SB Nation - George Wilson

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

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.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Link, 12/10

MattRichWarren — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:01:51 -0000

Bills' Maybin barely toes the line : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"In time, Maybin might turn into a star. But it's disconcerting to watch so many other rookies having good years while the Bills' top pick struggles to find himself. Well, they're 4-8. Maybe someone up top should tell Fewell the time has come to find out about Maybin."

All Fundamentals Team - Brian Moorman
The Bills' punter was named to the USA Football "All Fundamentals team" for his excellent form on and off the field.

Lindell having another strong season | BuffaloBills.com
"The most accurate kicker in franchise history, Lindell is putting together another solid season. Entering this weekend’s action the veteran kicker is 20-23 on field goal attempts this season (87%). With four games left to play Lindell is within striking distance of his single-season career high in field goal percentage set back in 2006 when he went 23-25 for a 92 percent success rate."

Bills bleeding away points in the red zone : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The Bills have scored just nine touchdowns inside the opponent's 20-yard line, tying the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders for the fewest in the NFL. The Bills' 27 red-zone possessions are tied with the Detroit Lions and Sunday's opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs, for the fifth fewest in the league."

Byrd’s injury improving – Inside The Bills
"Fewell wasn’t ready to go so far as to say that Jairus Byrd’s snaps will be increased significantly as a result of his improved condition. But it’s a good sign that the rookie ballhawk could be out on the field more than he has been in recent weeks."

Bills notebook: Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Cornerback Terrence McGee practiced fully for the first time since having knee surgery during the bye week. Whether he's able to return to the starting lineup won't be known until the end of the week. Defensive tackle John McCargo also practiced fully after being sidelined the last two weeks with a calf injury."

Injury report – Inside The Bills
Terrence McGee practiced fully. Check out the list of players who didn't here.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Bills vs. Chiefs; So Similar, It's Scary
"Fewell was asked if some of the Bills younger players, like Aaron Maybin, James Hardy and Steve Johnson would see playing time over the last few weeks of the season. He replied that he's trying to put the best 45-man roster on the field each week and that the younger players that aren't playing as much will get a chance when he (Fewell) feels that they give the Bills a chance to win. "

Time for Bills to go with Brohm? | Democrat and Chronicle
"One way the Bills could make some headway on 2010 is to start finding out, as soon as possible, if new quarterback Brian Brohm is someone that could help the team."

Back to Work With the Bills | Democrat and Chronicle | Three-Point Stance
Sal Maiorana looks back at the Jets loss and forward to next season.

Bills looking toward 2010 for Maybin - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"I think he's going to be a dynamic player for us," said Perry Fewell. "It's very tough to play in this league, and I think he will get better, and he’ll be a top-flight pick. Maybe not at the end of this season, but he’s going to be a top-flight pick for this football team."

Video: AFC East Huddle - AFC East Blog - ESPN
ESPN's John Clayton takes his weekly spin around the AFC East and touches on a variety of subjects.

Jones, McNabb headline the top fantasy starters for Week 14 | NFL.com
Terrell Owens is a "Start 'Em" this week now that he's not locked up against Darrelle Revis.

wgrz.com | Buffalo, NY | Bills Roundtable
Watch 2-On-Your-Side's Adam Benigni and Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle on this week's Bills Roundtable.

Owens and Lynch have long pass contest | WIVB.com
45 second clip of Terrell Owens and Marshawn Lynch in a long pass contest following Wednesday’s practice.

Bills search for motivation | WIVB.com
"We're all competitors number one," Fewell said Wednesday. "We talked about it this morning, that in order to get what you want in life, you have to have enthusiasm and a vision. Our vision is to win."

Bills top draft pick DE Maybin remains motivated - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
"Maybin is willing to lower his expectations a little for this year. The level of confidence he has in his abilities, though, remains unchanged."

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
Bills interim coach Perry Fewell on LT Demetrius Bell (knee): "That's a day-to-day thing with Bell. He worked out Monday, really looked good on Monday. Did not participate today so we’re just trying to find out what the problem is there."

Further Evidence Edwards Is Done : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran, who two weeks ago called for Briam Brohm to get a look, now wants Trent Edwards back as the starter since he lit up the Chiefs a year ago.

Countdown Daily AccuScore Report: BUF-KC - ESPN Video - ESPN
Jenny Dell tells you the chances the Bills go into Kansas City and beat the Chiefs

Saints sign LB off Bills practice squad – Inside The Bills
"LB Anthony Waters, who was signed to Buffalo’s practice squad on Oct. 14 in the wake of a rash of injuries at the LB position, has been signed by New Orleans as they deal with injuries themselves at the LB position."

Owens open to re-signing with Bills in 2010 | BuffaloBills.com
"Terrell Owens seems to view the Bills as the victim of circumstance in 2009, which is why he’s not as discouraged by what has transpired this season as some might think." He is quoted as saying, "It’s no coincidence as (Ryan) Fitz(patrick) has been in the offense that I’ve been getting involved and he’s kind of been dropping back and looking downfield and he’s seen on the film where I have been open and we’ve taken full advantage of that."

Bills Week 14: Bills at Chiefs | Buffalo News Video
"The Bills head to Kansas City this week where they face the the Chiefs. Last time the Bills played in Arrowhead Stadium the Bills racked up 54 points in a win. Can the Bills repeat this season? Al, Sully and Rodney take a look at the matchup."

Bills celebrate Play 60 with students | BuffaloBills.com
The event included appearances by wide receiver Lee Evans, safety George Wilson, linebacker Chris Draft, long-snapper Garrison Sanborn, linebacker Jon Corto, defensive end Aaron Maybin, safety John Wendling and team mascot Billy Buffalo as they encouraged kids to stay fit.

Wilson: Bills work out Pettiti | National Football Post
The Bills worked out former Cowboys offensive tackle Rob Pettiti, late of the UFL's Florida Tuskers, Tuesday.

Team in Transition
WGR 550 SportsRadio - Getting a new football coach - in 12 stages
Jeremy White's 12-step program of getting over your old coach and finding your enthusiasm for the next season.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Assistants will draw interest for head-coaching jobs
"With the majority of the teams likely to be looking for new head coaches at the end of the season also having financial concerns that figure to keep them from pursuing heavy hitters such as Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden and Mike Holmgren, PFW this week takes an in-depth look at the more affordable alternatives whom our leaguewide sources have identified from the NFL assistant-coaching ranks."

2010 NFL Draft
FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | Cover-3: A Man Named Suh
FO profiles the big Nebraska DT.

Locker might return to Washington - San Jose Mercury News
"Washington coach Steve Sarkisian says he's "very optimistic" that star quarterback Jake Locker will return to the Huskies for his senior season rather than enter the NFL draft."

Bills Tweets
Nic Harris
Off tired, think this is what they call the rookie wall, imma fight thru! Time to bite down!

Letterman writer Eric Stengel
Terrell Owens has signed with a modeling agency. A couple of gigs and maybe the guy can finally get some attention!!

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

Browse more photos »

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.

Bills 31, Dolphins 14: Week 12 Film Session

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

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

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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.

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links 11/24

MattRichWarren — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:13:00 -0000

CBS wouldn't replay this gruesome leg injury - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
CBS wouldn't reshow it but if you want another look at Eric Wood's injury take a look. I am going to warn you it turned my stomach. His lower leg is destroyed right now.

Mike Sims-Walker spent yesterday celebrating Terrell Owens - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
Did anybody else catch Mike Sims-Walker spelling "T.O." after his TD catch? I was wondering what the heck he was doing.

Two point attempt was impromptu – Inside The Bills
For those that may have been wondering if Buffalo’s two-point conversion attempt was planned after the Owens TD, it wasn’t.

The ultimate killer on Sunday – Inside The Bills
The Bills lost a tough game again in an 18-15 loss to Jacksonville, and what made it even tougher was the offense was more productive, but two touchdowns came off the board for the Bills on penalties.

Jones-Drew gives Bills ‘D’ credit – Inside The Bills
"Buffalo did a great job of loading the box and staying disciplined," said Jaguars running back Mauirce Jones-Drew. "We knew all week that they were a real disciplined team. I told you guys earlier in the week when your coach is fired; there are two ways you can go. They went the positive route. We fought hard, they fought hard."

QB for Miami still to be determined – Inside The Bills
Bills interim head coach Perry Fewell stuck to his statement last week that the starting quarterback would be a week to week decision on Monday.

NFL - Weekly Leaders Week 11
Terrell Owens led the league in receiving yards this week. When's the last time that happened?

Garrard: last TD play was well designed – Inside The Bills
David Garrard comments on the final touchdown that ultimately won the game for the Jaguars.

Bills notebook: Wood's injury a gruesome sight : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"That young man was in pain," said Fewell, whose emotion was clearly on display as he spoke. "That was not a pretty sight to see. ... That's part of our game, but as a human being you never want to see that happen to another."

Buffalo Bills finally unleash T.O.'s talent | Democrat and Chronicle
No one played with more of a purpose than wide receiver Terrell Owens. He finally enjoyed his breakout game as a Bill with nine catches for 197 yards, including a team-record 98-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.

Buffalo Bills Replay: How do we assess Fewell's first game? | Democrat and Chronicle
Leo Roth and Sal Maiorana rewatch the Bills-Jaguars game and discuss high and low points.

Wood injury another awful blow to Bills - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Wood was focused on trying to block Jaguars defensive end Derrick Harvey from tackling Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Jaguars defensive tackle Montavious Stanley was charging from Fitzpatrick's left. Stanley tried to wrap up Fitzpatrick, but his momentum sent him crashing into the unsuspecting Wood.

Take 2: Fewell the Fire | wgrz.com
Adam Benigni's brother, Matt, played for Perry Fewell at West Point and Adam recalls Matt's memories of his former coach.

One on one with Safety George Wilson | WIVB.com
News 4 Sports Director John Murphy has a one-on-one interview with Bills Safety George Wilson.

Military ticket promotion underway | BuffaloBills.com
The Buffalo Bills announced that all military personnel are eligible to receive a $10 per ticket discount off of the $45 seats for the Indianapolis Colts game on January 3, 2010 at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Owens ability finally on full display | BuffaloBills.com
Owens finally had the type of game the team and fan base envisioned when he signed a one-year contract in March.

New Coach, Same Result | Democrat and Chronicle | Three-Point Stance
Sal Maiorana wishes he could have gone to the Bruce Springsteen concert in stead of the Jaguars game. Then he gives his rundown on that game.

Shirt of the Decade | The Goose's Roost
twoeightnine got some pub over on TGR for his new franchise QB shirt. It's an awesome shirt BTW.

Dolphins vs Bills: Three Key Matchups - The Phinsider
The Dolphins will head up to Buffalo next weekend for a division battle with the Bills. What are some of the critical matchups? The Phinsider is on top of it already.

Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium Had a Lot of Terrible Towels In It - Arrowhead Pride
Arrowhead Stadium might not be a sell out for the Bills game next month.

Looking to 2010 - 13WHAM.com - Rochester News, Weather, and Sports
Here is what Mike Catalana wants to see for the rest of this "very forgettable season".

Team in Transition
Schottenheimer's name surfaces in Buffalo | ProFootballTalk.com
"If he were to return to the game, Schottenheimer surely would need control over the football operation. He didn't have it with the Chargers, and Marty repeatedly clashed with G.M. A.J. Smith."

NFL.com: Bills contact Cowher – Inside The Bills
"Cowher also apparently isn’t interested in a management/coach role. He wants to coach only."

Being in coaching pool is Fewell’s option – Inside The Bills
Interim head coach Perry Fewell was asked if he should be considered for the permanent head coaching job. As far as he understands it he has the option to throw his hat in that ring.

Sullivan: In weak NFL, playoffs never far away : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Here's a fun fact: The Bills have lost five games this year in which they were tied or in the lead at some point in the fourth quarter." What could have been with a couple different bounces.

NFL Insiders: Mike Shanahan Unlikely to Coach in Buffalo | WGRZ.com
"I think he's going to look at the Bills quarterback situation and probably not be too impressed," said ESPN.com's Tim Graham. "And then there's also just the aspect of Mike Shanahan having his pick of any team in the NFL."

Bills coach search continues | WIVB.com
But sources tell News 4 Sports that as of Sunday, Mike Shanahan had not heard directly from the Bills and no meeting was scheduled.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Lowly Bills thinking big for 2010
PFW does a nice summary of the Bills' front office situation going forward.

Bills Tweets
Sal Maiorana
Perry Fewell said Bills RB Marshawn Lynch's shoulder is feeling better. My suggestion: Rest him - for rest of the season - and play Jackson

Sal Maiorana
Do you realize Bills could have as many as 3 practice squad talent level offensive linemen active against Miami Sunday? Unreal

Bob Glauber
Rex Ryan when asked if he's putting too much on his plate by adding offensive responsibilities: "There’s always a lot on my plate." [Ed. note: No kidding.....]

Eric Stangel
I'd love to see Schottenheimer coach the Bills if only to see Terrell Owens' head explode when it's run run run punt

Eric Stangel
Bills working quickly to land new HC. Reached out to Shanahan, Cowher, Schottenheimer. Even left voicemail for Weeb Ewbank

Game Day Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/22

MattRichWarren — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:33:10 -0000

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Bills-Jaguars Primer
Joe Buscaglia gets us primed and ready to go for the game in Jacksonville.

Buffalo Bills Game Day | Democrat and Chronicle
Reporter Sal Maiorana breaks down today's Buffalo Bills game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Gameday Tipsheet - Week 11
Chris Brown's thorough look at the game against the Jaguars.

Game Previews
Bills-Jags scouting report : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Allen Wilson's breakdown of the Bills-Jaguars matchup.

NFL Game Center: Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars - 2009 Week 11
Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Game Center featuring previews and live coverage of the game.

Bills hope to get off and running with Fewell : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Today's game against Jacksonville would be a good time to get [the rushing attack] rolling, as the Bills usher in the tenure of interim head coach Perry Fewell."

Buffalo Bills shift focus to Fewell, Fitzpatrick | Democrat and Chronicle
Perry Fewell and Ryan Fitzpatrick take over this team and are exciting about making their mark.

NFL Preview - Buffalo (3-6) at Jacksonville (5-4)
he Sports Network gives you the information and quotes you need to get ready to watch today's game.

Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars Gameday Preview
Two Bills Drive gives their preview for the Bills game.

Jaguars Gameday: Jacksonville vs. Buffalo | Jacksonville.com
Game preview from Jacksonville.com

Your Bills vs Jags Game Day Preview : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran at BSD gives his answers for how to beat the Jaguars.

Gameday Prep: Bills vs. Jaguars | The Goose's Roost
Your gameday prep from the good folks at TGR.

Video: Another long day for Bills' run D - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Jenny Dell's AccuScore report for Sunday's game between the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars was shot before we learned talented Bills defensive tackle Marcus Stroud and linebacker Keith Ellison won't play. Even so, AccuScore gave Maurice Jones-Drew a 55 percent chance of rushing for at least 100 yards and a touchdown. The Jaguars won 68 percent of AccuScore's 10,000 simulations.

Niagara Gazette - NFL: Crohn’s among Garrard’s foes
Tim Schmitt profiles Jaguar's quarterback David Garrard and his fight with Crohn's disease.

Team in flux
Sullivan: Plenty left for Bills to play for : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
Jerry Sullivan knows that many Bills players and coaches are fighting for their jobs in these last seven weeks of the year.

Report: Bills had "back channel" communications only with Gruden | ProFootballTalk.com
WIVB's source has slightly changed. The Bills only hand "back channel" dealings with Gruden and won't hire anyone until after the season. The latter isn't a big surprise.

Gruden declines comment on Bills report - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Jon Gruden isn't commenting on a report that he had a meeting with the Bills.

Felser: Who cleans up after the horse is ridden out of town : Larry Felser : The Buffalo News
Larry Felser wants the Bills to hire Ron Wolf or Ernie Acorsi as consultants to help hire a new GM.

Inside the NFL: Trestman would be good coaching fit, but not here : Mark Gaughan : The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan of the says the Bills shouldn't hire Marc Trestman, the Montreal Allouettes coach. He's "even more low key than Jauron," says the columnist.

Bills need a proven GM - Corning, NY - The Corning Leader
Bob Benz wants the Bills to hire Mike Holmgren or someone like him to be GM to turn this team around.

Sully on Sports: Live Chat With Sully
Jerry Sullivan chats about potential GM candidates and much more.

ProFootballWeekly.com - Five underrated NFL executives
PFW's Nolan Nawrocki identifies five evaluators who have played key roles in building championships. (This article was recommended by Sully during his chat.)

Midseason change different from '86
Chris Brown interviews Andre Reed and Jim Kelly about the last midseason coaching hire, Marv Levy. He also explains the major differences between 1986 and 2009, for instance, Marv wasn't "interim" head coach.

More Bills News
Maybin gives back – Inside The Bills
Aaron Maybin gave back to his Baltimore hometown this week.

OT Scott pressing forward – Inside The Bills
Bills OT Jonathan Scott talks for the first time since his dad's passing.

Brooks Brothers Best Dressed at Jacksonville | BuffaloBills.com
George Wilson took over for Gibran Hamdan on this little feature. Some nicely dressed guys there.

Calls and Effect: AFC East penalty tracker - AFC East Blog - ESPN
The Bills lead the NFL by far with 23 false starts, about twice the league average. 37 different players have been flagged a total of 60 times. Demetirus Bell is still leading the league with 10 on his own.

Book review: Game Changers, by Marv Levy - thestar.com
Game Changers is a book by Marv Levy and Jeff Miller about the greatest plays in Buffalo Bills history. The Toronto Star gives its book review.

Buffalo Bills fans might want to watch UFL title game | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
J.P. Losman and his coach Jim Fassell hook up with Jim Haslett's undefeated Florida Tuskers in a matchup of past (and future?) Bills.

For Brohm, Christmas comes early | The Louisville Courier-Journal
Brian Brohm had a hectic week but a week he is glad took place.

Bills Tweets
MovetheSticks
Only take a QB in round 1 if you LOVE him... Most of these bottom 6-7 teams have holes all over the place, take best player period

Thurman Thomas
Play like Hell and Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stroud one of three Bills starters out for Sunday

Brian Galliford — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:54:36 -0000

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

Browse more photos »

The Buffalo Bills, led by interim head coach Perry Fewell, will be looking for a win in Jacksonville without the services of three key starters.

Marcus Stroud did not practice all week with a knee injury and has been ruled out, according to BuffaloBills.com. This could potentially leave the Bills with just two healthy defensive tackles on Sunday. Also ruled out were tackle Demetrius Bell (knee), linebacker Keith Ellison (thigh) and cornerback Ashton Youboty (ankle).

Stroud's absence is of critical importance. The Bills have the NFL's worst run defense, and they're about to take on the NFL's fifth-leading rusher in Maurice Jones-Drew without their most proven run defender. Exacerbating that issue is the fact that fellow defensive tackle Kyle Williams is on the injury report as well, listed as questionable with a knee injury that has caused him to miss Buffalo's last two games.

Spencer Johnson will start in Stroud's place, and if Williams can't go, John McCargo will make his first start of the season as well. Converted safety Bryan Scott will make a second straight start at outside linebacker in place of Ellison. Rookie guard Andy Levitre will flip out to left tackle in place of Bell, with veteran Seth McKinney getting the nod in Levitre's left guard spot.

Joining Williams as questionable for Sunday are receiver James Hardy (groin), cornerback Terrence McGee (knee) and rookie free safety Jairus Byrd (groin). McGee and Byrd were both limited in practice on Friday. With Donte Whitner returning to the lineup (he's not listed on the injury report and practiced all week), George Wilson would start at safety if Byrd can't go. If McGee cannot play, the Bills will dress just three healthy cornerbacks in Jacksonville (Drayton Florence, Reggie Corner and Ellis Lankster).

Meanwhile, Jacksonville will be missing one key defensive starter (cornerback Rashean Mathis) and is likely to be without another (middle linebacker Justin Durant is doubtful).

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: I Thought This Was America !!?!?! Edition

August West — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:01:15 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Congrats to Jeff Fisher for not wearing a moo-moo this week.

Browse more photos »

Vince Young is certainly in a groove these days, and we're going to need him to improve on that if we're going to win Monday night and get some revenge for the debacle that was the first game against the Texans this season.

I don't need a link to remind everyone that Bud Adams getting fined $250,000 is beyond stupid. When I think about this now, all I can hear is a drunk Randy Marsh from South Park yelling I thought this was America!??!!!

VY's improved passing is surpassed only by his improved decision making, which has won Jeff Fisher over during the last three games.

Trent Dilfer says there isn't much of a separation, but he'd take Adrian Peterson over Chris Johnson. Of course he fails to give much of a reason (teams don't fear Chris Johnson enough. REALLY!!?!)... hell, I'd take 'I just love that stupid Nike commercial where AP has skin reminiscent of a soccer ball and it's supposed to be intimidating' at this point, just give us something. I just don't like Trent Dilfer, and I'm pretty sure I never will. No one person represents that 2001 Ravens team more than that weepy hack.

Follow us through the jump to see what's keeping Nick Harper out of the line-up...

Players are crediting improved focus on the 3 game winning streak... rather than getting healthy and playing easier teams. I credit the streak to scoring more points than the other team and not letting them score more than us.

Coach Fisher delivered an awesomely vague update on Nick Harper in yesterday's press conference:

"Nick was cleared last week for contact. He was cleared to play last week, yes, by the medical staff," Fisher said Monday. "Being cleared by the medical staff and going back in the lineup and playing with a plate in your arm is two different things. We’ll just have to wait and see how he does this week."

Yetserday's press conference also started off with a sensible explanation on that seemingly useless challenge by Jef Fisher on the non-TD call for Chris Johnson Vince Young:

Well, what I explained yesterday is that we had some confusion in the personnel grouping and the play call. I was going to call timeout. Based on the fact that the play was close to scoring I just challenged it and just used the challenge flag instead of just calling timeout knowing full well that I probably was going to lose the challenge. Ordinarily you don’t do that, but it was the fourth quarter, I still had a challenge left and it’s highly unlikely that we would be put in a position to have to challenge twice, but it just made sense. I challenged the ruling on the field. I stated that I thought it was a touchdown.

Perhaps lost in all of the hoopla around the middle finger and the fine is the awesomeness of the last time Bud had to apologize for giving someone the bird (in 2000):

When showing off a sample of the AFC Championship ring the Titans would wear, Adams was asked what he would do if he ever won a Super Bowl ring. He pointed at a Houston Oilers AFL championship ring on his right hand, then to the sample ring on his left hand.

Then he held up the middle finger on his right hand and said: "I'll put it on the middle finger and say to the mayor of Houston to take a look at it."

Fellow Longhorn Brian Orakpo calls Vince Young a 'future Hall of Famer'.

Speaking of VY and Houston, do you love VY as much as Orakpo does? If so, then Battle Red Blog would love to hear from you!

Jim Wyatt passes along the reactions of Safety George Wilson and Defensive Tackle Marcus Stroud, who deliver opposing views.

Every time you read a great Titans-related story on the web and don't share it with the MCM community through the fanposts, fanshots or by emailing me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com a Ravens (or Steelers) fan smiles. Is that what you want?!!!!?!?!