SB Nation - Terrell Owens

Potent Quotables - Raider Week Wednesday

TJ Johnson — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:14:40 -0000

10 days ago: Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels calls in a play during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. The Broncos won 44-13. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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HEAD COACH JOSH McDANIELS

On Oakland Head Coach Tom Cable announcing that QB Charlie Frye will start on Sunday
"It's not going to change our preparation. We'll get familiar with him this week. I've had some familiarity before. He's played in games, obviously, in this league for a few years. This won't be his first opportunity (to play). We'll get to know him over the next four days. We don't expect their offense to change that dramatically. They've got a lot of explosive players (and a) good running game. We'll prepare like normal."

On how to familiarize the Broncos with Frye
"We'll have all the film of him actually playing in games and all of that stuff available for our players here today. We'll talk about some of his strengths and weaknesses just like we would any other player."

On how the secondary's communication is affected if S Renaldo Hill cannot play against Oakland on Sunday
"'Dawk' (S Brian Dawkins) certainly does a lot of communicating in the back end, also. The secondary as a group has to communicate together. If one of those guys-and sometimes there are five or six of them on the field together-doesn't know the call, then you've got a bad play. The corners have to communicate to the safeties. Everybody who's giving a call has to get a call. Everybody who's supposed to get one is going to keep asking for it until they hear it. Brian, the corners, (CB) Ty (Law) and the guys that have been playing, they'll be in there and they'll help. We've got a couple guys who we're going to rep (at safety) this week, and then we'll see how Renaldo progresses. Other guys have to kind of step up and pick up some of that burden whenever you lose a player who is really kind of like a quarterback in the secondary."

On if S David Bruton and S Josh Barrett will take reps in Hill's place during practice
"David, (S) Vernon (Fox) and Josh, they're all back there. Like I said, we'll see how Renaldo progresses this week. We've got who we've got."

On Bruton's and Barrett's progress this season
"They've played a lot in the offseason and the preseason. (They) haven't played much safety during the course of the regular season. They get reps every week (in practice), and they get in there and they play and they learn. It's their job to know the game plan, but you'll find out a lot more when you put them in there in a real game. (We) have faith in both of them or all of them and trust them back there in the deep part of the field."

On how to protect the Broncos' health late in the season
"You have to kind of balance that with what you need to do to get ready for the game. We're certainly not unique in that we have some guys banged up and a long list on the (injury) report that says we've got some people with some bumps and bruises. You're right. This time of the year, everybody's going through that. I think you kind of take a hard look at your team and see what they need. Today, we're not going to go ahead and practice in pads today because we're banged up a little bit and just came off of a physical game. That's what we need today. We'll evaluate it going forward. Again, the biggest thing is if you can get your football team to game day where they can play physical on game day with a lot of energy and feel good about themselves physically and mentally. That's the most important thing. Right now, we've got nine practices left during the course of the season, and I hope by now we know how to do most of the things that we're trying to do physically. The most important thing at this part of the year is that your team is mentally fresh and as physically fresh as you can have them on game day."

On maximizing WR Brandon Marshall's ability
"He's a very good player. We all know that. You guys have known that for a while. He's got a unique skill set that allows you to do a lot of things with him. One of the things that I admire the most (about Marshall) is how smart he is because receiver is not an easy position to play in this league against all of the different looks you see, against all the different techniques and against all of the different corners. Guys have different talents and abilities that are covering (wide receivers), and you have to understand how to get open and what can help you get open. Any feedback that they can give us on game day certainly is worthwhile as long as it is the right stuff. He understands adjustments. We change some things during the course of the game, and he can change right along with us. He's great to coach, fun to have out there on game day and does a lot of great things. Hopefully, we'll (maximize his ability) this week, too."

On why Marshall leads the Broncos in receptions
"Certain games dictate that the ball goes to somebody more than others. We've seen that through the course of the year. Brandon has been a beneficiary of that; (WR) Eddie (Royal) was, certainly, earlier against New England. (WR) Jabar (Gaffney) has caught a bunch of balls here and there throughout the course of the year. (TE Tony) Scheffler had a bunch in San Diego. We still continue to have that philosophy. The ball is going to go where we think that it should go based on what they're doing to us, and hopefully, we've got enough talented players out there to hurt them in whatever coverages or blitz schemes they try to use against us. You always try to get the ball to guys who can make plays, and we've got a lot of them. It just so happened the last five or six weeks here we've really kind of been able to get him the ball a bunch. He's getting open. Again, it's a two-way street. You don't just design plays and then automatically have (a player make) 12 catches. You design your offense, and it's their responsibility to create separation and give you an opportunity to throw the ball in there. He's done a great job of it and a lot of our guys have. It's just he's had more turns. Again, there's not a big ‘force the ball to Brandon Marshall' philosophy going on here. You guys know that. He was open a bunch last week, and that's why he caught so many passes."

On if he is concerned with the Broncos' offensive balance against Indianapolis
"No, because again, if they want to just let us throw the ball to one guy, you take what they give you. Last week, we took what they gave us, and we're going to continue to do that. If they take that away, then the ball will go somewhere else. The most important thing for us is that we're moving the ball and having positive plays. Whether that be to 10 different receivers or five or three (to the) tight ends, backs or receivers, it doesn't make any difference. We're hoping to be productive no matter who we're throwing to."

On how the Raiders have changed since the Broncos last played them
"They're playing with a lot of guys who we didn't play against in the first game. (WR Chaz) Schilens is a go-to receiver. There's no doubt about that. Third down (and) red zone, he's had a big impact there for them. (He) made a bunch of big plays in the Cincinnati game late. (QB Bruce) Gradkowski obviously did some different things and moves in and out of the pocket well. We don't expect that to change. (RB Justin) Fargas, we didn't play against, either. (He's) a different style of runner. (Oakland) is one of only two teams or maybe the only team that has three backs who have 80 carries or more. Fargas, (RB Darren) McFadden and (RB Michael) Bush, they don't really care who's in there. They give it to all three of them and let them go with it. (WR Louis) Murphy is certainly playing much better. He was a young kid, obviously, when we played them the first time. This guy's made a bunch of big plays, a bunch of big catches and touchdowns the last month. He's playing at a different level. Defensively, I think 26 passes have been thrown at (CB Nnamdi) Asomugha in 13 games, which is amazing to me because he just shuts everybody down. They've created turnovers in the red zone, and then they've created turnovers when people have been backed up, which has given their offense a short field sometimes, and they've punched it in. They've continued to progress and get better and improve. They've got some players healthy now who they didn't when we first played them. We know what happened here last year. We were 6-4 and they were 2-8, and they came in here and drummed us 31-10. The fact that we are 8-5 and they're 4-9 doesn't really make a difference to us. It's a division game. We know it's going to be tough and physical, and they're playing a different style of football. They're aggressive. The word I use to describe them is ‘explosive.' (With) their kickers, their offense and their defense, if you take a play off, you're giving yourself a chance to have a big play put up against you."

On if his message to the Broncos changes entering the season's final three games
"We all understand where we're at. At the beginning of the season, we wanted to put ourselves into a position at this point to be able to compete to be able to play in the postseason. We've done that. Now, our urgency has to go up along with the rest of the league's. We can't take any days off (or) any plays off. We have to have good practice days the rest of the season because like I said, we only have nine of them left to try to earn more. The only thing we know is if we win three, we'll have a chance to play longer. That's what we're focused on right now, and it starts with the Raiders."

QB KYLE ORTON

On why Oakland CB Nnamdi Asomugha is so successful
"(His) speed (and) length; (he's) physical and basically runs the receivers route for him; he's extremely fast, quick; and he's got great length, too. It's not like you can just expect to throw the ball up on him and have him not make plays on the ball. When he's there and people throw at him, he certainly makes plays at the ball, so that adds another factor that makes him very tough."

On how you attack a corner like Asomugha
"You certainly don't want to live working against him if you have a choice. The other (cornerback) is very, good too. (No.) 37 (CB Chris Johnson) is a good player, but if you certainly have your choice, you don't want to be going at (No.) 21 (Asomugha)."

On the Asomugha-Brandon Marshall matchup
"Brandon is pretty good, too. He's got to cover Brandon, so it will be a good matchup all day. We have a lot of confidence in (No.) 15 (Marshall) when we throw to his routes."

On not being 100-percent healthy late in the season
"I don't think anybody is. That's part of the league. Good teams can deal with it, and teams that can't win late, they can't deal with it. You've got to have depth, you've got to have tough guys that play through it and you've got to just, more than anything, have production on the practice field. You can't just have everybody shutting it down three days a week and then showing up to play (on Sunday) and nothing ever gets done. It's tough and it's a battle, but we've got a lot of guys out there practicing and trying to get ready for this week."

On having to play through pain late in the season
"Obviously, there are some things that you can't play with, but if you can play with it, you've got to be out there."

On his ability to perform better when he's 100-percent healthy
"Obviously, the healthier you are (and) the better you feel, the better you are going to play. To start off the season for five games and have a broken finger, it's not perfect. It's not how you want it, but that's just how it is. You just try to deal with it and get through it."

On Marshall's football intelligence in comparison to his physical ability
"His size and his physical ability, to me, is what are most impressive, but he's a smart football-he's a total football player. You're not as good as he is without understanding the game and understanding defenses and what teams are trying to do. You just can't catch that many passes without having a good understanding of how teams are trying to take you away."

On his confidence in the receiving corps
"I have a ton of confidence. You look at (WR) Jabar Gaffney, (who) has been big all year. (WR) Eddie Royal has had big games for us. Whenever (WR Brandon) Stokley plays, he comes in and has huge plays for us. Our two tight ends (Daniel Graham and Tony Scheffler) have been very productive as well when we've asked them to be. We've got a lot of people to throw the ball to. It's not like Brandon is going to be getting 20 balls every game."

On the Broncos' running backs in short-yardage situations
"(RB) Knowshon (Moreno) runs the ball pretty tough in short yardage. You can't run through everybody. We've got to do a better job of blocking for him. We've got to do a better job of getting a surge. That's on everybody on the offense, not just Knowshon. We've got good short-yardage backs. (RB) Peyton (Hillis) is a good one as well, but this isn't Knowshon's problem. This is the offense's problem."

On the Broncos' depth at running back
"We've had a deep backfield all year. We've got (RB) LaMont (Jordan) who hasn't played a ton for us lately that can come in and do good things. (We also have) Peyton, Knowshon and ‘Buck' (RB Correll Buckhalter). We've got a lot of guys that can play."

On if he is resting more and receiving more treatment in attempts to remain healthy late in the season
"(You do) everything, all of the above. As bad as you feel (on) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, you've got to have faith that your preparation for your body is going to show dividends on Sunday. I know that's how I've felt. I haven't felt very well until about Saturday. (On) Saturday, you start feeling a little bit better, and by Sunday, you feel alright. The next week, you've got to go and do it all over again."

On if the Broncos' urgency increases entering the last three games of the season
"For us, it does for sure. We know what we've got to do the last three games. If we take care of our business, we'll be right where we want to be. It all starts this week with a tough divisional game, and we can't sleep on them. Every game you ever play inside the division is a tough game. We've got two (division games) out of the three (remaining), so we'll have a tough task, for sure."

S BRIAN DAWKINS

On if Oakland's announcement that QB Charlie Frye will start on Sunday affects the Broncos' preparation
"No, it is about what they do as a team. You know what they like to do. (They are a) big, physical team. They are going to try and run the ball and take shots when they have opportunities. You prepare for what they do best. Whoever plays or whoever does not play shouldn't make a difference in how we prepare."

On how the secondary will respond to injuries at safety
"It makes other guys who have been in the backseat doing some special teams work step up and play some ball. That, basically, is what it does. As far as (injuries) in a game, I've seen things happen in games before, and you have to continue and roll and continue and play and do what you can until those guys who can come back, come back. The guys who are going to step up have to be able to step up and make big plays for us."

On how members of the secondary can contribute in place of injured Broncos
"Those guys, each one of them brings different things to the table, but the thing that each one presents is a playmaking potential from that position. That is what you always look for: (someone who is) physical, can come up and make the open-field tackle when they need to, can catch the deep ball and go get it when they have to. Each one of those guys is going to be asked to do those things at different times of the season. Hopefully, it won't be too long and (S) Renaldo (Hill) will be able to get back in there soon. Until that time comes, they will have to do it."

On if this Sunday's game against Oakland is a trap game
"Is it a trap game? Trap games? We are in the last part of the season and trying to position ourselves to do what we need to do game by game. How can you have a trap game? There is no such thing as a trap game this late in the season."

On how to keep the Broncos focused on winning all three remaining games
"By not saying what you just said, ‘If we win all three.' It is about winning this one. Then when that happens-if we are able to pull this game out-we go to the next one. It is a one-game attitude. You can't try and crop them together and say, ‘If we do this...' ‘If' will get you beat every week, so we've got to go out and make sure we concentrate on this team, which is a very talented team. They are obviously going to come in here and want to win this game, so you can't look at anybody past this team."

On mentoring younger Broncos like S David Bruton
"I feel like I've been blessed to play this game, obviously, for a long time, and a lot of wisdom, I've received. I feel like it is my duty to pass that on to young guys under me. Whatever I see-he sits right next to me, so I'm always whispering different things to him to allow him to see what I see, what I'm seeing on the field and why I do certain things. Hopefully, it will allow him to be able to step into this position and be able to be where he needs to be right away from some of the things that we've talked about. I believe that is my position. I need to be able to help young guys under me, to help them to make sure that the safety position on whatever team that I'm playing for is a strong one for years to come."

On if it is more difficult to mentally prepare for teams that don't have elite quarterbacks
"This is crunch time. This is what you play football for, to put yourself in position to be able to do some things after (the regular season) if you continue to play good football. You shouldn't really need any one particular player to get you up for any game going forward. It is the position and where we are in the season (that) should get you up for every game. I understand outside of the locker room how that can mesmerize somebody to say that. You don't have (to face) a (Indianapolis QB) Peyton Manning or a (New England QB) Tom Brady or anybody playing at quarterback, but it does not matter this time of the season. The only thing that matters is getting wins and losses-wins hopefully-against good football teams. (Oakland) is a good football team. Their record may not say it and people may look down on them, but I look at the film and what I see is a lot of speed on the outside, a running attack that can gash you at anytime and a huge, physical offensive line that can move people off the ball. That is what I'm looking at. I don't look at their record."

On how he feels physically after a game
"(It) depends on the team, depends on the game and depends on what I've asked my body to do on that Sunday. Usually, Monday is not a fun day. It is a slow day for me, and I try and do everything in my power to get my body ready to come into practice and be able to run and run at a good pace so I'll be ready to run full speed and do the same crazy stuff again on that next Sunday."

On facing Oakland Frye
"Again, our job is to do specific thing, to try and be as familiar as possible with their offensive scheme, what they like to do-a lot of different things-and play football. When the ball is snapped, we have to be where we are supposed to be. We disguise (coverages) with everybody. It doesn't matter the quarterback. Once the ball is snapped, plays have to be made, edges have to be set (and) tackles have to be made. That is the definition of a defense later in the season, when you are able to do those things and correct those mistakes that you've made early so that you can play your best football."

On if he believes WR Brandon Marshall and Buffalo WR Terrell Owens are similar players
"Absolutely, you see that physically on the field. Probably (Houston WR) Andre (Johnson) will be another one from the Texans. (They are) physically just gifted, huge guys that can run and run after the catch and go get the ball when it's in the air. They present matchup problems every week. I don't care what team they are going against, they are going to have matchup problems going against those guys. Each one of them, from those two anyway, that I played with, (their) work ethic is unbelievable (with) the way they work in practice, and that translates into the game. That is why he is able to do the things in the game that he does because of his work ethic in practice."

New England Patriots Links 12/16/09 - Adalius Thomas Gets a Good Wrap

Marima — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:48:07 -0000

Titus Adams (left) and Adalius Thomas get all wrapped up in the 'Wrap a Pat' portion of the New England Patriots charitable foundation/Salvation Army Holiday party at Gillette Stadium yesterday.

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Adalius Thomas earned points with Robert Kraft and especially the kids, who adorned he and defensive lineman Titus Adams in gift wrap as part of the "Wrap-a-Pat" portion of the evening. Great photos of the event here.

"It was a little crazy being wrapped up with Titus. He's a little claustrophobic. I'm a little claustrophobic. I found out he's a lot more claustrophobic than I am," Thomas said earlier this evening. "But it was very interesting to see the kids do that. I don't know how much paper it was but that was a lot of paper. I could have used some of that. I need to wrap some gifts when I get home."

"Any time when it's about the kids, nothing else really matters. It's a game that we're playing," Thomas said. "That's truly what it is. But these kids are dealing with the game of life, which is a lot more important than football. You come out here, you try to put a smile on their faces, and hopefully they forget about any problems they may have or anything they may be going through. So if you can come out and lend a hand, spend a piece of your day and give them something to remember for a lifetime, I think that's a great trade-off."

Bill Belichick talks up Bills' WR Terrell Owens and if he's still the same threat he's been in the past.

Well, yeah. Ask Jacksonville, ask Miami. He does a great job on the vertical deep routes. He's obviously big and fast and he can go up and get the ball. But he's also very good on the underneath routes, like what happened last week on a catch-and-run play where he caught the ball underneath, broke a couple tackles, and got the ball in the end zone. He's dangerous. He made a nice play there against Kansas City, but he's also made nice plays down the field. They try to get him the ball underneath. They did that against us in the first game for a 20-something-yard gain, whatever it was.

So he's a guy that can hurt you in a lot of different ways - deep, intermediate, run after the catch. He had a real nice play that got called back against Miami. He had a real nice play where he took a reverse and they had him in the backfield for about a 10-yard loss, and he ended up gaining about 10, 12 yards on the play and broke three or four tackles along the way. I think he's still got plenty of skill.

TEAM TALK

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills - Broadcast info, series history, team connections and more.
Ask PFW: What's up with A.D., Moss?
Tuesday Conference Calls: Bill Belichick (13:19 min.), Dean Pees (9:09 min.), Nick Caserio (7:52 min.). Plus Transcripts.
Patriots Today: Run game, playoff picture and more. (11:35 min video)

LOCAL LINKS

Mark Farinella employs a lonely voice of reason regarding the press and its biased treatment of Randy Moss. Plenty of players have bad games without getting crucified, including Matt "turnstyle" Light and Tom "Channing Crowder isn't a Patriot?" Brady. But Moss is never allowed the luxury of a bad game or a slump without the old story lines resurfacing.
Chris Gasper catches up with former Patriot WR Troy Brown, who weighs in on Moss and Thomas. Brown believes Moss has too much respect for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick to dog it.
Mike Reiss offers ten things to know about the Bills.
Karen Guregian looks for Brady to go to Moss early against the Bills, even though Buffalo has the NFL’s worst-ranked defense against the run.
Albert Breer sees the Patriots shifting to a running game.
Chris Gasper asserts Wes Welker is the MVP of the 2009 Patriots.
Adam Kilgore looks at the fan portion of the Pro-Bowl voting and notes some of its silliness.
Jeff Howe says winning doesn't cure everything, but a win over Buffalo on Sunday might.
Mike Reiss reports Jarvis Green has seen a heavy workload after missing three games following knee surgery. His four tackles and one sack earned him a game ball Sunday.
Albert Breer offers his final thoughts on the week that was.
Christopher Price answers his weekly reader mailbag, with Randy Moss and Adalius Thomas topping the list. Price believes Moss has too much respect for Tom Brady to dog it and thinks the WR is hurting.
Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag overflowing with questions, comments and concerns regarding the Patriots eventful week.
Mike Reiss notes Greg Gumbel (play-by-play) and Dan Dierdorf (analysis) will call Sunday's game between the Patriots and Bills, which is the 100th in the series between the teams.
Ron Borges issues his week 14 Report Card, granting a top grade to Welker and not much else.
Steve DeOssie issues his week 14 Report Card, saying it's a good thing they were playing Carolina.
Boston Herald Patriots Notebook: Robert Kraft provided some kind words for both Adalius Thomas and Randy Moss at yesterday's Salvation Army/Patriots holiday party at Gillette Stadium; James Sanders shared the team lead with seven tackles Sunday; Belichick sung the praises of T.O., whose team the Pats will be facing this week; Nick Caserio believes Laurence Maroney is evolving into the type of running back the team envisioned when it drafted him in 2006.

NATIONAL NEWS

NFL Network The Coaches: Belichick defends Randy Moss. (3:39 min. video) Mike Martz and Steve Mariucci defend Bill Belichick's defense of Randy Moss. Nice.
Allen Wilson (Buffalo News) Patriots' commitment called into question.
Nolan Nawrocki (Pro Football Weekly) Moss' effort reflects bigger Patriots problem.
Jeremy Lundblad (ESPN Stats & Information) Statistical guide to the New England Patriots' problems.
Allen Wilson and Ian Rapoport (Sporting News) Patriots vs. Bills Preview.
Rodney McKissic (Buffalo News) Bills' rookie safety Jairus Byrd has nine interceptions for the season.
Don Banks (SI) Draft redux: Re-projecting the 2009 first round Draftt based on season-to-date performances.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/16

MattRichWarren — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:25:15 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

3 days ago: Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) is chased by Buffalo Bills defensive end Ryan Denney (92) and safety Donte Whitner (20) as he runs 76 yards for a touchdown during the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009 in Kansas City, Mo. The Bills won the game 16-10. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Bills' Byrd doesn't mind sharing the wealth : The Buffalo News
Rodney McKissic profiles the Bills' safety phenom Jairus Byrd and his 9 1/2 interceptions.

Video: Bills run D historically bad - AFC East Blog - ESPN
KC Joyner, aka the Football Scientist, highlights the biggest matchup in Sunday's game between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills in Ralph Wilson Stadium. Joyner notes the Bills could give up 3,000 yards on the ground this year, something that has been done only three times in NFL history. [Ed note: Bad like in the picture above, giving up a 76-yard TD run.]

How the Buffalo Bills can still win the division : Buffalo Sports Daily
"The following is what needs to occur for the Bills to be still playing football after January 3; The Buffalo Bills win out, while the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins lose out, and the New York Jets win no more than one of their last three games."

Bills Daily - "A Christmas Carol"
A Buffalo Bills Christmas Carol from Bills Daily. It's amusing.

Bills secondary a den of thieves - BuffaloBills.com
Despite being banged up all year, the Bills defense, the secondary in particular, leads the league in interceptions. "Their 25 picks have already matched their best total since the AFL-NFL merger as the 1975 Bills had 25 in a 14-game season."

Rival receivers have some catching up to do - The Boston Globe
"The Bills and their bombastic receiver, Terrell Owens, host the Patriots and Randy Moss in a matchup of AFC East rivals that features two go-to receivers who do not like each other."

Let’s see what Brohm brings to the table - Wellsville, NY - Wellsville Daily Reporter
Paul Jannace adds his voice to the litany of writers pining for Brian Brohm.

How I See It: AFC East Stock Watch - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Stock Rising - Marshawn Lynch "He has rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown and averaged 8.0 yards per carry the past two weeks."

Week 15 power rankings: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
The Bills move up one spot to 25 after defeating the Chiefs.

Where's AFC East in Pro Bowl balloting? - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"The Bills' Brian Moorman, one of the NFL's top three or four punters, isn't in the AFC's top five. "

AFC East: Patriots circling wagons around Moss - The Sports Netowrk
"But if there's one area that person is least likely to touch, it's a secondary that has ever-so-quietly been among the best in the league this year, and is unquestionably the single best piece to build around on this team."

McShay has OT going to Bills – Inside The Bills
"The Bills are projected to pick 10th overall in his mock draft where he has Buffalo taking Rutgers OT Anthony Davis. Mel Kiper says if he waits a year Davis will be a top 5 pick, otherwise he’ll go in the 10-15 range of round one this year. Kipier has him as his top rated junior tackle."

2009 NFL Redraft - Don Banks - SI.com
Don Banks does the draft over again and the Bills end up with Brian Orakpo with the top three OTs off the board.

Losman update – Inside The Bills
"With Bruce Gradkowski injured, JaMarcus Russell a mess and Charlie Frye an unrealistic option J.P. Losman heads to Oakland with an opportunity to be a long term answer at quarterback."

Raiders sign former Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman - Inside Bay Area
Jim Fassell coached J.P. in the UFL and his son is on the Raiders staff. Think that had anything to do with it?

Willy Living his Dream | WIVB.com
Former University of Buffalo QB Drew Willy was signed to the Colts practice squad a few weeks ago and could see time in the final game of the season in Buffalo.

Brandon Marshall named AFC Player of the Week

John Bena — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:34:18 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

3 days ago: Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall, left, catches a pass over Indianapolis Colts safety Tim Jennings for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. Marshall had 21 receptions for 200 yards in the game. The Colts defeated the Broncos 28-16. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall will be named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for games played during the 14th week (Dec. 10-14) of the 2009 season, the National Football League informed the Broncos on Tuesday.

Marshall's selection as AFC Offensive Player of the Week is the second such award of his four-year NFL career. He also received the honor for his effort in Week 2 of the 2008 season against San Diego.

During Denver's game at Indianapolis on Sunday, Marshall posted an NFL-record 21 receptions for a career-high 200 yards with two touchdowns. His 21 catches surpassed Terrell Owens' previous league record of 20 receptions, which he totaled for San Francisco vs. Chicago on Dec. 17, 2000.

Below are a few notes on Marshall's performance against Indianapolis:

His NFL-record 21 catches vs. Indianapolis give him two of the top-four single-game receiving totals in NFL history. His 18 grabs (166 yds., 1 TD) vs. San Diego on Sept. 14, 2008, tie for the third-highest single-game total in NFL annals.
His 21 catches represented his eighth career game with at least 10 receptions, marking the most by a player through his first four seasons in NFL history.
The former University of Central Florida star was targeted 28 times, which represented the highest such total in the NFL since at least the 1994 season.
His 12 receiving first downs were the most by an NFL player in four seasons and tied for the fourth-highest total in the league since at least the 1994 season.
His 200 receiving yards represented the third-highest total by a Bronco in club history and were the highest total by a Denver player in five seasons (Rod Smith, 208 yds., vs. Atl., 10/31/04) as well as the highest total by an AFC player this year.

Marshall is Denver's fifth AFC Player of the Week winner this season, joining cornerback Champ Bailey (Wk. 4 vs. Dallas), quarterback Kyle Orton (Wk. 5 vs. New England), wide receiver/returner Eddie Royal (Wk. 6 at San Diego) and kicker Matt Prater (Wk. 12 vs. N.Y. Giants). He is Denver's 45th AFC Offensive Player of the Week winner since the award was initiated by the NFL in 1984.

Bills 16, Chiefs 10: Week 14 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:44:53 -0000

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The Buffalo Bills improved to 2-2 under interim head coach Perry Fewell and 5-8 on the season in defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, 16-10, in Week 14. The win featured the Bills' best rushing effort of the season (200 yards on the ground) and another four turnovers forced by the defense, all on interceptions.

As usual, we've got some quick thoughts and observations after reviewing the film from the win.

Aaron Maybin needs more playing time. Unfortunately, he's not going to get it. The Chiefs officially ran 69 offensive plays on the day, but Maybin was only lined up defensively on 12 of those plays.

There were two issues to getting Maybin onto the field more in this particular game. First and foremost, the Chiefs put a wrinkle into their offensive game plan in which they went no-huddle on nearly every third down opportunity they had. That decision likely took 3-6 snaps away from Maybin. The second issue appears to be that Fewell isn't comfortable allowing Maybin to do anything other than play right end, where Aaron Schobel takes the lion's share of reps.

People are still up in arms about Maybin's lack of production this season, but they should be more worried about the fact that the coaches aren't comfortable enough with him to give him reps at left end. (In fairness, Ryan Denney isn't seeing a lot of reps these days, either, as both Schobel and Chris Kelsay are having very solid seasons.) My opinion on Maybin hasn't changed - it's still way too early to write him off. His potential remains elite, and nothing he's done (or hasn't done) this season leads me to believe he won't reach said potential. But I'd feel more comfortable in that proclamation if Maybin got more snaps the rest of the way.

Paul Posluszny needs to move outside. He also needs to come off the field on obvious passing downs. Clearly, that's not going to happen on the season - Poz is the only NFL-caliber linebacker on the roster, after all - but it's something to bear in mind going forward. Posluszny is another defender who takes either way too much abuse or way too much praise, which is indicative of what he ideally brings to a football team - he's not an every-down defender or the cornerstone player for a defense, but he's not exactly a guy you just kick to the curb, either, because he can play.

I'm going to get a bit more into this once the season has closed and things (i.e. the coaching search and front office re-organization) have settled, but I firmly believe that the Bills are one major piece away from fielding a pretty excellent defense. That piece is a middle linebacker. No offense to Posluszny, who I think definitely has and deserves a place on this team, but he doesn't possess the block-shedding ability to be elite at his current position. Moving Posluszny outside, getting a healthy Kawika Mitchell back and inserting a talented middle linebacker that can shed blocks would do wonders for this defense. (Yes, I'm aware that a little depth at all positions wouldn't hurt, either. I said "major" piece.)

Expect more big runs allowed. That's not exactly rocket science, I realize, but there's actually a good reason that the Bills will likely give up more big runs this season beyond the "they stink at stopping the run" obviousness. Fewell spent a lot of time plunging 7 or 8 guys into the line of scrimmage at the snap in an effort to shut down underrated Chiefs back Jamaal Charles. On 19 of Charles' carries, that method worked, and Charles gained only 67 yards (3.5 yards per carry) on those runs. That's not exactly superb run defense, but it's better than awful.

But on just one play, Fewell got caught in a blitz, and Charles took the run 76 yards to the house. Donte Whitner had Charles dead to rights in the secondary, but Charles caught him flat-footed - and when Jamaal Charles catches you flat-footed, you're flat-out screwed. Charles ran by Whitner as if the Chiefs had installed a No. 20 statue in the middle of their Arrowhead Stadium field. Those big runs will continue to be a problem because the Bills, for obvious reasons, will need to keep plunging guys into the line to try to contain the run as best as possible.

Pound the rock. We talked about this at length yesterday, but I just thought I'd put in this friendly reminder.

Fitzpatrick's pocket poise is deteriorating. It's not difficult to fathom why, but obviously, that's bad news. Fitzpatrick became the starting quarterback full-time when Fewell was promoted to his current role, and the Harvard product got the nod because of his superior pocket presence and field vision when compared to backup quarterback Trent Edwards.

For a time - and by "for a time," I mean back-to-back performances against Jacksonville and Miami in which Fitzpatrick threw for 543 yards and put the ball in the end zone, via arm or legs, three times - Fitzpatrick played well. But in consecutive weeks, Fitzpatrick has looked much more wary in the pocket, and has not done as stellar a job at buying time and finding receivers as he did in previous weeks. (To his credit, he did exhibit excellent patience and pocket awareness on his first-quarter touchdown strike to Terrell Owens.)

Buffalo actually has a chance to pick up another win or two before the season ends. It won't happen unless Fitzpatrick plays with the swagger he exhibited in the win over Miami, and only that will give the coaching staff the confidence to re-open the playbook a little bit.

On Nic Harris. Many have asked me via e-mail about rookie linebacker Nic Harris, who made the start at strong-side linebacker in place of veteran Chris Draft. My answer: Harris looks like a fringe NFL player. He's instinctive, active and can run, but he's only physically able to play linebacker in this specific system, and he doesn't have the athletic prowess to play safety in any defensive scheme. I thought he was OK against the Chiefs, but that's not exactly difficult to do. Don't marry yourself to the idea of this guy turning into much more than a Keith Ellison-type reserve, particularly since a regime change might mean a scheme change, which would dramatically decrease Harris' chances of making the team next season.

Bills need to keep pounding the rock

Brian Galliford — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:46:13 -0000

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The Buffalo Bills have struggled to run the ball this season. Amidst massive offensive line changes and a three-game suspension to former starting running back Marshawn Lynch at the outset of the season, the Bills have surpassed 100 rushing yards as a team in just 6 of 13 games this season, to the team's overall offensive detriment.

Things are turning around for this unit, however. Interim head coach Perry Fewell has re-established the importance of the running game into his offensive game plans, and as a result, the Bills have rushed for over 100 yards as a team in three of Fewell's first four games as the head man, all in the last three contests. Buffalo's 200-yard rushing effort in yesterday's win over the Kansas City Chiefs may have been their most dominant ground performance of the season.

Why are the Bills suddenly running the ball well? It has a lot to do with the fact that the team has finally strung together a few games in which the same offensive line has started. Buffalo has begun games with seven different line combinations this season - most in the NFL - but in their last three games, the Bills have been fortunate to start the same five along the offensive line (Jonathan Scott, Andy Levitre, Geoff Hangartner, Kendall Simmons and Kirk Chambers). Say what you want about the quality of our opponents or the issues that remain up front, but continuity has played an important role in the run game increases over the past three weeks.

This is a trend that needs to continue, particularly if Fewell is serious about removing the interim tag from his current job title. The only thing that matters to Fewell's job prospects right now is wins. Forget style points. Fewell doesn't need them. He just needs to keep winning, and if he wants to do it, he'll continue to emphasize the running game.

Lynch and Fred Jackson are simply too good to not get touches. Yes, the same can be said of Terrell Owens and Lee Evans, but let's face facts - Ryan Fitzpatrick is much more adept at getting touches for Lynch and Jackson than he is for Owens and Evans. If you want those receivers to get the ball, run a reverse.

Speaking of Fitzpatrick, a good running game is his best friend. It opens up the play-action game and, as much of that particular brand of offensive football features rollouts, it allows Fitzpatrick to utilize the one consistent strength to his game - his ability to make plays with his legs.

The offensive line is OK with a run-dominated offensive game plan, too. This is a group that has fatal pass protection flaws. They only gave up two sacks to the Chiefs, and the fact that that two-sack performance feels like a milestone achievement should speak volumes. But no matter how deficient this unit is pass-blocking, they know how to run block, because every blue-collar offensive lineman knows how to run block. It's what they've done their entire lives. There are no finesse players on this line. Every one of those guys is physical and plays the game with the correct demeanor. Their strength is in run-blocking. They may not be very good at it, but it's what they're best at. Let them continue to do what they're best at.

In 2008, Jackson and Lynch combined to rush for 1,607 yards and 11 touchdowns on 380 carries. Buffalo's quarterback play has gotten worse from '08 to '09, as hard as that is to believe, and as a result, the rushing numbers have suffered; the two backs have 1,153 yards and 4 touchdowns on 284 carries this season. But in their last three games, their numbers have picked up, with the two backs rushing for 353 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Buffalo's next three opponents are ranked Nos. 17 (New England), 23 (Atlanta) and 18 (Indianapolis) against the run. The matchups are there for the Bills to keep running the ball effectively. It's what Buffalo's offense does best, and the team's two most consistent threats just happen to be runners. Knowing Fewell's preferred brand of football and his quest for a starting job, the Bills should - and likely will - keep pounding the rock.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/14

MattRichWarren — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:33:01 -0000

Bills 2nd half takeaways get win over Chiefs - BuffaloBills.com
"Three turnovers by the Bills offense kept it a closer game than it should have been, but a strong defensive takeaway effort by Buffalo coupled with solid rushing from Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch lifted the Bills to a 16-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs."

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Immediate Reactions, Wk14
"Game ball: The offensive line -- This much-maligned unit only allowed two sacks, and pushed the Chiefs around for 5.7 yards-per-carry on 35 attempts. Seriously, give those hogs a hand."

Bills front men excel – Inside The Bills
The Bills defensive front put in a solid effort stopping Matt Cassell on fourth and goal, recording three sacks, and pressured Matt Cassell into throwing an interception.

Scott Pitoniak: Are the Bills losing by winning at this point?
"The reality is that Sunday’s victory against an NFL dreg improved the Bills record to 5-8 but hurt their draft position. So, it can be argued that this win, or any win during the season’s final three games against New England, Atlanta and Indianapolis, would be ugly because it will adversely affect Buffalo’s draft position and hence its ability to bring aboard the talented players it needs to make a true turnaround."

Fewell takes blame for long TD – Inside The Bills
"The only blemish was a 76-yard TD run by Jamaal Charles, but Buffalo’s head coach faulted himself for the result of that play. 'It was a blitz,' said Fewell. 'They caught me in a blitz. I thought I had some tendencies on them and they caught me.'"

Postgame injury update – Inside The Bills
"The Bills came out of Sunday’s game relatively unscathed. TE Shawn Nelson suffered an ankle injury but did return late in the game. OT Jonathan Scott got poked in the eye, but should be fine according to interim head coach Perry Fewell."

Bills Roundup: Bills Pick Off the Chiefs (2:45) - BuffaloBills.com Video
The Bills picked off four passes in their triumph over the Chiefs in Arrowhead.

Some jump up and down, while others jump for exits : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"Sorry, but I can't summon the energy to lavish this team with praise for nipping another bad team and keeping alive the chances of another 7-9 finish. This was the sort of triumph that would have tickled Dick Jauron, an uninspired show where the Bills won by screwing up less than the opponent."

Bills' Jackson chews up Chiefs with extra effort : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Fred Jackson spent Sunday afternoon turning what looked like 1-yard gains into 4 yards and 4-yard gains into 8 yards. He led a Bills running game that finished with 200 yards and carried the team to a 16-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs." Also some notes on how AVP used Jamon Meredith as a sixth lineman at times.

Quarterly report: Bills-Chiefs : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The News' Mark Gaughan breaks down the Bills' 16-10 victory over the Chiefs quarter-by-quarter, analyzing statistics, key plays and more.

Whose INT on final play? Take your pick : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Sunday was the Bills' third four-interception game this season. More important was when the interceptions occurred. The last three picks came on the Chiefs' last three possessions, when they were driving."

Moorman lifts teammates with booming punt : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"With the Bills at their 20-yard line and holding a three-point lead at the end of the third quarter, Moorman uncorked one of the best punts of his NFL career. The ball sliced through the wind, landed at Kansas City's 25 and kept rolling until it stopped at the 7 for a 73-yard punt, the ninth-longest in Bills history."

Buffalo Bills win ugly, but it's still a win | Democrat and Chronicle
"The Bills' red zone efficiency remains a major problem. They entered the game with just nine TDs scored from inside the 20, tied with the Rams and Raiders for fewest in the NFL. They tacked on just one more against the Chiefs in four trips and were lucky those failures did not cost them the game."

Buffalo Bills 2-minute read | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
Sal Maiorana looks back on his Six Points from his game preview to see if the Bills and Chiefs were successful.

Buffalo Bills defeat Kansas City Chiefs | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
"This is one for the vault, but only if the plan is to put the tape of Sunday's Bills-Chiefs game in said vault, lock it up, and throw away the key. Beauty is clearly in the eye of the beholding winning coach, because this game was uglier than the clothes pro golfers wore in the 1970s."

VIDEO: Chiefs v. Bills Highlights - Arrowhead Pride
VIDEO: Chiefs v. Bills Highlights

Chambers Dropped Pass Dooms the Chiefs - Arrowhead Pride
"One play certainly doesn't define the game but, boy, Chris Chambers dropped pass towards the end of Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills was ultimately what doomed the Kansas City Chiefs."

Chiefs Struggle Against the Bills; Lose 16-10 - Arrowhead Pride
Arrowhead Pride gives their perspective on the good, the bad, and the ugly from yesterday's Bills win over Kansas City.

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

Byrd takes over NFL interception lead - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Buffalo Bills safety Jairus Byrd ended his longest interception slump since he became a starter. Whew. Three whole games. Byrd has nine interceptions, separating himself from New Orleans Saints safety Darren Sharper, who also went into Sunday with eight. "

Wrap-up: Bills 16, Chiefs 10 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"In the least interesting AFC East game of the day, a team won with a quarterback who started, played the whole afternoon and threw for 86 yards."

Take 2: Bills Win Doesn't Change Reality | Adam Benigni | wgrz.com
"It's important to note the Bills are playing hard for Perry Fewell. In two out of the last three weeks, they've been able to close out games in the fourth quarter - remember, they scored 24 unanswered in the fourth to beat the Dolphins."

Bills Defense Picks off Win in KC - WIVB.com
Paul Peck's quick game recap.

Crucial decisions on fourth downs don't pan out for Chiefs - KansasCity.com
"Chiefs head coach Todd Haley had three critical fourth-down decisions to make Sunday. Only one of them worked out in the 16-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium." Randy Covitz breaks down each for the Kansas City Star.

Defense, kicker lead Bills to win - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
John Marshall of the Associated Press recounts the game.

Bills Hold On In KC 16-10 - Bills Daily Gameday Review
Bills Daily reviews the Bills-Chiefs game breaking down key plays and players.

Bills Daily Gameday Grades - Week 14
The Bills blog grades the different aspects of yesterday's game.

Bills hang on, pick up 16-10 win over Chiefs - Buffalo Rumblings - Arrowhead Pride
The Chiefs fans' perspective on Brian's postgame recap.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- Coming into the game, Bills K Rian Lindell was the best kicker in the league over the last five seasons from 50-plus yards. But he just missed a 51-yarder against the Chiefs. Since 2005, he's 9 of 13 from 50 or beyond.
- Rian Lindell's 36-yard FG makes him 16 for 16 inside the 40-yard line this season and 66 for 67 since 2006. Those are the best numbers in the league from 2006 to 2009.

Bills/Chiefs Postgame Thoughts : Buffalo Sports Daily
"Lou Saban and Hank Straham must be rolling over in their graves right now. That was as bad of a game as you can see in the NFL today."

Bills Stink Less Than Chiefs In 16-10 Win : Buffalo Sports Daily
Great headline by Pat Moran in his game recap.

Countdown Daily Recap: Bills-Chiefs - ESPN Video - ESPN
Cris Carter and Alex Loeb recap the Bills victory over the Chiefs

Chiefs should thank anyone who sat through this game - KansasCity.com
Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star says the Chiefs should, and did, thank the fans for actually showing up and watching that kind of game.

Cassel booed as Chiefs fall to Bills | ProFootballTalk.com
"Fitzpatrick went just 12-of-20 for 86 yards passing, but that was enough, and the Bills improved to 5-8 in a game that was notable less for the Bills' win than for the major step backward that Cassel took."

Owens on Marshall breaking his record – Inside The Bills
"No more deserving a guy than he is," said Terrell Owens of Brandon Marshall. "They say he’s the ‘Baby T.O.’ All records are made to be broken as some point. He’s going to have a great career. He flirted with it last year too. Great job by him."

Bills hang on, pick up 16-10 win over Chiefs

Brian Galliford — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:21:50 -0000

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The Buffalo Bills went into Arrowhead Stadium and picked up what can be loosely defined as a victory, outscoring the Kansas City Chiefs 16-10. Terrell Owens scored his fifth touchdown as a Bill, Rian Lindell kicked three field goals, and Bills defenders intercepted four Matt Cassel passes in the win.

At times, the Bills were borderline dominant. Buffalo ran the ball better than they have all season, with Fred Jackson (99 yards) and Marshawn Lynch (84) keying a 200-yard ground effort. Ryan Fitzpatrick couldn't make Buffalo's offense two-dimensional, however; in easily their most conservative game plan of the season, Fitzpatrick made many poor decisions in completing 12 of 20 passes for a hugely pedestrian 86 yards. His 9-yard strike to Owens put the Bills up 7-0 in the first quarter, but he lost a fumble and threw an ugly interception into triple coverage. Not his best effort, and it really hampered the Bills' ability to put the game away much sooner than they did.

Three offensive turnovers kept the Chiefs in it, and after the Bills opened up a 13-3 lead, Jamaal Charles raced for 76 yards and a score to cut the Buffalo lead to 13-10. Charles finished with 181 yards on 27 touches, with 143 of those coming on the ground. Just another running back shredding the Bills. Hope you started Charles in your fantasy leagues, Charles owners.

Buffalo's defense shut the door late in the fourth quarter, however. Jairus Byrd recorded his league-leading ninth interception of the season with roughly two minutes remaining, and after the Bills failed to pick up a first down and punted the ball back to Kansas City with a minute remaining, George Wilson intercepted a desperation heave from Cassel on the last play of the game to preserve the win. Wilson now has four interceptions on the season.

Paul Posluszny and Terrence McGee each recorded interceptions as well. Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Spencer Johnson and Bryan Scott recorded one sack apiece; without those big plays defensively, the Chiefs - who missed plenty of opportunities to take leads on this day - likely take the win.

The Bills improve to 5-8 on the season - they are now 2-2 under interim head coach Perry Fewell - while the Chiefs drop to 3-10. Buffalo hosts the 8-5 New England Patriots next Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Colts 28 - Broncos 16 - Colts remain undefeated as Broncos miss opportunities

John Bena — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:18:43 -0000

FINAL

Category	Broncos	Colts
Score	16	28
Rushing Yards	95	92
Passing Yards	262	220
Total Yards	357	312
3rd Down Conversions	6-17	9-16
T.O.P	31:27	28:33
Turnovers	1	3
Red Zone	2-4	4-4

Here are the final numbers. Talk about the game. This one stings, to be sure, because the Broncos had their chances - but as this team continues to grow, and tries to get into the playoffs, this is a growth opportunity as well. The Broncos could have folded, down 21-0 early in the 2nd Quarter, and been embarrassed by the Colts. They didn't. They fought for 60 minutes. The Colts were better, and they won the game.

Each week we learn a little more about these Broncos, what they are, and what they will become as Josh McDaniels continues to build the roster in his image. Anyone not like what they see?

Congrats to Brandon Marshall for breaking Terrell Owens' single-game receptions record with 21 passes caught. Marshall was a Beast today. Kyle Orton played well, and the defense was awesome after a slow start. Too many missed opportunities, however, in short-yardage situations, to go along with sloppy game-management at times was too much to overcome when playing a team like the Colts, a quarterback like Peyton Manning.

Again, I know there is frustration, but I feel good about the BIG PICTURE.

Chiefs Down by a Touchdown as Second Quarter Starts

Chris Thorman — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:32:50 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

3 days ago: Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens (81) gets into the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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It's 7 to 0. The Bills just scored.

The second quarter is about to start. Here are some notes:

Positives

TE Brad Cottam had the play of his career - a long catch across the middle.
Ron Edwards recovered a Mike Vrabel caused fumble.

Negatives

Matt Cassel's bootleg on the goal line was embarrassing. He ended up getting tackled around the ten-yard line.
A three and out to open the game gave me an eerie feeling about this game.
The Chiefs gave up a big 47-yard run to RB Marshawn Lynch.

Terrell Owens just caught a TD pass near the goal line.