SB Nation - Langston Walker

Bills' battered O-Line takes another big blow

Brian Galliford — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:05:47 -0000

More photos » by Stephen Morton - AP

We knew, as the Buffalo Bills entered the 2009 regular season, that the team's top-to-bottom re-structure of the offensive line was a huge question mark. Jason Peters had been traded. Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker had been released. Melvin Fowler and Duke Preston were unceremoniously allowed to test the free-agent waters. Demetrius Bell made a seemingly miraculous leap from 16-game healthy scratch to starting NFL left tackle, Geoff Hangartner was signed from Carolina, Eric Wood and Andy Levitre were drafted early, and Brad Butler moved to the position he manned in college.

Presto change-o! Buffalo had the NFL's most inexperienced offensive line. It was painfully clear that bumps in the road were expected - and they came in the form of drive-killing penalties and inconsistent blocking. But through it all, we decided by and large that it would be entertaining and interesting to watch these young guys develop as individuals and come together as one cohesive unit.

So much for that pipe dream. Through the first ten games of the season, Buffalo has been absolutely ravaged by injuries up front. They've been forced to field eight different line combinations during that time frame. The tackle position has been hit so hard by the injury bug that it's now affecting the guards; add in the latest and most brutal injury, a double fracture to Wood's lower left leg, and the verdict is simple. Buffalo can no longer hope to see tangible development from this offensive line. It is in complete disarray.

By the way, folks - Wood's surgery was successful. Seth McKinney, meanwhile, was lost for the season on Sunday as well. Buffalo now has one healthy guard - Levitre.

The line combinations
Look, I tried to comb through each of the Bills' ten games to chart each and every line combination the Bills have used this season. I went through each game twice to fleece out every minor injury that forced a player in for even a snap or two. I'm fairly confident I still missed something, so keep an eye on Ron From NM's comments in this post, if he has any. He's the line guru, after all.

The original starting five didn't even get through two full games. Four opening-day reserves - Seth McKinney, Jonathan Scott, Kirk Chambers and Jamon Meredith - have seen significant playing time.

1. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Butler
2. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Scott
3. Chambers - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Scott
4. Scott - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Chambers
5. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Meredith
6. Bell - Levitre - Hangartner - Wood - Chambers
7. Levitre - McKinney - Hangartner - Wood - Chambers
8. Scott - Levitre - Hangartner - Chambers - Meredith

Where the Bills once had continuity - in the interior - that's gone by the wayside. Only Geoff Hangartner has been the constant, and even he has been battered, dealing with a back injury earlier in the season.

Not much more development to be had
If you've seen the replay of Wood's injury, you're painfully aware of just how over his rookie season is. He suffered fractures to both his tibia and his fibula - word is one or both were compound fractures - and stayed in Jacksonville last night to have metal rods inserted to stabilize the leg. He'll end up on IR, and will have played a little under ten games. He got some development and played reasonably well this season, but there's no more development to be had for Wood this season - hopefully, just a lot of healing.

Bell might get a little development time if he ever gets healthy, but he's been in and out of the lineup so much this season that any development he's made has been negligible. Levitre might continue to develop, so long as he isn't forced to play two different positions each and every game. The guy is a guard, and while he's to be commended for capably manning both spots, it's best if he sticks to left guard.

Hangartner is what he is. There's no development to be had there, though the guy deserves a steak or something for finding a way to make it through ten games. That's a rarity in Buffalo. The rest of the players that have seen field time aren't worth considering, as they're not the types of players around which championship-caliber offenses can be built. For the young players that really matter - Wood, Levitre and Bell - hopes for further development this season are minimal at best.

Buffalo needs a franchise quarterback. It is, without doubt, the organization's biggest issue from a personnel standpoint. Given the sheer amount of upheaval along the offensive line, that unit rates a very close second.

Catching Up With The Raiders: Raider History Revealed

saint — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:15:51 -0000

When I thought of the questions that I posed in Yesterday's Segment, Oakland Raider Trivia, I was struggling to think of question that were pertinent and gave me hope. I didn't know the answers to 4 of the questions, but I wanted to know, and tonight I will know.

Here are the answers:

1) Which team loaned the Raiders 400k in order to continue playing football? What was the owner's name?

That team was the Buffalo Bills. Ralph Wilson was the means to this end. Without Upstate New York, there would be NO Oakland Raiders. And to think that without without Marshawn Lynch and Langston Walker there would be NO...Well...On Second Thought...Nevermind!

2) What is the Current Value of the team?

In 2008, the Oakland Raiders were valued at $861 Million Dollars. In 2009, their value has fallen to $797 Million. That is not bad, especially considering that the team was bought for 180k by Al Davis in 1966!

3) Who is the Raider Fanchise Leader in Tackles? Sacks?

This question is more of an "Opinion Section". Tackles were not counted as an official stat in the NFL until 2001, so Tatum is my choice..Followed by Stuart Schweigert.

As for the sacks, they weren't official until 1982, there is no way to say who the Raider leader really is. I mean how many times did our defensive line, linebackers or defensive backs get the opposing QB behind the line of scrimmage before there was a stat for it?

I'd have to say Sean Jones, but I am probably WAY off.

4) Who played the most seasons in an Oakland Raider Uniform?

Jim Otto played in the silver and black for 15 years. From 1960-1974, he was the backbone of the team, and to this day is Mr. Raider. I've had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Otto, and he is class...pure class.

5) How many Raiders have won the NFL MVP while playing for the organization? Names?

The answer is 3, and, none of them repeated.

Kenny Stabler was the first Silver and Black MVP in 1974.

Marcus Allen stepped up in LA 11 Sseasons later, in 1985 and won the MVP.

Rich Gannon picked up the hardware in 2002.

So, there is some history, I feel much better now. Just being able to throw around the names of past and bask in past glory makes me proud to be a Raider fan and it is good to have this new knowledge.

Go RAIDERS!!!!

Bills' O-Line set for more change heading to Miami

Brian Galliford — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:01:37 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

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The NFL off-season is well behind us, considering nearly a quarter of the regular season is gone, and during that excruciatingly long time frame, the Buffalo Bills made some pretty massive changes to their offensive line - changes that discouraged many experts from being much more than skeptical about the Bills' 2009 prospects.

Buffalo had it hard enough opening training camp this past July with such massive changes to overcome. Unfortunately for the team, those changes have not stopped - and entering a critical Week 4 matchup with the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo will be fielding its most questionable offensive line in recent memory, particularly at tackle.

Demetrius Bell, who usurped Langston Walker as the left tackle of choice in Buffalo this pre-season, missed his third straight day of practice on Friday as he continues to deal with a groin injury he picked up in last week's loss to New Orleans. Bell is out for the Miami game (along with Donte Whitner, Bryan Scott and John McCargo, by the way). That means that Buffalo's top three tackles when the pre-season opened - Walker, Bell and Brad Butler - won't be available this week. (Butler is lost for the season). Heading into Miami, Jonathan Scott and Kirk Chambers will be charged with shutting down what is sure to be a blitz-happy Dolphins pass rush.

Charting the change
Last season, Buffalo's tackles were Jason Peters, Langston Walker, Kirk Chambers and Jonathan Scott. Yes, Bell was on the team, but as he never dressed for a game, he doesn't really count.

Peters was traded in April. Buffalo didn't actually bring a tackle in, electing to shift Walker to the left side and move Butler - a natural tackle who spent his first three years at guard - to the right side. The change didn't stop, however, as Buffalo elected to start the season with Bell on the left side.

Buffalo has transitioned from Peters to Walker to Bell and now to Scott at left tackle. (Thankfully, the final transition appears to be very temporary.) On the right side, there hasn't been the same quantity of change (Butler to Scott to Chambers - and again, the last transition is temporary), but they'll play in Miami with a guy who wasn't an initial part of their 53-man roster at right tackle.

Oh, and Jamon Meredith - a green-as-Bell rookie out of South Carolina - is our swing tackle for this week. Trent Edwards: check your health insurance policy before you hop on that plane for Miami International.

How this affects the Miami game plan
I could say this all myself, but why do that when Jim Kelly is a far more convincing figure? (Not that y'all need convincing.) In an exclusive to BuffaloBills.com, Kelly mentions the following as just the biggest of many downfalls to the current situation at tackle:

Alex (Van Pelt) and his fellow offensive coaches will have to start with their protections and go from there. They’re going to have make sure their protections are sound and then see what’s realistic to run off of that. So they may not be able to go into Sunday’s game with a full out game plan like when you have an offensive line that’s not in a state of flux due to injury.

There are obvious consequences to the continuity on an already-discontinuous offense front, and the whole young players (i.e. Bell) in need of reps at the positions that they'll be playing long-term issue, too. But those aren't the immediate issue. Winning in Miami is, and this doesn't help - in fact, it could be extremely detrimental.

Despite the fact that Joey Porter may miss the game, Miami's defense remains big and physical on the line, and fast and athletic (oh, and big) at rush linebacker. Their pass rush has been stagnant to this point, but does that really matter considering the youth of Buffalo's offensive line and their even bigger issue at tackle? Considering how mightily Buffalo struggled against an athletic New Orleans front last week, the matchup with Miami isn't particularly encouraging this week, either.

Buffalo has a chance to put up plenty of big plays this week against a Miami defense that has surrendered them routinely this season. They certainly have the skill players at running back and receiver to get the job done. But Trent Edwards will need to be upright - or display an ability to quickly diagnose a defense we have rarely seen from him to this point - to make those plays this week. This is a must-win game against a beatable opponent, but the biggest issue entering Miami is whether or not our quarterback will live to see Week 5. Mr. Scott? Mr. Chambers? Please don't suck on Sunday.

Bills taking the (massively) youthful route up front

Brian Galliford — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:00:29 -0000

To say that the Buffalo Bills have forced a transformation along their offensive line over the past several months is, perhaps, one of the largest understatements a fan can make about the current team. Gone from 2008 are four veteran starters, the latest, obviously, being OT Langston Walker, who was released on Tuesday. Replacing the veterans are two rookies, another player who is essentially a rookie, and a veteran free agent center that has never been a full-time starter.

The transformation is not only broad, it leaves the Bills vastly inexperienced in an area that used to be one of the team's most veteran units. Some quick perspective: Brad Butler, making the transition from right guard to right tackle, was the Bills' least experienced starting lineman in 2008. One year later, he's this line's senior member.

2008 starting offensive line
LT: Jason Peters (42 starts)
LG: Derrick Dockery (77 starts)
C: Melvin Fowler (55 starts)
RG: Brad Butler (16 starts)
RT: Langston Walker (49 starters)
Total: 239 starts (48 per lineman)

2009 starting offensive line
LT: Demetrius Bell (0 starts)
LG: Andy Levitre (0 starts)
C: Geoff Hangartner (27 starts)
RG: Eric Wood (0 starts)
RT: Brad Butler (29 starts)
Total: 56 starts (11 per lineman)

The difference is vast. Clearly, the line is far less experienced this season, but the most disconcerting change is, obviously, starting three players that are essentially rookies.

That's not to say that Buffalo's new-look offensive line isn't talented. Wood and Levitre were highly-touted prospects entering April's NFL Draft. Bell has been touted as a potential diamond in the rough for over a year since entering the league as a seventh-round project out of Northwestern State. Hangartner, though never a full-time starter, proved effective in fill-in duty for four seasons in Carolina. Butler is moving back to the position he played in colege after playing out of position at guard for most of his three seasons in Buffalo. All of these players, with the possible exception of the unknown commodity (Bell), play the game with a nasty disposition, they finish blocks, and they have the ability to get better (which, obviously, Bell does as well).

Someday, perhaps sooner than most think, this line could be quite good. The idea that they'll magically gel over the next six days to keep Trent Edwards upright for four quarters in New England is absurd. Like everything else with this team at the moment, this line is now vastly inexperienced and very much a work in progress. Just like they're doing at offensive coordinator, they're now relying on vastly inexperienced personnel at arguably the offense's most important group. It's a gamble. With every gamble the team makes, the chances of success dwindle.

New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills Week, Day 2: Cutting Dominic Rhodes?

MaPatsFan — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:01:08 -0000

by David Duprey - AP

4 months ago: Chicago Bears' Garrett Wolfe (25) recovers a fumble by Buffalo Bills' Dominic Rhodes (33), not shown, under pressure from Bills' Drayton Florence (29) and Nic Harris (54) during the first half of an exhibition NFL football game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009. (AP Photo/ David Duprey)

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One of the more surprising cuts to come out of Buffalo was Dominic Rhodes. Apparently, he wasn't making much of a case for himself. He was a problem child off the field and never produced on field. I was curious why Buffalo would cut him, especially when starting RB Marshawn Lynch suspended for the first three games of the season. As usual, Buffalo Rumblings blogger Brian Galliford has the goods.

Q: Out of all the cuts this past week, were there any surprises? Dominic Rhodes comes to mind as he seemed like a fairly productive back. What's the skinny behind his loss of a job as well as any other surprises from a Bills' fan's perspective?

Well, you hit it on the head - Rhodes really was the only surprise Bills cut this year, though an argument could certainly be made for veteran OL Kirk Chambers.

As you're probably aware, Rhodes was signed in March as veteran insurance for Marshawn Lynch's three-game suspension. Obviously, he won't fulfill those duties. Rhodes has been in the proverbial doghouse for essentially the majority of training camp; he begged out of the Hall of Fame Game with a knee injury, and when he returned, he promptly coughed up the rock twice (once on a punt return) and was miserable in pass protection. The cumulation of all of that led to his release.

Still, it's a gutsy move for a team that has made an uncomfortable amount of gutsy moves of late. Fred Jackson, who will fill in for Lynch in the first three games, injured his wrist in training camp, and the injury has been described as one that could nag him for much of the 2009 season. As it stands now, Buffalo's two backup runners - second-year pro Xavier Omon and fullback-by-trade Corey McIntyre - have a combined six NFL carries. So despite all of Rhodes' apparent pre-season misdeeds, his release is most definitely a risk.

As for Chambers, he was a useful fill-in at tackle and guard over the past two seasons, and was rewarded with a contract extension this past March. Most thought he'd stick around as veteran insurance at both tackle and guard in the event that either of the Bills starting rookie guards (Eric Wood, Andy Levitre) or converted guard Brad Butler struggled. They have all had their moments; meanwhile, second-year pro Demetrius Bell has developed to the point where he could take over for Langston Walker at left tackle much sooner than anyone had anticipated. The emergence of Bell, plus the investments made in the starters, made Chambers expendable.

I'm not sure I'd call cutting Rhodes a gutsy move, but I would say it's risky. Given Jackson's injury and Omon's and McIntyre's lack of NFL reps, it could be a bumpy road for the Bills' ground game. If I were Belichick, I'd think Buffalo would prefer to air it out more than put the rock on the ground. But I'm just a blogger. Thanks to Brian Galliford for the great info. Check out Buffalo Rumblings for my answer to his question regarding Brady's mindset.

Defining the Buffalo Bills' roster bubble players

Brian Galliford — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:00:24 -0000

For one last time, at least for another year or so, we're about to talk about the roster bubble. It's pretty difficult to define a roster bubble, particularly if you're nerdy enough - like yours truly - to project an NFL's 53-man roster obsessively until your thoughts are no longer relevant.

Heading into their pre-season finale, the Buffalo Bills (and more particularly, its coaching staff) very likely has their final 53 already selected. For fans, however, speculation rules the day this time of the year. This post is meant to do three things: define Buffalo's list of "bubble" players, force you to pay attention to those bubble players, and serve as one last spot for y'all to formulate your thoughts before tomorrow's "Buffalo Rumblings Roster Projection Contest" begins.

Staying with the team, but they don't count yet (2)
RB Marshawn Lynch (Reserve/Suspended) - Lynch probably won't play tonight, and he begins his three-game suspension on Saturday.
WR James Hardy (Physically Unable to Perform) - Right now, Hardy is on Active PUP, meaning that he counts against the active roster, and that he can be activated at any time. Active PUP ends when the pre-season ends. It's very likely the coaches will give Hardy an extra six weeks to get into football shape and all healed up by placing him on Reserve PUP.

With those two moves in mind, the Bills will have 72 active players. That list, obviously, needs to be whittled down to 53 - so 19 more must go.

Certain cuts (11)
Let's face it - if any of these eleven players make the roster, every single one of us will be floored.

QB Matt Baker, RB Bruce Hall, WR Felton Huggins, WR C.J. Hawthorne, TE Tyson DeVree, OT Nick Hennessey, C Christian Gaddis, DE Ataefiok Etukeren, DT Derrick Jones, DT Corey Mace, LB Ryan Manalac

That list puts us down to 61 players. We've now officially reached the bubble portion of our roster.

THE BUBBLE (15)
I've got 15 players listed as "on the bubble." All of these players have at least something going for them that could keep them on the roster through the weekend. By current math, eight of these players will make the final roster, while seven will try to latch on with other NFL teams.

RB Xavier Omon, FB Corey McIntyre, WR Justin Jenkins, TE Jonathan Stupar, OT Jonathan Scott, OG Brandon Rodd, DE Chris Ellis, DE Copeland Bryan, LB Marcus Buggs, LB Jon Corto, LB Alvin Bowen, LB Ashlee Palmer, CB Cary Harris, FS Ko Simpson, SS John Wendling

Picking eight of these names as keepers may seem easy, but it's made a bit more difficult by potential surprises. We've got four such scenarios below. For every scenario that comes to fruition below (and we're not saying any of them will), pick another name from the above list and toss it onto your final roster.

Surprise cuts/roster decisions (4)
TE Derek Fine - He's dealing with a hamstring issue, and to say the competition at tight end is heavy is an understatement. It wouldn't completely shock us to see him released, even after being a 2008 fourth-round draft pick.

OT Langston Walker - WGR 550 reporter Paul Hamilton is already on the record as saying Walker could be a surprise release. I'm not sure I buy that, particularly given Demetrius Bell's bad back, but Walker's apparent fall from grace seems legitimate. I can't fathom a scenario in which the Bills would be comfortable entering a season with three highly unproven tackles - but in the spirit of "it wouldn't shock me," we'll list Walker anyways.

DE Ryan Denney - The Bills, for the first time in what seems like forever, actually have some depth at the defensive end position. They've got three young ends - two listed on the bubble above - that have proven worthy of roster consideration. It's difficult to imagine the team cutting Denney, but it's not impossible. They could also dangle him in trade talks if they try, as some suspect they might, to swing a deal for veteran linebacker depth.

CB Ashton Youboty - Speaking of veterans that are candidates to be dangled in trade talks, meet Mr. Youboty. 25-year-old corners with some promise aren't exactly easy to come by, but the Bills have solid depth at corner without considering Youboty. (There's also a reason I listed Cary Harris as "on the bubble" above.) Buffalo obviously doesn't feel the need to actively try to trade Youboty, and he certainly won't be released. But if the right offer comes along - particularly if it involves that aforementioned veteran linebacker - the Bills might just pull the trigger.

***

That's it. That's about as ironclad as you can get on a pretty ambiguous topic. I'm off to Ralph Wilson Stadium to take in tonight's game; the open thread will air at 6:00 PM ET, and I'll have a recap up for y'all when I get back from the stadium. Enjoy yourselves this evening.

Bills starters not likely to play much Thursday night

Brian Galliford — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:00:24 -0000

After four long, boring, miserable meaningless pre-season games, the Buffalo Bills will mercifully bring the pre-season to a close tomorrow night when they host the Detroit Lions in each team's final tune-up for the regular season. For the Bills and their much-maligned offense, it will be the last chance for many players to fine tune their games in a live setting before the Bills' regular season opener, two Mondays from now in New England.

Bills head coach Dick Jauron revealed on Wednesday that his starters would not see much time, if any. Many veterans coming off of injuries, such as WR Terrell Owens and DE Aaron Schobel, will likely be held out of action to make sure they're completely healthy for the games that count. Other starters - such as QB Trent Edwards, for example - could play, but will likely only see a series or two.

In the 2008 pre-season finale (also against Detroit), Jauron allowed only one of his starters to take the field - FS Ko Simpson. Third-string QB Gibran Hamdan got the start at quarterback that night while Edwards and J.P. Losman watched from the sidelines. The Bills lost that game at home 14-6.

From where I sit, it seems highly unlikely that we'll see a repeat of that decision. For one, the Bills have a brand new offensive line whose starters could use an extra drive or two worth of reps against actual NFL players before heading to New England. Edwards, who has struggled mightily of late, could use a solid drive siimply to boost his confidence a bit. RB Marshawn Lynch, who will miss the first three games of the season due to suspension, will likely see a series before heading to the shelf. Owens and Lee Evans are virtual locks to sit this one out.

Defensively, veterans such as Schobel, Marcus Stroud, Terrence McGee and perhaps even Kawika Mitchell probably won't play. Paul Posluszny might not, either, as he's currently got a nice gash on his chin that keeps opening up on him. Other young starters, from Kyle Williams straight through Leodis McKelvin, will get the "series or two" treatment.

Still plenty to learn
I suspect that many folks who still have their knickers in a twist about the current state of the Bills will be upset that the starters will see little to no time against Detroit. As long as some of the key youngsters we're relying on play, even if it's just a bit, I'm OK with the decision. Players like Owens and Schobel aren't going to get anything out of playing one pre-season series anyways.

The real interest in this game comes from the second units, who are likely to play a ton. Jauron was sending a message to his entire team, veterans and youngsters alike, when he did not deny that Demetrius Bell (who will miss the Detroit game) could unseat Langston Walker at left tackle - nobody should be comfortable. We'll give any job away if a player is deserving of a promotion. Rarely does Jauron do something like that through the media. But it is what it is, and opportunity is now knocking for younger players.

Steve Johnson is a good example. Is it possible that he could start stealing slot reps from Josh Reed? Reed is a known commidity, but Johnson isn't - and he's flashed immense potential. Shawn Nelson has a chance to secure lots of playing time in this game. So does Aaron Maybin, Chris Ellis, Copeland Bryan, Reggie Corner and perhaps even Jairus Byrd.

In many ways, the pre-season finale is the most intriguing pre-season game of the season. A strong performance can lock up a roster spot, just as it did for Bryan a year ago. As I said above - as long as select young starters get some reps, I'm OK with the starters sitting out the majority of this game. This game is about picking the 53 guys you're going to go to battle with four the next four months - and there is still plenty of intrigue on that front.

How disposed to change are these Bills?

Brian Galliford — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:30:10 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

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Things are not well in Buffalo Bills nation. The team's first-string offense has been shut out in two consecutive pre-season games. Trent Edwards, 46.9 quarterback rating in tow, is captaining a bandwagon whose passengers are dropping like flies. The offensive line is making some progress, but as expected, they're still working on playing together. Without Terrell Owens, Buffalo's receivers have struggled to get going. While the defense and special teams - though inconsistent - have shown far more signs of life, the offense, or lack thereof, has Bills fans (and even coaches) worried.

It's so bad that, over the weekend, two separate reports surfaced that indicate that the franchise is already contemplating changes in two key areas.

ESPN.com's Tim Graham reported last Friday that part of the coaching staff - offensive coordinator Turk Schonert chief among them - are pushing to start second-year prospect Demetrius Bell at left tackle in lieu of veteran Langston Walker. Now, Schonert himself has been named as a coordinator on the hot seat by the National Football Post; according to the blurb, the "patience level" for Schonert to turn the offense around is not high.

We're talking about a team that, historically, has not made big changes such as these in the past, particularly before or during the start of a regular season. Then again, we've seen how desperate they've become by the mere free agent signing of Owens alone. Where's the line? How much will the current regime contemplate changing to save their jobs?

If these changes happen, will they help?
Swapping out Walker for Bell is, at the very least, intriguing. Bell has the look of a diamond-in-the-rough type player, with excellent athleticism. This coaching staff raves about what he could be - but they've also been hesitant to rave about what he currently is. Starting him over Walker would be a gamble, regardless of how poorly Walker has apparently played. (It's time to put to rest the notion that the move would re-shuffle the line, as well; Brad Butler would stay at right tackle, folks, as would the interior of the offensive line. If the swap is made, Walker assumes Bell's spot on the bench.)

Removing Schonert is a move I feel certain most Bills fans would not regret, but who replaces him? I firmly believe that the plan all along has been to allow Edwards to call his own plays in the no-huddle offense, but considering his performance of late, it's not a stretch to believe that might have changed. If patience is thin based on Schonert's play-calling this pre-season and throughout the 2008 season, that's certainly understandable - but who replaces him? Eric Studesville is currently the running backs coach and running game coordinator, but he has no play-calling experience at this level. Nor does quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt or receivers coach Tyke Tolbert. (Of course, neither did Schonert when he was hired.)

It's important to remember that these changes have not been made. The fact that the reports even exist, however, is indicative of the desperation surrounding this team. There's nothing wrong with being desperate to win - but these are scary changes to be contemplating this close to the start of the season.

Breaking down assumptions
There are other items that are routinely dropped in discussions as a paraphrase of "things Dick Jauron always does." A few are below.

Edwards. Buffalo didn't go out into the free agent market and bring in Ryan Fitzpatrick to open a quarterback competition. Jauron has settled on Edwards as his starter, and after the wishy-washy decision-making at quarterback of previous Bills coaches like Wade Phillips (Doug Flutie/Rob Johnson) and Mike Mularkey (J.P. Losman/Kelly Holcomb), that's commendable. But if Edwards keep playing as he's been playing this pre-season, the team isn't going anywhere. No matter how confident Jauron and his staff is that Edwards can develop into a good player, is it really safe to say that they wouldn't make a switch to try to ignite the offense? (Not now, obviously; Edwards is still firmly entrenched as the starter.)

Cutting veterans. The Bills have some roster decisions to make over the next week or so as NFL rules mandate cutting down rosters to 53 players by this coming Saturday. Some select veterans - such as Walker, as well as defensive ends Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney - are considered locks to make the team. But in the case of all of those players, there are younger, less-developed players that could help the team win games, even if they're prone to more mistakes. Who's to say the coaches won't cut some vets (and some salary) and roll the dice with younger, more talented players?

Giving away playing time. Josh Reed. Roscoe Parrish. Derek Schouman. Derek Fine. Kelsay and Denney. Donte Whitner. All are nice players, and all have roles to play. Most will see significant playing time. But would it truly shock us if, after a few weeks of terrible offense, Steve Johnson takes reps in the slot? Or Shawn Nelson gets top reps at tight end? How about Aaron Maybin becoming a full-time starter? Is it possible that they'd use Whitner as a jack-of-all-trades to get Jairus Byrd onto the field full-time? They've got to get playmakers onto the field if they want to win games, and none of the aforementioned, with the possible exception of Parrish, have routinely turned in game-changing plays.

Is it time to throw assumptions out the window? This is more a speculative post than anything - I realize y'all would rather just bash the coaching staff and the quarterback, but we can get a little more creative with this. How much change do you believe is possible, starting now and getting into the season, from this desperate franchise?

Bills looking for rebound performance in Pittsburgh

Brian Galliford — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:00:20 -0000

Heading into their fourth pre-season game of the year, the Buffalo Bills are hoping to rebound from a lackluster performance in Green Bay. They'll get that opportunity this evening when they travel to Pittsburgh to take on the defending world champion Steelers. While the offense, more than any other unit, is looking for a confidence boost, the team as a whole could use a strong performance as the regular season swiftly approaches.

While perhaps the most fascinating Bill of the day, OT Demetrius Bell, will miss the game with a back injury (with RB Fred Jackson (wrist), WR Terrell Owens (toe) and DE Aaron Schobel (elbow) joining him), there is, as always, plenty worth monitoring tonight. As usual, we've got five such subjects for your pre-game perusal after the jump.

Offense looking to... well, score
Nine drives, three points. That's all that Buffalo's first-team offense has been able to muster through three pre-season games, much to the chagrin of critics and the majority of the fan base. Yet largely this same offense, led by QB Trent Edwards, handled the blitz-happy Steelers with ease during the 2008 pre-season. A repeat of that performance would go a long way toward restoring some confidence in an attack that could use every advantage it can muster.

In particular for Edwards, but obviously for the offense as a whole, a strong showing - and perhaps a touchdown - would be a welcome relief.

How will Walker respond?
The big news Friday was an ESPN.com report citing team sources indicating that at least part of the Bills' coaching staff would rather start the aforementioned Bell at left tackle in lieu of veteran Langston Walker, who was tabbed in late April as the replacement for traded two-time Pro Bowl LT Jason Peters. Walker's play has been steady to this point in the pre-season, but concerns remain over the 6'8", 366-pound Walker's ability to adequately protect the blind side of Edwards, who has struggled to avoid injuries.

Bell, as also mentioned, is injured, and will not play tonight. Despite the report, it remains unlikely (though clearly not impossible) that Walker will find himself anywhere other than at left tackle when the season opens. Still, as disconcerting as the report was, Walker now has more to prove than simply whether or not he's capable of manning what is commonly regarded as the most important position on the offensive line. Now, he's got competition to stave off as well.

Position battles
There are several position battles that, based on how battle participants fare tonight and in the pre-season finale, will undoubtedly help shape up the final roster. We discussed those battles earlier this week at the link provided, so I won't bore you with a recap; of particular interest to me tonight, however, are the battles taking place at tight end, linebacker and defensive end (which we'll explore more in-depth momentarily).

Veterans with something to prove
Speaking of items we've already discussed, we also spent some time earlier this week poring over the names of several veterans clinging perhaps in vain to their jobs. Many of these players fit snugly into the aforementioned position battles. Still, the pressure is on for players like Ryan Denney, Copeland Bryan, Pat Thomas, Ashton Youboty, and now Walker, to perform. It's crunch time - and if the Bell reports are accurate, how gutsy will the coaching staff be at other areas of the roster? Is it safe to assume that any job is safe? These guys can't play poorly if they don't want to find out the hard way.

Maybin makes his debut
Perhaps the only thing that everyone can get excited about heading into tonight's game is the NFL debut of No. 11 overall pick DE Aaron Maybin, who has a week of practice under his belt after ending his holdout a week ago yesterday. With Schobel sidelined with an elbow injury, there's a chance that Maybin could see reps with the first-unit defense - and he'll definitely see reps with the second unit. The pass rush on the whole needs to perform better; we'll get our first glimpse tonight if Maybin has what it takes to provide the shot in the arm the pass rush needs.

Packers 31, Bills 21: Film Review, Offense

Brian Galliford — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:16:46 -0000

The Buffalo Bills are coming off of a lackluster performance in a 31-21 road pre-season loss to the Green Bay Packers. While I still maintain that this isn't happening, there was plenty to be concerned about for the Bills in all three phases of the game.

As it's pre-season, and the games are still pretend, I only watched enough of the game back on DVR to get through the starters. I'll skim the second half tomorrow (to post Tuesday) to take a look at some younger players. Talking points from Buffalo's abysmal offensive effort are after the jump.

Quick offensive line reviews
First thing's first - the line play wasn't nearly as bad as everyone's making it out to be. That's not to say it wasn't bad, obviously; it was pretty bad. But let's not forget that this was the third time the unit was playing together. They played virtually the entire half, and they were very inconsistent. On one play, the line would formulate a pristine pocket, and on the next, they'd spring a leak. Inconsistency is expected, but there's enough positive right now to keep even the most cynical of Bills fans from drowning in a sea of emotion. Well, that's not true, I suppose, but I'm trying to save lives here.

Langston Walker: I thought Walker looked very solid in pass protection. He's having some issues sustaining blocks, but that should change when the games count. He was called for a hold, but that was a ticky tack call that came out of nowhere. Very strange call; Dick Jauron was not happy with it, and neither was Walker. Walker's run blocking leaves a lot to be desired; he doesn't have that road grader mentality that usually comes with a man of his stature.

Andy Levitre: He struggled. Ryan Pickett and Cullen Jenkins were able to toss him around with ease and steer him into running lanes on more than one occasion. On one play, the telecast cut off the snap cutting away from a replay, and in the first frame, Levitre was literally running backwards toward Buffalo's end zone. That play resulted in a three-yard loss on a toss to Marshawn Lynch. Levitre had some nice pull blocks, but he was the clear weak link last night.

Geoff Hangartner: Had a bad false start penalty where it looked like he wasn't sure of the snap count. He was also handled by Ryan Pickett a couple of times, but handled him right back a few other times. For the most part, Hangartner looked good. He's very quick to get to the second level.

Eric Wood: Wood was beaten badly on two occasions, with one leading to a sack. He was also late getting into the flow of an otherwise perfectly-executed screen play; had he been a hair quicker, he might have been able to prevent Jenkins' forced fumble on Fred Jackson. Otherwise, Wood was solid.

Brad Butler: I liked what I saw out of Butler. He, too, was driven yards into the backfield by a defensive end on the sack that Wood allowed, but otherwise he was OK. His pass protection looks solid, too, particularly in handling speed rushers.

In all, the line is still very much a work in progress - as it should be. What is missing are the truly spectacular blocks; the Bills are either terrible or efficient/adequate. There haven't been any "wow" blocks from this group yet. A few of those over the last two pre-season games would be nice.

Trent Edwards was as bad as advertised
Edwards was efficient in the team's first two pre-season games, though he was hardly spectacular. Last night, however, his no-huddle attack lacked tempo, there were several miscommunications and missed reads on his part, and his decision-making was questionable as well. Just a few quick notes:

- Edwards is inconsistent in making decisions on when to vacate the pocket. He had a couple of nice decisions in which he was flushed due to a blitz, and he turned both of those plays into positive yardage. On his sack/lost fumble, however, he had time to whip the ball out of bounds or tuck and run, but couldn't seem to decide between the two. In the end, he just kind of jogged and got nailed from behind.

- On his interception, his hesitancy to make the throw was visible, as he actually hitched for a beat in his delivery before making the throw. It took a little off the velocity of the ball, and it certainly made the throw a hair late. If he delivers the ball on time, that's a first down on a medium-sized gain. His split-second hesitancy allowed S Nick Collins to break on the throw and get a hand in front of Lee Evans.

- For the most part, Edwards was looking in the right spot with his throws. On at least two occasions, however, Edwards had a read that he missed. One was a poor throw to Josh Reed; Reed was open, but a good throw might have been picked, and meanwhile, Evans was wide open in single coverage on the other side of the field. On another play, a blitz came from Edwards' blind side - and though he sensed it, it appeared that Roscoe Parrish was supposed to be his hot receiver, but the ball went to an unaware Evans. Though the result was an incompletion, Edwards appeared to make the wrong read - and even if he had known the ball should have gone to Parrish, Parrish didn't look anywhere near ready for a throw, either.

Not a lot to be excited about from Trent. I'm quickly getting irritated with the no-huddle. There simply needs to be more tempo. Speed it up!

Miscellaneous items
With the big topics out of the way, I'll just jot down the rest of the notes I took.

- Parrish looked lost on multiple occasions. I mentioned his missed hot. Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick also had to point him to the other side of the formation on more than one occasion. For all the talent this guy has, I'm starting to believe that he's not seeing the field as much as he'd like to simply because he's not 100% on the playbook.

- This offense really, really needs Terrell Owens. Edwards obviously needs to get better, but Owens' presence speeds up that process for him. T.O. makes 5's life a ton easier.

- Toss sweeps are a mess. Dominic Rhodes had a long gainer late in the first half on an outside run, but for the most part, these runs were shut down with ferocity by Green Bay's defense. The 3-4 is designed to funnel runs back inside toward big run-stuffers. It's nice to see the Bills trying some things out in terms of outside runs against that defense, but it's clearly not going to work come September 14.

- Speaking of Rhodes, he was a nice surprise last night. He looked quick and agile, and has a bit more burst in space than Fred Jackson. He had some nice runs.

- Shawn Nelson saw some action late in the half, and while his two catches were nice to see (if nowhere near earth-shattering), I concentrated more on his blocking. Nelson gets after it, folks, but my, oh my, his technique is shoddy. He whiffed badly on a couple of blocks. He also sprung Rhodes on his long gainer on the aforementioned toss sweep. There is potential there, to be sure.

- For this last point, I'm going to put it in a blue box, because blue boxes signify importance.

Green Bay played REALLY well defensively. They did a lot of blitzing right up the middle, their defensive ends were outstanding, and it's already pretty well-known that their secondary is the bees' knees. Even their linebackers, considered the weakness of the defense, were tremendously active (channeling my inner Doug Marrone there). Their players made plays, which is all you can ask for out of an NFL player, really.

When you're watching games that don't count in the standings, it's really easy to look at each play individually and concentrate solely on what Bills players did. The microscope is much more focused in these games, because as we don't play Green Bay in the regular season, we don't give a crap about what they do. That's faulty. This is a live, competitive NFL football setting. Players are allowed to make plays. So while it's really easy to point at every little fault and add it to the freak-out pile, it's also important to realize that sometimes, opponents play really well. Buffalo isn't going to be dominant on every play. The Packers, believe it or not, had free license to make plays of their own - and they did. So while it's within everyone's right to be nervous about some things we saw, let's not forget that the Packers are a talented football team. This was a good test for the Bills, and they failed miserably. Literally, there is nowhere to go but up.