SB Nation - Donte Whitner

Patriots 17, Bills 10: Week 15 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:32:47 -0000

Listen. It's a holiday week. I'm on vacation for most of it. There was absolutely no way that I was going to waste my time re-watching the Buffalo Bills' 17-10 loss to the New England Patriots. It's enough that I'm a Bills fan, and therefore subjected myself to that type of performance once. It wasn't going to happen again. I'd like to spend my holidays sane.

Rather than talk about what I saw on the re-watch, therefore, I'm just going to dump the notes I took during the game as it happened live, krytime mind dump style. These notes won't appear in our usual verbose manner; rather, they're copied verbatim, in bullet point form. If you're confused by any of the references or the meaning behind some of the statements, feel free to ask.

Good game planning from Perry Fewell/Alex Van Pelt. Hit 'em where they're missing players. (Guess that only applies to the first drives.)
Richie Incognito is one of the strangest-shaped dudes I've ever seen.
Like what I'm seeing from Geoff Hangartner and Andy Levitre. Both solid players.
Terrible idea to sub in an extra OT on that goal line play. Just asking for a penalty. Bye, TD.

Pretty sad that BUF is so bad on misdirection that Welker can pick up a first down on an end around, 3rd & 2. They've got to know it's coming sometime. Nice play call.
Terrific read by Paul Posluszny on the interception.
Pats are going to have a field day rushing the passer. Belichick always knows how to get pressure.
Holy Lord, Donte Whitner looked awful in deep coverage. Ugly, ugly PI penalty on Moss.
Brady knows how to attack Jairus Byrd - go high. Byrd might never be a good red zone defender.
Man, I like watching Mike Wright play football. Tough dude.
Absolutely no way the Bills will be able to attack NE deep.
Why can't Terrell Owens be used the same way NE uses Moss? That middle route was too easy, and too quick.
Yet another penalty on the DBs. Getting abused.
Aaron Schobel isn't great, but he makes at least one heady play every game.
A quarter and a half in, we have a Lee Evans sighting.
Two holding penalties now on Incognito. Not surprising, but killer nonetheless.
Have to figure out a new way to praise Fred Jackson.
Drive killed by a terrible Ryan Fitzpatrick throw. Good idea, horrid execution - Josh Reed wasn't even open. Throw it away!
Another end around, this time to Matt Slater. So annoying to watch them repeatedly abused by this play.
Laurence Maroney looks fantastic. (Easy to do against BUF.)
PI on Reggie Corner. DBs are complaining, but the calls are legit. TD coming...
... and there it is. Maroney from a yard out.
Didn't like Fewell's decision to kick the long FG. Rather have seen a hail mary; down 14-3 at the half.
Screen pass execution not working - gee, I wonder why? Do you think Belichick might have expected it?
Terrence McGee's shoulder injury looks pretty serious. Might see Ashton Youboty next week, with Corner starting.
Six straight NE run plays. Should have been running more all day.
Shawn Nelson seems to be a focal point of the game plan. Nothing wrong with that.
Come on, T.O. He's losing focus. False start, probably a drive-killer.
Nice heads up play by Jackson, catching the tipped pass from Jonathan Stupar.
Nelson wide open - Fitzpatrick misses him by a good yard and a half. I want a QB. :(
NE three and out. Defense is doing its job; NE looks pretty out of sync, though.
Trent Edwards?!
Hate this move by Fewell. 5 is not your QB. Don't ask him to save the game.
Trent's down. Hobbles off the field. Horrible, horrible decision, Perry.
Surprised there aren't more boo birds - Fitzpatrick back in, Brian Brohm on the sidelines.
Another sack. Absolutely brutal pass blocking.
Josh Reed drops a touchdown. Holy crap. Zero focus from the receivers today.
Another NE three-and-out. Can't blame the D for this loss.
Roscoe Parrish with a 20-yard punt return. Bills ball, deep in NE territory. Might we be on to something?
Beautiful catch by Lee for the TD. First career TD against the Pats. It's about time.
Of course it's Aaron Maybin on the false start. Of course it is. Who else would it be? The blogging gods hate me.
Pats' first third-down conversion of the quarter is a stupid little throw to Welker. Ballgame.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/21

MattRichWarren — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:23:19 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

2 days ago: New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney (39) gets past Buffalo Bills cornerback Drayton Florence (29) during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009. The Patriots won 17-10. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

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Penalties, lack of offense lead to latest loss - BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills defense played valiantly holding Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to just 115 yards passing and giving up just 109 yards on the ground was an effective day for Buffalo. In the end there was just not enough support from the other side of the ball to stage an upset."

Bills' popgun offense produces dud : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"We were not converting on third downs," Fewell said in explaining the QB switch. "We needed something to give us some momentum so I made the decision. I thought Trent could come in and maybe give us a little spark, give us some momentum."

Bills' secondary contains Patriots' passing attack : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Maybe the Buffalo Bills' pass defense is for real after all. Led by tight coverage in the secondary, the Bills justified their No. 5 NFL ranking against the pass by slowing down the New England Patriots' vaunted attack. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who has been a Bills killer, was far from lethal Sunday. He completed only 11 of 23 passes for 115 yards — all season lows — with one touchdown and one interception. His passer rating was 59.1, which is far below the 102.6 rating he had in the previous 15 meetings with Buffalo."

Bills' aura of futility catches up with Fewell : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"Fewell has to know he's cooked. He was a long shot for the permanent job even if his team had won Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. But it's looking grim now, after the Bills lost to the Patriots, 17-10, in a game that was all too reminiscent of the losses that came before it in this dying, dysfunctional decade. "

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Immediate Reactions, Wk15
Nick Mendola has cracked, guys. He gives his immediate reactions to the Bills game before predicting "Atlanta 735, Buffalo -4" for next week.

Patriots Extend Streak to 13 Over Bills - 13WHAM.com - Rochester News, Weather, and Sports
"No matter how inconsistently the Patriots have played -- particularly on the road -- or what distractions they've faced, one thing remains constant: They can always count on beating their perennial patsy, the Buffalo Bills."

Postgame injury update – Inside The Bills
Trent Edwards (ankle), Terrence McGee (Shoulder/arm), and Bryan Scott (head) all sustained injuries sever enough to keep them from returning.

It's tough to pay attention to the Bills these days : Bucky Gleason : The Buffalo News
Bucky Gleason was so bored and distracted during the game Sunday his mind kept wandering to Brittany Murphy's death.

BillBoard: Woe for the '00s
Comparing the Bills losing decades of the Dolphins in the 70s to the Patriots in the 00s. It's surprisingly close.

Bills-Patriots report card : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The Bills get better grades than you might expect from the Buffalo News.

Quarterly report: Bills-Patriots : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The News' Mark Gaughan breaks down the Bills' 17-10 loss to the Patriots quarter-by-quarter, analyzing statistics, key plays and more."

Miscues add up to 124 yards in penalties : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The Bills had 11 penalties for 124 yards. They had more than 100 penalty yards in the first half alone."

Buffalo Bills: Two-Minute Read | Democrat and Chronicle
Breaking down the Buffalo Bills' Sunday loss to the New England Patriots.

Buffalo Bills' newest lineman states his case | Democrat and Chronicle
"Anytime you lose, you obviously didn't play well enough," said Richie Incognito when asked to analyze his game. "We'll watch the film and correct what went wrong and keep battling. But this group has a lot of fight in them and I like it. I'll fight with these guys any day of the week. We were close at the end, we just came up short."

Buffalo Bills' opening drive set bad tone | Democrat and Chronicle
"Nine minutes into the game, the Bills were ahead 3-0 and New England hadn't even touched the ball yet, and I knew Buffalo wasn't going to win. OK, I knew that all week, but this is what solidified my thought: Awesome opening drive, ruined by a false start penalty at the 2, and they settled for a Rian Lindell field goal. They needed a touchdown to start the game, and didn't get it. That set the tone for the rest of the day."

Buffalo Bills Report Card | Democrat and Chronicle
See what grades our experts give out and rate the Bills yourself. These grades make a lot more sense.

Buffalo Bills fall to New England Patriots | Democrat and Chronicle
"But when you factor in the litany of lousy plays the Bills offered up on a cold but mostly wind-free afternoon, the Bills have no chance against Bill Belichick's troops, not even when Tom Brady is looking merely mortal and the Patriots gain only 224 yards and score 17 points."

Quick Recap: Patriots defeat Bills, 17-10 - Pats Pulpit
Quick recap by the guys at Pats Pulpit.

Recap: Buffalo vs. New England
The Sports Network recap of the game.

Trent Edwards goes in, down and out - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham gives a good summary of Trent Edwards' day.

$50k to bolt St. Louis? Fine with Incognito - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"With the fine of 50 grand, I would have gladly paid more to get out of that situation in St. Louis," Incognito said Sunday after the New England Patriots beat the Bills 17-10 in Ralph Wilson Stadium. "So I chalk it up to that."

Rapid Reaction: Patriots 17, Bills 10 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham, who was in the press box at the Ralph, gives his game summary.

Fewell Deserves a Chance -- Somewhere Else | WGRZ.com
Ed Kilgore meanders around the roster, the front office, and Perry Fewell in his most recent post.

Take 13 | wgrz.com
"So that's it... 13-straight and little signs of progress. Owner Ralph Wilson wasn't talking when he left the locker room today. After he fired Dick Jauron he talked about the need for an overhaul. 13-straight losses to the team that's set the standard in the division should underscore that point."

Y’all’s forgiven in Patriot land - The Globe and Mail
"When they assemble next season, trying to avoid their 14th consecutive loss to New England, Buffalo will surely bear little resemblance to the team that walked off the field yesterday. "

Niagara Gazette - TIM'S TAKE: Bills wear stare of humility
"A blank look of humility, one that so many Bills players and coaches have brought to the Ralph Wilson Stadium podium over the past decade, was the common thread after yet another lackluster loss to the mighty New England Patriots on Sunday."

Niagara Gazette - BILLS NOTEBOOK: Edwards makes a cameo
"The sequence symbolized the demise of Edwards, who was still considered the future of the franchise the last time Buffalo met New England, in the season opener. Too many checkdowns, too many injuries, too many punts. "

Failure to lead - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow
"The first drive was the game plan, and then the next few series that we had, we got ourselves into some trouble," Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "When you’re going to play a game like that where you want to wear your opponent out, you have to play mistake free football."

Best and worst of yesterday’s game - BostonHerald.com
Ron Borges gives his thoughts on the game. Interesting bits I think.

Analysis/reaction: Pats 'good enough' in Buffalo - Patriots.com
Escaping Buffalo with a 17-10 victory, New England did what it needed to do, right when it needed to most.

Bills Daily Gameday Grades
Game grades from the Bills blog from the Pats game.

Bills Daily Gameday Review
The Bills blog recaps the game.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Bills Fall to Pats 17-10; Eliminated from Playoffs
"The Buffalo Bills were their own worst enemy in their 17-10 loss to the New England Patriots at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills gave the Patriots over 119 yards through penalties, which ended up being the difference in the game. "

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- Paul Posluszny is the first Bills LB to have an INT in back-to-back weeks since Bryce Paup, who accomplished the feat back in December 1995.
- Just when you think it couldn't get any worse, Bills WR Josh Reed drops a wide-open pass on a 4th-and-9 near the goal line on one of the few well-thrown passes by Buffalo today. Reed has had an awful day, with two muffed punts as well (which were recovered by Buffalo).

Bills Tweets
Twitter / Donte Whitner
In my post game interviews I was not saying I want to leave buffalo....I wanna stay here forever!

Twitter / Thurman Thomas
I have never met Randy Moss, he came up to me during warm-ups and said" what's up old school, you are the man" ... WOW, made me feel good..

Twitter / Donte Whitner
Hope I didn't see moss jump in the stands and bills fans enbrace him!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope not!

Terrell Owens
Sometimes things must come 2 an end, u hv 2 move on & accept wht life has 2 offer. So looking 4wd to 2010.

Bills 16, Chiefs 10: Week 14 Film Session

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

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

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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.

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

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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.

Five Questions With Buffalo Rumblings

John B — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:10:51 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

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Our friend Brian from Buffalo Rumblings stopped by for five questions on the Bills.

1. We'll start with the obvious question. What has changed since Perry Fewell took over as head coach for Dick Jauron?

The team looks a little more motivated, a little more aggressive, and a little better overall. They're obviously the same group of players, but when they say that a team takes on the personality of its head coach, the proverbial "they" are absolutely right. Fewell's a higher-energy, more assertive personality than Jauron is, and the team is playing like it.

Fewell has also made some intelligent personnel calls, including starting Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB, Fred Jackson at RB, and rotating Donte Whitner between nickel corner and strong safety. The game plans are crisper, they're being executed more efficiently, and the results speak for themselves.

2. What are your thoughts on Fred Jackson starting at running back over Marshawn Lynch?

It needed to happen. Jackson's having a great season, but Buffalo's running game wasn't working with a split backfield, and neither runner could get into a rhythm. Jackson does more for an offense than Lynch does - he's a better receiver, a better blocker, and a smarter performer - so Fewell made the smart play. In no way does this mean the end for Lynch - good NFL teams adequately utilize two backs, and Lynch remains the more talented back of the two. But Buffalo's offense functions better as a unit when Jackson's in the lineup, so starting him and giving him the full rushing load was really the only smart move to make.

3. What was the biggest factor in Buffalo's upset of Miami? Will it carry over into Thursday?

Miami missed some critical opportunities early, including a strange Wildcat throw by Ricky Williams that was intercepted, snuffing out the Dolphins' opening drive and killing their early momentum. They also gave up on the run a little bit in the second half, and once Buffalo took their fourth-quarter lead, they were able to turn the tide by forcing turnovers and adding on insurance points.

I put the loss more on missed opportunities by Miami, but the Bills did play really well. They hung around thanks to Miami's mistakes and really laid it to them in the fourth quarter. It was nice to see. I do think the Bills have a little momentum now - they're more confident now under Fewell than I think they've been at any point this season - and they should be a tough out for every team remaining on their schedule.

4. Jets fans saw both Bills quarterbacks in the first meeting. What does Ryan Fitzpatrick bring to the table that is different from Trent Edwards?

Decisiveness. That's really the only difference. Edwards, for whatever reason - blame it on concussions or simply not knowing who to please on the coaching staff or in his receiving corps - went into a shell. He was hesitant to make risky throws, and as a result, Buffalo's offense became ridiculously easy to slow down. His problems are 100% mental.

Fitzpatrick is erratic with his accuracy and lacks elite arm strength, but he's a gamer. He can make plays through the air and with his legs. He's got a nice rapport with Terrell Owens (14 catches, 293 yards, 2 TD in the last two games), and the offense has put up 46 points. He's not a world-beater, but he gives Buffalo the best chance to win. Buffalo is now 3-2 in games in which Fitzpatrick got the important reps at QB.

5. Based on history, I think it's fair to say Jets fans aren't upset this game is in Toronto instead of Ralph Wilson Stadium. Even when the Jets got wins up in Orchard Park, it was seldom easy. What kind of role do you think the crowd will play in Toronto?

I honestly have no idea. The game is sold out in name, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a good chunk of empty seats in the stadium. This is a matchup of sub-.500 teams, and the CFL is coming off of a fantastic finish to its Grey Cup, so I'm guessing levels of apathy toward the NFL and this game in particular are high. Think of it as a neutral field, because that's exactly what it will be. No home-field advantage. May the best team win.

New York Jets Pass Offense vs. Buffalo Bills Pass Defense

John B — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:09:55 -0000

More photos » by Julie Jacobson - AP

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You may remember the first meeting between the Jets and Bills as one of the most disastrous showings in the history of quarterbacking by Mark Sanchez. A week after holding Derek Anderson to a 2 for 17 game, Buffalo intercepted Sanchez 5 times in an overtime victory. More than any other factor, their pass defense won the Bills that game. Through one week of Rex Ryan's codes to Sanchez, things have worked out. Sanchez made good decisions against the Panthers, and the Jets won the game. Mark didn't try to do too much. If the Jets want to leave ~~Orchard Park~~ Toronto with a win, they could sure use an efficient game from the rookie quarterback.

The Bills will look to use the same formula everybody use against the rookie quarterback, attempt to generate pressure. Aaron Schobel leads their club with 6 sacks. He's probably the best pass rusher they have, although slowing him down will be an easier task for D'Brickashaw Ferguson than handling Julius Peppers. Schobel hasn't been a model of consistency this year, though. Chris Kelsay, who is battling a shoulder injury, is the other end. He has 3 sacks. You'd have to think Damien Woody has a favorable matchup.

In the middle, Marcus Stroud returned from a knee injury for the Miami game. He is a guy who always occupies attention. Neither he nor Kyle Williams register many sacks, but their job will be to get a push up the middle and flush Mark Sanchez from the pocket. We may find out a lot about the status of his knee and that brace.

Buffalo blitzed sparingly under Dick Jauron. Since Jauron's dismissal, the numbers appear to have increased a bit. Paul Posluzny is the most likely guy to come from the middle. It could present a test for the middle of the line dealing with the tackles.

Cornerback Terrence McGee has been limited by a knee injury for the Bills. Drayton Florence will start next to him. Florence is having a nice year, but he and a gimpy McGee are a good matchup for Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery. They do have a pair of good cover safeties in Donte Whitner and George Wilson.The problem could be the run defense for the Bills, though. The Jets ran all over them in the first meeting. You have to think the biggest adjustment they will make will be to stop the run. That probably means they'll want their safeties up and won't dedicate them as much to the passing game.

Buffalo has been decimated at the linebacker position by injury. In one regard, that might help them in this matchup. Bryan Scott is starting at outside linebacker. He was converted from the safety position and is a good pass defender, which leaves the Bills in good shape covering Dustin Keller. Posluszny is also a good pass defender. The other starting linebacker, Chris Draft, was limited in practice with a neck injury and is probably the weakest cover linebacker the Bills have but is still solid. It will have to be a day for the receivers. Sanchez should have time to find them. Again, after the rushing numbers the Jets posted in their first meeting, the Bills won't be overly aggressive for fear of being caught up field.

Identifying the "crux players" on Buffalo's roster

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reserves: C/G Geoff Hangartner, DT Spencer Johnson

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bills 31, Dolphins 14: Week 12 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:15:08 -0000

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I'll be honest. Coming off of a holiday highlighted by three full days of tryptophan-induced lethargy (oh, how I love Thanksgiving), I knew heading into Sunday that my weekly film session post wasn't going to be as in-depth as usual. My apologies for not warning you before this morning; call it a preparatory lethargy on my part.

The Buffalo Bills blew the Miami Dolphins out yesterday. There, I said it. If we're calling the Bills' 27-7 loss to New Orleans a blowout loss, then their 31-14 performance yesterday was a blowout win. I've got some observations for you to ponder and/or expand upon after the jump, but let's just get the most obvious note out of the way: Gus Johnson is awesome. Moving on.

On Perry Fewell's gonads. I'll be talking more about the interim head coach this afternoon, so I'll keep this brief. Praise Fewell all you want for his decision to send Rian Lindell onto the field for a 56-yard field goal attempt that proved to be a huge fourth-quarter spark for his team as well as the decisive points in the game. It was ballsy, and it worked to perfection. Understand the hot and cold that comes with his territory, though - if he punts there, or the kick misses, he's a goat this morning. Keep that in mind when Fewell inevitably makes his next mistake.

Case in point - Tony Sparano is a good coach. He put his stamp of approval on a ballsy call in the first quarter, and Ricky Williams threw an interception out of the Wildcat. That completely changed the face of the game, because it was looking like a Dolphin blowout early. Today, Sparano is the goat. He's still, however, a good coach.

On Ryan Fitzpatrick's gonads. According to Fewell, they're large. They came in handy in this game; Fitzpatrick certainly had his best performance as a Bill, and I thought he played a hell of a game. Yeah, he's still inaccurate. Sure, he's still good for one horrible read per game. Absolutely, he's got limitations. But he's also a gamer and has a flair for the dramatic; add his aforementioned gonads to those qualities, and you have one heck of a backup quarterback. The offense has now improved in two straight weeks under his direction; it'll be curious to see if they can build some momentum with actual NFL defenses coming up on the schedule.

On Fred Jackson. Fewell gave him the start - Freddie touched the ball 20 times and scored twice, while Marshawn Lynch got just four touches - and it's the latest in a line of several smart personnel moves Fewell has made. (Starting Fitzpatrick at quarterback was the first.) Jackson has deserved the lion's share of the rushing load all season, and as long as he continues to produce, he should - and will - remain in that role. He's such an asset to this offense because he doesn't make negative plays, is dependable and tough, and can hurt a defense in a lot of ways. Jackson out-performed Ricky Williams yesterday, touching the ball 20 times for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Don't write off Mr. Lynch, however. He's everyone's favorite whipping boy at the moment - apparently, it's impossible for a fan base to survive unless at least one whipping boy is at its disposal - but Lindell's 56-yard game-winner wouldn't have been possible without Lynch's 9-yard catch and run to set it up. Lynch, too, is a player. He's just not the hot hand right now.

On the run defense. Yes, turning the tides in the fourth quarter helped, as the Dolphins were forced to put their hopes on the right arm of Chad Henne, which clearly didn't work. But give credit to Fewell and the defensive coaching staff for finding a way to slow down the run in the second half; Miami ran for just 52 yards in that time frame, at under 2.9 yards per attempt. Miami became increasingly one-dimensional throughout the game, and as a result, the Bills were able to crank up the aggression and pick off three Henne passes in the fourth quarter. That doesn't happen if Miami, and most importantly Williams (79 rushing yards in the first half, 36 in the second half), continue to run at will.

On the safety rotation. More credit for Fewell - he had a safety rotation in on Sunday that kept Jairus Byrd off the field for a good chunk of the game. That's tough to do when you're talking about the NFL leader in interceptions, but Fewell knows his guys. Byrd is a liability against the run, and in case you weren't aware, the Dolphins are kind of really excellent at running the football. Donte Whitner and George Wilson both played the run relatively well, particularly in the second half, and both made their share of plays near the line of scrimmage. Byrd was still in enough to prevent Miami from attacking the Bills deep; teams are petrified of throwing the long pass because of Byrd's presence. Yeah, Miami's complete lack of receiving talent has a lot to do with that, but for this particular game, Fewell played the matchup game with his safeties brilliantly.

On Drayton Florence. It is still mind-boggling to me that some folks actually expected him to be released in the pre-season. Aside from Byrd, one could make an argument that Florence has been Buffalo's most valuable defender this season. He'll never be a high-interception guy, because he just doesn't have the hands to do it, but Florence is a physical, aggressive cornerback who plays with an attitude that fits the ideal mentality of 'Bills football' to a T. He's consistent, he rarely gets beat, and aside from a minor knee injury early in the season, he's been durable - another rare gift for a Bills player. He's having an outstanding season, and it might be worth considering a Florence contract extension once the front office and head coaching situation is figured out (Florence signed a two-year deal last March).

That's it for this morning. More on Fewell later this afternoon. As usual, your comments and observations are welcome and encouraged.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/30

MattRichWarren — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:45:12 -0000

In a game of gut checks, Fewell passes the test : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
Sullivan runs down the list of Fewell going with his gut: attempting a 56-yard field goal, the deep bomb to T.O. (which Fewell didn't call), and starting Fred Jackson over Marshawn Lynch.

Miami Dolphins' Vontae Davis says officials gave Terrell Owens a break - Palm Beach Post
"We knew that we were playing against them and the refs," rookie cornerback Vontae Davis said. "That's tough. You can't make the game close. After that, I just knew (the officials) were not letting us get out of here with that game."

Bills Notebook: Moorman and Lindell find their finishing kicks : The Buffalo News
Brian Moorman and Rian Lindell had rough starts to the game but when it counted the most the Bills' kickers delivered late in the fourth.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Immediate Reactions, Wk12
Nick Mendola is downright giddy in his postgame analysis.

Buffalo Bills trample Miami Dolphins | Democrat and Chronicle
"Playing to win as opposed to playing not to lose as his predecessor, Dick Jauron, often did, Fewell was grandly rewarded."

Buffalo Bills two-minute read | Democrat and Chronicle
Sal Maiorana recaps the game in condensed fashion.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- The Bills technically had four safeties on the field for most of Miami's first drive. George Wilson and Jairus Byrd lined up at strong and free safety, respectively, with Donte Whitner at the nickel spot and Bryan Scott starting his third game in a row at LB.
- The Bills suffered only one injury today, as LB Nic Harris left the game with an eye contusion.

Bills 4th qtr changes perception – Inside The Bills
"In less than two weeks Perry Fewell has gone a long way in convincing this team they’re capable of better and that fighting to the end of games despite the postseason not really being in the cards is impressive."

Bills use fourth-quarter surge to put away Dolphins : The Buffalo News
"The great thing about it is the fourth quarter has been our Achilles' heel," said Bills linebacker Bryan Scott. "This fourth quarter we were able to ... score some points and then light our tails on fire and get after the quarterback."

Fitzpatrick shows qualities that are Peytonesque : Bob Dicesare : The Buffalo News
"If only for a day there's reasonable cause to compare Ryan Fitzpatrick, a starting quarterback by default, with Peyton Manning, a star quarterback by birthright."

Bills-Dolphins report card : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The entire Bills team gets a "B-" or higher. What gives?

Dolphins' late collapse is tough to explain : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Dave Hyde of the Orlando Sentinel is despondent about the fourth quarter collapse the Dolphins suffered.

Quarterly report: Bills-Dolphins : The Buffalo News
The News' Mark Gaughan breaks down the Bills' 31-14 win over the Dolphins quarter-by-quarter, analyzing statistics, key plays and more.

Buffalo Bills two-minute read | Democrat and Chronicle
Sal Maiorana recaps the game in condensed fashion.

Buffalo Bills Report Card | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
The OL gets a "C-", tight ends "C+". Everyone else is sitting pretty in "B" territory or higher.

Playoff hopes take big hit as Dolphins fall in Buffalo - The Phinsider
"The Dolphins 17 point loss in Buffalo was a tough one to swallow."

Recap: Buffalo vs. Miami
The Sports Network recaps the game.

My First Dolphins Game Ever...with some pictures - The Phinsider
Great pictures from the game yesterday from dolphinsinbuffalo.

Refreshed Rivalry and Bright Future ahead - The Phinsider
DPL3 Rollin of the Phinsider is glad the Bills-Dolphins rivalry is back.

Bills playing with pride under Fewell - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"About a third of the way into the tryout, I'd say Fewell is making a sound case to get the job permanently. I'm not saying Fewell is the best option, but there's no denying he has been impressive so far."

Wrap-up: Bills 31, Dolphins 14 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"The Buffalo Bills deadened the hopes of an AFC East playoff race by denying the Miami Dolphins their first peek at a winning record this year."

Run, Ryan, run? Throw, Ricky, throw? - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Ricky Williams is throwing interceptions and Ryan Fitzpatrick is busting off 31-yard touchdown runs. What's next? Joey Porter taking a monastic vow of silence and Dick Jauron taking a job as a color commentator?"

Fitz and Fewell Bring Bills Fodder for the Future | wgrz.com
"Loved the way Perry Fewell has injected enthusiasm into his team, and is playing to WIN, not playing not to lose. On the other hand, to be honest, it's a bit easier to play it that way when you have everything to gain and little to lose."

Fewell's gut instincts provide spark for Bills | Democrat and Chronicle
Buffalo interim head coach Perry Fewell trusted Rian Lindell to come through on a fourth-quarter 56-yard field goal and it paid off for the Bills on Sunday.

Fewell fuels Bills | Ken Fidlin | Columnists | Toronto Sun
"It's probably too little, too late, but there's no questioning that Perry Fewell's appointment as interim coach has energized the Buffalo Bills in a way most of them never thought possible."

Niagara Gazette - BILLS NOTEBOOK: Fitzpatrick flashes running ability
"Ryan Fitzpatrick is making Bills fans forget about Trent Edwards. Ironically, he’s doing it with some of J.P. Losman’s old moves," says Jonah Bronstein.

Niagara Gazette - TIM'S TAKE: Fewell's fire gives Bills a much-needed spark
"It’s a difference, right? It’s a difference," Donte Whitner said. "And around here, it’s no knock on anybody, but we’re used to playing it safe in those situations. And the opposition, they know that. Today, they didn’t really expect that. Even last week, when (Terrell Owens) caught the 98-yard touchdown pass, they expected us to run the ball, run the ball, run the ball, punt the ball."

The right spark - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow
"Fitzpatrick proved Sunday you don’t need to have a lot of style, or the strongest arm, to win a game in the NFL. With the way the season has gone for the Bills and their fans, it might just be what the team needs going forward."

Jackson's the man in Bills backfield - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow
Bryan Sullivan looks at Perry Fewell's decision to start Fred Jackson over Marshawn Lynch.

Fewell’s presence is having an impact in the locker room - The Dunkirk Observer
"The players stood behind Jauron and always gave him their vote of confidence. I honestly believe the players LIKED playing for Jauron. But I think the players LOVE playing for Fewell."

The Miami Dolphins' defense allowed Buffalo to rush for 129 yards and score three rushing touchdowns in Sunday's 31-14 loss. -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Buffalo averaged 5.3 yards per carry against the Dolphins and scored three rushing touchdowns

Ex-Dolphin Jim Mandich's take on Dolphins game. -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
"You wish you had that one back, but the Dolphins let many more get away by letting the Bills hang around all game."

T.O. helps Bills beat Dolphins in 31-14 win - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The AR's John Wawrow gives his account of the game from the press box.

Bills strong 4th quarter sinks Dolphins - BuffaloBills.com
"For once this season the Bills owned the fourth quarter, and it was pivotal as Buffalo outscored the Dolphins 24-0 to overcome a touchdown deficit and win for the first time in a month, 31-14 over division rival Miami."

Scott Pitoniak: New coach "Fewells'' Bills victory vs. Dolphins
The Rochester writer likes what he sees from Perry Fewell so far and gives other thoughts from the win over the Dolphins.

Does God Hate the Buffalo Bills? : Buffalo Sports Daily
Jeff Nixon gives his recollections from losing to the Dolphins for the 19th and 20th straight times before finally knocking them off in 1980.

You Can’t Rush Beauty, Partna : Buffalo Sports Daily
"The T.O. turnaround is in full flight and suddenly, labeling it as beauty would be quite the understatement. Breathtaking may be more fitting."

Other Bills bits
Congrats, Hall Semifinalists, and Good Luck: You'll Need It This Year -- NFL FanHouse
"Andre Reed and now Tim Brown further clog the receiver backlog -- I'm coming around on Reed after long talks about him with his bosses in Buffalo: Bill Polian and Marv Levy."

Haslett hasn't been contacted as a candidate for NFL job | ProFootballTalk.com
A league source tells us that Haslett hasn't been contacted regarding himself.

No Monday update from Fewell – Inside The Bills
Interim head coach Perry Fewell will not be giving a wrap up on Sunday’s game Monday. It’s due to the fact that the Bills have a very short week of preparation with their next game coming on Thursday night against the Jets.

Bills make plays late, give Fewell first win

MattRichWarren — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:11:36 -0000

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For the first time in recent memory, the Buffalo Bills were the ones putting a team away late in the fourth quarter in their 31-14 win over the Miami Dolphins.

A career-long 56-yard field goal from Rian Lindell put the Bills up 17-14 with 3:40 left in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing drive, Chris Kelsay applied heat to Chad Henne, who floated a pass that was picked off by Drayton Florence with 2:43 remaining. Everyone thought the Bills would try and bleed some clock on their possession, but Ryan Fitzpatrick had other ideas. The starting quarterback audibled at the line of scrimmage and threw a perfectly-timed deep ball to Terrell Owens for a 51-yard touchdown to ice the game with 2:31 left. Interceptions by Donte Whitner and Corey Mace sealed the deal.

The Bills' offense was not without their faults on the day, as Fitzpatrick was picked off once and sacked six times. New addition Kendall Simmons had what I'll politely call a rough outing at right guard, giving up two sacks and getting in on the penalty party by jumping offside once.

Fred Jackson got the start in the backfield for the Bills today and picked up 73 yards on 15 carries. Fitzpatrick cemented his status as Buffalo's starter with a big day, throwing for 246 yards and the long touchdown to Owens. Fitzpatrick also started the Bills' scoring by rushing for a 31-yard touchdown on a broken pass play.

Buffalo's defense allowed Ricky Williams and the Dolphins to march down the field early. A Chris Draft interception on an ill-advised Williams goal line pass thwarted the first Miami drive, but Williams amassed 115 yards rushing and a touchdown on 27 carries. Henne was 17 of 30 for 175 yards, including a touchdown pass to Brian Hartline and the three late picks.

The win moves Buffalo to 4-7 on the season and to a short week to prepare for the 5-6 New York Jets. That game will be played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, and will be broadcast on the NFL Network. The Dolphins fall to 5-6 on the season, and this loss severely hurts their playoff chances (which couldn't make me happier).