SB Nation - Joe Klopfenstein

Bills swap roster spots with Rams castoffs

VanRam — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:00:59 -0000

After nabbing St. Louis Rams ill-tempered guard Richie Incognito off the waiver wire, the Buffalo Bills punctuated the whole thing with another move Rams fans will certainly appreciate.

To make room for Incognito on the roster, the Bills waived former Rams TE Joe Klopfenstein.

Presented without further comment.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/17

MattRichWarren — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:42:37 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

Browse more photos »

Practice is inside and out – Inside The Bills
"In an effort to have the players ready for the elements interim head coach Perry Fewell has his players spending portions of practice inside the Fieldhouse with all the doors open to let in the freezing cold air, and outside on the team’s grass field."

Scott: safety by trade, LB by necessity - BuffaloBills.com
Lead editor Chris Brown talks with the Bills' defensive staff and LB Bryan Scott about his transition from safety to linebacker this year.

Buffalo Bills might face local TV blackout Sunday vs. New England Patriots | Democrat and Chronicle
"If the 2000 remaining tickets are not sold by 1 p.m. today, the home game will not be televised in the western New York market for the first time this season."

Buffalo Bills' defense to face test with Wes Welker | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
"On that opening night in New England, Tom Brady threw for 378 yards in his first game back after sitting out almost all of 2008 with a knee injury. He found Welker 12 times for 93 yards, and Moss caught 12 for 141 yards. Oh, and tight end Ben Watson caught two touchdown passes in the final four minutes to deliver a pulsating 25-24 Patriots victory, New England's 12th in a row over the Bills."

Bills Notebook: Terrell Owens does like the cold: Buffalo News
"Asked what he thought of the weather, he said: 'I can't remember. I'm still frozen. I'm trying to thaw out right about now. Brutal.' Was it good to get outside a little and get acclimated? 'Absolutely not,' joked Owens.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Cold Snap
"Ryan Fitzpatrick is the exception. The Arizona native doesn't mind being outside, and noted that the Bengals didn't have an indoor practice facility. He said that helped the Bengals quarterbacks be better prepared for the cold, and thinks Fewell's decision to put the offense outside was a good one, though a stiff wind limited some of their drills."

Belichick on Bills screen game – Inside The Bills
"The screen game was its most effective in Week 1. The Patriots will undoubtedly be better prepared for it this time. It’s probably safe to assume the Bills will use it sparingly this week knowing the Pats will be looking for it."

Beating Pats could boost Fewell's stock with Bills -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY
"If Fewell, who's 2-2 after Dick Jauron was dismissed, is to solidify himself as a serious contender for the job beyond this season, there's no better opportunity than this. A win over the Patriots (8-5) would snap the Bills' 12-game losing streak against their AFC East rivals, a drought which began after Buffalo's 31-0 season-opening victory in 2004."

Stevie Johnson chops the dreds! – Inside The Bills
"Steve Johnson said equipment manager Dave Hojnowski had to tighten his helmet one head size now that the hair is gone." I don't even recognize him in the picture that's in the post.

Brady, Moss don’t practice – Inside The Bills
Tom Brady (finger), Randy Moss (rest), Ty Warren (ankle) and Vince Wilfork (foot) didn't practice for the Patriots yesterday.

Bills and Jills spread holiday cheer - BuffaloBills.com
"Ninety children and their families had a great time celebrating the holidays with the Bills players, Jills cheerleaders, Billy Buffalo and Santa Claus at the Buffalo Bills Toyota Rookie Club’s Annual Holiday Party held December 15th in the Jim Kelly Club at Ralph Wilson Stadium." Bryan Scott played Christmas carols and other Bills participating were Ryan Denney, Chris Draft, Jon Corto, Ellis Lankster, Jairus Byrd, Andy Levitre, Jamon Meredith, Andre Ramsey, Nick Hennessey, Jason Watkins, Garrison Sanborn, Cary Harris, Ashlee Palmer, Shawn Nelson, Rashaad Duncan and Lonnie Harvey.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- It looked like a few Bills skill players were surprised to do some work outside in the cold. The rest of the team worked indoors. WR Steve Johnson was in shorts, and someone eventually gave him a sweatshirt. Quipped one equipment man: "It's like the pop quiz at school you didn't study for."
- Bills WR Terrell Owens believes playing well outside in cold weather has more to do with the mental aspect of the game than the physical aspect. "It's all about just being mentally prepared to catch the ball," he said. "The ball's going to be hard."

Video: AFC East Blogger's Blitz - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tuesday night on ESPNEWS, anchor Ducis Rodgers and blogger Tim Graham discussed a variety of AFC East topics.

New-look Bills - BostonHerald.com
"I wouldn’t say it was our best night," Tom Brady said about opening night. "I don’t think any of us felt really great about the way we played and kind of escaped with a victory. I’m sure Buffalo was very disappointed with the outcome of the game just because they had us there for a long time."

Harvard kid answers NFL call - BostonHerald.com
Ian R. Rapoport of the Boston Herald interviews former Hardvard QB Ryan Fitzpatrick about his days playing for the Crimson and his new gig with the Bills.

Belichick recalls the night T.O. put on a show - Brockton, MA - The Enterprise
"Hauling in nine passes for 122 yards came up second best to game MVP Deion Branch (11 receptions for 133 yards) as the Eagles came up second best to the Patriots, 24-21, on that February night at Alltel Stadium [in Super Bowl XXXIX]."

New coach Fewell has had positive impact on Bills | New England Patriots | projo.com | The Providence Journal
"While head coach Bill Belichick acknowledged that under Jauron the Bills were always prepared for their meetings with the Patriots, he also gave a tip of the cap to Fewell, calling him an "excellent" defensive coach who has done a good job of getting Buffalo to play well in all three phases of the game."

Fitzpatrick takes NFL detour - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News
"At this point in his life, Ryan Fitzpatrick figured he'd be putting on a suit and tie every day in Manhattan rather than shoulder pads and cleats in an NFL locker room."

Patriots deal with banged-up defensive line - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
"It’s uncertain whether Wilfork will be ready for Sunday’s game at Buffalo. With three games left in the regular season, New England (8-5) leads the AFC East by one game over the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets and three over the Bills."

Wilson: Bills cut Klopfenstein | National Football Post
"In order to make room for newly-signed offensive guard Richie Incognito, the Buffalo Bills have released veteran tight end Joe Klopfenstein," reports Aaron Wilson.

AccuScore Report: Patriots-Bills - ESPN Video - ESPN
Jenny Dell tells you if the Patriots can get past the Randy Moss distractions and win against the Bills.

Oakland Raiders sign quarterback J.P. Losman | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
The Oakland Raiders signed J.P. Losman, a former starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, to be it's No. 3 quarterback. Charlie Frye gets the nod over Jamarcus Russell.

Incognito claimed off waivers
Incognito claimed off waivers; Mitchell is no fan : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Incognito was rated by NFL players as the dirtiest player in the league in a poll conducted by the Sporting News recently. "

BillBoard: Bills claim 'dirtiest player'
"The Bills have claimed the player who could be the second coming of Conrad Dobler. Actually, comparing Incognito to Dobler is giving Incognito too much credit at this point of his career. Incognito is a three-year starter and has 44 career starts. Dobler, who played for the Bills in 1980 and '81, had a 10-year career in the NFL and was a three-time Pro Bowler."

Bills recognize Incognito - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Maybe Incognito and New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork will sit down for tea and crumpets Sunday. Incognito might just be passing through Buffalo. His contract expires after the season. "

Team in Transition
Candidates abound for Bills' personnel job : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan compiles a list of potential general manager candidates for the Bills.

Brian Brohm
Brohm: "I’ll be ready if called upon." – Inside The Bills
"The offensive system has steadily become more and more familiar to [new qyarterback Brian Brohm]. But getting an opportunity on the field before the 2009 season is over looks remote at best at this point in time. "

Fewell on Brohm prospects – Inside The Bills
"I don’t know how far he is along in the development of our offense because he doesn’t take the reps in our offense. He takes the reps with our scout team," said Fewell. "So to put him in that position might be a recipe for failure for him. But you never say never."

Sullivan: Why keep Brohm in closet? : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"It seems the Bills lead the league in allowing people to figure things out on the fly. But suddenly, a month isn't enough time for Brohm to at least suit up as the No. 2 quarterback."

Bills fans shouldn't expect Brohm in '09 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Eight seconds doesn't sound like a lot. But when a coach stands silent for that long in front of dozens of waiting reporters, it can feel like an eternity. Count out eight seconds in your head. That's how long a bull rider has to stay on a Brahmin's back, and it's how long it took Bills interim coach Perry Fewell to formulate a diplomatic response when asked if he'd consider putting quarterback Brian Brohm in."

Bills Tweets
Twitter / Steve Bradley
Still 2,000 tickets remain for Bills-Pats on Sunday. Could this be the first local television blackout of the season?

Twitter / Daniel Jeremiah
Incognito story: During OL drill at combine, he was so out of control, I said he was going to hurt himself, tore his acl 1 min later, no lie

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
Perry Fewell was asked if he would play QB Brian Brohm. He thinks it would put Brohm in a bad situation, but he also said "never say never.:

Twitter / Nicholas Mendola
Alex Van Pelt says the #Bills still have no plans to use Brian Brohm this year.

Twitter / Eric Stangel
NFL - Richie Incognito, waived by Rams, is claimed by Buffalo. Perfect fit. The Bills have been incognito all season

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
So the Bills signed OG RIchie Incognito. Labeled a dirty player. What I've heard, probably true. But he could now be best O-lineman team has

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
T.O. didn't like practicing outside: "I’m still frozen," he said w/ a laugh. "This is by far the coldest practice I’ve ever been a part of."

Bills send LT Demetrius Bell to IR

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

More photos » by John Russell - AP

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

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

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

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/11

MattRichWarren — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:22:40 -0000

Buffalo Bills' special teams coming into form | Democrat and Chronicle
"I just took one of the young guys aside and explained what 'backdoor ear hole' means," Bills special teams coach Bobby April said. "That's a common term that I've used (for how you initiate angled contact with an opponent). He didn't know. In terms of having a lot of different guys out there, it's been unbelievable how many guys we've moved in and out. You're always teaching, but not with that much detail (at this time of the year)."

McGee looking good for Sun. – Inside The Bills
"Bills CB Terrence McGee practiced fully for a second straight day on Thursday enhancing his chances of returning to a full time role in Buffalo’s defensive lineup."

Really? The Buffalo Bills All-Decade Team : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran gives his team of the decade. FYI - the coach is Mike Mularkey and Trey Teague is the center. Yikes!

Bills kick game specialists roughing it – Inside The Bills
Special teams coordinator Bobby April accompanied his specialists out in the elements yesterday.

Bills linebacker Posluszny quarterbacks the defense : The Buffalo News
Rodney McKissic profiles Bills LB Paul Posluszny for the News' Friday Player Profile.

Question Mark: Plenty of blame for no LB depth : The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan answers questions on the linebacker depth issues, Trent Edwards' fall from grace, and the undefeated teams in the NFL.

Buffalo Bills' Parrish says confidence isn't lacking | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
"Roscoe Parrish is back returning punts for Bills, but he hasn't made an impact."

Chiefs QB Cassel Familiar With Former AFC East Foe Bills - Arrowhead Pride
"Cassel has started and beaten the Bills on two occasions and admits that he's a little familiar with them."

Chiefs Granted 24 Hour Extension To Sell Tickets for Bills Game - Arrowhead Pride
"The Kansas City Chiefs have been granted a 24 hour extension to sell the remaining unsold tickets for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, Josh Looney of KCChiefs.com reports."

Video: AccuScore likes Bills to win in K.C. - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Jenny Dell of "Countdown Daily" delivers the AccuScore report for Sunday's game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. The Bills win a surprising 56 percent of AccuScore's 10,000 simulations."

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
Bills interim coach Perry Fewell is expecting a challenge in Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles. Buffalo is 32nd in the league in run defense. "Charles is really a fine running back," Fewell said. "He's not a power running back, he's more of an outside speed back - really good in one-on-one situations."

Countdown Daily Prediction: Bills-Chiefs - ESPN Video - ESPN
"Herm Edwards and Mark Schlereth give you their pick"

DL Mace brought back – Inside The Bills
"Just two days after being waived from the 53-man roster, DL Corey Mace was re-signed to the Bills practice squad. The defensive lineman was waived Monday as the team re-signed Joe Klopfenstein to give the Bills three tight ends on their roster. The open spot on Buffalo’s eight-man practice squad to re-sign Mace was created when LB Anthony Waters was signed by the New Orleans Saints."

John Clayton with Schopp and the Bulldog
The ESPN NFL correspondent talks with the guys each week.

Stadium Seating - Interactive Features - Portfolio.com
The Bills are having financial problems in Buffalo but Portfolio.com says Rochester, NY could support an NFL franchise. (Toronto, however, could not).

Team in Transition
Hiring Super Bowl-winning coach offers no guarantees of NFL title - Don Banks - SI.com
"The track record of coaches who have scaled the game's highest summit and then went on to work for other NFL franchises does not spawn some sort of murky debate. It's clear cut. The coaching magic that won a Super Bowl has never been rekindled to the same degree in a subsequent stop."

Bills notebook: Receivers coach Tolbert headed to LSU : The Buffalo News
Buffalo Bills wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert has been hired for a similar position at LSU, according to a report Thursday on neworleans.com. Tolbert played at LSU as a wide receiver from 1988-90.

Bills Tweets
Nic Harris
Man this snow is too crazy, first Blizzard! Sweet Jesus!!!

Lydell Sargent
Jst put up my first tree in my own place.Did it without moms helping me to!! Not the prettiest but it works fo http://tweetphoto.com/6186786

Sargent again
maybe its me but ur tree SHOULD be bigger than ur TV.lol<--haha well tht will NEVER happn n my house!!TVs alwys

Shawn Nelson
mannn its a blizzard out here in buffalo...........this is not of GOD!!

Twitter / Chris Mortensen
chance T.O stays in Buffalo. ))) I 'd guess very slim.

The Ten Worst Draft Picks of the 2000's

ram_rod — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:04:44 -0000

With 2010 fast approaching, it was thought to be a good idea and take a look back at some of the things the Rams have and haven't done for us in this decade that has a mere 23 days left. What better way to kick it off then with a look at the ten worst picks the Rams have made in the last ten years. Obviously, this is subjective, but feel free to bash or praise the picks in the comments, or add your own!

I personally take no credit for these picks, that goes to Jay Zygmunt and John Shaw. Feel free to let them know how you feel! Onto the picks:

10: Dominique Byrd, 2006, 93rd Overall Selection

Picture via www.stlouisrams.com

It was tough to put these in order and even though Dominique was barely on the team...well, that's the point. Selected at the bottom of the third round by the deposed fiefdom of Scott Linehan, Dominique went on to see action 14 games while he was here between 06 and 07, and notched a grand total of 6 receptions for 83 yards and a score. Not incredibly bad considering the fetish Scott Linehan had with tight ends, but considering that Pro Bowl tight end Owen Daniels (who was selected a mere 5 spots after Byrd) was available during the draft hurts.

9: Anthony Hargrove, 2004, 91st Overall Selection

Picture via content.clearchannel.com

This was a tough one for me. I remember being optimistic about Anthony after his promising 51 tackle, 6.5 sack season. But as with a slew of other picks, the Rams made huge gambles with players who had personal problems (why do you think 'four pillars' was implemented). While he wasn't a necessarily a bad player, his later substance abuse and personal problems made him a bust on the field. The irony is that another player with personal problems, one Jared Allen, could have been selected instead.

8: Joe Klopfenstein, 2006, 46th Overall Selection

Picture via www.stlouisrams.com

What do ya' know? It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that he's on here, or that most of the 2006 draft is on here as well. While he made more of an impact then Byrd did with 33 receptions, 469 yards and two scores (he made it an extra year) he never quite had the impact many (or few, depending on what you thought of him) expected him to make. It even harder to swallow knowing that Pro Bowl OT Marcus McNiell (someone who could replace another player that is on this list) was selected just four spots back. Scott Linehan, damn your tight end fetish!

7: Brian Leonard, 2007, 52nd Overall Selection

via images.tsn.ca

Yeah, spending a second round pick on a small running fullback never made sense to me either. Neither did letting Madison Hedgecock go, but hey, that's why the football executives make the big bucks, right? Leonard didn't last long as he never quite fit in, and his two year stay resulted in 88 rushes for 310 yards (that's about 3.5 a pop). Not exactly great numbers as a backup, but hey, was it him or Mr. Vanilla's playbook? No one will ever know. Instead of selected him, the Rams could have picked the one and only Laurent Robinson.

6: Tye Hill, 2006, 15th Overall Selection

Picture via www.sawf.org

Oh how I begged the Rams to pick Antonie Cromartie. They obviously couldn't hear me, and they went on to select their first (among many) busts of the 2006 draft. He started out playing well for a rookie, but he started to succumb to injuries and could never quite regain his mojo. The new coaching staff thought so much of him that they traded him for a 7th round pick this last offseason (probably because they thought so much of Bradley Fletcher). In typical "defensive-players-the-Rams-let-go" fashion, he had a pick six against the Redskins this year. That doesn't excuse his erratic play and frequent injuries. Here's hoping Fletch doesn't go down the same road.

Hit the jump to see the top 5 busts.

5: Robert Thomas, 2002, 31st Overall Selection

Picture via www.seattlepi.com

Yet another failed first round pick. Thomas, like quite a few other first round draft picks the Rams have made this decade, only lasted on the team for a few seasons. His best season came in 2003, when he notched 62 solo tackles and 2 sacks- not exactly noteworthy. The Rams dumped him the next year and he never quite produced anything near that peak. Too bad the Rams didn't scout out some players a bit more; both James Harrison and Bart Scott went drafted. They could have also selected Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode, who selected six spots below.

4: Adam Carriker, 2007, 13th overall selection

Picture via images.stltoday.com

The image above pretty much sums up Adam Carriker's time with the Rams. He played well for a rookie, snagging 2 sacks and 30 tackles and then notched another 23 tackles the next year, with no sacks. He's oft injured, and never even saw time this year as he was put on the IR before the season started. Whether it be because he never quite adjusted to the DT position, or he never quite had enough time since they kept changing how they wanted him to line up, the result is obvious; he has not lived up to expectations. The Rams could have selected Darrelle Revis, Robert Meachem, Dwayne Bowe or Brandon Meriweather instead.

3: Trung Candidate, 2000, 31st Overall Selection

Picture via sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Oh Trung, we barely knew you. After being picked with the Rams first round pick (a mere year after signing Marshall Faulk, mind you), he had a no-show for a rookie campaign. Quite a high pick for a backup RB if you ask me, as the Rams had some defensive trouble that year. He had a good sophomore campaign, but was traded for a fourth round selection not long after. First rounder for a fourth a mere two years later, well, you can do the math. While plenty of players were available at that time during the draft, the real kicker is that the Rams were the last time to pass on the QB that eventually beat them in the Superbowl one year later.

2: Alex Barron, 2005, 19th Overall Selection

Picture via www.stlouisrams.com

First round draft pick? Check. High probability of drive killing penalties while on the field? Check. Questionable dedication to the game? Check. Bust? You bet. Why the Rams have kept this drive-killing enigma on the team is probably because they drafted so bad in the previous years. They had no one to move up on the depth chart at OT and the Saints clearly made the better pick with Jammal Brown. The Rams whiffed when they had a second chance to get Brown, only to shun a trade because of their apparent man-love for Chris Long. Say what you want about Barron, he hasn't lived up to what he was supposed to be. What happens when an unstoppable force meets Alex Barron? Holding.

1: Jimmy Kennedy

Picture via www.stlouisrams.com

How could I forget you Jimmy? You know you're a bust when you singlehandedly scare the entire Rams fan base into freaking every time the Rams draft a defensive tackle. Jimmy had a total of 4 sacks, 90 solo tackles and one forced fumble in the four years he played with the Rams. He never quite made expectations and like Tye Hill, the Rams thought so much of their former first rounder that they dumped him off to the Redskins for a 6th round pick. They then dumped him onto the street before the season even started. The Bears picked him up at the end of that season, only to decide he wasn't worth it when the Jaguars snagged him from the Bears. He didn't last a season in Jacksonville and ended up riding the pine in Minnesota ever since.

So there you have it. 10 picks, including six first rounders. Do you still wonder why the Rams have issues?

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/8

MattRichWarren — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:51:37 -0000

Williams Blames Bills Losing Record On 'Stupidity' - wcbstv.com
"To put it bluntly,Kyle Williams said Monday, if not for "our own stupidity," Buffalo (4-8) might still have something to play for in traveling to face Kansas City (3-9) this weekend."

McGee hoping this is the week – Inside The Bills
"Frustrated by his knee’s slower than expected recovery from surgery, Terrence McGee is hopeful that this is the week he can return to the starting lineup."

Line shuffling just another challenge for Kugler | BuffaloBills.com
"Unending change due to personnel moves, injuries and coaching decisions have made it a challenging year for Buffalo’s men up front. That challenge has been even greater for Bills offensive line coach Sean Kugler."

Time to turn to Hardy : Buffalo Sports Daily
Pat Moran says it's time to give James Hardy a look even if "head coaching suicide" for Perry Fewell.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- The Bills currently rank last in the league in run defense. "It's frustrating because it’s the same thing," DT Kyle Williams said. "A lot of it's the misdirection, the counter plays, the cut-back runs. A lot of times, we’re over-pursuing ... it’s aggravating, it pisses you off."
- Across the board, the Bills were glad to have three days off in a row. "(I'm feeling) a lot better," RB Fred Jackson said. "It's a great time for us to get that much-needed rest. A lot of guys are getting back into the thick of things ... it was much-needed rest."
- Bills CB Terrence McGee feels he's likely going to be playing through pain the rest of this year after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in Week 9. "Probably so," he said. "It’s one of those things where I feel it’s going to take a while to fully go away, so I’ll just have to play through it."

Countdown Daily Insight Center: BUF-KC - ESPN Video - ESPN
Football Scientist KC Joyner takes you into the IBM Insight Center to tell you the keys to victory

TE Klopfenstein back – Inside The Bills
"The Bills have re-signed TE Joe Klopfenstein. Corey Mace was released and will presumably be re-signed to the team’s practice squad provided he clears waivers."

Draft visits with special children | BuffaloBills.com
"The Buffalo Bills and the Town of Hamburg Recreation Department partnered to host football clinics for youngsters with Asperger Syndrome/NVLD, High functioning Autism and physical/mental disabilities in the Buffalo Bills Field House once a week throughout November. "

NFL.com Blogs " Blog Archive Cassel will remain starter for Chiefs
Matt Cassel will be back as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback [against the Bills] following his benching against the Broncos.

Video - Video Central - FOX Sports on MSN
T.O. says he wants to play for two or three more years and talks about his birthday party.

Bills notebook: Tolbert reportedly a candidate at LSU: The Buffalo News
"LSU coach Les Miles is reportedly pursuing Buffalo Bills wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert for a similar job on the Tigers staff according to FootballCoachScoop.com."

After Pats loss, Bills left to say 'what if?' : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"With the division suddenly up for grabs, the Buffalo Bills are in last place coming off a 19-13 loss to the Jets and lamenting a missed opportunity."

Buffalo Bills' boring game wasn't missed | Democrat and Chronicle
Was it a relief not having to watch the Bills this weekend? Leo and Sal sure seem to think so.

Bills’ Moorman hats raise $3,500 for charity - Pittsburg, KS - Morning Sun
"The proceeds from sales of hats specially designed and autographed by Moorman are in, and they benefit the local Angels Among Us group to the tune of $3,500. "

Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback, Week 13 - Peter King - SI.com
For those of you wondering how rookie DEs or rush LBs have been faring getting to the QB, Brian Orakpo is the only one from the last two years averaging a half-sack per game.

NFL Milestone Watch: Receptions | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Terrel Owens needs 6 catches to become the sixth ever with 1000.

NFL Milestone Watch: Receiving Yds | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Terrell Owens needs 123 yards to move into third place passing Tim Brown and is less than 400 from second place Isaac Bruce.

NFL Milestone Watch: Sacks | Pro-Football-Reference.com
Aaron Schobel picked up his 75th career sack last week against the Jets.

Twitter / Daniel Jeremiah
6 of 8 division leaders are top 10 in sacks allowed... 5 of 8 division leaders are top 10 in sacks... We harp on these two key stats at MTS

NFL Draft

Jimmy Clausen NFL Draft scouting report - Mocking The Draft
An in-depth look at the Notre Dame junior quarterback from SBN's Mocking the Draft. Draft coverage begins!

Pro-football-reference.com blog " PI Finds: Clausen & Irish QBs In the NFL
"Notre Dame quarterbacks are in the midst of a 20-year dry spell at the NFL level. The only question now is whether or not Clausen will be able to break that streak of mediocrity under center, or if he'll fade into obscurity along with almost every other name on that list."

Bills place TE Fine on IR, sign Joe Klopfenstein

Brian Galliford — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:16:28 -0000

Perry Fewell may have inherited an "opportunity of a lifetime," as he termed it, when he was named interim head coach of the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday night, but he also inherits a nightmare situation in terms of injuries. That situation got worse on Wednesday morning, as starting tight end Derek Fine was placed on Injured Reserve. His season is now over thanks to a knee injury. The Bills themselves confirmed the news via Twitter.

To fill out their depth chart at tight end, the Bills signed street free agent Joe Klopfenstein, a second-round draft pick of the St. Louis Rams in 2006. Klopfenstein has 33 career receptions in three seasons.

Fine was Buffalo's starting tight end by default after the Bills lost opening-day starter Derek Schouman to a season-ending knee injury. With both Schouman and Fine gone, rookie fourth-round pick Shawn Nelson will likely be the team's full-time starter at tight end, with Jonathan Stupar and Klopfenstein providing depth.

The Bills have now had six players hit the IR list since opening day. Fine joins an ever-expanding list including Schouman, tackle Brad Butler, linebackers Kawika Mitchell and Marcus Buggs, and cornerback Leodis McKelvin.

Rams cut Klopfenstein and three others

VanRam — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:06:08 -0000

St. Louis Rams TE and 2006 second round draft pick Joe Klopfenstein got the axe today, as the Rams trimmed their roster to meet the league's mandate to pair down to 75 player rosters today.

Also getting cut were WR Jarrett Byers, CB Marcus Brown and C Daniel Sanders. That leaves one more cut to go. Could that move be putting Brooks Foster on IR? Stay tuned.

Klopfenstein had decent enough hands during his days playing at Colorado, but his, um, potential never developed at the NFL level. The Klop pick, along with Brian Leonard, symbolize the Rams drafts of the Linehan era. Klop did not have the speed required of NFL tight ends to keep defensive backs honest on seam routes. Klop never developed as a blocker either, leading to more than one mistake or two in pass protection. A tight end without speed and blocking ability in the NFL...

Like Brian Leonard, his skill set was somewhere in between two roles. Both players were absurd wastes of a second round pick, a pick that could have been used on solid contributors. In 2006, the Rams could have selected Maurice Jones-Drew, Cedric Griffin, Pro Bowl OT Marcus McNeill (at a time when the Rams could have really used OT depth), Darryl Tapp, Devin Hester, yada, yada, yada. Hindsight is always 20-20, but it should have been clear their were more projectable, better prospects to be had with the pick the Rams used on a TE lacking speed and blocking ability.

The 2006 draft is the perfect example of why the Rams are going through a rebuilding program, even though nobody on the team will call it that. Guys taken that year in the draft would be gearing up for their fourth year in the league, emerging as reliable starters, if not key building blocks. This year, the Rams are giving their first round pick from 2006, CB Tye Hill, one last chance to stick on the roster...and he's probably going to lose a starting role to 2007 third round pick Jonathan Wade. The Rams had 10 draft picks that season, more than they've had since. Of those 10 picks, only HIll, DE Victor Adeyanju (4th round) and OL Mark Setterstrom (7th round) remain with the team, the later two having given the Rams solid depth at their respective positions (don't forget that Setts has been a starter and probably could be a regular starter). For the Rams, the 2006 draft was a colossal failure. I get pissed every time I think about it. Breathe, Van, breathe. It's a new day for Rams football.

Three questions for the Rams vs Falcons: #3 Air ball

VanRam — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:05:30 -0000

The last of my three questions for the St. Louis Rams ahead of their second preseason game tonight with the Atlanta Falcons comes back to our defense. There's a reason for that. In case you hadn't noticed, the Falcons have a pretty good offense, from Michael Turner, Matt Ryan, Roddy White, and the newly added Tony Gonzalez...it's a tough unit to face, preseason or not.

Tonight, in addition to individual players answering questions about whether or not they belong on the final roster come September, new head coach and defensive guru Steve Spagnuolo and new defensive coordinator Ken Flajole have to show some real gains from a Rams defense that been strictly bottom of the barrel in recent years. We talked about the run defense yesterday, so, naturally, today we have to ask:

Can the Rams control the Falcons passing game?

Gonzo gives Matt Ryan a nice dump off target and a player the Rams will have to constantly account for in the red zone. He's learning the offense, but I doubt it's quite the same as Joe Klopfenstein learning the offense. Roddy White is a true blue number one wide receiver, and Ron Bartell will see plenty of him when the starters are out there. Michael Jenkins was a nice second WR who picked up close to 800 yards last season.

Of course, the Rams intend to control the passing game up front, using the pass rush that you-know-who made famous. In what will sounds like a totally foreign concept to Rams fans, Atlanta QBs were sacked just 17 times last year, for a 3.6% sack rate that was the fifth best in the NFL. James Hall has been the d-line guy everyone's talking about this year, playing all four positions up front similar to the role that Spags used to make Justin Tuck a household name. Hall and Leonard Little wasted no time getting to the Jets QB last week, and with more of the playbook open tonight, it's reasonable to expect more from the Rams pass rush.

Players to watch:

Chris Long - The press has dogged Long some in the early goings this year, and he didn't have a particularly impressive game against the Jets. He was slow off the ball last week, not a good trait for a DE. Will he show some teeth tonight?

Tye Hill - He wasn't horrible last week, but you can bet the Falcons will be looking to throw on him, especially with a physical Michael Jenkins. Of course, all the corners vying for a spot will want to look their best, especially if we see King or Fletcher with the first unit at all tonight.

Chris Draft, David Vobora, Larry Grant - Those guys are in the mix at SLB. Guess who they'll be seeing plenty of tonight (hint: he's a future Hall of Fame tight end). Draft has skeeelz. Everyone else who wants a shot at the job, and they looked solid in recent play, needs to play flawless football tonight.

Game thread coming later. Go out and get a six pack...so you can watch the game on tape delay. Stupid NFL. What the point of blacking out a preseason game?

Rams tight ends looking for big night against the Falcons

VanRam — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:20:37 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Will St. Louis Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo, right, and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur call for more passes to the tight ends against the Falcons this week?

Browse more photos »

St. Louis Rams tight ends didn't see many passes come their way last week against the Jets. That came as a surprise for a West Coast offense, that feeds the ball to TEs on routes and check downs.

In last week's game, QB Marc Bulger connected with starter Randy McMichael for a 10 and a 15-yards pass. Blocking TE Billy Bajema had a 9-yard catch, Eric Butler had a 4-yarder, and Joe Klopfenstein had an incomplete on the play where QB Brock Berlin was injured. Don't read too much into what seems like a forgotten night for TEs. The Rams stuck to a pretty basic playbook, running on 29 of 56 offensive snaps, and the Jets impressive group of starting LBs are a tough matchup. I was a little surprised we didn't Daniel Fells, since he's the lead horse in the race for the third TE spot on the roster.

All of that may change against Atlanta this week. The coaches will probably want to see a little more of the playbook and Atlanta presents a favorable matchup for tight ends. Last season, the Falcons defense posted a 24.7% DVOA against TEs, 28th in the league. Opposing TEs caught an average of 6.7 passes per game (only #1 WRs caught more) for an average of 54.1 yards per games.

That's not likely to be improved this season. Second year MLB Curtis Lofton is their strongest LB in coverage; according to Football Outsiders play charting results, Lofton was successful against 67% of the 15 passes thrown at him. Outside LB Cory Wire, who came on the field against the pass last season successfully defended 51% of the balls thrown his way. New addition Mike Peterson, with Jacksonville in '08, had a 39% success rate and opponents gained an average of 6.8 yards on passes targeting him. At SS, the Falcons have Mizzou's William Moore, who was inconsistent as a senior. Starting FS Eric Coleman had a 45% success rate against the pass.

Last season, when the Rams nearly beat the Falcons in a week 17 upset, the tight ends were quiet, only Klopfenstein had a catch, for 29 yards, on one of Bulger's 19 completed passes. If Klopfenstein can do it... Of course, that game was all about Steven Jackson who rushed for 161 yards on 30 carries (to get his fourth 1,000 yard season) and caught 4 passes for 54 yards. Hmm, think we could see something like that again this week?

And, yes, I realize the weird connection discussing TE play for a team that added Tony Gonzalez this spring. That's a whole 'nother matchup, and I bet we'll cover it in a subsequent post.

For the Rams tight ends, this is a good week to get some action, especially with all three backup QBs getting all the playing time. Remember, Boller has experience connecting with a TE from his days tossing balls to Todd Heap in Baltimore. Expect to see McMichael build on his game last week while Fells and Klop battle it out for the third spot and Eric Butler will want to put his name in the mix too. In practice, the coaches seem to be using Bajema to catch passes more than I thought. See if that trend continues this week.