex Van Pelt to try to get the ball downfield more this week. Again, McNabb owners should consider Edwards as a fill-in, but owners of QBs with tough matchups (Matt Schaub @Tennessee, Jay Cutler vs Pittsburgh, Phillip Rivers vs Baltimore) may also look his way. It's a tough call, but it might be worth the risk. Verdict: Start 'Em as a fill-in

Running Backs
Cadillac Williams - I'm not going to lie, I root for Cadillac. It's tough to root against a good guy who's overcome so many injury issues just to be playing right now. He had an excellent performance in Week 1, shredding the Cowboys for 97 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries. He's looked quick and healthy, and will likely see an increase in touches in closer games. I expect this game to be closer, and I expect the Bucs to go to the Caddy early and often. I'm guessing he gets 15-20 touches this week, and will still be the first option for goal line carries. He's a very good flex option and maybe even RB2 this week, even against a stouter looking Bills run D. Unfortunately, with Paul Posluszny out, it should be easier for the Bucs' run game. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex or RB2 in deeper leagues.

Derrick Ward - Ward also had a nice Week 1, putting together 83 total yards on 14 touches and a touchdown. Ward and Williams will likely split the touches pretty evenly once again this week, with Cadillac likely to see more run and goal line opportunities. In PPR leagues, Ward is the better play. I probably wouldn't consider playing Ward outside of PPR leagues or as a flex. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex

Earnest Graham - I like Graham and think he deserves touches in their offense. He only had one carry last week, though, so move along.

Fred Jackson - Jackson had an excellent game against the Patriots, putting together 140 total yards, 5 receptions and a touchdown. In PPR leagues, he's gold, but he's also proving to be a more than capable option as a RB2. The Cowboys gouged the Bucs for 4.9 yards per carry, so it's a good bet we'll see Jackson getting more carries this week. I like the matchup and expect Jackson to have another very good all around game. Again, in PPR leagues Jackson gets a major bump. Verdict: Start 'Em in all leagues

Wide Receivers
Antonio Bryant - Bryant missed practice on Thursday still trying to recover from his early August knee surgery. He played last week against Dallas, but was limping by the end of the game. Cryptic Raheem Morris says he is hurt, but not injured, whatever that means. I don't know if we should expect Bryant to play, and if he does, he obviously won't be 100%. I'd steer clear unless you're totally desperate. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Michael Clayton - Remember him? He of the 1,000-yard monster rookie season and zero 500-yard seasons since. He's only scored two touchdowns since scoring seven as a rookie. What happened to this guy? Every time I watch him, he's dropping passes like he's Braylon Edwards. Amazingly, he put together a 5-catch, 93-yard performance in the opener, and with Bryant potentially out, he could approach that again. I'd be nervous using him, but if Bryant sits, he could make a very good spot starter. Verdict: Sit 'Em in most leagues, Start'Em in deeper leagues with Bryant out.

Sammie Stroughter, Maurice Stovall - These guys were very good college players recently, but I hope you don't have to consider using them as fantasy starters this week. Once again, move along.

Terrell Owens - So much for opening game fireworks. T.O. looked visibly frustrated against New England, but they doubled him most of the game. Expect that to continue, but also expect Alex Van Pelt to find more ways to get him the ball this week. You don't bring a guy like this in and don't get him the ball. The fans will be fired up to see him make some big plays, and T.O. will be chomping at the bit. I have to believe we'll see more crossing patterns and slants with him this week, his bread and butter. I expect a nice bounce-back week from him, and would have no hesitation starting him if I were crazy enough to own him. Verdict: Start 'Em

Lee Evans - Like Owens, Evans was very quiet on Monday night, finishing with just 3 catches for 25 yards. And like Owens, Evans also saw a lot of double coverage over the top. However, when that happens, Evans seems to be effectively shut down. He still has yet to prove he can be a consistent underneath option, and for some reason, the Bills never utilize him over the middle. Expect Edwards to try to get it downfield to him more this week, but his inconsistency is too great to count on. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish - Please don't have to start either, please.

Tight Ends
Kellen Winslow - With a gimpy Antonio Bryant, Winslow is the Bucs' No. 1 receiving option. After seeing Ben Watson torch the Bills in the fourth quarter Monday night, I expect Winslow to be targeted early and often by Leftwich. The Bills will obviously key on him, but he could still be in line for a nice afternoon. He'll surely get a lot of targets, and maybe receptions. Verdict: Start 'Em

Derek Schouman, Shawn Nelson, Derek Fine - The Bills utilized Schouman and Nelson to the tune of 5 catches for 52 yards and a touchdown on Monday. Pretty solid production for a unit that in years past hasn't been much more than an afterthought. The production is directly associated to the double teams Owens and Evans saw. With that likely to continue, these guys will get some looks. Unfortunately, all three will rotate in and out of the lineup, so it's impossible to predict what any of them will do, and in turn it's impossible to rely on any of them. Maybe down the line, Nelson will grow into the big-time receiving option we hope he can be, but that time is not now. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Kickers
Mike Nugent - If you're in a 32-team league, I'd say start Nugent. Otherwise, leave him on the waiver wire.

Rian Lindell - Lindell only averaged six points per game in home games last year, while averaging almost 10 on the road. I don't know if that's significant, but it is worth noting. I only consider starting kickers who put up consistent numbers and/or play for consistently good offenses. I'd avoid Lindell until the Bills prove that they're legit. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Defense/Special Teams
Both teams' defenses gave up a ton of yards last week, and only had one sack of the opposing quarterback. Neither pass rush is expected to consistently pressure quarterbacks, and right now, neither defense looks all that opportunistic. There are much better options available, and I'd consider one week fill-ins like Washington (vs STL) or Atlanta (vs CAR) before either the Bucs or Bills defense.

Sleepers
Michael Clayton - I mentioned Clayton could be a nice option with Bryant out. He earns my sleeper label for that.

Bills D/ST - After talking about how I wouldn't start them, this might seem odd, but they look like a solid sleeper option this week. With a fired up home crowd behind them and a slow-footed, windmill wind-up Leftwich susceptible to turnovers/sacks, they could put up some nice fantasy stats this weekend. Leodis McKelvin will also be hunting for a big return to make up for Monday's mistake.

*****

Hope this can be of some help to at least a few of you out there. Please use this as your end of the week fantasy open thread. Good luck to everyone once again this week.

Bills vs Buccaneers: Five questions with Buc 'Em

Brian Galliford — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:30:16 -0000

Last week in our pre-game preparations, we spent an entire six days interviewing the folks at Pats Pulpit about the then-upcoming Monday Night Football game. For the rest of the season, we'll be doing interviews in this format - five questions on Thursdays, and predictions on Saturdays.

The Buffalo Bills have a massively important rebound game - it's also their home opener, by the way - coming up this Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs opened their season with a 34-21 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys, and are making the trip to Ralph Wilson Stadium for the first time in franchise history this week. Here to help us understand a bit more about the Bucs are Buc Wild and Niko521bucs, big dogs at SB Nation's Buccaneers blog, Buc 'Em. Our conversation with these two Bucs bloggers are after the jump, and make sure you drop by Buc 'Em for the reciprocating Bills-centric interview/conversation.

The Bucs gave up three touchdown passes of 40+ yards to Tony Romo and the Cowboys this past Sunday. What happened on those plays?

Niko521bucs: It was a combination of inexperience in Jim Bates' new defense and inexperience on the part of safeties Sabby Piscitelli and Elbert Mack - two young guys in our secondary. Another major contributor to the problem is free safety Tanard Jackson, who is suspended for the first four weeks.

Buc Wild: He's right. Sabby Piscitelli got caught out of position on two of the big plays. It's a case of a young player not being disciplined enough in coverage. The other long TD came from a missed assignment by Elbert Mack, as he whiffed on the bump at the line of scrimmage.

Dallas did a great job of neutralizing DE Gaines Adams, who did not record a stat in Week 1. Beyond Adams, how does Tampa's pass rush look?

Niko521bucs: Not really that good. Honestly, neutralizing Gaines is not as hard as it sounds. Head Coach Raheem Morris has told him straight up that anything less than double digit sacks will label him a BUST. As for the rest, they did an adequate job against the run, but we have to improve against the pass.

Buc Wild: I hate to keep echoing Niko's thoughts here, but our pass rush is just not very strong right now. We have no premier pass rushers, and in Jim Bates' scheme, pressure comes from the DEs and LBs while the DTs clog the middle. This leaves it up to Adams, Jimmy Wilkerson and the linebacking crew. While they are young and talented, you just can't count on all the pressure coming from linebackers in a 4-3 scheme.

Byron Leftwich was efficient in Week 1, and the offense as a whole was excellent, picking up 450 total yards. How confident are you that that production will continue?

Niko521bucs: The biggest worry we have is losing Jeff Faine, center. But free agent pickup Jonathan Compas played in his absence pretty well. Left guard Jeremy Zuttah can play center, too. The trend should continue somewhat, especially once Faine returns in about four weeks.

Buc Wild: I'm confident that the offense can remain efficient; not so much in the 450 yards. I'm hoping our defense can cut some of the mistakes, thus allowing our offense to grind out some more yardage and clock. Leftwich shouldn't be throwing 40 times a game.

If you had to game plan against the Bucs, give us your brief strategies on offense and defense.

Niko521bucs: The Bucs like to run the ball, and will run with three if not four running backs, and then throw the ball on play action fakes.

Buc Wild: There are two ways to beat our offense - you either pressure Leftwich and force him off his spot, or you put eight in the box and stop the run. We're a pretty balanced offense, and throwing that balance off will kill us. On the defensive side, you beat the Bucs by throwing. I think we can stop the run fairly well, but with three young members of the secondary and Ronde Barber, there are holes to be had.

I'll admit that I was, and remain, a huge fan of Raheem Morris and his potential as an NFL head coach. But he's made some controversial moves early in his stint. How do you think Morris is coming along as a head man?

Niko521bucs: You will get different answers from different people, even probably within our site. I like Coach Morris, and do not feel he has really done anything all that crazy. Warrick Dunn, Derrick Brooks, Alex Smith, and Ike Hilliard are all still looking for work.

Buc Wild: My opinion is still being shaped, but as of now, I'm not sold. I think he's done some good and some bad, but he's making rookie mistakes. Problem is, we have no seniority to help him lead the team.

Game Balls - A review of the Bucs/Cowboys game

Buc Wild — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:00:43 -0000

It's tough to look back at a loss objectively and try to pick out the good and bad without being jaded by personal feelings on players. That being said, let's take a look at the recipients of Buc 'Em's game balls (both good and bad) for Week One. I'm going to do my best to not name entire units or teams as winners, but try to find individuals who deserve to be singled out.

Game Balls

Carnell WIlliams - I'm already breaking the rules about not making it personal. But who can argue with me. First game ball has to go to Cadillac Williams. Dude was a beast yesterday. 13 carries, 97 yards, 1 TD, 0 injuries. A great stat line for Cadillac. Watching him run with determination, with force was a great thing. He looked like an NFL feature back. He hit the hole strong, he made good reads and cuts, and he finished his runs. In fact, his least impressive run was his half dive half jump into the endzone. But the fact that he has become part machine with two knee injuries and is playing in the NFL, on Sundays, and scored against the first string D, just an awesome story. I hope we have 15+ more games of that.

Ronde Barber - I'll be the first to admit I was concerned with him coming into this year. Count week 1 as a win for him. Made some nice plays, did NOT get beat deep, had a sack, a few deflections and a near pick. I'll take it.

Geno Hayes - Don't want to get all sacrireligious on the Bucs here, but we'll just say an FSU grad played the WLB spot very well today.

Honorable Mention: Byron Leftwich, Michael Clayton

Anti Game Balls

Before I get started here, I could use a better name than Anti Game Balls, just not feeling creative this morning.

Sabby Piscitelli - I'm gonna go easy on him here, because I still want to do the "Grading out the Offense/Defense" columns, where he will be roasted. But good grief. For a guy who was supposed to be a starting safety even BEFORE T-Jack got hurt, this was embarrassing. Learn to stay with your assignment.

Jermaine Phillips - Took some pretty bad angles on the ball. Decided to go back to 2006 or 2007 with all the missed tackles (I counted at least 5 at the game). Granted, he is being asked to go from LB to S, but c'mon, learn to wrap up. That horrid missed tackle on Miles Austin (but he did tackle Mack!) was a reminder of how up and down he can be. A story is also circulating that Phillips threw a cup of water and ice along with a dozen or so "F" bombs into the crowd after hearing Sabby being heckled. Keep this in mind, it may turn out to be a bigger story.

Mike Nugent - After watching Niko's highlight video, he's right, that blocked field goal was not Nugent's fault. I assumed it was due to a low kick, at least partially, but that didn't seem to be the issue. The big concern. He missed a field goal before half. The bigger concern, it missed the entire net by about 5 yards. Ugly. His kickoffs werent much better than Bryant's and on days when Folk/Buehler were finding the end zone on kickoffs, Nugent was about 12 yards short of them.

Raheem Morris - It was his debut, so expecting a Parcells-like experience was probably expecting a bit much. But here's how I see it. Through all the double talk, mishaps, and rookie head coach happenings, we ended up here. I thought the offensive game plan was pretty solid, and with all the missed assignments, its tough to make a call on how the defensive playcalling was.

But here's a fact I can't escape. Imagine you didn't know Morris, or where he was from or where he coached. But someone told you that before being head coach he was a positional coach. What position would you guess he coached based on Sunday's game? I'd guess either RB, QB, or OL. No way would I guess our head coach was the DB coach. These are his guys, there isn't one new guy in the bunch, so his coaching style and imprint is still on them. And as a head coach who used to be a positional coach, don't you think he still probably plays a tad bit more attention to them as opposed to others? I know I would.

But in the last few months we've had a player get suspended (Jackson), a player beat a cabbie, allegedly (Talib), a player miss several tackles and still take bad angles (Phillips), miss several jams at the line and be beat (Mack), and a player look like he had never played football before (Piscitelli). The only guy who didn't get lit up was Ronde. Most guys seem to stay close to their roots. Dungy, Tomlin, Parcells, Lovie, Reid, Gruden. They came from the Walsh system, Dungy system, etc and they still hold true to those roots. Morris was a DB coach, and the worst part of our team with NO new players was our DB's.

That says something to me. Maybe it's a one week issue. But with him coming from a DB background, these being his guys that he used to chest bump, pump up and coach, they were beaten badly all day long. I'm sure I'll get a mixed reaction on this, and I can't quantify it, but this seems like an issue.

Honorable Mention - Gaines Adams, Two Minute Offense

Have at it, dissect away.