SB Nation User Blog: Kurupt

Keys to Victory: Buffalo Bills vs Houston Texans

Kurupt — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:23:45 -0000

The Buffalo Bills host the Houston Texans at 1PM Sunday, as both teams are coming in hot. The Bills have won consecutive road games, while the Texans have won three of four and have an offense that is really clicking. The teams have some similarities, but will be playing much different styles of football in this game. The Texans are looking to build their playoff resume and move towards a playoff berth, while the Bills are looking to continue making a move towards a surprising late season run. What do the Bills need to do to win this week? Let's find out.

Get after Schaub: I've watched the Texans a lot the past couple of seasons, mostly because they have an exciting offense and it makes me jealous. I've noticed that Matt Schaub will throw off his back foot and get very little on his passes when he can't fully step into them. This tendency has led to interceptions and overall poor throws in the past, and the Bills defense needs to make that happen again. If Schaub is allowed to sit back there unscathed, and find Andre Johnson, Owen Daniels, Steve Slaton and the other Texans' weapons, the Bills will have little chance of pulling out a victory. He's not going to self destruct and give the game to the Bills like Mark Sanchez or Jake Delhomme.

Slow Johnson and Daniels: Teams that have beaten the Texans this year have done a pretty good job of slowing down Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels. In the Texans' three losses, Johnson has caught 16 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns, while Daniels added 17 receptions for 176 yards and a touchdown. In the four wins, including last week when he left with a bruised lung, Johnson has 22 receptions for 412 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels has caught 22 passes for 321 yards and four touchdowns in the wins. Obviously, the numbers aren't bad in the losses but you can see that the yards per catch for both is higher in wins, which shouldn't come as a surprise. If the Bills can limit the deep and intermediate passes with Johnson and Daniels and hold them to the underneath stuff, the likelihood of holding them down increases.

Keep getting Evans involved: Pretty obvious, right? Lee Evans has looked energized with Ryan Fitzpatrick in the lineup, putting up 9 receptions, 143 yards and two touchdowns these past two games. To better understand how big of an improvement that is, consider that in the five previous games, Evans had just 12 receptions for 159 yards and a touchdown. Besides the next key to victory, Evans may have been the biggest factor for why the Bills have consecutive road victories under their belt. With Terrell Owens looking totally washed up, the Bills need Evans' big play ability to come through once again.

Win the turnover battle: Actually, it'd be nice to dominate it again. This is probably the biggest key to victory for this week, as turnovers have played such a huge role in Bills games, wins and losses, so far this season. Protecting the ball on offense and avoiding giving the Texans short fields will be crucial. Giving Fitzpatrick and the offense short fields is just what the doctor ordered (see last week). Let's hope the slew of turnovers forced continues for the Bills defense on Sunday.

Don't get down big early: The Bills aren't winning this game if they fall behind by multiple scores early. I don't believe Fitzpatrick can lead this offense to enough points, if that were to be the case. I also find it hard to believe the Bills defense would be able to hold the Texans down for the rest of the game in such a situation. The Bills need this to be another ugly game. A shootout isn't happening with the Bills offense involved, so keeping the game close and the Texans out of the end zone will be huge. The Texans struggled to hold onto a 21-point lead last week against the 49ers, but can any of you envision a Fitzpatrick-lead Bills offense coming back from such a deficit? I can't.

Put a helmet on Slaton: Steve Slaton has been a fumbling machine, to the tune of SIX fumbles (and four lost) so far this year. Putting a helmet on the ball when he's carrying it or trying to rip it out may result in a cheap turnover or two. If the Bills are to win the turnover battle, this is a good place to start.

Get Mr. Wilson that ring: After confusion about why the ring ceremony to celebrate Bills' owner Ralph Wilson's Hall of Fame induction was postponed during the Browns game, let's hope there is no reason for controversy this week. Mr. Wilson is scheduled to be presented with his ring at halftime this week, so it'd be nice if the team played a strong first half so he can get his proper recognition without being bombarded with boos.

Win Special Teams: The Texans have a very good return duo in Jacoby Jones and Andre Davis, and both have had big returns over the past few seasons. The Bills have begun to cut out some of their costly special teams errors, so they'll need that to continue this week. Good kick coverage and keeping the Texans deeper in their own territory will be a big part of deciding whether the Bills will win their third straight. There's no need to give a good offense a special teams touchdown or good field position in a game like this.

Continue limiting mistakes: Turnovers and penalties (only 3 last week!) have gone down in the past two wins. That trend needs to continue. The young players have limited their penalties recently; now they just need to step up their play.

*****

The Texans are playing good football and seem to be flying under the radar right now. This is not going to be an easy game for Buffalo, even at home and coming off a pair of victories. Matt Schaub and the Texans' offense present a major challenge to the injury depleted Bills defense. The entire team needs to step it up this week if the Bills are going to pull off the semi-upset. Let's go Buffalo!

Bills Fantasy Friday: Week 8 Start 'Em/Sit 'Em

Kurupt — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 02:22:37 -0000

Welcome back once again to Fantasy Friday here at Buffalo Rumblings. The Buffalo Bills are coming off back-to-back road victories in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2004, as they return home to host the streaking Houston Texans. The Texans have won three of four and have six straight games in which they have scored over 20 points. Buffalo's defense posted another solid performance last week against the sagging Panthers, despite giving up a lot of yards once again. They did a nice job of keeping the Panthers off the scoreboard and forcing four more turnovers after forcing six the week before. This week's game against the Texans poses a much stiffer challenge to the vulnerable Bills defense. Those Texans also bring in a defense that has allowed nearly as many yards as the Bills, in addition to three points more per game. Both teams have individual players that can make some noise for your fantasy teams this week. Join me after the jump for recommendations on how to handle them this week.

Quarterbacks
Matt Schaub - So far this season, Schaub has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and possibly the best fantasy quarterback to date. He leads the NFL with 2,074 yards passing and 16 touchdowns, completes almost 66% of his passes, averages 8.3 yards per attempt and sports a 104.4 QB rating that makes us all jealous. He's finally becoming everything the Texans hope he'd be when they acquired him from Atlanta a few years ago. The Bills' pass defense has had its moment so far this season. They currently rank 10th in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game, although part of me believes they're legit while part of me believes that's due to having a terrible run defense and facing a slew of crappy quarterbacks. What is legit is the 5.8 yards per attempt allowed, the 58.0 QB rating they've given up and even the NFL best 13 interceptions. They can be taken advantage of, however. Jake Delhomme (!) threw for over 300 yards last week, but in typical Delhomme fashion he literally threw the game away. I don't think Schaub will be doing that this week. Start him as you always would, but watch out for inclement weather. Verdict: Start 'Em

Ryan Fitzpatrick - As much as some Bills fans may want to think otherwise, Fitzpatrick has been pretty terrible these past two weeks. He's averaging 120 yards per game, 5.1 yards per attempt and is completing less than 45% of his passes. He's in the same league as the Derek Anderson and JaMarcus Russell's of the NFL. Don't even think about starting him even against the Texans middle of the road pass defense. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Running Backs
Steve Slaton - Slaton has been somewhat of a fantasy disappointment, although he really isn't one. His rushing numbers are way down from last season when he rushed for almost 1,300 yards, 80 yards per game, 4.8 yards per carry and 9 touchdowns. This season he's down to 49 yards per game, 3.1 yards per carry and 2 touchdowns. Pretty frightening numbers, I'd say. He's made up for those numbers by putting up excellent numbers in the Texans' passing game, which has really helped Schaub light up the fantasy world. Thus far, Slaton has caught 27 passes for 304 yards and 3 touchdowns, helping maintain his top 10 fantasy RB status. Look for his success to continue this week. I expect his rushing numbers to increase this week while his receiving totals continue to stay strong. 130 total yards and a touchdown or two seems like a pretty reasonable expectation this week. He's an every week starter, anyhow. Verdict: Start 'Em

Marshawn Lynch - Despite a juicy match-up against a poor Panthers run defense last week, Lynch and the running game again struggled. The Texans have allowed roughly 115 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry, along with a whopping 10 rushing touchdowns so far this season. Opportunities will again be there for Lynch to have a strong game. Unfortunately, with the offensive line continuing to struggle, expectations should remain tempered. It wouldn't surprise me if he posted solid numbers this week as the team will likely ride him early and often. He reached the end zone for the first time last week, and with the Texans struggles there, it wouldn't be too surprising if he walked into the end zone again this week. The Bills need to get him more involved in the passing game again as he's caught just three total passes the past two games. Lynch is definitely a starter as a flex this week, while starting him as a RB2 is a bit more risky. Verdict: Start 'Em in all

Fred Jackson - Jackson has pretty much fallen off the fantasy radar after his hot start. He gave fantasy owners a total of 2 rushing yards last week. Expect the struggles to continue as his touches continue to dwindle. Until he has a bounce back game, you should be looking elsewhere. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Wide Receivers
Andre Johnson - Johnson left last week's victory over San Francisco with a bruised lung after he began coughing up blood. He practiced Thursday and looks good to go. Bruised lung, bloody lung, no lung, it wouldn't matter. Johnson is an every week starter and one of the best in the league. As a Bills fan, just hope he doesn't kill us too badly. Verdict: Start 'Em

Kevin Walter - Walter has been very disappointing so far this season after a solid 2008 that saw him put up 899 yards and 8 touchdowns. He has just 18 catches for 232 yards and a touchdown this year while the Texans have turned elsewhere (RB and TE) for production. He's definitely a guy you want to stash on your bench at this point because he can become a bigger factor at any time, but don't start him. Remember, the Bills have allowed just one touchdown to a WR all season. There are plenty of better options this week. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Jacoby Jones - Jones and David Anderson rotate as the 3rd WR, but neither has a huge role in the offense. Jones does find the end zone though, having scored four touchdowns already this season, three receiving and one kick return. He also had a punt return touchdown nullified by penalty last week. If you are in need of a bye week fill-in, Jones could be a nice sleeper option for you, especially if return yards and touchdowns factor into your league's scoring. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Lee Evans - Evans has seen a return to relevance with Fitzpatrick under center. He has 9 catches for 143 yards and 2 touchdowns the past two weeks and looks to have a good match-up this week. Fitzpatrick has really looked Evans' way as he accumulated 20 total targets against the Jets and Panthers (he has just 48 for the season). Expect that to continue. I said I wouldn't recommend using him again, but I feel almost compelled to do so for one week only. Assuming the weather is okay, I expect Fitzpatrick to continue trying to get Evans heavily involved, including another deep ball or two. With some good receivers on bye again this week (Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Chad Ochocinco, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Dwayne Bowe), Evans makes for a good one week start. I'm going to go ahead and do it, so you know who to blame when he catches just one pass this week....Verdict: Start 'Em

Terrell Owens - Owens looks nothing like the player he once was. At this point, it's a positive if he simply catches a pass thrown his way. His hands and concentration seem to have completely vanished. There's no way I would suggest starting him any time soon. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Tight Ends
Owen Daniels - Daniels is one of the best and most athletic tight ends in the NFL. He's also an excellent pass catcher and is really the Texans' #2 receiver. The Bills have struggled all season with TE's, including last week's 9 receptions and 135 yards they allowed to the Panthers' "dynamic" trio of Dante Rosario, Jeff King and Gary Barnidge. Daniels is coming off a 7-reception, 123 yard, one touchdown performance against the 49ers, and scored 2 touchdowns the prior week. All signs point to similar results this week. Like Andre Johnson, Daniels is a no-brainer every week. Verdict: Start 'Em

Shawn Nelson - It's too bad Nelson continues to miss practice (and likely this game) due to migraines because he'd have a chance to put up some big numbers against the Texans. Last week Vernon Davis abused the Texans secondary deep over the middle. It would have been nice to see Nelson get the opportunity to face that unit, but it's looking unlikely. Derek Fine isn't an option here, either. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Kickers
Kris Brown - Kicking for a prolific offense is always a good thing, though Brown hasn't had the attempts he's gotten in year's past. With just six field goals in nine attempts so far this season, Brown is on pace to finished with barely half of the 29 FG's he made last year. He makes for a good play this week, though. The Bills continue to do a decent job of keeping teams out of the end zone, so look for Brown to get some attempts this week. Verdict: Start 'Em

Rian Lindell - He put up two FG's and two extra points last week, justifying a start. I'll go back to the well and say Lindell gets multiple chances again this week. Verdict: Start 'Em

Defense/Special Teams

Houston D/ST - The Texans have picked off just four passes and sacked the quarterback nine times. They aren't much of a fantasy defense, though Fitzpatrick is liable to self-destruct at any time. I understand why some would start the Texans this week, but I don't think the unit is good enough to go with. Go pick up Arizona or San Diego's defense if you need a D/ST. Verdict: Sit'Em

Buffalo D/ST - The Bills have forced 10 turnovers the past two weeks, and added four sacks. They aren't facing Mark Sanchez or Jake Delhomme this week, though. It's hard to imagine them having another productive fantasy performance against Schaub and the Texans' offense. Verdict: Sit'Em

Sleepers

Jacoby Jones - As mentioned above, Jones could be a nice sleeper option for those of you who get points for return statistics this week. With a heavy dose of attention being paid to Johnson and Daniels by the Bills secondary, Jones could see himself with some advantageous coverage on offense. He's a big play guy who could burn the Bills this week.

Terrell Owens - Eh, why not? There aren't too many other options on the Bills to surprise. Owens has been terrible this season, and there aren't too many fantasy owners counting on him anymore. Therefore, he now is relegated to sleeper status at best. Maybe this is all he needs....everyone writing him off giving him even more ammunition to have a huge week. Well, we can hope, can't we?

*****

Tough match-up for the Bills defense this week, as they'll have their work cut out for them against some of the top individual fantasy players in the league. Look for the Texans to accumulate a ton of yardage, but touchdowns may again be harder to come by against the Bills. Let's just hope the Bills offense shows some life this week, too. As always, good luck and use this comments section to discuss all of your fantasy needs!

Keys to Victory: Buffalo Bills at Carolina Panthers

Kurupt — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:45:09 -0000

Coming off a hard fought, mistake-filled overtime win against the New York Jets, the Buffalo Bills travel down south to take on the Carolina Panthers this weekend. It'll be a battle of two-win teams with solid rushing offenses, poor passing offenses and downright awful run defenses. It could be an ugly game, or a boring game, and more than likely a quick game. Just like last week, it's a very winnable road game for the Bills, assuming they don't self-destruct. What do they need to do to pull out another victory? Let's find out.

Slow the Panthers' ground game: Notice I didn't say shut down the Panthers' run game. I don't think this defense is capable of that. Instead, if they can slow DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart down, avoiding the 8-10+ yard chunks, they will have a chance to better control the game. After last week's disaster trying to shut down the Jets' running game, the pressure will be on going against a team that rushed for 267 yards itself a week ago. Don't expect a a ton of success for our rush defense, but a solid performance will go a long way in deciding the outcome of this game.

Force Delhomme to make plays: To add on to the first key, if the Bills can force the Panthers to struggle on the ground, they will have multiple opportunities to make plays against Jake Delhomme. A week after intercepting six passes, they could be in line for more turnovers this week. Of course, that's easier said than done. The best way to put the ball in Delhomme's hands is to force the Panthers into 2nd and 3rd and longs. First down plays are going to be huge this week. Keeping the Panthers out of short yardage situations will be crucial. I'd much rather let Delhomme try to win the game. Good things tend to happen to the defense when that happens.

Continue to frustrate Steve Smith: If Steve Smith is frustrated, I'm sure Delhomme will know it. Each week that goes by with Smith being less and less involved in the offense means that Delhomme could start forcing him passes soon to keep him interested/happy. If that happens this week, the Bills need to be ready to jump all over these passes. Keep doubling Smith like every other team has so far and hope Delhomme's mistakes continue.

Control the ball/clock on offense: The Bills have the worst rush defense in the league, but the Panthers also have a terrible one themselves, ranking 29th overall. Besides shutting down the Panthers ground game, the best way to keep them at bay is to keep them off the field. Avoiding poor field position by churning out yards, and hopefully finally scoring some points again, will be a big part of any Bills' victory this week. Running the ball well will also...

Keep the ball out of Fitzpatrick's hands: If you didn't know, I think Ryan Fitzpatrick is quite the terrible quarterback. If the Bills are relying on him to make big plays and lead them to victory, they're in big trouble this week. Fitzpatrick is mistake prone and inaccurate, not exactly traits a team should be relying on. A strong running game will take the pressure off him, and will also open up the play action passing game, which might suit Fitzpatrick's strengths best. He's done a solid job of making quick decisions and moves outside the pocket quite well. When they do put it in his hands, the Bills would be wise keeping him in situations where he can make the easy play and avoid the crushing mistake.

Commit fewer mistakes: As in, commit fewer mistakes than last week AND commit fewer mistakes than the Panthers make. The Bills had eight penalties and two turnovers against the Jets last week, but the Jets had a killer 14 penalties and six turnovers. It's unlikely the Bills can win another game by committing as many mistakes as they did last week, so that area needs to continue improving.

Continue the OL improvement: Last week, the Bills young offensive line played much better than they had in prior weeks. The Jets had just one sack, while the Bills were able to rush for a solid 142 yards on the ground. That uptick in production needs to continue this week and going forward. Jamon Meredith gets another start at right tackle, while the other three first year starters (Demetrius Bell, Andy Levitre, Eric Wood) all continue to get more comfortable in their roles. Going against a poor rushing defense in Carolina, this young unit has a chance to continue to steady improvement this week. It'll definitely be needed.

*****

This is a simpler game to figure what the Bills need to do to get a victory. The strengths of the Bills offense (running the ball) match-up against the weakness of the Panthers' defense, while the Bills defense knows exactly what it needs to do to shut down the Panthers' offense (slow the run game). This game will likely come down to turnovers and whoever commits the fewest mistakes. It's not a game we've seen too often, so it makes for an interesting match-up. The Bills can win this game, though it won't be all that easy. Enjoy the game and Go Bills!

Bills Fantasy Friday: Week 7 Start 'Em/Sit 'Em

Kurupt — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:36:37 -0000

Welcome back once again to Fantasy Friday here at Buffalo Rumblings. This week's opponent is the Carolina Panthers and their formidable running game. The Bills are coming off a hard fought, mistake filled overtime victory over the even more mistake prone New York Jets. It was an ugly game no matter how you slice it, unless penalties, turnovers, injuries, punts, missed field goals and poor quarterback plays suits your fancy. This week's game looks like it could have many of the same factors as the Bills head down to Charlotte to face the 2-3 Panthers and their mistake-lovin' quarterback.

We're in the heart of the fantasy season where each week could make or break a team's playoff hopes. If your team has struggled so far this season, there's a good chance you need to win this week to stay in contention. There will be some individual fantasy players of note in this week's game, so head on in after the jump to take a look at my recommendations for Bills vs Panthers:

Quarterbacks
Ryan Fitzpatrick - Ick, I feel dirty even writing about him in this space, but such is life. Fitzpatrick played a very uneven game in relief of the concussed Trent Edwards last week, finishing an abysmal 10 of 25 for 116 yards, one touchdown and one poorly thrown interception in overtime. The touchdown was a good throw to Lee Evans and tied up the game late in the third quarter. Other than that throw, Fitzpatrick left a lot of plays on the field and would have had a JaMarcus Russell type final line. Imagine if that TD had been a 37 yard touchdown rush instead? Fitzpatrick would have put up a painful looking 79 yards and 3.3 yards per attempts. As it was, he finished with a very bad 4.6 ypa. With a full week of practice and snaps with the first team offense, he should be a little more comfortable this week, but don't expect a huge uptick in production. The Panthers have done a good job defending the pass so far this season, allowing just 156.8 yards per game, good for 2nd in the NFL. There is a glimmer of hope as they're allowing a quarterback rating of 92.8. I don't think Fitzpatrick will be nearly as bad as he was last week, but I also don't think he'll be all that good either. I'm sure the team will be happy if he has an average performance. I know I will be. Just don't consider him a fantasy option. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Jake Delhomme - Delhomme is still reeling from his six turnover fiasco in last season's divisional playoffs against the Cardinals. It's carried over to this season as Delhomme has again struggled with turnovers (10 INT's, 2 fumbles lost) and inconsistent play. He's thrown just four touchdowns, is averaging less than 170 yards per game and 6.4 yards per attempt, and has been sacked 11 times. If Carolina had a good backup option (and less money invested in old Jake), he'd probably be on the bench right now. The Bills pass defense has really clamped down of late. They're down to 170.7 yards per game allowed after a rough start, have been on the receiving end of 10 interceptions (3rd in the NFL), and are allowing a QB rating of just 58.5 (2nd in the NFL). The 5.5 yards per attempt they've allowed is tops in the NFL. Don't expect Carolina to rely on Delhomme much this week. The reasons are pretty outlined above. Verdict: Sit'Em

Running Backs
Marshawn Lynch - This is going to be a game that is won or lost on the ground. Going into this game, the Panthers are allowing 149.2 rushing yards per game (4th worst in the NFL), and a whopping 5.0 yards per carry (2nd worst). Expect the Bills to take the ball out of Fitzpatrick's hands and really rely on their running game. Lynch will have plenty of opportunities and should be in good position to have a productive game. If the Bills can finally get inside the 10 yard line again, he may even get to visit the end zone for the first time this season. Look for him to get another 15-20 touches and approach 100 total yards. Because of the timeshare situation, it's hard to recommend Lynch as a RB2, but this week looks like a good week for that, especially with six teams on bye. I'll go ahead and say he's worth a start in all format unless you have two obvious options ahead of him. Verdict: Start 'Em

Fred Jackson - Jackson contines to see a bulk of the carries (28 to Lynch's 36 the past two weeks) and remains a valuable flex option. I wouldn't be surprised to see the screen pass brought back this week to help Fitzpatrick out and get the most out of our running backs. With Jackson likely to handle all kick and punt returns, as well, he looks like he'll be a very good flex play this week. When all is said and done, he should see about 20 touches. I like his potential for this week. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex

DeAngelo Williams - The Bills are dead last in the NFL, allowing a cringe inducing 181.8 rushing yards per game and 5.3 yards per carry. Williams is coming off a game in which he ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns against the Buccaneers. The Bills are coming off a game in which they allowed over 300 yards on the ground. For fantasy purposes, this is a match-up made in heaven. Unfortunately, the real life aspect of it is painful to imagine. Williams is probably the number one RB option this week, so unless you are crazy, you need to roll with him even if it is against our beloved Bills. Verdict: Start 'Em

Jonathan Stewart - Stewart is also coming off a very good game, running for 110 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay. Expect him to have similar success against the Bills' sieve of a defense. The yardage total might not be as high, but he has another great shot at reaching paydirt. He'll probably get another 12-15 carries for in the neighborhood of 80-90 yards. It's hard to suggest starting him as a RB2 since he is the Panthers' #2 after all, but he's a great flex play this week. Verdict: Start 'Em as a flex

Wide Receivers
Lee Evans - Evans was the only beneficiary of Fitzpatrick's last week, catching a 37-yard touchdown. However, he had just two total catches after Edwards went down, so it's not like his success jumped up as a result. I expect another downer of a game from him, though he'll probably finish as the Bills top receiver again this week. With Fitzpatrick at QB, it's hard to recommend anybody in the Bills' passing game. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Terrell Owens - Owens continues to be a non-factor for the Bills. He was targeted 8 times against the Jets, but finished with a paltry 3 receptions for 13 yards. With his proclivity for dropping passes in full effect, Owens should remain planted on your bench until he proves he is capable of doing something in this offense. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Steve Smith - Smith's production and fantasy performance has really dipped this season, mostly due to the issues Jake Delhomme is having. He's still one of the better receivers in the NFL, but the Panthers just can't get him the ball. As frustrated as Evans and Owens probably are, Smith might be even more frustrated playing for the same offense and with the same quarterback in which he's had major success before. He's always a threat to turn a shorter gainer into a huge play, but this week's match-up really doesn't favor him. Expect the Panthers to keep the ball on the ground, thus, Smith should remain on your bench if possible. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Muhsin Muhammed - Muhammed actually leads the Panthers in receptions with 22, but has produced just 205 yards and no touchdowns. Don't bother. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Tight Ends
Derek Fine - Fine has just 2 receptions for 13 yards since his five reception performance against New Orleans in week 3. Move along. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Shawn Nelson - Nelson flashed his potential last week making a gorgeous adjustment on a perfectly executed underthrow from Fitzpatrick. He's starting to get Bills' fans hope up (again), but he is also facing the prospects of missing this week due to injury (again). He joined Trent Edwards in the concussion club against the Jets and is questionable for this week. As always, don't bother considering him as an option, but keep an eye on him for the future. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Jeff King/Dante Rosario - They've combined for the only four touchdowns the Panthers have scored through the air this season. They've also combined for just 17 receptions. If it was King Rosario, which would be a sweet name by the way, instead of King/Rosario, this might be a good option. Instead, they should remain right where they are: on your league's waiver wire. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Kickers
Rian Lindell - Lindell had 3 field goals against the Jets last week, including the game winner. I think the Bills will be able to move the ball on the ground this week, while struggling to move it through the air, which leads me to believe we'll see a bunch of field goal attempts again. I'll go ahead and get crazy....Verdict: Start 'Em

John Kasay - I'm sure this is a well-known fact, but did you know that John Kasay has been in the NFL since 1991 and is the only remaining "original Panther"? He's been a steady presence on the Panthers and in fantasy football for a long time now. The Panthers haven't given him too many opportunities thus far this season, but expect that to change this week. Expect Carolina to move it on the ground all afternoon, but struggle through the air (just like the Bills!). Kasay makes for a good option this week, as well. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Defense/Special Teams
Bills D/ST - Coming off an excellent six interception, two sack performance, the Bills D/ST look to continue their fantasy "success". It's tough to imagine a similar result, however. They are going to struggle to shut down the Panthers' running game, and it's unlikely Delhomme will be given much leeway. I expect them to play well against the pass again, but I don't believe they'll have much fantasy production this week. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Panthers D/ST - They must be licking their chops going against Ryan Fitzpatrick this week. If they can force Fitzpatrick to make plays, the Panthers defense may be in line for a solid fantasy day. They had four sacks and forced two turnovers last week. They could see a similar result this week. This unit hasn't been very productive for the season, however, so I would keep them on the waiver wire. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Sleepers
Since both teams are likely to go with a run-heavy gameplan, it's hard to envision any true sleepers this week. Because of that, I would say both D/ST's have a good chance to surprise us all. If either defense can force the opposing offense into 2nd and 3rd and longs, the likelihood of quarterback mistakes skyrockets. I wouldn't be surprised by a pick six by either unit this week, so prepare yourselves!

*****

Expect this to be a somewhat lower scoring battle of running games. If you have a running back from either team, you should feel pretty good about their chances for success this week. If you plan to start anyone else from this game, have fun with that! As always, good luck and enjoy the games!

Scout's Notebook: Bills DT Marcus Stroud

Kurupt — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:33:14 -0000

Scout's Notebook: Bills DT Marcus Stroud

Bills workout former Colt DT Ed Johnson, and others

Kurupt — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:48:20 -0000

Bills workout former Colt DT Ed Johnson, and others

I would sign this guy and dump McCargo. Johnson was a starter for Indy for the last 4 games and was surprisingly cut last week. The Colts say it was performance, but it may also be related to a grievance filed by Johnson the last time he was released by them. Johnson probably has a much brighter future than McCargo at this point....

Per a league source, Johnson was among six defensive linemen who worked out for the Bills on Tuesday. The others were Marlon Favorite, Antwan Lake, Joshua Leonard, Langston Moore, and Rodrique Wright.

This might also mean Kyle Williams may be hurt worse than we've heard.

Former Bill Keith Moody....

Kurupt — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:13:11 -0000

Former Bill Keith Moody....

Nice article about Keith Moody and inspirational story....

Rushing yards against a near record

Kurupt — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:04:11 -0000

Rushing yards against a near record

"We were upset with the amount of rushing yards they had, but the vast majority was on just two plays," said Paul Posluszny.

I guess those 180+ other rushing yards aren't much to this defense...

Calls and effect: AFC East penalty tracker

Kurupt — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:37:18 -0000

Calls and effect: AFC East penalty tracker

Bills continue to lead the league in penalties and accepted penalties. It's all pretty disgusting....

Bills LT Bell leads NFL in yellow flags

Kurupt — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:28:07 -0000

Bills LT Bell leads NFL in yellow flags

Horrible

Not only has he committed so many penalties, but he's also been pretty poor in pass blocking as well. Luckily, there's no where to go but up. He has a LONG ways to go if we are going to count on him going forward....