SB Nation - Aaron Schobel

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.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/15

MattRichWarren — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:47:31 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

3 days ago: Buffalo Bills defensive back Jairus Byrd (31) breaks up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Lance Long in the the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. Long was call for pass interference on the play. The Bills 16-10. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Browse more photos »

Buffalo Bills’ All-Decay Team : Buffalo Sports Daily
"Every franchise has its busts, but few can put together a complete lineup of failures who came with so much promise. These aren’t just any scrubs; they’re guys who, based on what was invested in them, were counted on to make the team respectable at least. " Can't say I agree with Willis McGahee on here.

S Byrd leads NFL and interception-happy Bills - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
John Wawrow of the AP analyzes the Bills' interception totals from the year. [Ed. Note: Check out the caption on the photo above and catch the mistake.]

Evans again forgotten on Bills' offense : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"You have to feel a twinge of sympathy for poor Lee Evans. Good guy. Good teammate. Good in the community. Good hands. Great speed. But in his sixth NFL season, the Bills' wide receiver is struggling through the most discouraging season of his career."

Bills replay: Running backs finally run wild : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
In his game tape review, Allen Wilson focuses in on the Bills run blocking and running backs.

Buffalo Bills Replay | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
"We're trying to say some nice things about the Bills because this might be our last chance. This is probably the last game they're going to win this season." Thanks Sal!

Perfect ending for Colts, Saints would be Super Bowl | Democrat and Chronicle
Buffalo was holding opponents to a 62.5 passer rating before Kansas City's Matt Cassel registered a 35.4 rating in a 16-10 home loss to the Bills. The Bills entered Sunday with a 25th-ranked 70.0 passer rating themselves, and Ryan Fitzpatrick had a 65.8 rating in victory Sunday.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
The Bills are currently leading the league in INTs with 25. The last time Buffalo had that many takeaways through the air was in 1975.

Moorman has shot at elusive number – Inside The Bills
"After Sunday’s masterful performance in which he finished with a net average of 53, Moorman’s net average for the season is now 41.4, good for third in the league."

Monday Morning Quarterback - Peter King - SI.com
King named Brian Moorman his special teams player of the week for punting four times for a 53-yard average and not surrendering a return yard. He forgot to mention the other stuff like getting a bad snap up for Rian Lindell and calling a timeout instead of taking a delay of game penalty.

Run game revs up - BuffaloBills.com
"My hat goes off to Jonathan Stupar because he played every play on offense," said Fred Jackson. "He was on the field (throwing up) at one point. He was a guy that wanted to perform for us and help us get a victory. Jamon coming in as another tight end to help us [when Shawn Nelson went down]. It was about guys just wanting to get a victory."

Scott growing into role at linebacker : The Buffalo News
"He's a big safety and a small linebacker," Fewell said. "Bryan is really stepping up to the plate for us because we need guys to step up to the plate. It's not the role that he envisioned himself to be in at the beginning of the season but it shows how unselfish he is and how unselfish this team is."

What Else Can We Expect? | Democrat and Chronicle | Three-Point Stance
Sal Maiorana lauds defensive ends Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay for playing well and explains why he dislikes Aaron Maybin so much. He also calls for Brian Brohm because Ryan Fitzpatrick "couldn’t start for about 20 Division I college teams."

No passing mark yet for Fitzpatrick | Olean Times Herald
"One question was emphatically answered on Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium: neither Trent Edwards nor Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the Bills’ quarterback come training camp next July."

Taking out the Trash: Bill of goods - George Winkler - Fantasy Source Blitz - Sporting News
"Perry Fewell says he's sticking with Fitzpatrick, but it doesn't take an Ivy League education for fantasy owners to know the Harvard grad should be punted."

Bills Announce Tickets Available For Last Two Games | WKBW News
The Bills have announced that approximately 2,000 tickets are available for Sunday’s game vs. the New England Patriots and over 5,000 tickets remain for the January 3rd game vs. the Indianapolis Colts.

Countdown Daily Insight Center: NE-BUF - ESPN Video - ESPN
Football Scientist KC Joyner takes you into the IBM Insight Center to tell you the keys to victory.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Jake Locker Could Have Been #1
"Sam Bradford is a mid-first round talent. I project Colt McCoy as a late first to early second round pick, with the likes of Tim Tebow, Dan LeFevour, Tony Pike and Sean Canfield in a glut just beyond him. Watch out for Arkansas's Ryan Mallet, however. He's a very raw talent and underclassmen, but has the skills to sneak in to the first round if he elects to leave early."

It's my mom's birthday today so happy birthday mom!

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

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

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ten worst Buffalo Bills draft picks of the decade

Brian Galliford — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:10:28 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

Browse more photos »

Yesterday, we talked about the ten best draft picks that the Buffalo Bills have made over the past decade. In order to complete our "[descriptive adjective] of the decade" series here, we've got to knock off the worst picks, too. This list can also be known as "why the Bills have sucked for a decade," but we're also hoping that one last vent session over these missed picks will be therapeutic as the franchise turns a new leaf - and a new decade - next month.

On to the list. Hope you can stomach it.

10. Josh Reed, WR, LSU (2002, Round 2, No. 36 overall)
Tom Donahoe's first draft as GM of the Bills, in 2001, netted some really good players. Nate Clements, Aaron Schobel and Travis Henry all made our "best of" list yesterday, and the Bills even got quality years and production out of third-round pick Jonas Jennings. 2002, however, was an epic flop, and Reed, the Bills' second-round pick (fourth overall in that round), was part of the reason why.

Drafted well ahead of his talent level thanks to a huge bowl game as a senior, the converted running back had a solid rookie season playing between Eric Moulds and Peerless Price on a very prolific Bills offense led by Drew Bledsoe. Then Price was shipped out of town, Reed became the starter, and his career has been incredibly average since then. This was the first in a long line of high-round luxury picks made by Donahoe that did not pan out, and obviously eventually cost Donahoe his job.

9. Chris Ellis, DE, Virginia Tech (2008, Round 3, No. 72 overall)
It's tough to put a player in his second year on this list (and we'll do it again soon), but Ellis is the poster child of several "good idea, bad philosophy/wrong player" picks that the Bills have made this decade. Picked when the Bills had a need to boost their pass rush, Ellis has seen extremely minimal playing time and barely made the roster in his second season. Unlike former second-round picks Schobel, Ryan Denney and Chris Kelsay, Ellis has not found any way to contribute to the team - and though it might still be too early to write him off, the Bills picked a project player with attitude issues in a season when they needed their high-round picks to produce.

8. Donte Whitner, S, Ohio State (2006, Round 1, No. 8 overall)
I suspect that most of you will want to see Whitner higher on this list, simply because the Bills passed on a dominant defensive lineman (Haloti Ngata) to get him. Philosophically, the pick makes at least some degree of sense; look at most of today's elite NFL teams, and you'll find an elite safety on the back end of the defense. Whitner, however, has failed to produce to the standards of a No. 8 overall pick thanks to his being shuffled from position-to-position and his own lack of elite playmaking ability. Whitner is a good player, which is why this pick doesn't rank much higher on the list. Philosophically, however, Buffalo erred here, and thus got the Dick Jauron era off to a not-so-hot start.

7. James Hardy, WR, Indiana (2008, Round 2, No. 41 overall)
Much like Ellis, I'm hesitant to put a second-year player on this list, particularly at the wide receiver position. I still very much believe that Hardy has what it takes to be a poor man's Plaxico Burress-type threat in this league, particularly in the red zone. He won't get the reps to do it any time soon, however.

This pick makes the list because philosophically, it was perhaps the worst team-building move the Bills made in the last half of the decade. Buffalo knew entering the '08 off-season that they needed a threat to complement Lee Evans and help develop young quarterback Trent Edwards. They courted veteran free agents like Bryant Johnson, but that didn't pan out, so they went to the draft and came away with... a tall receiver in need of an incredible amount of polish. Everyone knows that the bigger a rookie receiver, the longer it'll take to develop them. (Unless their surname is Fitzgerald or Johnson.) Hardy couldn't nail down a starting job, Edwards went into a shell thanks to a lack of weapons that he'd never re-emerge from, and the rest is history. Buffalo fixed the situation a year too late with the Terrell Owens signing.

6. Travares Tillman, S, Georgia Tech (2000, Round 2, No. 58 overall)
Tillman played in the NFL for quite a while. He made a nice living as a journeyman safety with some range and athletic ability, and he even picked off 3 passes with Miami in 2005. But you generally would like your second-round picks to spend more than two seasons with your team, which is exactly what Tillman did. He did not survive the regime change from Wade Phillips to Gregg Williams, and that's an indictment on the efforts of former GM John Butler in his last Bills draft class.

5. Roscoe Parrish, WR, Miami, FL (2005, Round 2, No. 55 overall)
Yikes. Without a first-round pick thanks to an epic draft-day blunder of a trade that we'll discuss a bit higher on this list, Donahoe, in his last draft as a Bills GM, chose the gadget player to rule all gadget players with Parrish as his top selection on the season. Parrish has had his moments with this team, and for a while, he was the NFL's best punt returner, setting career average records and putting the Bills in position to win a few games thanks to timely big returns. But Parrish was drafted to be much more than a punt returner; unfortunately, that's all the Bills have gotten.

4. John McCargo, DT, North Carolina State (2006, Round 1, No. 26 overall)
It'd be difficult for most teams to find a bigger first-round flop than McCargo in the past decade; unfortunately for the Bills, they have three bigger flops. Again, this was a case of the Bills taking a player far higher than his talent level indicated; the Bills desperately needed a starting defensive tackle that season, and the fact that they lucked into Kyle Williams four rounds later doesn't make this pick any less of a reach. Since this pick, McCargo has dealt with several small injuries, one major injury (a bulging disc in his back), been traded, had the trade negated, and toiled at the bottom of the Bills' depth chart. Not exactly what you'd like out of a first-round pick.

3. Erik Flowers, DE, Arizona State (2000, Round 1, No. 26 overall)
Butler's last draft featured Flowers as its centerpiece. Bruce Smith had left the team, and the Bills were searching for their next great pass rusher. Flowers didn't stick in Buffalo because Gregg Williams brought in a 4-3 defense that Flowers, a 3-4 pass rusher, did not fit into. But the four sacks that Flowers picked up in two seasons with Buffalo represent 80% of his career total of five, which he picked up in five NFL seasons.

2. J.P. Losman, QB, Tulane (2004, Round 1, No. 22 overall)
This, my friends, was Epic Fail No. 2. Drew Bledsoe had something left in the tank, and the Bills were pushing toward a playoff berth. They did, however, need a quarterback of the future, and then-head coach Mike Mularkey fell in love with the deep ball of a cocky kid from Tulane. Mularkey loved that deep ball so much that the Bills traded multiple picks to Dallas to move back into the first round to get their cocky kid quarterback. Two years later, Mularkey was gone, Losman had a flash-in-the-pan season under Dick Jauron, and then a Losman knee injury began the memorable Trent Edwards era. Now, Losman is attempting to get back into the NFL after leading the Las Vegas Locomotives to a UFL championship.

1. Mike Williams, OT, Texas (2002, Round 1, No. 4 overall)
It's tough to top Losman, but Williams found a way to do it. Williams is the poster child for terrible Bills drafting, and the centerpiece of the plethora of issues that got Donahoe fired. At the time, Williams was given the richest contract in franchise history, but to say that he never lived up to his potential would be a severe understatement. He spent four highly mediocre seasons as Buffalo's right tackle before lazy-ing himself out of the sport entirely; one of the very first actions Marv Levy took on this roster as GM was to cut Williams. Big Mike made a not-so-dramatic return to NFL football this season with Washington, and is now toiling in anonymity on one of the league's worst units that features another former Bill, Derrick Dockery.

Just click his name and take a gander at his picture to see just how far Williams' star has fallen.

Top 10 Buffalo Bills draft picks: 2000-2009

Brian Galliford — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:14:32 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

Browse more photos »

I don't get into the whole "Hey, a decade's about to end, let's make lists!" culture. It's fun, but it's repetitive and boring. Still, those types of lists engender some fun discussions, so while I won't go overboard and do best/worst lists for every possible topic concerning the Buffalo Bills, I figured we'd knock off the most important aspect of the team: drafting.

This past decade has been a brutal one for Bills football. But even in bad times, a few (random and ultimately meaningless to the win column) good decisions are made. What follows is my list of the Bills' ten best draft selections of the past decade.

10: Travis Henry, RB, Tennessee (2001, Round 2, No. 58 overall)
We start our "best of" list with one of the more controversial figures in the NFL of the past decade, and he only played four seasons in Buffalo. That should tell you a lot. However, as a second-round pick, the Bills got three highly productive seasons out of Henry - until he was usurped by a man who will appear a little higher on this list.

Henry finished his Bills career with 3,849 yards and 29 touchdowns. He played in three more seasons with Tennessee and Denver, but his career was cut short thanks to off-field troubles. Henry is currently serving a one-year NFL suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, but that's made irrelevant by the fact that he's nearly a year into a three-year prison sentence for financing a cocaine trafficking operation.

9. Angelo Crowell, LB, Virginia (2003, Round 3, No. 94 overall)
He got his start as Takeo Spikes' replacement, and when he got into the lineup, he hung onto a starting job for a number of seasons. Not a flashy performer, Crowell nonetheless put up solid stat lines in three seasons as a key defensive contributor, tallying 233 tackles, 7 sacks and 5 interceptions in his brief Bills career. He spent the 2008 season on IR (controversially, I might add), and is now out of football after being cut by Tampa Bay prior to the start of the 2009 season.

8. Marshawn Lynch, RB, California (2007, Round 1, No. 12 overall)
He's only in his third season - and his third season isn't going so well - but Lynch has been a consistent performer on some bad football teams, to his credit. He's rushed for 2,489 yards and 17 touchdowns to this point in his Bills career, and you can add a Pro Bowl berth to his resume as well. Off-field issues have plagued him early in his career, but if he can lay those issues to rest, Lynch is in line for a solid career.

7. Willis McGahee, RB, Miami, FL (2003, Round 1, No. 23 overall)
Before he became the hated son of Buffalo, McGahee was one of the bolder and smarter picks of the Tom Donahoe era. Drafted in spite of a knee injury, McGahee rewarded the Bills for their risk in the form of 3,365 yards and 24 rushing touchdowns in three seasons as a Bill. Still one of the more productive scoring backs in the game with Baltimore, McGahee also makes the list because the Bills were able to trade him for three more draft picks. He wasn't a need pick, but the Bills got production and tripled their draft selections with this investment.

6. Nate Clements, CB, Ohio State (2001, Round 1, No. 21 overall)
The Bills have had a lot of "whoops" moments with their first-round draft picks in recent seasons, but Clements decidedly does not fit that criteria. In six seasons with the Bills, Clements picked off 23 passes and scored 7 touchdowns (5 on interceptions, 2 on punt returns) while establishing himself as one of the best corners in the game. He has spent the past three seasons in San Francisco, where he has added a further 7 interceptions to his resume as the cornerstone of a re-building defense.

5. Lee Evans, WR, Wisconsin (2004, Round 1, No. 13 overall)
With Drew Bledsoe in town, Buffalo needed a speedy receiver to complement Eric Moulds. They got a good one - and an immediate contributor, which is rare for rookie receivers - in the form of Evans. He caught 24 touchdown passes in his first three seasons, including 9 as a rookie, and since then Evans has established himself as one of the more under-appreciated receivers in the game. His production has slipped, but as he's been catching passes from awful quarterbacks, that's not overly surprising. Furthermore, Evans is one of the few draft-day investments the Bills have made at the receiver position in the past decade that actually panned out as planned.

4. Jairus Byrd, S, Oregon (2009, Round 2, No. 42 overall)
It's tough to put a current rookie on this list, but we'll make an exception for a guy who is still leading the league in interceptions (8) as a rookie making a position switch. Byrd has dealt with nagging injuries all season, and he's very much a one-dimensional player. But his ball skills and ball-hawking presence has been a tremendous boost to Buffalo's pass defense, and for his flaws, he's still a heck of a football player with a bright future.

3. Kyle Williams, DT, LSU (2006, Round 5, No. 134 overall)
I love it when teams find excellent, underrated contributors in the middle rounds. Williams has been a very nice find for the Bills, emerging as a very solid run defender as a fourth-year starter out of LSU. He'll never be a dominant player, but he's the type of guy that can find work on any NFL team thanks to his overall ability, his attitude and his work ethic. He's started every game he's ever appeared in as a Bill, and picked up 127 tackles and 7 sacks in the process.

2. Terrence McGee, CB, Northwestern State (2003, Round 4, No. 111 overall)
McGee is decidedly the "one who did NOT get away," as he's the only big name corner the Bills haven't allowed to leave via free agency in recent memory. A no-name draft pick out of Northwestern State, no one was really sure what to make of the McGee selection when it happened, but he's proven to be the steal of the decade for the Bills. A contributor since a rookie and a defensive starter for the last four years, McGee 390 tackles, 16 interceptions, 4 fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown to his name. He's also widely regarded as one of the best kick returners of the past decade, with a 26.3-yard average and 5 return touchdowns. He made a Pro Bowl appearance in 2004 for his return efforts, as well.

1. Aaron Schobel, DE, TCU (2001, Round 2, No. 46 overall)
Clements was the big name draftee in 2001, but Schobel has given the Bills the most production and the most longevity of any draft pick made this decade. In his ninth year as a Buffalo Bill, Schobel ranks second on the Bills' all-time list with 75 career sacks, trailing only Hall of Fame end Bruce Smith. He's also got 19 forced fumbles, 8 fumble recoveries, 30 tipped passes, 3 interceptions and a defensive touchdown on his resume. Schobel has never been flashy and he makes a bit more money than he probably should, but he's been one of the most respected pass rushers in the league over the past decade, and as a second-round pick, he's also by far been the Bills' best draft pick of the past decade.

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.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/8

MattRichWarren — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:51:37 -0000

Williams Blames Bills Losing Record On 'Stupidity' - wcbstv.com
"To put it bluntly,Kyle Williams said Monday, if not for "our own stupidity," Buffalo (4-8) might still have something to play for in traveling to face Kansas City (3-9) this weekend."

McGee hoping this is the week – Inside The Bills
"Frustrated by his knee’s slower than expected recovery from surgery, Terrence McGee is hopeful that this is the week he can return to the starting lineup."

Line shuffling just another challenge for Kugler | BuffaloBills.com
"Unending change due to personnel moves, injuries and coaching decisions have made it a challenging year for Buffalo’s men up front. That challenge has been even greater for Bills offensive line coach Sean Kugler."

Time to turn to Hardy : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran says it's time to give James Hardy a look even if "head coaching suicide" for Perry Fewell.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- The Bills currently rank last in the league in run defense. "It's frustrating because it’s the same thing," DT Kyle Williams said. "A lot of it's the misdirection, the counter plays, the cut-back runs. A lot of times, we’re over-pursuing ... it’s aggravating, it pisses you off."
- Across the board, the Bills were glad to have three days off in a row. "(I'm feeling) a lot better," RB Fred Jackson said. "It's a great time for us to get that much-needed rest. A lot of guys are getting back into the thick of things ... it was much-needed rest."
- Bills CB Terrence McGee feels he's likely going to be playing through pain the rest of this year after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in Week 9. "Probably so," he said. "It’s one of those things where I feel it’s going to take a while to fully go away, so I’ll just have to play through it."

Countdown Daily Insight Center: BUF-KC - ESPN Video - ESPN
Football Scientist KC Joyner takes you into the IBM Insight Center to tell you the keys to victory

TE Klopfenstein back – Inside The Bills
"The Bills have re-signed TE Joe Klopfenstein. Corey Mace was released and will presumably be re-signed to the team’s practice squad provided he clears waivers."

Draft visits with special children | BuffaloBills.com
"The Buffalo Bills and the Town of Hamburg Recreation Department partnered to host football clinics for youngsters with Asperger Syndrome/NVLD, High functioning Autism and physical/mental disabilities in the Buffalo Bills Field House once a week throughout November. "

NFL.com Blogs " Blog Archive Cassel will remain starter for Chiefs
Matt Cassel will be back as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback [against the Bills] following his benching against the Broncos.

Video - Video Central - FOX Sports on MSN
T.O. says he wants to play for two or three more years and talks about his birthday party.

Bills notebook: Tolbert reportedly a candidate at LSU: The Buffalo News
"LSU coach Les Miles is reportedly pursuing Buffalo Bills wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert for a similar job on the Tigers staff according to FootballCoachScoop.com."

After Pats loss, Bills left to say 'what if?' : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"With the division suddenly up for grabs, the Buffalo Bills are in last place coming off a 19-13 loss to the Jets and lamenting a missed opportunity."

Buffalo Bills' boring game wasn't missed | Democrat and Chronicle
Was it a relief not having to watch the Bills this weekend? Leo and Sal sure seem to think so.

Bills’ Moorman hats raise $3,500 for charity - Pittsburg, KS - Morning Sun
"The proceeds from sales of hats specially designed and autographed by Moorman are in, and they benefit the local Angels Among Us group to the tune of $3,500. "

Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback, Week 13 - Peter King - SI.com
For those of you wondering how rookie DEs or rush LBs have been faring getting to the QB, Brian Orakpo is the only one from the last two years averaging a half-sack per game.

NFL Milestone Watch: Receptions | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Terrel Owens needs 6 catches to become the sixth ever with 1000.

NFL Milestone Watch: Receiving Yds | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Terrell Owens needs 123 yards to move into third place passing Tim Brown and is less than 400 from second place Isaac Bruce.

NFL Milestone Watch: Sacks | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Aaron Schobel picked up his 75th career sack last week against the Jets.

Twitter / Daniel Jeremiah
6 of 8 division leaders are top 10 in sacks allowed... 5 of 8 division leaders are top 10 in sacks... We harp on these two key stats at MTS

NFL Draft

Jimmy Clausen NFL Draft scouting report - Mocking The Draft
An in-depth look at the Notre Dame junior quarterback from SBN's Mocking the Draft. Draft coverage begins!

Pro-football-reference.com blog " PI Finds: Clausen & Irish QBs In the NFL
"Notre Dame quarterbacks are in the midst of a 20-year dry spell at the NFL level. The only question now is whether or not Clausen will be able to break that streak of mediocrity under center, or if he'll fade into obscurity along with almost every other name on that list."

If teams come calling, these Bills are movable

Brian Galliford — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:00:22 -0000

More photos » by Steven Senne - AP

Browse more photos »

As I sat at my computer last night in the wake of the Buffalo Bills' 19-13 home/road loss to the New York Jets reading emails from you, dear Rumblers, I began typing out replies to several inquiries about players that the Bills might look to trade this off-season.

Rather than type three emails, I'll stick to one blog post, and hopefully this will engender a little debate - some of which we've already had in various FanPosts very recently.

Trades are notoriously difficult to pull off in the NFL. In fact, the bigger the name, the more unrealistic a trade scenario is - unless, of course, that player has worn out his welcome or has other legitimate factors swaying the decision to deal him. Kind of like Braylon Edwards' weird hatred for LeBron James, which got him dealt to New York. I'll be blunt - I don't see a single player on this current Bills roster that fits the criteria of a "likely" movable asset this off-season. It's even more difficult to predict which players might end up on the trade block because of the Bills' in-flux situations in the front office and at head coach.

Still, there are three veteran personnel assets on this roster that I believe could be enticing to other NFL teams this off-season should the right situation present itself. I am not saying it is likely that any of these players will be moved, nor am I saying I'd be pleased to see them go - quite the opposite, on both counts. I want these players on the Buffalo Bills in 2010 and beyond. But if the right situation comes along for any of them... well, I'll explain after the jump.

Aaron Schobel
Age: 33 on 9/1/2010
Contract situation: '10 salary is guaranteed ($6.025 million); owed $21.5 million in base salaries 2011-2013
- Schobel has had a nice bounce-back season after missing most of 2008 with a Lisfranc foot injury. With 7.0 sacks to this point in the season, Schobel has already eclipsed the 6.5 he put up in 2007, which happened to be his lowest total since he was a rookie in 2001. He's not the same player he was in 2005 and 2006, when he put up 26 sacks in a two-year span, but he's still capable of contributing very solid numbers to a team's pass rush. He's dependable, he's durable, and I sincerely doubt he'd be averse to playing for a contender, considering he's played nine years and never sniffed the NFL playoffs.

The problem in dealing Schobel is two-fold: he'll be 33 when the 2010 season starts, and his contract numbers are rather massive for a player of his caliber and age. Unless a contender is desperate to add a veteran pass rusher with some moxie, most teams will pass on a fat contract attached to an aging player, no matter how much said player has left in the tank. Dealing Schobel would almost certainly hinge on an agent's promise to re-structure his deal.

Schobel can still play, and odds are extremely high that he'll still be in Buffalo next season. At his age and with his talents, however, he is not schematically versatile. He's a 4-3 end through and through; he's played it his entire career, and he never had, and certainly doesn't currently possess, the athletic chops to make the move to 3-4 OLB. Nor can he play the five-technique required of a 3-4 DE. If Buffalo's new coaching staff prefers a 3-4 defense, Schobel's worth to the team plummets significantly, and it'd be difficult to guarantee a situational pass rusher $6 million. There are a lot of factors at play here - scheme, age, contract status - that make it tremendously difficult to deal Schobel, and if circumstances don't work out, Schobel might not have much worth to the Bills in 2010, either.

Lee Evans
Age: 29 on 3/11/2010
Contract situation: Owed $11.45 million in base salaries, a $3 million roster bonus in '10, and $1 million roster bonuses in '11 and '12
- Give Jim Overdorf some credit, because the four-year mega-deal he and Evans' agent agreed upon last October was a truly excellent signing for this franchise. Evans made over $11 million last season and close to another $10 million this season; he'll make about $8 million next season, and then a little over $4 million in the final two years of his deal. $8 million for an excellent receiver in his prime is perfectly reasonable, and the monetary sums get even more reasonable as Evans hits his 30s.

Those monetary sums could make Evans an extremely valuable commodity on the trading block. Teams will be willing to look past his low numbers, because let's face it - his 31 receptions, 474 yards and 5 touchdowns to this point in the season can be directly attributed to awful offensive line play, almost-as-awful quarterback play, and the weekly need to placate Terrell Owens with targets. In today's NFL, speed receivers are a rare and valuable commodity. (Well, speed receivers that can catch, anyway.) Evans is extremely well-respected in the league; he's an outstanding teammate and a leader, and obviously still has a ton left in the tank.

The problem, of course, is that Owens is a free agent - Josh Reed is, too - and if the Bills were to deal Evans, who the heck would they throw to? Evans would certainly fetch the most compensation of any of the three names on this list, but if the Bills are grooming a new quarterback, they'd better provide him at least one weapon. It's extremely unlikely that the Bills move Evans, and unlike Schobel, any coach that comes into Buffalo will view Evans as a big-time asset, regardless of scheme. But again, if the right offer were to come along and allow the Bills to address a core need (such as quarterback or the offensive line), moving Evans might not be the end of the world.

Marshawn Lynch
Age: 24 on 4/22/2010
Contract situation: Owed $3.165 million in base salaries for next three years; $1.14 million is in voidable final year of deal (2012)
- I've gone on record with this here many times over the last week or two, but I'll re-iterate: I don't want Lynch traded because of his poor season (96 carries, 338 yards, 2 TD), nor because of his off-field transgressions. Those aren't good reasons at all to trade a young running back with a lot left in the tank. Particularly considering how cheap he is to employ and the fact that he's only under contract for two more seasons (he can void the 2012 season and hit free agency after 2011 wraps up), it doesn't make sense to move him. You absolutely have to have two quality running backs in this league, and the Bills have one of the better combinations in Lynch and starter Fred Jackson.

The only reason Lynch makes this list - yes, only as in one - is because he plays running back. That earns him a spot on this list, and it also earns him a spot in the "unlikely to be moved" category of this list, which is all-encompassing. Good NFL teams do not live or die on running backs; more accurately, it is much easier to find two quality players at this position than it is to find one quality quarterback. There aren't many teams hurting for running backs at the moment - that's why talents like C.J. Spiller and perhaps Jonathan Dwyer and Jahvid Best will slide in next April's NFL Draft - and if you can bring in a young guy in the draft, why trade for one with known off-field issues?

Lynch is not a player that I'd actively shop. (Nor is Evans, for that matter, and I'd only actively shop Schobel if we're switching defensive schemes.) I'm not worried about his off-field issues or the idea that he's a bad locker room influence. He's a good football player, and we need as many of them as we can get. But if another team called about Lynch, I'd certainly listen. He's a young guy with talent, and those players typically fetch solid compensation. But flipping him for whatever I can get? That wouldn't even cross my mind with Lynch. He's more valuable as a No. 2 back than he is as a conditional third-round pick.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/2

MattRichWarren — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:35:05 -0000

T.O. prefers Fitzpatrick to Edwards | ProFootballTalk.com
Terrell Owens and other unnamed Buffalo Bills players are much happier now that Ryan Fitzpatrick is starting. Paul Hamilton corroborated on WGR this afternoon.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Bills wide receivers are finally happy.
"Perry Fewell said he's talked to friends around the league and the key to playing Thursday is trying to keep players fresh," reports Paul Hamilton.

McGee could be back in lineup | BuffaloBills.com
"He didn’t think he’d miss three games, but Terrence McGee has a good chance to return to action Thursday night in Toronto."

Ryan says Sanchez "absolutely" will play on Thursday night | ProFootballTalk.com
"I think he looks great," said Rex Ryan. "Again, the injury, when I say it's a tweak, that's really what it was. He tweaked his knee. I think he's fine."

McGee hopes to return against Jets : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The Bills top corner is looking to be back in the lineup vs. the Jets.

Buffalo Bills know they'll have to stop run to beat Jets | Democrat and Chronicle
"We were glad to win, but we realized that if we're going to win games we have to shore up our run defense, which I think we have," Posluszny said. "We know stopping the run has to be priority No. 1."

New York Jets Run Offense vs. Buffalo Bills Run Defense - Gang Green Nation
The SBN Jets blogger, John B, looks at the matchup of the Bills' run defense and the Jets run offense.

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Buffalo Bills Pass Defense - Gang Green Nation
Good memories: John B. from Gang Green Nation looks at the Bills passing defense as it matches up with Mark Sanchez and the Jets passing offense.

No bigger week than this one in AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"This is the week that could rip the AFC East wide open or bunch everybody together for a fascinating final month of jockeying," says Tim Graham as all four AFC East teams play each other.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
A key matchup in Thursday's game will be Bills WR Terrell Owens against Jets CB Darrelle Revis . "We scouted Revis coming out, we thought he was the best corner in that (draft) class," Bills interim coach Perry Fewell said. "So that will be an interesting matchup."

Revis to pull out all the stops against T.O. : The Buffalo News
"If you think Thursday night's game between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets lacks intrigue for viewers, check out the Owens-Revis duel. It promises to be must-see TV."

Don’t look for Brohm on game field – Inside The Bills
"Brian has a limited role on our team in practice," said Fewell. "He doesn’t take a lot of reps with our offense. He takes reps with our practice squad."

NFL.com - Players of the Week
Fred Jackson is up for the FedEx Ground Player of the Week award. Go vote for him even though he gained "only" 73 yards rushing. :-)

Bills Digest
The Bills Digest is free and online this week. Go check it out for lots of stuff on the Bills.

Bills add DT to practice squad | BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills filled the vacant spot on their eight-man practice squad Tuesday, signing free agent DT Rashaad Duncan (6'2", 315)."

Jackson steps into lead role | BuffaloBills.com
"In light of Jackson’s most recent performance," says Chris Brown, "it’s not unrealistic to think Jackson could be carrying the load heading into the final five games of the season."

Short week means more mental focus – Inside The Bills
"With the Bills in the midst of a short week, and recovery time from last Sunday’s game in short supply, Buffalo’s coaching staff will limit the team’s time on the field, which means the players will have to prepare more mentally than physically for a game for the first time this season."

Thank God.. Owens Finally Done Mincing Words : Buffalo Sports Daily
"Without mentioning Trent Edwards by name once, Owens made it quite clear that in his assessment, his numbers could’ve been gaudy all season long, and perhaps the Bills overall fortunes as well, had Dick Jauron played Ryan Fitzpatrick sooner. Much sooner"

How I See It: AFC East Stock Watch - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Terrell Owens and Fred Jackson's stocks are both rising.

Bills Round Table | wgrz.com
2 On Your Side's Adam Benigni and Rochester Democrat and Chronicle's Sal Maiorana talk Bills in this week's Bills' Roundtable.

Bills DE says Brick's a wall - NYPOST.com
"Bills defensive end Aaron Schobel, who has been a headache for the Jets over the years, yesterday praised the man he'll be going up against tomorrow night in Toronto - D'Brickashaw Ferguson."

Niagara Gazette - BILLS CROWD PLEASER: Draft pickup working out for Bills
Jonah Bronstein profiles the Bills free agent linebacker, Chris Draft, and the play he made on Sunday intercepting Ricky Williams.

Too little, too late for Bills - Wellsville, NY - Wellsville Daily Reporter
"Even though the Bills have looked much better in two weeks under Fewell, there are still plenty of warts, but you can’t help but wonder if this change happened much earlier, could it have been different?"

Bills Daily - "A Breath Of Fresh Air"
Tony Bogyo, he of gloom and doom, appears downright giddy over the Bills win this weekend at Bills Daily.

T.O. loves to be loved but haunted by his past - thestar.com
"A fired offensive coordinator, axed coach and rotating QBs has created a volatile situation, but T.O. has kept his cool, mostly."

The 10 best plays of the decade - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The Music City Mmmm.... Titans kickoff return from the AFC wild card game against the Bills is the best play of the decade says Shutdown Corner.

Countdown Daily: AFC East - ESPN.com
A look at the AFC East by John Clayton.

Week 13 power rankings: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
The Bills moved up three spots from 27 to 24 after their beatdown of the Dolphins on Sunday.

Bills’ victory fails to hold down arrests at stadium; 34 are charged : Buffalo/Erie County : The Buffalo News
"Sunday’s arrest number, between 30 and 35, has become the norm for Bills games lacking any major negative crowd-control factors such as a night game, a blowout loss in nasty weather or a game with the Oakland Raiders. "

VIDEO SPECIAL- Sporting misses that changed history for all the wrong reasons - Blackburn Rovers News from football.co.uk
On a list of mostly soccer's near misses, Scott Norwood finds a home.

NFL Rookie Watch. - ESPN
"[Jairus Byrd] stays on the list because of his overall play throughout the season, but he has not made many plays in the last few weeks." He is sixth on the weekly power ranking type list of ten.

Toronto
Bills in Toronto: An easy ticket - The Globe and Mail
"As of Tuesday, the Bills in Toronto website was still offering tickets to the game, even at the bottom price of $99 each. And on the ticket reselling websites, there have consistently been seats consistently available at below cost."

CFL supporters needn't fret this year - The Globe and Mail
"This week, as CFL types enjoy the luxury of remaining confidently silent, the Buffalo Bills return to Toronto, having so far absolutely failed to make an impression in the country's largest metropolis."

Bills head north on high note - The Globe and Mail
"They’re talking proud again in Buffalo – just in time for the Bills to bring their act back up to Canada for their home-away-from home game against the New York Jets Thursday night in Toronto. "

Team in Transition
BillBoard: Should Bills interview Weis?
Charlie Weis interviewed for Buffalo's head coaching vacancy before they hired Mike Mularkey. Should the Bills consider the former Notre Dame coach again? Vote in the poll.

Get Brandon some help for GM search : The Buffalo News
"Maybe they should hire a search firm to help in the process," says Jerry Sullivan. "College and NFL programs have done it before."

Gleason: Back home, Fewell is talk of the town : Sports Columns : The Buffalo News
Back in his tiny hometown of Cramerton, South Carolina, Perry Fewell has his old friends and coaches buzzing.

Perry Fewell deserves a long look as the coach of the Buffalo Bills, but he might not get it. - ESPN
"What does it say about Perry Fewell's future in Buffalo when big-name coaches keep being linked to the Bills' opening? It says he deserves better, and he needs to win. Now."

POLLOCK: It’s unlikely that Fewell will return
"Even if he goes 6-1 after taking over from the fired Dick Jauron, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Buffalo’s former defensive coordinator would keep the job next season. "

Martz-Fewell would be a nice combo | Democrat and Chronicle
"Martz as head coach and running the offense plus Fewell as associate coach and running the defense could be a winning combination," says Bob Matthews.

Bills Tweet
Gregg Rosenthal
Why I love Gus Johnson: At kickoff Sunday, he starts "Dolphins-Bills. This is a big one!"

New York Jets Run Offense vs. Buffalo Bills Run Defense

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

More photos » by Seth Wenig - AP

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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