Schobel, front four not making plays (buffalobills.com)

One of the Buffalo Bills' biggest problems defensively in 2007 was their inability to consistently get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.  The Bills finished the 2007 season with just 24 sacks as a team, and as a result, they fielded one of the league's worst defenses (statistically) last season.  The defense did enough for the Bills to scratch and claw their way to a 7-9 record, but it was clear that without an improved pass rush, the Bills weren't going to get much better.

So the team spent the off-season getting tougher up front, and the impact was immediate - the Bills registered five sacks in a season-opening win over the Seahawks.  All was well - newcomers Marcus Stroud and Kawika Mitchell registered three of those sacks, and the Bills' defense dominated, holding the Seahawks to just 10 points.  Four games later, however, the Bills have added only five more sacks to that season-opening total, and the team's pass rush woes are resurfacing.

The stat that tells all
Last season, in picking up 24 sacks in total, Buffalo's leading sacker was, unsurprisingly, defensive end Aaron Schobel, whose 6.5 sacks made up what was, statistically, one of his worst seasons as a professional.  The more concerning stat was that it took 12 Bills defenders to get to that 24-sack total.  While it's not necessarily bad news that the Bills had twelve defenders register sacks, it does smack of the need to blitz often.  Behind Schobel, no Bill had more than 2.5 sacks last season.

Nothing has changed in 2008, save the fact that the blitz is a bit more diverse and potent.  The Bills have registered 10 sacks, and it's taken nine defenders to do so.  Stroud leads the team with the two he piled up on opening day; Mitchell, Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Ryan Denney, Spencer Johnson, Kyle Williams, Ashton Youboty and Donte Whitner have all added one sack each to that total.  It's the same deal - defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has been forced to utilize the blitz to get pressure, and while it worked early, opponents are starting to figure it out.

Quick strike offenses
Part of the Bills' issue with getting to the quarterback has been the offensive strategy of its opponents.  With Buffalo employing a Cover 2 zone scheme, teams have relied on quick routes and a "possession passing game", for lack of a better term, more and more as the season has progressed.  Arizona executed this attack to perfection; quarterback Kurt Warner didn't even average six yards per attempt (250 yards on 42 throws), but he completed 78 percent of his passes, moved the chains and didn't take a sack.  The Cardinals basically ran the ball down Buffalo's throat via the short passing game.

It's a bit unfair to expect the Bills to put up astronomical sack numbers when opponents are running this type of offense.  As it is, the Bills rank near the middle of the pack in sacks this season.  Until the Bills figure out how to slow down this type of attack - a minor alteration to the coverage scheme should do it - don't expect the Bills to start adding significant numbers to their sack total.  It's just not realistic.

Inconsistency starts up front
The blitz is utilized so often in today's NFL that teams are becoming increasingly proficient at picking up extra rushers.  Buffalo's blitz packages are working about as well as we can honestly expect them to - the Bills aren't registering a lot of sacks, but we've seen guys such as Mitchell, Paul Posluszny and Whitner put big hits on quarterbacks this season.  That's the sign of an effective blitz package.

The problem, then, has to lie with the guys on the line of scrimmage.  This post isn't designed to knock Schobel and Kelsay; they're good football players.  They're guys that could play on any team simply because of their energy levels (although perhaps not at their current respective salaries).  They belong on the field.  But there's a dimension missing, particularly on the edges, and that dimension is athleticism.

Rookie Chris Ellis - a third-round pick out of Virginia Tech - was expected to provide that athleticism this season.  After an underwhelming pre-season, Ellis has yet to be active for his first NFL game.  Schobel and Kelsay aren't phenomenal athletes; they're effort rushers.  Those guys can work well in this league if they're complemented.  Right now, Ryan Denney and Copeland Bryan aren't doing the complementing.  We're still not even sure if Ellis can provide that spark if he ever gets the chance to play.

Bottom line
Basically, what it comes down to is this: the Bills' pass rush is what it is.  Currently, it is a problem.  As long as the team stays healthy, it has the opportunity to have some big games and be moderately proficient for the rest of this season.  But Bills fans need to start dealing with the reality of the situation: Buffalo isn't an elite pass-rushing team, and the defense is going to struggle at times because of it.  Understand it's going to be intermittently problematic moving forward.  This Bills defense is good enough to take the Bills to the playoffs, but it's not elite - and it's not elite because it lacks an athlete at defensive end.

That's the only missing piece, folks.  Perhaps Ellis is the answer; I'm not convinced.  We just need to deal with the reality of the situation; anticipate the problem areas, and you'll have no reason to complain about them as the season wears on.  The Bills have the ability to overcome their pass rush woes, especially when considering the schedule the team faces.  But log this in your off-season observation book, and try not to break it out until the off-season arrives (whether that's the first or third week of January remains to be seen): the Bills need to address this area with a top-notch athlete in the very near future.

Can Peters rebound from 3 sloppy starts? (buffalobills.com)

The Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals are set to square off this coming Sunday as the Bills look to extend their record to 5-0 for the first time since 1991.  The Cardinals, meanwhile, will look to end a two-game skid in their first home game since a Week 2 trouncing of Miami.

Several key matchups will hold huge importance in this game.  We're glad to be joined once again by cgolden of Revenge of the Birds, SB Nation's Cardinals blog, as the two of us break down four key matchups for the Bills/Cardinals tilt.  On to the matchups...

Bills WR Lee Evans vs Cardinals CB Roderick Hood
cgolden - Lee Evans is a tough match-up for any cornerback because of his big play ability and Roderick Hood will certainly have his hands full on Sunday. Evans is having a great year, averaging over 23 yards per catch, so Hood will have to bring his A-game to keep Evans from getting deep. Evans is not only a legitimate down the field threat, he's also shifty enough to turn every short pass into a huge play. Roderick Hood is a good tackler but the Cardinals don't play much press coverage, which could leave Evans open for some quick, short passes. Hood is the Cardinals' best corner by far but he's not anything spectacular so I wouldn't be surprised to see the Cardinals keep a safety over the top. Much of the Cardinals defensive game plan will depend on Adrian Wilson's avaliability on Sunday, but either way, Hood will need to some help to contain Evans.  Advantage: Bills

Yours Truly - Evans is off to a fast start.  He'll never be a guy who catches a large volume of passes, but he definitely makes his catches count (see his 23.7 YPC average through four games).  When Evans is at his best, he's making a play or two early in the game, letting other receivers keep the offense efficient in the middle quarters, and putting the final dagger in a win late in the fourth quarter.  He lulls defenses to sleep in this manner.  There isn't a corner in the league who can cover Evans for an entire game (when he's got competent quarterback play), so I fully expect Evans to make a big play or two in this one.  Advantage: Bills

Bills DT Marcus Stroud vs Cardinals C Lyle Sendlein and RG Deuce Lutui
cgolden - Lyle Sendlien got his first taste of a big, powerful defensive tackle last week when Kris Jenkins abused him a couple of times, and things won't get any easier when Marcus Stroud comes to town.  Stroud benefited from playing on a great defensive line in Jacksonville and he's got some pretty good defensive line mates in Buffalo as well with Aaron Schobel, Kyle Williams and Chris Kelsay. Stroud, like Jenkins, is strong enough to bull rush nearly any center or guard but also has the quickness and agility to be a decent pass rusher. Sendlien is a young guy who's still coming into his own and Lutui has been performing just well enough not to be benched. They'll have to double team Stroud most of the day but I still wouldn't be surprised to see him blow up a running play in the backfield and be in Warner's face a couple of times on Sunday.  Advantage: Bills

Yours Truly - Stroud's importance to this defense can't be measured just by his stats alone.  You have to take into account what Stroud has done for Kyle Williams as well; Buffalo's starting defensive tackles have combined for 28 tackles and 3 sacks in the team's first four games.  Stroud's a force against the run, and he's proven over and over this season that he can routinely beat the double team.  He's been impossible to block.  I don't expect Arizona to establish much of a run game on Sunday, but it would be nice to see Stroud collapse the pocket a handful of times around Kurt Warner, who is a fabulous rhythm passer.  Advantage: Bills

Cardinals OLB Travis LaBoy vs Bills OT Jason Peters
cgolden - This should be a strength on strength match-up and should be worth the price of admission. Oddly enough, these two guys have probably faced off before considering that LaBoy spent his first four seasons in Tennessee. LaBoy is the Cardinals best pass rusher and if Clancy Pendergast decides to be aggressive this week, he should be able to apply some pressure.  Jason Peters is the Bills' best offensive lineman and is one of the better left tackles in the league.  Since LaBoy will at times focus too much on rushing the passer, Peters should be able to handle him in the running game.  In passing situations, though, it'll be much more interesting.  LaBoy is a natural pass rusher and has the ability to get around almost any tackle in the league. He may not register a sack but I'd be surprised if he wasn't able to apply some pressure to Edwards a couple of times.  Advantage: Push

Yours Truly - Peters has been off his game since deciding to return from a prolonged pre-season holdout.  As such, he's only got about a month's worth of football under his belt this year, and with a new offensive coordinator and line coach, he's had some difficulty adjusting to what Buffalo does offensively.  He's been very streaky - looking awful at times and dominant at others - and he's currently dealing with an ankle sprain as well, hindering his footwork.  I fully expect LaBoy, who is very sudden in his pass-rushing, to make some plays on Sunday.  But Peters will have help, and he's still very adept at neutralizing the speed rush.  Advantage: Push

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald vs Bills CB Jabari Greer
cgolden - Larry Fitzgerald has had a great year through four games and he's on pace for over 1,600 yards. His size and ability to snatch the ball out of the air at its highest point are second to none.  He'll have a four inch height and 40 pound weight advantage over Greer, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them test Greer early and often. Whatever the Cardinals' game plan ends up being, Greer shouldn't be underestimated though.  He's a slightly undersized corner back (5'11", 180) who is coming into his own and he plays much bigger than his stature would suggest. He's pretty good about getting his hands on a pass or two during a game and he sealed the Bills' victory over the Rams with a 33-yard pick six.  Overall, Greer's a solid corner but he'll need help because Fitzgerald is a special reciever.  Advantage: Cardinals

Yours Truly - Buffalo employs a Cover 2 shell on pass downs, so it's a virtual certainty that the Bills will have two guys on Fitzgerald at all times.  That number could balloon to 3 on occasion if Anquan Boldin doesn't play as expected.  Greer will get the Fitzgerald assignment most often, and I actually think that his aggressiveness and surprising reach match up better with Fitzgerald than most people believe.  But Fitzgerald is undeniable; he'll get his touches.  The Bills will be lucky if they can hold him to one score.  Advantage: Cardinals

***

Not much of a debate here.  We'd love to hear your thoughts on these matchups and on this exercise in the comments section.

There's plenty to be excited about in Buffalo with the Buffalo Bills off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 1992.  Yet despite four straight wins to open the 2008 regular season, Bills fans seem increasingly negative about the team's play, specifically in the last two weeks.  I'm here to quell some of that pessimism - because what I saw in tape in reviewing the Bills' 31-14 victory over the Rams was quite encouraging.  The tape never lies.

Four games, four very solid performances for Buffalo's defense.  Yes, Rams running back Steven Jackson was able to rush for 110 yards and gain 188 yards overall.  Yes, the Bills gave up some big plays.  But their second half performance - especially defensively, but also as a team overall - was simply dominant.  Buffalo was in control of this game from the moment they took the field after halftime, and the defense was once again the catalyst.

Active defensive line
A lot of folks like to reference poor defensive line play, particularly in the pass rush department, as a weakness of the defense.  I watched the defensive line quite closely in this one; trust me when I say that our guys up front are playing extremely well.

It tends to be forgotten, but a pretty important reason for the Bills' "lack of a pass rush" from their defensive ends (read: lack of sacks) is because of the type of defense we play, and the way that blitz packages are utilized.  Very rarely are quarterbacks taking more than a 5-step drop against Buffalo.  Zone defenses call for quick routes, and opposing offenses are getting the ball out quick.  Really quick.  Cover 2 defenses blitz all the time to create pressure because of that specific issue.  The Colts have Bob Sanders; the Bears have Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher; now the Bills have Paul Posluszny, Kawika Mitchell, Ashton Youboty and Donte Whitner.  The ends are playing very well - though they do still crash too hard on run plays and lose contain on occasion.  Chris Kelsay does this frequently.  And on plays where quarterbacks are waiting on more intricate routes, the ends are in their faces.

In fact, the main cause for Buffalo's inability to stop the run in the first half of this game was simply over-pursuit and poor tackling.  Defenders were literally running past Jackson, who utilized the cutback on most of his best rushes.  That overpursuit stopped in the second half, especially from our ends and the secondary.

The hitters
Speaking of the secondary - these guys can hit.  I'm not just talking about the lick that Leodis McKelvin put on Dane Looker that left the receiver stumbling toward the sideline.  I'm talking about across the board.  Whitner had a big hit on Trent Green for a sack.  Ko Simpson made some really nice, tough open-field tackles on Jackson.  Jabari Greer hits a receiver whether or not the receiver makes the catch.  We all know exactly how well Youboty has tackled to date.  Every one of these guys can lay the lumber.  It's fun to watch.

The hitters extend beyond the secondary, too.  Posluszny packs a punch when he tackles, as does Kyle Williams - they're jolters.  Buffalo has a fast, athletic and hard-hitting defense.  Even on bad plays, Buffalo's defenders are handing out punishment.  That's important as each game wears on, and you could see the Rams starting to get a little gun-shy after the Bills re-established a lead in the fourth quarter.

State of the CB position
The loss of CB Terrence McGee hurts.  His knee injury will keep him out of the Cardinals game, and probably a game or two after the bye week as well.  Naturally, with this in mind, I paid pretty close attention to the play of McKelvin, who is now Buffalo's "nickel" back but will spend most of his time lined up on the outside receiver.  What I saw wasn't all that bad.

As I noted earlier, McKelvin can hit.  But like any rookie, he's too over-eager.  McGee is such a good fit in this defense because he's calm, collected and technically sound.  McKelvin's not any of those yet.  He blew contain on Jackson's 29-yard touchdown run looking for the big hit.  He's not very good playing forward yet because he's too aggressive; his eagerness hinders his natural athleticism.  But he actually played pretty well, which surprised me.  When he plays within himself, he's a lock-down corner - right now.  But he doesn't play that way nearly often enough, which is hardly surprising, considering he's a rookie.  Expect more of the same from Leodis - mistakes, big hits and occasionally a big play.  Greer and Youboty will be fine; McKelvin is the key to Buffalo's pass defense for the next few weeks.

Special teams review to come.  Stay tuned...

Each Tuesday this season, we here at Buffalo Rumblings will review the week's Buffalo Bills game on film (i.e. good old fashioned DVR) to get a little more in-depth perspective on how the Bills are performing.  With our reviews of the special teams and offense out of the way, let's take a look at the unit that anchored Buffalo's win - our new-look defense.

10 points allowed, five sacks, an interception and one monstrous performance marked an excellent 2008 debut for the Buffalo Bills defense.  This is a team that has employed a passive scheme in the first two years of Dick Jauron's tenure as Bills head coach; with better talent at key positions this season, however, Jauron has allowed Perry Fewell to press the "Go" button - the Bills really took it to the Seattle Seahawks defensively in Week One.  Here's what we saw that we felt was noteworthy...

Defensive Line
I was surprised - as I'm sure many of you were - when the Bills went with only seven active linemen for this game, including just three tackles and with both John McCargo and Chris Ellis inactive.  The team made the right decision, because the defensive line was dominant in this game, and the reason was Marcus Stroud.

Buffalo had heat on Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck all day, and most of the time that pressure was coming from the middle of the line.  Especially in the first half, Hasselbeck was flushed backwards or sideways, and he wasn't particularly effective throwing on the move in this game.  Stroud was the usual culprit, but Kyle Williams and some well-timed stunts and blitzes by the team's ends helped tremendously.  No one was as obviously influenced by Stroud's presence than Aaron Schobel, who was quite clearly his 2006 self on Sunday.

This unit was also quite stout at the point of attack.  You have no idea (OK, maybe you do have an idea) how refreshing it was to see our line avoid getting pushed back two yards before firming up each and every run play.  This is a gap-oriented rush defense, and the line was allowing those gaps to be open in the run department, leading to solid penetration by our linebackers and defensive backs.  There are times that I wish our defensive ends were a touch more athletic, but the line looks good after one game.

Linebackers
Boy, does Paul Posluszny look like he's in command of this defense.  Yes, Donte Whitner is the leader, but Posluszny is the quarterback, and he did a great job of getting his guys lined up on Sunday.  Seattle - the epitome of a good tempo offense - repeatedly tried to catch the Bills' defense off guard by hustling out of the huddle, and each time the Bills got lined up correctly before the snap.  Our young middle linebacker was good at the line of scrimmage (which is nice, but shouldn't be a surprise), but he was also surprisingly excellent in coverage, making plays on a few balls and making some good hits.

Saw plenty of good things out of Kawika Mitchell.  He's not as fluid as Posluszny or Keith Ellison in coverage, but that's not his role, and even when he's back there, he's not a huge liability.  What's more, he's easily the team's most explosive blitzer, as evidenced by his sack in which he shot the A gap with the speed and anticipation of a super hero.  Mitchell's presence allows Buffalo to be flexible and unpredictable in the way in which they blitz; outside of Stroud, Mitchell might be the team's most important defender.

Defensive Backs
The Bills went with only four corners in this game, and the three that saw predominant playing time were all very good.  Terrence McGee tackled well and got his hands on a few balls; his interception in the waning moments of the fourth quarter was a thing of beauty.  Jabari Greer is a gamer, but there are times when his size severely limits what he can do.  Greer was assigned the ominous task of taking on a Walter Jones block early in the third quarter on a toss sweep by Julius Jones; needless to say, Greer was dwarfed and the run netted six yards for Seattle.

Ashton Youboty was the real story here, however.  His coverage was very good, and his tackling was better.  Youboty was involved near the line of scrimmage on a couple of run plays, and he has that type of ability - to be a playmaker in that nickel role.  I wouldn't be shocked to see Youboty as a full-time starter by season's end, with Greer becoming the nickel back in a sense (i.e. Greer comes in on third downs but plays outside, allowing Youboty to shift inside).

I saw good things from Ko Simpson as well.  He was a factor on special teams and wasn't out of position on any of Hasselbeck's 41 throws.  When he wants to, he can hit hard.  Whitner played faster than I've ever seen him play; he absolutely flew to the ball on a handful of occasions.  Buffalo's pass rush was a big part of the good day for the DBs, but don't underestimate what this group did, either - their coverage was, by and large, excellent.

General Observations
- Perry Fewell did a masterful job with his game plan.  Seattle's offense was off balance all day, and even when they did make a few plays, he had a wrinkle to throw off their momentum (see: Seattle's opening drive of the second half).  This is the Perry Fewell we've been waiting to see - forcing the action with his defense, rather than playing to stay alive.  I'm especially thrilled with the development of Buffalo's corners playing a bit more press coverage (and I'm sure Kurupt will agree with me there).  It should continue to improve.

- I'm not fussed about Leodis McKelvin not seeing the field too much (or James Hardy, for that matter).  McKelvin is green, and the fact that the Bills can use guys like Bryan Scott or George Wilson as dime backs in the interim should they feel it necessary is helpful.  McKelvin's got to earn his keep, and it's nice to see a Bills rookie have to do that for once.  No longer are we counting on rookies to be big producers.  Now they're waiting in the wings and boosting our depth talent pool tremendously.

- I actually like the idea of playing with just three interior linemen, even if it means sacrificing John McCargo to the inactive list.  The rotation works well, and allows Buffalo's line to be bigger and more athletic.  Let's just hope that the stunted rotation doesn't compromise the health of any of its participants, most obviously Stroud.

- The Bills employed some of what we saw the New York Giants employ last season - four defensive ends on the line, standing up pre-snap.  Schobel, Chris Kelsay, Ryan Denney and Copeland Bryan were the participants (Kelsay and Denney lined up inside), and on the few snaps in which this occurred, it was effective - Bryan streaked in untouched to pressure Hasselbeck on one play.  This is what depth at defensive end does for you, and the Bills certainly have plenty of it.

Crowell likely finished as a member of the Bills (Photo Source)

Yesterday, the Buffalo Bills shocked their fan base when they announced that linebacker Angelo Crowell had been placed on Injured Reserve.  Though he had practiced just a day earlier and had participated in the Bills' pre-season victory over Indianapolis, Crowell chose to have surgery when his lingering knee injury was deemed too difficult to play on.

Now, the fact that Crowell is seeking a second opinion on his injured knee is, by and large, irrelevant.  Crowell's 2008 season is over, and as this is the final year of a contract extension he signed in 2005, he will become an unrestricted free agent - and his career with Buffalo is likely over.

Variety of Reasons Behind the Move
A source close to the team informs us that Buffalo's decision to end Crowell's season was not made lightly.  The team was concerned about the amount of time it would take Crowell to rehab; the standard line of 2-4 weeks post-arthroscopic surgery may not have applied to Crowell, as his injury was lingering, and the team feared that it may be without Crowell for up to three months.  Crowell's decision to seek a second opinion is likely to dispel the rumor that he's damaged goods now that his season is over.  It's important to note that Buffalo's medical staff was behind this decision, and that their concern about what could happen during Crowell's rehab was the motivating factor behind the decision.  Had they waited for Crowell's rehab to begin and then knew that his out time would be substantial, they'd have been taking a huge risk.

The team also feared that Crowell had ulterior motives in sitting out - namely, his contract.  The team feels that Crowell made his decision with the idea that he'd miss part of the season, get completely healthy, and have a productive go of it once he returned in order to maximize his contract value.  That's not entirely unreasonable to believe given the circumstances.  The team's decision to IR Crowell was not made, however, to prevent him from maximizing his contract value.

Not a Part of Long-Term Plans
In short, the Bills' current regime - led by head coach Dick Jauron - has never been overly enamored with Crowell since taking over the team in 2006.  Crowell has been a productive player in his time, to be sure, and he was certainly good enough to be a starter here, but the coaches have never felt he gave it his all, both on and off the field.  That's not to say they view him as a "me-first" player; he just doesn't display some of the traits that the team's leaders do, particularly in work ethic.  He's also not viewed as the most intelligent of players, especially in coverage.  It boils down to this: the Bills viewed Crowell as good enough to start in 2008, but he wasn't in the team's long-term plans.

The fact that Crowell's decision was spur-of-the-moment brought the situation to a head.  Our source tells us that once Crowell's decision was made, the Bills were faced with an ultimatum: wait for Crowell and possibly play a double-digit number of football games with only 52 players, or put him on IR, let him get healthy, and wish him well.  In the end, the decision wasn't exactly easy, but it was probably the right one - if Crowell is a lame duck and the team wasn't happy with him, what gain is there to waiting for him to return, especially if his motives are more contractual-based than team-based?  The Bills' duty is to the team, not the player, and if Keith Ellison is more dedicated to the team than Crowell is - and isn't considered a huge drop-off - then you do what's best for the team.  It's that simple.

Bills Leaders Upset with Crowell?
Don't forget, either, that some of the popular players mentioned as possible releases in lieu of losing Crowell - such as DE Copeland Bryan or OT Matt Murphy - earned their keep.  They're team-first guys; Murphy in particular has proven to be the antithesis to Crowell, struggling to play through a shoulder injury for the good of the team.  There's a difference between "hurt" and "injured", folks.  Crowell is hurt; he can clearly play on the injury, as he did so literally a day before deciding to have surgery.  Meanwhile, Murphy is gutting it out, and guys like Ryan Denney, Chris Kelsay and even Ellison played through actual injuries last season - our source says "they were virtual cripples" - all for the sake of the team.  Our source reveals that several key players - leaders - aren't happy with Crowell's decision at all.

Ultimately, what's important to know about Crowell is this: he was, in essence, a lame duck player that wasn't necessarily a part of the team's long-term plans.  We fans can have our opinions on the matter, but ultimately, the team is excited about what Keith Ellison can do as a starter on the strong side.  Any notions that the team made this move to cut costs or punish Crowell for pulling a surprise on them are completely and utterly false - they did it because of the nature of Crowell's injury and the fact that they didn't want to wait for a guy who might not be putting the team first.  It's not the prettiest of situations, but as they've done many other times, the Bills made the right decision in this matter.  It was a hard decision, but it was right.

QB Trent Edwards, DE Chris Kelsay at Bills camp (Courtesy twoeightnine)

The Buffalo Bills held their first night practice of 2008 training camp last night at St. John Fisher College, and I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend the festivities.  With pen and pad in hand, I spent the majority of my night frantically taking as many notes as possible.  It was a beautiful night, but unfortunately, I was not overly impressed by what I saw from our team.  Here are some observations, from units to players to coaches, that I hope you'll find useful (this could get long):

Edwards Struggles
For all the good that we've heard from Trent Edwards this early in camp, I saw a guy who struggled a lot last night.  He did mention post-practice that what the team was running last night was a whole bunch of new plays, which may have been the reason he looked so poor.  But he was missing receivers high, he was bouncing throws off the turf, and he was very obviously distraught at last night's misgivings.  He didn't show emotion like J.P. Losman used to, but you could definitely tell he was frustrated.  He did, however, make some very nice throws, including a couple nice deep balls.

Losman did not practice; his right thumb was taped up heavily.  He's also grown a very lovely beard this off-season.  Maybe he thinks Edwards' rookie beard is what caused him to lose his job?

Lynch (and Jackson) Looking Impressive
I absolutely loved what I saw out of Marshawn Lynch last night.  He looks more powerful and more agile than he was as a rookie.  Put aside anything you hear about Lynch's breakaway speed - I'm going to chalk that up to Lynch being beaten down by the rigors of his first NFL season.  The guy looked like a superstar in the making.  He also dove into the end zone for a touchdown (probably unnecessarily), drawing a big cheer from the gigantic crowd.

Interestingly, Turk Schonert had Lynch split out wide in a couple of formations.  He looked good catching the ball, but his understudy, Fred Jackson, looked better.

Jackson won't ever be a guy who can carry a full rushing load, but he's got that Kenneth Davis feel about him - he's above average at everything he does, especially catching the football.  He looked smooth and confident last night, and his style is different from that of Lynch.  They're going to complement each other very well.

Receiver/Tight End Notes
I came away with the impression on James Hardy that I thought I was going to come away with: this kid is going to struggle in a big way between the twenties this year.  He's still not a great route-runner, and looks positively sloth-like getting out of some of his breaks, especially on out routes.  But the dude is just straight up huge.  He'll make plays simply because he's big.  But from the looks of things right now, Josh Reed (who looked good as usual) seems like he's got a lock on the starting spot.  My guess is that Reed will play between the twenties, with Hardy being a mainstay on the field in the red zone.

Out of all of Buffalo's receivers, I came away most impressed by undrafted rookie free agent Jason Jones.  He comes from a very small school (Arkansas Pine-Bluff), but he was making some of Buffalo's corners look silly in one-on-one drills.  He's a smooth route-runner and shows great hands; he even blew past Will James on a beautifully executed deep route at one point.  I'm very interested to see how he performs in pre-season games.

At tight end, Derek Schouman and Robert Royal are light-years ahead of the competition.  They're easily the two most fluid athletes at the position.  Yes, Robert Royal makes Derek Fine and Courtney Anderson look unathletic.  I liked the way that Schouman and Royal played when they were together on the field.  Together, they might be productive enough to make us not hate the fact that they didn't draft a more athletic tight end this past April.

O-Line... well, they just need Jason Peters
Kirk Chambers better not be Buffalo's starting left tackle come opening day; I don't think I saw him successfully block Aaron Schobel in one-on-one drills once.  He's a tough blocker in the running game, but his pass protection is, well, poor.  Here's hoping that Jason Peters is back in camp before long...

The line struggled a bit in pass protection.  In 7-on-7 and 11-on-11, Edwards had the pocket collapse on him a couple times; he was forced to throw the ball away once or twice, and made some bad throws while pressured as well.  There were some holes for the team's running backs, though.

Offensive line coach Sean Kugler was working hard with rookie Demetrius Bell on his stance and pass pro technique.  Langston Walker was chipping in with some advice as well.  Bell looks ultra-athletic, but he was the greenest guy on the field by a long shot.  He's certainly a practice squad player at this point, but he's got big upside if the coaches can harness some of that athleticism.

D-Line Looks Fantastic
Buffalo's revamped defensive line looked outstanding, including the much-maligned (here, at least) starting defensive ends.  The unit was fast, powerful and disruptive - and that included the second unit line as well.

Marcus Stroud can't be blocked by one guy.  He just can't.  He's not a big guy, but his center of gravity is low, and he got a significant push every single play.  He pancaked Brad Butler in a one-on-one drill, and in some double team drills, he was able to slip blocks and get a push in most instances.

I loved the fact that John McCargo was following Stroud around like some sort of gigantic puppy.  Stroud was working with McCargo for a few minutes on block-shedding moves; it's good to see a vet helping out a talented youngster.  Those two looked great working together inside when they got to play together.  (For the record, Edwards and Evans were seen throwing off to the side as well.  They looked rather chummy.)

Copeland Bryan ran with the twos, pushing Chris Ellis to third team end, but I don't expect that to last long.  Ellis is green - he lacks lower body strength, so he certainly won't be playing on early downs - but Bryan was pedestrian.  Ellis should pass him on the depth chart by the end of camp.

Crowell Sits; Young LBs Looking Good
Angelo Crowell missed the practice; he had a wrap on his left knee and came out in shorts.  He watched the entire practice from the sidelines.  Keith Ellison replaced him on the strong side; Marcus Buggs took Ellison's spot with the second unit.

Speaking of Buggs, he has a very realistic shot at making this team.  He made one or two very nice hits in punt coverage drills, and while he's small, he looks like a very good athlete.  He's another young guy to keep your eyes on during pre-season action.

Paul Posluszny looked good.  He looks like he's in the best shape of his life, and, to be frank, like he could snap most of the Bills' receivers in half with a good lick.  He and Lynch are easily the team's most popular players.

Defensive Back Notes: Simpson Dinged
Ko Simpson left practice early with an apparent injury to his surgically repaired ankle.  He was walking on it fine on the sidelines, but he clearly was uncomfortable.  We'll see if he practices today.  To no one's surprise, George Wilson took his place with the top unit; he looks far more comfortable back there than he did last season.  He was making a few hits as well.

It was only his second practice, but Leodis McKelvin continued to struggle.  He looked better than what we heard in one-on-one coverage drills, but you can tell his ball skills are lacking.  He'll blanket a receiver, but he's not instinctual in knowing when to turn his head.  He's very good at making plays coming forward, however.  He also looked great returning punts (even earning the very loud praise of Bobby April on one return), and in positional drills, you can tell just how good an athlete the kid is.  He's very technical in his agility (read: amazing footwork), and when that can translate better to covering receivers, he should be outstanding.

Will James struggled.  A lot.  He repeatedly got burned deep covering receivers in single coverage.  He's still probably a lock to be the team's nickel corner on opening weekend.  Terrence McGee and Jabari Greer seem entrenched as the starters, and that shouldn't change any time soon.  Reggie Corner was actually playing ahead of McKelvin in dime packages; McKelvin played outside with the second unit.  I expect McKelvin to take James' nickel spot early in the season, and Corner is a bigger factor in this equation than many people tend to believe.

Ashton Youboty is very clearly the team's sixth corner - and I thought he looked very good.  He blatantly held Jason Jones in single coverage during one drill, but also made a nice break to intercept a pass in front of Felton Huggins.  He's much more physical than some of Buffalo's young guys, as well.  I hope he stays on the team - he's still got a world of talent.

General Observations
I love watching Perry Fewell and Bobby April coach.  They're loud, funny, and they get their guys moving hard.  Their units were easily the two strongest on the field last night.

The offense struggled mightily last night, but you can tell that Turk Schonert's offensive system will be better than Steve Fairchild's.  The tempo is faster, Edwards looks much more comfortable, and more guys are getting involved in the passing game (most notably Roscoe Parrish).

Overall, I wasn't a huge fan of the night practice experience.  Perhaps it was the idea that I had to go to work the next morning.  But it was good seeing the guys in Bills colors, and it was even better to hear the crowd chanting and reacting to what was going on on the field.  It was a good time.

The Bills practice from 1:00 to 3:05 today.  Buffalo Rumblings will recap the day's action later this afternoon.

Schobel looking to rebound from subpar '07 season (Photo Source)

Prior to the 2008 NFL Draft - in fact, prior to the free agent signing period of this past March - we took a look at the Buffalo Bills' roster position by position, breaking down then-current personnel, finding holes, and building our community needs list.

Now that free agency and the Draft have been completed, and the Bills have infused their roster with new talent, it's time to repeat our process.  Where has Buffalo gotten better?  Where have they gotten worse?  How will additions impact which Bills veterans remain on the roster?  These are questions that we'll attempt to answer over the next week or so.

We continue those discussions today with an examination of Buffalo's defensive ends.  To view our previous discussions on Buffalo's DE situation (pre-off-season), bang it here.

Aaron Schobel: A 2007 Pro Bowl alternate, Schobel is coming off of his most puzzling season to date - Schobel has retained the respect of his peers for becoming far more consistent and a better all-around player, but it's not often that a player earns a trip to Honolulu after notching only 6.5 sacks.  Schobel is an excellent defensive end, but he can't do the job by himself.  In 2006, the left end platoon (see next two names) combined for 11.5 sacks; in '07, that number dropped to 3.5.  No wonder Schobel had trouble replicating his 14-sack '06 output.

Schobel is the Bills' best run end and their best pass rusher.  He'll need to become a much more explosive threat in 2008 if this defense is going to work, however.  He'll be able to do that if some of his running mates step up their play.

Chris Kelsay: A defensive team captain, Kelsay is statistically one of Buffalo's biggest underachievers.  Sure, he's a good player to have on a team - hard worker, tough guy, solid person, good leader.  But Kelsay's 2.5 sacks are a pitiful amount for a starting end, and his inability to rush the passer hurt Schobel's production severely last season.

Kelsay does make the occasional big play - see his tipped pass/interception for TD against the Cowboys last season as an example - but the team would be better served if Kelsay played a situational role.  He's not a starting-caliber end, especially in a Cover 2 defense, and his presence does more harm for Schobel than it helps the defense.

Ryan Denney: See Kelsay, Chris, but add two years and a serious foot injury.  Seriously, these guys could be carbon copies of each other - Denney is a smart, tough football player, and his height makes him an asset on passing downs as an inside rusher and on special teams, but he's only notched 7 sacks in the past two seasons (Kelsay, for the record, has 8 in that time span).  Denney is 30.  This may be his last season as a Bill.

Copeland Bryan: Talk about a waste of a roster spot - Bryan, who was drafted by the Chicago Bears, was acquired by the Bills prior to Week 2 last season after the team decided to release Eric Powell.  Keep in mind that this occurred while the Bills were desperately thin at end - Denney was injured, Anthony Hargrove was suspended, and reserve DT Jason Jefferson was playing end on run downs.

Bryan did not play in that Week 2 loss to Pittsburgh.  He wouldn't play a down for Buffalo until October 28, and ended up playing in a whopping two games for the Bills.  He recorded one special teams tackle in his first season in Buffalo.  Hello, Chris Ellis.

Shaun Nua: Nua is a product of the Steelers' system that spent the last month of the '07 season on the practice squad.  He's not an ideal fit for this defense at end or tackle, and he'll likely be a training camp roster casualty.

Ryan Neill: In the mold of Kelsay and Denney, Neill offers very little at the NFL level in terms of defensive end play.  He is, however, an excellent special teams player - and not just because he's the team's long snapper.  Neill struggled in the elements in his first year as the full-time long snapper, but in general, he performed pretty well in that capacity and should continue to get better.  At this point, he's a virtual lock for the roster.

The Additions: Chris Ellis
There's an unusual amount of pressure on Ellis to perform this coming season as a rookie third-round pick.  It may not be fair, but it's necessary - Ellis is by leaps and bounds the best natural athlete at defensive end on Buffalo's roster and will be counted on to be a situational pass rusher in his rookie season.  Blessed with excellent quickness and a good first step, he should make an impact early - and he's got the potential to be a top-flight starter given time to develop.  I'm really excited about this kid.

The Subtractions: Anthony Hargrove, Al Wallace
These guys won't be missed.  Hargrove is currently out of the league - he is without team and will likely be suspended for the entire '08 season after yet another substance abuse issue.  Wallace looked like he was going to be a nice veteran addition during last pre-season, but a knee injury landed him on IR and he wasn't re-signed.  The Bills will be fine without these guys on the roster.

Pre-Season Outlook: One thing is certain - even with very minor changes within this positional group, there's more healthy talent here than there was last season.  Denney has been participating in OTAs, signifying his return to full health from his foot injury, and Ellis should provide a nice energy boost - especially on pass downs, when Schobel needs the most help.  I actually like the mix of talent here - Schobel and Ellis are the pass rush guys, Kelsay and Denney are the hustle guys with grit.

If the talent here is utilized correctly, this group could be serviceable.  Not elite, but serviceable - and far better than they performed as a unit last season.  And, of course, the help brought in at other positions - specifically the two defensive tackles we acquired - should help as well.

Change: Energy internally; external help.

As always, your thoughts and opinions on this analysis are welcome and encouraged in the comments section.

Stroud will be counted on as leader in '08 (Photo Source)

Leadership may be a bit of a cliche when it comes to discussing NFL rosters, but the fact of the matter is that good NFL teams have good leaders.  Whether that leadership comes in the form of coaching, star quarterbacks or even punters, NFL rosters these days are so full of young players that it takes a certain type of leadership structure to get the most out of that inexperienced talent.  Just look at how the leadership of the 2007 New York Giants milked outstanding play out of several rookies en route to their Super Bowl championship.

With one of the youngest rosters in the league, where does Buffalo's leadership come from?  That's the question we'll attempt to answer this morning.  Due to the youth of the roster, especially at key positions, Buffalo's roster leadership structure is slightly different than those of teams like the Patriots and Colts, who have natural leaders at the quarterback position.  The Bills have players that they rely on, but each goes about his leadership duties in different manners.

Locker Room Leaders
Being a team built on high-character standards, the Bills have a locker room full of hard workers that are relentless on the football field (even if those types of players aren't routinely spectacular on the field).  But even amongst this group, there are players that stick out.  OT Jason Peters is a former undrafted free agent who has worked himself into a Pro Bowl left tackle (hear that, Marshall Faulk?).  That fact, coupled with his work ethic, make him a role model for Buffalo's younger players.

Punter Brian Moorman and defensive end Chris Kelsay were both team captains last year and figure to serve in that capacity again.  Moorman has been one of the NFL's elite punters for multiple seasons at this point, making him a leader by example (though he could stand to regain some consistency in '08).  Kelsay is a classic blue-collar worker who is on the field simply because of his hustle.  Sure, we as Bills fans would like to see more statistical production out of him, but those types of players earn the admiration of their teammates.  Kelsay is looked up to.

Models of Consistency
Any player that performs well week in and week out, especially statistically, becomes a leader by default.  Last year, then-rookie running back Marshawn Lynch became that player for Buffalo's offense.  Despite having to play in games where he was literally the only source of offensive yardage for his team, Lynch never rushed for fewer than 63 yards in a game - and that came in a Week 2 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Lynch will need to be as consistent in '08 as he was in '07, all the while increasing statistical production.  That's a tall task.

Defensively, Buffalo's model of consistency is linebacker Angelo Crowell.  He's not the league's best linebacker, and he has off days, but in general, Crowell was Buffalo's best defender last year.  Entering the final year of his contract, Crowell's production is expected to increase and become even more consistent as he plays for a new deal.  That may sound selfish on the surface, but if he plays well, it helps out young Bills defenders, specifically Paul Posluszny.

Energizer Bunnies
These types of players are the guys who are either the "big play" guys, or the guys you see romping up and down the sidelines and on the field, jawing at opponents and teammates alike and getting the crowd fired up.  The prior, in Buffalo's arsenal, is wide receiver Lee Evans.  The Bills need more out of their top receiver production-wise, but if the team is looking for a big play, they're targeting Evans.  Defensively, the "ra ra" guy is strong safety Donte Whitner, another player that needs to up his production in '08.  Both Evans and Whitner are elite talents, but neither made many big plays last season.  When these guys are on - both in the leadership department as well as making plays on the field - the Bills are going to be very difficult to beat.  Evans and Whitner hold the keys to Buffalo's offense and defense, respectively.

Buffalo's return specialists will be counted on to provide big plays and team energy this season as well.  Terrence McGee and Roscoe Parrish have done that for the better part of three seasons as one of the elite return duos in the league.  Adding a third explosive returner in top draft pick Leodis McKelvin only adds to the big-play potential of Buffalo's return units; this unit will be incredibly difficult for opposing teams to game plan against, and these three guys have to make big plays to help out the team's developing offense.

Clutch Performers
Ultimately, considering the style of football the Bills play offensively and defensively, the Bills are going to have to rely on guys in the clutch.  The Bills will be playing a lot of close games - just like they did in '07 - and they'll need excellent play from two players in particular to win those tight games.  Defensively, that player is Marcus Stroud - as the "big-name" addition being billed as the guy who will save Buffalo's defense, he'll ultimately shoulder the glory or the blame in tight situations.

You didn't think I'd go an entire leadership post without mentioning quarterback, right?  Trent Edwards, as a second-year starting quarterback, likely won't be asked to shoulder all of the leadership responsibilities of this team - yet.  He needs to concentrate on scoring touchdowns first.  But in those close games, no matter if your quarterback's name is Brady or Rob Johnson, quarterbacks must perform.  Edwards showed flashes of an ability to perform in the clutch last season in a win at Washington and a near-miss on a desperate final drive in Cleveland.  He needs to improve by leaps and bounds in this area.  But like Stroud, he'll ultimately shoulder the responsibility in late-game situations.

Buffalo has a wide-spread and varied leadership tree on their roster.  Whether that structure leads to more wins, however, remains to be seen.