SB Nation - Kawika Mitchell

Dorsey, Edwards and Krumrie Highlight Chiefs and Bills Connections

Chris Thorman — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:00:30 -0000

by David Duprey - AP

2 months ago: Buffalo Bills' Kawika Mitchell is carted off the field after being injured during the first half of the NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/David Duprey)

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The normal five comments this connection post gets each week will likely be zero today because there is really nothing of interest to point out between the Kansas City Chiefs' and the Buffalo Bills' connections.

Let's see. Our nose tackle was a Bill for five seasons. One of our tight ends is from Buffalo. And Glenn Dorsey has a cousin on the team.

Whoopty do.

To make this post more interesting than it already is, can you think of some guys from earlier years that were both Bills and Chiefs? Getcha coffee ready (Yeah, that was a bad TO reference. You got a problem with that?).

Chiefs GM Scott Pioli ('88-89) and asst. GM Joel Collier ('88-89) were graduate assistants at Syracuse. Collier was born in Buffalo, NY.
Collier's father, Joe Collier, served as the Bills head coach ('66-68), leading the club to the '66 AFL Championship Game vs. Kansas City.
Chiefs DL coach Tim Krumrie held the same role with Buffalo (2003-05).
Chiefs DT Ron Edwards spent five seasons with Buffalo (2001-05).
Bills asst. to the head coach/special projects Chuck Lester was a scout for three seasons with the Chiefs ('84-86).
Chiefs offensive quality control coach Nick Sirianni is a native of Jamestown, NY.
Kansas City TE Sean Ryan is a native of Buffalo, NY.
Buffalo asst. LBs/special teams coach DeMontie Cross played ('94-96) and coached ('98-99) at Missouri.
Bills P Brian Moorman is a native of Wichita, KS and played collegiately at Pittsburg State in Pittsburg, KS.
Bills LB Kawika Mitchell is currently on IR. He entered the NFL as a second-round (47th overall) selection of the Chiefs in 2003.
Chiefs DE Glenn Dorsey is the cousin of the Bills TE Shawn Nelson.
Buffalo offensive quality control coach Nathaniel Hackett is the son of former Kansas City offensive coordinator Paul Hackett.

Let us know if you come up with any players that were Bills and Chiefs.

Run defense a key off-season priority in Buffalo

Brian Galliford — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:30:14 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

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Run and stop the run. It's an old football cliche, and it's cliche because it works. Successful NFL teams, by and large, are able to run the football effectively, and they're able to prevent their opponents from doing so.

The Buffalo Bills can't stop the run this season. Through 12 games, the Bills have surrendered 2,065 rushing yards, or about 172 rushing yards per game. The New York Jets - victors over Buffalo last night - have been particularly effective running against Buffalo, racking up 567 yards (283.5 per game) in two games against the Bills' porous run front this season. The Bills are ranked dead last in the league defending the run, giving up 11 more yards per game than the second-worst team - Oakland.

This season is the fifth of the decade in which the Bills have surrendered more than 2,000 rushing yards in a season. With four games remaining on the schedule, they're on pace to surrender around 2,700 rushing yards in 2009. If the Bills hit that number, they'll have fielded their worst run defense since 1978, when that 5-11 Bills outfit allowed its opponents to rush for a whopping 3,228 yards, or slightly over 200 yards per game.

Before they reach that lofty goal, however, there are some putrid Bills teams of yesteryear that they must first eclipse. The 1985 Buffalo Bills gave up 2,462 rushing yards on the season. They finished 2-14. (Surprise!) The '79 Bills (7-9) gave up 2,481 yards, and the 1983 Bills (8-8) gave up 2,503 yards. With four games left, at the current pace, these Bills are on pace to surpass all of those memorable teams.

Can the run defense be fixed?
Yes, it can. Anything can be fixed. But Buffalo's got a lot of work to do.

For starters, they need to make at least two major personnel changes. Buffalo's starting defensive tackle duo of Marcus Stroud and Kyle Williams are stout in the middle - according to Football Outsiders stats, they were the sixth-best DT duo in the league against the run in 2008 - but they also wear down, and Buffalo's depth players at the position lack the block-shedding abilities of Williams and the sheer power of Stroud. A massive defensive tackle would not only add a run-stuffing dimension to the defensive line rotation, but if he's big enough and can anchor, he also gives the team some schematic flexibility.

(Speaking of scheme - forget about changing it, because there's not a single scheme employed by NFL coaches that isn't equipped to stop the run. I know fans are clamoring for the 3-4, but ask the Cleveland Browns just how proficient they are at stuffing the run. Buffalo doesn't need a scheme change - though obviously they might get it with a new coach - they just need personnel tweaks.)

Paul Posluszny also needs to be moved out of the middle. In any defensive scheme, middle linebackers need to be able to shed blocks, and with all due respect to Poz - a guy I'm not nearly as down on as some folks here - he's not proven himself capable of slipping blocks consistently. Poz was a better player on the outside at Penn State, and that's where he belongs in the NFL, as well. Kawika Mitchell, when he returns, is still a solid fit at weak-side linebacker. That just leaves Posluszny's vacated middle linebacker spot as a major need area for this defense. Someone big, fast and capable of stacking and shedding, if you please, Mr. Future Bills GM Guy. Oh, and while you're at it, please find capable reserves at linebacker as well - we'll need more than one.

A little discipline wouldn't hurt, either. Buffalo has been susceptible to misdirection plays for years now; the Bills' ends and corners need to be more disciplined in their gaps to prevent big chunks of yardage being surrendered.

One last thing. The best friend of any run defense, good or bad, is a competent offense. Playing with leads is never a bad thing, despite Buffalo's best attempts to prove otherwise. Yes, Buffalo needs to fix its defense, but take a look around you - the best teams in the NFL this season have the best offenses. If you think the Bills have major work to do in shoring up their run defense, they've got a decade's worth of awful offensive football to shore up as well.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/4

MattRichWarren — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:34:21 -0000

Game leaves Bills in dark for attracting coach, GM : The Buffalo News
Jerry Sullivan opines that the Bills tenth straight prime time loss doesn't just hurt in the standings and with fans, it could hurt the chances of attracting a coach.

Bills offense stymied by Jets | BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills succumbed to some of the same problems that have plagued them all year and it cost them a shot at their second straight division win. An inability to convert on third down and trouble stopping the run."

Buffalo Bills fall flat in prime time, lose to Jets in Toronto | Democrat and Chronicle
"Proving once again that they are not a team ready for prime time nor a team deserving of being on prime-time TV, the Buffalo Bills delivered another clunker of a performance on the national — oops, make that international — stage Thursday night."

Game Recaps
Bills lose their footing against physical Jets : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The New York Jets imposed their physical will on the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night," says Mark Gaughan.

Scott Pitoniak: Bills offense regresses in trip to Toronto
"For the second straight year, the Bills offense headed south north of the border."

Bills-Jets report card : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
As you might imagine, the grades aren't very good.

Bills notebook: That rundown feeling returns for Buffalo's defense : The Buffalo News
Allen Wilson thinks, "It's a good thing the Buffalo Bills' defense doesn't have to face the New York Jets anymore this season," after getting gashed for 567 rushing yards in two meetings.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Immediate Reactions, Wk13
My favorite line from Nick Mendola's recap: "If this isn't making sense to you, remember: you got to get drunk and go right to bed. I'm trying to make this game entertaining for you."

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Jets Run Through Bills in Toronto 19-13
"For the second time this season the Jets ripped through the Bills' run defense, however this time it was New York coming out top with a 19-13 win over Buffalo at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. "

Buffalo Bills: Report Card | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
The special teams got a "B-". Everything else didn't go so well.

Recap: Buffalo vs. NY Jets
The Sports Network's game recap.

Jets 19 Bills 13: O Darrelle Revis We Stand on Guard for Thee - Gang Green Nation
The Jets get a big win North of the Border and John B from Gang Green Nation gives the Good and the Bad.

Rapid Reaction: Jets 19, Bills 13 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"The Bills lost some of the momentum they seemed to be building under interim coach Perry Fewell. They are 4-8 with a lot of questions that won't be answered until January, when critical front-office decisions are made. "

Sanchez didn't slide, and now he's out - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Joe Girardi apparently didn't help Mark Sanchez learn how to slide.

NFL Videos: NFLTA: Jets vs. Bills highlights
Highlights of the Jets' 19-13 win over the Bills from Toronto, Canada.

Jets overcome injury to Sanchez to beat Bills - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
John Wawrow's AP game recap.

Bills Daily Gameday Grades
Steve Saslow gives his grades for the trip north.

Jets Stick Fork in Bills 19-13 : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran's resigned game recap.

Oh No, Bills 0-2 in TO | Ed Kilgore | WGRZ.com
"They need a quarterback, but we knew that. They need to upgrade the offensive line, and they've tried, but they can't keep people healthy enough long enough to know if they're making progress there or not. Ditto for the outside linebacking corps."

Revis dominates Owens -- again - NYPOST.com
"As last night's 19-13 Jets victory wore on, Darrelle Revis could see he was breaking Terrell Owens' spirit. Few things produce a more satisfying feeling for a cornerback"

Bills Toronto Series
Torontonians give Bills a warm welcome | CANOE -- SLAM! Sports
Steve Simmons says the game this year was a whole lot better than last year's.

Griffin: It's another Canadian bust for Bills - thestar.com
"Early on, despite gaps and pockets of empty seats throughout the stadium, [fans] managed to remain enthusiastic. In the second half, the Jets smaller but vocal contingent of fans took charge."

NFL invasion a work in progress - thestar.com
Garth Woolsey says "T.O. in T.O." was replaced by "Turned Off and Tuned Out". He does note that the crowd was "solidly with the Bills".

‘Home' crowd fails to motivate Bills - The Globe and Mail
"Unlike last season's game in Toronto against the Miami Dolphins, when it was difficult to distinguish who had the home field advantage, the loyalties last night were squarely behind the Bills for the NFL's second great Canadian adventure."

Continuing to gauge the NFL in Canada - The Globe and Mail
"This time, the "home" team was at least obviously the home team, (albeit the Toronto version thereof, so the support wasn’t as loud and rough around the edges as what the Bills experienced back in their regular digs)."

SURELY TORONTO CAN DO BETTER - National Post
Bruce Arthur suggests if it was a better team, the Toronto Series might work. "Why on Earth would any right-minded person become a fan of the Buffalo Bills now?"

Niagara Gazette - TIM'S TAKE: Bills missed chance for prime Northern exposure
"For maybe the first time, Toronto seemed ready to embrace the Bills on Thursday. Unfortunately, the Bills did their best to turn them away."

There’s no place like home for the Buffalo Bills - Dunkirk - ObserverToday.com
"Torontonians are fans of the National Football League - not the Buffalo Bills," Mindy Lambert, a Toronto resident who had no ambitions of attending the game, said.

NFL won't expand to Canada any time soon - Adam Schefter - ESPN
Adam Schefter's thoughts require ESPN Insider. Someone with a password can copy and paste his comments into the comments section if they would like.

Bills Tweets
Kawika Mitchell
We need our healthy experienced O-line. No disrespect to our guys now. They're fighting as hard as they can. We've had 2 many injuries. It's tuff to W if u can't run and don't have time 2 pass.

Game Day Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/3

MattRichWarren — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:00:43 -0000

BillBoard: Toronto not excited about Bills
"While the Bills will have a lot of fans in Rogers Centre Thursday night, there will be a large segment of spectators cheering for the Jets and those with no rooting interest at all. Meanwhile, the local papers are filled with stories about how poorly Bills games are being received by the public. "

Bills Gameday vs. Jets | Democrat and Chronicle
Beat writer Sal Maiorana breaks down tonight’s game between the Bills and Jets in Toronto.

Rogers hitches itself to the wrong team - The Globe and Mail
"In buying into a dysfunctional football organization like the Bills, the organization bringing the NFL to Canada was always fighting a losing battle."

Jauron a vanishing act in team photo(shop) - ESPN.com
"Before Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, the Bills gave away team photos as fans passed through the turnstiles at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Former head coach Dick Jauron, fired two weeks ago, was removed from the team photo as though he never existed."

Game Previews
Bills try to bring the noise in Toronto : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The Bills did not have a home-field edge when they played Miami in Toronto last year. The crowd was split about 50-50 in terms of cheering for each team. In fact, it would be more accurate to say it was 30-30, with about 40 percent of the crowd not particularly rooting for either side."

Bills-Jets scouting report : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Breaking down tonight's matchup with Allen Wilson.

Short turnaround puts stamina to the test : The Buffalo News
"This will be the teams' third game in 12 days, a grueling stretch that forced both teams to scale back their practices this week."

T.O. telling Toronto to show – Inside The Bills
"Here I am," Terrell Owens said. "It feels good. Looking forward to the game tomorrow and all of the Canadians out here in Toronto – you all come out and support the game tomorrow, it’s going to be a good one."

"We’re here!" Bills arrive in Toronto for game | BuffaloBills.com
Perry Fewell discusses the trip north and the atmosphere that the BIlls feel and want from the fans.

Do Or Die For Bills & Jets In Toronto : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran previews tonight's game against the Jets.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Home of the Buffalo Sabres - T.O. and the Bills in TO
"The Bills fielded questions from the media at the Rogers Center in Toronto about Thursday's game against the Jets. Here are Wednesday’s transcripts:"

Toronto may not give Buffalo Bills home-field advantage vs New York Jets | Democrat and Chronicle
"Tonight, the Bills "host" the New York Jets in the second of five regular-season games Buffalo will play in Toronto as part of an agreement that deposited $78 million into the team's bank account and is supposed to expand the market base, thus providing future financial stability for the franchise."

Rochester Time Warner viewers won't see Buffalo Bills game against New York Jets | Democrat and Chronicle
"If you're a Time Warner Cable subscriber, you can watch the Buffalo Bills play the New York Jets tonight from the comfort of your home — IF you live in Buffalo, but not if you live in the Rochester area."

T.O. eager to play in T.O. when Bills host Jets | Bleacher Report
Terrell Owens is going to invite Darrelle Revis to his birthday party this weekend - after he scores on him. In the words of John Wawrow here, "Snap!"

Video: Jets will run over Bills in rematch - AFC East Blog - ESPN
With better ball control by Jets rookie Mark Sanchez , who threw five interceptions, ESPN analyst KC Joyner sees the Jets taking the rematch.

NFL Preview - N.Y. Jets (5-6) at Buffalo (4 -7)
The Sports Network previews tonight's game.

NFL Game Center: New York Jets at Buffalo Bills - 2009 Week 13
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills NFL Game Center

NFL Videos: Top 5 Jets-Bills moments
Scott Hanson counts down the top 5 Jets-Bills moments before they square off Thursday night.

NY Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez eager for another shot at Buffalo Bills | New York Jets - NJ.com
"Before Mark Sanchez can completely move forward and bring an entire organization with him, he must exorcise his personal demons from the Jets’ first meeting with the Buffalo Bills."

Bills Daily Gameday Preview
The Bills blog previews the match.

View From the Great White North
Woolsey: Hopeful Bills look to future - thestar.com
Trent Edwards' picture hangs outside the Rogers Centre next to a mural of B.J. Ryan. Both are signs that their teams are moving on.

Bills' Mace excited to play in Toronto | Football | Sports | Toronto Sun
Corey Mace is Canadian and his CFL rights belong to the Argonauts but he hopes he only plays one game a year in Toronto.

Fewell turns Bills’ offence around - The Globe and Mail
"There’s no doubting the Bills (4-7), whose season will continue tonight in Toronto at Rogers Centre with a so-called home game against the New York Jets (5-6), have been quick to embrace the go-for-broke approach of the new coach."

Owens thinks Toronto could support NFL team - sportsnet.ca
The national sports outler gives its preview of the game including T.O., Canadian players Corey Mace and the Jets' Jamaal Westerman, and the viability and success of the Toronto series.

The Sports Network - National Football League
The ESPN of Canada gives their preview for the game.

It's fourth down, what next? | Steve Simmons | Columnists | Sports | Toronto Sun
Steve Simmons lauds Ralph Wilson for not moving the Bills put chides him for not having a succession plan in place.

More Bills News
Kelly's Call: Fitz, Fewell and the future | BuffaloBills.com
"[Ryan Fitzpatrick] took the approach of letting it all hang out. As he saw it, there was little to lose and a lot to gain. From what I saw he took advantage of the situation and he didn’t wait."

Centre stage an unlikely spot for Hangartner : The Buffalo News
Jerry Sullivan profiles Buffalo's other free agent signing, center Geoff Hangartner.

Video: AFC East Huddle - AFC East Blog - ESPN
ESPN.com's John Clayton takes a look at the state of the AFC East heading into Week 13.

No drops for T.O. with new QB, coach - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Owens hasn't dropped a pass since Fewell and Fitzpatrick took over. He's also been singing Ryan Fitzpatrick's praises.

Fewell creating buzz in Buffalo - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Fewell was ringing up a 79 percent as of Wednesday morning.

Buffalo-Area Businesses Pay the Price for Bills’ Trip - NYTimes.com
Local businesses and families are severely impacted by the Bills moving one game to Canada and the loss of revenue on game day.

POLLOCK: Fewell getting a crash course as head coach | Olean Times Herald
"You come in a lot earlier and you have to watch both sides of the ball," said Fewell about the change. "Different things that come up through the day: personnel situations, practice squad situations, communication with different members of the staff, be it the training staff, the GM, personnel staff ... and that’s time consuming."

Stat Sheet Remains Mostly Empty For Evans : Buffalo Sports Daily
"While Terrell Owens has been the desire of new starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s affection, Lee Evans shopping cart for footballs has been mostly empty."

Pocket Presence: Time For a Change -- NFL FanHouse
"Buffalo's probably out of it at 4-7, but if Fitzpatrick continues to play well, they'll at least have something to build on for next season." Really?

Biggs: Vikings check out a quarterback | National Football Post
The Minnesota Vikings put veteran quarterback Gibran Hamdan through a tryout today, according to a league source. They were also working out WRs and with a solid QB position there, it makes you wonder if he wasn't just an arm.

Pro-football-reference.com blog " NFL ratings through 12 weeks
Buffalo ranks 23rd in the NFL according to PFR.

Team in Transition
All this Bills fan wants for Christmas is ... Ron Wolf! | Nick Bakay | NFL.com
"Memo to Ralph Wilson: Even if your Buffalo Bills win by seven touchdowns Thursday night on NFL Network, don't let that fool you. This team is in dire need of a major facelift."

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Trestman loves Canada
"[Marc] Trestman is happy in Quebec, and says he will not head to the NFL." Sorry CBF.

Comments on Fewell – Inside The Bills
Steve Mariucci and Mike Martz both offered their take on how Fewell has to approach things from here on out.

Bills Tweets
Kawika Mitchell
Goin back 2 Buffalo. Everything is on point w/ my leg. Doc sounds +. Time 2 build strength! May the fun begin

Aaron Maybin (from yesterday)
Focused on tomorrow....I AM the Master of My Fate. I AM the Captain of My Soul!

Sal Maiorana
I follow Aaron Maybin on Twitter. His latest tweet: "I am the Master of My Fate. I Am the Captain of My Soul!" I just wish he'd make a tackle

Poll

Do you get NFL Network at your residence?

Identifying the "crux players" on Buffalo's roster

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

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

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

Reserves: C/G Geoff Hangartner, DT Spencer Johnson

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

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

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

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

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

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

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/25

MattRichWarren — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:29:33 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

19 days ago: Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew (32) runs for second-quarter yardage as Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Spencer Johnson moves into make the tackle during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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Wilson making mark at strong safety | BuffaloBills.com
In six starts this season Wilson stands third on the team in tackles, is tied for second in forced fumbles, fourth in sacks and fifth in pass breakups. He also caught his third interception of the season last week.

Bills' Johnson lending a hand on D-line : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Spencer Johnson's (pictured above) name may not jump off the stat sheet from Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but his impact was certainly felt by interim Bills coach Perry Fewell.

Give The Ball To Brohm : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran suggests that Brian Brohm is the only potential franchise QB on the roster so he should get some playing time down the stretch this year.

Team in Transition
Bill Cowher Snubs Bills, Would Not Snub Bears Or Texans - SB Nation
Apparently Bill Cowher would be "excited" to coach the Bears or Texans. Guys - welcome to the QB quandry.

Schottenheimer says he's not a coaching candidate | ProFootballTalk.com
"I'll be very candid with you and say it's nice to think that people would consider you," Schottenheimer said, "but the reality of it is is that after 30 great years I'm really not going to go back down that road again."

Cowher isn’t shuffling off to Buffalo | National Football Post
Robert Boland says Bill Cowher may or may not be interested in Buffalo but he is not going to give away the leverage he has over the Bills and other teams. He also doesn't want the Bills to pit Shanahan against Cowher.

Schottie addresses Bills coaching rumors – Inside The Bills
Chris Brown laments the disinterest of Marty Schottenheimer because of his great coaching record.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - NFL.com's Jason LaCanfora joins THSS
"It's more just a sort of extension of where Coach Cowher is coming from in terms of having a commitment to honor right now at CBS," LaCanfora said. "He doesn't want to become a part of a coaching search while guys like Perry Fewell are trying to make a statement."

Shanahan stays on Buffalo Bills wish list | Democrat and Chronicle
A person familiar with the Bills' search told The Associated Press that the team has contacted the former Denver Broncos' coach. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Bills are not discussing the search.

Bills owner Wilson willing to write the check, but who'll cash it?
Mike Holmgren has rejected an overture from the Bills as well, presumably because he has his eye on one or more other opportunities that would likely involve him taking only a front-office position.

NFL Videos: Around the League
Will Bill Cowher coach in Buffalo next season? Get the latest on that story and more from Jascon La Caforna.

News and Notes
Dolphins vs Bills: Five Good Questions - The Phinsider
Brian Galliford of Buffalo Rumblings joins the Phinsider to discuss the Bills as we look towards Sunday's Dolphins/Bills game.

Blogger's Blitz: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham analyzes the state of the Patriots, Bills, Jets and Dolphins

Even in defeat, Fewell rouses Bills fans - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Fewell, the Buffalo Bills' interim head coach, lost his first game as Jauron's placement but as of Tuesday night was pulling down a 65 percent in SportsNation's weekly NFL head coach approval ratings.

Week 13 power rankings: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham lists the AFC East teams best wins, worst losses, and close calls. The Bills-Patriots game is both teams' close call game and the Bills win over the Jets is their worst loss.

How I See It: AFC East Stock Watch - AFC East Blog - ESPN
The Bills offensive line stock is falling - and let's face it how could it not be - and Terrell Owens stock is rising.

Buffalo City Mission's Photos | Facebook
Chris Draft, Terrell Owens, Bryan Scott, and C.J. Hawthorne helped out at the Buffalo City Mission yesterday.

Bills bring cheer to kids | BuffaloBills.com
Bills offensive lineman Kirk Chambers, linebacker Jon Corto, kicker Rian Lindell, and safety John Wendling visited with children and their families from the Women’s & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo on November 23rd.

Niagara Gazette - BILLS DVR REWIND: Small errors keep killing Bills
Tim Schmitt looks back at the Bills loss to the Jaguars to give his thoughts.

Buffalo Bills' QB situation among the worst in the NFL | Democrat and Chronicle
Bob Matthews ranks the Bills QB situation 29th in the NFL.

Bills Tweets
Kawika Mitchell
rehab is goin good. Healin up and storin up energy

Aaron Maybin
just got done serving dinner to over 300 kids and their families in downtown buffalo. Great time!

Adam Caplan
Source said they brought in a young guard today, no name guy.RT @mdschmidt: @caplannfl Any word on other OLs Buffalo might be pursuing?

Donte Whitner
Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strength.when u go through hardship and decide not to surrenderthat strenth

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/23

MattRichWarren — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:24:49 -0000

Tyron Brackenridge saves the day for Jaguars | Jacksonville.com
Though he got torched for T.O.'s long TD, Brackenridge made up for it with a pass deflection on Buffalo's last drive and a fumble recovery on a Jags muffed punt.

Healing process will be lengthy one for this battered franchise : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
Jerry Sullivan frames his game recap recalling how Kyle Williams looked like a mummy after the game following his trip to the trainers.

Lynch thinks he'll be fine | ProFootballTalk.com
Despite being carted off the field with a shoulder injury during the first half of Sunday's loss to the Jaguars, Bills running back Marshawn Lynch believes he'll be fine, a league source tells us.

Game Recaps
Quarterly report: Bills-Jaguars : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan breaks down the game quarter by quarter with stats and key plays. He also mentions attendance was about 40k.

Bills' game effort grounded by penalties, miscues : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The Buffalo Bills played another valiant-in-defeat game Sunday. It was the kind of loss that brings a head coach respect early in his tenure but ridicule later on."

Bills-Jaguars report card : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Running game gets an "F" while the run defense gets a deserved "A".

Bills notebook: Broken leg ends Wood's rookie season : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The Buffalo Bills' already crippled offensive line suffered a devastating blow Sunday as rookie right guard Eric Wood sustained a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula in the fourth quarter of an 18-15 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

T.O. finally gets his close-up : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The veteran wide receiver finally had his breakout game in a Bills uniform. He finished with nine catches for 197 yards, including a 98-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Jags outlast Bills | BuffaloBills.com
Chris Brown's recap of the game.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Immediate Reactions, Wk11
Nick Mendola's immediate reactions following the Jaguars game.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Jaguars Spoil Fewell's Debut To Top Bills 18-15
WGR's game recap.

Ryan Fitzpatrick's nice effort for Buffalo Bills wiped out by mistakes | Democrat and Chronicle
Sal Maiorana gives five points he saw in the Bills loss.

Buffalo Bills 2-minute read | Democrat and Chronicle
Sal Maiorana gives his to-the-point take on the loss.

Buffalo Bills report card | Democrat and Chronicle
No "F" in Sal Maiorana's grading session.

Buffalo Bills lose Fewell's debut on late TD | Democrat and Chronicle
Perry Fewell's wife Kathleen was at the game and gave her husband a big hug after the game. Sometimes you just need a hug.

Bills @Jacksonville The View from the Stadium - Big Cat Country
Associate Editor from Big Cat Country, Tkopa, was at the game and offered this analysis from Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.

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

Wrap-up: Jaguars 18, Bills 15 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham wraps up the game against the Jaguars.

Terrell Owens breaks Buffalo Bills' franchise history with 98-yard touchdown | Jacksonville.com
Terrell Owens has had great personal success in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium but his team has never won there.

Bills Daily Gameday Grades
Bills Daily hands out their grades for the Bills performance in Jacksonville.

Bills Daily Gameday Review
Bills Daily has a recap of the game.

Scott Pitoniak: Another Bills defeat, but encouraging signs in Fewell's debut
The Rochester writer gives his thought on the Bills 18-15 loss to the Jaguars.

Injuries, Mistakes Waste Owens’ Big Day in 18-15 Loss : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran sounds sad as he writes his postgame recap.

At Least He’s Happy | The Goose's Roost
"Just when you thought the season couldn’t get any weirder, this game happens." Yup. The "he" in the title is T.O.

Team in Transition
Sunday at the Post | National Football Post
"No matter who gets the Bills job, the fact that owner Ralph Wilson is always so involved will make it hard for him to give full control to anyone. " - Michael Lombardi

Jim Haslett seems a perfect match for Buffalo Bills next head coach -- OrlandoSentinel.com
"Obviously being from that area (grew up in Pennsylvania) and having played for that team (Bills), it makes sense," Haslett said of the possibility that he might be considered. "Obviously it would be a great opportunity, but who knows what will happen."

Brandon Has "No Comment" on Coaching Situation | wgrz.com
Channel 2's Adam Benigni is in Jacksonville today and tried to approach Bills GM Russ Brandon about the coaching position and the progress they are making in selecting a new head coach. Brandon had no comment.

Fewell May Make Bills Transition Less Painful | wgrz.com
Ed Kilgore says the Bills have a long way to go to change the organization and it looks like Russ Brandon is going to be leading the charge.

Sharpe comments on Bills-Shanahan - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"I had a great conversation with Mike Shanahan this morning," said former Bronco Shannon Sharpe. "He is going to interview this week at some point in time." Boomer Esiason added this for some reason: "He's not going to Buffalo."

Shannon Sharpe on what it takes to land Shanahan : Buffalo Sports Daily
Boomer Esaison also said Perry Fewell is not a candidate for the job after Bill Cowher said Fewell could win the position.

Report: Wilson ready to spend $10M - AFC East Blog - ESPN
NFL Network reporter Jason LaCanfora shared what he was hearing about the Buffalo Bills' coaching search on NFL Gameday Morning.

Mariucci rips firing of Jauron | ProFootballTalk.com
Steve Mariucci (who himself was fired midseason and replaced by good friend Dick Jauron) ripped the Bills for firing their coach before the season was over.

Friends gather to watch Cramerton native's NFL coaching debut | cramerton, native, coaching - Gaston Gazette
A bunch of Perry Fewell's high school buddies got together and watched the game at a local establishment.

News and Notes
Bud Adams makes nice with Bills fans | ProFootballTalk.com
Bud Adams took out a full page ad in today's Buffalo News to wish the Bills good luck for the rest of the season as a peace offering following his inappropriate gesture last week.

Titans Owner Bud Adams Buys Newspaper Ad to Send Good Wishes to Buffalo | wgrz.com
Video evidence that Bud Adams actually apologized.

T.O. passes Harrison with 98-yard play | ProFootballTalk.com
On the long touchdown, Terrell Owens passed Marvin Harrison for fourth on the all-time receiving yardage list.

WK 11 Can't-Miss Play: T-Oh! (:49) | BuffaloBills.com Video Gallery
Relive Ryan Fitzpatrick to Terrell Owens covering 98 yards in one play.

A look at T.O.'s 98-yard touchdown - AFC East Blog - ESPN
A few notes on Buffalo Bills receiver Terrell Owens' 98-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Marshawn’s 3rd annual Turkey Drive today – Inside The Bills
Marshawn Lynch's family and friends handed out turkeys today to needy families in Lynch's hometown of Oakland.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- The 98-yard pass play from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Terrell Owens was the longest TD pass in Bills history. [Ed. note: A shiny atta-boy to the person who can name the two who previously held the record.]
- Coach Perry Fewell said QB Ryan Fitzpatrick called an audible on the 98-yard touchdown pass to WR Terrell Owens. "He saw one-on-one [coverage] and pulled the trigger."
- WR Terrell Owens (197 yards) had his biggest day as a Bills receiver. "For me, personally, it is all for nothing when you don't get the win."

T.O.'s gift: the shirt off his back | Jacksonville.com
Continuing a trend with Owens, he gave Mike Sims-Walker his jersey after the game.

Bills Tweets
Thurman Thomas
Remember when u tried to get ur ass home b4 the street lights came on. Remember whe u cld say the entire Pledge of Alligance all the way through. Remember when the Bills use to make the Playoffs

Kawika Mitchell
BS aside... If u look @ the Bills performed, the way we faught today and how close we always r which I kno isn't new but we're rite there.

Kawkia Mitchell
I'm def not saying we dont have a lot of ish to work on. I'm sayin that I feel like we can b gr8. who knows tho? Its gotta happen 1st and theres going 2 b a lot of changes... We'll c.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/17

MattRichWarren — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:41:14 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

26 days ago: Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) scores a touchdown on a one-yard run ahead of Buffalo Bills linebacker Nic Harris, right, in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Browse more photos »

DE Schobel Questions Bills Lack Of Direction -- NFL FanHouse
"I mean, we're technically, mathematically still in it, I guess," said Aaron Schobel, "but it's like what ... are we doing here?"

Obscene Gesture Costs Adams $250K -- NFL FanHouse
The NFL has fined Titans owner Bud Adams $250,000 for making an obscene gesture at Buffalo fans while celebrating Tennessee's victory over the Bills.

Jauron on Whitner situation – Inside The Bills
Basically Whitner was dressed to play in an emergency situation, but was still not 100 percent recovered from the severe bone bruise on his ankle.

Jauron to announce starting QB Wednesday | BuffaloBills.com
Chris Brown says the offense hasn't looked much different with Trent Edwards or Ryan Fitzpatrick starting. The team won't make a decision on the starter until Wednesday.

Jauron not optimistic about Bell – Inside The Bills
Demetrius Bell’s injured knee won’t be re-evaluated until later Monday, but Dick Jauron was not optimistic about his status moving forward.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
Bills DT Kyle Williams - one of Buffalo's best defenders this season - is hoping to return this week from a torn MCL. "I’m hoping this week, but I don’t know ... it’s better than it was last week," Williams said. "I tore that ligament and they say it’s just at time issue."

Bills rookie Byrd continues fine season - AFC East Blog - ESPN
The last time a player had at least eight interceptions in five games was Tommy Morrow for the Oakland Raiders in 1963.

Bills notebook: Jauron won't say if Edwards is starter: The Buffalo News
Ever true to his guarded approach, Bills coach Dick Jauron would not say whether Trent Edwards will be under center Sunday when the team visits Jacksonville.

Bud Adams Fined $250K for Flipping off the Bills - Music City Miracles
Bud Adams fined $250K for the Music City Salute. The MCM blog says that's way too high. I agree.

Buffalo Bills Replay: Where does team go from here? | Democrat and Chronicle
Sal Maiorana and Leo Roth go back and forth on the future of the Bills.

Music City Meltdown | Democrat and Chronicle | Three-Point Stance
Here’s a few things Sal Maiorana would do if he was calling the shots at One Bills Drive: start Trent Edwards, start Fred Jackson, get rid of Terrell Owens and start James Hardy, say goodbye to Donte Whitner, play Aaron Maybin, let Roscoe Parrish return punts, and get Shawn Nelson more involved.

Jauron Hints At Changes In Presser : Buffalo Sports Daily
Personnel decisions are aplenty with injuries and poor play across the board.

POLLOCK: These Bills are a team in disarray | Olean Times Herald
"What a mess," says Chuck Pollack.

Jeff Nixon: "Head Games" : Buffalo Sports Daily
The former Bill looks at concussions and the NFL in light of Trent Edwards' return from the injury.

Kawika chops the hair! – Inside The Bills
Bills LB Kawika Mitchell, whose season is over due to a knee injury suffered a month ago, made a bold decision recently to cut his long locks off. Photo there.

Latest Meltdown Has Bills’ Season On Verge Of Imploding : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran likens the Bills to Amy Winehouse in the meltdown department as he gives his game recap.

Niagara Gazette - BILLS DVR REWIND: Bad decision accelerates Bills’ implosion
Tim Schmitt looks back at the Bills loss in Tennessee focusing in on the last 3:30 minutes of play.

Notebook: Byrd is again the word | BuffaloBills.com
Dan Bates gives some positive notes from the Titans loss featuring Jairus Byrd, Lee Evans, T.O., and the OL reshuffle.

Statement from Titans Owner K.S. 'Bud' Adams, Jr. | Titansonline.com
The full text from Bud Adams double-finger apology.

High pick in cards for Bills : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
Jerry Sullivan recounts a meeting with Rex Carr at Cole's Monday discussing the demise of the Bills and the upcoming offseason.

Owens Sums it Up: What's New? | wgrz.com
Adam Benigni poses the question to key parts of the Bills and comes up with the answer "nothing".

Identifying the core of the Buffalo Bills' roster

Brian Galliford — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:00:05 -0000

by John Russell - AP

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Welcome, Buffalo Bills fans, to yet another "coping with disastrous football" post. The Bills, as I'm sure you're aware, lost 41-17 on the road to the Tennessee Titans yesterday; the loss puts the Bills at 3-6 under Dick Jauron for the first time since 2006, Jauron's first season in Buffalo. The players have been awful, the coaching staff is officially in "play out the string" territory, and that broad, sweeping change that fans have called for since December of 2008 is probably coming after seven weeks are up.

As brutal as it may be to watch the Bills during that two-month stretch, there's still plenty we can learn. The front office and the coaching staff will probably have new faces come next February. (Read that as me being hopeful on the former, and realistic on the latter.) But in all likelihood, many of the faces you currently see on game days will still be donning red, white and blue in 2010 and beyond.

This post is the first of a three-part series in which we'll attempt to segment the Bills' roster up to accurately pinpoint where change is not only most-needed, but most likely. Up first for discussion: those Bills players who are likely to be in Buffalo far longer than many of their teammates. After the jump, you'll find three groups of these players, as well as your task for the comments section. Here's hoping you find the discussion therapeutic.

Criteria
In order to qualify for this first group of players, one must have a contract that has at least three years remaining on it at the start of the 2010 season; in other words, all of these players are locked up in Buffalo through either 2013 or 2014. That qualifies 19 players for this list, but we'll only discuss 17. Sorry, fans of Nic Harris and Ellis Lankster, but your guys are fringe prospects and all too easy to release at any point, particularly under the employ of a new decision-making hierarchy.

The unknown status of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the possible free agency rules changes has little to no effect on this list. All veterans that have been in the league for a number of years remain unchanged, while the young players on the list (four years or less of experience) will only see the status of their free agency change (from unrestricted to restricted), likely increasing their time in Buffalo, in most cases.

We've split these 17 players into three groups: the veteran core, the youth core, and the vets whose roles would be dependent on how a new decision-making hierarchy attempted to address the team's bigger issues.

The veteran core (7 players)
These are players whose contracts meet the above criteria and who are veterans, either age-wise or experience-wise, with established reputations across the league. They are all players that have significant roles with the team, as well, and would likely hold onto significant roles, at least initially, in a regime change. These players will likely be the heart and soul of Bills football for the next few years.

Fred Jackson, RB - Signed through 2013. Cheap, versatile player who leaves everything on the field and makes plays.
Lee Evans, WR - Signed through 2013. Is proving this season that he can make big plays when he has help.
Aaron Schobel, DE - Signed through 2014. On the down side of his career, but can still produce, and is very consistent.
Marcus Stroud, DT - Signed through 2013. Again, on the down side, but still a more-than-capable starter in a 4-3.
Kawika Mitchell, LB - Signed through 2013. If he can start at LB on a Super Bowl champion, he can do it in Buffalo, too.
Terrence McGee, CB - Signed through 2014. Has enjoyed a consistent, successful career at a premium position.
Brian Moorman, P - Signed through 2013. Still an excellent punter and a fantastic teammate/community member.

The youth core (6 players)
These players meet the above criteria contract-wise, but carry far less established professional resumes. These six players' development - or lack thereof - will have a critical effect on how a new regime will address future iterations of the Buffalo Bills, but for now, their status as Bills players worth building around remains intact.

Shawn Nelson, TE - Signed through 2013. Great physical talent in need of playing time. Minor injuries are concerning.
Andy Levitre, OG - Signed through 2013. Versatile, plays the game the right way. Inconsistent, makes too many errors.
Eric Wood, C - Signed through 2014. Listed as a center because that's where he belongs. Also inconsistent.
Aaron Maybin, DE - Signed through 2014. Like the pick or not, his potential still remains through the roof. Needs PT.
Leodis McKelvin, CB - Signed through 2013. Elite talent at premium position, but has had two disappointing seasons.
Jairus Byrd, S - Signed through 2013. Ceiling may be somewhat limited, but has proven he's an elite ball hawk.

Veterans awaiting roles (4 players)
Again, these players meet contractual criteria and should be in Buffalo for the foreseeable future. These players might not be guaranteed much in the way of starting positions or playing time, however, under a new regime.

Brad Butler, OT - Signed through 2013. Has been dependable as a starter, but is a major risk for injury every season.
Geoff Hangartner, G/C - Signed through 2013. Disappointing as a center, but hard to ignore versatility and experience.
Kyle Williams, DT - Signed through 2013. Again, dependable, but new staff might view him as only rotation-worthy.
Spencer Johnson, DT - Signed through 2013. See Williams. Probably sees PT, but DT might be an upgrade area.

Your task
That's it. 17 players who are probably going to be Bills for a while, split into three pretty-easy-to-define areas in terms of how new regimes will view them. Your task for the comments section: split all 17 of these names into starters and non-starters. That's it. Only list a name as a starter if you think they could start for a playoff-caliber football team. My guess is that, at least for this part of the series, opinions will be pretty universal. Have at it, folks.

Titans 41, Bills 17: Week 10 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:32:03 -0000

by John Russell - AP

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Call this ripping the band-aid off quickly, or pinching your nose to avoid the bad taste. I typically run film reviews on Tuesdays, but I couldn't force myself to watch a second of Buffalo Bills football on an otherwise valuable Monday evening. So this is the short, get-it-over-with-quickly version of what we usually do on Tuesdays. I sincerely doubt many of you will mind, given the sad state of affairs that was the Bills' 41-17 loss yesterday to the Tennessee Titans.

To discuss (briefly): Trent Edwards and the quarterbacks, Alex Van Pelt, the offensive line, John McCargo, the linebackers, Jairus Byrd and Dick Jauron.

On Trent Edwards and the quarterbacks. Edwards' numbers weren't as awful as they've been before on Sunday (18/28, 185 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT), but if you watch closely, you see a quarterback that is completely and utterly shell-shocked, and it's leading to breakdowns in his game. He's even struggling to take the snap and cleanly get into his drop consistently. His throws, particularly in the second half, were erratic and lacked precision. Edwards doesn't play like he trusts anyone - his line, his receivers, or himself. Yes, he made a few big plays in the passing game - and yes, he's still clearly a much better quarterback than Ryan Fitzpatrick - but I'm ready to officially declare him the latest in a long line of failed experiments at quarterback in Buffalo.

On the Wildcat and Alex Van Pelt. Folks - it really, really sucks to be Alex Van Pelt. Get that into your head. The man has proven this season that he knows how to set big plays up. Terrell Owens' reverse for a TD? Set up by Van Pelt's faking the reverse. Fred Jackson's Wildcat TD throw to Lee Evans? Set up by Van Pelt's extended use of it on back-to-back plays over the last two games. The man clearly has a knack for setting the table for his players to execute. But his players rarely execute, and his offensive line's enormous amount of miscues and terrible quarterback play overshadows his solid play-calling. As you recall, Van Pelt was made the offensive coordinator just days prior to this season after the firing of Turk Schonert. Now, with Dick Jauron's tenure in Buffalo likely to last only another seven games, Van Pelt's one shot to be an NFL coordinator might be wasted despite his putting in some good efforts.

On the offensive line. No, Andy Levitre was not OK at left tackle, folks. There's a reason the Bills drafted him to play guard - he's a good player, but he's not an NFL-caliber tackle. He struggled on the edge. But to be fair, Levitre wasn't the only one who struggled. Edwards was sacked twice and forced to scramble or throw the ball away at least another half-dozen times. The line as a whole committed another five false starts, which has gotten to the point where the penalties are so redundant that it's laughable. There is solid talent up front, but when are these guys going to start showing that they get it?

On John McCargo. Given this was the ninth game in McCargo's fourth season as a pro, it's probably too late to expect him to stay in Buffalo based on any of a number of solid performances he has a chance to put up the rest of the season. He's been a complete non-factor after the Bills drafted him in the first round in 2006, but to his credit, he came to play on Sunday. McCargo may have been Buffalo's best defensive lineman in Tennessee; I realize that isn't saying much, given the dominant performance of Chris Johnson, but McCargo piled up five tackles and was far more active than he's ever been in his career. Clearly, the performance will likely fall under the "too little, too late" umbrella, but McCargo is good enough to kick around in this league for a while as a reserve.

On the play of the linebackers, Poz in particular. I know everyone here is very anti-Paul Posluszny at the moment. Poz had another typical week, finding himself behind plays far too often and making himself a factor in the backfield far too infrequently. Many will continue to point out his ugly missed tackle in the fourth quarter that led to Johnson's second TD, which also happened to be the game-winning points. He's very obviously having an awful season. I still think he's a legitimate NFL-caliber starting linebacker. He might even be able to do it at middle linebacker, but the Tampa 2 is not his friend. His talents are wasted in a gap-control defense. Poz needs to be in a system similar to Minnesota's, where he's got massive tackles in front of him and can flow to the football in a more natural manner. He'll never be a dominant defender, but we don't have enough information to condemn him further than "he's having a bad season."

As for the rest of the linebackers? Not much to say. I thought Bryan Scott did about as well as could have been reasonably expected playing a new position. Even with the healthy return of Kawika Mitchell in 2010, this position is still very obviously the Achilles heel of Buffalo's defense.

On Jairus Byrd. Go vote this kid into the Pro Bowl. He's now got eight interceptions on the season after picking off Vince Young, giving him the NFL lead as well as picks in each of his last five games. He might be the elite ball hawk in the NFL, at least this season. Rarely do you see rookies make the most of their opportunities. Byrd is still very much a one-dimensional presence - he struggled against the run once again yesterday - but Buffalo might actually have an elite player on their team. He just produces.

On Dick Jauron. After guiding the Bills to a 24-32 record in his first 56 games as head coach of the Bills, this game may have been the straw that broke the camel's back for Jauron. No, the team didn't look discernibly better or worse than it has all season, but for the first time with the team, Jauron coached as if he had little to no confidence in his team on the whole. The decision to decline a holding penalty and let Rob Bironas kick a 51-yard field goal to give the Titans a 27-17 lead spoke solely of a complete lack of confidence in his defense. The decision to pull Edwards late in the fourth quarter for no glaringly apparent reason spoke of a man who literally has run out of options at the game's most critical position and is just flying by the seat of his pants. Jauron is a professional, and he'll get all he can from his troops over the next seven weeks. After that, the odds of Jauron being in Buffalo are astonishingly small.