SB Nation - Coy Wire

Falcons And Saints Recap: Losing Is Never Easy

Dave the Falconer — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:15:36 -0000

I believed.

At various points in last night's game against the Saints, I really believed the Falcons were going to roar back and win it. All the signs were there. The defense was buckling down. The offense was moving efficiently. We looked nigh invincible some drives. It was a beautiful thing.

And then, as Chinua Achebe wrote, things fall apart.

It was a real gut punch of a game in that way. We weren't widely expected to be able to hang with the Saints, perhaps the league's toughest team, and yet that's exactly what the Falcons did. Losing a close game against a division rival is rough enough, but this loss may also have squashed our hopes of winning the division. I'm getting bummed out just typing that.

Still, as many of you pointed out, there's so many things we can take pride in after Monday. Not just that we kept the score close, but that we picked Drew Brees, managed a respectable defensive effort and finally unleashed Michael Turner. The fact that we played them so well that a win at the Georgia Dome in a few weeks suddenly seems eminently possible. The realization that we can hang in there with the very best is a comforting one as we continue our hunt for a playoff spot, and it's enough to make those losses against the Patriots and Cowboys sting a bit less. This is still a mighty interesting season, and I for one am looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

HIGHLIGHTS

Those who have thought that Michael Turner was due to break out at any moment can feel free to crow now. With Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood out, Turner was operating without a safety net, and he absolutely destroyed the Saints on the ground all day long for 151 yards and a touchdown. You can't overstate how good he looked today and the confidence boost this had to have been for him, so hopefully he's returned to his world-annihilating form for good. Glad to have you back, Burner!
While we're at it, huge props to Roddy White. That 68 yard touchdown was a thing of beauty. Props also to Tony Gonzalez, who managed to make Matt Ryan's job a little easier Monday.
Coy Wire was awesome. His forced fumble almost gave us a chance to get back into it, and he managed to scoop another. A huge props to the Falcon defense in general for their ability to generate some turnovers, and Thomas DeCoud continues to win my heart by showing up to play every single time.
Speaking of turnovers, did you see that Brent Grimes interception? Kid scooped up a little cloud with his football on that one. Made me feel pretty good about the secondary for a few minutes, at least.
Curtis Lofton got hurt, came back and piled up stops. Can't knock his hustle.
Michael Koenen wins the field position battle most of the time. With two punts inside the 20, he was a limiting factor for the Saints offense more than once. You have to appreciate that.
The day I stop praising Eric Weems in this section is the day he runs to the moon.

LOWLIGHTS

Contrary to your likely first impression, I'm not putting Matt Ryan here because of the picks. Those were largely a combination of bad luck and a little bit of questionable decision-making. Ryan's here because he looked downright awful under pressure at times, and he never got into a rhythm. How much of that is on the New Orleans defense and how much of it is on Ryan I'll leave up to you, but it's clear this wasn't his finest hour. All part of the growth of a young quarterback, I guess.
Michael Jenkins has to go here despite an otherwise solid game because he had a critical, critical drop that earned him the temporary scorn of every Falcons fan in the country. That's right around the clinical definition of a lowlight.
All that talk about our secondary being a weakness and our cornerbacks being too short is, I think, somewhat overblown. That said, our biggest critics will point to last night and crow. Way too many passes where a guy either wasn't in the right spot or simply couldn't get up in the air enough to stop Marques Colston & Co. from hauling in the pass.
Up until the final quarter of the game, tackling was spotty at best. Harrumph!
I have a lot of respect for Jason Elam. I think he's a good guy and a great kicker. That said, it's time to give him some rest or figure out exactly what issue is causing these misses, because they were a game-changer Monday night. With some strong-legged young kickers ripe for the picking out there, it might be time to bring in a stopgap until Elam can work it all out. Tough break for him and the team, though.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: I'll give an approving nod in the direction of Coy Wire, but Michael Turner was a beast and deserves his due. Congratulations, Touchdown Vampire!

Game Theme Song: We went the distance!

One Thing To Take Away: We're good and tough and gosh darn it, people like us!

Next Week: Head over to Canal Street Chronicles one last time before saying hello to the Washington Redskins. The Redskins are capably represented by our very own Hogs Haven, so give 'em a visit.

Final Word: Soclose.

The Atlanta Falcons Enter The Season: Of Cuts And Hope

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:00:53 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

Does this remind anyone else of those old electronic football games? You know, the one where the guys all shook their way violently down the field? It was the All-Hypothermia Team. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

View full size photo »

The cuts have been chronicled, and the travels and travails of those who fell from grace here in Atlanta have been capably discussed by my armored co-blogger. In simpler language, we're done there.

What I want to focus on today is the guys who survived the bloody weekend, the "final" 53 who probably aren't actually all that final. By the time you see this post, I'll be dreaming of playoff berths and the Falcons might take someone else behind the woodshed in favor of Brian Williams. This, instead, will be a look at those who stand to gain from the cuts and those who are in difficult spots, either because of the team's recent transactions or their particular skillset.

As you might imagine, you can find the bulk of this post after the jump. Just don't sprain your ankle on the way over, alright?

OFFENSE

A Winner Is You: John Parker Wilson, who watched D.J. Shockley give the ball to the defense in a thoughtful and heartful gesture, took copious notes, mixed chemicals in a lab and learned not to throw interceptions or fumble, damnit! I stand by my earlier comments that JPW does not have the physical toolset necessary to really climb up a depth chart, but he plays very careful football and will make an excellent backup as long as he does that. If Redman moves on in a year or two and JPW gets better, he might actually take that spot.

Oh Noes! You Lose: Verron Haynes, who survived the initial roster cuts but isn't going to see very many carries buried behind Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling. Early indications are that he won the job because he's better at pass blocking than Thomas Brown, which would seem to be less relevant for a fourth running back than specials teams value, but Brown is only a call away. The veteran will have to leverage his strong skills and provide value when he does get the rock to fend off the young guy, a tough proposition in such limited playing time.

Winner Winner: Eric Weems, who won the support of the coaching staff by making a few nice grabs and proving he's pretty decent in returns. To be a fifth or even fourth receiver in this league, you must add special teams value, and Weems has fought his way onto this team fiercely. He won't get many chances to catch passes, but if he does well when the ball leaves the tee he's a mortal lock to finish the year with the Falcons. If there are any injuries, I'm reasonably confident the guy can make things happen in the slot.

To Lose, To Suffer: Marty Booker. Even though he's most assuredly ahead of Weems on the depth chart, his chances of surviving the season unscatched aren't nearly as good as his younger counterpart. Booker still has something left as a pass catcher and would be valuable if anybody goes down, but a healthy roster can't carry a guy with negligible special teams value forever in a fourth receiver role. Maybe I'm underestimating the guy and he'll prove to be versatile, but somehow I don't think so.

Winning Ain't Easy: Big ups to Keith Zinger, a man's man if there ever was one. When he didn't make the team after being drafted late in 2008, he went into the Canadian wilderness, slew many bears with his bare hands and made his own shelter out of rocks and discarded Labatt Blue bottles. He emerged a much more complete tight end than the pass-blocking specialist who the Falcons got last year and held on against prototype third tight end Jason Rader. With two very capable pass-catchers in front of him, he won't get much action this year, but he's a promising player who could have an expanded role in the future.

No Rest For The Weary: The offensive line, which absolutely must avoid injuries this year. I like the promise of guys like Will Svitek and Garrett Reynolds, but I wouldn't necessarily bank on them being able to carry the team for a sustained period this year. With a very stout offense that thrives with a little time, the Falcons really can't afford to give up valuable milliseconds that could result in Matt Ryan speculating about the patterns on the Georgia Dome roof. If this line is in great shape, beautiful. If not, it could get ugly.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

The Land Of Pass Rushing: Peria Jerry, come on down! You've been selected to single-handedly lead our flagging pass rush in the year ahead! You'll be tutored by John Abraham, one of the finest to ever wear a Falcon uniform, and Jonathan Babineaux, who is p. Your companions on this once-in-a-lifetime trip will be Chauncey Davis and Jamaal Anderson, both fighting for a job with young whippersnappers like Kroy Biermann and Lawrency Sidbury. Does that sound crowded? No worries--none of the defensive tackles behind are being counted on to pass rush, so this enormous task falls squarely on your giant shoulders. Ready to be a hero? I think so!

The Two-Headed Defensive End: Davis and Anderson, who are in the unenviable position of battling with one another and fending off two young players who made a real push this off-season. Anderson is probably stronger against the run and Davis against the pass, but neither has been a standout during their careers thus far, and Anderson in particular is playing for his job this season. Early struggles could lead to extended stays on the bench for one or both, and chances are very good one of them is going to freefall down the depth chart before Week 17.

Hold The Line(backer): To all three starting linebackers, who saw their most substantial competition for minutes disappear with the cuts. With Jamie Winborn gone, in particular, both Stephen Nicholas and Mike Peterson seem ready to get monster minutes. Coy Wire can do some damage in a pinch but likely won't sniff starter minutes without an injury, and Spencer Adkins isn't even a lock to get on the field on defense this season. Curtis Lofton, as we all know, is a dimension-skipping devourer of time and space who has no competition, even from himself.

Cornered: Chris Houston and Brent Grimes, who are going to be looking over their shoulders off the field to an inordinate degree. While Chris Owens and Chevis Jackson fight for roster spots, both these young corners will be clinging to their starting spots while the coaching staff determines what they have in Tye Hill and Brian Williams. Williams could also rob some time from Thomas DeCoud if he isn't careful, so there's a lot of recently drafted or signed guys who have good reason to be skittish. If nobody steps up in the early going, you could be looking at a Hill and Williams tandem by much earlier than mid-season.

Kicker, Punter, Soldier, Spy: Hard to call either Jason Elam or Michael Koenen winners or losers, honestly, because they're both in the same positions they've always been in. What does benefit both is the likely strength of the special teams unit, which with Koenen's laser-guided punts and Elam's boot should have no problem doing some real damage against enemy returns. Of course, it goes without saying that both are as solid as they come...but will they ever find true happiness in such a lonely profession?

So that's a rough rundown, I guess, of how some of the battles shook out and what is still to come. If you've got suggestions on more positions that need to be covered. If not, I'll soak in your praise and adulation any time you're ready.

Golden Nuggets: Could end up with an awesome practice squad..

Ninjames — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:00:37 -0000

So the roster cuts have been made, and everyone is in the same shoes right now. Not a single person on this site (I think) thinks that the 53 we can see now is the actual final 53. It'll be interesting to see what the 49ers do in the way of waivers and practice squad. Is the team actually content with two tight ends? Do they want to look for a backup offensive tackle? How about a starting offensive tackle? The Jaguars just released a pretty solid player, but he's another guy who only knows one language: money. Personally, I'm sick of talking nothing but money these days. (See Crabtree, Michael) but I digress... I should get straight to your links and get you caught up. So here 'goes.

Here's a list of the twenty players the team released for roster cuts yesterday. Noteable releases include Kory Sheets, Bear Pascoe and Brit Miller. (49ers.com)

Mike Singletary discusses the cuts and some of the players that were kept on the team. He doesn't seem to be hiding behind anything here, he's telling it how it is and I respect that. (MercuryNews.com)

Among the themes and reasons certain players were kept, work ethic seems to be near the top of the list. (49ers.com)

The team should begin building its practice squad today, as they are now eligible to do so. (SacBee.com)

Here's what the 53-man roster looks like as of the writing of these Nuggets. (PressDemocrat.com)

Previously disgruntled receiver Jason Hill seems to be glad to make the team. I'll admit I was one of those that kind of ignored him this offseason, but I am very glad to see him back. You all should know what a big step that is for me, considering my fan-boyish exploits of Dominique Zeigler, who didn't make the cut. (PressDemocrat.com)

The NFL doesn't intend to investigate Deion Sanders' claims that teams have contacted the Crabtree camp/the team about a trade for tampering. Say's that it is between the 49ers and Crabtree. (PressDemocrat.com)

A link I missed yesterday (shocking) concerning the readiness of the 49ers to be a great team this coming season. (SFGate.com)

Not a 49ers link, but... Maybe it was a cash-in on desperation, but I really liked the On The Fringe thing they were doing over at NFL.com and what not. Was really pulling for Coy Wire, and he came through. (NFL.com)

Comparing the Donahoe regime to the Jauron regime

Ron From NM — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:15:08 -0000

It is said that hindsight is 20/20. When looking back at previous NFL Drafts, it's easy to cherry pick the great players a team could have had versus the players that were actually selected. It's fun, too. I started looking at the Buffalo Bills' historical draft classes, and was actually a little surprised to realize how little turnover there has been at One Bills Drive over the past two decades. Buffalo has had Bill Polian, the late John Butler, Tom Donahoe and, most recently, the "Inner Circle" making the draft day decisions. Instead of going all the way back to the 1986 Draft, I decided to look at the drafts of the two most recent eras.

We, as Bills fans, take certain things as articles of faith. Donahoe was a moron. He completely neglected the offensive line. The Inner Circle never met a DB they didn't like. OBD has a weird fascination with Ohio State. MRW is secretly a Dolphins fan. (Okay, I made that last one up.) Are these articles of faith true? Check after the jump...

I've taken a look at the drafts from 2001 through 2008. Yes, I realize that it's tough to say much definitively about the most recent drafts. However, I think we can actually begin to compare the Inner Circle and Donahoe eras. I've divided the draftees into four groups:

First Tier: These are the guys who have stood out over a period of time. They may not be the best in the business, but they're generally well-respected players, many of whom have been to a Pro Bowl or two.

Second Tier: These are the guys who have been solid, if unspectacular, players. They tend to make up the bulk of most NFL rosters. They can play, but aren't likely to have widespread league recognition.

Third Tier: These are the limited role players, generally limited to special teams. They might fill reserve roles, but tend to come and go.

Fourth Tier: Everyone else. Many of these guys don't even make the roster, and some of them are out of the NFL within a year or two. Sometimes it's due to injury; other times, due lack of opportunity. Most often, however, they just can't cut it in the NFL.

The Donahoe Drafts
2001: Donahoe started things off with a bang in his first draft. The first tier guys from the draft were DB Nate Clements, DE Aaron Schobel, and RB Travis Henry. OT Jonas Jennings was a second tier guy. No one else really even registers. For those who wonder, Travis Henry did make good on his second round selection. He was a productive back on some bad teams and did bring some trade value.

2002: This was the infamous year of the Mike Williams pick. However, three second tier guys (WR Josh Reed, DE Ryan Denney, and DB Coy Wire) highlighted the draft. Coy Wire makes it into the second tier largely because of his versatility and his contributions on special teams.

2003: This was Donahoe's best draft in terms of pure numbers. First tier players include RB Willis McGahee and DB Terrence McGee. Second tier guys include DE Chris Kelsay (sorry Kurupt) and LB Angelo Crowell. Third tier picks were WR Sam Aiken and LB Mario Haggan.

2004: The draft was notable for exactly one first tier player, WR Lee Evans. Everyone else was a bust.

2005: Like 2004, this draft was notable for exactly one first tier player, Roscoe Parrish. He's a first tier guy because of the fact that he's been one of the best return men in league history. No, he hasn't been a great WR, but he was the highlight of Donahoe's last draft.

Inner Circle Drafts
2006: The Inner Circle started out with two first tier players, DT Kyle Williams and OG Brad Butler, as well as two second tier players, DB Donte Whitner and LB Keith Ellison. John McCargo, to this point, has been a bust; Ashton Youboty hasn't been healthy enough to do anything; Ko Simpson was demoted; and Terrance Pennington was cut before his second season started.

2007: This has been the best draft of the Inner Circle to date. Two first tier guys were picked - RB Marshawn Lynch and LB Paul Posluszny - as well as two second tier guys, QB Trent Edwards and TE Derek Schouman. One third tier player was selected in DB John Wendling. To clarify, Edwards might turn out to be a first tier guy - this season should answer the question one way or the other.

2008: Yes, it's really early to judge the class. (For obvious reasons, we won't break down the current draft class.) However, I think we can safely describe DB Leodis McKelvin as a first tier guy (due to his awesome return game) and TE Derek Fine as a second tier guy. James Hardy, Demetrius Bell, Chris Ellis, Reggie Corner, Alvin Bowen and Steve Johnson are largely unknown quantities at this point.

***

To sum up, that's seven first tier guys, six second tier guys, and two third tier guys for Donahoe. The Inner Circle compares favorably to those results, already turning in five first tier guys, five second tier guys, and one third tier guy.

You can take it as in indictment of Donahoe or as credit to the Inner Circle for good drafting. It's not a coincidence that the Bills seem to be headed in the right direction. To come away from drafts with just one player, as happened in both 2004 and 2005, really sets a team back. (It's pretty clear that I see it as an indictment of Donahoe...)

Moving on, let's take a look at the articles of faith. Did Donahoe ignore the offensive line? Does Jauron have a DB fetish?

Donahoe drafted 2 OL in 2001, 2 in 2002 (Mike Williams with the No. 4 overall pick), 1 in 2003, 1 in 2004, and 2 in 2005 for a total of 8 offensive linemen in 5 years (out of 42 picks). It seems out of line to suggest that Donahoe ignored the line given that about 20% of the picks were devoted to it. The problem was that Jennings was the closest he came to a hit. The case can be made that Donahoe didn't invest heavily enough in the line during the first day of the draft, as only Jennings and Mike Williams were picked within the first three rounds. It's a little surprising when just the sheer numbers are considered, even if Tom Donahoe clearly wasn't a good judge of offensive line talent.

What about Jauron and his alleged DB fetish? The Inner Circle has made 34 total draft picks. Of those, 11 have been defensive backs. That's one third of the players taken over the past four drafts - so, yeah, the Inner Circle has focused heavily on defensive backs. By way of comparison, Buffalo has taken just two defensive tackles. Just to sicken Kurupt, the Inner Circle has effectively selected just one defensive end - Aaron Maybin, with C.J. Ah You being a seventh-round favor to the family of a friend of Marv Levy's.

While it is inaccurate to suggest that Donahoe ignored the offensive line, it is indeed accurate to suggest that the Inner Circle has ignored the defensive line on draft day. Granted, the Inner Circle brought in Marcus Stroud via trade as well as acquired Spencer Johnson in free agency. Building through the draft, however, would seem to be the better long term course.

History of the Bills: 1999-2003

MattRichWarren — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 10:00:09 -0000

Eric Moulds (ESPN)

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Yeah, we know. Buffalo Bills training camp is ongoing. We'll have an open thread up for today's two practices - as well as a recap - but for now, enjoy reminiscing about Buffalo's last playoff appearance (and not necessarily the way that particular game ended).

1999 - Home Run Throwback
11-5 record, 2 of 5 in AFC East, 4 of 16 in AFC, 5 of 31 in NFL
The Cleveland Browns rejoined the league in 1999 and were added to the AFC Central. The Bills lost linebacker Chris Spielman, wideout Quinn Early, tight end Lonnie Johnson, and running back Darick Holmes in free agency. Buffalo selected Ohio State cornerback Antoine Winfield in the first round and in the second added wide receiver Peerless Price. The other major change to take place in 1999 was the expiration of the Rich Stadium naming rights deal. The Bills' home stadium had been named after Rich Foods for 25 years - ever since the move from The Rockpile. The stadium was renamed Ralph Wilson Stadium in honor of team founder and President Ralph Wilson, Jr.

1999 was a season that will live on in infamy as long as the Buffalo Bills remain an NFL franchise, and forever in the city. Right now, it's the last time the Bills made a trip to the playoffs, and the way in which their season ended remains one of the most famous and controversial plays in NFL history.

On the first play of the year Thurman Thomas suffered an internal injury and was lost for the first ten games of the year. After losing the opening game to the division rival Colts and Peyton Manning, the Bills won three straight games on the back of the defense. 17-3 over the Jets, 26-0 over the Eagles, and forcing three turnovers in a 23-18 win in Miami. The offense stepped up the following week gaining 365 yards in a win over the Steelers to push the record to 4-1. Doug Flutie enjoyed an outstanding day completing 21 of 32 passes for 261 yards and 3 TDs while adding another 39 yards on 7 rushes. The next two weeks saw Buffalo's offense sputter. Flutie threw an interception on the first play of week 6 en route to three on the day in a loss to the Raiders. The next week was not any better with WR Eric Moulds, TE Jay Riemersma, OG Ruben Brown, LB John Holecek, and DE Phil Hansen all out with injuries. Flutie threw two more picks, lost a fumble, and completed only 24 of his 50 passes in the Bills second straight loss, dropping them to 4-3. Buffalo's defense turned the tide the next week in another difficult week for Flutie. It was the quarterback's third straight week with three turnovers but the defense held the Ravens in check and the Bills squeaked out a win. The next week the offense played mistake-free football and the defense was dominant and the Bills beat the Redskins holding the team to 19 minutes of possession. The next week the Bills beat Miami 23-3 to improve to 7-3, only a half game behind the Dolphins (whose only two losses had come to the Bills) and Colts for the division lead. But a loss to the 3-6 Jets knocked the Bills back down to 7-4 before a win before the bye brought them back up to 8-4, a full two games behind the streaking Colts. After the late bye, desperately needed for Buffalo with their top three running backs ailing, the Bills gave the Giants everything they could handle before a defensive stand and last-minute field goal gave the Giants a 19-17 win. The 8-5 Bills were now three games behind Indianapolis with three to play and tied with the Dolphins a Wild Card berth. After a victory in Arizona the Bills were 9-5 with New England coming to town. The Colts had also won, thus clinching the AFC East crown. Buffalo was playing for a wild card spot. In a dramatic but low-scoring game, the Patriots and Bills slugged it out to a 10-10 tie with six seconds remaining. The Bills knew their playoff chances were good win or lose but a win would lock it up. Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri pushed the kick wide right but had another chance in overtime to win with a 44-yard attempt. This one fell short and Buffalo marched down the field for the winning Steve Christie kick. It clinched a wild card spot for Buffalo and in the final game of the season Buffalo's backups beat Indianapolis in a meaningless game for the Bills to run Buffalo's record to 11-5 and drop Indy to 13-3. Indianapolis had clinched the AFC East but was still fighting with Jacksonville who won in week 17 and gained home field advantage with a 14-2 record. In the final game, quarterback Rob Johnson got his only start of the year. Andre Reed passed Art Monk that day to rank second in career receptions, passed Steve Largent to rank fourth in career receiving yardage, and recorded his 50th catch of the year to give him his 13th career season with 50+ catches tying Jerry Rice for the NFL record.

After leading the Bills to a 10-5 record and resting in the final game of the season, Wade Phillips stunned the football world when he named Rob Johnson the team's starter for the playoff game against the Tennessee Titans (formerly the Houston Oilers franchise). Johnson's first mistake was a Jevon Kearse strip/sack in the end zone which resulted in a safety. After the kick the Titans marched down the field and scored on a Steve McNair touchdown run giving them a 9-0 lead. After a controversial replay moved a ball spot giving the Titans a first down, Tennessee advanced into Buffalo territory at the end of the first half but mercifully missed a field goal and leaving the halftime score 12-0 in favor of the Titans. Buffalo's offense responded in the second half scoring a touchdown on the first drive to make it a 12-7 Titan lead and another Buffalo score gave Buffalo a 13-12 lead after the two-point conversion failed. An Al Del Greco field goal put Tennessee back on top 15-13 with only 1:48 to play. With no timeouts and little time Buffalo's offense executed a two-minute offense to near-perfection and Johnson threw a 19-yard completion to Peerless Price without his shoe on to put Buffalo into field goal range. Steve Christie knocked home the field goal with 16 seconds left. On the ensuing kickoff Titans tight end Frank Wycheck was given the ball by the fielder and ran to his left before turning and firing the ball across the field to wide receiver Kevin Dyson. Dyson returned the kick 75 yards for the game-winning TD. The play was reviewed by replay where it was confirmed to be a lateral and not a forward pass. The homerun throwback, later dubbed the "Music City Miracle", handed Buffalo it's last playoff loss to date. Longtime special teams coach Bruce DeHaven was made the scapegoat and fired after coaching the Bills since 1986.

Buffalo's rushing offense was very good in 1999. They ranked 8 in rushing yards behind 695 from Jonathan Linton who played in several games for an injured Antowain Smith who was second on the team with 614 yards. Doug Flutie added 476 and Thurman Thomas contributed 152 in only three starts and five games in his last year as a Bill. Flutie also threw for the most yards by a Bills QB (3171) since Jim Kelly in 1993 and ranked in the top ten in completions, attempts, yards, and passing touchdowns. Eric Moulds led the team in receiving for the second time catching 65 passes for 994 yards, The Bills defense finished first in the league allowing only 4045 yards and second in points with 229 points allowed, an average of less than 14 points a game. Fullback Sam Gash (with no rushes on the year) and guard Ruben Brown were the only two Bills selected to the Pro Bowl. The Bills did not add a player to the Wall of Fame in 1999 but added longtime trainer Ed Abramoski. Abramoski was head trainer for Buffalo from 1960 (when he accompanied Ralph WIlson from Detroit) until 1995. In 1999 the second Bills player was selected to the Hall of Fame as AFL era guard BIlly Shaw joined O.J. Simpson in Canton. Shaw is the only player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame without ever playing for the NFL. He was named to eight AFL All-Star teams and was a member of the all-time AFL team.

2000 - End of an Era
8-8 record, 4 of 5 in AFC East, 9 of 16 in AFC, 17 of 31 in NFL
The Bills had severally mortgaged their future salary cap space for one last go in 1999. On a sad day in Buffalo history, the Bills released Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, and Bruce Smith two days after the Music City Miracle. Thomas hadn't been the leading rushing since 1996, Reed hadn't been the leading receiver in two seasons, and Smith had his lowest single-season sack total since his rookie year (outside of his injury-filled five-game 1991 season). Other salary cap cuts were fullback Sam Gash, and a host of defensive players including Kurt Schulz. The Bills hoped to restock via the draft but were disappointed by the haul. Defensive end Eric Flowers was supposed to replace Smith but had only four sacks in his two years in Buffalo. Travares Tillman was brought in to replace Schultz and played only two years in Buffalo as well. LB Corey Moore, WR Avion Black, RB Sammy Morris, DE Leif Larsen, and WR Drew Haddad and LB DaShon Polk all failed to make large impacts in Buffalo. Both quarterbacks, Doug Flutie and Rob Johnson, entered training camp with legitimate shots at being the starting QB in 2000. Ultimately Flutie would tear his groin in the preseason and Johnson won the job.

To open the 2000 season the Bills played host to the same Tennessee Titans that had knocked them out of the playoffs the year before on a questionable call. This time, the Bills would avoid a late-game charge by the Titans and back-up quarterback Alex Van Pelt, in for an injured Rob Johnson, led the Bills to a 16-13 win. In week 2 Johnson bounced back and led the Bills to a victory over the Green Bay Packers. In week three the Bills turned it over four times in a loss to the division-rival Jets. After the bye the team lost two straight games to the Colts and Dolphins before a last-second field goal in regulation and a Doug Flutie-led field goal drive in overtime beat the Chargers. It was Flutie's first appearance of the year due to his injury. The next week Flutie started for Buffalo but they ran into the juggernaut Vikings offense and lost a high-scoring affair 31-27. The Bills then beat the Jets at home on a last-second Christie field goal, 23-20. The following week Christie tied it again on the final play of regulation and in overtime booted through the game-winner. The following week Flutie once again started for the Bills against Chicago. The Bills knocked the Bears' QB from the game and third-string Shane Matthews came in and turned the ball over four times. Just before the end of the first half Johnson was inserted under center to test his injured shoulder. He led the team on a field goal drive and took the lead before going back to the bench to start the second half. Flutie came back in at the start of the second half and led the team to a touchdown in the second half and the defense thoroughly dominated the Bears' offense in a big win for Buffalo to move them to 6-4 on the year. Rob Johnson started the next week and scored a diving touchdown with under three minutes left to lift the Bills to a victory and a 7-4 record. They were one game behind the Dolphins and tied with the Jets and Colts in the AFC East but lost to the Buccaneers in a game where they outgained Tampa Bay 433 to 180 but still lost by two touchdowns. The Dolphins could now clinch the division by beating the Bills and a 24-0 halftime lead all but ensured it. After two straight losses to Bills were now 7-6 and in danger of missing the playoffs. At 16-6 late in the third quarter of the next game against the Colts, Rob Johnson was sacked by former Bill Jeff Burris. Johnson fumbled and Indianapolis ran it in to go up 23-6 and held on to win 44-20 in a wild second half. The loss eliminated the Bills from the playoff chase with their third straight defeat. An Adam Vinetiari kick in overtime handed the Bills their fourth straight loss in a game where Rob Johnson was once again knocked out due to injury. After the game Ralph Wilson fired G.M. John Butler. A season-ending rout of the Seahawks led by Flutie evened the Bills' record at 8-8. After the season, Wade Phillips refused to make changes to his coaching staff and was fired.

The Bills offense clicked under Johnson, who threw for 177 yards a game and 12 touchdowns in his 12 games but the team was only 4-7 in games he started. He was sacked 49 times (third-most in the league) in only 11 starts, a rate of 4.5 a start. Flutie went 4-1 as a starter but averaged only 154 yards a game. Together the two combined for over 3800 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, both would have been top ten in the league. While they were a top ten offense, the scoring didn't mesh with the yardage and the Bills fell to 20 in points scored. The defense under coach Phillips was once again remarkable, allowing the third-fewest yards. But like the offense the defense numbers didn't mesh. The defense ranked 18 in points allowed despite the low yardage totals. Once again no Bill rushed for more than 600 rushing yards with Shawn Bryson leading the way toting the rock for 591 yards. One very bright spot on the offense was Eric Moulds who caught a then-team record 94 receptions for 1326 yards (second-most in team history) and five scores. Defensive end Marcellus Wiley led the defense with 10.5 sacks and linebacker Sam Cowart had 88 tackles to go with his 5.5 sacks, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries.

Wide receiver Eric Moulds, guard Ruben Brown, nose tackle Ted Washington, and linebacker Sam Cowart were selected to the Pro Bowl and Cowart and Brown were second team All-Pro selections. Two AFL names joined the Bills Wall of Fame in 2000 as offensive lineman Bob Kalsu and safety Geroge Saimes were added. Kalsu was honored for holding down the fort at right guard in his rookie campaign before leaving the team to serve and die for his country in Vietnam. Saimes was a standout in the Bills' defensive backfield on both AFL Championship squads and was selected to the All-time AFL defensive team.

2001 - Salary Cap Prison
3-13 record, 5 of 5 in AFC East, 16 of 16 in AFC, 29 of 31 in NFL
After firing John Butler and Wade Phillips, Ralph Wilson needed to find a new general manager and coach. First he selected Tom Donahoe to fill the GM spot. Donahoe had led the Steelers to perennial appearances in the playoffs as general manager and was greeted with open arms by Buffalo fans. Donahoe's first act was to hire Titans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as head coach. Donahoe inherited a team $5M over the salary cap and major changes were needed. After a substantial evaluation of the roster by Williams and Donahoe they parted ways with Doug Flutie to save $5M. Linebacker John Holecek, defensive end Marcellus Wiley, and kicker Steve Christie all joined Flutie in San Diego where Butler was hired following his release from Buffalo. Other cap casualties were RB Antowain Smith, RB Jonathan Linton, OL Jamie Nails, DT Ted Washington, P Chris Mohr, and safety Henry Jones. The Bills' draft was better than the previous year. After the Bills traded their top pick to the Bucs and moving down in the process they selected cornerback Nate Clements. (Tampa Bay selected Kenyatta Walker - not exactly an all-world tackle.) In the second round Buffalo used their pick on defensive end Aaron Schobel and the pick from Tampa to select running back Travis Henry. All eleven draft picks made the final roster after the salary purge and the complete overhaul of the roster. The only major free agent addition was fullback Larry Centers and the Bills signed a punter from NFL Europe named Brian Moorman.

Buffalo began the year with four straight losses of two touchdowns or more. It was obviously a rebuilding year with a new coach and several new players. To make matters worse the Bills lost Pro Bowl linebacker Sam Cowart in the season opener with an Achilles tear. He would be gone for the season. Rob Johnson also could not stay healthy and left both the week 3 game against Pittsburgh and the week 4 game against the Jets giving way to Alex Van Pelt. After the bye week Buffalo won their first game 13-10 over the Jaguars. The next week Buffalo would travel to San DIego to play several former mates. Doug Flutie scrambled on a broken play and scored the winning touchdown in a 27-24 loss for Buffalo that included a blocked field goal at the end of regulation. The next week saw Payton Manning run a 33-yard naked bootleg for a score in a loss to the Colts and continued Buffalo's losing streak. The streak went a total of six games mostly without the services of quarterback Rob Johnson. Three were one score games and the final was a 35-0 shutout at the hands of San Francisco in a game where the team committed five turnovers. A one point win against the 1-11 Panthers gave Buffalo an ugly 2-10 record. Following two three-point losses the Bills got their final win of the season defeating the New York Jets 14-9 capitalizing on the Jets' three turnovers. A week 17 loss in Miami with third string quarterback Travis Brown at the helm dropped the Bills to a miserable 3-13 record.

Alex Van Pelt and Rob Johnson both started 8 games for the Bills in 2001. Van Pelt threw more passes, had more passing yards, and threw far more touchdowns than Johnson. Van Pelt also had a better winning percentage (2-6 to 1-7) as starter. Both the offense and defense were in the bottom five in scoring. Ultimately it was a forgettable year for Bills players. Some moral victories could be had in Travis Henry's rookie performance gaining 729 yards in 12 starts and Eric Moulds and Peerless Price both gaining close to 900 yards through the air. Rookie corner Nate Clements started 11 games and had three interceptions and fellow rookie Aaron Schobel tallied 6.5 sacks. The future was looking all right but the present was pretty awful. Offensive coordinator Mike Sheppard was fired after a single season on the job, replaced by Kevin Gilbride. Fullback Larry Centers and guard Ruben Brown were named to the Pro Bowl. (preseason cuts DT Ted Washington and DE Marcellus Wiley also made the squad.) During the season, Jim Kelly and Fred Smerlas were added to the Bills Wall of Fame. Kelly ranks number one in every major passing category in Bills history and at the time held every major single-season record as well. Smerlas was a great defensive tackle for Buffalo in the 1980s and played 155 straight games, the second-longest streak in team history. On a completely different tone from the season, former Bills coach Marv Levy was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame prior to the 2001 season. Levy is the winningest coach in team history (123 wins), led the Bills to 8 playoff appearances in 11 years, and currently ranks 17 on the list of all-time wins. He became the third Bill to earn enshrinement joining players O.J. Simpson and Billy Shaw.

2002 - Escape from Salary Cap Prison
8-8 record, 4 of 4 in AFC East, 10 of 16 in AFC, 17 of 32 in NFL
For coach Williams' second season the Bills made several key changes. Kevin Gilbride came in as the new offensive coordinator. DE Phil Hansen retired and the Bills cut some dead weight from the roster by releasing injury-prone QB Rob Johnson and former top pick DE Erik Flowers. LB Sam Cowart also did not re-sign after missing 2001 with an Achilles injury. Now that they had some salary cap space, the team also brought in some free agents signing Rams linebacker London Fletcher and Broncos OL Trey Teague. On draft day Buffalo selected massive Texas tackle Mike Williams fourth overall. In the second they picked WR Josh Reed and traded up to pick DE Ryan Denney before selecting Coy Wire in the third. Prior to day two of the draft Buffalo sent the Bills 2003 first round pick to New England in exchange for QB Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe had become expendable with the emergence of Tom Brady the year before. The NFL also had a notable addition with the arrival of the Houston Texans. A division was added in each conference and both conferences were re-aligned. The Seahawks moved to the NFC. The Colts moved from the AFC East to the newly created AFC South leaving Buffalo, New York, Miami, and New England as the four teams in the division.

In the season opener, the Bills special teams could not compete giving up two kickoff return touchdowns including the game-winner in overtime to the Jets. Week 2 saw overtime as well but this time a Bledsoe to Price 48-yard bomb won it for Buffalo in the extra session. After a loss to the Broncos in week 3 the Bills found themselves in overtime again vs. Chicago. This one would end favorably and Drew Bledsoe's dump off to Travis Henry turned into a 28-yard touchdown reception. After a shootout loss to eventual AFC Champion Oakland the Bills got back on the winning track beating the expansion Texans and followed that with wins against Miami and Detroit. The 5-3 Bills then took on the defending champion Patriots in a highly anticipated game featuring Drew Bledsoe facing his old mates. Unfortunately Brady had four touchdown passes inlcuding two to former Bill Antowain Smith in a Patriot rout. Following the bye the once-hot Bills lost by one to Kansas City to even their record at 5-5. After a loss to the Jets the Bills were in real danger of completely collapsing but Bledsoe would have none of it. The next week against Miami he threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns as the Bills knocked out quarterback Ray Lucas to get a win over visitng Miami. Buffalo won despite a huge game from Ricky Williams, who carried 27 times for 228 yards and two scores. The following week Bledsoe threw four INTs against his old club and New England beat Buffalo 24-17 in a game that was never really that close. At 6-7 heading into week 15 the Bills needed to win out to have any chance at the playoffs. With Doug Flutie and the Chargers coming to town the Bills had to be ready. After Flutie tied the score in the fourth quarter Travis Henry ran in the winning score and Buffalo at 7-7 was still on playoff life support. That is until Vonnie Holliday sacked Bledsoe five times, forcing three fumbles in a 10-0 loss to Green Bay that eliminated Buffalo from the playoffs. The final week saw the Bills hand the Bengals their 14th loss of the year and even Buffalo's record at 8-8.

Bledsoe had a monster year throwing for the most yards in team history (4,359, second in the NFL) on the most completions (375) and attempts (610). He also endured the most sacks in team history (54). The Bills' passing offense ranked fifth in the league and overall the Bills offense was 11. Travis Henry rushed for 1438 yards, the most by a Bills running back since Thurman Thomas in 1992. Eric Moulds set a team record that still stand with 100 receptions and Peerless Price matched the previous team record with 94 receptions. Both also exceeded 1250 yards; Moulds with 1292 and 10 touchdowns, Price with 1252 and 9 TDs. The defense, Williams specialty in Tennessee, was still giving up too many points ranking 27 of 32 in scoring defense. With the potent offense if the defense had been more capable this team could have gone places. Drew Bledsoe, Travis Henry, Eric Moulds, and Ruben Brown were named to the Pro Bowl. Moulds and Brown were second team All-Pros. In 2002 the Bills added Super Bowl center Kent Hull to the Wall of Fame. Hull retired after the 1996 season. Also prior to 2002 the Hall of Fame welcomed QB Jim Kelly as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Kelly joined O.J. Simpson and Billy Shaw as the only Bills players to gain enshrinement. Coach Marv Levy is also enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

2003 - Regression
6-10 record, 4 of 4 in AFC East, 9 of 16 in AFC, 20 of 32 in NFL
After winning five more games in 2002 than 2001 and featuring one of the most potent offenses in the league, you'd think the Bills would continue improving in 2003. The biggest weakness in 2002 was the defense and to aide in improving that weakness Buffalo brought in fired Bengals coach Dick LeBeau as a defensive consultant and assistant head coach. They also added players to their linebacker corps signing Jeff Posey when free agency opened and later inking LeBeau's former defensive terror in Cincinnati, Takeo Spikes. To help the run stopping ability of the defense the Bills signed massive defensive tackle Sam Adams. On offense, Peerless Price was a free agent but Tom Donahoe franchised the wideout before trading him to Atlanta for a first round pick to replace the one dealt for Bledsoe. Donahoe also traded for tight end Mark Campbell (to replace Jay Remiersma) and signed fullback Sam Gash (to replace the departed Larry Centers). To finally solve the revolving door that had existed at kicker since the release of Steve Christie in 2000, Buffalo signed kicker Rian Lindell. With the first-round pick they acquired from Atlanta, Buffalo selected injured Miami running back Willis McGahee. McGahee had been injured in the national championship game and wouldn't even be able to play in 2003. To add to the question marks, Buffalo had a top-flight running back in Travis Henry. In later rounds the Bills added DE Chris Kelsay, LB Angelo Crowell, and DB Terrence McGee. Just prior to the start of the season the Patriots cut safety Lawyer Milloy and the Bills swooped in and signed the Pro Bowler.

In the opening week Milloy would get a chance to stick it to his former team. He recorded a sack and an interception to go along with five tackles in a 31-0 blowout win. Sam Adams also had a memorable play. Adams dropped into pass coverage on a zone blitz, one of LeBeau's favorites, and picked off a Tom Brady pass. Adams rumbled, and I mean rumbled, in for the 37-yard interception return touchdown. Brady threw four picks on the day. In Week 2 the Bills kept rolling, running over Jacksonville with three Henry TD runs and two Bledsoe touchdown passes. The offense was great in the first two games but in week 3 Miami shut down Gilbride with a running game on Ricky Williams' back. Williams carried 42 times for 153 yards and Miami held the ball for 41 minutes. Buffalo's only points came on a Nate Clements INT return. With their two top running backs out with injuries, Buffalo fell to Philadelphia the next week and evened their record at 2-2. Henry returned the next week, playing through pain, and scored the winning touchdown in overtime against the Bengals. The following week Buffalo was manhandled by the winless Jets, scoring only 3 points and committing four turnovers. But Henry and the Bills would bounce back the next week beating Washington before falling to Kansas City the next week. Buffalo quarterbacks were picked off five times and the team committed seven turnovers in the loss and entered the bye 4-4. Drew Bledsoe's woes continued and in the game following the bye his longest pass was 18 yards and he was sacked three times in another Bills loss. The Bills offense was a no-show again the next week, failing to score a TD for the third straight week in a 12-10 loss to Houston. Buffalo scored a touchdown against the Colts but still lost 17-14, falling to 4-7 on the year. The cries for Williams' job that had already begun grew louder. A seventeen-point second quarter and three Schobel sacks in week 13 helped the Bills rout the Giants 24-7. At home against the Jets the Bills won again, raising their record to 6-7 on the back of another stellar performance by the dinged Travis Henry. A failed two point conversion at the end of the fourth quarter helped Tennessee hand Buffalo their eighth loss on the year and the Bills lost two more to finish the year 6-10. The Bills mustered only 3 points in Week 16 and in a rematch with the Patriots, New England returned the season-opening favor and beat Buffalo by the same score, 31-0, that the Bills had earlier in the year. Following the season the entire Bills coaching staff was dismissed, despite Buffalo climbing to the second ranked defense.

On the year Drew Bledsoe led the NFL with 49 sacks which led to Alex Van Pelt and Travis Brown appearing in 8 games total. The offense that was great the year before fell to 30 in points and yards.Bledsoe threw for only 2860 yards and threw more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (10). Travis Henry was once again solid on the ground going for 1356 yards and ten touchdowns. On defense, Aaron Schobel compiled 11.5 sacks to help the defense ranked second in yards and fifth in points. Guard Ruben Brown and linebacker Takeo Spikes represented Buffalo in the Pro Bowl. Bills linebacker Darryl Talley was added to the Wall of Fame in 2003. Talley never missed a game in his twelve years in Buffalo and played on all four Super Bowl teams. He is the Bills' all-time leading tackler with 1,137 and averaged 120 tackles a season. His 188 games for Buffalo ranks fifth in team history. Prior to the 2003 campaign two former Bills were slected for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Joining fellow lineman Billy Shaw was Electric Company guard Joe Delamielleure. Joe D. opened some huge holes for O.J. Simpson (another Bills Hall of Famer) and was a six-time All-Pro. Joe D. was also a member of the 1970s All-Decade team. The other Bill to be elected was wide receiver James Lofton. Lofton played in Buffalo for four years and while in town became the all-time leading receiver in NFL history.

Next week we finish up our look back at the first fifty years of the Bills with a look at the recent past under coaches Mike Mularkey and Dick Jauron. The Bills begin playing games in Toronto but struggle to make the playoffs.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Examines Linebacker Depth Chart

Dave the Falconer — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:00:35 -0000

It's Independence Day, the day where George Washington went into Vietnam with a specials ops team and freed us from the oppression of the Australians. Glorious day for a student of history such as myself.

Essentially, this post is for those of you who are bored or too full of grilled foods and beer to move today and would like to sit down and discuss the team we all love so dearly. I'll direct you toward this selection of musings from the AJC's D. Orlando Ledbetter, who takes a brief look at some backup linebacking candidates. If you've got the stomach for it, give your sense of who might make the team and where they might be backing up. Personally, I think the safest guess is that Coy Wire makes the team and gets a lot of time, but then again, I'm not notorious for guessing anything correctly.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Know Thy Enemy 2009: Atlanta Falcons - Sunday, October 11

Fooch — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:00:16 -0000

I've decided that I'll post these Know Thy Enemy posts each Wednesday. At that pace we'd wrap up the 11 non-divisional opponents the week of the final preseason game. I noticed we actually didn't finish our list last summer, so I think that's a reasonable goal this time around. I forgot to ask last time, but if you'd like certain additional bits of information in these posts let me know in the comments. These are meant as more broad overviews, but I'm certainly open to changes.

This week we move on to the Atlanta Falcons. The ~~Vikings~~ Falcons are represented at SB Nation by Dave the Falconer over at The Falcoholic. The Falcons have managed quite the on-field and PR turnaround in the wake of Michael Vick's departure from the team and I'd imagine Falcons fans are in quite the happy place at this point in time.

Overview
The Falcons put together quite a turnaround last season. The additions of Matt Ryan and Michael Turner completely turned the franchise around. They already had a potential franchise wide receiver in Roddy White, but the additions of Ryan and Turner turned this team from 4-12 to ~~12-4~~ 11-5. John Abraham's re-emergence as a sack machine definitely added to that and the Falcons had them rolling before running into an Arizona Cardinals team that was getting especially hot at the right time. The team will be looking to build on a monster 2008 and avoid a sophomore slump after an impressive Rookie of the Year campaign.

Additions
After a season in which their rushing and passing offense showed impressive improvements, the Falcons used the draft to address a defense ranked 23rd in the league. In fact, they used ~~all 8 picks~~ 7 of their 8 picks on the defense. If John Abraham can maintain last year's monster performance, Falcons are hopeful first round pick Peria Jerry will help turn their defensive linemen into the best in the NFC South. Another intriguing addition, at least in my mind, was the addition of Mizzou safety William Moore in the second round. There was a fair amount of buzz around him and Falcons fans seem convinced he'll be the starting strong safety this season.

The team did not ignore the offense, even as it rolled to 8th in the league. In fact, they went so far as to adding future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez is coming off yet another monster season in Kansas City, finishing with 96 receptions, 1,058 yards and touchdowns. Although he just turned 33, Gonzalez has not yet lost a step. If Gonzalez continues at his current level of play, that Falcons offense could be mighty impressive (cue the complaining for the 49ers not acquiring him).

Subtractions
The team saw important cogs like LBs Keith Brooking and Michael Boley and CB Domonique Foxworth depart in free agency. Brooking was an older veteran who were replaced by the likes of Mike Peterson, also a veteran. A switch of veterans should not hurt them all that much. Boley and Foxworth were both still young. While they did make some secondary additions in the draft, it'll be interesting to see how they replace Boley. Right now it appears as though Coy Wire and Stephen Nicholas are competing for the job.

2009 Questions & Answers
The big question is whether Matt Ryan will put together a sophomore campaign like or better than his rookie season, or if he'll suffer the dreaded sophomore slump. I'd say the addition of Tony Gonzalez would likely help mitigate that given that he is awesome and all. While the team could certainly struggle in 2009, I really think this offense could be pretty filthy this season.

One question that could get in the way is Michael Turner. Turner finished 2008 with 394 total carries between the regular season and postseason. That is a dangerous load to carry and the Falcons will likely need to figure out a way to get Jerious Norwood more involved in the offense. He had 95 carries for 489 yards in 2008, but might need to add a decent chunk of carries to keep Turner fresh.

On defense, John Abraham has been rather up and down throughout his career. If he can maintain last season's pace that'd be great, but if not, the question becomes who picks up the slack.

@ San Francisco
The 49ers last faced the Falcons in 2007, a much different time that saw the Falcons quarterbacked by Joey Harrington. Joey Heisman didn't do much of anything in the game, but looked better than Alex Smith in a 20-16 Atlanta victory. Much has changed and this game will come just after the the quarter-pole of the season, with much on the line for both teams. In our second discussion post, ProfessorBigelow and I both saw this as a 49ers loss. If Matt Ryan doesn't have a sophomore slump and the Falcons defense shows some gradual improvement, I see this as potentially one of the toughest games all season.

Equally important, it will be a huge measuring stick. If the team is playing well the 49ers should be 2-2 at this point, and even then 3-2 is just so much better than 2-3. And, of course, heading into the bye week, the team has an opportunity at a 2-game winning streak given that they play the Rams at home the week before. Either way, this is a huge game early in the season.

Week 1 Injury Report

Sean Yuille — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:38:58 -0000

DETROIT LIONS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
QB	Drew Stanton	Right Thumb	Probable
TE	Dan Campbell	Hamstring	Probable

ATLANTA FALCONS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
C	Alex Stepanovich	Back	Doubtful
LB	Coy Wire	Ankle	Questionable
S	Thomas DeCoud	Ankle	Questionable

NFL INJURY REPORT GUIDE
Status	Definition
Probable	75% chance that the player will play in the game
Questionable	50% chance that the player will play in the game
Doubtful	25% chance that the player will play in the game
Out	0% chance that the player will play in the game

Thursday Notes: Even More on "Bag-Gate"

Sean Yuille — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:00:08 -0000

Tatum Bell attempted to get in contact with Rudi Johnson yesterday to "talk to him man-to-man," but didn't have any success in doing so. Bell has taken an aggressive approach in trying to clear his name as he is currently a laughing stock all across the country.

The story of him stealing Johnson's bags spread like wildfire after Pro Football Talk first broke the news Tuesday night. In a matter of hours it began to spread across the Internet, and by the morning it hit the mainstream media. By then it was only a matter of time until ESPN and other major outlets picked up the story, putting Bell in a very tough spot.

Bell continues to call this one big misunderstanding and maintains that he thought the bags belonged to his friend and recently released Lion Victor DeGrate. However, that doesn't explain why they were returned to the Lions without Johnson's stuff. The blame could be put on the mysterious woman that somehow got the bags, but no one really cares about her as Bell is without a doubt the focus of this story, and it doesn't seem like it's going away anytime soon.
Only tight end Dan Campbell and quarterback Drew Stanton are currently listed on the Lions' week 1 injury report. Campbell is still dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that just seems like it will never go away (he did fully practice the last two days, though), and Stanton, as we all know, has a hurt right thumb.
Three Falcons players -- center Alex Stepanovich, linebacker Coy Wire, and safety Thomas DeCoud -- are listed on the Atlanta's injury report.
Rudi Johnson will play on Sunday and Rod Marinelli said that Johnson's hamstring didn't appear to be bothering him. (Johnson recently had a hamstring injury)
ESPN's Kevin Seifert wrote a great piece on Calvin Johnson and how he should have an amazing season this year.
The director of security for the Lions, Ricky Sandoval, is going to be featured on a show called "Stand Up To Cancer" that will air on NBC, ABC, and CBS this Friday at 8 p.m. 27 months ago Sandoval was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer, and he and Rod Marinelli were interviewed for the show.
On a side note, Sandoval was the one that showed Rudi Johnson the surveillance video of Tatum Bell taking his bags.
Tickets are still available for the Lions' home opener on September 14 against the Packers.
The Free Press has a photo gallery from yesterday's Lions pet calendar photo shoot. The gallery opens with a picture of Ernie Sims and his two pit bulls, and honestly I'm a bit surprised he didn't bring any of his reptiles to the shoot. I guess they didn't want those kinds of pets roaming around Ford Field. Then again, go to picture #9 and take a look at what one of Mike Furrey's dogs appears to be doing right on the 50-yard line.
Along with wearing a patch, the NFL will honor Gene Upshaw by stenciling his initials and number on the fields of all 16 week 1 games.
Redskins tight end Chris Cooley had to explain how to play fantasy football to many of his teammates.