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Bills 33, Buccaneers 20: Week 2 Film Session

Week 2 of the 2009 NFL regular season is in the books, and your Buffalo Bills are 1-1 - though they should be 2-0.  Before we move on to take a look at the Bills' next big game - and yes, it is very much a big game - we'll take one last look back today on the Bills' 33-20 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2.

We did this last week after the Bills' opening week loss, and we'll do it every week - so mark your calendars, folks, because Tuesdays are film sessions at Buffalo Rumblings.

Trent Edwards deserves a bit more praise.  Buffalo put up 20 points and took a 20-14 lead into the half, but Trent Edwards didn't have a particularly great first half.  True, his interception came in the second half - and for the record, that was just a ball that got away from Trent, and that's a difficult throw to make when you're on the money - but Edwards completed 15 of his 18 throws in the second half.  Those plays went for 145 yards, and most importantly, they came in the face of very solid Tampa pressure - Brad Butler was out of the game at that point, and the Bucs were blitzing a bit more frequently as they played catch-up.  "Poise" is one of the most over-used cliches in football, but our quarterback has it.

On our new starting right tackle...  Jonathan Scott got into the game very late in the second quarter and, obviously, the rest of the first half.  Folks, Brad Butler he is not - and though his performance was solid enough given the circumstances, the Bills' offensive line now has a clear weak link.

Star-divide

Scott is average in pretty much every way - he'll very rarely hurt you (which he did on Sunday, allowing a Jimmy Wilkerson sack on Edwards), but he's not a tremendous help, either.  He can move around and he's pretty technically sound, but he doesn't flash dominance, as every other lineman has (and did on Sunday, by the way).  Dick Jauron said yesterday after confirming Butler's season-ending knee injury that the Bills would explore free agent options at right tackle.  It's pretty clear why - Scott proved he's dependable as a depth player, but he's most definitely a liability as a starter.  Teams will find ways to exploit him, and we have yet to reach the part of the schedule where the right tackle will be responsible for blocking left defensive ends (lining up across from the RT) such as Mario Williams and Julius Peppers.

On Tampa's coverages and our receivers.  Bucs defensive coordinator Jim Bates employs a weird defensive scheme - his two deep safeties are closer to the line of scrimmage than most other coordinators would have them.  Their corners jam on nearly every play - it's a rather aggressive scheme speaking strictly on the secondary.  Terrell Owens and Lee Evans struggled to get open on what you might call "normal" routes - i.e. curls, slants, posts, etc.  Alex Van Pelt played it the smartest way - he ran Fred Jackson rampant until the Bucs had no choice to commit an extra man in the box, and then he hit them vertically.  Edwards had three perfectly thrown bombs on the day - and all three of them should have been caught.  As it is, two of them were, and they both went for scores.  New Orleans, next week's opponent, plays a slightly different philosophy in their secondary, but they, too, can be exploited defensively.

More love for Donte Whitner.  I said it yesterday, but it bears repeating - Donte Whitner is off to a roaring start this season.  He's picked up 18 tackles, a pick-six, and a fourth-down stop in two games.  He's all over the field, and playing faster than I've ever seen him play.  If he keeps this up - and we'd certainly like to see more - he could be on his way to a Pro Bowl-type season.  He's looked that good.

Blitz, blitz and blitz some more.  By my count - and Allen Wilson of The Buffalo News actually confirmed this - Buffalo blitzed 32 times on Sunday.  The majority were "dogs" (five rushers), but at least a dozen were flat-out blitzes (six or more rushers).  Buffalo only got Leftwich to the ground twice, but on most of his pass attempts, Leftwich was either shrugging off defenders or getting hit as he released.  The pressure was good, though it could stand to be a little less hit-and-miss.  Getting pressure was critical to the defense's success on Sunday, and it will be even more critically important with Drew Brees coming into town this weekend.

DT Kyle Williams, however, was the star - my gosh, this kid can play.  I'd like to see him used a bit more on third down situations, because no tackle on this roster is better at shooting gaps.  Williams needs to become a bit more adept at shedding blockers; if he could do that, he'd be a dominant force against both the run and the pass.  But Williams' play highlights Buffalo's need to continue to pressure up the middle.  Too often on Sunday, Leftwich had pressure on him from the edges, but was able to calmly able to step up into the pocket and deliver the ball down the field.  Buffalo's pressure was good, but the more varied in location they can generate it from, the better.

We need to get healthy in the secondary.  Reggie Corner deserves a little love, because he was asked to play a role he should never have to play - outside corner.  The man is a slot corner, and a pretty good one, but he should not be asked to cover tall, bulky receivers on go patterns on the sidelines - that's a recipe for disaster, as Tampa's converted fourth-and-10 indicates.  The Bills very clearly missed having Leodis McKelvin's athleticism back there when he left; Ashton Youboty just isn't in the same mold.  There has been no update on McKelvin's injured ankle to this point, but the team may get Drayton Florence back this week - so that's a start.  But again - Drew Brees is coming to town.  We need all the healthy, active defensive backs we can put on the field.

Special Teams need some work.  Everything about special teams - with the exception of the kicks and punts themselves - is sloppy right now.  Garrison Sanborn is a really, really accurate long snapper.  Rian Lindell had great depth on his kickoffs this week.  Brian Moorman is getting some of his consistency back.  That's where the fun ends.

Buffalo has looked abysmal returning kicks - there are no lanes to run through, no matter who's doing the returning.  Returning punts is a bit better, but I attribute that to the fact that Roscoe Parrish is quite simply the best punt returner of his generation (please don't trade him, OBD).  The kick coverage got much better against Tampa Bay, but it's still got the look of a unit that could spring a leak at any moment.  Bobby April is working with a lot of young veterans and rookies right now, so some sloppiness (and too many penalties) are probably to be expected.  But clearly, the sooner these wrinkles are ironed out, the better, because these units are not the assets they have been in years past.

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You ask for OBD not to trade Parish

but would you not rather have a RT?

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

by billsoferie on Sep 22, 2009 8:36 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

The likelihood of trading Parrish for ANY other player is virtually nil. If he goes, it’ll be for a pick.

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

by Brian Galliford on Sep 22, 2009 8:44 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

then i'll keep him

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

by billsoferie on Sep 22, 2009 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Or Parrish and a pick for a player…

by WhyBillsWhy on Sep 22, 2009 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I consider that to be almost exactly as unlikely as the original scenario.

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

by Brian Galliford on Sep 22, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Why do you think that’s the case? I guess I could go either way with it, honestly. If some team really wants 11 and is willing to give us something we need, I’m all for it. To me, he’s a luxury. I don’t know how OBD feels, but if they get more in return than he’s worth to them, I say it’d be dumb not to take the deal.

by WhyBillsWhy on Sep 22, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

If a team really wanted Roscoe wouldn’t he be gone already? He has been on the trading block for months.

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

by MattRichWarren on Sep 22, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I agree

I think if we were going to get any real value for Parrish, he’d already be gone. I don’t think trading him for a draft pick (which I agree is all we’d get) is worth it. Sign Runyan and all his body hair stat!

Who can make a play? I can make a play!
-T.O.

by Sluss88 on Sep 22, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

agree with Brian here

Another thing is that special teams hasn’t looked very good these past few weeks. Trading away our best punt returner for less than he is worth is just asking for it.

This space held in honor of Robert Royal known to his friends as "Sweet Cream Style Corn" March 11 2006- February 26, 2009

by pasaluki on Sep 22, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Haha

You aren’t getting a starter for Parrish. You aren’t getting a starting RT for anything at this point.

~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 Sep 22, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Keep Parrish, use him on Kicks & Punts and minimize his presence on offense to gimic plays and mis-directions. We need his return abilities more than we need a late round pick.

Get Runyan, or Mark Tauscher – please! I know I’ve read the posts suggesting these guys are not up to speed with the no huddle but even if they only get in a few weeks later, at least we upgrade the position with experience & also “mean/competitive” attitude. We need the depth anyway, if one more lineman goes down we are screwed.

Your ability to control the LOS is directly linked to your ability to win football games!
FEED the BEAST!

by keysh67 on Sep 22, 2009 9:33 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I wonder if Parish

is pressuring the Bills for a trade because he wants a bigger role. The Bills may have told his agent, "if you can get us “x”, we’ll do it". The Bills may like Parish in exactly the role you describe and all the trade rumors are simply giving the agent permission to explore.

by MrFurious1 on Sep 22, 2009 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

jonathan

scott is a liability I feel. This is a really tough week. Losing Schouman and Butler in the same week, that stings. Those guys are vets that no there roles and play them well. I’m a little scared about this week. Our defense I don’t know if it can stop this O in any way….I would love to see a shootout in which our Offense comes to play

MARVelous - "I went from America's team to North America's Team" Terrell Owens

by MARVelous on Sep 22, 2009 10:01 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I think we’ll be just fine without Brad Butler, although it’s certainly a loss that we need to account for. What this likely means is that Scott will have a lot of TE-help (i.e. from Derek Fine) for the rest of the season on third downs at least, and though a lot of people would like to make him out to be a pathetic football player, he is by no means that. He’s very big, tough, quite athletic for such a big guy and seems to be aggressive in the running game, which is the most important job for a RT. This is a tough loss, but I have confidence in Jonathan Scott that he’ll step up his game and provide a solid new starter at RT for the rest of the season. We’ll see what happens

by BillsfanfromDenmark on Sep 22, 2009 10:23 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

It’s interesting that we are now thinking about the need to get Scott some TE help (which makes sense if he remains the starter) and not worrying about Bell. That’s a mark, I suspect, of how completely Bell has taken over at LT. He didn’t get much TE help last week and he didn’t need it.

I completely agree with Brian that the big need on defense is more pressure up the middle to collapse the pocket and make the QB more vulnerable. Kyle Williams can supply some of it, but IMO a highly athletic wide-bodied DT remains the number one priority in next year’s draft.

by Macktruck on Sep 22, 2009 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don’t think it says anything about Bell, actually, other than he’s better than Scott. He didn’t need help last week because Gaines Adams stinks.

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

by Brian Galliford on Sep 22, 2009 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Regards to Edwards

Like Kramer stated: poise COUNTS!

by dragonwag0n on Sep 22, 2009 10:29 AM EDT via mobile reply actions   0 recs

Apparently the lack of the wedge is really hurting the Bills return game.

Any reason Kyle Williams comes off the field and is replaced by Spencer Johnson on pass downs?

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

by MattRichWarren on Sep 22, 2009 10:50 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I think it is hurting the whole leagues kickoff return teams.

I have been watching a lot of football and haven’t noticed much for returns at all. What a stupid rule.

Founding member of the Dick Jauron Fan Club.

by taskersd on Sep 22, 2009 11:34 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Zero kick return TD’s and only 4 returns over 50 yards thus far. I think the lack of a wedge is destroying kick return units around the league. It sure is hurting us, that’s for sure….

~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 Sep 22, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I’m sure a few teams in the league will figure it out. Hopefully one of those is us. The wedge rule seems to have made the good return teams much worse and not really affected the bad ones (whose wedge probably didn’t help much).

by syrbillsfan on Sep 22, 2009 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I missed the game

Sorry, but a guy’s gotta work the shifts scheduled.

Just wondering how Maybin’s coming along. How many downs is he playing? Didn’t see much on him in the box score. Stats can be misleading though. Jets didn’t sack Brady all game (I did see that one), but they had some good pressure (and it helps that their secondary is amazing this year).

I was sort of figuring Maybin would be a work in progress this year anyway, but I was curious.

by Applsoss on Sep 22, 2009 10:56 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

He’s heavily involved on second and third downs. He was handled with ease against Tampa, though to partly defend him, Tampa has two excellent tackles (he played both LE and RE). He needs to develop some pass rush moves in a bad way.

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

by Brian Galliford on Sep 22, 2009 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

That is an understatement I think.

He pretty much takes off sprinting directly up the field and ends up eight yards behind the QB on every play.

Founding member of the Dick Jauron Fan Club.

by taskersd on Sep 22, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

We call it the “Kelsay Method”

by syrbillsfan on Sep 22, 2009 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

agree on Maybin

He just went straight for the QB and was easily kept outside and pushed upthe field and out of the play by the tackles. He was not double teamed nor was any help from the RB required. By the way, Marcus Buggs performed pretty in his first start.

by jpheff on Sep 22, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

He needs to develop some pass rush moves in a bad way.

So does the rest of our DE’s….

~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 Sep 22, 2009 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

haha

they need to bring back that Karate instructor to teach them more counter moves!

This space held in honor of Robert Royal known to his friends as "Sweet Cream Style Corn" March 11 2006- February 26, 2009

by pasaluki on Sep 22, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

He was just here for hand movement.

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

by MattRichWarren on Sep 22, 2009 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

whoops

I meant Buggs performed pretty well.

by jpheff on Sep 22, 2009 11:39 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

What was up with the final play of the first half? Tampa was playing deep and was allowing throws to the sideline. TO was wide open, yet Trent threw it over the middle to Schouman and time ran out…What was that all about? What a waste of a potential scoring opportunity and just a stupid throw by Trent….

And what about that bogus penalty on Byrd for blocking a guy out of bounds on a punt? He was barely touching the guy, a guy that intentionally ran out of bounds.

~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 Sep 22, 2009 12:33 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

yeah that Byrd call was unbelieveably bad.

by bflo on Sep 22, 2009 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Just a quick question

If someone could enlighten me, because I didn’t pay enough attention to to the RT depth. But why is this guyScott getting the start over Kirk Chambers or in fact why did we let Chambers go in the first place, (I know he’s back now). Like I said I didn’t really here much about Chambers in the offseason (accept that he was holding the fort for our rookie guards). If anyone could inform me if Chambers play really declined or whatever I’d appreciate it. The guy did pretty well in that game against Seattle at left tackle, last season so like I said just wondering what happened.

by MichiganBillsFan84 on Sep 22, 2009 1:42 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I second that…..

why is he not starting? because he’s too valuable as a swing?

I am so clever that sometimes I don’t understand a single word of what I am saying

by J2 on Sep 22, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

because he’s too valuable as a swing?

If that was the case, why was Scott active over him as first back-up for the Tampa game, especially when Chambers can play guard as well. I think Chambers play must’ve declined, which is too bad because he looked fairly decent as a a fill-in at tackle last year.

by thejimbo on Sep 22, 2009 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Nobody knows this and everyone is questioning it. We’re with you, man.

by Dyl on Sep 22, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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