SB Nation - Duke Preston

Bills' battered O-Line takes another big blow

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

More photos » by Stephen Morton - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bills vs. Panthers: Blogger Q&A

Jaxon — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:15:11 -0000

Welcome to our next installment of Blogger Q&A as this week we have Brian Galliford from Buffalo Rumblings. Things have been rumbling in Bills territory as they face a number of significant injuries including the loss of QB Trent Edwards.

Question 1: I'm most curious how former Panther Geoff Hangartner is doing? I realize it can be hard to evaluate a center but is he starting? Performing well?

BG: Right now, he's grading out as one of our weakest performers up front - but that's not completely unexpected, given the importance of the center position against NFL teams who use three-man fronts far more often than they have in recent past. There is no question that Hangartner has been a significant improvement over the Bills' two centers from 2008, Melvin Fowler and Duke Preston. The difference, really, is night and day. Hangartner has had some minor back issues and has had some issues snapping in shotgun sets, but he's been a steady performer to this point.

His importance skyrocketed when the Bills lost RT Brad Butler for the season; when the Bills take on Carolina, Hangartner will be centering an offensive line that features four players that may as well be rookies. LT Demetrius Bell is a second-year player, but he was not active for a single game in 2008. Andy Levitre and Eric Wood have started just six games apiece as our rookie guards. With Butler (drafted in 2006) gone, we're starting another rookie, Jamon Meredith (drafted by GB in the fifth round this season), at right tackle. Hangartner's leadership qualities are being put to a severe test, as he's now by far our most experienced starting lineman.

Hangartner is the elder statesman on the Bills o-line? The Panthers should be able to contain the Bills running game with their new DT additions. Who knows, they might actually be able to get pressure on the QB without blitzing. What a novel concept!

Question 2. Fred Jackson or Marshawn Lynch? Who's the better RB for the Bills and why?

BG: If you're asking which runner needs to carry the bulk of the workload, the answer is clearly Lynch. He's the more talented of the two backs. The fact that he can carry the load, however, only highlights the versatility and importance of Jackson. With Roscoe Parrish falling out of favor in Buffalo, Jackson is now our full-time kick and punt returner. He also lines up in the slot as a receiver on occasion, and has perhaps the softest pair of hands on the team. He is Buffalo's leading rusher and receiver. Getting both of these players playing at a high level is absolutely essential however much success the Bills are able to milk from this 2009 season. The better running back for the Bills is Lynch, but the more important player is certainly Jackson.

How did I miss Jackson in my FFL draft?

Question 3. If Ryan Fitzpatrick starts at QB for the Bills what does that mean for your offense? Is there anything different the Panthers should be worried about concerning Fitz versus re-injured starter Trent Edwards?

BG: First thing's first: Edwards was not present at team facilities either Wednesday or Thursday, so we can just go ahead and strike that "if" from the question - Fitzpatrick is going to start for Buffalo on Sunday.

Not much will change offensively as the Bills make the temporary transition from Edwards to Fitzpatrick. They're slightly different players - Edwards is a better pure passer, but Fitzpatrick is a better runner and probably a more savvy decision-maker at this point - but they're executing the same scheme. We'll run, we'll screen, we'll take the occasional shot down the field - and, as it's par for the course, we probably won't score a lot of points, either.

The fact he is more mobile does change things for the Panthers a tad. The Panthers will need to make sure they don't lose containment straight up the middle.

Question 4: Let's see, the Bills got 6 INT's last week against the Jets and statistically they rank last against the run. Seems pretty obvious the Panthers will run the heck out of the ball Sunday. What do you think the Bills will do on defense to stop the Panthers running game?

BG: Sell out. Seven, eight in the box at all times. DT Kyle Williams has been one of our better run defenders for the last 2-3 years, but he'll miss this contest with a shoulder injury. Spencer Johnson, a former Viking, will replace him in the lineup, starting next to Marcus Stroud. Paul Posluszny returned to the lineup last week, but the Jets still ran for 318 yards. Our best back seven run defender might be Donte Whitner, but he hasn't practiced at all this week as he deals with an ankle injury. We're depleted of our best run defenders, so it'll take numbers to contain the run. Buffalo will be content to sell out a bit to stop the run, but they won't let the deep pass happen, either - so Delhomme should have backs, tight ends and Muhsin Muhammed at his disposal early and often on Sunday.

We are used to teams stacking the box for sure with Delhomme handing out INT's like Halloween candy. He's bound to try and force a few balls at Smith to keep him happy.

Question 5. After 6 games who is your offensive and defensive MVP so far? I don't suppose on offense its Terrell Owens?

BG: On offense, it's obviously Fred Jackson. He's the team's leading rusher. He leads the team in receptions. He's far and away been the Bills' most consistent threat offensively. It's really no contest - and if you add in his new special teams responsibilities, he's probably the Team MVP, too.

Defensively, I'm going with Terrence McGee. He's not a big-name NFL corner because he's not a loud-mouth nor is he arrogant, but he routinely lines up across a team's best receiver, and he routinely shuts them down. He's solid against the run, he plays through minor bumps and bruises, and most importantly (considering he's lining up to a lot of new guys in the defensive backfield), he knows the system back to front. He's an effort defender. The fact that he's been in the lineup and performed at a high level - minus the statistical acclaim - speaks volumes about the importance of his presence to this banged-up defense.

So Smith will draw McGee as his cover guy? Let's see if the kid holds up because I'm betting they take some shots down field early in this game.

A big thanks to Brian Galliford over at SBN site Buffalo Rumblings.

Where Are They Now? Recent Packers Released

Brandon — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:26:04 -0000

by John Russell - AP

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Probably every Green Bay Packer fan who watched the first two preseason games was hoping or expecting they would keep RB Tyrell Sutton. Instead he was released, and claimed by Carolina. RB Kregg Lumpkin was added to the practice squad. Maybe they preferred Lumpkin after all. They had to know someone would claim Sutton if they tried to slip him through waivers.

The bigger surprise was the release of S Anthony Smith. He had a great preseason, along with a couple dumb 15 yard penalties, but it seemed like he had the job as the top backup safety in hand. Instead he was released and claimed by St. Louis.

LB Danny Lansanah wasn't outstanding, but he was solid this preseason. He had at least one blown play in pass coverage, but at least one devastating hit too. He declined an invite to the Packers practice squad, and instead signed onto the practice squad in Miami.

C Duke Preston, along with S Anthony Smith, were the two veteran free agent signings this offseason. Neither earned a spot on the Packers 53 man roster. Preston was actually released a couple weeks ago. Just like Smith, Preston too wound up on another team's 53 man roster. He's way down deep in the depth chart in Dallas.

Predicting the Arizona Cardinals Record: Part 4

Andrew602 — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:00:23 -0000

For the last three weeks, we've spent some time breaking down what the Cardinals record may be for the 2009 season. Over the weeks we looked at each game of the Arizona Cardinals schedule, and broke down each team they will play. You can see parts part 1, part 2, and part 3 right here, where you'll see that the Cardinals record at this point is 8-4. In part three, the Cardinals came out 3-1, only losing to the Titans. During this next stretch, they face 2 division opponents, and two others from the NFC North. So to finish our segment before the season begins, here is the final part of the prediction for the Cardinals 2009 record.

Week 14 - At San Francisco 49ers

Key Additions: WR Brandon Jones, CB Dre Bly, DE Demetric Evans, FB Moran Norris

Key Losses: LB Tully Banta-Cain, WR Bryant Johnson, CB Donald Strickland, QB J.T. O'Sullivan, DT Ronald Fields

Analysis: After Mike Singletary took over for the 49ers last year, he immediately made a difference, and since then, he's stamped his identity on this team. He's created a tough and smart football team over at 49er camp. Although the 49ers are one of our rivals, you have to respect what Singletary has done for them at this point.

What to watch for: In their first match up, I gave the Cardinals the win at home, as they were opening the season after their Super Bowl run against a division rival on their home field. This time, the Cardinals travel to San Francisco, where the 49ers can play very aggressive against road teams. It's also on the Monday night stage, where both teams have played very cutthroat in the past. Expect a lot of emotions to come out as this has become a great rivalry.

Key Match Up: Chris Wells vs Patrick Willis - This would be a very exciting match up on the national stage, as our bruising rookie running back takes on their Pro Bowl hard hitting linebacker.

Prediction - Loss - Last year the Cardinals barely escaped a win over the 49ers at home. This year I'd expect us to split the series, with each team winning at home.

Week 15 - At Detroit Lions

Key Additions: LB Julian Peterson, QB Matthew Stafford, LB Larry Foote, CB Phillip Buchanon, CB Anthony Henry, DT Grady Jackson, OT Jon Jansen, WR Bryant Johnson, RB Maurice Morris, WR Ronald Curry, CB Eric King

Key Losses: CB Leigh Bodden, DT Shaun Cody, DT Cory Redding, DE Corey Smith, QB Jon Kitna, QB Dan Orlovsky, WR Shaun McDonald, FB Moran Norris, G Edwin Mulitalo, S Dwight Smith, WR Travis Taylor

Analysis: There's not much to say after a team goes 0-16 during the regular season. The Lions just plain stunk last year. This year proves to be a different experience for a team that's struggled in recent years. As you can see, they've cleaned house and started fresh. It began in the off season when they hired Titans defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, as their head coach. They also took the next step in rebuilding their team, in drafting a franchise quarterback by the name of Matthew Stafford. The team can only improve from last year and anything more then 4 wins would be a success.

What to watch for: By the time the Cardinals head to Detroit at this point in the season, they will likely be vying for a playoff berth. On the other hand, the Lions may just want to play spoiler. Another thing to watch for is Calvin Johnson. He's already been regarded as one of the best wide recievers in the NFL at this point in his career. Watch to see how DRC handles himself against the tall receiver. If Stafford is in the game at this time, watch for the Cardinals defense to try and rattle the rookie QB.

Key Match Up: Adrian Wilson vs Matthew Stafford - If the rookie is starting at this point in the season, he has a big arm and likes to air it out. Expect Wilson to drop in coverage a few times but also layout Stafford a few times in the backfield.

Prediction: Win - It's simple, the Cardinals will be fighting for a playoff spot at this point in the year and the Lions will not be.

Week 16 - St. Louis Rams

Key Additions: SS James Butler, C Jason Brown, FB Mike Karney, OT Jason Smith

Key Losses: WR Torry Holt, OT Orlando Pace, QB Trent Green, S Corey Chavous

Analysis: After dusting off the cob webs and bringing in some youth, the Rams look to another challenge in '09, WIN. The last two years have been struggles for this Rams team that used to be the greatest show on turf. With Spagnola at the helm now, we may actually see a division rival actually become...a division rival.

What to watch for: The Rams come to University of Phoenix Stadium with hopes of knocking off a divisional opponent. Unfortunately, they haven't played that well there in the past, and will likely have some difficulty. The Cardinals will be ready for this game, hoping to catapult themselves into the playoffs with a win.

Key Match Up: Gerald Hayes vs Steven Jackson - Last year Hayes swarmed Jackson when the Rams came to Arizona. Will Jackson have revenge on his mind?

Prediction - Win - The Cardinals may need this win more then the Rams will at this point in the season.

Week 17 - Green Bay Packers

Key Additions: S Anthony Smith, C Duke Preston, DT B.J. Raji

Key Losses: DT Colin Cole

Analysis: The Packers had high hopes last year, after coming off an NFC Championship appearance. Unfortunately, it didn't translate into the 2008 season. While they had a good offense in '08, they suffered injuries that caused them to lack a rushing attack to go with their passing offense. The defense was the obvious weak spot, as they gave up a significant amount of points and were playing catch up most often then not. This year they bring back their explosive offense, and most are healthy. Aaron Rodgers has looked amazing at this point in the preseason, and they outscored their opponents in each game. They brought in Dom Capers and drafted DT B.J. Raji to improve their defense, and it's already showed as they've forced numerous turnovers and have limited their opponents scoring so far.

What to watch for: Watch for the Cardinals to head into this game with revenge on their minds. Even though it was only the preseason, the Packers put a shellacking on the Cardinals first team offense and defense. Expect to see fireworks in this game as the Cardinals defense would like to get after Aaron Rodgers.

Key Match Up: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie vs Packers Wide Receivers - After getting embarrassed in the preseason, we can only expect DRC to come out with something to prove in this game.

Prediction - Loss -Although the Cardinals will likely play differently this game, the Packers look to be much better in '09 and will be playing aggressively in their last game of the season, as their division will be competitive.

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Arizona Cardinals final projected record - 10-6

So after the final four games, the Cardinals finish their 2009 season at 10-6, which will likely land them with another division title and a playoff berth. Although you could easily mix and match some wins and some losses, 10-6 may still be the record, with 9-7 or 11-5 not that far out of the question. Although I'd like to see them go 16-0, I can live with the projected record if it happens. As far as anything less, the Cardinals would have to have a complete meltdown or a massive amount of injuries. What's your take on a final record of 10-6? Do you think the Cardinals would do better or worse?

Poll

How many wins will the Cardinals have in 2009?

13 or higher - Super Bowl here we come...again.

62 votes

10-12 - What hangover? We're back in the playoffs.

495 votes

7-9 - Another average season in the books

183 votes

6 or less - Same Ole Cardinals?

47 votes

787 votes | Poll has closed

Final Week of Training Camp; Rosters Cut Down To 75 On Tuesday

Brandon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

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Greg Bedard pointed out to me that, despite what I said in my recap, the Green Bay Packers did some game planning to prepare for the game at Arizona, while the Cardinals did none. I had read last week that QB Brian Brohm ran the scout team in practice, but I assumed he was playing as QB Jay Cutler to prepare for the season opener. But instead they used it as practice for the real game planning in two weeks.

The rosters have to be cut down to 75 players by Tuesday. By my count of the current roster, that means three players have to be released. They've already cut down from 80 when they released C Duke Preston and placed TE Devin Frischknecht on I.R. last week.

It looks like the three players will be P Durant Brooks, LB Stryker Sulak, and WR JaRon Harris. From Mike McCarthy:

Q:Brooks, Sulak, and Harris were not out there. Where were they?
A:They were excused from today's practice.

Brooks hasn't been able to play or practice over the last two weeks. He's handed the starting job to P Jeremy Kapinos by default, but the team can't afford to wait on him. Although Kapinos will still have to sweat out the final cuts; the Packers went out and signed P Derrick Frost after the final preseason game last season.

I thought Sulak had a chance at playing time, but he didn't make it on the field during any of the preseason games, as far as I noticed.

It's possible they were discussing CB Al Harris, but they were probably talking about players on the bubble. JaRon Harris hasn't been awful, but he did have a bad deflection against Cleveland. There are a bunch of good receivers in camp, so one mistake might be one too many.

It's probably the end of preseason play for CB Al Harris, CB Charles Woodson, and definitely over for WR Greg Jennings. But the game against Tennessee will be the first game for LB Clay Matthews and LB Nick Barnett. From Mike McCarthy:

Q:Will all of the healthy guys play on Thursday?
A:Yes. Well, starters? We may have some coach's decisions like I have done in the past. We'll look at Al and Charles Woodson and obviously Greg Jennings is not going to play. We'll see what happens tomorrow. Tomorrow's practice is our heavy lifting day, so we'll have that conversation after tomorrow's practice.

Q:Is Clay Matthews on track to play?
A:Yes, I anticipate Clay to definitely play. Him and Nick Barnett, I anticipate that both will play this week.

As far as the rest of the week goes, there will be a practice on Monday and Tuesday morning before a closed practice on Wednesday. And then the final preseason game at Tennessee on Thursday night.

The VRR: San Francisco (2-0) @ Dallas (1-1)

Aaron Novinger — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

Time to get ready for another preseason matchup. This time, Cowboys Stadium welcomes the team's old rivals from the west, the San Francisco 49ers.

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When the 49ers bring their undefeated preseason record into Cowboys Stadium tomorrow night, they will be looking to play a solid game against a quality NFC team. The game will be the third for each team, and both expect to give their starters a considerable amount of playing time that could stretch into the third quarter.

Last season when the two teams met, the Cowboys handed their old west coast rivals a 35-22 defeat. The 49ers finished the season 7-9, which was good enough for second place in their division behind the NFC champion Arizona Cardinals. They have a young team led by head coach Mike Singletary, and a defense led by Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis.

Willis will be playing in his first preseason game this year after injuring his ankle and Achilles tendon early in training camp. He is looking forward to Saturday's matchup.

Patrick Willis said the chance for backups to compete against a talented team like the Cowboys would only be beneficial to everyone in the long run.

"I think it’s very big," Willis said. "To go out there and have a good game against a good-caliber team like the Cowboys, it means a lot across the board from the ones to the twos. Coach [Mike Singletary] will say all the time, ‘We don’t have backups. We have guys who come in and when they’re in there, they’re starters at that point in time.’ So, it’s going to be really big across the board."

More 49ers @ Cowboys after the jump.

49ers QB Shaun Hill, who has been resting a strained lower back and has recently been named the regular season starter, expects to play against the Cowboys.

San Francisco's starters are expected to play the first half against the Cowboys, with some continuing on into the third quarter.

"This is a very important game for everybody on the team," Hill said. "For the guys who are going to be starting it's important to establish a tempo and do some good things. Every opportunity to play is important. My goal is, no matter how many series, to come away with touchdowns."

Singletary isn't sure how long Hill will play.

"He’ll start the game and we’ll go from there," Singletary said.

If for some reason Hill can't go, 13-year vet Damon Huard will start in his stead.

Also, Barry Sims will start at right tackle for Marvel Smith.

We will not get to see WR Michael Crabtree. The team's first-round pick is still holding out. In fact, it looks like a messy situation between the organization and the former Texas Tech Red Raider.

Former 49ers cornerback and KPIX game analyst Eric Davis said that wide receiver Michael Crabtree is willing to sit out the season.

[snip]

Davis said the player and team are about 7 million apart on the guaranteed money. Davis knows people in Crabtree's camp, which might be his old teammate Deion Sanders, who's close to Crabtree. Davis wasn't sure if the continued holdout was motivated by Crabtree or his agent, Eugene Parker, but he did say this:

"Eugene Parker is not the football player. Eugene Parker works for Michael Crabtree, the key phrase here is 'works for,'" Davis said. Also Davis believes Crabtree might go through with his holdout threats.

Expect the 49ers to try to bring some pressure on Tony Romo. Linebacker Manny Lawson sounds like they've got something to prove tomorrow.

"We all pride ourselves on getting sacks. We want to get sacks and we're going to continue to try our hardest to get sacks," Lawson said Thursday as the 49ers prepared for Saturday's game at Dallas. "People may look at the first two games, but these are preseason games. We (starters) don't play that much. We don't really study film on our opponents. We just go up there and want to see what guys have."

The Cowboys are fortunate that Roy Williams' shoulder injury does not look too serious. Unfortunately for us, we won't get to see him play against the Niners.

Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones on Friday did not offer a firm timetable for Williams' recovery, but indicated there's a good chance Williams could be ready for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener at Tampa Bay. Jones said Williams had good strength and movement in his shoulder Friday morning, but emphasized the team will not "push anything" regarding his return.

[snip]

In the meantime, the team's medical and training staff will monitor Williams daily. Given Williams' chance for a relatively swift return, Jones said he doesn't envision the Cowboys signing another receiver for depth purposes. They could be short-handed at the position Saturday, however. Fourth-year veteran Sam Hurd has missed practice this week with a sore quad and seems questionable to play against the 49ers.

Here's what Jones had to say in response to a question about whether Orlando Scandrick practices too hard.

"No, not at all," Jerry Jones said during his appearance on 105.3 The Fan this morning. "When you're out there and you're not padded up, it's a time that you're sensitive about that and you try to avoid those collisions. But when you're moving at 95 to 100 percent speed, then sometimes they're not avoidable."

With Williams out and Hurd questionable, many eyes will be watching Kevin Ogletree, who is fast-becoming the favorite to win the fifth WR spot.

Another thing in Ogletree's favor is the presence of tight ends coach John Garrett, the brother of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. John coached Ogletree for two years at Virginia and promised him a fair shake; that was a big reason he signed with Dallas instead of the other 20-plus teams that offered him the chance to try earning a job.

"I trusted that he had my best interest in mind when he told me that I would have a good chance to play here," Ogletree said.

Another receiver, Manny Johnson, has attracted some attention for himself at practice.

During team drills, Johnson used his left hand to grab a 50-yard pass from Jon Kitna. What's more impressive, he made the catch despite tight coverage from Orlando Scandrick and Ken Hamlin down the left sideline.

New C/G, Duke Preston, will most likely sit this one out while he learns the offense.

"I'm going to pretty much not sleep and dive into the playbook this weekend and be ready to go Monday," Preston said.

Touring SB Nation: What others are saying

Ed Valentine — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:00:11 -0000

Let's go Touring SB Nation this afternoon and see what some of the other extraordinary bloggers around here are talking about.

From Blogging the Boys, the Dallas Cowboys have signed veteran center/guard Duke Preston to bolster their offensive line. I don't know much about Preston, but I wonder if he is a guy the Giants considered.
Speaking of the Cowboys, the following video did not come from BTB. Rather, it came from my buddy Rick Snider's blog. But, since it pokes a little fun at the Cowboys' new digs, I thought I had to pass it along. Hang in there until just about the 1:50 mark.

Bleeding Green Nation is wondering what Eagles fans are expecting when Michael Vick plays for the first time tonight. BGN also pointed out a great article telling Eagles fans not to panic about the slow start of No. 1 pick Jeremy Maclin. If you simply replaced all the Maclin references with 'Hakeem Nicks' this could be directed at Giants fans.
The Daily Norseman is whining that ESPN's Adam Schefter is just stirring up trouble for the Minnesota Vikings by talking about a possible locker room rift caused by players choosing sides between Brett Favre and Tarvaris Jackson.
Buffalo Rumblings says it would be a bad idea for the Bills to trade wide receiver Roscoe Parrish, even with Terrell Owens around.
It seems Baltimore Ravens fans aren't happy with the play of their team thus far. Well, Baltimore Beatdown doesn't want to hear it anymore.

Cowboys Reach Agreement with Veteran Center Duke Preston

Dave Halprin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:30:09 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

The big question on everybody's mind: What happens to Free Reign if Duke Preston beats out Cory Procter? Has anybody tested Preston's drumming skills?

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As you guys have already noted in the comments and in a FanPost - Hat Tip sublimezg, that's why this blog rocks, community participation - the Cowboys are adding veteran center Duke Preston to the roster.

This is a serious challenge to Cory Procter and Montrae Holland. On the positive side, his name is Duke, so that's just cool in itself. Oh yeah, he's also started games in the NFL, on a regular basis for Buffalo. He's experienced. On the negative side is the fact that he's a free agent this late in preseason. There's usually a reason for that. He was with the Packers from March until this week. And I've read mixed reviews about his play.

The Bills drafted him in the fourth-round in 2005, out of Illinois. He started the bulk of the games at center for Buffalo last year. For the Cowboys to go out and get him, they're obviously not comfortable with the current situation. Wade Phillips said that Holland will not be playing center after having trouble with the snaps this preseason. It feels like this signing is aimed directly at Procter, and that's a good thing. I don't think many of us have been impressed with his play. But Preston can also play guard, so Holland better make sure he's turning in a good performance or he could be the target.

Either way, I like getting some fresh blood in here to compete, and the fact he's a vet and has started before is a bonus. According to the National Football Post, Oakland and Cleveland were also interested but the ‘Boys won out.

Some Preston reviews below...

A couple of you found some stuff from other SB Nation blogs on Preston. A little bit in this Acme Packing Company post and a long rundown in this Buffalo Rumblings post.

I checked in with Scouts, Inc. over at ESPN and they had this to say:

Grade: Avg. Starter

Comment: Preston has seen more time as a starter in 2008 as a center and offensive guard. He has excellent size, strength and athleticism for an interior offensive lineman. He has natural power to anchor in the middle of the line as well as enough strength to get movement on double teams and power zone-blocking schemes in the running game. Preston is limited in space to connect with targets on the second level, but he's a solid technician who understands angles and combination-blocking schemes. He uses his hands well to gain leverage and does a nice job to lock on and stay connected, once engaged. He appears to have a good feel for the game and reacts well to stunts and twists. He was more aggressive in 2008 and is a versatile player who has value giving depth along the offensive line, but he's shown he can also be an effective starter.

We'll see what happens, but having someone else in the competition for the interior backup line was a smart move.

Here's an injury update.

Tuesday Practice: Poppinga, Wells, and Lumpkin

Brandon — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:00:19 -0000

More photos » by Mike Roemer - AP

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Can we start a new nickname for LB Brady Poppinga? The Cockroach? From Greg Bedard:

"Oh, and expect Brady Poppinga to be the opening-day starter at ROLB. He's like a cockroach. He survives anything."

After RG Josh Sitton beat out C Scott Wells for the starting job on Monday, Bob McGinn speculated that the Green Bay Packers might trade Wells because they have C Duke Preston available as a backup. On Tuesday, they released Preston, so I guess that means Wells isn't going anywhere. He's signed to a reasonable 5 year, $15 million contract, so the team can certainly afford him, and Mike McCarthy admitted he's played great. On one hand, his trade value is never going to be higher since he's only 28 and signed to a reasonable contract. On the other hand, he's under their control for the next three seasons and the team could always use quality depth.

Of course Wells is not happy about any of this. And I don't blame him. From Rob Demovsky:

"You think I'm happy?" Wells said after today's practice...

"They told me I played well," Wells said. "That's all I can say. If you want further explanation, you need to talk to somebody other than me."

As for the practice itself, it looks like the rest of training camp will be quite dull. From Greg Bedard:

"Think we could be done with truly competitive training drills for the rest of camp."

He also told fans of RB Kregg Lumpkin to brace yourself for his release:

"Lumpkin fumbles again. That is going to get him cut."

I noticed this in the box score against Buffalo, but I couldn't figure out why WR Ruvell Martin was the holder on extra points. Apparently they're down to their 3rd string holder. From Mike McCarthy:

Q: Is Ruvell likely to be the holder with [QB] Matt [Flynn] injured?
A: We'll see. We'll see where Matt's at. He's the third holder obviously with Durant Brooks and Matt having injuries. We're getting him ready.

Analysis: Green Bay Packers defeat Bills 31-21

Brandon — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:00:13 -0000

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This was another impressive win. While the first team offense and defense were on the field, the Green Bay Packers jumped out to a 21-0 lead and Buffalo committed 3 turnovers. RB Ryan Grant ran well and QB Aaron Rodgers had time to find open receivers. The defensive front seven were constantly in Buffalo's backfield, and QB Trent Edwards was usually on the run. It was by far Buffalo's worst preseason game this season.

Unfortunately there were a couple injuries. According to Tom Pelissero:

QB Matt Flynn had a shoulder sprain but he feels OK.
S Nick Collins has bruised ribs. The x-rays were negative, but he'll probably take it slowly next week.
Undrafted rookie TE Devin Frischknecht was taken to the hospital with a shin injury.

There aren't a lot of starting jobs being fought for in training camp. DT B.J. Raji is trying to start ahead of DE Johnny Jolly, but it seems like a given that Raji will be the starter at some point. LB Clay Matthews, LB Jeremy Thompson, and LB Brady Poppinga are battling for the starting outside LB spot, but Poppinga is winning that by default as the others are still being held out with injuries. On the offensive line, C Scott Wells outplayed RG Josh Sitton in this game while RT Allen Barbre outplayed RT Breno Giacomini, but Pete Dougherty believes Sitton is ahead of Wells. One play shouldn't knock a player out of a starting job, but the one block that Giacomini blew led to Flynn's injured throwing shoulder, so it's a bit more glaring.

Yes, it was just one game, and yes, it was just one preseason game, but it couldn't have gone much better. Continue after the jump for the complete game review.

Bills vs Packers coverage; Bills vs Packers recap; Bills vs Packers boxscore; Buffalo Rumblings

For my complete game review, I'm using the NFL.com play-by-play.

First Quarter

(13:06) (Shotgun) 23-M.Lynch left tackle to BUF 29 for -1 yards (77-C.Jenkins).

It's good to see DE Cullen Jenkins healthy and busting into the opponent's backfield again.

(12:36) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards pass deep left intended for 83-L.Evans INTERCEPTED by 51-B.Poppinga (36-N.Collins) at BUF 45. 51-B.Poppinga to BUF 37 for 8 yards (63-G.Hangartner).

The refs have their preseason too. S Nick Collins got to WR Lee Evans early and they could have called pass interference. But Collins still looked great, he seemed to be all over the field, before they pulled him early due to a rib injury.

(11:18) 25-R.Grant right tackle to BUF 23 for 1 yard (95-K.Williams, 99-M.Stroud).

If your keeping track whether C Scott Wells or RG Josh Sitton should start, DT Marcus Stroud shoved Sitton aside to tackle RB Ryan Grant at the line of scrimmage.

(8:57) 25-R.Grant left tackle to BUF 17 for -2 yards (56-K.Ellison).

Getting stuffed on 4th and 1 might be a sign that the Packers' offensive line is struggling. Buffalo committed all their linebackers into the middle determined to stop the run. On this play, there were just more defenders then blockers on the line. This overcommitment comes back to bite them.

(8:53) 5-T.Edwards sacked at BUF 9 for -3 yards (97-J.Jolly).

(7:43) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards sacked at BUF 5 for -7 yards (97-J.Jolly). FUMBLES (97-J.Jolly), RECOVERED by GB-50-A.Hawk at BUF 5. 50-A.Hawk to BUF 5 for no gain (5-T.Edwards).

It was a nice play by DE Johnny Jolly, but I can't say enough how about unimpressed I was by Buffalo's offensive line. They played back on their heels the entire game. The 1st string defense killed them with speed from the linebackers and power from the defensive lineman. On the sack, LB A.J. Hawk and LB Brandon Chillar just ran right around the offensive lineman in a second. QB Trent Edwards was either running for his life or throwing quick 5 yard outs to avoid the rush. Buffalo's O-line wasn't good last season and they jettisoned three starters, including current Packer C Duke Preston, from that group. They're rebuilding their line, and it's just not ready.

(7:33) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 85-G.Jennings for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Once again, Buffalo run blitzed their linebackers to fill the gaps in a short yardage situation. This time, QB Aaron Rodgers dropped back and hit WR Greg Jennings on a quick slant. The cornerback was outside and Rodgers threw it inside where there were no linebackers back in coverage.

(4:09) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 88-J.Finley to BUF 35 for 21 yards (20-D.Whitner).

This was one of many plays by TE Jermichael Finley. He was showing off what he can do in the passing game. He was running by their linebackers and is too big for their corners and safeties. He showed the same thing last week vs. Cleveland. He'll have to prove it during the regular season too, but so far, he's looking like a big, dangerous target in the middle of the field.

The Packers march down 79 yards for their 2nd TD. The offense looked great, but this was some plain vanilla defense. They used a four man rush that wasn't providing enough pass pressure, their linebackers were focused on the run, and their secondary and linebackers were getting killed in single coverage. The offense looked better than the defense, but their defense would have played it differently during the regular season.

(:29) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards pass short left to 22-F.Jackson to BUF 43 for 13 yards (21-C.Woodson).

This was the first play I noticed with DT B.J. Raji and he dropped into pass coverage. He seemed to have no trouble with the Buffalo offensive line, but you could say the same thing for Jolly and Jenkins. Like I said above, I wasn't impressed at all with Buffalo's O-line.

Second Quarter

(13:59) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 5-T.Edwards pass short middle to 22-F.Jackson to BUF 41 for 4 yards (77-C.Jenkins). FUMBLES (77-C.Jenkins), RECOVERED by GB-51-B.Poppinga at BUF 41. 51-B.Poppinga to BUF 41 for no gain (63-G.Hangartner).

The fumble was all Jenkins. He read the screen, avoided all the offensive lineman trying to block him, and stripped RB Fred Jackson. It's the 2nd turnover for LB Brady Poppinga who's been in the right place at the right time on both of them.

(13:15) 25-R.Grant left guard to BUF 22 for 14 yards (20-D.Whitner, 24-T.McGee).

In the battle for the starting right tackle job, RT Breno Giacomini blew open the entire middle of the field for Grant to run through on this play.

(12:08) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 25-R.Grant to BUF 10 for 13 yards (92-R.Denney).

The Packers are usually lousy on screen passes, but this one worked. C Scott Wells came off clean and made a block to spring Grant for a few extra yards.

(10:54) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 80-D.Driver for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

The description doesn't show Rodgers scrambling and waiting for WR Donald Driver to get open. The pass was behind Driver, but the defender couldn't get to it.

(7:12) 32-B.Jackson right end ran ob at BUF 46 for 4 yards (43-B.Scott). PENALTY on GB-78-A.Barbre, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at 50 - No Play.

By this point, RT Allen Barbre is behind Giacomini in the starting right tackle battle.

(3:57) (No Huddle) 14-R.Fitzpatrick up the middle to BUF 34 for 1 yard (55-D.Bishop).

This could have been a big play for Buffalo. The coverage was great, but the defensive lineman were blocked and lost contain. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick had the entire middle of the field open, but LB Desmond Bishop kept his contain and tackled him.

(3:16) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass incomplete deep right to 17-J.Jenkins (29-A.Smith).

I'm really starting to like free agent S Anthony Smith, but then he drops a INT thrown right to him. That doesn't mean he isn't a good backup, but I can see he's talented and I can also see why he lost his starting job in Pittsburgh.

(2:00) 11-B.Brohm pass short right to 87-J.Nelson ran ob at GB 32 for 10 yards (26-A.Youboty).

(1:54) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass short middle to 87-J.Nelson to GB 45 for 13 yards (30-K.Simpson).

(1:31) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass incomplete deep right to 89-J.Jones (46-E.Lankster). PENALTY on BUF-46-E.Lankster, Defensive Pass Interference, 34 yards, enforced at GB 45 - No Play.

(1:06) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass short left intended for 82-R.Martin INTERCEPTED by 27-R.Corner at BUF 9. 27-R.Corner to BUF 12 for 3 yards (82-R.Martin).

I'm a fan of QB Brian Brohm. He's clearly the 3rd QB on the roster, but that doesn't mean he isn't getting better. He's a talented pocket passer. He showed a little of it on back-to-back completions to WR Jordy Nelson. Unfortunately he then threw too late and behind to WR James Jones, but the defender hit Jones as he was trying to catch up to the play. The interception wasn't intended for WR Ruvell Martin; he was trying to hit Nelson underneath but he overthrew it. Either way, the pass that was intercepted was a bad decision.

(:41) (Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick sacked at BUF 26 for -5 yards (59-B.Jones). FUMBLES (59-B.Jones), RECOVERED by GB-55-D.Bishop at BUF 26. 55-D.Bishop to BUF 26 for no gain (79-J.Scott).

As if the Packers didn't have enough tough choices at linebacker. LB Nick Barnett was still held out for this game, but rookie 7th round pick LB Brad Jones was finally cleared to play. He beat the right tackle on the pass rush and he played well in pass coverage. If he keeps this up, they might have no choice but to make room for him on the roster.

Third Quarter

(14:52) 28-K.Lumpkin right end to GB 45 for -5 yards (97-J.McCargo). FUMBLES (97-J.McCargo), recovered by GB-60-D.Preston at GB 37. 60-D.Preston to GB 37 for no gain (53-M.Buggs).

RG Evan Dietrich-Smith got beat and let DT John McCargo hit RB Kregg Lumpkin in the backfield. Lumpkin still should have held onto the ball.

(12:53) 7-J.Kapinos punts 47 yards to BUF 2, Center-61-B.Goode. 26-A.Youboty to BUF 2 for no gain (82-R.Martin). PENALTY on GB-16-B.Swain, Interference with Opportunity to Catch, 15 yards, enforced at BUF 6.

I keep reading Tweets about the great camp WR Brett Swain is having. He hasn't played much as a receiver in the first two preseason games, and he blew it on special teams. With all the good receivers in camp, he can't afford to have another bad play like this again.

P Jeremy Kapinos looked good on five punts, but he'll have to keep it up.

(11:57) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass deep right to 13-St.Johnson to BUF 48 for 24 yards (27-W.Blackmon).

Buffalo had a lot more success passing the ball in the 2nd half. The Packers' 3rd string defense came in and didn't provide much pass rush. Outside LB Spencer Havner and LB Cyril Obiozor have made some noise in camp, but they couldn't near the QB in this game. Although rookie DE Jarius Wynn and DE Ronald Talley did a pretty good job at getting into the backfield on a couple plays.

(8:41) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short right to 88-J.Stupar to GB 21 for 12 yards (24-J.Bush). Green Bay challenged the pass completion ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #1.)

The refs in preseason form; the pass bounced off the turf before it was "caught". But it didn't matter...

(8:17) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short left intended for 33-D.Rhodes INTERCEPTED by 55-D.Bishop at GB 17. 55-D.Bishop to GB 20 for 3 yards. Lateral to 29-A.Smith to GB 20 for no gain (73-K.Chambers). GB-33-B.Underwood was injured during the play. PENALTY on GB-33-B.Underwood, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards, enforced at GB 20.

Next time, don't lateral it. But otherwise it was great play as Bishop jumped all over the quick slant.

(7:31) 11-B.Brohm pass incomplete short right to 45-Q.Johnson (96-C.Bryan).

Buffalo DE Copeland Bryan was a pain in the butt. He shoved Barbre back into Brohm on this play.

(7:26) (Shotgun) 11-B.Brohm pass short left to 46-D.Frischknecht to GB 12 for 1 yard (54-N.Harris). GB-46-D.Frischknecht was injured during the play.

I don't like to see anyone hurt, but I was pulling for undrafted rookie TE Devin Frischknecht. He was taken to the hospital with a shin injury. I would be shocked if he's not placed on I.R. this week.

(5:42) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short middle to 15-F.Huggins to GB 48 for 15 yards (40-J.Porter).

I'm picking on CB Joe Porter here, he was the chief offender, but the same can be said for CB Trevor Ford and CB Brandon Underwood. They're all fighting for the 5th cornerback spot, or maybe a job on the practice squad. I don't know if it's how they play, or if by design, but they all gave a lot of cushion. They're all great in coming up in run support and they appear to be good tacklers. But Buffalo came back in the game because the tight coverage and the pass rush vanished.

(1:13) (No Huddle) 14-R.Fitzpatrick pass short middle to 88-J.Stupar for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Rookie LB Brad Jones was in on the coverage, but he was all over the tight end in coverage. Somehow the pass missed hitting Jones and the tight end grabbed it.

Fourth Quarter

(12:24) 10-M.Flynn sacked at GB 18 for -8 yards (96-C.Bryan). FUMBLES (96-C.Bryan), recovered by GB-68-B.Giacomini at GB 16. 68-B.Giacomini to GB 16 for no gain (93-C.Ellis).

Well if you're wondering how Barbre beat Giacomini for the starting right tackle job, this might have been the play. He was beat by Bryan to the outside. QB Matt Flynn had his night cut short because he Bryan hit him while he was throwing.

(4:53) 23-T.Sutton left end pushed ob at BUF 41 for 10 yards (71-A.Etukeren). PENALTY on BUF-46-E.Lankster, Face Mask (15 Yards), 15 yards, enforced at BUF 41.

Rookie LT Jamon Meredith looked good on this drive. On this play, he cleared the left side open for RB Tyrell Sutton. He's still behind LT Tony Moll for the backup spot and still in a major fight to make the roster.

(4:07) 23-T.Sutton left tackle to BUF 11 for 10 yards (21-J.Wendling).

(3:25) 11-B.Brohm pass short right to 19-K.Heckendorf to BUF 3 for 8 yards (47-C.Harris).

(2:55) 23-T.Sutton right tackle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

WR Kole Heckendorf, the pride of Mosinee, is still a long shot to make the roster. I don't know against who he is competing. I guess it's possible he could beat out WR Ruvell Martin. But he really looked good; showing good hands while taking some big hits.

Sutton followed up a great first preseason game with another one. But he still is the last running back given playing time, so I would guess the coaches still have him behind Lumpkin and RB DeShawn Wynn.

(2:03) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 10-G.Hamdan pass short right to 44-X.Omon to GB 10 for 52 yards (40-J.Porter).

There were about three blown tackles on this play. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers is going to burst a blood vessel when he watches this replay.

(1:49) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 10-G.Hamdan pass incomplete short left to 88-J.Stupar [94-J.Wynn]. PENALTY on GB-29-A.Smith, Defensive Pass Interference, 9 yards, enforced at GB 10 - No Play.

Back to what I was saying about Smith on the dropped INT; he makes a couple good plays but then mixes them in with a bad one. Although I couldn't see the pass interference on this one.