Whitner, Scott out; Bell, Byrd probable for Browns game

by Brian Galliford on Oct 9, 2009 1:15 PM EDT in News Comment 43 comments

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

The Buffalo Bills will again be depleted in their defensive secondary for a regular season game, but will get their starting left tackle back in time for the Cleveland Browns.

Starting safeties Donte Whitner (thumb) and Bryan Scott (ankle) will each miss their second consecutive game, as both have been ruled out for the Bills' upcoming matchup with the Cleveland Browns, reports The Buffalo News. Also listed as out are defensive end Chris Ellis (death in the family) and linebacker Paul Posluszny (arm).

The good news is that starting left tackle Demetrius Bell - who missed last week's loss to Miami with a groin injury - practiced all week and is listed as probable for the Browns game. Joining him is free safety Jairus Byrd, who has been dealing with a hip injury. Terrence McGee had some mild knee soreness during the week, but will play on Sunday. He, too, is probable. One more for the probable list: defensive tackle John McCargo (calf) is set to return to the lineup.

Cornerback Ellis Lankster (back spasms) is listed as questionable. Should he miss the game, Buffalo will take the field Sunday with four healthy corners and three healthy safeties.

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Glad to see Bell back….especially because it means the Chambers turn-style goes back to the bench

by Posluszny Pollocks on Oct 9, 2009 1:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Bills could really use Bell to develop. It could be a hectic offseason and if Bell can continue to improve, crossing LT off the list could make a huge difference. If Bell can get things going and play well down the stretch, Buffalo could potentially only need a better insurance policy for Butler at OT and a better backup at the interior spots.

We were never really worried about Byrd, but it’s still a relief to see that he will (probably) play. Some combo of George Wilson, Nic Harris and John Wendling back there is a scary thought, even against a bunch of young WRs.

Chris Ellis still out is a bit of a surprise, but I think it’s a smart move by the Bills. If he isn’t going to be active anyways, you might as well just give his brain the week off and let him ignore preparing for the Browns offense.

I signed up for Second Life about a year ago. Back then my life was so great that I literally wanted a second one. In my Second Life I was also a paper salesman and I was also named Dwight. Absolutely everything was the same. Except I could fly. - Dwight Schrute

by kaisertown on Oct 9, 2009 1:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ellis is out because his mother unexpectedly died, and the funeral was today.

"Security comes from earning it--not seeking it." Marv Levy

by howedyhowe on Oct 9, 2009 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but for him to already be ruled out of Sunday’s game wasn’t something I was expecting. I guess there’s no point of making him come stand on the sidelines though.

by kaisertown on Oct 9, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He hasn’t practiced all week. He isn’t even in Buffalo again.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.

by MattRichWarren on Oct 10, 2009 12:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow… guess you dont realize it until its all wrote out for ya but damn we have alot of injuries… lets go buffalo!

"Well, I’m always hungry and it’s time to eat" - Lynch

by bflo on Oct 9, 2009 1:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe they need more pads?

"Hold ya chin up...nuh nuh nuh...gone" -Marshawn Lynch-

by billsoferie on Oct 9, 2009 2:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Do you mean lady pads?

As in quit being a wuss and tough it out??

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Oct 9, 2009 3:33 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

HA

that works but i was thinking more protective pads to soften the blows

"Hold ya chin up...nuh nuh nuh...gone" -Marshawn Lynch-

by billsoferie on Oct 9, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Any timeline on these guys?

Whitner and Scott expected to play next week?

The only thing I’ve heard about Poz is a 6-8 from the time of the injury. Any word if he is ahead of/behind schedule, on schedule, or to early to tell?

by TJJ on Oct 9, 2009 2:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

When I was at the Saints game in Week 3, Poz was on the sidelines sans cast. At the very least, he’s on schedule.

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"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott

by Brian Galliford on Oct 9, 2009 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Poz

Saw him in sweats practicing on the Bills Round-up (maybe?) on BuffaloBills.com on Wednesday sans cast going through the motions.

by Tatunka on Oct 9, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If there was any team in the NFL (except maybe the Rams) that it is ok to miss your entire secondary I suppose it would be the Browns.

by Berg79 on Oct 9, 2009 2:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Don’t forget Oakland! They’re better off trotting their defense out on both sides of the ball.

"We want to win immediately. To say you're building is an incomplete sentence. ... You're building for a future coach and general manager."
-Marv Levy

by TEMSON on Oct 9, 2009 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t know. Jamarcus Russell has been known to punish defenses.

So easy Marshawn Lynch can do it.

by thatguy34 on Oct 9, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, because those defenses get tired having to run INTs back down the field.

Twitter: helping to make anti-social people anti-socially social.

by TheAfghanTwilight on Oct 9, 2009 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Only if the defense’s uni’s are made out of cheeseburgers

by billskk69 on Oct 10, 2009 6:10 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Two great replies...I won't even try to top it!

by bluecollarbuffalo on Oct 10, 2009 7:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know about that

They have a good OL and Anderson can sling it around. He makes mistakes but he can also get it downfield. Massequoi looked excellent against Cincy last week and I bet they try to involve Cribbs more now.

They aren’t a good passing O, but they have enough to be successful from time to time…

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Oct 9, 2009 3:38 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Other than Oakland and St.L (Yes Temson…good call), I’d say there is no other team in the NFL I consider to have a weaker pass offesne than Cleveland.

I would rank Tampa, Washington, KC, Miami, Carolina, detroit all ahead of Cleveland from a passing perspective.

I would be a coin flip btw Clev and SF.

by Berg79 on Oct 9, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anderson played pretty good, he’s way better than Brady

Either believe in your team or don’t coach it
FEED the BEAST!

by keysh67 on Oct 9, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I read this extremely fast, and it didn’t register in my mind cause you used Anderson’s last name and Quinn’s first I thought you we’re implying Tom…lol

"Security comes from earning it--not seeking it." Marv Levy

by howedyhowe on Oct 9, 2009 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ha. So did I! I thought he was trying to be funny.

Anderson may be better than Brady…debating Anderson/Quinn is like debating Edwards/Losman. It may matter to the team but the rest of the league is laughing.

Anderson has no WR’s…don’t have me the Massaquo crap….ROBERT ROYAL as a TE…Cribbs (who is a severe asthmatic)…and Mike “I once caught 98 passes as a #4 WR in Detroit when no one covered me” Furrey.

I was more worried about Derrick Ward, Michael Clayton, Kellen Winslow and Byron freakin Leftwich.

by Berg79 on Oct 9, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It’s scary to think how well Leftwich played in the Ralph. Anderson could go off.

Twitter: helping to make anti-social people anti-socially social.

by TheAfghanTwilight on Oct 9, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You thought Leftwich played well? Sure, he threw for almost 300 yards and 3 TDs, but he only completed 52% of his passes and averaged a weak 5.9 yards per pass attempt. His two INTs were pretty bad and when you consider that the Bills gained over 100 yards on the two INT returns, is 300 yards passing all that impressive?

by kaisertown on Oct 9, 2009 7:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What exactly happened to Whitner's thumb???

Was it a ligamentous injury or did he break it?

by live6453 on Oct 9, 2009 3:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Good to see Bell back

As Kasier mentioned above, it’ll be great if he can remain healthy and on the field for the rest of the year. If he can steadily improve and show he’s worth keeping in the starting lineup, we might be able to avoid going LT early in the draft. That’d be big.

What’s up with Whitner’s cast. That thing is friggin huge.

Anybody else totally underwhelmed by Byrd so far? He looks so slow out there and doesn’t seem like the best tackler the safety position has ever seen…hope he can improve quickly and be a playmaker like we heard he was drafted to be.

I wonder if McCargo will actually be active. I’d like to see him get his chance on the field at some point.

I’m guessing Stevie Johnson will be in street clothes again. He needs a shot on the field soon too.

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Oct 9, 2009 3:49 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Steve Johnson can play safety.

Also, it is another great coaching move when we keep Wendling over Ko Simpson and they are considering putting a lB Harris in at SS first.

We wonder why our depth is so bad it is because Jauron and co. keep strictly special teamers over players who can play. Buggs, Corto, Wendling shouldn’t have made the squad.

by Berg79 on Oct 9, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Harris was a saftey in college, we switched him to LB

"Security comes from earning it--not seeking it." Marv Levy

by howedyhowe on Oct 9, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, I am well aware that Harris was a 4 year starter at Oklahoma and that he was a college phenom at stopping the run as the Sooners SS and emergency middle lb but he was merely average (in college) in pass coverage.

Therefore, we properly moved him to LB. But why is a 5th round rookie who has been moved to LB going to start at SS in an emergency situation over a guy who is on the team and listed as a SS. [If Wendling can’t cut it as an emergency SS then he never should make the team regardless of what he does on special teams]

by Berg79 on Oct 9, 2009 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you know how they are with their special teams players…we have roster spots just for those players, it makes OBD look silly when injuries pile up like this.

"Security comes from earning it--not seeking it." Marv Levy

by howedyhowe on Oct 9, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

agree. That is why injuries hit us harder than other teams. We should keep players who can play offense or defense and then teach them special teams. It doesn’t work the other way around.

by Berg79 on Oct 9, 2009 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is exactly why I try to talk people down from the “Bobby April for head coach” podium. Think it’s bad now with guys that make a roster because they have ST ability?

Twitter: helping to make anti-social people anti-socially social.

by TheAfghanTwilight on Oct 9, 2009 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

IMO the only players that should be on our team just because hes a ST superstar is Parrish, and Wilson. I would rather have a middle of the pack ST and a middle of the pack offense/ defense, than have an amazing ST and an offense/ defense that can’t compete. ST scores us what 21-28 points a SEASON. Thats not worth giving up 200 yards rushing a game because our ST talent has to start. A Bobby April team would finish 3-13 at best.

"Security comes from earning it--not seeking it." Marv Levy

by howedyhowe on Oct 9, 2009 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Every team in the league has guys on the roster who only play special teams and only made the roster because of special teams. Literally, every single team.

I guess it’s hard to imagine Harbough winning more than three games in Baltimore even though his Eagles ST unit had JR Reed, Pago Togafau, Reno Mahe, Thomas Tapeh, Nick Graham and Matt McCoy only playing ST. The Ravens pay Brandon Ayanbedejo almost 2 mil per season to only play on special teams. Last year’s Patroits team had Larry Izzo, Kelley Washington, Sam Aiken, Matt Slater, Mike Richardson, Ray Ventrone and a guy the Bills brought into camp for like a week, Antwain Spann all on their roster for most of last season and they all only played special teams.

Which Bills special teamers are really being called into action on O or D, John Wendling in a blowout with the Bills down three players? Were the Bills supposed to have a better 5th safety? How much better are the Bills if John Wendling is slightly better on defense, or Justin Jenkins is a decent WR? It’s a 53 man roster, can’t the Bills have good depth and special teamers?

Maybe people overestimate the amount of talent in the NFL. 53 players X 32 teams is 1,700 players. Add in guys on IR and there’s only so many players who are useful on offense and defense to go around. Finding great special teamers is just one way that a team maximizes the talent they can put on their roster.

by kaisertown on Oct 9, 2009 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Get a chance????

I wonder if McCargo will actually be active. I’d like to see him get his chance on the field at some point.

To what???? Find a new way to get injured while making Mack look like the best center in the league?

Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes

by Joe P. on Oct 9, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

geez whitner has a pretty sweet looking club on his hand…although I wish that it was a hard cast and he would still be able to play like some of the lineman used to…unrealistic but interesting thought

Where else would you rather be than right here right now - Marv Levy

by ajred12 on Oct 9, 2009 5:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

oh and I am glad to hear tht Bell will be giving it a go this week. Like K said we need him to stay healthy and show some steady improvement throughout the year…of course that could be said for the entire team for that matter

Where else would you rather be than right here right now - Marv Levy

by ajred12 on Oct 9, 2009 5:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Man Bills vs Cle on Sunday

Or Angels Red Sox Game 3 sunday?

Priorities, Priorities……….

Whats a fan of a great team like the Angels to do when they have to decide vs a wonderful team like the Bills?

Hmmm

"In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time." (Robert Collier)

by norcaliangelsfan on Oct 9, 2009 8:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree it’s good to see Bell back. Finding out if he is a player or not is huge for the next off season. If he is a player, and the two rook guards keep on getting better, this team could be better in the last four games than the first for games.

I really want to see McCargo play too. If he can’t play well soon, it just might be time to let him go. You can’t keep running only three DTs when one is old, and your DEs are small.

How healthy is Nelson? Am I pining for his return and play too soon?

by krytime on Oct 9, 2009 11:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs