Buffalo Rumblings

Buffalo Rumblings Fantasy Football update: here's the RPL playoff bracket. Thanks to everyone who...

2008-12-02T18:19:14Z

Buffalo Rumblings Fantasy Football update: here's the RPL playoff bracket. Thanks to everyone who played, and good luck in the playoffs. Let the trash talk begin.

RL2 and RL3-ers - anyone want to update us on the playoff scenarios in your respective leagues?

Getting Lynch touches is key for Bills' success

2008-12-02T13:55:33Z

RB Lynch is third in rushing in AFC (buffalobills.com)

Attention, Buffalo Bills coaching staff.

See that young man pictured at the top right of this story? Dons the number 23, your colors, wears dreads and gold teeth, and is, quite simply, the hardest-running running back in the NFL? His name is Marshawn Lynch, alias "Beast Mode", and you guys might consider using him more often.

Despite losing a fumble at the end of the first half which directly led to 3 of the San Francisco 49ers' 10 points on Sunday, Lynch enjoyed the best game of his career. Through three quarters, Lynch had carried the ball 15 times, amassed a whopping 133 yards, and was the only Bills offense weapon making plays on the day. Then the fourth quarter rolled around, and with the Bills trailing by just a touchdown, Lynch was primed to put his lackluster team on his shoulders and grind them through to a key win. It's not like he hadn't done it before; trailing 10-2 in Miami in 2007, Lynch scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter to tie the game before the Bills won it. This game had exactly the same feel.

His fourth quarter stat line? 1 carry, 1 yard; 1 catch, 1 yard.

Bills head coach Dick Jauron on Monday said he wished, obviously, that Lynch had touched the ball more. Add Jauron's name to the masses who screamed it all day Sunday from various locales. I don't know what this coaching staff's fascination with spread formations is, but in case you haven't heard, that offense doesn't work in a Buffalo winter. Nor do I know what this coaching staff's fascination with Fred Jackson in short yardage situations is, but for all of the value that Jackson and his versatility bring to this team, he is not a short yardage back. Lynch is your money maker; your chain mover. He's the heartbeat of this Bills team. If there's one thing above all that can be considered the most unacceptable statistic from Sunday's loss, it's the fact that Lynch touched the ball twice with the game on the line. Pathetic.

News flash: the Bills need to win four straight games if they plan on delivering on Donte Whitner's playoff guarantee - and they'll need plenty of help beyond that, as well. You want to increase your chances of winning these games? Scrap the offense. Give it to Lynch, and work the play-action from there. That attack produced 54 points in Kansas City; why that attack went away for the Niners game can be added to the "mysteries of the universe" pile. Lynch is a player that wins football games. Right now, Trent Edwards clearly isn't.

News and Notes

Biggest shock of your Tuesday morning? Jerry Sullivan wants Dick Jauron fired. What? That's not a surprise? Whoops. My bad.

Ted Rogers, CEO of Rogers Communications and one of two men behind the Bills in Toronto Series, passed away yesterday at the age of 75. WGR 550 has a nice piece on his legacy, which is far brighter than his famous press conference with our very own Ralph Wilson.

Jason Peters still isn't a very popular guy, despite the fact that he's returned to his dominant form over the past three games. What if I told you that he wanted to run it more, too? Would you like him then?

Allen Wilson of The Buffalo News takes an in-depth look at Buffalo's red zone woes, possession by possession. Bring Tums if you're reading.

Bills fans did naughty things to players as they left the field following Sunday's debacle. Shame on us, naughty Bills fans.

The prognosis on QB Trent Edwards' groin injury: it's very sore, but he might practice Wednesday. Trent has been struggling, and clearly, he needs to keep playing. Experience is everything for this kid. Here's to the Bills numbing Trent Edwards' groin.

Matty I from The Phinsider will be here for the rest of the week answering questions about the Dolphins in preparation for this weekend's game. If you feel like defending your Bills in front of a bunch of lunatic Dolphin fans, click here. Just don't go if you can't handle Toronto jokes.

Drawing first blood: slow starts doom Bills

2008-12-01T19:45:05Z

Even with talents like RB Lynch, Bills start slowly (buffalobills.com)

It's a mantra in the NFL for good reason: starting fast sets the tone for a given game. How many times have good teams scraped by bad ones because the bad ones got off to a hot start in a game? How many times have great teams beaten upstart teams with momentum because of a quick 10-0 lead? It happens all the time. The best teams in the league impose their will and grab the lead early in the game; that's just how it works. It's a part of the game at which the Buffalo Bills fail miserably.

Once upon a time - i.e. 2006, Dick Jauron's first year as head coach of this franchise - the Bills actually excelled at drawing first blood. Buffalo scored first in 10 of 16 games played, a pretty solid statistic considering how deprived of talent that particular Bills team was. The Bills were 6-4 in games in which they drew first blood and 1-5 otherwise.

In 2007, things shifted slightly for the worse. The Bills played half of their season - eight games - with an early deficit, slightly up from the six in 2006. The Bills in 2007 were 5-3 in games in which they scored first, and 2-6 otherwise.

This season, however, has been a complete reversal from the first two seasons of Jauron's tenure. Through 12 games, the Bills have scored first in just four of them. Opponents have drawn first blood in six consecutive games. The Bills are 4-0 this season in games where they scored first, and 2-6 in the rest.

Add it up! The Bills have played 44 games under Dick Jauron. In exactly half of them, the Bills scored first. They're 15-7 in those games; suffice it to say that a .682 winning percentage would be welcome in these parts. In the other half of games - games in which they're attempting to climb out of an early deficit - they're 5-17 (.227). You do the math. It's important everywhere, but based on the numbers, fast starts are of the utmost importance in Buffalo. And the Bills, week after week, can't start fast.

Blame it on whatever you want. Lack of preparation; awful play-calling; deferring on the opening kickoff; there are plenty of opportunities to find blame. All I know is this: Buffalo has got to start finding a way to take some leads, rather than play from behind. We do it far too often, and it's become a mini-curse for this young team. If the Bills hope to win out and miraculously grab that mythical playoff berth, they'd better learn how to grab an early lead, and fast.

Why a head coaching change won't fix the Bills

2008-12-01T13:34:42Z

Jauron on the fan base's hot seat (Associated Press)

Before everyone gets all up in arms about this article, a quick disclaimer: anyone who has read this blog for more than a week knows that I'm a pretty fervent supporter of Dick Jauron. This piece has very little to do with that opinion. I'm not going to publicly defend Jauron right now, because frankly, the team he and his staff is fielding doesn't qualify for public defending. Plus, he's a big boy, and can take the heat. He doesn't need me to sing his praises or proclaim that the sun shines out of his every orifice. It doesn't. I'm not going to rip him, either, however, because well, you're going to see enough of that elsewhere over the next several months, probably including right here. But not today. Today's a different piece.

Several times as I've defended Jauron over the past two months - again, make your own opinions on the man, if you don't have them already - I've repeatedly heard a version of the following argument about Jauron's coaching style, his decision-making, and his personnel activity:

"Brian, the definition of insanity is repeatedly doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result!"

Sure. That's one way to put it, and it fits with the current situation the Buffalo Bills are facing. If we submit that definition as law, then firing Jauron would be insane. The Bills have tried the whole "let's fire the coach and gut the roster" bit. Wade Phillips was ousted despite a winning record. Gregg Williams was fired because of his terrible record. Mike Mularkey resigned after two years, despite a vote of confidence from then-newbie GM Marv Levy. By firing Jauron, the Bills would just be making one more move to classify the franchise as "insane".

Big change is bad change
I know what you're thinking. Galliford's gone off his rocker and thinks that the status quo is OK, that he accepts mediocrity, is OK with losing, and that all change is bad. Trust me, I've heard it all before. I've been called pretty much everything in the book, with the phrase "Jauron cronie" topping the list. Apparently, if you're a fan of the coach, your skin needs to be as thick as the skin of said coach.

Let me assure you that I'm not down with the status quo. The team has lost six of their last seven games. Clearly, a lot needs to change; it's foolish to argue against that point after witnessing the past two months of "football". But if you see me defend Jauron or, in this case, warn against wishing him fired, don't make the mistake of thinking that I'm fine with the current direction of the franchise. I'm definitely not. Neither is anybody else who makes the same argument.

But not all change is good change. Personnel change? Happens every year, and the Bills very obviously need a lot of it at several key positions. Scheme change? That would be welcome; it sincerely bothers me that the Bills aren't successful at home, where the weather and the crowd should be decisive factors week in and week out. Schematic change would be welcome as well. Staff change? Turk Schonert isn't a popular guy, and though he's probably not going anywhere, he could stand to steal a page or two out of the rushing section of the Giants' or Steelers' playbooks. Head coaching change? That's where things get hairy. Change the head coach, and you move from tweaking to gutting. We've seen enough gutting. It's time to break the insanity mold.

The remainder of 2008
At 6-6, the Bills inexplicably remain just two games out of the division lead in what still remains one of the tightest divisional races in the entire league. There are three divisional games to go. Hey, I've seen crazier things happen. Buffalo suddenly bucking their latest trend, waking up and winning out? That would rank as the craziest.

Considering the way the Bills have played over the past two months, 2008 is essentially a wash. No, the team won't quit, but they're likely not going to win, either. What this team needs more than anything - yes, more than a playoff berth itself - is some momentum heading into 2009. In his first two seasons on the job in Buffalo, Jauron's Bills have tallied a record of 3-5 (combined) over the final quarter of the season - 2-2 in '06 and 1-3 last season. Neither qualifies as momentum, in my book, when you consider the Bills ended 2006 with two straight losses and 2007 with three straight. 3-0 turned into 0-5. Sounds a lot like this season, eh? With momentum, however, 2009 looks a lot more promising. Confidence would mean a lot to Buffalo's young roster, as well as to the embattled coaching staff and fan base.

We know where the Bills need to improve on the field. I implore you, Bills fans, to recognize that while the coaching needs improvement as well, if Jauron's regime is ousted, this franchise will be set back once again. That fits in with our definition of insanity. Showing some patience while rooting for a young team? That doesn't.

Playoff hopes end as Bills lose to 49ers

2008-11-30T22:38:13Z

QB Edwards watches from the sideline with groin injury (AP)

Is it April yet?

With slim playoff hopes on the line, exactly one half of your 2008 Buffalo Bills showed up for today's contest with the San Francisco 49ers - plus Marshawn Lynch. Despite a borderline dominant defensive performance and a 16-carry, 134-yard performance from its top back, the Bills ended Sunday's game with just a field goal to their names in an absolutely embarrassing 10-3 loss to the visiting 49ers.

The standings will say 6-6, but if you're savvy, you'll realize that these Bills are 2-6. They've lost six of eight games, with this one the crappy icing on the cake. With four very difficult games to finish the season approaching, including three against division opponents, the Bills are once again staring a losing record in the face.

Don't Blame the Defense
Despite giving up a touchdown on the opening drive of the game, Buffalo's defense once again accomplished more than enough to put a victory up on the board. After that initial drive, the Bills surrendered just 123 yards, forced four fumbles, registered three sacks and surrendered just one more field goal. Problem was, that initial touchdown was all the Niners would need to notch their fourth win of the season.

There isn't much more a defense can do for your team. 10 points surrendered at home should be enough to win handily. On this day, it wasn't.

Buffalo's opponents have now drawn first blood in six consecutive games, and the slow starts collectively rank as a big reason the team has won just one of those six contests. Add it up, and the Dolphins, Jets, Patriots, Browns, Chiefs and 49ers have thrown up 50 points on us before we've countered. You're not going to win a lot of ballgames when you're buried early.

That's Mister Lynch if you're nasty
Exactly one offensive player showed up today, and it's not shocking that that man was Lynch. San Francisco had no answer for Lynch, as the second-year back piled up 134 rushing yards, averaging 8.4 yards per rush. This was his best game as a pro.

Unfortunately, Turk Schonert didn't realize it. Despite the fact that Buffalo never trailed by more than 10 points, Schonert reverted to his old ways, dialing up 38 throws as compared to just 21 rushes between Lynch and Fred Jackson. It didn't matter who was playing quarterback; Trent Edwards (with his injured groin) and J.P. Losman were equally ineffective on a terrible day for the passing offense. Receivers weren't open. The trickle-down effect was coverage pressure and 3 points. If Schonert can't figure out how to beat eight-deep coverage, the Bills are staring 6-10 squarely in the face.

Long story short: I'm not sure what energies Lynch channels prior to each game, but he needs to share the mojo. The rest of the group was terrible. Lynch is an absolute pleasure to watch week in and week out; no other Bill can make that claim.

Lindell's woes continue
And that's really all that needs to be said about that. The special teams unit wasn't great, and Lindell's two misses were the highlights. Moving on.

Game balls
I'm too indifferent about this team at the moment to consider myself "nasty", so Mr. Lynch, this game ball's for you. The rest of you can take a hike.

Roll call
Thanks to Ron and K for keeping the game threads going while I was storming out of The Ralph early. 42 of y'all made 1374 comments, with the three least surprising guys - norcaliangelsfan, WABillsfan and Kurupt - leading the way with 200+ comments apiece. A special thanks to the 42 of you commiserating together, as listed below:

twoeightnine, norcaliangelsfan, WABillsfan, Kurupt, D.O., BuffCrunch, ccthemovieman, savedbychrist, SebastianPruiti, jj24, kaisertown, rjamesd08, macfresh, Ron From NM, geno227, Thronsen, Cinga, Memphisbillsfan, keuka121, Tatunka, Zumone, NJBill, LeClaireBill, BuffaloBrewed, NJBillsfan, Hassanali181, silverstreak3k, thejamootz, williamherbert, BillsNorth, StuckInNJ, McDole72, chaosthepitbull, mavadjdj, Dyl, Gino Parilli, aranearum, billsfor4, jdol1568, spavery, SSreporters, MARVelous

I'll repeat the question at the top: is it April yet?

Thread for rest of debacle

2008-11-30T20:35:00Z

Ugh.

Bills/49ers 2nd half rally thread

2008-11-30T19:32:14Z

We can hope right?

Use this thread to vent as we watch the Bills sleepwalk through another game.....

Bills vs 49ers: Open Game Thread

2008-11-30T17:15:04Z

Buffalo Bills (6-5) vs San Francisco 49ers (3-8)
1PM EST, Ralph Wilson Stadium
Keys to Victory :: Key Matchups :: Niners Nation :: Video Preview
BUF Injury Report :: SF Injury Report
Bills inactives: TE Royal, DE Schobel, LB Lehman, CB Greer, S Whitner, OT Bell, DE Bryan, 3rd QB Hamdan.

OK, Rumblers. Y'all know the drill. The Buffalo Bills are set to take on the San Francisco 49ers today in a must-win game, and if you're not joining me to cheer on the Bills at The Ralph, then this is the spot you'll want to be to chat during the game. I don't need to tell you that if the Bills can't find a way to win this one, the season is all but over - at least in all the meaningful ways. It's a big one; get jacked up. The team's going to need it.

If you have an account, have fun. If you don't have an account, create one, then have fun. GO BILLS!

Buffalo Bills - Game Averages

	Pts	Yrds	Pass	Rush
Off	21.9	306.8 (20th)	207.2 (13th)	99.6 (21st)
Def	21.8	312.0 (16th)	202.4 (16th)	109.6 (20th)

San Francisco 49ers - Game Averages

	Pts	Yrds	Pass	Rush
Off	22.9	314.4 (23rd)	212.5 (15th)	101.9 (24th)
Def	28.2	347.7 (23rd)	243.9 (29th)	103.8 (15th)

Bills/Chiefs: Notes from the Line

2008-11-30T01:53:23Z

I made it back from my trip in better shape than I had hoped (I credit the first class seats…) so I got right on the Chiefs game. Besides, I had kept track of the game whenever I wasn’t on a plane throughout the day on my Crackberry and I was anxious to figure out how the Bills had hung 50+ points on anyone. Lynch, Jackson, Evans and Edwards all had pretty good statistical days but that couldn’t explain the scoring production.

The Chiefs helped the cause by turning the ball over 4 times. Yes, it’s officially 5 but that was the last play of the first half so it didn’t really have an impact on the game. One of the turnovers led directly to points while the others contributed. More to the point, the Bills had awesome field position all day long. The average starting position was on Buffalo’s 47.9 yard line. That’s just terrific work by the defense and special teams units.

I am always curious to see how much pressure defenses are bringing to bear on the offense. The Chiefs, following the pattern established by the Jets, Dolphins, Patriots and Browns didn’t blitz at all in the first half. With the game slipping away, the Browns blitzed 5 of 16 (31.3%) passes in the second half. Edwards, as he tends to do against the blitz, made them pay. He was 4-4 for 38 yards and 2 first downs and scrambled once for 11 yards and another first down. If Buffalo can put teams into positions where the defense feels compelled to blitz, Edwards will carve them up—much as he did during the first four weeks of the season. Naturally, this means jumping up on teams early which Buffalo hasn’t done this season.

The Chiefs run a 4-3 but they’re a bad 4-3. As a result, they had 8 in the box on 15 of 31 (48.4%) run plays. To give you an idea of how bad their defense is, the Bills gained 77 yards and 1 TD on the 15 plays in which the Chiefs had 8 in the box. That’s an eye popping 5.1 ypa—with 8 in the box! By way of comparison, the Bills picked up 59 yards on the other 16 run plays—a more reasonable 3.7 ypa. Basically, when the Chiefs stacked the box they tended to give up more big plays (25, 17, 14) because there was no one left to limit the gain. Jackson and Lynch routinely broke tackles, making the 8th man in the box more of a liability than an asset. Against better defenses, that won’t be the case. Fortunately, the 49ers don’t have one of the better defenses in the league…even though I don’t see many people shaking off Willis once he’s latched on.

Drive 1

It didn’t start out in a promising manner when Dock picked up a false start penalty.

Run 1 Lynch 5 yards through the left B gap against an 8 man front

Peters drove 73 4 yards down the line. Dock turned 72 out of the hole and put him down. Preston missed a cut on 56—never even touching him. Butler cut 93 and Walker got a piece of 44. McIntyre had a decent block.

Pass 1 Lynch for 13 yards

Run 2 Lynch 11 yards through the A gap

Peters took the DE down the line with help from Fine. Dock turned 72 out of the hole. Preston blocked 50 at the 2^nd level. Butler blocked 93 and kept him from turning. Walker helped Schouman with 91 then got enough of 49 at the 2^nd level for Lynch to get the first down.

Pass 2 Jackson for 14 yards

Run 3 Jackson for 14 yards through the right C gap against an 8 man front

Peters, Dock and Preston collapsed the defensive line into a pocket which took them out of the play. Butler took a LB out of the run lane at the 2^nd level. Walker had a nice block on 70 to seal the edge and Schouman had a good one on 56.

Run 4 Lynch for 6 yards through the right C gap

Peters locked up 94. Dock helped Preston with the DT. Butler stalemated 70 and Walker crunched 53. McIntyre hit a LB and dropped him. Fine had the first of many really good 1-on-1 blocks on 91 (Tamba Hali) when he hit him and sealed him inside.

Run 5 Lynch 1 yard through the A gap against an 8 man front.

Peters got no drive on 54, who was in on the tackle. Dock took a LB into the end zone after helping Preston with the DT. Preston got a 1 yard drive on the DT. Butler was driven way upfield by the other DT in a sad, sad display. Walker missed a block on 56 who was in on the tackle.

Pass 3 INC it was the awful overthrow to Royal in the endzone.

Run 6 Lynch 1 yard TD against an 8 man front

Peters did a ho-hum job on 72. Dock tried to pull but tripped over Preston, who had been slammed to the ground by the DT. Butler took a LB down. Walker turned a DT away from the run lane and then put him down. The play was actually made by Fine (put 91 down), McIntyre (kept filling LB off Lynch even though the LB did get around him) and Schouman (locked up 53 and kept him out of the play).

Blitz: 0

Stacked Box: 4

Drive Killed by: no one—it was a TD

Drive 2

The defense helped out by being drawn offside.

Run 7 Lynch 3 yards through the left B gap

Peters got a good block on 94 initially but 94 got around him an in on the tackle. Dock and Preston teamed up on 70 while Butler and Walker took 95 down. Fine put 92 down. McIntyre blocked 56 but 56 slid off him and almost made a TFL.

Run 8 Lynch 1 yard through the left B gap against an 8 man front

Peters got no drive on 94. Dock and Preston teamed up on a DT. Butler kept 95 turned and away from the play. Walker just kind of pushed the pile. McIntyre, in a recurring theme, hit a LB in the hole who got around him for the tackle. Fine shielded 92 from the play.

Pass 4 Scramble for 2 yards

Run 9 Jackson 5 yards through the A gap

Peters kept 94 out of the play. Dock helped Preston and then peeled and took a LB out of the play. Preston got no drive on 70. Butler and Walker teamed up on 95. Lynch cut 91.

Pass 5 Reed for 3 yards

Run 10 Lynch for 17 yards through the A gap against an 8 man front

Peters helped Dock then slid off and wiped out 2 LBs. Dock put a DT down. Preston chipped Butler’s guy and then popped 56. Butler put the DT down and Walker locked up the DE. Fine did a great job sustaining block on 49. Lynch was nothing short of amazing on the play.

Run 11 Jackson for 2 yards through the right C gap against an 8 man front

Peters took a LB into the end zone. Dock blocked 73 down the line and right into Jackson. Preston was driven back 3 yards and planted by a DT. Butler took a LB into the end zone and Walker pinned 91 inside to open the lane. Fine stood up 56 and Schouman fell down while trying to block a LB.

Run 12 Lynch for no gain through the right B gap against an 8 man front

Peters got no drive on the DE. Dock pulled and lunged at a LB over a pile. Preston was thrown to the ground by a DT. Butler put a DT down and Walker took out a DE and himself, creating a large pile. Royal whiffed on 91. McIntyre hit a LB but couldn’t drive him. Fine stood up 94.

Run 13 Lynch -1 yard through the right C gap against an 8 man front

Peters took out a DE and himself, apparently inspired by Walker’s example. Dock tried to pull bout couldn’t get around Walker and his block. Preston was beaten by 93 but held him up long enough to keep him from making the play. Butler put 95 down. 71 beat Walker’s block and was in on the tackle. Fine didn’t do a fine job on 91. Schouman blocked 53 and McIntyre hit a LB in the hole only to be knocked back. Royal did an okay job on 94.

Blitz: 0

Stacked Box: 5

Drive Killed by: coaching (3 straight runs against 8-10 man fronts?)

Drive 3

Pass 6 Royal for -4 yards

Butler was driven back to Edwards, which forced the dump pass.

Pass 7 Reed for 7 yards

Pass 8 Evans for 14 yards

Lynch had a nice pickup on a delayed rush by a LB—it wasn’t a blitz as one of the DEs dropped into coverage.

Run 14 Jackson 1 yard toss through the left C gap

Peters fell down blocking while Dock cut a DT. Preston followed the play but didn’t really block anyone. Butler blocked 93 all the way across the formation. Walker trailed the play and never really blocked anyone.

Pass 9 INC to Evans

Edwards put the pass slightly behind him.

Pass 10 INC to Reed

It was badly overthrown.

Blitz: 0

Stacked Box: 0

Drive Killed by: Edwards

Drive 4

Run 15 Lynch 3 yards through the right C gap

Peters trailed the play. Dock blocked 70 then rolled Preston’s guy. Preston went down in a heap with Preston and the DT. Butler blocked a DE. Walker got a piece of Butlers DE and then just enough of 44 to let Lynch get by. Royal shielded 94 from the play.

Pass 11 INC to Evans

It was behind him.

Pass 12 Lynch 4 yards on a screen

Dock’s poor block on a LB made Preston have to adjust and try to get him. Preston couldn’t reach the LB in time and, even worse, he wasn’t available to pick off a DB in Lynch’s way.

Blitz: 0

Stacked Box: 0

Drive Killed by: (FG) Dock

Drive 5

Pass 13 Evans 51 yards

Man, what a pretty pass.

Run 16 Lynch 2 yards through the left C gap against an 8 man front

Peters put a LB down. Dock’s DT beat his block almost made a TFL. Preston hit 50 at the 2^nd level. Butler put a DT down. Walker popped a LB at the second level.

Pass 14 Lynch -1 yard screen

Lynch had 3 blockers to the inside and room to roam but chose to take it outside instead. Whoops.

Pass 15 Lynch 2 yards

Edwards never looked downfield.

Blitz: 0

Stacked Box: 1

Drive Killed by: (FG) Lynch

Drive 6

Pass 16 Reed 20 yards

Edwards had a ridiculous 7 seconds to throw. Chambers was in for Butler on the drive, by the way.

Pass 17 Royal 13 yards

Peters killed the play with a justified illegal hands to the face penalty.

Pass 18 Royal 26 yards

Pass 19 Spike

Pass 20 Royal 8 yards

Pass 21 Scramble for TD

It didn’t hurt Edwards’ chances that Peters and Dock had each buried their guys. It was a great play by Edwards.

Blitz: 0

Stacked Box: 0

Drive Killed by: no one—it was a TD.

Halftime

Drive 7

Pass 22 Scramble for 4 yards

Run 17 Lynch 1 yard through right C gap and the defense was offside

Peters kept 56 busy and Dock locked up 94. Preston was pushed back 1 yard and his DT made the tackle. Butler hit 50 at the 2^nd level and Walker blocked the DE. Royal planted a LB.

Run 18 Lynch for no gain through the A gap against an 8 man front

Peters rode 73 down. Dock missed his block on a LB who made the tackle. Preston got no push on the DT. Butler helped Preston with the DT and then shed in order to hit a LB. Walker locked up 51. McIntyre did an okay job on a LB while Fine did a great job on 94.

Pass 23 Fine 14 yards

Edwards got the defense to bite on a second hard count.

Pass 24 Scramble for 5 yard TD

Blitz: 0

Stacked Box: 1

Drive Killed by: no one—it was a TD

Drive 8

Run 19 Lynch 1 yard pitch through the right C gap against an 8 man front

Peters pulled and hit a LB. Dock sealed 72 away from the play. Preston pulled and never blocked anyone. Butler blocked 56 well downfield. Walker pulled and took out a DB. Fine didn’t really block anyone.

Pass 25 Schouman 6 yards against a blitz

Pass 26 INC to Reed

It was a bad pass thrown into double coverage. Lynch was in the right flat with 1 guy to beat for a first down.

Blitz: 1

Stacked Box: 1

Drive Killed by: (FG) Edwards

Drive 9

Pass 27 Evans 14 yards against a blitz

Run 20 Lynch 7 yards through left B gap

Peters kept 94 out of the lane. Dock did a good job at first on 70 but he did get in on the tackle. Preston hit 50 at the second level but didn’t sustain his block and 50 was in on the tackle. Butler took 95 on a 4 yard ride away from the play. Walker kept 91 away from the play.

Pass 28 Reed 12 yards against a blitz

Pass 29 INC to Evans

It was badly overthrown and out of bounds.

Run 21 Jackson 3 yards through left B gap.

Peters pushed 94 upfield. Dock got no drive and his DT was in on the tackle. Preston went to the 2^nd level and locked up 50. Butler kept 95 turned away from the play and Walker swallowed 91. Schouman hit a LB but was dropped in his tracks.

Pass 30 Jackson 6 yards against a blitz

Schouman didn’t do a good job of picking up the blitzer.

Run 22 Lynch 4 yards direct snap through the right C gap

Peters cut 94 while Dock pulled and opened a hole. Preston kept a DT from turning into the hole. Butler put a DT down. Walker went to 2^nd level and kept 56 from filling. Jackson got a great block on a DB in the backfield. Find did just enough on 91 to let Lynch get by.

Run 23 Jackson 25 yard pitch through the left C gap against an 8 man front

Peters pulled and sealed the edge with Reed. Dock blocked down the line away from the play. Preston pulled but never caught the play. Butler shielded a LB away from the play. Walker pulled but never really blocked anyone. Schouman got a nice block on 94 at the point of attack. Fine sealed a LB into the line away from the play.

Pass 31 Reed 8 yard TD

Blitz: 3

Stacked Box: 1

Drive Killed by: no one—it was a TD

Drive 10

Run 24 Jackson 2 yards through left B gap against 8 man front

Preston chipped Dock’s guy and then planted a LB at the 2^nd level. Dock kept his DT occupied. Preston chipped Butler’s guy and then blocked a LB. Butler put his DT down. Walker didn’t sustain his block on a LB and he got in on the tackle. Fine did another good job on 94. Reed kept 49 turned around and out of the play.

Pass 32 Scramble for 11 yards against a blitz

Jackson was holding on the play but it wasn’t called.

Run 25 Edwards fumbled the snap and lost 2 yards

Pass 33 Evans 10 yards

Pass 34 Drop by Parrish

Blitz: 1

Stacked Box: 1

Drive Killed by: Parrish

Drive 11

Pass 35 Lynch 8 yards

Run 26 Lynch 4 yards through left C gap against 8 man front

Peters put a DE down. Neither Dock nor Preston got any push on their 2 DTs. Butler rode 95 down the line and Walker kept his DE in the mass. The defense helped out by hitting Lynch late.

Pass 36 Schouman 5 yard TD

Walker’s guy decked Edwards as he threw the ball.

Blitz: 0

Stacked Box: 0

Drive Killed by: no one—it was a TD

Drive 12

Pass 37 Evans 21 yards

Chambers in for Butler again.

Run 27 Lynch 12 yards toss through the left C gap

Peters pushed 94 inside and Dock kept 72 inside. Preston pulled but didn’t block anyone even though he had clear shots at 50 and 56—both of whom were in on the tackle. Chambers kept 93 away from the play. Walker went to the second level but never caught the play. McIntyre finally found someone he could push around—a DB.

Run 28 Lynch 1 yard through the right C gap

Peters pushed 94 upfield. Dock and Preston teamed up on 70. Chambers drove 53 5 yards and put him down. Walker didn’t sustain his block on 95 who got in on the tackle. Fine kept after 91 until after the whistle.

Run 29 Lynch 3 yard pitch through the right C gap against an 8 man front

Peters pushed 70 down the line and Dock couldn’t reach 56 at the second level. Preston pulled but didn’t block anyone. He flopped down in front of a LB. Chambers pushed 95 past Lynch. Walker pulled and flattened a filling LB. Fine did a great job on 91. Shouman let a DB beat his block and get in on the tackle.

Pass 38 Schouman 2 yards

Schouman will likely get his ear bent over the fact that he went out of bounds while the team was trying to kill the clock.

Run 30 Jackson 1 yard through the A gap

Peters blocked 70. Dock blocked 94 with Schouman. Preston was knocked aside by 95 which re-routed the run. Chambers pulled and helped Peters. Walker kept 91 away from the play.

Blitz: 0

Stacked Box: 1

Drive Killed by: coaching

Drive 13 (Losman in game)

Run 31 Jackson 3 yards through the left C gap against an 8 man front

Peters drove 70 5 yards. Dock picked up a filling 53. Fowler (in for Preston) blocked 95 and got a 1 yard push. Chambers and Walker each locked up a DT.

The Bills then kneeled down 3 times and turned it over on downs.

Blitz: 0

Stacked Box: 1

Drive Killed by: coaching

I don’t know about you but I’m becoming more and more concerned about Butler’s health. He’s missed significant time this season and was out of a couple of drives this game. He’s a good guard, but Buffalo needs a guy who can be there every game…or at least a decent backup. Chambers hasn’t embarrassed himself at guard but that makes him first off the bench for any of three OL positions.

For anyone still feeling the need to take up for Preston, he had as many good run plays (1) as killed plays (1). He had 8 bad run plays along with 21 decent ones. The Chiefs don’t exactly have elite level DTs so if he was going to shine last Sunday was the time. He didn’t shine. I think Fowler came in on the last series because Losman did. They work together during the week and that familiarity might have been why Fowler saw any action at all.

Poll

According to Chris Brown, Mitchell's explanation for why he didn't get a safety in the game was: "To be honest I thought he had thrown the ball," said Mitchell. "It’s a bad play on me. I’ve got to be aggressive on that all the time. Regardless of the s

Bills vs 49ers: Keys to a Bills Victory

2008-11-29T13:49:34Z

Buffalo Bills (6-5) vs San Francisco 49ers (3-8)
Sunday, November 30, 2008, 1PM EST
SB Nation's 49ers coverage: Niners Nation

The Buffalo Bills ended a four-game losing streak and revived their slim playoff chances with a 54-31 drubbing of the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend. This week, the Bills return home to face the San Francisco 49ers in another game the Bills should win. Take care of business, and the playoffs remain a possibility. Lose; well, you can kiss your season goodbye. It's really as simple as that.

What does Buffalo need to do to win? Just a few things...

START FAST: Not since their Week 7 victory over San Diego has Buffalo opened the scoring in a game. That means in five straight games, Bills opponents have drawn first blood, to the tune of 40 points in those five contests. That means the Bills, on average, are battling from an 8-0 deficit right out of the gate. They're 1-4 in those games. It's getting old. Start fast, Buffalo, and you immediately sap the energy out of a young 49ers team with nothing to lose.

KEEP ON RUNNING: Buffalo's two most consistent offensive players - running backs Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson - have combined to touch the ball 81 times over the past two games. That, folks, is ideal. The team's new-found commitment to getting these two involved has yielded 67 points in the past two games; if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Expect these two to push 40 touches combined.

USE YOUR WEAPONS: This goes beyond Lynch and Jackson, and it even goes beyond Buffalo's offensive unit. Simply put, Buffalo is an average team with a few potentially elite playmakers. Those playmakers need to be involved. Kurupt mentions Lee Evans every week; he makes this list. The team's two return men, Leodis McKelvin and Roscoe Parrish, make the list as well. This trio hasn't gotten a lot of opportunities in recent weeks, particularly Evans and Parrish. These guys are difference-makers. Get the ball in their hands, by any means necessary.

JUST TACKLE: This one's for you, Kawika Mitchell. The veteran linebacker was put in position by Buffalo's coaching staff to have the game of his life; instead, he missed several tackles, whiffed on a potential safety, and got burned for a long touchdown pass early in the game. It extends past Mitchell, obviously - Buffalo needs to tackle well every week - but the Niners have players who can make plays after contact, specifically Frank Gore. Those types of plays need to be severely limited.

GORE THE SETUP MAN: Buffalo's run defense has struggled in recent weeks, giving up plenty of big gainers on the ground. The 49ers are going to use Gore a lot this week; we should be resigned to the fact that he's going to get his yardage. Buffalo needs to stay disciplined when (if?) that happens, because if Gore's running well, you can bet Mike Martz will try to take advantage of it through deep passes. Stay disciplined, Buffalo, and you'll force Gore himself to beat you.

WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: This one is basic to the DNA of any win in the NFL. The Bills were able to pile on 54 points in Kansas City because the Chiefs handed them the ball 5 times. They didn't give the Chiefs such pleasure, not even once. They lost four straight because they lost this battle. Seems simple enough to me.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: After starting the season 3-0 at home with wins over Seattle, Oakland and San Diego, the Bills have lost two straight to the Jets and Cleveland. Buffalo only has two more games at Ralph Wilson Stadium this season - this Niners game, as well as the season finale against the Patriots. Protect your home turf is a golden rule in the NFL, and it especially holds true against an inferior opponent.

SENSE OF URGENCY: Even in winning 54-31 on the road, Buffalo didn't look overly desperate last weekend. Perhaps that's a good thing - they're not panicking with their backs against the wall - but I'd like to see them playing for the playoffs, particularly in the early parts of games. This is game that the Bills have to win. They'd better play as if they're supremely aware of that fact.

***

This list is short, sweet and simple, and honestly, these keys shouldn't be overly difficult to fulfill. If the Bills start fast and score first, it'll make their lives easier. The Bills are favored, and rightfully so, but they still need to take care of business. Go get 'em, Buffalo. Your playoff hopes are at stake.

Bills' Royal, Greer ruled out against San Francisco

2008-11-28T20:10:30Z

Bills' Royal, Greer ruled out against San Francisco

Bills Injury Report - Week 13 (vs SF)

OUT: TE Royal (hamstring), DE Schobel (foot), DT McCargo (back), LB Lehman (hamstring), CB Greer (knee)
DOUBTFUL: SS Whitner (shoulder)
QUESTIONABLE: TE Schouman (hamstring), LB Ellison (ankle)

Bills vs 49ers: Four Key Matchups

2008-11-28T14:16:08Z

Buffalo Bills (6-5) vs San Francisco 49ers (3-8)
November 30, 2008, 1PM EST
SB Nation's 49ers coverage: Niners Nation

The Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers are set to square off in Week 13 NFL action in just over two days' time. In anticipation of the matchup, Fooch of Niners Nation and yours truly have gotten together for a little cage match debate surrounding four of the game's key personnel matchups.

Which blogger - and by extension, which community - is right? Take a gander, gather your thoughts, and let's duke it out in a Bills/49ers blogger cage match.

MATCHUP #1: Bills C Duke Preston vs 49ers NT Aubrayo Franklin
Fooch: You could probably stick me at center and at worst the matchup would be a push. That term (push) is fitting because Aubrayo Franklin gets none. As big a guy as he is, his technique is simply insufficient as a starter. The nose tackle in the 3-4 needs to get some push off the snap to open up holes for the pass rushers. If the 49ers decide to stick with the 3-4 next season, I really would like to see them draft the big Alabama nose tackle, Terrence "Mount" Cody. The pass rush has been a huge weakness for the 49ers because it affects every aspect of the defense. As long as they aren't getting much form their nose tackle, it will remain a problem. Advantage: Bills

Brian Galliford: Fooch says that Franklin gets no push; I'll retaliate with the fact that Preston doesn't get push, either. This is the battle of the stoppable force and the moveable object, folks. I like the way that Buffalo has been running of late, so I feel comfortable with this matchup, but due to the mediocrity of these two players, I'm betting that both fan bases will be remarking how their respective guy will have just had their best game of the season after this one. Advantage: Bills

MATCHUP #2: 49ers CB Nate Clements vs Bills WR Lee Evans
Brian Galliford: There isn't a team this year that has given Evans single coverage - and he's still averaging nearly 20 yards per reception. He is, quite clearly, the best pure deep threat in the league. Lately, teams have tried to take Evans out of the game to force Buffalo to beat them elsewhere, but I can see things going differently this week with Nate coming back to Buffalo. If the Niners think that Nate can take Lee one-on-one all day, Evans is going to put up big numbers. I pray Nate is singled up on this guy, particularly early in the game. Advantage: Bills

Fooch: In a straight man-to-man battle, Clements would be able to contain Evans. He's shut down the likes of Larry Fitzgerald and Calvin Johnson and I think he can do the same with Evans. Clements had a bad day last week against the Cowboys, but a lot of his problems were in the support he was supposed to get from the safeties. If the 49ers coaches are smart (no sure bet), I would hope that they would realize Clements should just cover his man 1-on-1 and avoid any cutesy over the top help from Mark Roman or Michael Lewis. If they let Clements just cover his man straight up I think he'll be fine. The same can't be said for Walt Harris... Advantage: 49ers

MATCHUP #3: Bills LB Paul Posluszny vs 49ers RB Frank Gore
Fooch: Gore is coming off an ugly game against the Cowboys in which he was clearly frustrated with his role. Mike Singletary called this a "black and blue" game and I'd like to think this means a heavy dose of Gore. Gore is not one to have back-to-back poor performances, and I'd hope that standard holds. Part of the problem in the poor performances has been his offensive line. Gore can make things happen, but if the line gets no push at all, it makes life a lot more difficult. I think my prediction is based more on expecting an improved o-line performance. Advantage: 49ers

Brian Galliford: First thing's first - anybody who thinks that Posluszny has disappeared over the past couple of games is mistaken. With 9 tackles in the past two games, statistically, yes, he's been largely absent. But Cleveland spent a large amount of time getting blockers on Buffalo's best run defender, and Kansas City ran the ball a whopping 13 times. Poz is still Poz, folks. With that said, Buffalo's run defense is suddenly a concern again, and Gore is precisely the type of back that Buffalo struggles with most. Advantage: 49ers

MATCHUP #4: 49ers RG Chilo Rachal vs Bills DT Marcus Stroud
Brian Galliford: Stroud has really returned to form over the past three games, even though the Chiefs gashed Buffalo last week on the ground. He's back to his near-dominant form, and he's going to pose big problems for the vastly inexperienced, yet highly talented Rachal. Stroud should do well against the run, and when Shaun Hill drops back to pass, the Bills are going to run a lot of stunts in an attempt to get defenders clean past the rookie right guard. Advantage: Bills

Fooch: The 49ers inserted the rookie Rachal into the starting lineup this past week. Although he didn't get any penalties, Coach Singletary was quick to point out that he "played like a rookie." However, they're going to keep running him out there and get him acclimated to the league. Most people thought he came out too early after his junior season. Unfortunately, his mother and father have some medical issues and he felt he had to leave at the point he did. It's a shame, but he's shown that he's not completely out of his element. At the same time, a veteran like Stroud will prove a strong test for him. I'd imagine he'll struggle against a seasoned veteran like Stroud, but hopefully he'll show improvement over the course of the morning (well afternoon for you guys). Advantage: Bills

***

OK, Bills and 49ers fans. Respect is the name of the game, but trash talk is a must (unless, of course, you're too down on your team to get cocky). Who's right? Who's just a "homer"? Time for you to sound off on these matchups and the game in general.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T13:37:24Z

Happy Thanksgiving, fellow Rumblers.

Let's keep this short. Y'all are awesome, and make what I do here every day highly rewarding, if still a little time-consuming. To toss out a Thanksgiving cliche, I'm thankful that you guys and gals make Buffalo Rumblings a daily stop of yours as you scour the Internet for Buffalo Bills-related discussions. It means a lot.

Some praise needs to be put out into the either for Kurupt and sireric, too - their contributions to the community are just as valuable as mine. So if you feel the need to get all holiday-thankful and stuff like that, heap it on these two as well.

We'll have more Bills coverage coming your way starting bright and early tomorrow, including another visit from Fooch at Niners Nation, some film review (finally!) of our win over the Chiefs, and more pre-game musings as we prepare to beat San Francisco.

Until then, however, have a safe, relaxing and belt-expanding Thanksgiving, folks.

The Bills are an ugly 6-5 and aren’t going to be much prettier at 7-5, assuming they beat San F...

2008-11-26T17:43:06Z

The Bills are an ugly 6-5 and aren’t going to be much prettier at 7-5, assuming they beat San Francisco on Sunday. Last Sunday’s 54-31 victory over Kansas City did little to restore hope so much as postpone misery.

Reality check puts playoffs out of reach : Bucky Gleason

Bills vs 49ers: Opponent History

2008-11-26T13:00:06Z

Buffalo Bills (6-5) vs San Francisco 49ers (3-8)
Sunday November 30, 2008 - 1PM EST

A Buffalo Bills versus San Francisco 49ers game is a pretty rare occurrence. "Berman Bowls", as they are sometimes called, have only happened nine times ever. Six of the nine games have taken place in San Francisco, and the Bills hold a 5-4 edge in the all time series.

September 13, 1992: Bills 34, 49ers 31
This game was an offensive explosion. Steve Young passed for 449 yards and 3 touchdowns. Niners wideouts Mike Sherrard (6-159) and John Taylor (5-112, 2 TD) also had huge days. Jim Kelly countered with 403 yards and 3 TD of his own. Pete Metzelaars had 4 catches for 113 yards and 2 TD, and Andre Reed added10 catches for 144 yards. It was Thurman Thomas' second touchdown of the game (this one coming late in the fourth quarter), however, that was the difference.

December 3, 1995: 49ers 27, Bills 17
After Jeff Wilkins hit a 20-yard field goal to tie the game at 10 all, the Bills drove the length of the field and were about to go in for the go ahead score, but a fumble (I'm not sure by who) gets picked up by Evander Holyfield clone Lee Woodall and returned 96 yards for a TD, and the Niners never looked back. Five turnovers didn't help the Bills get back into the game. Justin Armour and Steve Tasker had TD catches in the loss.

October 4, 1998: Bills 26, 49ers 21
Another Niners game and another 300-plus yard, 3 TD performance by Steve Young (man that guy was good). This time, however, the Bills had the Niners shut out until the fourth quarter, and a 23-point lead thanks to three Steve Christie field goals, an Antowain Smith TD run and a Quinn Early TD pass from Rob Johnson. San Fran came roaring back with 3 scores in the final quarter, but their rally fell short in the end. Some cocky young WR named Terrell Owens had 4 catches for 69 yards for the Niners in this one.

December 2, 2001: 49ers 35, Bills 0
I painfully remember much of this game pretty well. It was a Sunday night game - the Bills' only prime time game that year - during that wonderful 3-13 season. Alex Van Pelt started for the injured Rob Johnson (big shock there) and tossed 4 picks. Garrison Hearst ran for 124 yards and a TD, and Jeff Garcia added 189 yards through the air and hooked up with TO for a touchdown. Shayne Graham even missed a FG for the Bills - that's how bad it got.

December 26, 2004: Bills 41, 49ers 7
Willis McGahee (15-102, TD) and Shaud Williams (17-93, TD) ran wild on the Niners defense. Meanwhile, the 49ers QB duo of Cody Pickett and Ken Dorsey combined for a whopping 91 passing yards and 3 picks, and the Bills defense sacked them 3 times. Rookie Lee Evans had a nice day with 8 catches for 92 yards and 2 scores; he also added 21 yards on a reverse.

Niners Nation Q&A

2008-11-25T16:52:57Z

Hey folks, this is Fooch from Niners Nation. I (and my fellow 49ers fans) are here to answer any questions you might have about the 49ers, heading into this Sunday's game. It's a little early in the week, but due to Thanksgiving I wanted to make sure and get this up earlier. Brian and I will be doing some additional preview work, but for now feel free to ask any questions you might have.

The 49ers have had a rough go of it this season leading to the firing of Mike Nolan and the promotion of Mike Singletary. Singletary is 1-3, but one could argue the team has shown improvement under his leadership. While there has been improvements, there has been a large level of inconsistency.

On the offensive side of the ball, Singletary's promotion directly led to the benching of J.T. "Just Turnovers" O'Sullivan. Shaun Hill has brought a more conservative approach to the offense, and yet the offense has been clearly better with Hill at the helm. Although Hill might not be the QB of the long term future, he is proving to be a capable stop-gap while they figure out what that answer really is.

On defense, the team is really struggling to find an identity. While the defense has very talented players (Patrick Willis and Justin Smith to name two), they lack a decent pass rush and the secondary has struggled much of the season. Terrell Owens absolutely blew them up which has to give Lee Evans some confidence heading into his battle with Nate Clements (more on that coming later in the week).

I'm not sure what team will show up on Sunday in Buffalo. If Mike Singletary wants to earn the full time head coaching job, he's going to need more than moral victories.

So, with that, I'll open the floor for questions.

Despite big win, Bills' defense needs improvement

2008-11-25T13:54:50Z

LB Mitchell poster boy for struggling D (Associated Press)

I know, I know. The Buffalo Bills are coming off of a 54-31 win over the hapless Kansas City Chiefs. Buffalo's offense is getting most of the credit, but the defense was the catalyst, forcing four turnovers and putting a score on the board via rookie cornerback Leodis McKelvin. I get that. It was an exciting win. But for every revived playoff dreamer out there, there's the "it was just the Chiefs" argument. And if we're following that argument, it's only fair to point out that while the defense made plays, they also got absolutely torched on Sunday.

You think Buffalo's offense was potent on Sunday? The Chiefs out-gained them, putting up 462 yards on the Bills. Despite playing from behind for more than half the game, the Chiefs still rushed for 159 yards, and the dynamic passing duo of Tyler Thigpen and Quinn Gray combined for 303 yards and four touchdowns. The 1-10 Chiefs dialed up 9 plays in which they gained 20 yards or more against the Bills. Were these the Chiefs, or the New England Patriots?

Yes, the Bills' defense has done good things over the past few weeks. They've been put in terrible situations by a turnover-happy offense, and acquitted themselves rather well in those situations, holding opponents to field goals on several occasions. In short, they played well enough to win during the team's four-game losing streak. But like it or not, the Bills have still given up an average of 26.2 points per game over the past five weeks, a stretch in which the Bills have gone 1-4. Points are what matters in this league. The defense is failing that test.

The tackling has been terrible; the most prominent offender has been LB Kawika Mitchell, who was especially ineffective in Kansas City against the team that drafted him. The team has given up big runs of late, including long jaunts by Cleveland's Jerome Harrison and Kansas City's Larry Johnson in the last two weeks alone. The pass rush is, as usual, largely ineffective. The unit is also banged up, missing DE Aaron Schobel for the past five games and without several cornerbacks and safety Donte Whitner for stretches as well.

We know every problem that the defense has. They sprung some serious leaks against Kansas City despite the plays they did make. Unless the Bills plan on scoring 54 points every week, the Bills have some serious work to do defensively in nearly every facet of the game.

The ever-delightful Jerry Sullivan says Dick Jauron insulted his intelligence and took his conservatism to new heights by leaving Trent Edwards on the field late in the win over the Chiefs. Call me crazy, but leaving your starting QB on the field in that situation sounds more like a gamble than anything. If I'm calling Jauron conservative, I'm saying it if he took Edwards out at the start of the fourth quarter. I guess Jerry needs to be sad about something, because, well, he is.

I like this column if only because Leo Roth (a heck of a nice guy) and Sal Maiorana try really hard to use big words. Oh, and they discuss the merits of beating the Chiefs, too - and agree that Buffalo's defense has been bad.

WGRZ takes, in essence, a minute-by-minute look back at Kevin Everett's injury in an incredible interview of everyone involved. A chilling read.

If you're looking for the best blogging coverage on this past weekend's action in the NFL - for any game you may be interested in reviewing - click on this nice little button here...

With run game clicking, Bills offense is scoring

2008-11-24T18:30:06Z

Lynch, Bills finally rushing effectively (buffalobills.com)

After nine games of 2008 Buffalo Bills football - which at the time included three straight losses - Bills fans were screaming one thing: "Run the ball!"

Well, maybe we were yelling more than that. Trent Edwards and Dick Jauron seem like guys that may or may not have been on the receiving end of verbal abuse over the past month or so. But more than anything, Buffalo's rushing attack - so promising at the outset of the season - was floundering in a big way. The Bills were forced to pass, compromising Edwards' confidence and the Bills' trust in their offensive line. Something needed to change.

Over the past two weeks, that change has come in a big way.

The Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs, it should be warned, are not good run defenses. The Browns rank 27 in rush defense, surrendering 146 yards per game; the Chiefs are even worse, giving up 166 per game, second worst in the league. They are two defenses, however, that Buffalo's much-maligned offensive line and running game needed. A lot of us want to talk about the confidence boost of Trent Edwards; of equal importance, however, is the confidence boost and re-emergent vitality of Buffalo's running game.

In the past two games - one win, one loss - the Bills have rushed for a whopping 357 yards, have registered four rushing touchdowns, and the results have been profound for the offense and the team as a whole. In these two games, with Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson and even Edwards running wild, the Bills have scored 67 points - and that's not including the 14 additional points provided by electrifying rookie Leodis McKelvin.

The Return of "Beast Mode"
The Marshawn Lynch that we know and love is back. He's rushed for 198 yards on 43 carries the past two weeks; that 4.6 yard-per-carry average is nearly a yard higher than his 3.8-yard average on the season. He's piled on an additional 83 receiving yards on a whopping 15 receptions as well. Better yet, he's scored twice. Freddie Jackson has added 116 rushing yards on just 21 carries (5.5 yards per) in the recent upswing. Edwards has been in on the action, rushing for 45 yards on 9 "carries" and THREE scores in the past two games. The Bills are getting it from every angle, and the ripple effect has been very noticeable.

Buffalo was finally able to establish a play-action passing game in Kansas City, leading to a resurgence for the young signal-caller. The offense has been largely balanced over the past two weeks. The Bills have controlled the clock. Even better, the offensive line - helped by the return to health of right guard Brad Butler - has performed well. They pushed around the woeful Browns and Chiefs run defenses. Edwards hasn't been sacked in two weeks. Keep it in perspective, clearly - again, Cleveland and the Chiefs aren't standard-setters defensively - but the signs are very promising.

Now let's do it consistently
Next item on offensive coordinator Turk Schonert's "to do" list: keep it up. 32 rushes per game is outstanding. The balance that the offense found in Kansas City was perfect. This production simplifies the game not only for Schonert himself, but for the young quarterback he's so carefully molding. This is exactly the type of offense that Edwards (or any competent quarterback, for that matter) excels at running, because the pressure on his position is minimal. Clearly, the kid's not ready to carry the team yet - four straight losses proved that. But he can also make plays on a consistent basis, as he's proven during the good times this season.

This whole season is about Edwards. Playoffs in 2008 or not, building up Trent is the biggest necessity for the long-term viability of the franchise. Turk has done a masterful job of it over the last seven quarters of football. With the run game clicking again, the sky is the limit for this offense. Now we just need to do it against good teams.

McKelvin stealing spotlight; starting spot to follow?

2008-11-24T13:33:44Z

McKelvin becoming a factor in stretch run (buffalobills.com)

Ten weeks into his rookie season, fans and "experts" - the most notable "expert" being the ever-delightful Jerry Sullivan of The Buffalo News - had inexplicably already pulled out the term "bust" when discussing Buffalo Bills rookie cornerback Leodis McKelvin. Ten weeks into his rookie season, there was reason to be disappointed with the rookie, however. McKelvin had made little impact defensively, given up plenty of big plays, and had been rather pedestrian as a kick returner. Still, to term any rookie a "bust" after nine games is a bit ridiculous.

To say that McKelvin has exploded onto the scene over the past two weeks is an understatement.

It started on Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns, when McKelvin - filling in for an injured Jabari Greer in the second half - shut down dangerous Browns WR Donte' Stallworth. His 98-yard kickoff return for a score kept the Bills in that game, despite the fact that after four offensive turnovers, they had no business being alive in the first place.

Then came yesterday's break-out performance at Kansas City. McKelvin intercepted the first two passes of his career, returning the first one for a 64-yard touchdown to give the Bills the lead for good. He was also explosive once again in the return game, returning the opening kickoff of the second half 46 yards to set up Trent Edwards' second rushing TD and a 37-17 Bills lead.

That's not to say the kid's been perfect. His coverage has improved tremendously, but his technique is still lacking to the point that he can get turned around on occasion and give up big plays. His run support is not great, either - the kid tackles well, but he routinely takes bad angles and has trouble shedding blocks. He was engulfed on several long Larry Johnson runs yesterday when he was responsible for contain.

But he's still a rookie. When you're playing with any rookie in this league, you take the good with the bad. For McKelvin the past two weeks, the explosive good has outweighed the bad by several miles.

Said McKelvin after yesterday's stellar performance in KC:

"It felt great. It felt like I was in college, where my first pick went for a touchdown. I'm just out there trying to do my job. Basically what they tell me in practice is mind your own business, do your own job and things will come your way. I've been working very hard in practice and it's starting to pay off."

Head coach Dick Jauron piled on:

"We're obviously thrilled with the way he played today and the way he's come along."

It's not exactly necessary to point out that "experts" like Sullivan who called McKelvin out earlier in the season are eating their words this morning. Bills fans have been spoiled a bit with the solid rookie contributions of players like Donte Whitner, Edwards, Marshawn Lynch and several others during Jauron's tenure as this team's coach. Maybe the Bills were at a point where they didn't need a rookie to perform immediately, maybe not; either way, what's forgotten is the fact that making the leap from tiny Troy to the NFL isn't exactly easy. DeMarcus Ware did it in Dallas, but not even Giants star Osi Umenyiora was an instant-impact guy as a second-round pick (he registered just one sack as a rookie). When you draft a small-school guy - and for its growing reputation, Troy is undoubtedly small - development takes time. Leo is still developing.

But it's time to toss the "bust" label to the wayside. McKelvin has arrived, and once he learns consistency, he should very quickly assert himself as one of the very best corners in this league.

Poll

Should Leo remain a starter when CB Jabari Greer returns from injury?

Offense emphatically returns as Bills bury Chiefs

2008-11-23T22:04:57Z

McKelvin, Bills make big plays in big W (Associated Press)

The Buffalo Bills ended a four-game losing streak with a 54-31 road victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

In a game that resembled conventional Bills football in no sense of the phrase, QB Trent Edwards scored four touchdowns, CB Leodis McKelvin picked off two Tyler Thigpen passes and returned one for a score, and the Bills forced five turnovers in a much-needed victory. The Bills needed most of the 54 points they put up, however, as Buffalo's defense struggled to tackle and gave up plenty of big plays to the Chiefs.

Offense clicks... finally
That was the offense that Buffalo Rumblings has been calling for over the past month. The Bills successfully established the run early, with Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson keeping the game close early. Lynch finished with 104 total yards and the team's first touchdown, while Jackson added 76 yards as well.

With the run established, the Bills started running the play-action, and the simplified offensive attack worked wonders for Trent Edwards. In a confidence-boosting performance for Buffalo's young signal-caller - roughed up during the four-game losing streak - Edwards completed 24 of 32 passes (75%) for 273 yards and two scores. He added two more touchdowns on scrambles, as he finished the game with 38 rushing yards on 6 carries. Edwards' QB rating? 120.9. It's amazing what a competent game plan (and a not-so-competent defense) can do for you.

Everything worked for Buffalo's offense today. Perhaps the most gratifying moment was when WR Josh Reed, who missed the last three weeks with ankle and Achilles injuries, caught his first TD pass since December 17 of 2006. It's been a long time coming for Reed. Lee Evans (5 receptions, 110 yards) and the tight ends (a combined 7 catches, 68 yards and 1 TD) were factors as well. Capping off the success offensively was the fact that much-maligned head coach Dick Jauron ordered up two offensive plays on 4th and 1 early in the game, the first of which led to a touchdown run by Lynch.

Defense lucky that the O woke up
Set aside the five turnovers (two McKelvin picks and fumble recoveries by Marcus Stroud, George Wilson and Derek Schouman). Set aside McKelvin's 64-yard pick-six. (Well, don't. McKelvin looked like a superstar today.) It's true that Buffalo played most of this game with a big lead, but Buffalo's defense wasn't close to good on this day.

Kansas City gained 462 yards on the day. Buffalo couldn't tackle to save their lives, Kawika Mitchell in particular. Larry Johnson ran for 81 yards on just 7 carries, and Chiefs quarterbacks threw for four scores (3 from Thigpen, one from Quinn Gray in "garbage time"). It's great that the team came up with big plays defensively, but they gave up too many as well. The D was not impressive early, surrendering touchdowns on two of Kansas City's first three drives, and needed all the help from the offense it could get.

In the end, the poor performance defensively didn't matter, as the Bills scored more points than they had in 17 years. But if you feel the need to nit-pick, this is the area to concentrate on.

Game Balls
Two of these are going to be obvious. One might not be.

QB Trent Edwards - I know a few of you will say "it's just the Chiefs", but this game is exactly what Edwards needed for his confidence. He threw the ball downfield, he was more accurate than he's been in recent weeks, and he looked like a leader again. This was a huge game for Trent.

CB Leodis McKelvin - All that "bust" talk? It can now officially be thrown out the window; chalk his early struggles up to transitioning from Troy to the big leagues. This kid is a monster. Two picks, the pick-six and a 46-yard kickoff return to open the second half made him the most electrifying player on the field.

LB Blake Costanzo - Buffalo's special teams were once again outstanding. At one point, I wondered which specialist to give this game ball to. Costanzo was an easy choice; he was in on just about every special teams stop today. I love the unsung hero, and Costanzo is that guy today.

Roll Call
A big "good on you" to the 22 folks who dropped by today's game thread. As is usual, norcaliangelsfan out-nerded the rest of us with a whopping 211 comments. The 22 folks:

ccthemovieman, WABillsfan, norcaliangelsfan, thatguy455, jj24, Brian Galliford, keuka121, taskersd, kaisertown, Cinga, Joe P., StuckInNJ, jdol1568, D.O., silverstreak3k, spavery, moncheri, NJBillsfan, dontuan, BenAllen, Tatunka, Kurupt, BILLS

I don't care what the nay-sayers come up with this week about our opponent. It just feels GREAT to win again.