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The NFL Trade Deadline: What to Expect from the Kansas City Chiefs

Chris Thorman — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:56:12 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

Is LB Derrick Johnson on the trading block? (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

The NFL trade deadline is on Tuesday at 4 PM Eastern time. Will the Kansas City Chiefs be involved in any trades?

Maybe to unlikely.

I say that based on the fact that there aren't very many trades in the NFL in general, even as the trade deadline approaches.

To gauge the Chiefs' chances of making a trade and to see what types of players that may be involved, I did what we always do now when we're guessing what the Chiefs are going to do - look back and see what the Patriots did.

I went back to 2001 and pulled out the player for player and the player for picks trades that the New England Patriots made. The Chiefs general manager, Scott Pioli, was the Director of Player Personnel in New England starting in 2001 before becoming the Vice President of Player Personnel in 2002. So, yeah, he had a hand in these trades to say the least.

Before you hit the jump, here are a few observations:

The Patriots made 12 player/player or player/picks trades since 2001
They never made an October trade
The Patriots had some great value trades but also made some trades that completely backfired
They were quick to cut loose players with problems (off the field, contract issues and injuries)
They traded for six players and traded away six players
They never traded away a first round pick for a player

After the jump, I take a look at each of these 12 trades. Let us know what you think about who/if the Chiefs will trade after reading what Pioli did in New England for the last 8 seasons.

2002

Pioli got: Green Bay's 2002 4th round pick (117th overall) and conditional 2003 draft pick

Pioli gave up: WR Terry Glenn

March 8th

Glenn was in his sixth season and coming off a 2001 season where he only played four games. Bill Belichick deactivated Glenn for most of the '01 season for off the field problems. Glenn played the 2003 season in Green Bay before being shipped off to Dallas.

Pioli got: Buffalo's 2003 1st round pick

Pioli gave up: QB Drew Bledsoe

April 21st

Bledsoe was also in his sixth season when he was traded from New England. I don't want to get too detailed with this trade since we all know the circumstances. Bledsoe injured; Tom Brady comes in; The world loves Tom Brady.

2003

Pioli got: Houston's 5th round pick (154th overall)

Pioli gave up: T Greg Randall

March 6th

Randall was originally drafted by the Patriots in the 4th round of the 2000 draft and played a backup right tackle role for them. Not a bad drop off in trade value after three years - only one round.

Pioli got: New Orlean's 3rd round pick (81st overall), 7th round pick (239th overall) and the Saints 4th round pick in the 2004 draft (113th overall)

Pioli gave up: S Tebucky Jones

April 14th

Jones was drafted by the Patriots in the first round of the 1998 draft. He was franchised in 2003, which accounts for the high number of draft picks that the Pats received from the Saints.

Jones returned to the Pats in 2006 and just recently was in the news because he is suing the Patriots for malpractice essentially.

Pioli got: NT Ted Washington (from Chicago)

Pioli gave up: 2004 4th round pick (104th overall)

August 19th

If you run the 3-4, you need a nose tackle. And there aren't a lot of guys who are well-suited as Washington to do that. Washington was in his 12th year in the NFL when this trade happened and he only played one season for the Patriots.

Pioli got: G Jamil Soriano (From Chicago)

Pioli gave up: Conditional draft pick

August 26th

Not much to read into this trade. Soriano was in and off the Patriots practice squad in the 2003 season after giving up a conditional pick to get him from the Bears. He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted college free agent.

2004

Pioli got: RB Corey Dillon (From Bengals)

Pioli gave up: 2nd round pick (56th overall)

April 19th

After seven seasons with the Bengals, Dillon came to New England and rushed for over 1,600 yards in the 2004 season. He would play two more seasons in New England before retiring.

2005

Pioli got: CB Duane Starks (from Cardinals) and Arizona's 5th round pick (145th overall)

Pioli gave up: 3rd round pick (95th overall) and 5th round pick (168th overall)

March 4th

Essentially giving up a 3rd round pick for Starks, the Patriots released him after just one season. He was the 10th overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft and only played in seven games for the Pats. He was put on injured reserve after a shoulder injury.

2006

Pioli got: DL Johnathan Sullivan

Pioli gave up: WR Bethel Johnson

June 6th

Johnson was a 2nd round pick by the Patriots in 2003. The Patriots decided to trade the disappointing receiver for what would be an even bigger disappointment - Johnathan Sullivan. He was the 6th overall pick in the 2003 draft but was arrested on drug charges just weeks after signing with the Pats.

The Patriots released Sullivan the following October. He didn't play a snap for New England.

Pioli got: Seahawks' 2007 1st round pick (24th overall)

Pioli gave up: WR Deion Branch

September 11th

Branch was drafted with the final pick in the second round by the Patriots in 2002. After being named the Super Bowl MVP in 2005, the Pats pulled the wool over the eyes of the Seahawks and traded Branch away for...a first round pick. Branch and the Patriots were having contract issues and as the pattern shows, the Patriots ditched their problem player.

This trade should be made literally every time it is offered to a team.

2007

Pioli got: WR Wes Welker

Pioli gave up: 2nd round pick (60th overall) and 7th round pick (238th overall)

March 5th

Welker had played three NFL seasons when he came to New England. He would play in every game over the next two seasons, catching 112 and 111 passes respectively. I consider this a good trade by the Patriots because of their plethora of draft picks at the time and the fact that Welker so clearly fit their system.

Pioli got: WR Randy Moss (from Oakland)

Pioli gave up: 4th round pick (110th overall)

April 29th

We all know about this trade too. Moss to New England. Brady to Moss. All year long.

2009

Pioli got: QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel

Pioli gave up: 2nd round pick (34th overall)

February 28th

Even though the jury is still out on this trade, I think it's safe to say that at the time it was a great value for what we got.

Chime in with your thoughts in the comment section.

Which players do you think are on the trading block based on Pioli's trade history?

Poll

Will the Chiefs make a trade before the Tuesday trade deadline?

Yes

246 votes

No

254 votes

Maybe

100 votes

600 votes | Poll has closed

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.

Top 50 All-Time Bills, No. 34: DE Phil Hansen

Kurupt — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:00:13 -0000

DE Phil Hansen (1991-2001) | 6'5", 278 lbs.

Notable Achievements: Division II Hall of Fame, North Dakota Sports Hall of Fame

Phillip Allen Hansen was born on May 20, 1968 in Oakes, North Dakota. He grew up on his family's 4,000-acre farm and attended Oakes High School. He became a two-time all conference selection in high school, playing on the defensive line, the offensive line, at LB and at RB. After high school he stayed in his home state, attending North Dakota State University, and became one of the best defensive players in Division II history. While at NDSU, he helped lead the Bison to a pair of national championships in 1988 and 1990. He was the anchor of a very good defense for three seasons and earned All-American honors twice, while the team went 42-7-1 during his tenure, including a pair of undefeated 14-0 seasons when they won the national title.

Hansen matched the school record with 41 sacks and set a school record with 32 career pass break-ups. He also earned plenty of accolades for his play. Hansen was named All-North Central Conference and the league's Most Valuable Player twice during his career. He played in three college all-star games following his senior season - the East-West Shrine game, the Blue-Gray Football Classic, and the All-American Classic. He was also named to the NCAA Division II "Team of the Quarter Century," where he was the top vote-getter among defensive linemen. Finally, he was named Small College Defensive Lineman of the Year by the NFL Draft Report after his final season. These honors, along with his excellent play on the field, opened the eyes of many NFL draft scouts. The Bills were lucky enough to grab Hansen with their second round pick in 1991, the No. 54 overall selection. He would go on to play 11 seasons for the team and retired as one of the best defensive ends in team history.

Career Highlights
From the minute Phil Hansen set foot in Buffalo, he was the epitome of the city and what endears many players to fans. He was as humble, hard-working and down-to-earth as any player in Bills history, and his achievements speak for that. He was a well respected figure in the locker room, on the field, in the community and pretty much wherever he went. Hansen was an immediate contributor helping to stabilize the Bills' talented 3-4 defense opposite Bruce Smith. Hansen's rookie season got off to a quick start as he started in his very first game on September 8, 1991 against the Dolphins in place of an ailing Bruce Smith, who missed much of the season with a knee injury. Hansen recorded his first sack on November 24th against the Patriots, ended up starting 10 games and would end the season making the All-Rookie team that year.

His second season was really a jumping off point for the rest of a very solid career in Buffalo. Hansen became a full-time starter in 1992 and never looked back. He finished with a very productive (and much needed these days) 8 sacks, second to Smith, and 64 tackles. He also recorded a sack in 6 consecutive games, tying Smith's team record set in 1986. After his impressive regular season, he stepped up to have a productive postseason that year, as well. In the Comeback Game against the Oilers Hansen posted a team high 11 tackles and followed that up with a deflection of a Dan Marino pass in the AFC Championship Game that he was able to corral for an interception.

After his breakout 1992 season, Hansen struggled a bit through an injury-riddled 1993 season due to a foot injury, playing in just 11 games. He finished with 2.5 sacks and 43 tackles. After his down year, Hansen came back strong the next year and would not miss another game until 1998. He had another steady, yet unspectacular 1994 season finishing with 5.5 sacks and 71 tackles. Hansen got even better in 1995 and ended up having arguably his best season. He added 10 sacks, which was amazingly just third on the team that year, and 76 tackles. Over the next four seasons he was able to produce 27.5 sacks finishing with at least 6 sacks in each season. Age and a knee injury really hurt his productivity after his run of consistent, productive season at Left End opposite Smith. In the 2000 season, at the age of 32, Hansen would play in just 10 games due to a knee injury and his statistics suffered. He finished with a career low 2 sacks and just 27 tackles. In 12 starts during his final season in 2001, Hansen would finish with 3 sacks, 30 tackles and his lone regular season interception. The Bills finished the season 3-13 and Hansen decided to leave on his own terms:

Any time you play for more than a couple years in the National Football League you always think about retirement, especially Monday mornings after Sunday games. But for a defensive lineman - playing 11 years - that's almost above and beyond the call of duty.

I wanted to leave the game on my own terms. I didn't want to be cut or traded.

He had waited until the end of the season to announce his retirement to avoid being a distraction to his teammates. Never one to draw attention to himself, that was an admirable move for an 11-year vet who know it would be his last season. For his career, Hansen finished second in Bills' history with 61.5 sacks. He left the game the same way he came into the league, quietly, professionally and full of class:

At the time of his retirement speech, Hansen stated that he didn't want to be a distraction to his teammates, this being his reason for waiting till the season was over until calling it quits. He went on to thank the assistant trainers, ball boys, parking attendants and maintenance people. These are people that aren't even listed in the Bills media guide but Phil Hansen knew them all by their first names.

Best Moment
Besides his play during the 1992 postseason, Hansen had numerous individual moments that stood out. Chris Brown believes his best one came during the 1997 season:

Hansen’s most memorable play came on Oct. 5, 1997 when Hansen broke a 13-13 tie with two minutes remaining in the game by dropping Detroit’s Barry Sanders for a safety in his own end zone in what wound up being a Bills 22-13 victory.

Parting Shot
There were many former Bills that were far more talented that Phil Hansen, but few matched his intensity, professionalism, modesty and overall gritty play. He was a perfect fit in Buffalo, a blue-collar player for a city that adored that trait. Hansen will always be an underappreciated player because he played in the shadow of guys like Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett, Darryl Talley, Bryce Paup and Ted Washington during his career. He never earned a Pro Bowl bid and was probably a no-name in other NFL cities. It's a shame Hansen was never fully recognized for his play on the field because he was as deserving as most. He is likely more appreciated by his former teammates than by Bills fan simply because of how overlooked he was. Maybe he'll get his day in the sun in the near future with a place on the Bills Wall of Fame. I'd hardly argue against his inclusion.

Marv Levy remembers the type of player Hansen was in his book, Where Else Would You Rather Be? with a recollection of one of the forgotten big plays from the Comeback Game:

The Oilers came roaring back. They crammed 12 plays into the next two minutes and 45 seconds. They kept moving the chains, and they kept drawing closer and closer to our goal line. There were under 20 seconds left to play, and they were at our 25-yard line. Moon faded back for another pass attempt. Barreling in from our defensive left end position came second-year man Phil Hansen, who had played at an intensity level rarely seen even in the NFL. As he leapt into the air in his attempt to block Moon's throw, a Houston blocker attacked his legs and sent him on a twisting somersault that culminated with Phil landing on the ground in jarring fashion flat on his back. Houston had been setting up a screen pass to our left, which they now threw out to their star running back, Lorenzo White.

White caught the perfectly thrown ball and with three big offensive linemen arrayed in front of him, he headed upfield for what appeared to be an unimpeded path to the touchdown that would break our hearts. He was speeding toward the goal line when a human missile hurled itself from behind at White's ankles, tripped him up, and sent him sprawling to the turf eight yards short of the end zone. It was Phil, who, the instant he had hit the ground, had bounced up and gave frantic (and seemingly hopeless) chase. Many moments in that historic game have been recounted in the years that followed, but I will always remember that if we had not had a man at that position with the fiber and character qualities of Phil Hansen, we wouldn't have won that game.

We still hadn't won it at that exact moment, either. With just a few seconds remaining, Houston kicked a field goal. The score was tied 38-38. The game went into overtime. ~p.373

That's quite the compliment.

Career Stats
156 games, 148 starts
61.5 sacks (No. 3 in franchise history)
870 total tackles (No. 6)
8 forced fumbles (No. 7)
10 fumble recoveries (No. 7)
135 quarterback pressures
1 interception

Phil Hansen teamed up with Bryce Paup to give Dan Marino what he deserved.
(photo source)

Tampa 2, Cover 2; What do the Bears do?

Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:31:45 -0000

There's been other blogs that looked at what the Bears do defensively, other breakdowns done, but coming from a coaching/teaching perspective, it's best to learn through repetition. I may touch on something that makes sense in a way that was misunderstood before, or I may hit on something that was overlooked in past posts. So what exactly are the Bears trying to do on Defense? Find out after the Jump...

The Bears play their version of the Cover 2 that Lovie Smith learned and help implement while working along side Tony Dungy and Monte Kiffin in Tampa Bay (the Tampa 2), and that Tony Dungy learned while playing in Pittsburgh under Chuck Noll and Bud Carson. At it's simplest the Cover 2 means the 2 safeties play a deep zone, each taking half the field, and what ever combination of corners and linebackers are on the field will play 5 underneath zones. The most important factor in playing any variation of the Cover 2 defense successfully is speed.

The Cover 2 look is often criticized as being a bend but don't break defense. Offenses are able to pick up small chunks in the passing game and slowly move downfield. By sitting in the zone there are natural pockets a good QB can exploit. If a receiver finds a hole and makes a catch, in theory, the speed of the defense will converge and punish any potential ball carrier. Through the repeated beatings receivers eventually get alligator arms or start dropping the ball in fear.

Tampa 2 coaches always stress turnovers, and because they want a swarming fast defense, you'll always see guys trying to strip the ball. In theory, 1st guy wraps the ball carrier, 2nd guy in attempts the strip. Some players can do both on the tackle. Charles Tillman is one of the best at wrapping up and stripping in the same motion. You'll see the pass rushers going for the strip while trying to sack the QB.

Without a doubt, the biggest variation between the Cover 2 and the Tampa 2 is the middle linebacker will sprint down the middle of the field thus actually turning the defense into a Cover 3. The MLB is responsible for his usual short zone as he runs through it, and his deep middle zone as he gets to it. By the MLB doing this it takes away some of the coverage weaknesses of the Cover 2. If the football gods made a Tampa 2 MLB, they'd make a tall (6'4"), lean but big (260), with sideline to sideline speed, and that has good coverage skills, ideally a player that has played safety, basically Brian Urlacher. His height makes it harder to dump passes over his head between the two safeties, and his speed makes it hard to attack the seams like many teams do against the Cover 2. The Bears defensive scheme sometimes takes Urlacher away from the action, and that allows blockers to get into him on occasion.

If there's one thing I hear that just ticks me off is complaints that the Bears D-Line needs to keep the blockers off Urlacher. Nope. Wrong. That is such a pet peeve of mine. That isn't the basis of what the Bears do defensively. The Bears ask their defenders to attack 1 gap and 1 gap only, not to take up space. Back when the Bears had behemoth DT's Keith Traylor and Ted Washington, their scheme asked those 2 tackles to tie up the offensive center and guards as they had 2 gap responsibility. A quick word on gaps; between the center and guard is the A gap, between the guard and tackle is the B gap, between the tackle and the tight end is the C gap, outside the tight end is the D gap, and some coaches call the E gap just past the D but before the split ends. So Traylor and Washington would tie up the A and B gaps to either side of the center, allowing the MLB to run free. This was the successful formula the Ravens used in their Super Bowl win, with Ray Lewis causing havoc. In this current Bears defense Chicago has their defensive linemen attack their lone gap and to disrupt anything that runs by. They want them to penetrate through their gap, but not to over run the play. When you see a running back squirting under a D-Lineman for a gain that's a sure sign he over pursued his gap.

We'll hear commentators and read columnists referring to the 3 Technique defensive tackle. Sometimes I wonder if they even know what that is. Mike Mayock of the NFL Network generally does a god job of getting technical when explaining football jargon, but many others just throw stuff out there to sound intelligent. Tommie Harris (the 3 Technique) lines up on the guards outside shoulder and is responsible for shooting that B gap. The technique numbers basically pertain to where the lineman lines up. The nose tackle is basically a 0 Technique (head up on the center, and usually used in the 3-4 defense), a 1 Technique nose tackle (lined up on the centers outside shoulder), is the type of nose tackle the Bears use, but he still only has 1 gap, that A gap, responsibility. The Technique numbers simply go shoulder to shoulder down the line. The 2 Technique lines up on the guards inside shoulder, and so on. The 3 Technique tackle is essentially the engine that makes the car go, and the defensive line is that car. Nothing the Bears like to do defensively will work unless the car is running smoothly.

Penetration from front 4 is essential to any variation of the Cover 2. If you are forced to blitz, like the Bears were last year, you just can't run the defense. You need those 4 down lineman to penetrate and disrupt running plays or to pressure the QB on passing plays, so your remaining 7 defenders can play their zones accordingly. This is why Lovie calls the signing of Defensive Line Coach Rod Marinelli such an important piece of the puzzle. If Marinelli can max out the potential of the D-Line the defense will get back to more Cover 2, and subsequently less blitzing. Last years numerous blitzes and Mug look (lining the LB's up close to the line of scrimmage near the A gaps) took away from what Lovie Smith had built the defense up to be.

Another staple of the Tampa 2 is the weak side linebacker being put in situations to make plays. The Buccaneers had Derrick Brooks at that spot, and the Bears have Lance Briggs. You need a fast, instinctive player, with great range, and Lance Briggs is a perfect fit, perfect to the tune of 4 straight Pro Bowls. Briggs is usually the unblocked defender, as the D-Line all are shooting their gaps, the strong side linebacker is lining up with the tight end, and the MLB is usually taking on the 1st free blocker. Briggs is set up to succeed in the system, but he still has to execute.

Good secondary play is critical for the Cover 2. The corners have to be able to lock onto the wide outs while still looking for a secondary receiver to come into their zone. Knowing when to pass off the receiver to the deeper safety and then having the safety know when he's coming is where breakdowns can occur, and unfortunately the least experienced area of the Bears defense is safety. Strong safety Kevin Payne will have to be the seasoned veteran in '09, helping along either Craig Steltz or Corey Graham. If they can play fundamentally sound the defense should be back to a top five unit. Then again if that defensive line is causing chaos up front it may not matter.

Bills need mentality adjustment defensively

Brian Galliford — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:11:35 -0000

Stroud, select teammates need more help (buffalobills.com)

We know what the hot-button topics are surrounding the Buffalo Bills these days. Everywhere we turn - including right here at Buffalo Rumblings - the popular topics of discussion are Dick Jauron, the front office, the Bills' general suckitude, and, unsurprisingly, how to fix the team's ailments. Draft talk, depressingly, has already sprung up here. As distressing as that fact is, I'm taking the plunge and diving into the "how to fix the Bills" posts. But as a fair warning, this might be the last time you see this type of post out of me for a while.

In my humble opinion, the Buffalo Bills need a facelift defensively. Take a look at the NFL this year - the best teams in the league this year, if they're anything, are physical, both on the field and in their mindset. Tennessee's got a brutal defense and a run-oriented offensive scheme. The same can be said for Pittsburgh, the Giants and Carolina. Baltimore's defense has them sitting pretty in the AFC. Dallas has revived their season thanks to some outstanding defensive performances. Big, physical defenses are the big winners in today's NFL, and the Bills would do well to get themselves one of those.

Don't get me wrong - I like the Tampa 2 defense (or whatever y'all like to call it these days). I like a lot of the players the Bills use defensively. But let's face it - Buffalo's defense is consistently mediocre. Yeah, they do enough to win - and in reality, it's tough to ask for much more - but they're so close to being a borderline dominant unit; this off-season will provide the Bills some unique opportunities to make that leap.

Changes I'd make
Yeah, this post is a little self-indulgent. I realize that the chances of these moves happening seem pretty remote. I care not at this point - the Bills are 1-7 in their last eight. I'm going to talk about what I want to talk about.

Step 1: Get bigger. ~~That's what she said.~~ This was a goal last off-season, manifested by the trade for Marcus Stroud and the free agent signing of Kawika Mitchell. It has helped morph the Bills' run defense from a terrible one into an average one; it's a start. It needs to be a goal once again.

When Dick Jauron coached in Chicago, his defense was outstanding. Why? Because he had two enormous defensive tackles in Ted Washington and Keith Traylor, and he drafted a gigantic middle linebacker - Brian Urlacher - to play behind them. That defense was the driving force behind Chicago's 13-3 season, and it wasn't bad during their poor seasons, either. I'm not saying Jauron should be back or anything like that, so please don't take your comments in that direction, but his philosophy in building that defense is perfect for Buffalo. I pine for more size up the middle of our defense.

That's why draft prospects like Boston College DT B.J. Raji (6'1", 323), Alabama DT Terrence Cody (6'4", 375) and USC LB Brian Cushing (6'3", 253) are, to me, ideal for the Bills. They're big players, they're athletic enough to play in the current scheme we employ, and, most importantly, they give the Bills schematic flexibility. Segue...

Step 2: Make schematic flexibility a priority. Many Bills fans pine for the days when the Bills ran a far more effective 3-4 scheme. I'm right there with you, folks. Franchises like Pittsburgh are able to play consistent football every year because they employ schemes that makes finding talent easier, and the 3-4 fits that rule. It's far easier to find a pure pass rusher who can cover a tight end occasionally than it is to fit the same type of player into a 4-3 scheme. It just is. The Bills have several players right now who have the talent to play in any scheme.

New England is the shining example of giving multiple looks week in and week out defensively, even though they play a 4-3. How terrifying would a front three of Stroud, Cody and Kyle Williams look on run plays next season? The missing piece, of course, is that ever-elusive pass-rush artist. You're well aware that "one of those" needs to be a priority this off-season. It may even be "two of those" or "three of those".

Note that I am not saying "switch to the 3-4". As I said, I like the Tampa 2 (even though I think we're a more traditional 4-3 this season), and I like being able to mix zone and man coverages. I like switching between four-man and three-man fronts, and getting athletes on the edges, whether they're down in a stance or standing up. I like applying pressure defensively, rather than limiting big plays. Simply stated, I want more guys on this team who can do a variety of things.

Step 3: Make the D a priority this off-season. Spare me the talk that we need to fix our offense, because offense doesn't win championships. We need to strive for competency and consistency on that side of the ball. People tend to forget that we have a very young offense as well. Looking at the roster, it's pretty clear that though we have holes at tight end and center, there's more young talent to work with on that side of the ball. We need help pretty much everywhere defensively.

Obviously, we need more impact at defensive end. Our DT rotation is only three-deep, and who knows how long it is until Stroud will be considered "over the hill"? Our linebacker depth has been a problem for two years. Despite drafting three cornerbacks and signing another last off-season, potential free agent departures (Jabari Greer) and injuries (Ashton Youboty) still make that position a question mark. Donte Whitner's a mainstay at safety, but he's unremarkable, and we need more help there, too. Depth is an issue everywhere defensively, and we need more playmakers.

***

There. I feel a little better. I've wanted to get this off my chest for a week or so now. I don't care whether Dick Jauron is coaching this team next year or not, a philosophical change defensively is needed. We need to be bigger, tougher, more athletic and a touch deeper. We need a mentality adjustment. We need playmakers. We need impact. The offense, as pathetic as they've been at times this season, has room to grow. I fear with our current personnel that the defense has peaked. It needs to be addressed.

So as you're gathering your thoughts for the just-around-the-corner off-season, bear this in mind: size matters. Aggressiveness matters. The Bills have a golden opportunity to put together a hard-hitting, physical, flexible defense this off-season. There are building blocks, but I positively salivate when I see some of the names available this off-season. Vote defense this off-season, folks. An attitude adjustment is the biggest change needed for the Bills as a team this off-season, and the easiest spot to do it is on defense.