SB Nation - Ryan Denney

Bills 16, Chiefs 10: Week 14 Film Session

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bills send LT Demetrius Bell to IR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs

sireric — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:00:22 -0000

Buffalo Bills (4-8) at Kansas City Chiefs (3-9)
Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 1:00 PM EST
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

Two long-time rivals get re-acquainted this week when the Buffalo Bills travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. This will be the 41st all-time meeting between these two storied franchises, dating all the way back to November 6, 1960, when the Bills lost to the Dallas Texans 45-28 in their first-ever meeting. The Bills hold the all-time series lead 22-18, even with this being the sixth time in the last seven meetings that the Bills have had to travel to Kansas City. Recaps of the last five meetings between these two teams are after the jump.

November 19, 2000: Bills 21, Chiefs 17
Elvis Grbac and Tony Gonzalez beat up on the Bills' defense in this one. Grbac finished with 341 yards and two touchdowns, and those two touchdowns were both hauled in by Gonzalez, who had nine total catches for 76 yards and the two scores. The Bills countered with Rob Johnson. Yes, you read that correctly. Johnson only had 196 yards passing, but he did throw two touchdowns - one each to Jay Riemersma and Eric Moulds - and he was the leading rusher with 42 yards, including a score of his own. The rushing score came with under three minutes to play and gave the Bills the win. If you can believe this, Grbac was sacked more than Johnson, too. The Bills had five sacks - two each by Sam Rogers and Marcellus Wiley, and one by Keith Newman. Chris Mohr even hit Daryl Porter for a 44-yard gain on a fake punt.

November 17, 2002: Chiefs 17, Bills 16
Almost exactly two years to the day after their last meeting, the Chiefs again scored 17 points against the Bills; this time, however, their defense holds the Bills' offense to only 16 points in victory. In the battle of the running backs, Travis Henry got the better of Priest Holmes. Henry finished with 126 yards on 24 carries and added another 38 yards on four catches. It is a safe bet that he went out and fathered another child to celebrate his good day. Holmes finished with 104 yards on 31 carries and added 23 yards on three catches. Holmes, however, put the ball into the end zone, while Henry did not. Mike Hollis hit three field goals and Moulds brought in a nine-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe for a score, but it was a nine-yard scramble by the ever fleet-footed Trent Green that proved to be the decisive score. Chidi Ahanotu recorded the only Bills sack.

October 26, 2003: Chiefs 38, Bills 5
The Bills started the game by blocking a punt out of the end zone for a safety; it was pretty much all downhill from there. Three straight Kansas City touchdowns - two by Priest Holmes - would provide all the scoring Chiefs needed. After Rian Lindell hit a meaningless field goal, Gonzalez and that Holmes guy each scored to put the game away. Holmes was again out-rushed by Henry, 83 to 124 respectively, but again it was Holmes who put it in the end zone. Henry again fathered a child after the game as per his post-game ritual.

November 13, 2005: Bills 14, Chiefs 3
After Lawrence Tynes opened the scoring with a field goal for Kansas City, the Chiefs' offense went and hid. The Bills didn't do much better, and were in fact out-gained on the day 316-209. The Bills, however, benefited from two J.P. Losman-to-Lee Evans touchdown passes to get the win. The Bills sacked Green six times, with Aaron Schobel (2.0), Justin Bannan, Angelo Crowell, London Fletcher and Ryan Denney doing the honors.

November 23, 2008: Bills 54, Chiefs 31
Turnovers were the story of this game. The Chiefs had five turnovers and the Bills had none. Neither defense could stop the other offense, but Leodis McKelvin's two interceptions, one of which he took back 64 yards for a touchdown, helped put the Bills over the top. The Bills kicked the ball off eleven times. Think about that - when was the last time the Bills kicked the ball off ten or more times in a game? I also have to throw some love Trent Edwards' way. He had his best day as a pro in this game, completing 24 of 32 passes for 273 yards and two touchdown passes. He also scrambled for 38 yards and two more scores.

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

sireric — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:00:23 -0000

Buffalo Bills (4-7) vs New York Jets (5-6)
Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 8:20 PM EST
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Woot! A Thursday night game! As this is a Thursday night game this week, I probably should have had this up sooner, but I didn't even think of that until just now, so that is why this gets posted now.

These two teams have a long history against each other, dating all the way back to 1960 when they first met. Fast forward 50 years, and this will be meeting No. 99 between these two franchises. The Bills hold the edge 54-44 all time, including a stretch from 1987 to 1992 where the Bills won ten straight games. The last five meetings between these two teams in Buffalo are after the jump.

Sunday, November 7, 2004: Bills 22, Jets 17
In what seems to be a common theme in Bills/Jets games, the Bills ground out 157 yards on the ground, spearheaded by Willis McGahee's 132 yards on 37 attempts - one for a touchdown. When the Bills have big days running the football against the Jets, they normally win. Lee Evans added a touchdown catch and Rian Lindell kicked two field goals; Big Pat Williams even tackled Curtis Martin in the end-zone for a safety. For the Jets, Chad Pennington got knocked out of the game, and former Cowboy Quincy Carter had to finish up. Carter hit Santana Moss for a 51-yard touchdown to make it close late, but the Bills held on for the win.

Sunday, October 16, 2005: Bills 27, Jets 17
Another Bills win over the Jets, another 177 rushing yards from Buffalo. McGahee was once again the workhorse with 143 yards on 29 attempts and a touchdown. Kelly Holcomb added two touchdown passes, one each to Jonathan Smith and Eric Moulds to help pace the Bills' scoring. This time, the Bills had Vinny Testaverde to go against, and the speed rushers of the Bills took advantage. (Please note use of sarcasm.) Ryan Denney (2.0), Tim Anderson (1.0), Sam Adams (1.0), and Angelo Crowell (1.0) all recorded sacks for the Bills.

Sunday, September 24, 2006: Jets 28, Bills 20
The Bills controlled time of possession and moved up and down the field with ease, but turnovers and costly penalties killed them. The Bills ran for 169 yards, once again led by Willis McGahee (who finished with 150 yards), and J.P. Losman even passed for 328 yards. A Victor Hobson fumble return for a touchdown and a key Losman interception gave the Jets the win. Chris Kelsay picked up the lone Bills sack.

Sunday, September 30, 2007: Bills 17, Jets 14
This was the starting debut of Trent Edwards. With the Bills holding a slim 10-7 lead halfway through the fourth quarter, Dick Jauron shows lots of faith in his young QB by going for it on a fourth and one. Jauron's faith was rewarded when Edwards hit Michael Gaines in the end zone for some much-needed insurance points. Less then four minutes later, Leon Washington crossed the goal line for the Jets to pull the Jets to within three points, but the Bills' defense would hold on for the win.

Sunday, November 2, 2008: Jets 26, Bills 17
After Jay Feely hit a field goal for the Jets, the Bills came back with a Derek Fine touchdown pass from Edwards to make it 7-3. It was all downhill from there. Feely hit two more field goals and Abram Elam's 92-yard pick six put the game away for the Jets. The Bills rushed for only 30 yards, and Kris Jenkins singlehandedly shut down the Bills' running game. Jabari Greer added a 42-yard pick six to make it look a little more respectable.

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins

sireric — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:00:15 -0000

Buffalo Bills (3-7) vs Miami Dolphins (5-5)
Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 1:00 PM EST
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, NY

The Buffalo Bills have begun to play division opponents for the second time. The first meeting this year had the Bills heading into Miami with high hopes for the season, while the Miami Dolphins had just lost Chad Pennington for the year and were still without a win. We all know how that match-up ended.

Chad Henne, he of the too-small helmet and scrunched up forehead, leads the Dolphins into Buffalo this week. The last five meetings at the Ralph after the jump.

Sunday, October 17, 2004: Bills 20, Dolphins 13
Drew Bledsoe. Jay Fiedler. Need I say more about the suck involved in this game? Both sides got a touchdown and two field goals out of their offenses, but the difference was a Takeo Spikes pick-six. The Bills' D came to play in this game, recording five sacks along the way. Aaron Schobel (2.5), Ron Edwards (2.0) and Pat Williams (0.5) did the honors. Other than that, there isn't a whole lot to tell.

Sunday, October 9, 2005: Bills 20, Dolphins 14
The score and date looks eerily similar to the year before. This time, the Bills jumped out to a 17-0 lead on the strength of a Willis McGahee one-yard touchdown run, an Eric Moulds touchdown from Kelly Holcomb, and a Rian Lindell 24-yard field goal. Gus Frerotte led the Dolphins back by hitting Will Heller and Randy McMicheal for scores to bring the Fish back to within three points. Lindell would hit his second field goal of the day to cap the scoring and help preserve the win for Buffalo. Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney each had a sack in this game.

Sunday, December 17, 2006: Bills 21, Dolphins 0
J.P. Losman tossed three touchdown passes, one each to Robert Royal, Josh Reed, and Lee Evans. That was more then enough scoring, as the Bills' defense shout out the Cleo Lemon/Joey Harrington lead Dolphins offense. Schobel and Kelsay proved yet again that they are only effective against the Dolphins by getting another half-sack each.

Sunday, December 9, 2007: Bills 38, Dolphins 17
The Bills jumped out to a 21-0 lead thanks to a George Wilson fumble return for a touchdown and not one but two Trent Edwards-to-Robert Royal touchdown passes. Samkon Gado put the ball in the endzone for the Dolphins twice, but those scores sandwiched a Lindell field goal and an Evans touchdown catch. Evans would catch one more to continue his dominance over the Dolphins. Both Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch rushed for over 100 yards in this game. Being that Cleo Lemon was at QB for the Dolphins, this was of course a good day for the Bills' D numbers-wise. Four sacks and two interceptions (one each by Donte Whitner and Terrence McGee) added to the eight fumbles by the Dolphins. Of course, the Bills were only able to recover 3 of those 8.

Notice a pattern? The first two games had the Bills playing the Dolphins almost a year apart to the day and winning by almost identical scores. The second two have the Bills winning by identical margins (21) almost a year to the day apart. The dates are also the same - 17 and 9. Weird.

Sunday, December 7, 2008: Dolphins 16, Bills 3
The Bills' first-ever regular season game played in Toronto gave the Canadian fans quite the show. The Bills had almost nothing on offense that day, gaining only 163 total yards. J.P. Losman was the Bills leading rusher with 53 yards. Of course Losman offset his rushing prowess by getting sacked 4 times...

Playoffs or not, Bills have much to learn post-bye

Brian Galliford — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:04:49 -0000

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The Buffalo Bills are 3-5, and as they enjoy their last weekend off until their 2009 season comes to a close - whenever that may be - it's time for us fans to stop reflecting on what they've done through the first half of the season and to start discussing what we might learn over the next eight weeks.

Clearly, the big questions in Buffalo remain the coaching situation - which is probably tied directly to the outcome of the season - and the quarterback position, which we've discussed very thoroughly over the last couple of days. But from a player personnel standpoint, there is still plenty of progress to be made for several young players. What follows is a breakdown of Bills players with the most to gain, most to lose, and those waiting for some developments to unfold.

Three Bills with the most to gain developmentally
Demetrius Bell. Buffalo's starting left tackle has had his share of struggles early in his career, particularly with consistency (which isn't a surprise) and mistakes (which are incredibly irritating). He's cleaned up his act in the latter department in recent weeks, and it's therefore not impossible to think he can work out some consistency issues over the next eight games, too. No one denies that Bell has solid talent. If he proves he can play left tackle in this league, that's one less major issue the Bills will need to address in the off-season.

Aaron Maybin. I've preached patience in regards to Maybin, and even though that argument is nearly universally accepted, fans still don't like the pick because Maybin's rookie contributions have been minimal. Depending on how the rest of the season goes, however, there's a strong chance Maybin's playing time could increase as the season progresses, particularly as he's already starting to see a few more snaps per game. Again - this is a player whose talent is undeniable. If he starts producing in the second half of the season, the minds of a large number of fans will be put at ease.

Jairus Byrd. Yes, he's been Buffalo's MVP through the first half of the season, thanks to his league-leading seven interceptions. He's a leading candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year. But he's not a complete, two-dimensional safety yet. If his groin injury doesn't hamper him over the next two months, Byrd has a chance to gain a ton of starting experience and develop his tackling skills. The more he plays, the closer he comes to becoming an all-around playmaker, and if that happens, he could be considered one of the elite defensive backs in the NFL.

Three Bills with the most to gain if they're on tape for a new coaching staff
Trent Edwards. That one's pretty obvious. He's a young player that has some talent, and he's shown (very occasional) flashes of competence at the game's most important position. If a new coaching staff is in Buffalo in 2010, that staff's most important decision will be centered around what to do at quarterback. A strong finish to this season could help Edwards survive a regime change. Of course, it could also help save his current coach's job, as well.

Paul Posluszny. The completely unbiased view of Posluszny outside of Buffalo right now is as follows: perfect teammate, tremendous competitor with leadership skills and smarts, limited playmaker and an injury risk. He might be playing out of position as well, and is this kid's ceiling as high as originally thought? Like Edwards, Poz isn't going to be leaving Buffalo any time soon, but if he wants to remain this team's starting middle linebacker through next off-season, he needs to close this season well.

Donte Whitner. He's missed at least one game in each of his four pro seasons, including four of the Bills' first eight games this season. Prior to his departure from the lineup, Whitner was playing at the highest level of his career - but as he's missed time, Byrd has established himself as one of the elite young defensive backs in the NFL. Whitner has been a team captain, but he's not anymore. His production remains an issue, even if his versatility remains a tremendous asset to this team. Again - he won't be going anywhere any time soon, but he's got a lot to prove if he's to remain a key part of Buffalo's defense through a regime change.

Three Bills playing out the string
Roscoe Parrish. He's been relegated to third quarterback duties, and there's a chance he could be released when the team activates James Hardy from the PUP list. One of the elite punt returners in NFL history, Parrish has worn out his welcome in Buffalo thanks to a mistake-prone 2009 season and his inability to learn the Bills' offense.

Chris Ellis. A third-round pick in 2008, Ellis had a quiet rookie season and, thanks to the presence of three veterans and Maybin, hasn't had much opportunity this year, either - he's been active just once. He barely hung on to a roster spot as it was, and did so only after a strong pre-season. Unless a veteran or two leaves and the coaching staff remains intact, Ellis is unlikely to get his career started in Buffalo.

John McCargo. He's been hurt, ineffective, traded, and returned to the Bills over the past couple of seasons. He is the only Bills defensive tackle that doesn't have a contract that expires in the 2013 season - and the Bills could use additional beef at that position. Add it all up, and McCargo is probably done in Buffalo after this season ends.

Three Bills pondering future roles with the club
Brad Butler. He started the season off relatively well at right tackle, but now he's on IR, and Buffalo's offensive line is a mess. A new regime would almost certainly address the O-Line, and particularly each tackle position, but Butler also has a contract that expires in 2013. He'll be in Buffalo for a while - the question is simply where he'll be playing, and whether or not he'll be starting.

Eric Wood. Again, Wood's not going anywhere soon - the only Bills locked up as far into the future as Wood is are WR Lee Evans, DE Aaron Schobel and Maybin. But most NFL personnel executives saw Wood as a pure center prospect entering the 2009 NFL Draft. Obviously, he's playing guard in Buffalo. I, for one, would support the move, but Wood needs to put good tape together so a new regime - or even the current regime - wises up and puts him at center.

Leodis McKelvin. He had a so-so rookie campaign, and to say the start of his 2009 season was disastrous would be a monumental understatement. Now he, too, is on IR, and Buffalo's secondary is getting along swimmingly without him. CB Drayton Florence has filled in admirably in his stead; his play has been so good, in fact, that if it continues, McKelvin may not regain his starting role in 2010.

Three Bills free agents waiting on tenterhooks
Terrell Owens. T.O. is in a tricky position. His numbers are so far down that it seems unlikely that many teams will be interested in him as a UFA in 2010, even if he's been on his best behavior as a Bill. Then again, he's unlikely to stay in Buffalo beyond this season if Dick Jauron is let go. Owens has eight more games in Buffalo, and then it's anyone's guess what happens from there.

Ryan Denney. People tend to grossly underestimate just how valuable Denney is to this team. He gives the Bills quality reps as a rotational defensive lineman - at both tackle and end, by the way - and he's been one of Bobby April's key special teams players throughout his career. He's scheduled for free agency after the season, however, and the Bills have serious investments in Schobel, Maybin and even DE Chris Kelsay. Particularly if Jauron leaves, but even if he doesn't, he could be looking for a new home.

Keith Ellison. He's currently fourth in the NFL with 68 tackles, and he's clearly having his best season as a pro. He's been an incredibly valuable commodity to Perry Fewell, as he has played all three linebacker spots - strong, middle, weak - as the Bills have dealt with ridiculous injuries and shake-ups at the position. But he also has his limitations, and while the Bills have been able to scheme around them, a new regime might not view Ellison in quite the same light. He'll be a UFA as well (though if there's no new CBA, he'll be an RFA), and like many players, Ellison's Bills fate may be tied directly to his play the rest of the season as well as the fate of the coaching staff.

Far too early to slap Maybin with 'bust' label

Brian Galliford — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:45:24 -0000

In the NFL, there's very little room for such novelties as patience and perspective. Aaron Maybin is 21 years old. He entered the 2009 NFL Draft after his sophomore year in college, one in which he led the Big 10 with 12 sacks at Penn State. Throughout the entire pre-draft process, Maybin was labeled with such words as "light," "raw," and "weak" - labels that, for whatever reason, still surprise people when applied to him to this day.

Maybin has now appeared in seven regular season games with the Buffalo Bills. Playing perhaps the most difficult position on an NFL defense aside from cornerback, Maybin's statistical impact has been minimal - he has just four tackles in a rotational role. Naturally, when a first-round pick fails to produce immediately, the "b word" gets floated out there. Sal Maiorana of the Democrat and Chronicle is the first person of prominence that I've heard utter - or in this case, tweet - the "b word" in regards to Maybin.

Sal (and anyone else who's ready to apply the "b word" label as well): don't jump the gun on this kid. Consider the facts.

DE isn't generally an early-impact position
One of the big arguments for the Bills not to draft a defensive end this past April was that, for a team in need of instant impact from its early-round picks, a rookie DE wouldn't produce the way we'd need our first-rounder to produce. That argument was based on the rookie production of the much-heralded 2008 rookie defensive end class. Three ends were drafted in the Top 10 in 2008, and seven in total were taken in the first two rounds. Exactly zero of these players were high-impact, game-changing forces as rookies (and many of them have yet to ascend to that level in their second seasons):

Round-Pick-Player-Team-Stats
1-2: Chris Long, St. Louis Rams - 40 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 1 FF
1-6: Vernon Gholston, New York Jets - 13 tackles
1-8: Derrick Harvey, Jacksonville Jaguars - 19 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 PD
1-28: Lawrence Jackson, Seattle Seahawks - 29 tackles, 2.0 sacks
2-50: Calais Campbell, Arizona Cardinals - 29 tackles, 1 FF, 1 PD
2-52: Quentin Groves, Jacksonville Jaguars - 13 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 PD
2-54: Jason Jones, Tennessee Titans - 31 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 3 FF, 2 PD

It's worth mentioning, also, that it's traditionally much easier for rookie pass rushers to make an impact in a 3-4 defense than it is to do so in a 4-3, where their responsibilities are more diversified. The only 3-4 player above is Gholston, whose rookie season, statistically and behind the scenes, was terrible under Eric Mangini. Jones, meanwhile, made the switch to DT in Tennessee's system, and his production can, in part, be explained by lining up next to Albert Haynesworth.

Otherwise, this group was highly average. In most cases, you're looking at Chris Kelsay or Ryan Denney numbers. For as much talent as this group has - and this year's group is more talented, by the way - the numbers are well below what we might call "average to above average" NFL defensive end production. It's the nature of the position to start your career slowly when you're a pass rusher, and particularly if you're playing in a 4-3, as most of the above players do.

Round-Pick-Player-Team-Stats
1-11: Aaron Maybin, Buffalo Bills - 4 tackles
1-13: Brian Orakpo, Washington Redskins - 22 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 PD
1-16: Larry English, San Diego Chargers - 10 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 FF, 1 PD
1-18: Robert Ayers, Denver Broncos - 7 tackles
2-43: Everette Brown, Carolina Panthers - 7 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 FF
2-46: Connor Barwin, Houston Texans - 7 tackles, 1.0 sack, 2 PD
2-52: David Veikune, Cleveland Browns - N/A
2-57: Paul Kruger, Baltimore Ravens - 1 tackle
2-63: Cody Brown, Arizona Cardinals - N/A

Again, the 3-4 vs. 4-3 principle applies. Of the first-round picks, English and Ayers play in 3-4 schemes. Orakpo, who played end at Texas, is now Washington's strong-side linebacker, and they use him in a hybrid LB/DE role out of their 4-3 alignment - which means he's doing much of his rushing from a standing position. Maybin is the only first-round rookie end to be used in a traditional 4-3 manner, and that's pretty easy to glean just by his stat line.

Situations can't define busts after seven games
All of that might come across as excuse-making for Maybin - and it's exactly what I'm doing. I'm making excuses for him. The expectation was unreasonably high to begin with, considering his pre-draft hype, and it grew to unmanageable proportions when it became apparent how Buffalo planned to use him after a lengthy training camp holdout (don't forget about that, either).

A small part of me likes the fact that Buffalo refuses to move him all over the field. It's the part of me that understands that Maybin's got the talent to be one of the best at the end position that likes the fact that the Bills are playing him exclusively at that position. All of his reps are taken there, and each week, he looks a little better than the last rushing the passer. His legs are fresh, and with any luck, he'll start making impact plays over the second half of the season.

But the biggest part of me (no anatomy jokes of any kind, please) is a bit perplexed by this decision as well. Buffalo's coaching staff, if they weren't in win-now mode before the season, is definitely at that level now. I find it difficult to fathom that they wouldn't try to find more ways to get Maybin onto the field and into advantageous situations. He's too good an athlete to limit to rotational end work, is he not? Everything that made him a top prospect - that lightning-quick first step, his being a tremendous worker and highly motivated, and with tons of potential - still applies. It's on the coaching staff (much more than it's on Maybin, by the way) for his paltry stat line.

Don't forget about Aaron Schobel, Kelsay and Denney, either. Whether you like them as players or not, these are veterans that have the nuances of the position down. All three have played well this season. That makes it more difficult to get Maybin onto the field - again, unless you start to put more on his plate schematically.

Considering his age, his level of development, the position he plays, and how the Bills are using him, it's literally unfathomable to me how anyone can be surprised about the lack of production we've seen from Maybin. I don't like making excuses for players unless they're valid, but I'll make any excuse for a player being labeled a bust after seven professional games. He's 21. We know his game needs polish. Give him time - the kid's still got the talent and the drive. Screw the "bust" label and apply a little patience for once, folks.

Handing out first-quarter grades for the Buffalo Bills

Brian Galliford — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:15:14 -0000

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The Buffalo Bills have completed the first quarter of their regular season slate this season, and have done so with a 1-3 record. After a promising start to the season with a surprisingly close loss in New England and a semi-convincing home victory over Tampa Bay, Buffalo has dropped two straight abysmal performances to New Orleans and Miami. The Bills are 0-2 in the division, and are the only AFC East team to not yet pick up a win against a divisional foe. They've scored more points than just two other AFC teams - Oakland (1-3) and Cleveland (0-4). Meanwhile, only Kansas City (0-4), Cleveland and Detroit (1-3) have surrendered more points than the Bills.

In short? It's been pretty brutal.

It's not all bad news, though - Buffalo has four more games on its schedule against teams that have yet to win a single game in the first quarter of the season (Week 5 vs Cleveland, Week 7 at Carolina, Week 10 at Tennessee and Week 14 at Kansas City). So unless the Bills continue to play as they have over the past two weeks (or they can't stay healthy once they get healthy again), there's a chance they could climb back into the race. But only a chance.

We've got grades for you for each positional unit through four games. We also highlight two players that have really stood out, and two more that... haven't. It's all after the jump.

Quarterbacks: C- You can't completely discount Trent Edwards' strong start to the season - through two games, he'd thrown four touchdown passes and sported a QB rating of 104.9. But with his O-Line in a constant state of flux and with his own play slipping to a new level of mediocrity (for him), the position has only barely been passable this season - and it's been ridiculously awful in the past two weeks. Good news, though - Ryan Fitzpatrick has shown a great aptitude in relaying play calls from Alex Van Pelt to Edwards. (Yes, that means I'm saying that the calls to bench Edwards are ridiculous.)

Running Backs: A- There is nothing to not like about Fred Jackson's game. He's still the sixth-leading rusher in the league (333 yards at 4.8 yards per carry) despite the fact that Buffalo has abandoned the running game almost completely in the last two weeks. He continues to lead the Bills in receptions and receiving yardage, too. Fred Jackson is our best player right now, and it's not really close. Marshawn Lynch is back and continues to knock off the rust; we'll see if his presence has any long-term effects on the effectiveness of Jackson. Heck, Xavier Omon looked pretty solid taking spot carries for Jackson in Weeks 1-3, too.

Wide Receivers: D Part of their alarming lack of production has to do with the lack of cohesiveness up front as well as the lack of rhythm in the passing game. Terrell Owens, Lee Evans and Josh Reed have combined for 29 catches, 415 yards and 3 TD through four games. That's about equal to the output of Steve Smith - New York's Steve Smith, not Carolina's Steve Smith - who has 34 catches, 411 yards and 4 TD as a make-shift No. 1 receiver for Eli Manning. If that doesn't speak volumes about how putrid the receivers and the passing attack in general have been, I don't know what does. They only get a D because they can't be completely blamed for their issues.

Tight Ends: D+ Derek Schouman proved himself a valuable, underrated underneath option before landing on IR with a knee injury. Derek Fine has been just as prone to drops as the receivers have been, and while Shawn Nelson has flashed ability (he had a TD reception in Week 1, his first NFL appearance), he hasn't yet asserted himself as a threat in Schouman's stead. Jonathan Stupar? He's human, folks - very, very human.

Offensive Tackles: D Unfortunately for Brad Butler, he gets dragged down by his teammates. Butler was performing well, but he, too, is on IR - his season is over. Demetrius Bell flashed loads of potential and dominance, but he also made tons of mistakes - and then he missed Week 4 with a groin injury. His worth, however, was thrown into perspective when Jonathan Scott and Kirk Chambers resorted to the pirouette pass-blocking technique down in Miami. It didn't work for them. Buffalo has given up 16 sacks already this season, and the vast majority of them are the fault of the tackles.

Offensive Guards/Centers: B- Geoff Hangartner has struggled with a nagging back injury and really awful shotgun snaps, but he's still representative of a massive improvement at center from last year's group. Andy Levitre and Eric Wood, the subjects of much pre-season skepticism, have both made their share of mistakes (many more in the case of Wood), but they've also been dominant at times, particularly in the run game. These guys have proven why they were high-round picks, and there is some hope that they'll turn into dominant offensive linemen sooner rather than later. It's not perfect, but here, at least, there is lots of potential.

Defensive Ends: B It's hard to find reasons to be upset with this group right now; much-maligned for the past two seasons, this group is performing well. With very little statistical input from first-round pick Aaron Maybin, the trio of Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney have amassed 7 sacks already - well beyond the pace they've set in recent seasons. Yes, they're still susceptible to misdirection plays and lapses against the run, but on a long list of problem areas, this unit is unranked. They're playing well.

Defensive Tackles: C+ This group had a strong start to the season, but they've faded in the last two games as the Bills have given up well over 200 yards rushing per game to opponents. Marcus Stroud has two sacks, while Kyle Williams and Spencer Johnson have both flashed the ability to make plays in the backfield. Williams in particular has been unblockable at times. But they're getting gashed right now - which isn't completely their fault, I realize, but does bring their grade down a touch.

Linebackers: F How's your arm, Paul Posluszny? "Poz" has played roughly two quarters' worth of football this season after breaking his arm in the first half against New England, and Buffalo's defense clearly misses him. Kawika Mitchell and Keith Ellison are both serviceable players, but in this defensive scheme, they can't carry the burden they're carrying now - they've been abysmal against the run, and the plays they've made are... well, never mind, they haven't made any plays yet. Marcus Buggs has been overwhelmed trying to fill in for Posluszny, and none of the team's young, talented reserves have proven capable of stepping up. This is the clear weak area of the defense right now.

Cornerbacks: B Terrence McGee continues his unappreciated play; as far as reliable tacklers go, McGee might sit atop a list of two or three names - all of them defensive backs. (Posluszny might have sneaked onto that list were he healthy.) Leodis McKelvin is gone for the season, but before he was lost, he'd been picked on almost mercilessly by the likes of Tom Brady, Byron Leftwich and Drew Brees. Drayton Florence has played well in his place, but we'll see how long that lasts - he was brutal as a starter last season in Jacksonville. Reggie Corner and Ashton Youboty have performed well in sub-package duty, but it's best if they stay in that role - we really can't afford any more injuries here.

Safeties: B+ Take away some big plays they've given up to opposing tight ends, and they might have snuck into A range. I said it earlier this morning, and I'll say it again: Donte Whitner is playing at a Pro Bowl level. I'm curious to see if that continues when he eventually returns from his thumb injury. Bryan Scott continues to be highly competent defending the run, and is as sure a tackler as there is. Jairus Byrd has seen a lot of playing time, and has acquitted himself quite well - he hasn't made any big plays yet, but he hasn't given any up, either. He's shown physicality defending the run, too - but he needs to start taking better angles.

Specialists: B- I knock the grade a bit because of the poor overall performance of Bobby April's coverage units and kick return unit, but overall, the individual specialists - Rian Lindell, Brian Moorman and particularly rookie long-snapper Garrison Sanborn - have been quite good.

Coaching: C- I'll never be the type of guy that lays blame at any one person or group's feet. Football is a team game, and losses are team losses just as wins are team wins. But the coaching has not been good this season. Strong game plans - such as the one employed by Perry Fewell to almost completely shut down Brees and the Saints - have been overshadowed by terrible on-field play, which no matter which way you cut it is partially at the feet of the coaching staff. Hot seat? Yep - every last Bills coach is sitting on one as we speak.

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins

sireric — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:15:09 -0000

Buffalo Bills (1-2) at Miami Dolphins (0-3)
Sunday, October 4, 2009 at 4:05 PM ET
~~Joe Robbie~~ ~~Pro Player~~ Land Shark Stadium - Miami, FL

Make no mistake about it, folks: two very desperate football teams face off this Sunday in Miami. At 1-2 and 0-3, respectively, neither the Buffalo Bills nor the Miami Dolphins can afford to fall back any further off the pace being set by the red-hot New York Jets. With Chad Pennington gone for the season and Joey Porter possibly unavailable as well (keep your fingers crossed), this is an opportunity that the Bills need to take advantage of. Kick 'em while they're down, and kick them hard.

I am happy to report that, although it took until Week 4 to get there, we have finally come to a team that the Bills have a winning record against over their last five meetings. Keep in mind that since this is a division opponent, this post covers the last five times these two teams have played in Miami. Those last five meetings are re-visited after the jump.

December 5, 2004: Bills 42, Dolphins 32
Terrence McGee started this game by taking the opening kickoff 104 yards to the end zone for a very quick 7-0 lead. Drew Bledsoe would add four touchdown passes - two to Lee Evans (21, 69), one to Eric Moulds (30) and one to Tim Euhus (15) - to pace the Bills offensively. What seems amazing to me about this game is how on earth Miami scored 32 points, and totaled 403 yards on the day, while throwing five interceptions and losing two fumbles. McGee, Rashad Baker, Nate Clements, Takeo Spikes, and even Pat Williams recorded interceptions in this game. Williams returned his 20 yards for a score. Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay split a sack in this game. How does a defense play so well and so badly all in the same game? If not for Williams' pick-6 and McGee's return to open the game, the Bills could have conceivably recorded 7 turnovers and lost the game. Weird.

December 4, 2005: Dolphins 24, Bills 23
This is the game that Lee Evans and J.P. Losman were an unstoppable duo for the first quarter. Unfortunately, there were three more quarters to play, and the Bills' offense packed up and went home after the first 15 minutes. Losman hit Evans three times for scores of 46, 56, and 4 yards to give the Bills an early and commanding 21-0 after 12:46 had gone by in the game. Olindo Mare got Miami on the board with a 23-yard field goal; add a London Fletcher sack of Gus Frerotte in the end zone for a safety, and the Bills led 23-3 after three quarters. That's when the immortal Sage Rosenfels entered the game. Rosenfels engineered three scoring drives - ending in a Ricky Williams 5-yard TD run, and Ronnie Brown 23-yard TD catch and a 4-yard Chris Chambers TD grab that came with six seconds left on the clock - and Miami escaped with the win. Fletcher had two sacks on the day counting his safety, and Aaron Schobel had a sack and an interception.

September 17, 2006: Bills 16, Dolphins 6
This was the Daunte Culpepper sack-fest. The Bills sacked Culpepper seven times, with Ryan Denney (3.0) leading the way. Three Rian Lindell field goals of 33, 45, and 43 yards, as well as a Josh Reed touchdown reception from Losman, accounted for the scoring for the Bills. Losman only had 83 yards passing on the day, and Willis McGahee rumbled for 91 yards on 25 carries, but it was enough for the Bills. Angelo Crowell had a sack and an interception for the Bills.

November 11, 2007: Bills 13, Dolphins 10
During the Dolphins' horrible 1-15 season (stupid Ravens!), the Dolphins had enough in them to give the Bills a pretty big scare on this day. After a 38-yard Jay Feely field goal, a Chris Kelsay sack of Cleo Lemon for a safety, and a Lemon five-yard TD scramble, the Dolphins led the Bills 10-2 going into the fourth quarter. A Marshawn Lynch 3-yard "Beast Mode" touchdown and a "Beast Mode" two point conversion tied the game up with 9:46 to play. Exactly nine minutes later, Rian Lindell won the game for the Bills with a 34-yard field goal. After the game was over, a gigantic wind gust came out of the western New York area as Bills fans everywhere released the breath they were holding.

October 26, 2008: Dolphins 25, Bills 16
After Chad Pennington hit Anthony Fasano for a two-yard scoring pass giving the Dolphins a 7-0 lead, the Bills rattled off 16 straight points to go up 16-7. Rian Lindell hit on three field goals, and another Marshawn Lynch "Beast Mode" TD dive accounted for the Bills' points. After that, however, it was all Miami. Three Dan Carpenter field goals and a Ricky Williams TD run would have been enough, but for the third straight game between these two teams in Miami, there was a safety. This time it was Joey Porter stripping Trent Edwards in the end zone and Duke Preston falling up top of the ball first. Lee Evans had another huge day versus the Dolphins with seven catches for 116 yards. (Note to Lee Evans FF owners: Evans kills the Dolphins.)

Saints 27, Bills 7: Week 3 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:00:45 -0000

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Before we turn our attentions to the upcoming Week 4 matchup between our dinged up Buffalo Bills and the hated, also-dinged-up Miami Dolphins, we'll take two glances back at the Bills' Week 3 27-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

This is your first look back - our weekly Film Session. Stay tuned for this afternoon's Week 3 installment of Ron From NM's ultra-popular Notes from the Bills' O-Line series. Week 3 Film Session begins after the jump.

Things are getting complex for Trent Edwards. Again. Give Gregg Williams a lot of credit - Edwards has beaten his defenses twice before (2007 in Washington, 2008 in Jacksonville), and he finally figured our young quarterback out. The Saints flashed 3-4 looks and zone blitzes, and while Edwards seemed to have most coverages figured out, he struggled to consistently, properly diagnose pressures. When he had time and made the right pressure reads, his receivers weren't open; when Terrell Owens and Lee Evans did manage to run free, Edwards was being flushed or sacked on most occasions. There was zero rhythm to this offensive attack, and that starts with not being able to figure out Williams' pressures.

If you're still looking to point the finger of blame this fine Tuesday morning for the team's offensive woes, split the difference between Edwards and Alex Van Pelt. Buffalo had done a nice job of throwing in some misdirection passing plays and play-action passes in Weeks 1 and 2, but those disappeared nearly entirely in this game. Rather than cut the field in half or check to screen throws, Edwards was forced to take shotgun snaps and read the entire defense. Not only does Van Pelt need to find ways to get the ball to his receivers, but he needs to continue to simplify Edwards' reads. That's where the major regression occurred Sunday.

Man crushes on Andy Levitre are allowed. He, like every lineman, struggled in pass protection on Sunday, but he continues to be the one lineman who routinely flashes dominance. I love watching this kid play football. He's nowhere near the biggest, fastest or even strongest (though he's a beast) player on the field, but he really gets after it. This guy is 100% football player. I'll defer to Ron on the rest of the O-Line this afternoon, but I felt compelled to mention Levitre here.

Terrell Owens' body language. A lot is being made about T.O.'s supposed lackadaisical nature on the field over the past three games, but on more than one occasion I saw him scuffle with DBs post-whistle on run plays. If he's a little loose running his routes, then Lee Evans is right there with him. Move on, folks - nothing to see here. T.O. is OK, and he'll be peachy keen if we can finally get him involved early in games.

We missed Shawn Nelson. As much as I like Derek Fine and value his blocking abilities and toughness, he's not a starting-caliber NFL tight end. We miss Derek Schouman, but on Sunday in particular, we missed Shawn Nelson, too. Nelson's raw and rough around the edges, but he's a receiving threat - something Fine is not. We need Nelson back as soon as possible, because he is Buffalo's only remaining hope of fielding a tight end that can actually hurt defenses the way Schouman was. (Never thought I'd say that.)

Fred Jackson... ... is my favorite player. Rarely have I seen backs with his inexplicable ability to wiggle his way for massive extra yardage. He wasn't great on Sunday, but he did a remarkable job of keeping Buffalo's offense somewhat balanced despite AVP's best efforts to abandon the run altogether. New Orleans bottled him up alright, but they certainly didn't shut him down.

Josh Reed is great. But... I love the role that Reed has carved out for himself. He made some terrific hands catches on third down in this game. I don't even mind that he was Buffalo's leading receiver - but when he's your leader in receiving yards, there's an obvious issue.

This D-Line is playing great. From top to bottom, Buffalo's defensive line is playing extremely well, particularly against the pass. They wore down against the run on Sunday, but with Miami coming up, I'm quite confident they'll fix that issue. Every end - Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Ryan Denney and rookie Aaron Maybin - got heat on Drew Brees on Sunday. Every tackle - Marcus Stroud, Kyle Williams and Spencer Johnson - played different responsibilities and made plays in the backfield. I said it early Monday morning, and I'll re-iterate it here: Bob Sanders is one heck of a position coach.

Perry Fewell's game plan was masterful, but flawed. Name a defensive formation, and you likely saw it at least once on Sunday. They ran 3-man line looks, they rushed linemen standing up, they zone blitzed, they blitzed in the middle, they blitzed the edges, they stunted, they dropped eight into coverage - seriously, they threw the house at Brees, and for the most part, it worked. Brees made some plays, but he clearly was not the Brees Saints fans have become accustomed to. But they weren't particularly stout against the run the entire game, let alone in the fourth quarter. I suppose if you want the Saints to beat you, you let them do it on the ground, but a bit more resistance would have been nice there. Still, Fewell deserves a ton of credit - his game plan really frustrated an extremely lethal Saints offense for 50 minutes.

I miss Paul Posluszny. Kawika Mitchell has his limitations, which were on full display again on Sunday, mostly in coverage (he looked good blitzing, as usual). As much as I admire the way Ellison has capably assumed on-field quarterbacking duties while Posluszny sits, his physical limitations were exposed by a highly athletic Saints skill position corps. Posluszny is a nice marriage between Ellison's smarts and Mitchell's physicality - and we miss our best linebacker something fierce. Our run D has not looked the same since he's been out.

Oh, and Marcus Buggs? Completely overwhelmed in this game, and he barely played (mostly due to the fact that the Saints ran multiple spread formations and multi-WR packages). Get healthy soon, Poz.

Please get healthy soon, Mr. Whitner. I say that not because I didn't like what I saw from Jairus Byrd - I think he's playing remarkably disciplined football for a rookie playing a new position - but Whitner once again was flying all over the football field against New Orleans. It's only been three games, but he has emerged as a presence in this secondary. He had thumb surgery yesterday and is week-to-week; we need our free safety back as quickly as possible. Byrd will be fine, but he doesn't play as fast as Whitner has been yet.

Don't worry about cornerback. Knowing that Leodis McKelvin is set to miss a significant chunk of time with a fractured fibula, I paid extra close attention to Drayton Florence. Forget about his year in Jacksonville, folks - he wasn't flawless, but he had excellent coverage on the vast majority of his snaps. Yes, I'd much rather see him in the slot, too, but the Bills can play Ashton Youboty outside if they'd really prefer Florence inside, and Reggie Corner is a more-than-capable nickel corner if Florence stays outside. McKelvin, by the way, has been continuously burned by good receivers early in the season. I'm with Kurupt on this one - we won't miss him as much as most would think, though we'll certainly miss the idea that there's someone capable of making plays back there.

This was brutal to re-watch. As in any NFL game, there were good things on the football field, but it is particularly agonizing watching a football game in which 21 penalties were called. Good Lord, those refs were flag-happy. I cannot re-iterate enough that Buffalo needs to play with fewer yellow hankies flying if they want to be serious winners.