SB Nation - Xavier Omon

Arizona Cardinals Fly Around the NFC West and Is It Too Early to Talk Playoffs?

Hawkwind — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:15:09 -0000

Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt loudly proclaims to everyone that if they don't think the Cardinals are playoff bound, then they can go sit in a corner. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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The NFC West went 2-2 over week 10 with wins by the Cardinals and 49ers. The Cardinals are the only team over the .500 mark (6-3) with San Fran currently sitting at 4-5 in second place and the Seahawks (3-6) and Rams (1-8) round out the division. The Niners and Hawks both travel to NFC North opponents this week (Packers and Vikings respectively) while the Cards and Rams will meet for the first time this season.

San Francisco 49ers: The Niners are coming off an uninspiring Thursday night win over the Bears that saw them turn five Jay Cutler picks into just ten points, but a win is a win and it ended a four game losing streak. While a 4-5 record might not inspire a great deal of confidence, the Niners fans aren't giving up on the playoffs just yet. As crazy at that may sound with games remaining against the Packers, Cardinals and Eagles, all of whom are ahead of them in the playoff picture, you could say that they still control their own destiny. Even tougher for the Niners fans to watch right now is the resurgance of the Carolina Panthers, who've won four of their last six after starting 0-3, and with three upcoming games against teams with a combined 9-18 record, that first round pick could get pushed down much further than Niners' fans were hoping. One interesting segment over at Niners' Nation worth checking out is an 'approval rating' on both Mike Singletary and Jimmy Raye (OC). Interestingly enough nearly 90% "approve" of the job being done by Singletary but Raye's "approval" rating is just under 40%.

After the jump we'll look at the Seahawks and Rams, and take a quick look at a premature NFC playoff picture.....

Seattle Seahawks: Obviously Hawks' fans aren't in the best of moods this week after seeing their team squander a two touchdown lead and basically end any hope of competing for anything more than a high draft pick this season. Even though they saw some promising things from thier team, the guys over at Field Gulls are now shifty their focus to key players in the Hawks future and next year's draft. One of the guys they'll focus on over the rest of the season is defensive tackle Brandon Mebane (part I and II) and they're also taking a glance at California's defensive end/tackle Tyson Alualu. The Hawks also made a small roster move yesterday releasing Devin Moore from their practice squad and signing Xavier Omon to take his place.

St. Louis Rams: Despite losing their eighth game of the season the Rams played their best football of the season on Sunday, narrowly losing to the undefeated Saints 28-23. One thing that gives Rams' fans some hope is that this was a game that they coulda/shoulda won, if not for a handful of mistakes, but I'm sure we all know how slipperly that slope can become. The Rams still have more questions than answers right now but hope isn't necessarily a bad thing (unless you ask Red). Right now they're wondering what a better backup running back might mean to the team, whether or not they should be looking at wide recievers in the draft and perhaps most importantly, whether or not their beloved team is disheartened or dangerous. They also made a roster move, placing Keenan Burton on injured reserve and signing Jordan Kent to the active roster.

Ok, so it's probably too early to be talking playoffs but call me an optimist. After so many years of talking prematurely about who we should be taking in the draft, I'm enjoying the flip of of November and December discussion. With that being said, here's what the picture looks like.....

Division Winners:

Wild Card Race:

On Life Support:

Chicago Bears (4-5)
Carolina Panthers (4-5)
San Francisco 49ers (4-5)

I'll leave playoff picture at that for now. Eventually we'll break it down further by looking at each team's upcoming schedule but now it's too much to digest at one time. I will say that the Cardinals remaining schedule is much more managable than the Cowboys so moving into the third seed doesn't seem like a difficult move but moving into the second seed is a much tougher proposition. For the Cards to catch the Vikings you'd have to consider their matchup, at UoP, in three weeks a 'must win' game for the home team.

Meet Xavier Omon

John Morgan — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:18:48 -0000

More photos » by David Richard - AP

Bison Xavier Omon powers through two Oil Derrick tacklers.

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Xavier Omon tore up Division II college football. In four seasons, he led the Bearcats to four national title games, losing all four. Omon wasn't a player I tracked, but from my brief viewing, he has good footwork, good power, good decisiveness, a good first and second gear, and no third gear to speak of. That sounds like the running back I expected Edgerrin James to be.

Decide for yourself:

Handing out first-quarter grades for the Buffalo Bills

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

More photos » by Lynne Sladky - AP

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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.

Notes from the Bills' O-Line: Week 3 vs New Orleans

Ron From NM — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:30:17 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

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I postulated before the Buffalo Bills' Week 3 matchup with the New Orleans Saints that New Orleans would blitz (and run blitz) like maniacs. After all, the Pats and Bucs had each worried obsessively about Terrell Owens and Lee Evans. In each case, they were eaten alive by underneath passes and runs; Buffalo won one game and should have won both. Unlike the Pats and Bucs, the Saints had the offense to trade touchdowns with Buffalo, so I thought they'd go with a pressure defense. It turned out that I was half right, or half wrong if you want to phrase it pessimistically.

I counted 22 blitzes on 42 passes, but the Saints only loaded the box on 4 of 20 run plays. The Saints dared T.O. and Evans to burn them on repeated blitzes. Buffalo responded by gaining a paltry 99 yards against those 22 blitzes (4.5 yards per blitz). Combined, the Bills had more drops (3), sacks (2), balls thrown away (1), bad passes (1) and offensive penalties (1) than first downs (5) when blitzed. Look for the Dolphins to bring the heat in Week 4, which could be interesting in that the drops, bad passes and penalties are all unforced errors - and therefore correctable.

Drive 1
Run 1: Fred Jackson -1 yard through the A gap
- 91 got inside of Demetrius Bell. Andy Levitre went to the second level and tapped 51. Geoff Hangartner (henceforth referred to as "Hang") and Eric Wood blew 98 off the line. 94 jumped inside of Jonathan Scott and should have had a tackle for loss (TFL). Scott killed the play. Derek Fine never really blocked anyone.

Pass 1: Fine 10 yards against a 5-man blitz
- Bell stopped 91. Levitre and Hang doubled 98. Wood would have picked up a twisting DT if Scott hadn't. Scott, however, should have directed his attention first to the blitzing DB instead of just waiting around for the twisting DT - who Wood would have gotten anyway.

Pass 2: Josh Reed 14 yards against a 5-man blitz
- Scott tried to pick up 55, but 55 was dedicated to breaking off his rush and hitting Jackson to keep him from being Trent Edwards' outlet receiver. Levitre's DT got around him but too late to stop the play. Hang turned 98 and pushed him past Edwards. Wood stopped 94 and Scott did an okay job on 58.

Pass 3: Reed 9 yards against a 5-man blitz
- Everyone blocked like it was a run to the left while Edwards did a bootleg. The Saints were, as predicted in comments made last week, all over Fine in the flat. While it's great that Buffalo has found some plays that work well, the downside is that defenses start to recognize those plays and take them away. It's time to put this particular play on the shelf for a while.

Run 2: Jackson 4 yards through the right B gap
- Bell pushed 58 upfield. Levitre turned 91 out and away from the play. Hang got no push but neither did 98. Wood and Scott had initial double on 94. Wood kept after 94 while Scott peel to pick up 51. Fine locked up 58 on the edge of the line of scrimmage (LOS).

Pass 4: Thrown away against a 5-man blitz
- Bell abused 20 on the LOS. Hang and Levitre doubled 91. Wood danced with 98 before he dropped into coverage on Jackson. Scott and Fine doubled 94.

Pass 5: Owens juggle-drop against a 5-man blitz
- Bell stopped 58. Levitre was pushed back by 91 but not enough to disrupt the play. Hang did an okay job on 98 who twisted to try to go between Wood and Scott. Wood pushed a DT inside and picked up 98. Scott stuffed 55. Owens dropped a first down even though he had multiple chances to secure it before going out of bounds.

Pass 6: Screen to Jackson for 6 yards
- Fine helped Bell contain 91. Levitre, Hang and Wood got blocked on 55 and 98 and then let them go to get in front of the screen. Jackson outran them so he had no blocking. Scott let 94 get upfield but didn't turn to lead the play.

Blitzes: 5
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Owens' drop of a certain first down

Drive 2
Pass 7: Thrown away
- Bell pushed 22 past Edwards. Levitre stuffed 91's spin move. Hang helped Bell with 94 who stuck with 94 instead of passing him off to interior linemen - thus letting the DB force Edwards to throw the ball away. Wood never turned his head to see the rushing DB, though really it isn't the typical assignment for a guard.

Run 3: Jackson 2 yards through the left B gap
- Bell missed the cut on 91 who made the tackle. Levitre chucked a DB then locked up 58 and kept him out of the play. Hang got a 3-yard drive on 98. Wood drove 94 and put him down. Scott chipped 94 then drove 51 five yards. Fine was thrown down while blocking 55 but kept him busy until the play was all but over. Jonathan Stupar followed 93 on a circle around and behind the play.

Pass 8: Reed for 18 yards against a 5-man blitz
- 91 zipped past Bell and almost had a sack. Levitre tried to follow 58 on a stunt and lost him in the mass of humanity. Hang handed 98 to Wood and picked up a twisting 94. Wood blocked 94 until he twisted to Hang. Scott helped with 94 but never turned his head to see blitzing safety. Fine saved the play by throwing a leaping DB, sending him rolling into another DB.

Pass 9: Evans drop against a 5-man blitz
- Bell pushed 58 past the corner. Levitre stopped 69 and Hang stopped 98. Wood kept 94 on an outside arc and Scott beat 55 to the corner.

Pass 10: Jackson for 9 yards against a 5-man blitz (plus 15 yard roughing the passer penalty)
- Bell stopped 58. Levitre was pushed back into Edwards by the DE. Hang turned Hargrove from the passing lane. Wood easily handled a spin move by 94. Scott pushed 55 past Edwards.

Pass 11: Jackson 0-yard catch against a 5-man blitz (Jackson slipped after catching pass)
- Bell and Levitre doubled 69. Bell didn't even look at a blitzing 20. Hang handed 92 to 70. Wood waited for 92 but 92 dropped back when the pass was thrown. Scott handed 97 to Fine and picked up a blitzing 51.

Run 4: Jackson 4 yards through the A gap
- Bell got inside of 69, who managed to get in on the tackle - but only after Jackson was four yards downfield. Levitre put an arm on 69 then stood up 55 at the second level. Hang pushed 92 to the right and opened the run lane. Wood popped 51 at the second level. Scott locked onto the DE and wouldn't allow him a clean release. Fine did a great job on 52 on the edge of the LOS.

Pass 12: Fine drop (may or may not have been a first down depending on run after catch)
- Bell stuffed 91 and kept his arms down. Levitre and Hang tag-teamed 92. Wood waited for a LB to blitz and helped Scott with 94 when the LB stayed in coverage. It looked like Scott's initial good block turned into an uncalled hold.

Fake FG for a 25-yard TD. Bobby April bailed out the offense.

Blitzes: 4
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: no one

Drive 3
Run 5: Jackson 4 yards through the right C gap
- Bell pushed 91 down the line and around the pile. Levitre and Hang drove 98 down the LOS. Wood got an 8-yard push on 94. Scott went to the second level and hit 51, who eventually got in on the tackle. Stupar kept 55 out of the play. Fine had a half-hearted block on 58, who made the tackle.

Run 6: Jackson 12 yards through the right C gap
- Bell and Levitre doubled 91 and then Bell peeled and shoved 50 five more yards. Hang stood up 98. Wood chucked 98 and then hit 51 at the second level. 51 slipped his block and was in on the tackle. Scott got under 94's pads when he tried to move inside and wouldn't let him turn back to chase the play. Stupar drove 55 all over the field. Fine kind of ran in circles without blocking anyone.

Run 7: Jackson 6 yards through the left C gap
- Bell went to the second level and popped 50, who was in on the tackle. Levitre turned 91 in circles. Hang didn't follow 98 when he dropped back to chase the play. Wood chucked 98 and missed a filling 51. Scott locked up 94 and rode him down the LOS. Stupar did another solid job on 55 while Fine corralled 58.

Run 8: Xavier Omon 5 yards through the right C gap - Wood called for holding
- Bell got a 2-yard push on 94 with Levitre's help. Hang got a little push but lost his balance and fell, allowing 98 to get in on the tackle. Wood went to the second level and locked up 58 - very clearly without holding him. Scott drove 94 inside and was almost certainly the guy they called the hold on. It really didn't look like a hold, as the defender turned while being blocked, but was the sort of call the refs had promised to make this year. Stupar and Fine shut down 55 and 58 on either end of the line.

Pass 13: Fine 9 yards
- Bell and Levitre stopped 91 while Hang and Wood stopped 92. 94 turned Scott in a circle and got a run on Edwards.

Run 9: Jackson -3 yards through the left B gap against an 8-man front
- Bell and Levitre blew 50 and 51 well into the second level. 91 shot inside of Hang and made the TFL, killing the play. 92 got inside of Wood but not quickly enough to stop the run. Scott missed a cut on 94. Stupar was pushed back into the run lane by 53. Fine missed 41 at the second level.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked boxes: 1
Drive killed by: Hangartner's missed block on 91

Drive 4
Run 10: Jackson 4 yards through the left C gap - Stupar holding
- Bell chucked 91 then peeled and picked up 51 in the second level. Levitre turned 91 from the run lane and drove him 4 yards. Hang popped 98 and when they separated hit him again. Wood went to the second level and locked up 58, refusing to turn him loose to chase the play. Scott got a little push on 94. Stupar literally tackled 55 by the ankle when 55 shed his block. Fine kept a LB on the other side of the formation.

Pass 14: Fine 7 yards
- Bell allowed 91 to get under him and turn the corner. Levitre and Hang doubled 98. Wood pitched into 98 when no blitzers appeared. Scott stuffed 94.

Pass 15: Sack -12 yards
- 91 got around the corner to chase Edwards. Levitre and Hang kept 98 on the LOS. 94 knifed inside of Wood and got the sack. Scott hand fought with 93.

Pass 16: Horrible overthrow
- The line easily handled a 3-man rush

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Wood allowing the sack

Drive 5
Pass 17: Reed 10 yards against a 6-man blitz
- Scott beat 55 to the corner. Levitre pushed 91 away from the pass lane. 98 took himself out of the passing lane but then spun back inside to get to Edwards. Wood dropped back like a tackle but had no one to block. Scott fired into 94 like he was a guard.

Pass 18: Scramble for 11 yards against 5-man blitz
- Bell pushed 58 well past the corner. Levitre did an okay job on 91. Hang pushed 98 to 70 in order to pick up blitzing 55. Wood had 94 and pushed him to Scott to pick up 98. Scott shoved 94 to the ground.

Pass 19: Parrish for 5 yards against a 6-man blitz
- Bell chucked 91 but never looked at the blitzers (41 and 27). Levitre handled 91. Hang took 98 on a wide arc around Edwards. Wood helped Levitre with 91 and Scott beat 94 to the corner.

Pass 20: Intentional grounding (as good as a sack) against a 5-man blitz
- Bell kept 58 on the edge. 91 got around Levitre's outside shoulder leading to an uncalled hold. Hang was doing okay on 98 but then abandoned him to pick up a blitzing 55. 98 promptly tackled Edwards. Wood fell down while helping Scott with 94.

Pass 21: Evans 8 yards
- 91 threatened Bell upfield then came back inside to hit Edwards. Levitre and Hang doubled the DT. Wood had no one to block so he and Scott handled the DE.

Blitzes: 4
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Hang leaving 98 to block a blitzer who Edwards may well have beaten to the outside of the pocket, making the intentional grounding a manageable 3rd-and-5.

Drive 6
Run 11: Jackson 6 yards through the left C gap
- Bell pulled and cut a filling 51. Levitre pulled really wide but wasn't fast enough to get in front of the play. Hang got inside of 98 and kept in from of him, shielding him from the play. Wood missed a cut on 98. 94 knifed inside Scott and chased the play from behind.

Run 12: Jackson 10 yards through the left C gap
- Bell drove 91 inside and then down. Levitre locked up 57 and drove him 7 yards. Hang popped 98 and turned him away from the run lane, then drove him 2 yards for good measure. Wood wouldn't let 94 of the LOS when he tried to chase the play. Scott popped 58 at the second level but 58 shed his block and was in on the tackle.

Pass 22: Thrown away
- The line again blocked like it was a run to the left while Edwards rolled out. The Saints were all over the play. So much for shelving a play that isn't working...

Pass 23: Incomplete long pass to T.O. against a 6-man blitz
- Bell kept 93 from making the turn at the corner. Levitre kept 91 near the LOS and hang took 98 on an outside arc around Edwards. Wood had no one to block and waited for a blitzer in his area. Scott did a good job keeping 94 from cutting inside and then stopped him when he tried to go outside instead. It wasn't a great pass - it seemed to be underthrown - but it also didn't seem that T.O. was overly interested in trying for it either. Give Edwards credit for going for the long pass when he knew T.O. would be open, even if it wasn't a good throw.

Pass 24: Fine -1 yard
- The Saints rushed 3 and the line easily contained it, particularly since Fine chipped 94 for Scott before going out on his useless pattern.

Blitzes: 1
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Edwards' miss on the TO pass

Drive 7
Run 13: Jackson 4 yards thorugh the right C gap
- 91 jumped inside of Bell to chase the play. Levitre locked up 58 at the second level. Hang fell while trying to block a DT. Wood drove 94 3 yards and put him down. Scott chucked 94 then went to the second level and wiped out 51. Stupar helped Bell with 91 and Fine blocked 55 well enough to let Jackson get past.

Pass 25: Evans 11 yards against a 5-man blitz - defense late hit penalty
- Bell's LB fell before reaching the corner. Levitre stuffed 91's spin move. Hang stopped a DT. 94 slipped as soon as he made contact with Wood. Scott helped keep 94 down when 93 stunted away from him.

Pass 26: Evans 9 yards
- Bell never looked at a blitzing DB and really had no one (else) to block. Levitre, Hang and Wood easily stopped a pair of DTs. Scott, unlike Bell, learned from the earlier play in which 2 DTs and 2 DBs rushed and easily stuffed the DB rushing on the right side of the formation.

Run 14: Jackson 5 yards through the right C gap
- Bell drove 51 in a wide arc around the edge of the play after chipping 69. Levitre aggressively pitched into 69 when he tried to spin. Hang and Wood initially doubled 98 and then Wood peeled and pushed 58. 94 obligingly jumped inside of Scott so he drove him to the left side of the formation. Stupar tried to block 93 but wasn't fast enough. Fine did a good job on 55.

Run 15: Jackson -1 yard through the right C gap against an 8-man front
- Bell got under 69's pads and drove him down the LOS. Levitre pitched into 69 then went to the second and missed a block on 58. It looked like he grabbed and tried to hold 58 - uncalled. 98 worked inside of Hang and got in on the tackle. Wood dug 94 off of the LOS and back 2 yards. Scott fell down helping with 94. 55 shed Fine's block and made the TFL. Stupar crossed the formation and missed the block on a LB.

Pass 27: Edwards scramble for 2 yards - ticky tack personal foul on 69
- Bell pushed 69 inside like Bell was a guard. Levitre dropped back like a tackle to pick up a LB at the corner. Hang and Levitre doubled 94. Scott couldn't beat 32 to the corner, though at least he saw him and tried. Omon picked up 32.

Run 16: Jackson 5 yards through the A gap
- Bell chucked 91 then hit 51 at the second level. Levitre drove 91 three yards and put him down. Hang and Wood doubled 98. Hang turned him away from the play while Bell peeled and got enough of 55 to put him down. 69 jumped inside of Scott and almost had a TFL. Stupar kept 55 on the edge of the LOS and Fine neutralized 93.

Run 17: Jackson 2 yards through the left C gap
- Bell turned 91 inside and into the pile. Levitre hit 55 at the second level and drove him 5 yards. Hang got a bit of a push on 92 but 92 slipped his block and was in on the tackle. Wood blew 69 3 yards off the line and put him down. Scott chucked 69 then locked up a LB. Fine kept a LB on the edge of the LOS while Stupar let 58 run upfield and out of the play.

Pass 28: INT against a 5-man blitz
- Bell and Levitre doubled the DE. Hang stuffed a DT and Wood kept 69 from elevating. Scott picked up 58 at the corner. It was just a bad pass that looked like it hit the DB's hands. Once it was up in the air there were 8 or so Saints right there to make the INT.

Blitzes: 2
Stacked box: 1
Drive killed by: Edwards' INT

Drive 8
Pass 29: Thrown away
- The line easily handled the 3-man rush, but the 8 defenders meant there was no one open to throw to.

Run 18: Jackson 6 yards through the right B gap against an 8-man front
- Bell rode 91 across the formation. Levitre couldn't get in front of 92 to block him. Hang went to the second and flattened 51. Wood gave a little ground to 94 then cut him. Scott went to the second level and planted 50. Fine had a half-hearted block on 41, who was in on the tackle. Stupar locked up a LB.

Pass 30: -3 yard sack - Wood called for tripping
- Bell pushed 91 around the corner which would have been fine had Edwards not been stumbling around. 91 got the sack but it wasn't Bell's fault. Levitre put 58 down when Hang handed 58 to him. After handing off 58 Hang helped Scott with 94. Wood cut 92, unfortunately right into Edwards' feet, causing him to stumble and letting 91 sack him. The tripping call was completely bogus.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 1
Drive killed by: Wood allowing the sack

Drive 9
Run 19: Jackson 4 yards through the right B gap against an 8-man front
- Bell missed the cut on 91. Levitre pulled and plowed into the scrum. Hang got an initial stiff arm on 98 and popped him again as 98 reached the point of attack (POA). Wood pulled and nailed a LB at the second level. Scott pulled and took out a LB at the POA. Fine shielded 55 from the play and Stupar did an okay job on 94 at the POA.

Pass 31: Evans 3 yards (Seriously? Gazelles running in between rhinos?)
- Bell beat 55 to the corner. Levitre took a DT to the inside. Hang set to block 98 but 98 dropped into coverage. Wood had no one to block. Scott took on a DE early and slowed him to a crawl.

Pass 32: Overthrow to T.O.
- Bell beat 91 to the corner while the rest of the line stuffed twisting DTs. Fine was left to handle a DE on his own, which he did just fine (pun). T.O. was open but the pass was just a yard or so too long. It was a TD waiting to happen.

Blitzes: 0
Stacked box: 1
Drive killed by: Edwards' inaccurate throw

Drive 10
Pass 33: Reed 12 yard against a 5-man blitz - Wood called for being downfield
- Chambers, in for Bell for the rest of the game, pushed 69 past the corner. Levitre and Hang planted 92. Wood abused a blitzing 20, again pretending to be a tackle. Scott, pretending to be a guard, pushed 94 into 92.

Pass 34: Fine 11 yards
- The line easily stuffed a 3-man rush.

Pass 35: Fine drop against a 5-man blitz
- Chambers hit 41 and pushed him into the DT. Levitre and Hang doubled the DT. Wood had no one to block and Scott beat the DE to the corner.

Pass 36: Reed 8 yards against a 6-man blitz
- Chambers went to the corner with 91, who then beat him back to the inside. Levitre and Hang doubled 98. Wood picked up a blitzing LB and Scott stuffed a LB on the LOS. Needing 2 scores with only 7 or 8 minutes in the game 4th-and-1 seems like a pretty good bet...

Blitzes: 3
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Fine's drop

Drive 11
Pass 37: Owens incomplete out of bounds against a 5-man blitz
- Chambers stuffed 41. Levitre pushed 91 to Hang who stopped him. Wood had no one to block and Scott beat the DE to the corner. It sure looked like Owens could have gotten both feet down instead of just going out of bounds. He can cry all he wants about his ‘consecutive games with a catch' streak (which is complete and total BS since he has missed games due to injury) coming to an end, but this was the second time in the game he had a ball on his hands and didn't make the reception.

Pass 38: Sack -5 yards
- Chambers kept 91 from turning the corner. Levitre had no one to block. Hang was destroyed by 98 for the sack. Wood tried to help with 98 when Hang went down, but wasn't fast enough. Scott kept 98 on the edge.

Pass 39: Sack -8 yards against 6-man blitz
- Chambers stopped 20. Levitre stuffed 91 despite the fact that 91 had, and kept, his hand under Levitre's facemask - uncalled illegal hands to the face. Hang circled 98 around the QB. Wood helped with 98. Scott was beaten around the corner by 94 for the sack.

Pass 40: Jackson 12 yards
- The line easily managed the 3 man rush.

Blitzes: 2
Stacked box: 0
Drive killed by: Owens' drop

Drive 12
Run 20: Jackson for no gain through the right C gap
- 59 slipped Chambers' block and made the tackle. Levitre pressed 92 into 97, who was being stood up by Hang. Wood and Scott sealed 92, 97 and a LB to open the run lane. Fine ignored a run blitzing DB who was in on the tackle.

Pass 41: Reed no gain
- The line easily stopped 3 defensive linemen while Fine and Jackson took on a LB.

Pass 42: Thrown away against a 7-man blitz
- Chambers stopped a LB. Levitre hit 92 who then backed out and stunted. Hang stood up a DT. 20 got inside of Wood who then held him grievously - uncalled. Scott beat 39 to the corner but when Edwards was flushed 39 was in position to chase him.

Grades

Player	Run	Pass
D. Bell	77.1	72.6
K. Chambers	55.0	72.8
A. Levitre	78.0	74.5
G. Hangartner	73.0	74.0
E. Wood	80.0	73.1
J. Scott	73.0	73.1

I wouldn't read too much into Chambers' 55%. He was in for exactly one run play and it was a bad one for him. Of greater concern are the combined 18 bad pass plays the line had. The Saints had the equivalent of 5 sacks, an awful lot for a team not exactly renowned for defensive prowess. Look for defenses to begin to mimic some of the rushes the Saints threw at the Bills, specifically rushing 2 DBs and 2 DLs. Bell never did figure those out.

Run plays by gap
LC	LB	A	RB	RC
5-28	2--1	3-8	3-14	7-29
5.6 ypa	-0.5 ypa	2.7 ypa	4.7 ypa	4.1 ypa

As with Chambers' 55% I wouldn't worry too much about the dismal -0.5 ypa in the left B gap as the team only ran there twice. The yards were there to be had, though it seemed that Buffalo got away from the run game. Quite often it was out of necessity as someone created a negative play. That, in turn, led to bad down and distance combinations in terms of rushing.

On that note, there was a piece Brian wrote yesterday regarding unforced errors, and the Bills made many of them. I was appalled at how many times Edwards was reduced to picking up snaps from the turf during the game. That should be automatic, but apparently isn't with the Bills. I counted 7 bad snaps, or one out of every six passes. When the passing game is predicated on quick reads, it doesn't help that the QB has to spend the first second of the play looking down at his feet.

Drops continue to be a problem, as do errant passes from Edwards. Drops led to several punts, while bad throws cost the team at least 10 points - the INT stopped at least a tying field goal, and Edwards' overthrow of T.O. would have been a go-ahead touchdown. Buffalo can't afford to let those opportunities slip away.

Van Pelt finding impeccable balance for Bills offense

Brian Galliford — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:00:33 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

2 months ago: Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards throws against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of the NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday Sept. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/ David Duprey)

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When he was fired on September 4, former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Turk Schonert fired a parting shot at head coach Dick Jauron, claiming that the Bills' much-maligned leader wanted a "Pop Warner offense." Jauron handed the reigns of his offense to quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, himself very inexperienced as an assistant coach, let alone as a play-caller of any sort.

The Bills have two games in the bag - and if this is the "Pop Warner offense" that Schonert described and apparently was loathe to employ, there's little wonder as to why Schonert was ousted in the first place.

The offense has not been perfect. The unit, led by quarterback Trent Edwards, has produced 43 points on its own through two games - four touchdowns (all through the air) and five field goals. It's solid production from a unit that most were down on after a rough pre-season; let's not forget that the unit is still green in key areas as well (quarterback, offensive line). The offense has hardly been remarkable, but it has been ridiculously efficient. He's got just 120 minutes of NFL play-calling experience under his belt, but Van Pelt has orchestrated one of the NFL's most balanced offenses through two weeks.

Run vs. Pass balance
These are the easy numbers to figure out, but as we'll explain shortly, they only tell part of the story. Edwards has thrown 56 passes in two games, while he and other Bills runners have carried the ball 54 times. That 56-54 pass-run ratio is only the tip of this well-balanced iceberg.

Most importantly, obviously, the Bills are getting production whether they're throwing or running. Edwards is completing 64 percent of his throws at 7.9 yards gained per attempt. He's already upped his career passing touchdown total from 18 to 22 in career starts No. 24 and 25. Meanwhile, the Bills are averaging a whopping 5.7 yards per carry on their 54 rushes. When an offense is gaining 8 yards every time it drops back to pass and 6 yards on every rush, things are going quite well, to say the least - even when factoring in two turnovers (one interception, one lost fumble).

Passing game balance
Put the 54 rushes out of your mind for just a moment. We're going to concentrate on the 56 throws for this little chunk of the post.

On those 56 attempts, the Bills' two elite receiving options - Terrell Owens and Lee Evans - have been targeted 19 times. Literally once every three times Edwards drops back, his throw is going in the direction of one of these two electric players. Results to this point have been mixed: on throws to either Owens or Evans, Edwards has completed 9 of 19 passes for 155 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT for a quarterback rating of 88.7.

It's pretty easy to wish that the ratio of passes to Owens and Evans would be a touch higher than 1-3, but considering how much attention that New England and Tampa Bay have paid to these guys - and why wouldn't they? - that ratio can hardly be considered low. That's even more apparent considering how efficient Edwards and the Bills' passing attack has been when targeting the rest of the team's receiving options. On throws to all other players (with Fred Jackson, Derek Schouman, Josh Reed and Shawn Nelson being the most productive players), Edwards has completed 27 of 37 passes for 283 yards with 2 TD, 0 INT and a quarterback rating of 112.7. That's still 7.6 yards per attempt, folks.

Eventually, it would be nice to see the Bills find more efficient ways of getting Evans and Owens involved. For now, the passing game is clicking - and they're doing so despite double coverages and some drops. That didn't come close to happening in 2008.

Running game balance
I mentioned earlier this morning that Fred Jackson has been this team's MVP, and while he's been the clear focal point of Buffalo's rushing attack, the Bills have been getting solid production in scrambles from Edwards, spot duty from Xavier Omon, and on end arounds (Owens, Roscoe Parrish). The results speak for themselves - 5.7 yards per carry is excellent.

The balance in the running game is apparent as well. Of the Bills' 54 rushes to date, 24 of them - yes, 44 percent of all runs - have been to the ends or off of the tackles. That stat is unheard of in Buffalo; coordinators such as Fairchild and Schonert had little to no imagination in the running game. On those 24 carries, the Bills have gained 115 yards (4.8 yards per attempt).

Their real dominance, however, has been running up the middle. Helped out by ridiculously gaudy stats against Tampa Bay, the Bills have carried the ball 30 times between the guards for 193 yards - yes, that's 6.4 yards per rush. The Bills have yet to score on the ground, but they're efficient rushing at the edges of the defense, and they're dominant doing so between the tackles thus far. That doesn't happen if the Bills aren't remarkably balanced not only as an offensive whole, but in where they're running the ball, as well.

Oh - and more balance is coming, folks. Remember Marshawn Lynch? You may have forgotten because of Mr. Jackson, but Mr. Lynch is a pretty good player himself.

Results speak for themselves
As mentioned, Buffalo's offense - not the team, but solely the offense - is averaging 22 points per game to this point. That's a solid figure, and as always, there's room for improvement - the Bills have left big plays on the field in the form of penalties, drops and plain misses in each of their first two games.

The balance is working wonders not only in terms of production, but in terms of confidence. This is a confident unit. Edwards is confident, the line is confident, and that confidence is seeping through the team as a whole. Want evidence? Take a look at one of Owens' recent tweets:

Man ws the Ralph rockin 2day!! Cn't wait til next!! Gonna b a good 1! Lovin trent more & more!! Watchin nfl primetime!

When Terrell Owens is becoming less skeptical by the day, things are going well. Chalk it up to impeccable balance. If the Bills can maintain any semblance of this balance, they're going to be difficult for anyone to beat this season.

Bills will need to air it out in New England

Brian Galliford — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:00:34 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

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Hey! Did you hear that the Buffalo Bills are playing the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football? That happens in a hair over two days' time, folks. Whether the Bills or their fans are prepared or not, the 2009 NFL regular season is about to begin - perhaps in brutal fashion in Western New York.

Knowing how these Bills/Patriots have unfolded in the past - i.e. the Bills have been playing from behind far more frequently than not - it's not exactly a stretch to say that the Bills will be throwing the ball a lot in this particular matchup, either. Add in other factors, such as personnel and injuries, and the likelihood skyrockets. Trent Edwards' right arm should be sore Tuesday morning, even if he avoids hits - and, perhaps unfortunately, putting the ball in the air is by far the Bills' best chance to pull off a huge upset.

The isolation of Fred Jackson
Much has been made about the fact that in his last game against New England, RB Fred Jackson - starting in place of suspended starter Marshawn Lynch - rushed for 136 yards on 27 carries. Somehow, I sincerely doubt that Bill Belichick and the few Patriot defenders that remain with the team from last year have forgotten that impressive performance. Jackson will be the first player that Belichick will try to erase from this game.

Considering Buffalo's depth and skill at receiver, Belichick will almost certainly concentrate resources early on eliminating Jackson and the running game from the equation, putting all of the pressure on Edwards to win the game. One-dimensional offenses are dreams come true for opponents. Given the fact that the Bills' two backup runners, Xavier Omon and Corey McIntyre, have a combined six career NFL carries, Belichick doesn't need to worry about seeing waves of fresh runners. Jackson will get all of the work, and Belichick knows it.

That doesn't, however, mean that Jackson will be ineffective - just keyed on. He'll still have opportunities to make plays if the run is stopped - but, obviously, he'll need to do it through the air.

The hamstring of Derek Fine
Many won't factor this into their thinking, but the likely DNP for TE Derek Fine is significant in this game. The Bills only employ two tight ends aside from Fine - Derek Schouman and Shawn Nelson. Nelson, a rookie out of Southern Miss, is expected to see the bulk of his playing time in red zone situations and from the slot, where his biggest assets (size, speed, hands) are put to best use, and where his biggest weaknesses (in-line blocking) are a non-factor.

Without Fine, and with Nelson's inexperience blocking factored in, the number of two tight end sets the Bills can run in New England dwindles significantly. Buffalo, in years past, has used two tight ends in most of their run fronts. Without that extra in-line blocker - and without McIntyre's natural fullback position being a significant part of the offense - Buffalo will be running from one-back, three-wide sets frequently, which is difficult to do. Once again, this increases the chances of throwing on a play-by-play basis.

Getting your best players on the field
Given the lack of depth at running back and tight end, easily the deepest and most gifted skill position for the Bills is, obviously, wideout. Much will be made of Lee Evans and Terrell Owens heading into this game. A key decision to make, however, is which secondary personnel to put on the field to keep defenses honest in covering Evans and Owens (and, to an extend, keeping an eye on Jackson as well).

Nelson will see work. Omon will see some carries as well, just to keep Jackson as fresh as possible. But their snaps will be severely limited, as they should be, because players like Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish and Steve Johnson are, quite simply, better football players. Buffalo doesn't have a chance at winning this game if they don't get the ball into the hands of their best players. In this particular instance, players like Reed, Parrish, Johnson and even Nelson will need to make chain-moving plays to sustain drives. They won't be doing so unless the ball is thrown. Jackson, too, has that capability, but if he can't do it on the ground, he'll need to do it through the air.

You see where we're going with this. Everything, seemingly, dictates that the ball will be thrown early and often - and that's without mentioning the fact that the Patriots, with their potent offense, have a strong chance at grabbing an early lead. The no-huddle offense may be Buffalo's one saving grace, no matter what Ron Jaworski believes.

The no-huddle factor
Evaluating all of the above, it's easy to see why Dick Jauron has been interested in the no-huddle. Everything above are things that the Bills, in reality, cannot control. Their personnel hand has been forced. The no-huddle offense puts some of that control back into their hands.

It's risky. The no-huddle would need to function nearly perfectly, and it would need to do so in a quick, yet time-occupying manner. Ideally, the Bills will keep the ball out of New England's hands as long as possible; in order to do that, they need to sustain drives. The quick pace is the only way they can force New England into anything, particularly exhaustion, and more importantly, it might be their only chance at keeping the offense balanced. We all know what will happen if the plan backfires - the exact opposite of what the Bills would like to do.

I mentioned earlier this week that Edwards, entering his make-or-break season, is necessarily under a ton of pressure simply because of the position he plays. That pressure amplifies any time you play a tough opponent on a national stage, and it will only grow further if the Bills are forced to throw early and often. We'll see if the no-huddle attack can abate some of that pressure.

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

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

by David Duprey - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Running back, linebacker remain concerns for Bills

Brian Galliford — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 04:15:10 -0000

by David Richard - AP

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Heading into Saturday's NFL roster cut-downs, there were two situations that were known commodities to the Buffalo Bills: they knew that running back Marshawn Lynch would be serving a three-game suspension, and they knew that due to their inexperience at reserve linebacker, the position was a liability.

Buffalo worked the phones all day at One Bills Drive - just as every other NFL team did - trying to find reinforcements at linebacker, and very likely at running back as well, particularly after releasing veteran Dominic Rhodes. We're also fairly certain that the Bills found themselves short-handed at both positions for good reason.

The fact of the matter, however, is that the Bills are now woefully inexperienced at both running back and linebacker. Considering the way the Bills want to play football in 2009, that's not necessarily terrible news - and therefore, obvious areas such as quarterback, the offensive line and the pass rush remain the biggest question marks heading into the season. From a pure personnel standpoint, however, running back and linebacker are the two spots most likely to get reinforcements prior to the season.

Making it three weeks without Marshawn
Lynch will miss three games - and while he's sidelined, the Bills will be counting on a trio of backs. Well, that's not exactly true - they'll be counting on Fred Jackson, and solely Fred Jackson, sore wrist and all. BuffaloBills.com described Jackson's wrist injury as something that could "nag" Jackson all season - but apparently, it's healthy enough where they're comfortable using him as their feature back for three weeks.

Xavier Omon has six career NFL carries. Corey McIntyre, who is a fullback by trade, has zero career NFL carries. To expect the Bills to rely on either of these players as anything more than a let-Fred-breath-for-a-play relief player is absurd. It also throws into light just how little an impression Rhodes must have made in the pre-season, because the team is thinner than thin at this position. Stay healthy, Freddie.

Just as inexperienced at linebacker
The linebacker situation is not as desperate as the running back situation, simply because the Bills already have one starter - Keith Ellison - who is essentially a part-time player, as the team spends plenty of time in nickel and dime packages.

Nic Harris and Ashlee Palmer are both rookies. Marcus Buggs, who will back up Paul Posluszny at inside linebacker, dressed four four games in 2008 as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Vanderbilt, but eventually ended the season on Injured Reserve. Jon Corto, who is on the team strictly as a special teams ace, dressed for all 16 games last season, but did not see reps at linebacker.

Just like at running back, the Bills are one injury away from asking a wide-eyed, green player to step in and play like a pro. It's a scary proposition. Posluszny, Ellison and Kawika Mitchell - we'd appreciate it if you stayed healthy right alongside Freddie.

Further fortifications coming?
Just because of numbers issues and the inexperience factor, released players such as RB Bruce Hall and LB Alvin Bowen are strong candidates to make the team's practice squad. Both fit the same bill as the players listed above, however, and neither comes close to helping the situations much, particularly since, you know, they're not on the active roster even if they're brought back.

We have to think that the Bills will be scouring the waiver wire with several sets of eyes for fortifications at these two positions - and if there are veterans available, all the better.

Bills close pre-season with 17-6 loss to Detroit

Brian Galliford — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:10:10 -0000

The Buffalo Bills closed their 2009 pre-season schedule with a 17-6 home loss to the Detroit Lions. Buffalo did not score an offensive touchdown in either of their final two pre-season games, and the only starters that took the field in tonight's contest were the five starters along the offensive line.

Ryan Fitzpatrick started at quarterback, completing 9 of 17 passes for 78 yards; Gibran Hamdan took over in the second half, also completing 9 of 17 passes for 163 yards. Both quarterbacks threw interceptions. Meanwhile, rookie DE Aaron Maybin had a sack and a forced fumble on top overall draft pick QB Matthew Stafford in the first quarter. Two other defensive rookies turned in big nights, as FS Jairus Byrd recorded an interception and LB Nic Harris led the team with a dozen tackles.

Bills head coach Dick Jauron mentioned in post-game interviews that the decision was made to rest his starters because preparations for the team's season-opening game in New England have already begun. In particular, in regards to QB Trent Edwards, Jauron mentioned that he "did him a disservice" by playing him without a game plan over the past two weeks, and did not want to repeat the feat tonight. Edwards spent the entirety of the past week running plays in the New England game plan, and the staff did not feel there would be anything to gain by playing Edwards without a game plan again this evening. The same can be said for the entirety of the starting defense.

WR Terrell Owens spent the game in full uniform on the sideline; he ran some routes in pre-game warmups and looked completely healthy.

Reserve G/C Brandon Rodd left the game with a leg injury and did not return. The same can be said of RB Xavier Omon, who was scheduled to get a lot of carries, but only managed 4 carries for 17 yards before leaving the game with a calf contusion.

Other big plays: John McCargo recorded a sack and was generally disruptive the entire evening. Reggie Corner had an interception and a lengthy return in the first half. WR Justin Jenkins caught a long 43-yard reception from Hamdan in the fourth quarter as the Bills were playing catch-up. Steve Johnson also had a 33-yard reception on the evening.

Buffalo has the next two days off as the Bills finalize their 53-man roster, which they must do by 4:00 PM ET Saturday. They return to the practice field on Sunday for a full week of preparation for their Monday Night Football opener in New England.

The pre-season is over. The football gods, at least on this evening, are merciful. Leave your comments on the pre-season and this game in the comments section - then be sure to check back in tomorrow morning for the announcement of our roster projection contest!

Defining the Buffalo Bills' roster bubble players

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

***

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