SB Nation - Ashton Youboty

Bills again without Bell for Sunday's tilt in KC

Brian Galliford — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:42:10 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

Update: BuffaloBills.com is now reporting that D-Bell has been placed on Injured Reserve, ending his 2009 season. OL Andre Ramsey was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster. End Update

Three Buffalo Bills players will miss the team's Week 14 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, but of those sitting, left tackle Demetrius Bell is the only starter. This according to BuffaloBills.com.

Bell, who began the season as the starting left tackle, has missed all or part of the Bills' last four games as he deals with a knee injury that might prevent him from playing again this season. That streak now extends to five games. Also out for this contest are tight end Joe Klopfenstein (who re-joined the team this week) and receiver Justin Jenkins.

Jonathan Scott will again start at left tackle in place of Bell. Kirk Chambers, who is questionable this week but is expected to play, will start at right tackle. Andy Levitre, Ryan Denney, Chris Draft and Jairus Byrd are all questionable as well, but BuffaloBills.com reports that it's anticipated that all players listed as questionable will be in the lineup.

Shawn Nelson, John McCargo and Ashton Youboty are all probable. McCargo and Youboty have each missed action in the past few weeks, but will be available this week.

Meanwhile, Terrence McGee, who was active but did not start in the Bills' Week 13 loss to the Jets, practiced fully all week and will start in Kansas City.

McGee, Byrd questionable for Thursday night Toronto tussle

Brian Galliford — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:38:46 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

Browse more photos »

While Terrell Owens puts on his best giddy face for the cameras and scores of reporters covering the Buffalo Bills' latest excursion to Toronto, there's actual news to discuss about tomorrow night's divisional battle with the New York Jets.

The injury reports are out, and two of Buffalo's main defensive cogs are questionable: starting cornerback Terrence McGee and starting free safety Jairus Byrd. McGee, who has missed the Bills' last three games recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery he had during the team's Week 9 bye week, is considered a game-time decision. Byrd is as well, as he deals with a groin injury that has bothered him off and on since before training camp.

Demetrius Bell, John McCargo and Ashton Youboty have all been ruled out. Just like in last week's victory over Miami, Jonathan Scott is expected to start at left tackle.

For the Jets, they'll be without two cornerbacks - Dwight Lowery and Donald Strickland - as well as guard Robert Turner. Mark Sanchez, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Shaun Ellis, Calvin Pace, Jim Leonhard and Eric Smith are all listed as probable, and all will play.

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).

Fewell sticks with Fitzpatrick at QB, Levitre at LT

Brian Galliford — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:00:30 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

Browse more photos »

Various news outlets - we'll link WGR 550 and Paul Hamilton, since it's been a while - are reporting that Ryan Fitzpatrick is taking first-team reps at quarterback in Perry Fewell's first practice as interim head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Fewell confirmed this fact after practice. That bit of news confirms an NFL.com report from Wednesday - prior to the firing of Dick Jauron - that Fitzpatrick would be the club's starter.

With Demetrius Bell dealing with a knee injury, rookie lineman Andy Levitre lined up at left tackle in practice on Wednesday, again according to Hamilton. Levitre saw his first reps of the season at that position last week in Tennessee after Bell left the game at halftime. Replacing Levitre at left guard was, and remains, Seth McKinney. If that move is permanent, Levitre will become the sixth player to line up at either tackle position for Buffalo this season, and the third on the left side.

Additionally, Chris Brown at BuffaloBills.com is reporting that, while safety Donte Whitner and defensive tackle Kyle Williams are back on the practice field, several players missed today's session. That list includes Roscoe Parrish, Justin Jenkins, Bell, Jonathan Scott, Marcus Stroud, Keith Ellison, Terrence McGee, Ashton Youboty and Jairus Byrd. McGee, recovering from knee surgery, worked with trainers on the sideline. Scott was absent as he continues to mourn the passing of his father.

One last note: converted strong safety Bryan Scott continues to take practice reps at linebacker, again according to Brown. That likely won't change until Ellison returns to the lineup.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/16

MattRichWarren — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:31:10 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

26 days ago: Tennessee Titans running back Alvin Pearman is pushed out of bounds by Buffalo Bills defenders Ashton Youboty (26) and John Wendling (21) in the first quarter of an NFL football game in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/John Russell)

Browse more photos »

Titans Owner Bud Adams Flipping The Bird : SPORTSbyBROOKS.com Video
Titans owner Bud Adams was seen giving the double finger salute to the Bills sideline during the game yesterday. Way to go. Pictures and video.

QB strategy amounts to convince and repeat : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"That's what this seemed like — the slow, inexorable demise of another failed franchise quarterback."

Bills notebook: Juggled O-line drops the ball : The Buffalo News
The Bills' line committed five more false start penalties this week and had to shift guard Andy Levitre to LT when Demetrius Bell went down with an injury.

Game Recaps
Titans fourth quarter blitzes Bills | BuffaloBills.com
The recap of the game from Chris Brown at the team site.

Johnson express steamrolls over Bills : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan focuses in on Chris Johnson in his postgame analysis.

Quarterly report: Bills-Titans : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The News' Mark Gaughan breaks down the Bills' 41-17 loss to the Titans quarter-by-quarter, analyzing statistics, key plays and more.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Immediate Reactions, Wk10
Nick Mendola offers his reactions immediately following the Bills game when the pain is still fresh.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Titans Rush Their Way To 41-17 Win Over Bills
The Buffalo Bills came out of their bye week with a 41-17 loss at the hands of the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon at LP Field

Scott Pitoniak: Same old, same old for the sinking Bills
The Rochester writer gives his take on the collapse by the Bills in Tennessee.

Buffalo Bills fall apart in loss to Tennessee Titans | Democrat and Chronicle
Sal Maiorana takes us through the loss, punctuated with a Hall of Fame quote: "It's hard to watch," - Jim Kelly

Optimism tough after Buffalo Bills' latest fiasco | Democrat and Chronicle
More bullet points from Sal.

Buffalo Bills 2-minute read | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
Sal Maiorana takes a look back to his Six Points to the game and answers the questions posed there.

Buffalo Bills report card | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
Lots of "D" and "F" grades this week.

Revitalized Titans crush Bills in fourth quarter | Democrat and Chronicle
A quick game summary following the 41-17 loss.

Niagara Gazette - BILLS: Johnson leads Titans to 41-17 win
The AP recount of the Bills loss to the Titans.

Recap: Tennessee vs. Buffalo
The Sports Network gives its rundown of the game details.

Wrap-up: Titans 41, Bills 17 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Buffalo lost 41-17 in a game that started out well but fizzled in the second half.

Bills Daily Gameday Grades
Here are the Bills fan site's position by position grades.

Bills-Titans report card : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
As you might expect the grades for the Bills are "C" and worse.

Other Notes
Injury update – Inside The Bills
Demetrius Bell and Ashton Youboty will both be re-evaluated today after suffering injuries during the game yesterday.

Bills Problems Start With O-line | Ed Kilgore | wgrz.com
Sure, there is a long list of reasons a competitive game turned into a rout in the final few minutes, but as I see it, the dysfunctional o-line deserves to be singled out as the key reason this Bills season is going nowhere fast.

Bills' Owens shows frustration : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Allen Wilson looks back at T.O's performance against the Titans and his season overall.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- With his touchdown reception at the 9:10 mark in the first quarter, Lee Evans has moved into sole possession of third place for most touchdowns (36) in franchise history. Only Andre Reed (86) and Eric Moulds (48) have more. Evans has a TD reception in each of the Bills' last three road games.
- With his interception at 5:21 in the second quarter off Titans QB Vince Young, Bills rookie FS Jairus Byrd has now tied Archie Matsos for the most INTs by a rookie/first-year player in franchise history with eight picks.
- Coach Dick Jauron on QB Trent Edwards' performance: "There was some good obviously, but some things that were missed. That's why in the last series, with the last three minutes, we decided to get Ryan (Fitzpatrick) out there." Edwards was 18-of-28 for 185 yards with one TD and one INT.

Bills WR Owens questionable for Week 10

Brian Galliford — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:07:13 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

Browse more photos »

After missing two days of practice this week with a strained hip, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens has been officially listed as questionable for his team's Week 10 matchup with the Tennessee Titans.

Owens practiced on Monday after returning from the bye week, but the missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday with his sudden, aforementioned hip injury. Owens was limited on Friday.

Starting defensive end Aaron Schobel, safety Donte Whitner, tackle Jamon Meredith and receiver Roscoe Parrish are also listed as questionable.

Meanwhile, three defensive starters - defensive tackle Kyle Williams, linebacker Keith Ellison and cornerback Terrence McGee - have all been officially ruled out for this contest. Spencer Johnson will start once again in a short-handed defensive tackle rotation that will dress just three players Sunday. Former starting free safety Bryan Scott will get the start at Ellison's weak-side linebacker spot, while Reggie Corner - the team's nickel back - is expected to be in the lineup for McGee. Ashton Youboty and Ellis Lankster will see nickel and dime work; Youboty will likely play outside on passing downs, allowing Corner to stay in the slot.

Six Bills players are listed as probable: quarterback Trent Edwards, fullback Corey McIntyre, tight end Shawn Nelson, right tackle Jonathan Scott, linebacker Bryan Scott and free safety Jairus Byrd. All are expected to play on Sunday.

Source: BuffaloBills.com

Bills getting healthier with streaking Titans looming

Brian Galliford — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:51:29 -0000

The Buffalo Bills returned to the practice field on Monday after their weekend of rest, relaxation, and with any luck, dramatically increased football skill. The week's hiatus appears to have done some good for the team's overall health, as a report from WGR 550 this morning indicates. Here's a quick glance at where the Bills are getting healthy, and where they're still hurting.

+ Trent Edwards practiced fully today and, according to the WGR report, it's looking like he'll be ready to resume starting duties next Sunday in Tennessee. Edwards practiced fully last week, but it appears he got through the weekend unscathed and is ready to get back into the lineup.

+ BuffaloBills.com reports that Shawn Nelson returned to the practice field on Monday as well.

+ Jonathan Scott practiced fully and also appears ready to return to the lineup, according to BuffaloBills.com - which is good timing, really, as fill-in Jamon Meredith missed practiced Monday and is expected to miss another week or two. Scott would, as usual, start at right tackle against a still-feisty Titans pass rush.

+ Aaron Schobel and Kyle Williams missed practice on Monday. Schobel is dealing with a groin injury, while Williams' knee injury was expected to keep him out 2-3 weeks. It's quite early in the week, so there's still a (strong?) chance that both will play this weekend, but clearly the defensive line as a whole is a situation worth monitoring.

+ Keith Ellison also missed practice Monday. Buffalo's leading tackler has a lingering quad issue. If he can't play, Paul Posluszny will likely be flanked by Chris Draft and Nic Harris on Sunday. Yikes.

+ The defensive backfield is getting quite healthy. Terrence McGee, as we mentioned early last week, had his knee scoped and is not yet ready to return to the practice field. There's an outside shot that he plays this weekend, but it's more likely that he returns on November 22 in Jacksonville. If he can't play, Reggie Corner and Ashton Youboty would see increased playing time. The health is coming at safety, where Jairus Byrd, Donte Whitner and Bryan Scott all practiced fully. With the emergence of Byrd, that's as solid a trio of safeties as you'll find in the NFL.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/4

MattRichWarren — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:41:46 -0000

In-season coaching change is nothing but a knee-jerk reaction | NFL.com
It appears Jim Zorn and Dick Jauron will keep their jobs. Some fans might not like that, but it's not as if an interim coach is going to make a long-term difference.

Pro-football-reference.com blog " The Best 2-Game Stretches of the Decade (2000-08)
Buffalo has two of the top eleven: The first two games of the 2003 season and the 12th and 14th games of the 2006 season. The Bills have three more on the best list and only three on the bottom list. Go to PFR to check out those gamelogs if you would like.

The Bills’ Midseason Five Least Valuable Players : Buffalo Sports Daily
Aaron Maybin, Demetrius Bell, Marshawn Lynch, Terrell Owens and Trent Edwards make the dubious list.

McGee's injury
Terrence McGee undergoes knee surgery | ProFootballTalk.com
On Tuesday, Terrence McGee underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

Hoping McGee’s ready for Titans – Inside The Bills
"Without McGee, Buffalo would presumably start Reggie Corner and Drayton Florence outside, and then when they go to a nickel package, Corner would move into the slot with Ashton Youboty outside."

BillBoard: McGee has minor surgery
"It mostly was affecting me during the week," McGee said. "After the game you wake up the next day and you really feel it then. So during the week coaches have been giving me time to recover so I’d be able to play on Sunday. During the game on Sunday the majority of the time it would be all right."

Byrd's injury
Byrd now in holding pattern | BuffaloBills.com
When asked if he could miss any games as a result of the nagging condition or the groin injury Byrd is hopeful that he won’t. "I wouldn’t go that far," he said. "Next week we’ll know more."

Byrd still soaring | BuffaloBills.com
Jairus Byrd continues to pick off passes.

Other injuries
Lots of players watching – Inside The Bills
Between injured players and vets there are 16 players either absent or watching practice. Full list here

Scott gets reps at LB – Inside The Bills
Bryan Scott was getting reps at outside linebacker in practice Tuesday as an emergency option. Why not? Jairus Byrd isn't sitting down anytime soon.

Bills notebook: McGee has minor knee surgery : The Buffalo News
"I felt good. I did a little bit more [Tuesday] in practice," Trent Edwards said. "I feel I'm getting better each day, getting stronger."

News Bits
Video: Countdown Daily Huddle - AFC East - ESPN
John Clayton tells you the latest news from each team inside the AFC East.

SI poll: Joey Porter NFL's second-dirtiest player - AFC East - ESPN
The Buffalo Bills, with a league-leading 59 penalties, didn't have any players among the top 20. Hines Ward was first.

Week 9 power rankings: AFC East (sorry, Dolfans) - AFC East - ESPN
After another loss the Bills stayed exactly where they were - 22. They have never been higher than 21 nor lower than 25 this year.

How I See It: AFC East Stock Watch - AFC East - ESPN
Stock Falling: Bills quarterback situation

Who's more lovable: Jauron, Mangini, Cable? - AFC East - ESPN
Eric Mangini has surpassed Dick Jauron as the lowest approval rating. Tom Cable is still doing better than Jauron, though.

Niagara Gazette - BILLS: Byrd soars into rair
It’s gotten to a point where Jairus Byrd even amazes us during the bye week.

Around the AFC East | The Sports Network
Buffalo is now 29th in NFL total offense (264.8 yards per game), 28th in passing (154.8 yards per game) and 26th in scoring (15.4 points per game).

NFL Power Rankings, Week 9: There Will Be Blood -- NFL FanHouse
The Bills fall from 22 to 23 after the loss to the Texans who surged to number 11.

Semi-pro player tackles own teammate on a punt return - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The reaction of the guy is friggin priceless. I had to share.

Texans 31, Bills 10: Week 8 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:34:23 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

Browse more photos »

Once again, we've entered a realm in which discussing a most recent Buffalo Bills game leads to nausea rather than euphoria. Their 31-10 loss to the Houston Texans was every bit as exasperating to re-watch on tape as it was to take it in live at the stadium, because once again, the Bills had a superior opponent on the ropes for most of the game. Credit Houston for staying patient, but credit them also for realizing that, just like New England and New Orleans before them, the were facing an opponent susceptible to blowing solid performances late in games.

The film has been re-watched, the stomach meds have been ingested, and we've got a few talking points to go over today. Let's get this over with.

The run defense. That old adage that a defense can tire out over the course of a game is completely accurate. Buffalo's run defense isn't just dead last in the league because they generally stink at stopping the run, folks - they're also dead last because the offense can't give them more than a few spare moments per game to get some oxygen on the sidelines.

Case in point: the Bills' run defense was by no means dominant in the first half Sunday, but it was, at least, not awful. Houston was actually out-rushed by Buffalo in the first half (aided, of course, by Terrell Owens' 29-yard touchdown on a reverse). The Texans wound up rushing for 186 yards on the day, but only 67 of those came prior to halftime. If you think some of that didn't have to do with both the sheer amount of time they spent on the field (39:08) and their undermanned depth chart, think again. Considering all of the factors, we couldn't have asked for much more from the run defense, particularly early in the game.

The offensive line. In a more ideal football world than the one we're involved with right now, the "quarterback vs. O-Line debate" - meaning which one is more important to the success of an offense - has always been one that's fascinated me. (I fall on the quarterback side of the argument, by the way.) As bad as Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick have been this season, however, it's hard to imagine many quarterbacks being successful behind this offensive line.

I counted five separate times in this game that Fitzpatrick hit the final step of his drop - and one of those was a three-step drop - and was immediately surrounded by Texans defenders. Individually, each Bills lineman - yes, even the revolving door of suck at right tackle - is capable of winning a matchup one-on-one. Houston simply brought pressure straight up the middle and/or stunted, and with Mario Williams commanding attention on the outside, it became too much to handle logistically for these young players. Pockets were collapsing around Fitzpatrick more frequently than the Texans were picking up first downs. We already have a pretty definitive idea that Edwards will re-claim his starting role in Week 10, but given the way the line is playing right now, we're likely to see both of these quarterbacks before season's end.

Get healthy, Shawn Nelson. I'm not saying that the lack of a receiving threat at tight end is the underlying problem behind all of Buffalo's offensive issues - that's obviously not the case - but in watching this offense, the lack of a short-area receiving threat is painfully obvious. (It's made even more painful by the fact that, for whatever reason, the Bills refuse to play Fred Jackson in that role, as they did at the beginning of the season).

Derek Fine is a tough customer and a valuable blocker and special teamer, but he's completely worthless right now as a receiving threat. Same goes for Jonathan Stupar, who has been unable to turn a solid pre-season into anything other than extraordinarily average play on the field in games that count. Meanwhile, Nelson continues to miss games with migraine issues, though Dick Jauron did say Monday that he's expected to practice this week and next, and play in Tennessee. Nelson's only got six catches on the year, but he's a weapon at a position that is, once again, completely non-existent in Buffalo.

Aaron Maybin. I wrote a piece about Maybin last week, so I'll keep this brief. Once again, Maybin had a sack lined up this week, but it was taken away from him by an opportunistic Aaron Schobel. He gets a little better rushing the passer every week, and Perry Fewell is starting to find ways to get him free in games. If Schobel's groin injury lingers, we're likely to see Maybin much more than usual until the veteran returns to full health.

I spent a great deal of my energies watching Maybin in the second half, mostly because the game itself was clearly going to be out of hand soon. Watching Maybin play - from a technical standpoint right down to the way he moves around on the field - he just looks every bit like the 21-year-old he is. He looks uncomfortable in his own skin, like he doesn't have full control of his body yet. The guy busts his butt on every play, and while he makes mistakes, his motor is better than any defenders' on this team. Give him time to mature not only as a football player, but from a body standpoint, too. He's making (extremely) slow, steady progress week to week.

Reggie Corner. I've been meaning to say this for a couple of weeks, but after his performance against Houston, it needs to be said - Corner is the epitome of what's wrong with Buffalo's defense. Corner's a good football player. He's quick, he's active, and he flies all over the field. But boy, is it easy for opponents to find ways to beat this guy. Whether it's mental mistakes or (more frequently) just being overmatched physically, Corner is a player that opponents attack. On the other hand, I'd like to see more of Ashton Youboty - once again, he's giving the Bills solid reps as a reserve DB, and acquitting himself nicely.

Jairus Byrd. There. I said his name. Soak in the happy feelings... and move on.

Bye week problems to fix. Not exactly playing the role of Copernicus here, because these are all fairly obvious, but the top three things that the Bills absolutely have to fix during the bye week if they still fancy themselves playoff contenders are:

Line play. The young guys up front are still working hard, but there are way too many mental errors and physical breakdowns. Not only does the line play need to get better, but Alex Van Pelt needs to figure out a way to finally mask some of their deficiencies.

Sustaining/ending drives. This has been a problem all season, but in particular against Houston. Buffalo's offense has picked up 116 first downs in 8 games, an average of 14.5 per game. Opponents have picked up 161 first downs on Buffalo, an average of 20 per game. The disparity has been especially skewed over the past three weeks, where Buffalo's opponents have a 59-38 advantage in this area.

Getting healthy. This isn't something the team can actively fix, obviously, but if the team can get key players back, it's only going to help. We already discussed Nelson and Edwards. Keith Ellison, Aaron Schobel and Donte Whitner are all "still sore" according to Jauron in yesterday's press conference (via BuffaloBills.com), and are considered day-to-day (or, in this case, week-to-week, probably). Bryan Scott is back and ready to go; he'll practice this week. Jonathan Scott is getting close as well. Jamon Meredith's knee injury was a sprain, and the Bills are looking at it as a week-to-week thing as well. Same goes for the knee injuries for Kyle Williams and Corey McIntyre, who, when they were injured in Week 7 at Carolina, were considered to be 2-3 weeks away from returning.

Obviously, some of those lingering injuries carry more importance than others. But Buffalo was so banged up in Houston that they literally needed to use every available body on the roster just to field a full 45 active players. Getting more depth is critical for this team, and hopefully the bye week will help them accomplish that.

Bills 20, Panthers 9: Week 7 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:39:06 -0000

More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

Browse more photos »

I could get used to this. I know I shouldn't, but I definitely know, one hundred percent, that I can get used to re-watching Buffalo Bills victories. Buffalo's most recent victory, a 20-9 win over the Carolina Panthers, puts the Bills at 3-4 on the 2009 season - and while they aren't playing anywhere near playoff-caliber football, they're keeping themselves alive despite a pitiful start to the season.

There's a lot to cover in this particular installment of our weekly film session. Let's go.

Ryan Fitzpatrick. It is absolutely terrifying to say this, but get used to watching Fitzpatrick play, folks - there's a very strong chance you'll see him in the lineup for a while. Why? It's pretty simple, really - Fitzpatrick currently gives Buffalo the best chance to win football games. That's not saying a lot - for Trent Edwards or for Fitzpatrick.

Buffalo's offense looks different with Fitzpatrick at the helm - no one can deny that. They're much less prone to mistakes. The best examples there are turnovers (in eight quarters of play, the Bills have turned it over just once with Fitzpatrick at the helm), and far more importantly, sacks (Fitzpatrick has been sacked just twice in two games, whereas Edwards was sacked 19 times in a little over five games). Forget about their skills as a quarterback. If I know Dick Jauron, I'm looking at things like pocket presence, poise and decisiveness right now - because Fitzpatrick has displayed a crystal clear advantage in all three of those departments over the past two weeks, particularly in avoiding a solid Panthers pass rush and making a few really nice throws on Sunday.

Fitzpatrick is what he is. Don't expect him to get better. More efficient, possibly, but not better overall. He's got a bit of swagger, he's solid in the pocket, and he's got a pretty strong arm. He's not terribly accurate - he's only completing 44.7 percent of his passes this season, after all - and he doesn't put a lot of touch on his throws (Bills receivers dealt with a lot of high throws and balls glancing off their hands - Terrell Owens specifically - because Fitzpatrick decided to throw in howitzer mode). It's a mark of how much Edwards has regressed in basic areas that we can truthfully say that Fitzpatrick is our best chance at making the playoffs. It's obviously not ideal, but it is what it is.

The running game. It's pretty easy to get on Fitzpatrick for his bad stats over the past two weeks, but it's also more than fair to say that he's been steering a completely one-dimensional offense. Buffalo, which ran the ball very effectively early in the season - even while piling up defeats - hasn't been able to run the ball effectively at all in the past two weeks. The Bills ran for 53 yards on 29 carries against Carolina, whose run defense was down near the bottom of the league entering the contest. Fred Jackson has 54 yards on 20 carries in the past two weeks. Marshawn Lynch? 101 yards on 36 carries. Oh yeah - he also scored the Bills' first rushing TD on the season in this win.

Defenses aren't doing anything special to stop the run, either. The Bills are seeing more stacked boxes than perhaps they did earlier in the season, but they see their fair share of seven-man fronts, too, thanks to Owens and Lee Evans on the outside. The blocking isn't there, and the running backs haven't played up to their usual standards, either. If Alex Van Pelt can find some rhythm for his running game, Buffalo's offense might finally start clicking - and Fitzpatrick might actually complete more than half of his pass attempts.

Offensive tackles. It is plainly obvious that, aside from quarterback - yes, folks, Buffalo will be looking at quarterbacks next off-season, regardless of what happens this season - the Bills' biggest need offensively is a tackle. Demetrius Bell is OK. He played pretty well against the Panthers, and every week he looks a little more comfortable on the field. There's a chance that he sticks around, particularly if he continues to improve. Right tackle is another story altogether. Jamon Meredith, making his second professional start, was repeatedly viciously abused by Julius Peppers. Obviously, that wasn't unexpected, but half the time it looked like he was just letting Peppers pick him up off the ground to slow down his acceleration. He's got some athleticism, but he's decades away from being worthy of dressing regularly for NFL games. I never thought I'd be pining for the return of Jonathan Scott, but here I am, pining for the return of Jonathan Scott.

Terrell Owens. Part of me just wants to see a guy like Fitzpatrick or Lee Evans rip into this guy. Buffalo does what it can to get him involved early in games, and T.O. just lets the opportunities slip through his hands - literally. Nothing would help the Bills more in games such as the ones they've played over the past two weeks than grabbing an early lead. Owens has had chances to make plays early in ball games - whether to sustain drives or of bigger scale - and those opportunities have been blown. Not only would it be fun to see the bemused expression on Owens' face if Fitzpatrick lit him up on the sidelines (yes, I'm aware it'll never happen), but it might actually provoke Owens to act like he gives a crap on the football field.

John McCargo. I paid close attention to McCargo, who saw his first "extensive" playing time thanks to the knee injury that sidelined Kyle Williams early in this one. My verdict: McCargo is useful, but he's absolutely nothing more than average. He can stack and shed, he can penetrate, and he's tough against the run with a good motor, but he's just "a guy" - he'll never be a game-changer. He's exactly where he belongs - fourth in the rotation. Buffalo could use some additional beef in the middle of their D-Line rotation, and if that comes at the expense of McCargo next off-season, I'm OK with it.

Yet another linebacker shakeup. Most of you probably noticed this during the game or heard about it afterward, but Perry Fewell made yet another change at linebacker. Keith Ellison, who was the strong-side linebacker for the past two seasons, is now playing the weak-side role vacated by Kawika Mitchell. Ashlee Palmer, who got the nod for Mitchell after his season-ending knee injury, is out of the lineup. Chris Draft, a street free agent signing, is the new SAM linebacker. It didn't really help - the Bills still gave up 4.6 yards per rush to a Panthers team that inexplicably allowed Jake Delhomme to air it out 44 times - but Draft at least attacked the line of scrimmage and had a big hand in a key fourth-and-one stop in the second half. Did I mention the Bills need help at linebacker, too?

Jairus Byrd. There isn't really much more to say than what we've said on each of the past two Mondays, but I thought I'd offer this up: Byrd doesn't look like he ran a 4.67-second 40-yard dash in pre-draft workouts. Many questioned his athleticism coming out of college based on this single time, but it's pretty clear that Byrd is a fantastic athlete. He's really the ideal package at free safety - he's got terrific sideline-to-sideline range, he hits with solid leverage, and I don't think I need to tell you he's got great ball skills. I'm not sure he'll ever be a top-notch run defender, but at free safety, he really doesn't need to be. This guy is an absolute pleasure to watch - but wrap up that ball carrier, Jairus. He had an ugly missed tackle on DeAngelo Williams' fourth-quarter touchdown run.

Special Teams. Name a guy who plays special teams for the Bills, and I'll tell you that they had a great day on Sunday. Well, I take that back - name a guy who plays special teams and isn't a returner, and I'll tell you that he had a great day. Buffalo's return units continue to be pretty average, though Fred Jackson is still capable of making plays back there, with the scoot-up-the-sideline routine his go-to return.

The coverage units were back with full force on Sunday. Maybe the Panthers just aren't great on special teams - OK, the Panthers aren't great on special teams - but we saw big hit after big hit from the Bills on Sunday. John Wendling, Corey McIntyre, Ashlee Palmer, Jon Corto, Jonathan Stupar, Ashton Youboty - all of these and many others had big hits either on return men or on blockers. Rarely have I seen Bills special teams units be as physically dominant as they were on Sunday. Special teams will always be underrated by the masses, but the ability of Bobby April's units to physically manhandle the Panthers and flip field position was a huge factor in the Bills pulling out a win on the road.