SB Nation - Reggie Corner

Bills Fantasy Friday: Week 15 Start 'Em/Sit 'Em

Kurupt — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:00:25 -0000

By now, pretty much every fantasy league should be in their playoffs. If not, what kind of league are you in?! For those of you lucky (or savvy) enough to still be fighting for your league's championship, congratulations.

The Buffalo Bills host the New England Patriots this Sunday in a matchup with decent fantasy implications - even for the Bills. Buffalo looks to finally knock the Patriots off, while Tom Brady and company are looking to better their playoff and division title chances with a road victory. Besides Brady, who might be worth a start in this do-or-die fantasy week? Let's find out.

Quarterbacks
Tom Brady - I think it's pretty obvious that if you own Brady, you start him. Despite having a "down" year from what many may have expected, he still has over 3800 yards and 23 touchdown passes thus far. And in case you forgot, he's owned the Bills throughout his career (240 yards per game, 2.1 touchdowns per game, 102.6 QB rating, 14-1 record). Start him with confidence, especially in this must win for the Patriots. Verdict: Start 'Em

Ryan Fitzpatrick - The typical Ryan Fitzpatrick games have returned as he's thrown for 184 yards the past two games....combined. Don't expect those numbers to improve greatly this week, even against a very susceptible Patriots' pass defense that's giving up 211 yards per game and has allowed 22 touchdown passes on the season. They've allowed over 300 yards passing in four of their last five road games. The opportunities will be there, but with Fitzpatrick as the quarterback, those will likely be wasted opportunities like so many other chances the Bills have had. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Running Backs
Laurence Maroney - Maroney has seen a bit of a rebirth this season, as he's been able to remain healthy and on the field for the entirety thus far. SInce taking over as the main rusher in the Patriots attack, he's put up 555 yards rushing and 8 touchdowns in 8 games. Those are solid numbers for a flex back, especially one who was mostly forgotten on draft day. With the Bills run defense still atrocious, Maroney will definitely have his chances to put up a monster game. Expect a short yardage touchdown and 75-100 yards at the very least. Verdict: Start 'Em

Sammy Morris - The former Bills has returned to the field recently after battling a knee injury. He's averaged roughly 7 touches per game in this three games since returning, but hasn't really had much of an impact. With Bill Belichick, you never know if Morris will assume the majority of the touches, but at this point, it's hard to believe he'll be anything more than a secondary option in the Patriots ground game. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Fred Jackson - Jackson continues to start and get the higher percentage of the rushes. I think that will continue. Jackson has been very successful against the Patriots recently putting up 276 total rushing and receiving yards and a touchdown in the past two match-ups between the teams. With Marshawn Lynch starting to come on, don't expect Jackson to get the type of work needed to reaches those numbers again, but he could be in line for a pretty solid fantasy day. I expect him to be a big factor in the passing game and he seems to be the goal line back at this point. I'd take a chance and go with him as a flex this week. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex only

Marshawn Lynch - Lynch is starting to run a lot better recently, picking up 144 yards on 18 rushes over the past two games. With an offensive line that is beginning to run block a little better, Lynch is starting to benefit. However, he's still only averaged 8 rushes per game over his last six games. Don't expect a big game out of him, but he could have a solid game all around. He's not worth starting in fantasy though. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Wide Receivers
Wes Welker - Welker has been fantasy gold this year, in normal formats and especially in PPR leagues. He leads the league in receptions with a whopping 105 thus far, and his currently second in the NFL with 1,158 yards. Taking out the season finale last year where nobody could throw the ball in the wind, Welker has 34 receptions for 347 yards in four games against the Bills since joining the Patriots. Amazingly, he hasn't found the endzone. Don't worry about that though. Welker will be his usual self catching a ton of passes and moving the chains. Start him with a ton of confidence. Verdict: Start 'Em

Randy Moss - A lot has been said about Moss the past week, and whether or not he quit against the Panthers. I don't believe he did, but then again, I didn't see a whole lot of that game. One thing I do know, Moss, Brady and Belichick will be hellbent on getting this guy going again. I fully expect them to go to Moss early and often. He's dominated the Bills during his Patriots career. Again taking out the Wind Bowl game, Moss has 32 receptions for 437 yards and 6 touchdowns in four games. I fully expect Moss to have a big game this week, especially if Reggie Corner is involved at all. He'll get his. Verdict: Start 'Em

Terrell Owens - Owens scored last week, but again had a down game. He's put up good numbers against teams that reside in Florida this season, but has struggled in pretty much every other game. In the first match-up, Owens had just 2 receptions and was effectively taken out of the game. The Patriots will try to do that again and it's hard to believe they won't succeed. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Lee Evans - If ever there is a team to definitely bench Evans against, it's the Patriots. He's struggled mightily against them during his career and those struggles should continue. Evans has been a non-factor for much of the season. God bless you if you are actually contemplating starting him this week, or ever again! Verdict: Sit 'Em

Tight Ends
Benjamin Watson - (Who goes by Benjamin?) Watson pretty much destroyed the Bills in the 4th quarter of the first match-up and ending up scoring the two touchdowns to give the Patriots the lead for good. He's been a bit player in the Patriots passing attack since that night, which is a surprise to no one. Stick with whatever has gotten you to this point. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Shawn Nelson - No way. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Kickers
Stephen Gostkowski - Gostkowski is 5th in the NFL with 106 points and 6th with 23 field goals made. He's one of the few kickers that you should keep in your lineup each week. Verdict: Start 'Em

Rian Lindell - Surprisingly enough, Lindell is actually tied with Gostkowski with those 23 field goals made. Still, you really can't rely on him to get his chances from week to week. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Defense/Special Teams
New England D/ST - With Fitzpatrick and the cringe-inducing Bills offense as the opponent, there will be ample opportunities to pick up sacks and pick off some errant throws. They've been a solid fantasy unit this season, so you shouldn't really be concerned that they haven't done it this year. As is usually the case with fantasy defenses, you can pick up good chunks of points week to week based on matchups. I think this is one of those weeks. Verdict: Start 'Em

Buffalo D/ST - The pass defense has been opportunistic this season, but it's still hard to imagine them shutting down the Patriots this week. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Sleepers
None - If you're still playing in your league at this point, you really aren't looking for any sleepers to get you some cheap points. Plus, I don't think there's any in this game as it is.

*******

Let's just hope the Bills put up a fight and keep the game within striking distance. The Patriots will likely be coming in hungry and ready to smack the Bills around. I just hope the Bills are ready to smack back! Good luck in your fantasy playoffs this week, and Go Buffalo!

Game Day Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/13

MattRichWarren — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 13:58:15 -0000

Gameday Tipsheet - Week 14
Chris Brown's comprehensive list of matchups and advantages to watch today.

Gameday Prep: Bills at Chiefs | The Goose's Roost
Ryan from TGR gives one of the best game previews out there.

Special Special Teams … Saturday Cup O’Chiefs | Chiefs Football at BobGretz.com
"There are certain coaches in the NFL that make for sleepless nights for other coaches. Buffalo Bills assistant head coach/special teams Bobby April is one of those coaches."

Game previews
1st qtr could determine a lot – Inside The Bills
The Bills, who have struggled to score points all season actually start games pretty well. They’ve outscored their opponents 57-30 in the first quarter this season. The Chiefs on the other hand struggle mightily in the first quarter. They’ve been outscored 76-19.

Something has got to give – Inside The Bills
"Kansas City’s pass defense has been torched for big plays all season. They’ve given up a league high 15 pass plays of 40 yards or more. With deep threats like Lee Evans and Terrell Owens on the field I’d like to think the Bills can add to that total."

Bills hope to reverse trend – Inside The Bills
"Since 2005, the Bills are combined 5-11 in the last quarter of the season. The good news is Buffalo is unbeaten in their last four games against AFC West opponents."

Parting of the Red Sea: Arrowhead will be friendlier to Bills : The Buffalo News
"Arrowhead Stadium and its fervent fans used to give Kansas City a major home-field advantage. Not any more. With the Chiefs stumbling and attendance slipping, the confines look a lot friendlier for the Bills."

Bills-Chiefs scouting report : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Rodney McKissic breaks down today's matchup.

Bills-Chiefs Game Preview - BuffaloBills.com
The Associated Press game preview for today's game.

Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs look to salvage pride | Democrat and Chronicle
"Right now it's just about playing for each other and trying to get some momentum to end this season on a good note," said Lee Evans, the disappointment undeniable in his voice. "I think that's how you've got to approach it and you just stay professional and work every day."

Experts Split on Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills Game - Arrowhead Pride
"The Kansas City Chiefs are preparing to take on the Buffalo Bills in Arrowhead Stadium. Unlike previous weeks, the experts are actually split on this one."

NFL Preview - Buffalo (4-8) at Kansas City (3-9)
The Sports Network preview of today's game.

NFL Game Center: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs - 2009 Week 14
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs NFL Game Center from NFL.com

Buffalo Bills Game Day (Two Bills Drive)
The Bills blog Two Bills Drive gives their game preview.

Chiefs-Bills scouting report - KansasCity.com
The Kansas City Star and their game preview breaking down team vs. team in several key areas.

Week 14 NFL game previews - USATODAY.com
"Buffalo is surrendering 172.1 rushing yards per game and its undersized front seven is an appealing target for Jamaal Charles. Only four teams in NFL history have finished a season allowing more than 170 rushing yards per game."

Other Bills News
Calls and Effect: AFC East penalty tracker - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Jairus Byrd leads the division with 3 penalties of 15 yards - two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and one offsetting unnecessary roughness. Two other Bills, cornerback Reggie Corner and linebacker Kawika Mitchell, have been zapped for two 15-yarders. On another note, the Patriots passed the Bills as the most-penalized team in the AFC East by yardage last week.

Bills need tackles, LBs in next draft : Larry Felser : The Buffalo News
"In its last eight drafts, Buffalo selected just one tackle above the fifth round. That was Mike Williams, one of the foremost flops in the team’s history. They must acquire at least two tackles able to protect a quarterback while he tries to locate an open receiver. The next priority is the drafting of linebackers."

Jerry Sullivan: Drafting high would serve Bills well : The Buffalo News
The only time the Bills have picked higher than 8th in the last 25 years they selected Mike Williams. "OK, so they had one top-seven pick in a quarter-century and blew it. Does that mean you run scared from picking high for the rest of eternity? If picking in the middle is so great, how come the Bills have been a joke for so long? "

Owens adopts 81 families - BuffaloBills.com
"Owens’ Catch A Dream Foundation, held its third Annual ‘December to Remember’ event at One Bills Drive for underprivileged families and children. The 81 Western New York families were nominated online at TerrellOwens.com and Owens chose the families he felt were most in need."

Bills Tweets
Nic Harris
Off to KC, possible 2nd start of the season....wish me luck!! Time to Ball out....

Aaron Maybin
GAMEDAY...Time to go to work!!!!!

Chiefs Will Face Bills With a Limited Terrence McGee

Joel Thorman — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:53:20 -0000

More photos » by Don Wright - AP

3 months ago: Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall, left, scores a touchdown past Buffalo Bills cornerback Terrence McGee in the second quarter of the NFL preseason football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

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Buffalo Bills cornerback Terrence McGee, once an All-Pro, may not see much action against the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend according to the Buffalo News.

McGee missed three consecutive games due to arthroscopic surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his left knee. He returned last week but played sparingly. Reggie Corner got the start ahead of McGee last week.

"I'm getting closer, but it's still a day-to-day type of thing," McGee said. "Whether I start or whether I do what I did last week is still up in the air but I feel like I'm getting better."

A missing McGee would be a nice boost for the Chiefs defense.

The Bills currently rank dead last in the NFL in rush defense. A solid rushing attack could help Chiefs QB Matt Cassel get back on track.

Speaking of the run game, Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams details some of the issues the defense has been experiencing.

"It's the same thing," he said. "A lot of it is misdirection on the counter plays, the cutback runs and a lot of the time we're over-pursuing. It's got to get corrected. When someone misses their gap and overruns it and doesn't make a play it exposes us."

The issues Williams describes sound similar to the Chiefs.

"It's hard to defend when you have guys pressing," he said. "Guys are just trying to get guys on the ground they're pressing to make a play because they are fed up with it and trying to do too much and that's when you get caught and get crazy."

There you have it, Chiefs fans. A banged up secondary and a weak run defense could mean stat day for Cassel.

Identifying the "crux players" on Buffalo's roster

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

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

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

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

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

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

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

Reserves: C/G Geoff Hangartner, DT Spencer Johnson

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stroud one of three Bills starters out for Sunday

Brian Galliford — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:54:36 -0000

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

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The Buffalo Bills, led by interim head coach Perry Fewell, will be looking for a win in Jacksonville without the services of three key starters.

Marcus Stroud did not practice all week with a knee injury and has been ruled out, according to BuffaloBills.com. This could potentially leave the Bills with just two healthy defensive tackles on Sunday. Also ruled out were tackle Demetrius Bell (knee), linebacker Keith Ellison (thigh) and cornerback Ashton Youboty (ankle).

Stroud's absence is of critical importance. The Bills have the NFL's worst run defense, and they're about to take on the NFL's fifth-leading rusher in Maurice Jones-Drew without their most proven run defender. Exacerbating that issue is the fact that fellow defensive tackle Kyle Williams is on the injury report as well, listed as questionable with a knee injury that has caused him to miss Buffalo's last two games.

Spencer Johnson will start in Stroud's place, and if Williams can't go, John McCargo will make his first start of the season as well. Converted safety Bryan Scott will make a second straight start at outside linebacker in place of Ellison. Rookie guard Andy Levitre will flip out to left tackle in place of Bell, with veteran Seth McKinney getting the nod in Levitre's left guard spot.

Joining Williams as questionable for Sunday are receiver James Hardy (groin), cornerback Terrence McGee (knee) and rookie free safety Jairus Byrd (groin). McGee and Byrd were both limited in practice on Friday. With Donte Whitner returning to the lineup (he's not listed on the injury report and practiced all week), George Wilson would start at safety if Byrd can't go. If McGee cannot play, the Bills will dress just three healthy cornerbacks in Jacksonville (Drayton Florence, Reggie Corner and Ellis Lankster).

Meanwhile, Jacksonville will be missing one key defensive starter (cornerback Rashean Mathis) and is likely to be without another (middle linebacker Justin Durant is doubtful).

Bills WR Owens questionable for Week 10

Brian Galliford — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:07:13 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

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After missing two days of practice this week with a strained hip, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens has been officially listed as questionable for his team's Week 10 matchup with the Tennessee Titans.

Owens practiced on Monday after returning from the bye week, but the missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday with his sudden, aforementioned hip injury. Owens was limited on Friday.

Starting defensive end Aaron Schobel, safety Donte Whitner, tackle Jamon Meredith and receiver Roscoe Parrish are also listed as questionable.

Meanwhile, three defensive starters - defensive tackle Kyle Williams, linebacker Keith Ellison and cornerback Terrence McGee - have all been officially ruled out for this contest. Spencer Johnson will start once again in a short-handed defensive tackle rotation that will dress just three players Sunday. Former starting free safety Bryan Scott will get the start at Ellison's weak-side linebacker spot, while Reggie Corner - the team's nickel back - is expected to be in the lineup for McGee. Ashton Youboty and Ellis Lankster will see nickel and dime work; Youboty will likely play outside on passing downs, allowing Corner to stay in the slot.

Six Bills players are listed as probable: quarterback Trent Edwards, fullback Corey McIntyre, tight end Shawn Nelson, right tackle Jonathan Scott, linebacker Bryan Scott and free safety Jairus Byrd. All are expected to play on Sunday.

Source: BuffaloBills.com

Bills getting healthier with streaking Titans looming

Brian Galliford — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:51:29 -0000

The Buffalo Bills returned to the practice field on Monday after their weekend of rest, relaxation, and with any luck, dramatically increased football skill. The week's hiatus appears to have done some good for the team's overall health, as a report from WGR 550 this morning indicates. Here's a quick glance at where the Bills are getting healthy, and where they're still hurting.

+ Trent Edwards practiced fully today and, according to the WGR report, it's looking like he'll be ready to resume starting duties next Sunday in Tennessee. Edwards practiced fully last week, but it appears he got through the weekend unscathed and is ready to get back into the lineup.

+ BuffaloBills.com reports that Shawn Nelson returned to the practice field on Monday as well.

+ Jonathan Scott practiced fully and also appears ready to return to the lineup, according to BuffaloBills.com - which is good timing, really, as fill-in Jamon Meredith missed practiced Monday and is expected to miss another week or two. Scott would, as usual, start at right tackle against a still-feisty Titans pass rush.

+ Aaron Schobel and Kyle Williams missed practice on Monday. Schobel is dealing with a groin injury, while Williams' knee injury was expected to keep him out 2-3 weeks. It's quite early in the week, so there's still a (strong?) chance that both will play this weekend, but clearly the defensive line as a whole is a situation worth monitoring.

+ Keith Ellison also missed practice Monday. Buffalo's leading tackler has a lingering quad issue. If he can't play, Paul Posluszny will likely be flanked by Chris Draft and Nic Harris on Sunday. Yikes.

+ The defensive backfield is getting quite healthy. Terrence McGee, as we mentioned early last week, had his knee scoped and is not yet ready to return to the practice field. There's an outside shot that he plays this weekend, but it's more likely that he returns on November 22 in Jacksonville. If he can't play, Reggie Corner and Ashton Youboty would see increased playing time. The health is coming at safety, where Jairus Byrd, Donte Whitner and Bryan Scott all practiced fully. With the emergence of Byrd, that's as solid a trio of safeties as you'll find in the NFL.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 11/4

MattRichWarren — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:41:46 -0000

In-season coaching change is nothing but a knee-jerk reaction | NFL.com
It appears Jim Zorn and Dick Jauron will keep their jobs. Some fans might not like that, but it's not as if an interim coach is going to make a long-term difference.

Pro-football-reference.com blog " The Best 2-Game Stretches of the Decade (2000-08)
Buffalo has two of the top eleven: The first two games of the 2003 season and the 12th and 14th games of the 2006 season. The Bills have three more on the best list and only three on the bottom list. Go to PFR to check out those gamelogs if you would like.

The Bills’ Midseason Five Least Valuable Players : Buffalo Sports Daily
Aaron Maybin, Demetrius Bell, Marshawn Lynch, Terrell Owens and Trent Edwards make the dubious list.

McGee's injury
Terrence McGee undergoes knee surgery | ProFootballTalk.com
On Tuesday, Terrence McGee underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

Hoping McGee’s ready for Titans – Inside The Bills
"Without McGee, Buffalo would presumably start Reggie Corner and Drayton Florence outside, and then when they go to a nickel package, Corner would move into the slot with Ashton Youboty outside."

BillBoard: McGee has minor surgery
"It mostly was affecting me during the week," McGee said. "After the game you wake up the next day and you really feel it then. So during the week coaches have been giving me time to recover so I’d be able to play on Sunday. During the game on Sunday the majority of the time it would be all right."

Byrd's injury
Byrd now in holding pattern | BuffaloBills.com
When asked if he could miss any games as a result of the nagging condition or the groin injury Byrd is hopeful that he won’t. "I wouldn’t go that far," he said. "Next week we’ll know more."

Byrd still soaring | BuffaloBills.com
Jairus Byrd continues to pick off passes.

Other injuries
Lots of players watching – Inside The Bills
Between injured players and vets there are 16 players either absent or watching practice. Full list here

Scott gets reps at LB – Inside The Bills
Bryan Scott was getting reps at outside linebacker in practice Tuesday as an emergency option. Why not? Jairus Byrd isn't sitting down anytime soon.

Bills notebook: McGee has minor knee surgery : The Buffalo News
"I felt good. I did a little bit more [Tuesday] in practice," Trent Edwards said. "I feel I'm getting better each day, getting stronger."

News Bits
Video: Countdown Daily Huddle - AFC East - ESPN
John Clayton tells you the latest news from each team inside the AFC East.

SI poll: Joey Porter NFL's second-dirtiest player - AFC East - ESPN
The Buffalo Bills, with a league-leading 59 penalties, didn't have any players among the top 20. Hines Ward was first.

Week 9 power rankings: AFC East (sorry, Dolfans) - AFC East - ESPN
After another loss the Bills stayed exactly where they were - 22. They have never been higher than 21 nor lower than 25 this year.

How I See It: AFC East Stock Watch - AFC East - ESPN
Stock Falling: Bills quarterback situation

Who's more lovable: Jauron, Mangini, Cable? - AFC East - ESPN
Eric Mangini has surpassed Dick Jauron as the lowest approval rating. Tom Cable is still doing better than Jauron, though.

Niagara Gazette - BILLS: Byrd soars into rair
It’s gotten to a point where Jairus Byrd even amazes us during the bye week.

Around the AFC East | The Sports Network
Buffalo is now 29th in NFL total offense (264.8 yards per game), 28th in passing (154.8 yards per game) and 26th in scoring (15.4 points per game).

NFL Power Rankings, Week 9: There Will Be Blood -- NFL FanHouse
The Bills fall from 22 to 23 after the loss to the Texans who surged to number 11.

Semi-pro player tackles own teammate on a punt return - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The reaction of the guy is friggin priceless. I had to share.

Texans 31, Bills 10: Week 8 Film Session

Brian Galliford — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:34:23 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

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Once again, we've entered a realm in which discussing a most recent Buffalo Bills game leads to nausea rather than euphoria. Their 31-10 loss to the Houston Texans was every bit as exasperating to re-watch on tape as it was to take it in live at the stadium, because once again, the Bills had a superior opponent on the ropes for most of the game. Credit Houston for staying patient, but credit them also for realizing that, just like New England and New Orleans before them, the were facing an opponent susceptible to blowing solid performances late in games.

The film has been re-watched, the stomach meds have been ingested, and we've got a few talking points to go over today. Let's get this over with.

The run defense. That old adage that a defense can tire out over the course of a game is completely accurate. Buffalo's run defense isn't just dead last in the league because they generally stink at stopping the run, folks - they're also dead last because the offense can't give them more than a few spare moments per game to get some oxygen on the sidelines.

Case in point: the Bills' run defense was by no means dominant in the first half Sunday, but it was, at least, not awful. Houston was actually out-rushed by Buffalo in the first half (aided, of course, by Terrell Owens' 29-yard touchdown on a reverse). The Texans wound up rushing for 186 yards on the day, but only 67 of those came prior to halftime. If you think some of that didn't have to do with both the sheer amount of time they spent on the field (39:08) and their undermanned depth chart, think again. Considering all of the factors, we couldn't have asked for much more from the run defense, particularly early in the game.

The offensive line. In a more ideal football world than the one we're involved with right now, the "quarterback vs. O-Line debate" - meaning which one is more important to the success of an offense - has always been one that's fascinated me. (I fall on the quarterback side of the argument, by the way.) As bad as Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick have been this season, however, it's hard to imagine many quarterbacks being successful behind this offensive line.

I counted five separate times in this game that Fitzpatrick hit the final step of his drop - and one of those was a three-step drop - and was immediately surrounded by Texans defenders. Individually, each Bills lineman - yes, even the revolving door of suck at right tackle - is capable of winning a matchup one-on-one. Houston simply brought pressure straight up the middle and/or stunted, and with Mario Williams commanding attention on the outside, it became too much to handle logistically for these young players. Pockets were collapsing around Fitzpatrick more frequently than the Texans were picking up first downs. We already have a pretty definitive idea that Edwards will re-claim his starting role in Week 10, but given the way the line is playing right now, we're likely to see both of these quarterbacks before season's end.

Get healthy, Shawn Nelson. I'm not saying that the lack of a receiving threat at tight end is the underlying problem behind all of Buffalo's offensive issues - that's obviously not the case - but in watching this offense, the lack of a short-area receiving threat is painfully obvious. (It's made even more painful by the fact that, for whatever reason, the Bills refuse to play Fred Jackson in that role, as they did at the beginning of the season).

Derek Fine is a tough customer and a valuable blocker and special teamer, but he's completely worthless right now as a receiving threat. Same goes for Jonathan Stupar, who has been unable to turn a solid pre-season into anything other than extraordinarily average play on the field in games that count. Meanwhile, Nelson continues to miss games with migraine issues, though Dick Jauron did say Monday that he's expected to practice this week and next, and play in Tennessee. Nelson's only got six catches on the year, but he's a weapon at a position that is, once again, completely non-existent in Buffalo.

Aaron Maybin. I wrote a piece about Maybin last week, so I'll keep this brief. Once again, Maybin had a sack lined up this week, but it was taken away from him by an opportunistic Aaron Schobel. He gets a little better rushing the passer every week, and Perry Fewell is starting to find ways to get him free in games. If Schobel's groin injury lingers, we're likely to see Maybin much more than usual until the veteran returns to full health.

I spent a great deal of my energies watching Maybin in the second half, mostly because the game itself was clearly going to be out of hand soon. Watching Maybin play - from a technical standpoint right down to the way he moves around on the field - he just looks every bit like the 21-year-old he is. He looks uncomfortable in his own skin, like he doesn't have full control of his body yet. The guy busts his butt on every play, and while he makes mistakes, his motor is better than any defenders' on this team. Give him time to mature not only as a football player, but from a body standpoint, too. He's making (extremely) slow, steady progress week to week.

Reggie Corner. I've been meaning to say this for a couple of weeks, but after his performance against Houston, it needs to be said - Corner is the epitome of what's wrong with Buffalo's defense. Corner's a good football player. He's quick, he's active, and he flies all over the field. But boy, is it easy for opponents to find ways to beat this guy. Whether it's mental mistakes or (more frequently) just being overmatched physically, Corner is a player that opponents attack. On the other hand, I'd like to see more of Ashton Youboty - once again, he's giving the Bills solid reps as a reserve DB, and acquitting himself nicely.

Jairus Byrd. There. I said his name. Soak in the happy feelings... and move on.

Bye week problems to fix. Not exactly playing the role of Copernicus here, because these are all fairly obvious, but the top three things that the Bills absolutely have to fix during the bye week if they still fancy themselves playoff contenders are:

Line play. The young guys up front are still working hard, but there are way too many mental errors and physical breakdowns. Not only does the line play need to get better, but Alex Van Pelt needs to figure out a way to finally mask some of their deficiencies.

Sustaining/ending drives. This has been a problem all season, but in particular against Houston. Buffalo's offense has picked up 116 first downs in 8 games, an average of 14.5 per game. Opponents have picked up 161 first downs on Buffalo, an average of 20 per game. The disparity has been especially skewed over the past three weeks, where Buffalo's opponents have a 59-38 advantage in this area.

Getting healthy. This isn't something the team can actively fix, obviously, but if the team can get key players back, it's only going to help. We already discussed Nelson and Edwards. Keith Ellison, Aaron Schobel and Donte Whitner are all "still sore" according to Jauron in yesterday's press conference (via BuffaloBills.com), and are considered day-to-day (or, in this case, week-to-week, probably). Bryan Scott is back and ready to go; he'll practice this week. Jonathan Scott is getting close as well. Jamon Meredith's knee injury was a sprain, and the Bills are looking at it as a week-to-week thing as well. Same goes for the knee injuries for Kyle Williams and Corey McIntyre, who, when they were injured in Week 7 at Carolina, were considered to be 2-3 weeks away from returning.

Obviously, some of those lingering injuries carry more importance than others. But Buffalo was so banged up in Houston that they literally needed to use every available body on the roster just to field a full 45 active players. Getting more depth is critical for this team, and hopefully the bye week will help them accomplish that.

Handing out first-quarter grades for the Buffalo Bills

Brian Galliford — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:15:14 -0000

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The Buffalo Bills have completed the first quarter of their regular season slate this season, and have done so with a 1-3 record. After a promising start to the season with a surprisingly close loss in New England and a semi-convincing home victory over Tampa Bay, Buffalo has dropped two straight abysmal performances to New Orleans and Miami. The Bills are 0-2 in the division, and are the only AFC East team to not yet pick up a win against a divisional foe. They've scored more points than just two other AFC teams - Oakland (1-3) and Cleveland (0-4). Meanwhile, only Kansas City (0-4), Cleveland and Detroit (1-3) have surrendered more points than the Bills.

In short? It's been pretty brutal.

It's not all bad news, though - Buffalo has four more games on its schedule against teams that have yet to win a single game in the first quarter of the season (Week 5 vs Cleveland, Week 7 at Carolina, Week 10 at Tennessee and Week 14 at Kansas City). So unless the Bills continue to play as they have over the past two weeks (or they can't stay healthy once they get healthy again), there's a chance they could climb back into the race. But only a chance.

We've got grades for you for each positional unit through four games. We also highlight two players that have really stood out, and two more that... haven't. It's all after the jump.

Quarterbacks: C- You can't completely discount Trent Edwards' strong start to the season - through two games, he'd thrown four touchdown passes and sported a QB rating of 104.9. But with his O-Line in a constant state of flux and with his own play slipping to a new level of mediocrity (for him), the position has only barely been passable this season - and it's been ridiculously awful in the past two weeks. Good news, though - Ryan Fitzpatrick has shown a great aptitude in relaying play calls from Alex Van Pelt to Edwards. (Yes, that means I'm saying that the calls to bench Edwards are ridiculous.)

Running Backs: A- There is nothing to not like about Fred Jackson's game. He's still the sixth-leading rusher in the league (333 yards at 4.8 yards per carry) despite the fact that Buffalo has abandoned the running game almost completely in the last two weeks. He continues to lead the Bills in receptions and receiving yardage, too. Fred Jackson is our best player right now, and it's not really close. Marshawn Lynch is back and continues to knock off the rust; we'll see if his presence has any long-term effects on the effectiveness of Jackson. Heck, Xavier Omon looked pretty solid taking spot carries for Jackson in Weeks 1-3, too.

Wide Receivers: D Part of their alarming lack of production has to do with the lack of cohesiveness up front as well as the lack of rhythm in the passing game. Terrell Owens, Lee Evans and Josh Reed have combined for 29 catches, 415 yards and 3 TD through four games. That's about equal to the output of Steve Smith - New York's Steve Smith, not Carolina's Steve Smith - who has 34 catches, 411 yards and 4 TD as a make-shift No. 1 receiver for Eli Manning. If that doesn't speak volumes about how putrid the receivers and the passing attack in general have been, I don't know what does. They only get a D because they can't be completely blamed for their issues.

Tight Ends: D+ Derek Schouman proved himself a valuable, underrated underneath option before landing on IR with a knee injury. Derek Fine has been just as prone to drops as the receivers have been, and while Shawn Nelson has flashed ability (he had a TD reception in Week 1, his first NFL appearance), he hasn't yet asserted himself as a threat in Schouman's stead. Jonathan Stupar? He's human, folks - very, very human.

Offensive Tackles: D Unfortunately for Brad Butler, he gets dragged down by his teammates. Butler was performing well, but he, too, is on IR - his season is over. Demetrius Bell flashed loads of potential and dominance, but he also made tons of mistakes - and then he missed Week 4 with a groin injury. His worth, however, was thrown into perspective when Jonathan Scott and Kirk Chambers resorted to the pirouette pass-blocking technique down in Miami. It didn't work for them. Buffalo has given up 16 sacks already this season, and the vast majority of them are the fault of the tackles.

Offensive Guards/Centers: B- Geoff Hangartner has struggled with a nagging back injury and really awful shotgun snaps, but he's still representative of a massive improvement at center from last year's group. Andy Levitre and Eric Wood, the subjects of much pre-season skepticism, have both made their share of mistakes (many more in the case of Wood), but they've also been dominant at times, particularly in the run game. These guys have proven why they were high-round picks, and there is some hope that they'll turn into dominant offensive linemen sooner rather than later. It's not perfect, but here, at least, there is lots of potential.

Defensive Ends: B It's hard to find reasons to be upset with this group right now; much-maligned for the past two seasons, this group is performing well. With very little statistical input from first-round pick Aaron Maybin, the trio of Aaron Schobel, Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney have amassed 7 sacks already - well beyond the pace they've set in recent seasons. Yes, they're still susceptible to misdirection plays and lapses against the run, but on a long list of problem areas, this unit is unranked. They're playing well.

Defensive Tackles: C+ This group had a strong start to the season, but they've faded in the last two games as the Bills have given up well over 200 yards rushing per game to opponents. Marcus Stroud has two sacks, while Kyle Williams and Spencer Johnson have both flashed the ability to make plays in the backfield. Williams in particular has been unblockable at times. But they're getting gashed right now - which isn't completely their fault, I realize, but does bring their grade down a touch.

Linebackers: F How's your arm, Paul Posluszny? "Poz" has played roughly two quarters' worth of football this season after breaking his arm in the first half against New England, and Buffalo's defense clearly misses him. Kawika Mitchell and Keith Ellison are both serviceable players, but in this defensive scheme, they can't carry the burden they're carrying now - they've been abysmal against the run, and the plays they've made are... well, never mind, they haven't made any plays yet. Marcus Buggs has been overwhelmed trying to fill in for Posluszny, and none of the team's young, talented reserves have proven capable of stepping up. This is the clear weak area of the defense right now.

Cornerbacks: B Terrence McGee continues his unappreciated play; as far as reliable tacklers go, McGee might sit atop a list of two or three names - all of them defensive backs. (Posluszny might have sneaked onto that list were he healthy.) Leodis McKelvin is gone for the season, but before he was lost, he'd been picked on almost mercilessly by the likes of Tom Brady, Byron Leftwich and Drew Brees. Drayton Florence has played well in his place, but we'll see how long that lasts - he was brutal as a starter last season in Jacksonville. Reggie Corner and Ashton Youboty have performed well in sub-package duty, but it's best if they stay in that role - we really can't afford any more injuries here.

Safeties: B+ Take away some big plays they've given up to opposing tight ends, and they might have snuck into A range. I said it earlier this morning, and I'll say it again: Donte Whitner is playing at a Pro Bowl level. I'm curious to see if that continues when he eventually returns from his thumb injury. Bryan Scott continues to be highly competent defending the run, and is as sure a tackler as there is. Jairus Byrd has seen a lot of playing time, and has acquitted himself quite well - he hasn't made any big plays yet, but he hasn't given any up, either. He's shown physicality defending the run, too - but he needs to start taking better angles.

Specialists: B- I knock the grade a bit because of the poor overall performance of Bobby April's coverage units and kick return unit, but overall, the individual specialists - Rian Lindell, Brian Moorman and particularly rookie long-snapper Garrison Sanborn - have been quite good.

Coaching: C- I'll never be the type of guy that lays blame at any one person or group's feet. Football is a team game, and losses are team losses just as wins are team wins. But the coaching has not been good this season. Strong game plans - such as the one employed by Perry Fewell to almost completely shut down Brees and the Saints - have been overshadowed by terrible on-field play, which no matter which way you cut it is partially at the feet of the coaching staff. Hot seat? Yep - every last Bills coach is sitting on one as we speak.