SB Nation - Mark Campbell

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills at New York Jets

sireric — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:30:14 -0000

Buffalo Bills (1-4) at New York Jets (3-2)
Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 4:15 PM ET
Giants Stadium - East Rutherford, New Jersey

This is all-time meeting No. 98 between two long time rivals, with the Buffalo Bills holding the series edge 53-44 over the New York Jets. These are two franchises heading in two completely opposite directions right now. Even though the Jets have lost their last two games after starting 3-0, they are still a very strong team with lots of promise, and are in first place in the AFC East. The Bills, after two strong performances that led to a 1-1 record have lost their last three contests - and looked rather pathetic in doing so.

My guess is that after this week, the Jets make up some ground on that series record.

The last five meetings between these two teams that have taken place in New Jersey are after the jump.

Sunday October 10, 2004: Jets 16, Bills 14
After three quarters of play, the Jets led the Bills 13-0 on the strength of to Doug Brien field goals and a Chad Pennington-to-Chris Baker touchdown pass. The Drew Bledsoe-led Bills attack then rallied for two touchdown passes, one each to Mark Campbell and Lee Evans, to give the Bills the lead. But Brien hit another field goal with 58 seconds left in the game to give the Jets the win. Both Chris Kelsay and Aaron Schobel recorded sacks in this game. John Abraham had a hat trick of sacks for the Jets.

Sunday January 1, 2006: Jets 30, Bills 26
This was a real back-and-forth game that saw five lead changes and two separate ties. The most amazing thing about this game: Roscoe Parrish caught four passes for 43 yards, one of which went for a touchdown. Despite Kelly Holcomb throwing four interceptions (three to Ty Law and the other a pick-six by Mark Brown), the Bills had the lead courtesy of a 36-yard Rian Lindell field goal mid-way through the fourth quarter. Justin Miller would then return the ensuing kick-off 95 yards to give the Jets the lead, and eventually the win.

Sunday December 10, 2006: Bills 31, Jets 13
This game was close early, with the Jets holding a 10-7 lead when J.P. Losman hit Lee Evans for a 77-yard touchdown pass. Nate Clements then picked off a Chad Pennington pass and took it to the house to give the Bills a 21-10 lead, and they never looked back. The Bills had 174 rushing yards on the day to control the game. Aaron Schobel (3.0) and Ryan Denney (2.0) had good days rushing the QB.

Sunday October 28, 2007: Bills 13, Jets 3
After three quarters of Trent Edwards producing only six points for the Bills, J.P. Losman entered the game a promptly did this. Angelo Crowell (1.0), Aaron Schobel (1.0), and Kyle Williams (1.0) recorded sacks, and Terrence McGee, and George Wilson each picked off Chad Pennington.

Sunday December 14, 2008: Jets 31, Bills 27
I really didn't want to remember this game. Needless to say, after the Bills manhandled the Jets on the ground all day to the tune of 187 yards rushing - with Marshawn Lynch looking unstoppable - the Bills give the ball to Losman and let him do what J.P. Losman does... this.

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.

Addition by Subtraction or Addition by...Addition?

Saintsational — Tue, 26 May 2009 11:00:15 -0000

It's a fact that after every season, NFL teams begin the process of improving their roster during the long off-season months. These improvements can come about in two different ways: Getting rid of certain players/coaches and adding others. Most often, and rightfully so, it's the big name free agent signings or the top round draft choices that get talked about most. But after the Saints didn't re-sign Josh Bullocks and let go of Gary Gibbs this off-season, I started wondering if getting rid of a player or coach could be just as important to the betterment of a team as who they add.

We know defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs has been replaced by Gregg Williams and hope this is going to be an improvement for the Saints. If this turns out to be the case, which half of this defensive coordinator transition would factor most in the Saints defensive improvement; the absence of Gibbs or the presence of Williams? In reality, it's a combination of the two. But is it possible that one could play a larger role than the other? Perhaps Gibbs' system really was that bad and any new defensive coordinator would provide better results than what Gibbs was able to accomplish. If that was the case than I think it would be safe to assume that getting rid of Gibbs was more important than actually choosing the correct replacement, whoever that may have been. And this logic could just as easily apply to the players on the field. Anybody has got to be better than Josh Bullocks, right? Also remember that with a limited number of spots, roster re-arranging is a zero sum game. Every time the Saints sign a player, someone else has to go. Are the Saints getting rid of the right players or are they releasing a future Pro Bowler?

So let's get a little philosophical with this today. On the whole, have the Saints improved more because of the players they have added or because of the players they've gotten rid of this off-season? Are there at least specific instances where this was true this off-season? Is it even possible that getting rid of a player/coach is more important than acquiring one?

As a quick refresher and to help facilitate discussion, here is a list of some personnel that are not returning to New Orleans this season as well as some players who will be making their regular season debut with the team. This list is meant for illustration purposes only and is not making any comparisons.

Position	Former Player	New Player
Def. Coordinator	Gary Gibbs	Gregg Williams
CB	Aaron Glenn	Malcolm Jenkins
S	Kevin Kaesviharn	Darren Sharper
CB	Mike McKenzie	Jabari Greer
S	Josh Bullocks	Pierson Prioleau
TE	Mark Campbell	Darnell Dinkins, Dan Campbell
RB	Aaron Stecker	Lynell Hamilton
DT	Hollis Thomas	Rod Coleman
C	Matt Lehr	Nick Leckey
DT	Brian Young	DeMario Pressley
FB	Mike Karney	Heath Evans
DE	Josh Savage	Paul Spicer

Poll

Have the Saints added by subtracting this off-season?

Not at all

27 votes

Yes, slightly.

355 votes

Every cut they've made has been genius

233 votes

615 votes | Poll has closed

Touring twenty years of Bills tight end play

Brian Galliford — Sat, 23 May 2009 10:00:14 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

Bills rookie TE Shawn Nelson doesn't exactly have large shoes to fill. (AP Photo/David Duprey)

Browse more photos »

If you were to approach a Buffalo Bills fan right this moment and ask them how long it has been since the Bills had a receiving threat at the tight end position, the most likely response you would get would be some synonymous variant of the word "forever".

There's a reason that Bills fans are excited about the team's fourth-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Southern Mississippi tight end Shawn Nelson, even with just a few NFL practices under his belt, represents the most exciting pure talent that the Bills have had at the position in two decades. Not since Keith McKeller have the Bills employed a tight end as athletic and with as much potential as Nelson; as a result, expectations for Nelson are high.

Luckily, the shoes Nelson is being asked to fill aren't large. How bad has it been at tight end in Buffalo? A Bills tight end has led the team in receptions just once in the past twenty years; that was in 1993, when Pete Metzelaars' 68 receptions trumped the 60 put up by receiver Bill Brooks. The Bills have had productive seasons from tight ends over the past two decades, but particularly in the new millennium, Buffalo hasn't fielded a single difference-maker at the position. Let's take a look back at the past 20 years of Buffalo Bills tight ends.

1989 - 1991: the Keith McKeller Era
During this three-year stretch, the Bills would transform from surprisingly resurgent franchise into an elite group that would perennially contend for a Super Bowl berth. It was also during these seasons that the vaunted "K-Gun" offense emerged as the most feared offensive package in the league - and, as you're well aware, that offense was named after McKeller. An excellent athlete, McKeller gave the Bills a vertical threat from the tight end position and further opened up an already explosive offense. Though he shared time with Metzelaars and did not post gaudy numbers during his career, McKeller's influence was significant - if also short-lived.

3-year averages: 33 receptions, 413 yards (12.6 average), 3.3 TD

1992 - 1994: the Pete Metzelaars Era
Metzelaars was fortunate to be the Bills' top tight end during the Bills' glory seasons; he also was the top tight end in 1988, but gave way to McKeller while the glory years were brewing. Metzelaars is widely considered to be the best tight end in recent memory to play in Buffalo, and his stat lines (see below) tend to support that notion. He wasn't flashy, but there was a lot of substance to his game; he produced excellent numbers in a loaded offense without a lot of balls to go around. Pete was an excellent pro, and clearly the best player out of this group.

3-year averages: 49 receptions, 445 yards (9.1 average), 5 TD

1995 - 1997: the Lonnie Johnson Era
A highly touted pro prospect, Johnson was the Bills' second-round draft pick in 1994 out of Florida State. He was considered an excellent athlete that, in the waning years of QB Jim Kelly's career, would keep Buffalo's tight end position viable as the team made desperate, last-gasp attempts to get Kelly and his teammates a Super Bowl ring. That wasn't to be, clearly, but as much-maligned as Johnson was for dropping passes (a common theme in recent seasons), Johnson's statistical averages during his three-year run actually weren't awful. Considering what the Bills have fielded over the past six years, I think we'd happily take a Lonnie Johnson stat line these days.

3-year averages: 45 receptions, 434 yards (9.6 average), 1 TD

1998 - 2002: the Jay Riemersma Era
Riemersma, a college quarterback at Michigan for a time, became the Bills' "poor man's" version of Metzelaars as Doug Flutie stepped in for Kelly during an era of transition in Buffalo. Riemersma spent five seasons as Buffalo's leading pass-catcher at tight end - the longest run of any single player in the last twenty years - and though the stat line dropped a tad with the ultra-productive Kelly out of town, Riemersma is, in general, remembered fondly by a Bills fan base that loved watching him play and appreciated his red zone abilities.

5-year averages: 36 receptions, 419 yards (11.8 average), 3.6 TD

2003 - 2005: the Mark Campbell Era
Congratulations, ladies and gentlemen - we have officially reached the low point in Bills tight end history. Playing alongside another ultra-productive quarterback in Drew Bledsoe, Campbell managed to reach statistical lows among this not-so-elite group. Best known for a three-touchdown performance in a Bills victory over the St. Louis Rams in 2004, Campbell did little else to distinguish himself in his time in Buffalo. It was during the Mark Campbell Era that fan outcries for a nifty young talent at the position began growing louder.

3-year averages: 23 receptions, 227 yards (9.9 average), 2 TD

2006 - 2008: the Robert Royal Era
I don't think we need to get too in-depth here; Royal was released this March prior to the free agent signing period after three frustrating and highly unproductive years in Buffalo. He was a marginal statistical upgrade over Campbell - and he certainly didn't have as much to work with at the quarterback position - but change was needed.

3-year averages: 27 receptions, 277 yards (10.3 average), 2.3 TD

Overall - even while considering the consistency and solid production of players like Metzelaars and Riemersma - this group hasn't been all that great. There have certainly been contributors to some historically potent offenses, but none of these players can be considered central offensive weapons. That's what Buffalo has been missing, particularly as they've repeatedly attempted in vain to develop young quarterbacks. Is Nelson finally the guy to end the downward trend at this position? Time will tell. But he certainly won't need to do much to be an upgrade here.

15 Reasons Why the 2009 Saints Season has to be Better than 2008

Saintsational — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:00:11 -0000

Player	Pos.	Status	Date
DeMario Pressley	DT	Placed on Injured Reserve	July 27, 2008
Adrian Arrington	WR	Placed on Injured Reserve	August 29, 2008
Hollis Thomas	DT	Placed on Injured Reserve	September 9, 2008
Mark Simoneau	LB	Placed on Injured Reserve	September 12, 2008
Tracy Porter	CB	Placed on Injured Reserve	October 7, 2008
Martin Gramatica	K	Placed on Injured Reserve	October 8, 2008
Charles Grant	DE	Placed on Injured Reserve	November 3, 2008
Mike McKenzie	CB	Placed on Injured Reserve	November 10, 2008
Brian Young	DT	Placed on Injured Reserve	November 15, 2008
Aaron Stecker	RB	Placed on Injured Reserve	November 18, 2008
Mark Campbell	TE	Placed on Injured Reserve	November 19, 2008
Aaron Glenn	CB	Placed on Injured Reserve	November 27, 2008
Kevin Kaesviharn	S	Placed on Injured Reserve	December 4, 2008
Courtney Roby	WR	Placed on Injured Reserve	December 8, 2008
Reggie Bush	RB	Placed on Injured Reserve	December 17, 2008

I understand that some of these players aren't on the team anymore or weren't much of a help in 2008 but the point is that being forced to deal with this incredible amount of injury in one season makes it damn near impossible to have a sucessful year.

Have the Saints Seen the Last of Mark "Shaken Up on the Play" Campbell?

Saintsational — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:14:07 -0000

Just got this little juicy tidbit of information in my email this morning. Apparently, the NFL Networks Scott Hanson says Mark Campbell might be calling it quits.

NFL Network’s Scott Hanson reports that former New Orleans Saints TE Mark Campbell is leaning toward retirement, but he’s willing to return for an 11th NFL season if “the right situation” comes along.

First of all Hanson uses the word "former." That's harsh. I hate to say it but I think Campbell's time with the Saints has come to an end. Shockey still has to prove himself, Billy Miller played awesome last year, the team doesn't have too much money to spend and the money it does have would better go toward defensive free agents. Mark may be waiting for the "right situation" but I don't expect he will find it in New Orleans.

Poll

Do you think Mark Campbell will be on the Saints in 2009?

Yes!

7 votes

Nope

131 votes

I'm cautiously optimistic

25 votes

163 votes | Poll has closed

Saving Our Saints: A Few Fundraising Ideas From Canal Street Chronicles

Saintsational — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:00:10 -0000

It's that time of year again. The time of year when we all find out that the state can't afford to make its contractually obligated payments to the Saints and the Hornets. What else is new? It's already been mentioned very briefly here on Da Chronic but in New Orleans the $27.5 million shortfall has been one of the leading stories on the evening news the last few days. In a perfect world the state would have raised enough money from hotel/motel taxes to pay the two teams but thanks to 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina tourism has been on the rebound for quite a while. So now the state needs some money before Benson and Shinn send their goons to break some knee caps, or worse, take our teams and leave.

Worry not, though. CSC has a few suggestions to help raise money and maybe make up at least part of the difference the state owes our beloved sports franchises.

After giving up a nice chunk of change to land new defensive coordinator Double G Dubya perhaps Coach Payton is still feeling a little generous.
Sign Hollis Thomas up for TV's The Biggest Loser. It's a win-win situation: Thomas gets in shape and the Saints get any of his prize earnings. If Hollis doesn't go willingly, tell him the grand prize is really a Spongebob Squarepants bedroom makeover
Every time Bobby Hebert mumbles, stammers or stutters during WWL's afternoon radio show, Sports Talk, he must drop a dollar into a collection jar. The financial gap should narrow significantly in no time.
Bring Rick Venturi in as financial coordinator. If he doesn't fix the situation, keep him a few years then bring in Gary Gibbs.
Cancel SDT Waste & Debris Services French Quarter garbage contract...again...and put that money toward the state's shortcomings.
Keep Mark Campbell on the roster but restructure his contract so he only receives half a years salary. That's more than he'll likely play so it's fair all around.
Get the hush money back that Benson allegedly paid a Saintsation to keep her affair with Jim Haslett quiet.
Ask former Congressman William Jefferson for a loan from his "freezer stash."

All joking aside, the Saints need to stay. They are New Orleans. And stay they will. So don't start freaking out about the possibility of Benson backing a truck up to the Superdome under cover of night and taking the Saints westward before daybreak (though that would be pretty impressive). The Saints are too beloved and too crucial to the New Orleans economy to leave. Neither the state nor the fans would allow that. Benson is rooted here as well with his new television station, remodeled Superdome and season-ticket waiting list. But, whether it's fair or not, Benson is owed his money and he will get it; it's only a question of where it will come from. More than likely, just as it did last year, it will come from the state's general fund. Inevitably, this will tick off some lawmakers who think that money could be better spent (they're probably right) but eventually they'll forget about it, focus on something else and allow us to watch our favorite football team in guilt-free peace. And until a new business model is designed or the New Orleans tourism economy begins to thrive, we will do this all over again next year.

Saints Free Agent Review - Quarterback, Running Back and Wide Receiver

Saintsational — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:00:09 -0000

Quarterback, Running Back, Receiver

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Comment

Devery Henderson

UFA

This is a tough one. Devery had the chance to find a new home last off-season but no teams came a-callin'. After a stronger 2008 season, one in which he didn't drop as many balls, he may draw more interest. If the team thinks they can get by with the rest of their young, up and coming receivers like Meachem and Arrington, they may not put a contract on the table and Henderson might walk. With Lance Moore also a free agent, the Saints may not be able to afford both of them.

CSC says: See ya!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Comment

Lance Moore

RFA

After the 2008 season, Lance Moore is officially the number two receiver on the Saints behind Marques Colston. Making sure Moore stays in the black and gold should be the coaching staffs top priority behind re-signing Jonathan Vilma but it's gonna cost them. With Devery Henderson also on the market, things will get a bit tricky. My ideal situation would be to see the Saints sign both Henderson and Moore. I get nervous at the thought of breaking up the receiving corp that was such a large part of the number one offense in the league. But if they're only going to offer one of them a contract, Lance is my man. Hands down.

CSC says: Keep him!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Comment

Mark Campbell

UFA

Campbell has been loyal to the Saints and he's a great veteran presence but with Shockey on the roster and Billy Miller having a good 2008 season he's only a third option. His blocking might keep him on this team if the Saints don't find someone else. Someone who can play an entire season perhaps.

CSC says: See ya!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Comment

Aaron Stecker

UFA

Steck (Shut yo mouth!) is always there when injuries wipe out our backfield and is a good contributor on special teams but he's not getting any younger. However, he might be willing to accept a low offer just for the convenience of job stability.

CSC says: See ya!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Comment

Joey Harrington

UFA

Sure he might be a cheaper option than Brunell, who made more than $4.5 million last year, but there is a reason for that. Quarterback is not the position you want to be cheap with in case Drew ever went down. Plus...Harrington sucks. Cut him loose and let Payton start a new protege project with a younger, cheaper quarterback if he wants.

CSC says: See ya!

Poll

Who should the Saints keep?

Devery Henderson

1 votes

Lance Moore

66 votes

Both of them

38 votes

None of them

1 votes

106 votes | Poll has closed

Final Defensive and Special Team Stats for the 2008 Saints Season

Saintsational — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:00:07 -0000

As promised, here are the final defensive and special teams statistics for the 2008 season. As you would expect, these aren't as impressive as their offensive counterparts.

Rushing Defense

Left End

Left Tackle

Left Guard

Up the Middle

Right Guard

Right Tackle

Right End

Plays: 62

Plays: 58

Plays: 65

Plays: 87

Plays: 62

Plays: 51

Plays: 45

NFL Rank: 10

NFL Rank: 15

NFL Rank: 3

NFL Rank: 28

NFL Rank: 4

NFL Rank: 23

NFL Rank: 20

Avg Gain: 5.19

Avg Gain: 4.72

Avg Gain: 3.66

Avg Gain: 3.75

Avg Gain: 4.32

Avg Gain: 3.86

Avg Gain: 5.89

NFL Rank: 15

NFL Rank: 24

NFL Rank: 12

NFL Rank: 22

NFL Rank: 13

NFL Rank: 26

Passing Defense

Short Left	Short Middle	Short Right	Deep Left	Deep Middle	Deep Right


















Plays: 165	Plays: 82	Plays: 161	Plays: 55	Plays: 29	Plays: 35
NFL Rank: 7	NFL Rank: 27	NFL Rank: 23	NFL Rank: 1	NFL Rank: 9	NFL Rank: 20
Avg Gain: 5.80	Avg Gain: 7.09	Avg Gain: 5.87	Avg Gain: 8.00	Avg Gain: 18.10	Avg Gain: 8.03
NFL Rank: 13	NFL Rank: 24	NFL Rank: 25	NFL Rank: 7	NFL Rank: 31	NFL Rank: 2

Team Rankings

Team	Yds / Game	Yds / Play	Rush Yds / Game	Rush Yards / Play	Pass Yards / Game	Pass Yards / Play	Int. Rate	Sacks / Pass Att	First Downs / Game	Punt Return Avg	Kickoff Return Avg	3rd Down Pct	4th Down Pct	Red Zone Pct	Goal to Go%	Points / Game	Point Diff. / Game	Yard Diff. / Game
NO	339.5	5.44	117.8	4.24	221.7	6.74	2.85%	5.32%	18.7	10.7	24.0	39.81%	57.14%	48.33%	70.97%	24.6	4.4	71.2
Rank	23	22	17	19	23	21	14	22	18	25	23	19	19t	9	21	26	10	3

Individual Stats

Interceptions	No.	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
J.David	5	83	16.6	42	0
S.Fujita	2	19	9.5	17	0
K.Kaesviharn	2	13	6.5	13	0
U.Young	2	3	1.5	3	0
T.Porter	1	25	25.0	25	0
J.Bullocks	1	23	23.0	23	0
M.McKenzie	1	14	14.0	14	0
J.Vilma	1	8	8.0	8	0
Team	15	188	12.5	42	0
Opponents	18	270	15.0	95t	2

Punting	No	Yds	Avg	Net	TB	In	Lg	B
S.Weatherford	26	1094	42.1	34.2	3	5	61	0
G.Pakulak	24	1144	47.7	37.8	2	3	70	0
B.Graham	3	126	42.0	35.3	0	1	44	0
Team	53	2364	44.6	35.9	5	9	70	0
Opponents	66	2711	41.1	35.2	4	23	65	0

Punt Returns	Ret	FC	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
R.Bush	20	3	270	13.5	71t	3
L.Moore	6	13	40	6.7	11	0
S.Green	0	1	0	0	0	0
Team	26	17	310	11.9	71t	3
Opponents	34	7	363	10.7	42	0

Field Goals	1-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+
G.Hartley	0/ 0	5/ 5	4/ 4	4/ 4	0/ 0
M.Gramatica	0/ 0	0/ 0	3/ 3	2/ 5	1/ 2
T.Mehlhaff	0/ 0	1/ 1	1/ 2	1/ 1	0/ 0
Team	0/ 0	6/ 6	8/ 9	7/ 10	1/ 2
Opponents	0/ 0	13/ 13	15/ 16	5/ 7	1/ 3

Kickoff Returns	No.	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
P.Thomas	31	793	25.6	88	0
C.Roby	19	472	24.8	62	0
S.Green	4	133	33.3	60	0
T.Copper	2	35	17.5	18	0
A.Stecker	2	10	5.0	10	0
L.Moore	1	36	36.0	36	0
R.Meachem	1	9	9.0	9	0
B.Ortega	1	8	8.0	8	0
M.Campbell	1	0	0.0	0	0
M.Karney	0	0	0	0	0
Team	62	1496	24.1	88	0
Opponents	76	1827	24.0	83t	1

Defensive Player Statistics

Player	Tkl	Ast	Comb	Sack	Sk Yds	QH	Int	PD	FF	FR
J.Vilma	98	34	132	1	5	4	1	6	2	3
S.Shanle	60	27	87	2	12	3	0	5	1	0
R.Harper	73	7	80	0	0	1	0	9	1	0
S.Fujita	62	18	80	0	0	0	2	3	1	0
W.Smith	43	19	62	3	23	11	0	1	1	0
K.Kaesviharn	47	14	61	0	0	1	2	4	0	0
R.Gay	49	4	53	1	6	1	0	15	0	0
J.Bullocks	28	7	35	0	0	1	1	6	0	0
K.Clancy	26	8	34	2	8	4	0	3	0	1
C.Grant	27	6	33	3	20	9	0	2	0	0
U.Young	27	6	33	0	0	0	2	8	0	0
S.Ellis	20	10	30	4	16	8	0	4	0	0
B.McCray	25	4	29	6	35	13	0	0	1	0
T.Porter	23	2	25	1	8	1	1	5	0	0
J.David	21	2	23	0	0	0	5	10	0	1
M.McKenzie	21	1	22	0	0	0	1	3	0	0
B.Young	11	2	13	1	0	0	0	0	1	0
J.Charleston	9	1	10	3	25	3	0	0	0	0
A.Glenn	6	1	7	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
H.Thomas	6	1	7	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
J.Dunbar	4	3	7	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
J.Craft	2	4	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
L.Torrence	4	1	5	0	0	0	0	2	0	0
A.Lake	4	1	5	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
C.Reis	3	1	4	1	3	1	0	0	0	0
R.Ayodele	2	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
J.Savage	1	2	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
T.Evans	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
M.Mitchell	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Team Totals	703	188	891	28	161	62	15	90	8	5
Opponent Totals	724	172	896	13	92	55	18	107	10	7

**Tkl=Tackle Ast=Assist FF =Forced Fumble FR=Fumble Recovery BL=Blocked Kick**

Special Teams Defensive Stats

Player	Tkl	Ast	FF	FR	BL
U.Young	15	2	0	1	0
J.Dunbar	13	0	0	0	0
T.Evans	12	1	0	1	0
C.Reis	9	1	1	0	0
R.Harper	9	0	0	0	0
M.Mitchell	8	1	0	1	0
J.Charleston	6	2	0	0	0
B.Ortega	5	1	0	0	0
J.Bullocks	5	0	1	0	0
P.Thomas	4	1	0	0	0
L.Torrence	3	1	0	0	0
A.Stecker	3	0	0	0	0
K.Kaesviharn	2	1	0	0	0
J.Craft	2	1	0	0	0
C.Roby	2	0	0	0	0
S.Weatherford	2	0	0	0	0
S.Fujita	1	0	0	0	0
A.Glenn	1	0	0	0	0
J.Savage	1	0	0	0	0
D.Barnes	1	0	0	0	0
G.Hartley	1	0	0	0	0
G.Pakulak	1	0	0	0	0
T.Holt	0	1	0	0	0
Team Totals	106	13	2	3	0
Opponent Totals	85	12	1	2	1

**Tkl=Tackle Ast=Assist FF =Forced Fumble FR=Fumble Recovery BL=Blocked Kick**

Turnovers

Fumbles Lost: J.Shockey 2, R.Bush 2, S.Green 1, P.Thomas 1, O.Sobomehin 1, D.Brees 1 Total: 8

Opponent Fumble Recoveries: J.Vilma 3, J.David 1, U.Young 1, K.Clancy 1, T.Evans 1 Total: 7

Final Offensive Stats for the 2008 Saints Season

Saintsational — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 14:00:07 -0000

I know a lot of you have been in off-season mode since the second Drew's final pass hit the turf against Carolina on December 28th and you could care less about the NFL playoffs. That's cool. We've got a long way to go until the draft and even longer until 2009 training camp starts. That means we have plenty of time to analyze and over-analyze what went wrong this year with the Saints and believe you me, we will definitely get into all of that. Hopefully you haven't thought I was dragging my feet.

I thought before we got started on all of that however, we should all know just what the hell we're talking about instead of throwing bogus stats around. Below you will find a detailed breakdown of the Saints offensive performance in 2008. This will, of course, be followed be defensive figures. This is the Saints season in number form. So when we get into the inevitable Reggie Bush/Pierre Thomas debate this summer (and you know it's coming!), we will all have facts and figures to reference and call each other out on. Give these a look over and commit them to memory. Learn 'em. Live 'em. Love 'em.

Make the jump for all the rest. Feel free to comment on these stats and discuss anything you find interesting or surprising.

Team Stats

	New Orleans	Opponent
Total First Downs	354	299
Rushing	103	100
Passing	232	180
Penalty	19	19
3rd Down: Made/Att	97/200	82/206
3rd Down Pct.	48.5%	39.8%
4th Down: Made/Att	10/18	8/14
4th Down Pct.	55.6%	57.1%
Possession Avg.	30:23	29:37
Total Net Yards	6571	5432
Avg. Per Game	410.7	339.5
Total Plays	1047	999
Avg. Per Play	6.3	5.4
Net Yards Rushing	1594	1885
Avg. Per Game	99.6	117.8
Total Rushes	398	445
Net Yards Passing	4977	3547
Avg. Per Game	311.1	221.7
Sacked/Yards Lost	13/92	28/161
Gross Yards	5069	3708
Attempts/Completions	636/413	526/299
Completion Pct.	64.9%	56.8%
Had Intercepted	18	15
Punts/Average	53/44.6	66/41.1
Net Punting Avg.	35.9	35.2
Penalties/Yards	86/797	84/637
Fumbles/Ball Lost	18/8	16/7
Touchdowns	57	41
Rushing	20	14
Passing	34	21
Returns	3	6

Offensive Rankings

Team	Yds / Game	Yds / Play	Rush Yards / Game	Rush Yds / Play	Pass Yds / Game	Pass Yds / Play	Int. Rate	Sacks / Pass Attempt	First Downs / Game	Punt Return Avg	Kickoff Return Avg	Field Goals Made	3rd Down Pct	4th Down Pct	Red Zone Pct	Goal to Go%	Avg Time of Poss.	Pts. / Game
NO	410.7	6.28	99.6	4.01	311.1	7.83	2.83%	2.04%	22.1	11.9	24.1	81.48%	48.50%	55.56%	61.29%	75.00%	30:23	28.9
Rank	1	1	28	23	1	2	17	2	2t	4	8	23	2	12t	4t	8t	15	1

Scoring

Score By Periods	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	OT	Pts
Team	67	154	115	127	0	463
Opponents	80	141	69	100	3	393

Scoring	TD	Run	Pass	Return	PAT	FG	2Pt	Pts
P.Thomas	12	9	3	0	0/0	0/0	0	72
G.Hartley	0	0	0	0	28/28	13/13	0	67
L.Moore	10	0	10	0	0/0	0/0	0	60
R.Bush	9	2	4	3	0/0	0/0	0	54
D.McAllister	6	5	1	0	0/0	0/0	0	36
M.Gramatica	0	0	0	0	16/16	6/10	0	34
M.Colston	5	0	5	0	0/0	0/0	0	30
R.Meachem	4	1	3	0	0/0	0/0	0	24
T.Mehlhaff	0	0	0	0	9/10	3/4	0	18
D.Henderson	3	0	3	0	0/0	0/0	0	18
M.Campbell	2	0	2	0	0/0	0/0	0	12
M.Karney	2	2	0	0	0/0	0/0	0	12
B.Miller	1	0	1	0	0/0	0/0	0	6
D.Patten	1	0	1	0	0/0	0/0	0	6
A.Stecker	1	0	1	0	0/0	0/0	0	6
M.Bell	1	1	0	0	0/0	0/0	0	6
C.Grant	0	0	0	0	0/0	0/0	0	2
Team	57	20	34	3	53/54	22/27	0	463
Opponents	41	14	21	6	37/37	34/39	3	393

Individual Stats

Passing	Att	Cmp	Yds	Cmp%	Yds/Att	TD	TD%	Int	Int%	Long	Sack	Lost	Rating
D.Brees	635	413	5069	65.0%	8.0	34	5.4%	17	2.7%	84t	13/	92	96.3
L.Moore	1	0	0	0.0%	0.0	0	0.0%	1	100.0%	0	0/	0	0.0

Rushing	No.	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
P.Thomas	129	625	4.8	42t	9
D.McAllister	107	418	3.9	19	5
R.Bush	106	404	3.8	43	2
A.Stecker	8	43	5.4	12	0
M.Bell	13	42	3.2	15	1
D.Henderson	4	33	8.3	30	0
R.Meachem	1	20	20.0	20t	1
M.Karney	8	10	1.3	3	2
D.Brees	22	-1	0.0	9	0
Team	398	1594	4.0	43	20
Opponents	445	1885	4.2	46	14

Receiving	No.	Yds	Avg	Long	TD
L.Moore	79	928	11.7	70t	10
R.Bush	52	440	8.5	42t	4
J.Shockey	50	483	9.7	26	0
M.Colston	47	760	16.2	70t	5
B.Miller	45	579	12.9	41	1
D.Henderson	32	793	24.8	84t	3
P.Thomas	31	284	9.2	24	3
D.McAllister	18	128	7.1	20	1
R.Meachem	12	289	24.1	74	3
M.Campbell	12	121	10.1	29	2
D.Patten	11	162	14.7	39t	1
A.Stecker	9	52	5.8	12	1
M.Karney	9	18	2.0	7	0
O.Sobomehin	2	8	4.0	10	0
S.Ryan	2	7	3.5	5	0
M.Bell	1	14	14.0	14	0
B.Ortega	1	3	3.0	3	0
Team	413	5069	12.3	84t	34
Opponents	299	3708	12.4	67t	21

Combined Yards	Rush Yds	Recv Yds	KO Rt Yds	Pt Rt Yds	Cmb Yds
Thomas, Pierre	625	284	793	0	1702
Bush, Reggie	404	440	0	270	1114
Moore, Lance	0	928	36	40	1004
Henderson, Devery	33	793	0	0	826
Colston, Marques	0	760	0	0	760
Miller, Billy	0	579	0	0	579
McAllister, Deuce	418	128	0	0	546
Shockey, Jeremy	0	483	0	0	483
Roby, Courtney	0	0	472	0	472
Meachem, Robert	20	289	9	0	318
Patten, David	0	162	0	0	162
Green, Skyler	0	0	133	0	133
Campbell, Mark	0	121	0	0	121
Stecker, Aaron	43	52	10	0	105
Bell, Mike	42	14	0	0	56
Copper, Terrance	0	0	35	0	35
Karney, Mike	10	18	0	0	28
Ortega, Buck	0	3	8	0	11
Sobomehin, Olaniyi	0	8	0	0	8
Ryan, Sean	0	7	0	0	7
Brees, Drew	-1	0	0	0	-1
Total	1594	5069	1496	310	8469
Opponents	1885	3708	1827	365	7785