Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael McMasters

Who's to Blame? Options, Options, Options

Michael McMasters — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:59:12 -0400

24-25.

That's it, folks. That's the final score.

Whether you threw something through your television, broke down and cried, or laughed it off with a typical "what do you expect, it's Buffalo" joke, Buffalo played their hearts out, were expecting to win it—not just keep it close—but in the waning moments broke your heart just one more time.

So, who's to blame?

It’s not just one man that cost this team the win, quite a few guys cost the Bills this one.

Let’s start with Terrell Owens. Where was he? I know the game plan was to get the ball in Fred Jackson’s hands, but two receptions for 46 yards—while it's actually great Y.P.C.—won’t get it done. A drop on third down was critical; Buffalo has to sustain drives if they want playoffs this year. Owens has suspect hands, and it showed.

Lee Evans also dropped a pass on third down, and even though it is uncharacteristic of him, it is not acceptable. Why wasn’t Josh Reed, Mr. Reliable, making those crucial third down catches? He made one and wouldn’t you know it, it got called back. Other than that, Reed wasn’t a target.

Overall execution and third down conversions were huge. Buffalo only completed 40 percent of their third downs and had a grand total of 276 yards to New England’s 441.

Which brings us to the next point: the offensive line actually held up okay. Edwards got sacked four times, but for the most part, he had time and put the ball on the money. It’s nice to see him make smart decisions.

Penalties killed the Bills' offense, though. Demetrius Bell in particular looked green. He had a holding penalty and two illegal formation penalties called against him. He also gave up two of the four sacks Edwards took.

I’m not saying he was horrible, but he’s got a long way to go. The good thing is he’s young and so are the guys around him, and so in time, this line can really grow together. Upside is there, so keep your chin up rook(s).

Outside of the fourth quarter, Buffalo’s pass rush was pretty good. Aaron Schobel had arguably the greatest game of his career with the sack and pick-six. Schobel is still the DE that plays Tom Brady best.

Aaron Maybin didn’t look like a world beater, but he certainly showed promise at times. He runs fast and is always moving, even if he is getting engulfed by much bigger offensive linemen. You also have to add into account that he was put in strictly situational roles throughout most of the game.

The DBs gave up the dink and dunk, though. Randy Moss and Wes Welker both combined for 24 completions for over 200 yards. Nobody can really be sold on the way Buffalo plays their pass coverage. They give too much of a cushion and don’t play enough press.

Against the run, Buffalo did a pretty good job, but they need to find a way to force the opposing team to run the ball if they want to win games because they absolutely cannot stop the pass.

Brady threw two touchdowns and guess what: It was the exact same play call, and the ball went to the exact same player, Ben Watson. Keith Ellison did a nice job trailing Watson, but he gave up those big plays, which should make Bills fans uncomfortable now that Paul Posluszny is out indefinitely with a broken arm.

Finally, Leodis Mckelvin should have never taken that ball out of the end zone. You really can’t place any blame on him for being aggressive and having that win-the-game mentality. But if you have that mentality, you must protect the football. He failed to do this.

Now, there are rumors about a player on Buffalo’s squad house being vandalized because of the loss and if that’s true, it’s a very class-less act.

Who could it be?

Bell, for all his penalties and sacks? McKelvin, for the fumble? Or Ellison, for giving up two big touchdowns on the exact same play call? Or was it somebody else entirely?

Word will get out eventually. Ultimately though, the team lost; this is a team sport. Buffalo could have won the game, but in the waning minutes of the game, instead of putting the heat on Brady, they chose to drop seven and rush four. It should have been the other way around.

Rush seven, drop four; that’s playing to win when you need a win with your defense. Dick Jauron and Perry Fewell would do well to remember that next time.

Offensive Problems: Aaron Maybin Is the First Step To the Solution

Michael McMasters — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 01:50:04 -0400

QUESTION:

How could a defensive player be a solution to the offense’s problem?

ANSWER:

The Bills defensive player would have to contribute towards keeping the opposing offense off the field and off the scoreboard.

CONCLUSION:

The Bills starting defense held Pittsburgh to 10 points in one half of football. Trent Edwards gave them another seven.

How ironic that is. Have you ever given your seven game? A J.P. Losman seven game? Is Edwards turning into flash in the pan? He showed signs as a rookie than faltered as a second-year man down the stretch and now he is showing a horrible grasp for pressure and poorly anticipates throws.

So…

17-0. That’s the final score of Pittsburgh vs. Buffalo. For the second time in a row Buffalo showed that they can’t score on offense, they can’t sustain offensive drives, they can’t put consistent pressure on opposing QB’s, and their pass defense looked putrid.

It starts with Trent Edwards. He played bad, so bad that the coaching staff should honestly be considering Fitzpatrick as the starter.

Edwards would not pull the trigger for anything. He targeted Lee Evans once and Josh Reed once and guess what? Neither one of these guys were expecting the pass. Neither guy caught a pass.

Are these guys confused? It doesn’t seem like these players are in sync. The receivers are acting like they are decoys. They never seem to be expecting the ball to be thrown their way. Bills fans don’t expect Josh Reed to be in Buffalo after this year.

Don’t count on Edwards as your starting QB after this year either. Maybe he could develop into to a spot starter, but he sure as hell didn’t look like a starter.

If the season goes up in flames, look for Buffalo to look for their QB in next years draft. Jevan Snead, anybody?

Alright forget that for now. Terrell Owens won’t be thrilled if Edwards continues to play timid football. What will that do for Buffalo? Nothing. T.O. will walk out the door after this season and everybody who bought 81 will feel shortchanged.

Okay, okay, maybe that is a little harsh. Or maybe it isn’t. What are these preseason games really about? I would hope not a total embarrassment. You would think after 13 years Buffalo would find and answer at QB, but so far no good.

So let’s get to the bright spot. Aaron Maybin showed up big. There has been plenty of debate as to what he could do for the team and many people were saying he was undersized and weak. First game in and he got himself a sack.

He hustles. You can tell he wants it. He has a lot to learn about the pro game, but he seems to have the determination that you need to succeed. He was double covered on quite a few plays, but he somehow found ways to put some pressure on the QB. He seemed to be the only one, too.

Problem is Buffalo needs more than just Maybin on that defensive line. Where was Chris Kelsay, or Ryan Denney? This was a starter’s games. They sure didn’t look like starters.

Marcus Stroud sat as did Aaron Schobel, so it’s hard to gauge what this defense can really do. The Bills are still lacking a true dominant force in the middle of the defensive line and they should be thinking about getting replacements for the aforementioned Kelsay and Denney next year.

Honestly nobody really looked like a star in this game, at least not on Buffalo’s squad. Nobody besides Maybin really stood out. Jairus Byrd was okay. Marcus Buggs was making a case for himself as backup MLB.

Little known Marcus Smith totaled four tackles in the game. That was a tie for first with Chris Ellis on the D-Line. John McCargo burst through the line a couple times but was unable to come up with any tackles. He may find himself getting cut.

The secondary was getting burned. Reggie Corner was abused. Hines Ward schooled him so bad. There is a reason that he had seven tackles in the game. McKelvin wasn’t outstanding either.

As usual Donte Whitner was everywhere. He really flies to the football. This is no joke. He usually takes the correct angles to the ball carrier as well. Anybody calling Donte Whitner a bust is fooling themselves.

Outside of Paul Posluszny the only guy I trust to make a tackle on the entire Bills defense is Whitner. Kawika Mitchell is a solid tackler, but he has been known to take bad angles at times.

Final assessment: The Bills just aren’t physical enough. Instead of letting the defense dictate what you do, make the defense react to what your offense is bringing. That’s what the offense needs.

Defensively Buffalo needs to tighten up in the trenches and jam the receivers and then maybe you bring a ball game.

Punishment Bias: Marshall Walks, Marshawn Chalks

Michael McMasters — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:27:56 -0400

Various news stations are reporting at this time that Marshawn Lynch’s three game suspension will be upheld. For you diehard Bills fans this feels like a blow below the belt.

For one, Lynch is an integral part of this offense and is a force that should be reckoned with every Sunday, and two, this sentence seems a little harsh considering it is only one of two completely unrelated incidents Lynch has been involved in since joining the Buffalo Bills in 2007.

Maybe there is a pattern. Yet, if there is a pattern, than why is it Brandon Marshall, footballs equivalent to Chris Brown, gets a free pass? How many run-ins with the law has he had? Here’s a good answer, you can’t count them with just your hands.

So why is NFL commissioner Roger Goodell taking a relatively lax stance with Marshall, while slapping Lynch harder than when Brown took shots at Rihanna?

It seems to me that Goodell wants to come down hard on gun possession in light of Plaxico Burress’ case, but doesn’t seem to care for the issue of domestic violence.

Let’s review the facts of Lynch’s case. He was with a group of friends when police pulled up to his vehicle they picked up a scent of marijuana and decided to approach Lynch and his friends.

They searched the vehicle and found marijuana cigarettes in the vehicles ashtray prompting them to search the remainder of the vehicle. They found a pistol in a backpack in the trunk of Lynch’s car.

Now in all probability the gun is used for life threatening and self defense purposes only. Think about it, the gun isn’t in the glove box, it’s not on his person, and it certainly isn’t being used to threaten anyone.

The man is from Oakland, if you think he wouldn’t have a gun, coming from where he’s from, you are sadly naïve.

The hypocrisy of the whole situation should utterly disgust anyone who is against gun control. Maybe it’s just me, but owning a pistol is a little less condemning in my eyes than assaulting helpless women.

Ultimately it can do Lynch some good, he chalks it up as a learning experience and doesn’t make the same mistakes again, while Marshall walks and is doomed to make the same mistakes over and over again.

Maybe Goodell thinks its redundant to punish Marshall, while there is hope for Marshawn.

Who knows what goes on in the mind on the Roger “The Enforcer” Goodell?

Media Love/Hate? Sick of Edwards Having to Talk About T.O

Michael McMasters — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:09:41 -0400

At the plate, I love what Terrell Owens brings to the football field. I like how over his career he has done so many incredible and questionable things. From running over Ray Lewis, to the star crucifixion, and the gutsy performance in Super Bowl XXXIX, T.O has had one wild ride in the N.F.L.

And it’s not over. Not yet, anyway. For all that Owens has brought to the game of football he hasn’t achieved the ultimate goal, a Super Bowl title. So why hasn’t there been any talk of this? Buffalo hasn’t been to the playoffs in a decade

Why must fans hear the same questions directed to Trent Edwards over and over again? Are you worried about how Terrell Owens will affect your football team? Have you spoken to quarterbacks that Owens has worked with in the past?

We all understand that T.O is the biggest thing to happen to Buffalo since, well Drew Bledsoe. Getting the key to the city before ever playing a down in a Bills' uniform is certainly making Byron Brown look like a sycophant, as does mobs of people at airports and the neighborhood grocery market.

Now if I feel this, won’t the players feel the same way? Who is the true leader of this locker-room now? I have a feeling it isn’t Trent Edwards. When does there come a point where we sit down and say enough is enough?

I say this because I genuinely feel that there is enough hype surrounding Buffalo now. Or at least there has been enough media coverage of Owens and maybe fans would like to hear from somebody else for a change.

I know, I know, there isn’t another superstar to talk about. Well that could change this season. If all else, stop handing the microphone to Edwards to talk about Owens and hand it to somebody else to talk about him.

How about getting Marshawn Lynch for an interview? Fred Jackson? An offensive lineman? Turk Schonert? I know all the big media sources just want the big names, but it would really help if they would diversify.

I guess the only thing I can say is the local media are the only ones who get it right. Maybe I should stop watching ESPN, reiterating information is getting bland.

Here’s another good question: How are the other receivers taking all the T.O chatter? I know they haven’t proven half of what T.O has, but come on now every other Bills receiver has been here their entire professional career. Don’t they get a little love?

If the larger media outlets would focus on smaller issues it would make for a better presentation. Of course the flip side would be we could hear hours and hours of information about the Pittsburgh Pirates on ESPN, and I’m sure nobody outside of Pittsburgh wants to hear that.

So in retrospect we can thank the big media guys, because as big as they are, they are usually the slowest to the hot story and usually never have the best information.

Here’s to the rest of the Buffalo Bills roster, keep flying under the radar.

Public Relations for Michael Vick: Terrell Owens Says He Should Play

Michael McMasters — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:40:21 -0400

Okay, this is something interesting to chew on: Mike Vick in a Buffalo Bills uniform.

There has been plenty of talk as to where Mike Vick will end up for the 2009 season, and so far the experts are saying Oakland or Jacksonville, and quite possibly Tampa Bay.

Well, why not Buffalo?

Okay, your first reaction as a fan may be, "What are you, crazy? We don’t need Vick, we have Trent Edwards." Or here’s a better response—getting Mike Vick would be like beating a dead dog. What would be the point?

In any case, the point would be that this is a copy-cat league, and if the Wild-Cat formation can be effectively used, other teams will be sure to follow suit.

NFL.com is reporting breaking news today that Vick will be able to play in the NFL this year. He can practice with whatever team decides to pick him up, and he is eligible to play the final two weeks of preseason. He may not be able to suit up for regular season games until October, but he can still practice with the team.

Terrell Owens has an interesting take on the Vick situation: "I think it’s unfortunate. I think the way the commissioner has handled it, I think it’s unfair to Michael Vick," said Owens.

"I think he’s done the time for what he’s done. I don’t think it’s really fair for him to be suspended four more games. That’s almost like kicking a dead horse in the ground. I think a lot of guys around the league need to speak up. I think the players union needs to step in because the guy’s already suffered so much. To add a four-game suspension on a two-year prison sentence, that’s ridiculous."

Owens also had some interesting comments about whether he would care if Vick was a teammate. "Well, why not?" asked Owens. "Again, Michael Vick is a guy that really hasn’t had any character issues besides what he got a prison sentence for, so why not?"

Throw in some rumors that have been circling around training camp that Fred Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, and Leodis McKelvin were lining up in Wild-Cat formation and you get the general idea on why the Vick questions keep coming up in Bills training camp.

Adding Vick to Buffalo’s offense would bring a whole different bag of tricks and treats to confuse and befuddle defensive coordinators. Remember not to bring your Droopy costume to the party.

At worst, Vick could come in and help Buffalo prepare for some of the things Miami will be trying to do now with the addition of Pat White. At best, Vick could contribute to this team as a slash player—sometimes QB, sometimes HB, sometimes WR.

There really is nothing Vick can do to harm this team. Jauron and Co. need to win now, and any player that can make this team better would surely be a welcome addition.

Getting Vick would be relatively easy considering there may not be a whole lot of teams out there interested in him, but if there is one guy who is advocating for his reinstatement, it’s T.O.

Who knows how much of an impact T.O. will have on the average fans perception, but if anything he could soften the blow to a surprise signing by the Buffalo Bills.

Vick would probably play for the veteran minimum, so it really can’t hurt to throw him a bone.

Finding the Best 11: Defensive Schemes Buffalo Could Be Running (Part I)

Michael McMasters — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:34:10 -0400

The Tampa 2, that’s what Buffalo’s base scheme is. It consists of smaller, speedier guys that fly to football with ease and employ the bend but don’t break philosophy. But what if there is something more?

Something that has been brewing and is being tweaked, tested, and tinkered with—occasionally on game days—the past three years under Dick Jauron.

Jauron likes to take a one step at a time approach; he prefers to have his players learn different facets of the game at his pace, rather than overwhelming his squad.

When you look at the majority of Jauron’s defensive player selection, he goes for guys that can play multiple positions.

So let’s take a look at his team: draft selections, free agency selections, and inherited players.

*Due to the sheer size of this piece, it will be running as a four part article. First the team, then the scheme.

DRAFT SELECTIONS

Donte Whitner, Ohio State, FS/SS, 5’10, 208 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2006 NFL DRAFT, RD 1, PICK 8

Donte Whitner, Jauron’s first ever selection as Buffalo’s head coach, can play SS, FS, NB, and can even get the team out of a jam playing outside CB. It helps that he has an exceptional burst and that he likes to play mean.

Certain fans of the team like to rag on Whitner’s play due to a lack of big turnover plays. Perhaps this is the year Whitner starts dominating the defensive backfield.

John McCargo, NC State, UT/NT, 6’2, 307 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2006 NFL DRAFT, RD 1, PICK 26

John McCargo—the unheralded DT out of N.C. State—can play UT in a 4-3 and most likely DE in a 3-4. The problem with him is health history and desire. Potential is the number one word associated with McCargo.

Unfortunately, a certain adjective called "realized" can’t be placed next to him. He should realize that now that Bob Sanders is here, teaching defensive line techniques such as counter moves, he has no excuses not to perform.

Ashton Youboty, Ohio State, CB, 5’11, 189 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2006 NFL DRAFT, RD 3, PICK 70

Ashton Youboty’s career has been mired by one roadblock after another. In 2006 he lost his mother, which was a mental setback. In 2007 he battled for playing time, but was relegated to spot duty.

2008 looked to be a breakout year for Youboty, but Plantar fasciitis sidelined the promising NB’s career. Youboty has the size and speed to play both inside and outside corner positions.

He is another player that you can place in the untapped section.

Ko Simpson, South Carolina, FS, 6’1, 202 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2006 NFL DRAFT, RD 4, PICK 105

Ko Simpson showed promise his rookie season as he recorded 77 tackles, a forced fumble and two interceptions. Since breaking his ankle in the 2007 home opener against Denver, he has relatively been a non-factor on the field.

Simpson needs to have a solid camp or he may be cut due to a certain rookie emerging, or because of solid veteran play. Either way, Simpson is on a very hot seat.

He could play CB in a zone based scheme.

Kyle Williams, LSU, NT/UT, 6’1, 306 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2006 NFL DRAFT, RD 5, PICK 134

Kyle Williams has been viewed as a solid player since coming to Buffalo in 2006. He played in every game since becoming a Buffalo Bill, and has started 43 of those contests.

He could play NT or UT in 4-3 schemes and DE in a 3-4. This guy plays with a high motor. Although physically his potential is probably maxed out, his football IQ and awareness can continue to get better.

Keith Ellison, Oregon State, SLB/SS, 6’, 229 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2006 NFL DRAFT, RD 6, PICK 178

Keith Ellison is the perfect definition of an enigma. He isn’t quite quick enough to be a safety, and he isn’t quite big enough to be a linebacker. While he plays solid against the pass, he usually gets engulfed by blockers versus the run.

He is a solid spot-duty player who should be playing SS instead of SLB.

Paul Posluszny, Penn State, MLB, 6’1, 238 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2007 NFL DRAFT, RD 2, PICK 34

Paul Posluszny is the throwback to the old days. He possesses a good nose for the football and rare football intelligence. If there is ever a guy that is needed to stop the run, it’s him.

Although he was robbed of his rookie season, he bounced back in 2008 to achieve Buffalo’s Team MVP honors.

Posluszny can play MLB in either 4-3 or 3-4 schemes.

John Wendling, Wyoming, FS/SS/ST 6’1, 222 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2007 NFL DRAFT, RD 6, PICK 184

John Wendling so far has been nothing but a special teams gunning ace. His opportunities to contribute on defense just haven’t been there.

While he possesses outstanding athleticism, he hasn’t proven he can play good angles to the ball and might be considered a victim of the numbers game.

He could play SS or FS and possibly LB if he put on more muscle mass.

Leodis McKelvin, Troy, CB/ST 5’10, 184 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2008 NFL DRAFT, RD 1, PICK 11

Leodis McKelvin may be one of the most gifted players to ever put on a Bills uniform. Blessed with blazing speed and unnatural instincts, McKelvin finds ways to put points on the board when the ball is in his hands.

He is a more than capable KR, but needs to work on his coverage skills as a DB. If he can improve his hand eye coordination and his anticipation skills he could be an ALL-PRO CB.

He plays tough, too. He is not afraid to come up and tackle a RB.

Chris Ellis, Virginia Tech, OLB/DE 6’4, 261 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2008 NFL DRAFT, RD 3, PICK 72

Chris Ellis is a bit of an unknown heading into the 2009 season. His play was limited due to the plethora of veterans ahead of him on the depth chart. He also went down his rookie season with a high ankle sprain.

He could stand to get stronger in his upper body if he wants to take on the behemoth OL’s in the NFL. He does possess a very quick first step and may be a surprise contributor for the up coming season either as an OLB or a DE.

Reggie Corner, Akron, CB, 5’9, 175 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2008 NFL DRAFT, RD 4, PICK 114

Reggie Corner has been a bit of a surprise for the Buffalo Bills. He not only shut down Brandon Stokley on Denver’s opportunity for a game winning drive once, he did it twice.

He was not a heralded selection by Buffalo, due to his 5’9 frame. In fact, some experts last year were saying he wasn’t a draftable player.

This year, he has been the talk of the training camp and may end up winning the NB role. Don’t make the mistake of thinking he can’t play outside either. He matched up against James Hardy in college and fared well.

Alvin Bowen, Iowa State, SLB/SS, 6’1, 222 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2008 NFL DRAFT, RD 5, PICK 147

Alvin Bowen had an opportunity to take the starting SLB role last year when Angelo Crowell was put on IR. Unfortunately, Bowen himself suffered an ACL tear and would miss the entire season.

Bowen is another tweener that flies to the football. He isn’t quite big enough to be a SLB and he might not be fast enough to be a true SS. He should push for playing time at SLB, but he may not have the coverage skills to be considered a rover or SS.

Aaron Maybin, Penn State, DE/OLB, 6’4, 250 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2009 NFL DRAFT, RD 1, PICK 11

Aaron Maybin is one of those players that Buffalo needs to keep an eye on. He has all the potential in the world with his "always-on motor" and lightning first step. The problem with him is he is undersized. He played college ball at 225 and just recently added the mass to play in the NFL.

He struggled against bigger offensive lines and could stand to get stronger in his upper-body as well as better with his counter-moves and overall technique. The sky is the limit for him. Unfortunately, he is starting at ground zero. There just wasn’t a lot of production in college.

He could play OLB now and DE down the road with added size and strength.

Jairus Byrd, Oregon, FS/CB, 5’10, 200 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2009 NFL DRAFT, RD 2, PICK 42

Jairus Byrd is an interesting player. While he certainly isn’t the fastest DB on the field, he may very well be one of the smartest. As a CB at Oregon he played excellent bump and run with receivers and showed great ball awareness.

He could probably get Buffalo out of tight spots at NB and should be looked at as viable competition at FS. He also adds versatility in the return game.

Nic Harris, Oklahoma, SS/SLB, 6’2, 232 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2009 NFL DRAFT, RD 5, PICK 147

Nic Harris is another interesting choice made by the Buffalo Bills. He offers good versatility at LB and SS. He isn’t quite big enough to be a true LB and not quite fast enough to be a true SS.

He could prove to be a viable option as a rover in certain schemes and adequate enough to play SLB in others. It will be extremely interesting to see what Buffalo plans to do with him.

Cary Harris, USC, CB, 5’11, 187 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2009 NFL DRAFT, RD 6, PICK 183

Cary Harris is a zone corner who may suffer from the numbers game. He hasn’t had a chance to really show what he is capable of at the pro level thus far due to injuries. He is not afraid to make contact with RB’s and could provide solid depth, but if he can’t get past the nagging injuries he may be relegated to the practice squad, or ultimately getting cut.

Ellis Lankster, West Virginia, CB/S, 5’9, 191 lbs

HOW ACQUIRED: 2009 NFL DRAFT, RD 7, PICK 220

Ellis Lankster is the final draft selection made by Jauron thus far. In OTA’s all indications are that he could turn out to be a sleeper player that was overlooked because he didn’t have the experience on the field.

He has a knack for finding the football and could play a CB/S tweener role. He will be interesting to watch this season if he makes the final roster. He also offers some versatility in the return game.

That’s it for drafted players. Stay tuned for free agent signings and undrafted free agents.

Bringing the Sack Back: What Buffalo Needs to Contend

Michael McMasters — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:30:05 -0400

In the past three years under Dick Jauron, the Bills have struggled to get to the opposing QB. It’s no big secret. From 2006 to 2008 they have only managed to bring the QB down 90 times, and every year the sack total went down.

Now there could be a few reasons for the sack total decrease.

Maybe it’s the scheme that Jauron runs. Most of the time he relies on the front four to put pressure on the QB, while he occasionally sends a LB or a DB on a blitz. Either way, the play-calling has been predictable.

It’s time to take the training wheels off. The players in the system, although young, have the experience that’s needed. It’s time to start putting more on players' plates. Get innovative.

Jauron reportedly acknowledges this by mentioning running some 3-4 looks this season to Pat Kirwan of NFL.com.

What could a 3-4 defense do to help sack totals?

Well for starters rookie Aaron Maybin would surely benefit on passing downs. If asked to hold the point of attack or take on behemoth blockers, the coaching staff would be setting Maybin up to fail. He’s simply not big or strong enough to do those things yet.

By putting Maybin in as a rush LB this allows the coaching staff to take advantage of his lightning quick first step without taking on the big uglies.

Imagine Spencer Johnson and Marcus Stroud on the ends eating up blockers while Aaron Schobel and Aaron Maybin just come with the heat. On obvious passing downs this could prove to be quite effective.

The only reason the Bills can’t run the 3-4 full time is because they have no true NT that can eat up blocks in the middle. A man who plays NT takes a special type of talent and rare size.

Another reason the sack total could be on the decline might be the fact that the top three pass rushers are fighting a losing battle in age. Aaron Schobel turns 32 this season, Chris Kelsay will be 30, and Ryan Denney is already 32.

While they are all solid veterans, Schobel is the only proven sack artist. Kelsay and Denney are great point-of-attack holders and sound against the run, but offer next to nothing in a 3-4 scheme as both rely on power to get to the QB, not speed.

Simply put they are solid 4-3 DE's, but would not be big enough to be solid 3-4 DE's.

Schobel has a lot to prove himself, seeing as he is three years removed from his 14.5 sack season. He is coming back from his Lisfranc foot injury and only time will tell how effective he can be.

Another thing the coaching staff needs to do is get LB’s and DB’s more involved in blitz packages. Kawika Mitchell performs well when asked to blitz. Last year he tied for tops on the team with four sacks.

Getting guys like Paul Posluszny, Donte Whitner, Ashton Youboty, Reggie Corner and Brian Scott to run blitzes from all different angles of the field could prove beneficial to Buffalo’s success on thwarting offenses.

Scott and Whitner both bring the speed to where if they were coming off the blind side the opposing QB would never know what hit him.

Posluszny could run delayed blitzes and whether its Youboty or Corner at NB using them in certain passing situations to be an extra blitzer could prove to be beneficial.

All in all this pass rush isn’t ready to dominate like the New York Giants just yet. Those guys are positively stacked with young solid players like Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka.

If Buffalo could get close to 40 sacks and bring solid pressure next season that would positively affect so many facets of the defense. Turnovers would be generated whether it be forced fumbles or interceptions.

Not sure Buffalo is completely done rebuilding the D-Line just yet, with so many things they have left to do. They could still stand to draft future replacements at DE or rush LB’s next year. They could also stand to get a behemoth NT.

Let’s just hope for a winning season and maybe some playoff action. Jauron has built a solid core and it would be shame to watch him have to walk away from it.

So there is just one request, please Buffalo please, bring the sack back.

Is Rian Lindell Kicking His Way Out of a Job?

Michael McMasters — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:51:49 -0400

Rian Lindell holds a few records right now. His 261 consecutive extra points are the most for any kicker who has started his NFL career. He also holds a Bills record for field-goal percentage at 83.04.

The thing is, he misses kicks in big games that count. Not to say that any one game doesn’t count, but when the big-game pressure is on, Lindell seems to fold.

Going back to 2004, with the Bills in the playoff hunt, facing the Pittsburgh Steelers, Lindell is sent out for a potential nail in the coffin field goal to get into the promised land. What does Lindell do? He misses the kick.

In 2006, with an opportunity to get a huge upset over the Indianapolis Colts, J.P. Losman finds a way to get Lindell in field goal position. What happens? Lindell misses the kick. Indy wins 17-16.

In 2008, in a Monday Night Football game against the Cleveland Browns, Lindell is asked to step up and make the winning kick. Less than minute to go and Buffalo is down 29-27. What does Lindell do? He misses the kick.

In the same season, playing against the San Francisco 49ers, with windy conditions, Rian Lindell was asked numerous times to put points on the board. What does he do? He misses two kicks and the Bills fall 10-3.

Now putting all this into perspective, with the playoffs the goal this year, does Buffalo really want to march into the season with a shaky kicker?

The Indianapolis Colts have seen what happens when you do that. All you have to do is ask Mike Vanderjagt what happened to him after 2005? He sure didn’t kick the winning field goal for Indy in Super Bowl XLI. That was Adam Vinatieri.

Who knows with Lindell, but nobody in Bills Nation wants déjà vu. Another Scott Norwood reminder is something all Bills fans can live without.

Sorry Shawn: Look to the Derek's for Serious Contribution

Michael McMasters — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:34:05 -0400

There has been a lot of rave on how much of a steal Shawn Nelson has been for the Buffalo Bills in the fourth round of this years NFL draft. Sorry Shawn, maybe down the line but not this year.

Talent wise, climbing the ladder, making the tall grabs, stretching the seam, mismatches with smaller defenders, sounds great. Three problems exist though – raw blocking technique, lack of familiarity with NFL routes, and camaraderie with Trent Edwards.

Those three problems with Nelson are strengths of the Derek’s. They are familiar with Edwards, and they know what’s expected of them.

Derek Schouman a seventh-round pick in 2007 out of Boise State is slated to be the starting TE in training camp. He came in the same year as Edwards and probably knows him best.

Schouman has had some durability issues, he missed almost his entire rookie season due to a sprained ankle, but last year seeing time behind Robert Royal he managed to post a solid 10.2 YPC average and find the end-zone once.

Heavily contending for the starting role is Derek Fine. One of last years two fourth round selections out of Kansas. Buffalo made room for Fine to grow as a contributor by cutting Royal.

Fine is a solid in line blocker, who runs great underneath routes and possesses deceptive speed. Because he is a bit bigger than Schouman, he could be vying for the more traditional TE role, while Schouman takes on the H role.

Where Nelson will contribute this year is pulling defenders away from Terrell Owens and Lee Evans. There really aren’t enough balls to go around for him to have a huge statistical impact, but he can definitely run a fade up the middle and pull safeties.

Not saying Nelson can’t come in and make a contribution, but it will likely be a small one. Buffalo usually takes baby steps with their rookies, no reason to do it differently now.

T.O. Swagger: It's Just What The Doctor Ordered

Michael McMasters — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:33:22 -0400

Okay Bills fans, there is just one thing to do. Be prepared. What for you ask? Well the 2009 Buffalo Bills is going to be a lot different than the Buffalo Bills of old. Why do you say that? Well not sure if anybody has told you, but there’s a new swagger in town.

It’s called T.O.

Yes, that’s right, the “me” player you’ve all been waiting for has finally entered the building. The Bills haven’t had a “me” player of this level since the early 90s.

A group of well known doctors are prescribing T.O to cure a malignant tumor that already exists in the Bills locker room: LOSING.

T.O. may work for you if you are a consistent 7-9 team trying to get past a playoff slump.

T.O. may work for you if you are a young team looking for veteran leadership.

T.O. may work for you if your star receiver is constantly double and triple covered on a weekly basis.

T.O. may work for you if you are struggling to find the end-zone.

T.O. may work for you if there is no voice in the locker room to push you to the limit.

Side affects of T.O. may include but is not limited to; excessive touchdown celebrations, in your face competitiveness, media circus, pressure, ticket sales and WINNING.

Please do not take T.O. if you can’t handle pressure, do not prefer a competitive edge, already have a leader in the locker room, or can’t lead period.

See San Francisco, Philadelphia and Dallas.

Like all modern day medicine, it may work for you and it may not. In Buffalo’s case they’ve got nothing to lose.

Buffalo Bills: Young “D” Is the Key

Michael McMasters — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:11:36 -0400

Everybody is talking about how in 2009 the Buffalo Bills and its offense, led by Trent Edwards, is going to have to lead this team into the playoffs.

The news flash is Trent Edwards and Turk Schonert are baby-stepping their way into improvements.

The point is if the Bills get anywhere it’s because their defense got them there.

You can argue any way you want to, but Dick Jauron is a defensive minded coach who preaches ball control and sound defensive play.

For the past three years Jauron’s play-calling has been pretty Vanilla. Granted the Bills defense is fairly young and you don’t want to throw too much at them to overwhelm them. This year though, the playbook has to be opened.

Donte Whitner and Paul Posluszny make a nice core to build around, but there are a lot of young players on the squad that need to really make a name for themselves.

Leodis McKelvin needs to show that he can handle a full time role at CB. Ashton Youboty and Reggie Corner need to step up and play the nickel CB role well. The only entrenched starter is Terrence McGee.

Ko Simpson and Jairus Byrd will battle it out for FS, but must prove they can play as well as Whitner to get a shot as the starter. Otherwise the starting safety tandem will be Donte Whitner and Brian Scott.

The linebackers are pretty much set in stone as of right now.

Yes, Keith Ellison is the expected starter on the strong side. That is scary.

Unless Alvin Bowen or Nick Harris can prove to be smarter players and better tacklers, expect to see Ellison on the field.

Kawika Mitchell will start on the weak side again. The surprise of camp may be that undrafted linebacker Ashlee Palmer may be backing him up. He did manage to get some first team reps in spring OTA’s.

Paul Posluszny is the starting Mike backer and that’s not changing any time soon. The Bills do however have solid depth with John Digiorgio. He just has to come back from his ACL injury.

The weakest part of this defense is no doubt on the line.

It’s also the oldest part of the defense. Incumbent starters at the DE are Aaron Schobel on the right and Chris Kelsay on the left.

Both of these guys need to show they can still play because simply put, Chris Ellis and Aaron Maybin are waiting for the first opportunity they get. They are both young and are playing for a lot less.

They could be playing really hungry. No doubt they would want a starting spot.

Finally the middle of the line has entrenched starters Marcus Stoud and Kyle Williams. Stroud definitely helped sure up the run defense last year and Williams performed admirably, but the Bills have no pass-rush specialist in the middle.

John McCargo was supposed to be that guy, but so far hasn’t lived up to his first round billing. Perhaps he does this year because Bill Kollar is long gone from the team.

The bottom line is the Bills are counting on a lot of young players on this defense to carry the team and they should now have the experience to do it.

Improved AFC East: It's Anybody's Division

Michael McMasters — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:34:18 -0400

Okay, I read Tom Casale’s recent article "Improved AFC East Is Still Patriots’ Division To Lose" and it just didn’t sit right with me.

I mean really? Last I checked, the Dolphins were in the playoffs last year, not the Patriots. Last I checked, except for the Bills, every team split in the win loss column in the division.

It doesn’t really matter to me that Matt Cassel was the QB and if it was Tom Brady they would’ve dominated. That’s not what happened. Yes, Brady may be the best QB of this decade and maybe even all time, but how much could he have done getting sacked 47 times like Cassel did?

It’s obvious that the Giants figured out how to beat Brady; bring the heat. They exploited something in the Patriots. Their offensive line is getting old and it just isn’t as good as it used to be.

There is no denying that they were still good enough to be ranked fifth in total offense, but you have to believe teams game-plans changed when Brady was out of the line-up. The heat will be coming this year though.

You could argue New England’s dominance over this decade as the sure fire team to beat, but there are lingering questions. Like will Tom Brady be 100 percent at the start of the season? Can the offensive line hold up? What about the defense? Isn’t it getting a little old?

So among all these questions, what did Bill Belichick do to improve his team for 2009?

Well, they brought in Fred Taylor, who is on the back end of his career. He might be able to produce for a year or two, but the main thing they are getting out of him is putting Lawrence Maroney and his putrid 3.3 YPC on the bench.

They also brought in Joey Galloway, who although is up there in years, still has speed and can be an effective decoy. Randy Moss and Wes Welker are extremely dangerous and unless these guys break their legs are going to dominate.

What about defensive pressure? Richard Seymour topped the team with eight sacks. No wonder they were trying to pull Julius Peppers away from Carolina.

They drafted a solid safety in Patrick Chung, but I’ve never heard of any of their other draft choices. I’m no expert, so I really can’t say too much on their draft.

So what does Rex Ryan the new head coach for the Jets have to say about all this? "I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick's rings, I came here to win, let's put it that way...I'm certainly not intimidated by New England or anybody else.”

And why should he be? For the past couple of years he has been running the defense for one of the best defensive teams in the league. Granted, he doesn’t have the personnel that he had in Baltimore, but he shouldn’t have any trouble getting his hybrid scheme up and running.

There certainly is a long uphill battle that the Jets will be facing this year. Mark Sanchez should be the starter week one and its way to early to tell whether he can carry this team. This team could struggle mightily.

For this reason and this reason alone the Jets need to establish a strong running game early. Drafting Shonn Greene should help alleviate some of the pressure off of Thomas Jones and Leon Washington. Greene could be Jones' eventual replacement.

It will take pressure off Sanchez, who needs to develop a strong rapport with Jerricho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey. He should be looking Dustin Keller’s way as well.

Defensively the Jets need to work on their pass rush. They drafted Vernon Gholston last year and he has been a bit of a disappointment so far. Nobody on their roster topped ten sacks and they could really use somebody.

You can’t say the secondary has been a disappointment though. Darrelle Revis is a standout player and should be for many years to come. Kerry Rhodes has been dominant as well. The addition of Lito Sheppard certainly doesn’t hurt either.

David Harris and Brian Scott should make an imposing any RB trying to run the football. Kris Jenkins isn't exactly a pushover either.

The Jets can definitely contend this year. They just have to play smart fundamental football.

On to the team that is flying under the radar the Buffalo Bills. Let's be honest here, nobody expects Buffalo to do anything. A lot of the experts are pegging another 7-9 finish. Really, it’s gotten bad in Buffalo.

With no play-off appearances this decade they have been the definite bottom feeders in this division.

So what did Buffalo do? They made some serious noise. Inking Terrell Owens to a one year deal worth $6.5 million, but that’s not all.

They went and got the pass rusher with the quickest step in Aaron Maybin via the draft. Buffalo needs a pass rush in the worst way. Their top sack man last year Ryan Denney isn’t even a starter. He finished with four sacks. That’s embarrassing.

They totally dismantled their offensive line. Every guy lining up for them will be in a different position that they did the previous year. Well not Geoff Hangartner, the Bills' other free agency pick up.

Not to mention two of the guys starting, Eric Wood and Andy Levitre, are rookies.This could be a recipe for disaster or it could pan out. It has to if Trent Edwards wants to survive the season.

The most positive thing that can be said about Buffalo right now hangs on how the line holds up. Terrell Owens and Lee Evans on the same squad, need I say more?

Even if Buffalo falls out of contention early they should be fun to watch. It shouldn’t be typical boring Dick Jauron football this season.

Last year this time if you asked me if I thought the Dolphins would be the AFC East champs, I would have said yea right.

Yet, first year head coach Tony Sparano found a way to make arguably the best turnaround for a team in NFL history, and he did it playing smart fundamental football. They controlled the clock, kept Chad Pennington on his feet and didn’t turn the ball over.

The biggest weakness on this squad was their secondary, and now with Vontae Davis, Sean Smith, and Chris Clemons, this secondary should have a better handle on playing the Bills and Patriots plethora of receivers.

It helps that they got pressure on opposing QBs, tallying 40 sacks on the year. Joey Porter had his best year as a pro at the age of 31. Something tells me that Porter wouldn’t be happy with Casale’s article. “You've got to beat somebody to be the champs. We had to beat somebody to be the champs."

The defense should be much improved if Porter performs like he did last year. Every other team in the division should be worried. Oh, and Jason Taylor is back. Things are going to be nasty.

Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams effectively ran the Wild Cat last year and now Pat White is on the squad. Jeeze Louise.

After looking at the Dolphins squad I’m just not ready to anoint the Patriots the AFC East crown just yet, even if the Dolphins have a weak receiver group.

Channing Crowder has thoughts of his own as well, The Jets "didn't even win the division and now they're all talking about how [the AFC East] goes through New England,'' Crowder said Tuesday. "That's what gets me bothered. I don't care about the other stuff, but don't say the division goes through New England.

"It goes through Miami."

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting ready for a dog-fight for the AFC East.

Brandon Marshall Involved in Bears-Bills-Broncos Three-Way Trade?

Michael McMasters — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:55:02 -0400

It’s no secret that Brandon Marshall wants out of Denver. Since Jay Cutler’s trade to the Windy City, Marshall has slowly been packing his bags and getting ready to ship out. You can’t blame him. Would you want Kyle Orton as your QB?

While the Bears are actively seeking a WR to play alongside Devin Hester, they continue to deny any interest in Marshall. They seem very interested in Plaxico Burress, who might not even play a down of the 2009 NFL season.

Something fishy is going on here.

Yes, Marshall would be a risk because he has found himself in cuffs just about as many times as your average hip-hop artist, but fortunately for him, nothing he has ever done runs the risk of a yearlong suspension.

Burress, on the other hand, shot himself in the leg with his own gun and could be doing some jail time. Not sure why any team is looking at him right now. Even after the jail time, he would be suspended by the Roger “The Enforcer” Goodell.

The popular belief would be that as long as he hasn’t been sentenced, then Goodell can’t suspend him. This is the only reason Burress is trying to push back his trial. Still, it’s not going to eliminate the inevitable.

Maybe Burress just wants to get it pushed back long enough to play a couple more seasons and sit on that. Who knows? The way he is going about resolving his impending trial would certainly suggest that.

Anyway, back to the rumor. The Bears need a WR. They don’t have the ammo to get Marshall. The Broncos would most certainly want a WR in return, one that has been productive. They would also need at least a second round draft choice.

So how would this work? Well, the Bills are currently loaded at the WR position. They could afford to throw a second round pick and a productive receiver like Josh Reed to the Broncos in return for a position of need. In this case it would be a DT.

Buffalo would want nothing but the best from Chicago, and that would come in the form of Tommie Harris. Chicago could do this because they have invested heavily in DTs in recent years. It would seem like Denver would be getting the shaft, but they are totally rebuilding their squad and really have no plans of a championship this year.

Loading up with solid veterans and multiple draft picks sounds like a smart way to build your team for Denver, while Chicago and Buffalo believe that they just need a few minor tweaks and pieces to the puzzle to get to the playoffs and beyond.

The trade at first glance looks lopsided, but when you look at what each team is trying to do, it really makes a whole lot of sense.

Is Buffalo Bills' Ellis Lankster A Diamond in The Rough?

Michael McMasters — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:11:51 -0400

In 2007 Ellis Lankster the JUCO transfer from Whistler, Alabama didn’t even know if he would be playing for the Mountaineers because he was suspended from the team for having possession of a stolen laptop computer, needless to say, he had to work his way back into Rich Rodriguez’ good graces.

In high school, as a senior Lankster had 24 TD’s, 19 rushing and five receiving scores, while also picking off nine passes on defense. Over the course of his junior and senior season Lankster intercepted 22 passes.

Lankster then went on to play for Jones County Junior College where he intercepted five passes as a true freshman. In 2006 he verbally committed to play for Mississippi State before changing his mind due to WVMU promising early playing time and exposure.

The negative exposure Lankster got didn’t help him. He didn’t find the field extensively until 2008, but when he did find the field he made a good impression.

He made second team All Big East despite his first year starting, recording three interceptions and 68 tackles. Not bad for a JUCO transfer.

Fast forward to now, with the 220th overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft the Buffalo Bills select Ellis Lankster. All indications are that the Bills are impressed with what they are seeing, considering where he was picked.

He has found a way onto getting some first team nickel reps, granted most of the starters are resting injury ailments, but Cary Harris the DB picked in the sixth round is having trouble staying on the field due to injuries and Lankster is taking advantage of every opportunity he gets.

He may not play corner right away, but he could contribute on special teams, returning kicks or playing gunner. Either way if Lankster continues to practice the way he has been, he should find a home with Buffalo.

Lankster has been proving he can play at a higher level every time he made the transition. He just has to prove it one more time.

Buffalo Bills: Looking Beyond 2009

Michael McMasters — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:28:13 -0400

This is it for the Buffalo Bills. The 2009 season is going to determine what is going to shake out in 2010. Dick Jauron did sign a three year extension to be the head coach, but if the playoffs don’t appear this year, Ralph Wilson would be hard pressed to keep him around, he isn’t getting any younger.

If you listen to the players in the locker room you get the sense that they feel that the pieces to the puzzle are all there. Paul Posluszny said last season left a sour taste in the players’ mouth’s because of the way it ended. Starting off 5-1 and finishing the season at 7-9 would damper some spirits.

Well, this year, it's do or die for Jauron and his staff. After the year was over Jauron had to practically beg Wilson to keep Turk Schonert around. Schonert didn’t exactly prove his worth as an offensive coordinator in his first year, he wasn’t inventive and he failed to get players like Roscoe Parrish and James Hardy involved, but we’ll get to that later.

Subsequently the entire offense underachieved, ranking in the back-end of the NFL for the third year running. Schonert has to do something now or 2010 will not be looking pretty for this organization or at least some of the personnel.

The good news is in 2010 there aren’t too many players that will be walking out the door. Terrell Owens signed a one year contract and could be viewed as a stop gap solution.

The Bills could have used another young receiver prospect in the draft, because Josh Reed is only looking at free agency in 2010, but pass rush and offensive line help could not be ignored.

Depending on how the offense shakes out this year the Bills could take a look at Dez Bryant the kid out of Oklahoma State in the 2010 Draft. He has been a force there for the past two years hauling in 130 receptions for 2,102 yards and 25 touchdowns. He is also a solid punt returner and at 6’2 210 he has good size for the position.

Right now WR looks like a strength for Buffalo, but because James Hardy really didn’t contribute anything last year and Roscoe Parrish is upset because he isn’t involved on offense, almost the entire corps could be depleted in 2010. Parrish says he wants to be in Buffalo, but feels like he might be able to contribute more elsewhere.

In 2009 the Buffalo Bills did not elect to replace Jason Peters in the draft. Michael Oher was on the board at 11 and it was arguably the biggest positional needs, but instead they chose to replace Peters with Langston Walker.

Walker had been the RT for the Bills for the past two years and he has played it well. The problem is when he did play LT for Oakland he was not the greatest at it.

The Bills may have a promising prospect in Demetrius Bell, but he has yet to play a down in the NFL so they really don’t know what they have on game days. Some guys look great in a practice setting and fail big time come game day.

The Bills felt the bigger need was inside the line, but next year it could be the OT that is needed. Trent Williams could be the choice for the Bills then. A case could be made for him that he outplayed Duke Robinson and Phil Loadholt for Oklahoma this past year. He has prototype size at 6’5 308, to be a premier LT in the league.

He just has to put it all together.

In 2010 Derek Schouman is the only TE that will be a free agent on the Bills roster, and he will be a restricted one at that. With only 18 receptions for 172 yards and one touchdown, it’s hard to be concerned.

The problem is the Bills have to be concerned because Derek Fine and rookie Shawn Nelson are the only other guys on the roster. Fine only posted 10 receptions for 94 yards and a score. Unless Shawn Nelson gives the Bills some solid contribution, the Bills could be looking for a TE yet again in 2010.

Jermaine Gresham would end the search. If you ever watched an Oklahoma game you would see that this kid is something special. Over the course of his career there he has racked up 111 receptions for 1,629 yards and 26 touchdowns.

That is amazing for a TE. If Brandon Pettigrew can go in the first round for being a blocker, Gresham will go in round one for being a superior play-maker.

Finally to the man who has to put it all together, Trent Edwards. This is the year has to be big for him. Ten touchdowns a year isn’t going to cut it if you want to be a starting NFL QB. If the Bills don’t make the play-offs this year and can’t even muster a winning season, he will have been a big part of the problem.

The tools are there for him to work with and there really is no excuse. If he should fail the Bills could bring in a guy like Colt McCoy. McCoy has been dominating at Texas. He doesn’t have the strongest arm, but completing 87 percent of your passes this past year is pretty impressive considering there aren’t any dominating receivers on that team.

On the defensive side of the ball there are a few players that need to show up or they better start packing their bags. Chris Kelsay and Aaron Schobel come immediately to mind. Ryan Denney the most productive DE from last year will be a free agent in 2010.

Since signing their respective new deals they have combined for a grand total of 12 sacks. These are very paltry numbers and if it continues it’s hard to see them in Bills uniforms next year.

The Bills addressed the position this year by drafting Aaron Maybin, but that might not be enough. Maybin does bring a quick step and high motor, but he has little experience and is on the smaller side for DE so it may take him time to adjust.

Greg Romeus out of Pittsburgh is a player to watch for. He is flying under the radar now, but he has steadily improved his game and with good size and a high motor he could surprise some people this year.

He finished his sophomore campaign with 51 tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss, and 7.5 sacks. These numbers are pretty solid for a guy who has only been playing football for three years.

The biggest position the Bills failed to address this offseason was the OLB spot. Well they addressed it, but with a player that didn’t play the position is college in Nic Harris. They resigned Keith Ellison to a one year contract. If he is starting opening day it could be a long year for Buffalo.

The Bills had Pisa Tinoisamoa in for a visit, but he still hasn’t made a decision on where he wants to play for 2009, so essentially the Bills are going into 2009 with Ellison, Harris and Alvin Bowen. This undoubtedly will scare Bills fans.

The Bills could look to get a guy like Sean Weatherspoon if somebody doesn’t emerge to take the job in 2009. Weatherspoon is a well rounded player who has turned Missouri defense around.

He has been an instinctive play-maker this past year totaling 149 tackles, five sacks and three interceptions. He may not be the fastest guy out there, but he does everything well. The Bills could use a sure tackler at SLB.

Two players that could also be walking out the door are Terrance McGee and Ashton Youboty, both guys hit free agency in 2010. While Terrance McGee has been a solid player for the Bills, Ashton Youboty has been having trouble finding the football field because he has been injured.

It is not out of the realm of possibility that the Bills resign both of these players, but with up and comers on the roster like Leodis McKelvin and Reggie Corner it makes for difficult decisions. Ellis Lankster the Bills seventh round selection this year is also opening some eyes, because he is not playing like a seventh rounder in practice.

Should the Bills opt not to resign Youboty of McGee a player like Kyle Wilson comes instantly to mind. While playing for Boise State Wilson has eight career interceptions and averaged 14.2 yards per punt return scoring on three of them. The Bills love players like that and would benefit from bringing in a player like him.

The last position that was not at all in the draft was DT. The Bills could be showing some faith in John McCargo after trying to trade him to Indianapolis last year, but if he doesn’t do anything this year he could find himself out the door.

A player that could come in and be part of the Bills DT rotation could be a guy like Boo Robinson. He is a big man at 6’2" 325 pounds and would provide much needed size to Buffalo’s defensive line. Last year he got to the QB five times and had six tackles for a loss. He could play nose tackle if the Bills wanted to throw some 3-4 looks at opponents.

Make no mistake about it though player personnel change wouldn’t compare to how huge it would be if Dick Jauron got canned. Coaches out there that could be looking for a job in 2010 have names like Mike Shanahan, Tony Dungy, Herm Edwards, Bill Cowher and John Gruden.

Cowher is highly unlikely considering the Bills don’t have the players to run a true 3-4 and Dungy may plan on staying retired, but Gruden should really terrify Dick Jauron.

Gruden runs a similar system as Jauron and has had success, winning a Super Bowl for Tampa. He also is a very fiery, flamboyant coach who has a no nonsense approach to the game. Tack on the 95-77 career record and you’ve got a winner.

The only thing left really to say to Jauron is shape up or ship out because the Bills need winners.

What Can Jairus Byrd Do for the Buffalo Bills?

Michael McMasters — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:44:51 -0400

Anybody remember last season's NFL Divisional Playoffs?

What did all four teams have in common?

The Cardinals, Eagles, Ravens, and Steelers all had great safeties on their rosters.

We are talking guys that make big plays and single-handedly shifted the game's momentum to their team's favor.

Good safeties are usually found on great defenses.

Whether it’s delivering the big hit or snatching the ball out of the air, safeties are the most important defensive backs on the field on any given play, which is why the Buffalo Bills decided to make Jairus Byrd the 42nd overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft.

While playing for Oregon the past three years, Byrd has managed to intercept 17 passes, defend 55 passes, and rack up 203 tackles—143 solo.

Not bad for the son of Gill Byrd, a two-time Pro-Bowler for the Chargers.

Compare those numbers to Ed Reed when he played for Miami and there is reason to get excited. Of course, you have to temper your expectations—the pros is a whole different level of football.

It certainly helps that his mentor is long-time standout, DB Aeneas Williams. If Byrd could come close to matching what Williams did for the Rams, the Bills have something special on their squad.

What helps Byrd’s overall game and his projected position switch is that he takes good angles to the ball and studies film, which makes him play faster than his timed speed. He is a solid technician and a quick learner, so making the transition from corner to safety shouldn’t be difficult.

The Bills are in desperate need of a guy with some ball-hawking skills, and outsiders and maybe even some fans were shocked with the selection, but let’s face it—the Bills had a grand total of 10 interceptions last year—they can use all the help they can get.

Just to put that number in perspective, Reed had nine interceptions last year. Clearly the Bills need somebody with that type of impact if they want to have a dominating defense.

The only question is, can Byrd be the guy to do it?

Come training camp, Byrd will be given every opportunity to win the starting free safety spot now occupied by Donte Whitner, but the feeling at One Bills Drive is they like Whitner better at the strong safety position.

Wherever Byrd fits, it should prove to be exciting to watch—that is if he dominates like he did while at Oregon.

O Schobel, Schobel! Where Art Thou Schobel?

Michael McMasters — Thu, 28 May 2009 08:40:28 -0400

Seven and a half sacks—that’s what Aaron Schobel has come up with since signing his $50.5 million contract extension.

That just isn’t up to par with what a $50 million dollar man should be doing for a football team desperate for a pass rush.

In Schobel’s defense last year, he only played in five games due to a Lisfranc foot injury that sidelined him from week five and beyond. The bad thing is, in the first four weeks the Bills played cupcake teams, and he only managed one sack.

What is it going to take Schobel to get back to 2007 form, where he finished the season with 14 sacks, was in on 57 tackles, and made the Pro Bowl?

A lot of hard work and dedication, plus a little desire, should do the trick. You would think that with the new defensive line coach Bob Sanders in the mix, Schobel would be at every OTA soaking up what Sanders wants to do with him.

Guys like Chris Kelsay, Marcus Stroud, and John McCargo are there. Why isn’t Schobel? Is he too good for OTAs? What is he doing that is so important that he would risk losing all the money on the back end of his deal?

For his and the Bills' sake, he should be working on his conditioning and studying his playbook. I know these OTAs are voluntary, but with the Bills needing desperately to get to the playoffs this year, every player should be working on any new scheme designs that Perry Fewell may have installed.

Bills fans may question Schobel’s desire to play football anymore. He got $20 million guaranteed, he’s 32 years old, and it’s a real possibility that he is just showing up to games to collect his check.

Russ Brandon is hoping Schobel doesn’t have that mentality. In fact, Brandon is banking on Schobel to have a big year. Without a solid pass rush, this defense will still be middle of the pack and that is not something the Bills can afford.

Expecting big things from rookie Aaron Maybin isn’t exactly the safest route to go, which makes Schobel’s dominant return a must. Maybin is here to alleviate pressure, not shoulder it all.

If he doesn’t produce this year, the Bills would be pretty hard pressed to keep the 32 year old around.

Like Schobel said himself after signing his extension, “That's the one thing, I don't want be overpaid and I don't want to be underpaid. That's my motivation."

Well, Schobel, I hope you are motivated, because right now, you are grossly overpaid.

Buffalo Bills, Playoffs or Bust: Pulling out the Blueprint After 20 Years

Michael McMasters — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:30:40 -0400

Playoffs or bust: That’s the expectations for the Bills this year. I sat down and watched some highlight tapes from the ’91 and ’93 seasons this weekend and thought to myself, "This was a loaded roster, and what would it take to get the Bills back to that?"

Well, the ironic answer is that the ‘90s team is the blue-print and the Bills front office of now is trying to replicate the glory days. Can you blame them?

Would it take Bill Pollian returning as the GM or can Russ Brandon master Pollian's craft?

It starts with the head coach. Marv Levy wasn’t a winner when he came to Buffalo in 1986, in fact he was right on par with Dick Jauron, the coach brought in to do the job in 2006.

Levy eventually brought the team to greatness, but the overall talent on that roster was deep. Two players that weren’t even Levy's selections made the biggest impact for the team in Bruce Smith and Jim Kelly.

Jauron wasn’t as lucky inheriting J.P. Losman and the Aaron Schobel/Chris Kelsay combination. The best player Jauron got was Lee Evans. Not saying you don’t need a WR, but you need a QB who can play ball with the best of them and Losman couldn’t do that.

The question that is really on most Bills fan's minds is "IsTrent Edwards going to be able to take the Bills anywhere like Jim Kelly was able to?"

There is no denying that Kelly sits atop the throne as the best QB to ever play for the Buffalo Bills, but there is also no denying that the only ring he owns says 'AFC Champion.'

Can Trent Edwards bring home the Lombardi Trophy for Buffalo? The coaching staff seems to think he has it, so here in year three, he’s got to start showing it. Maybe the Lombardi is too lofty right now, but playoffs should be in the picture.

Another striking similarity is the RB tandem. The Bills had a solid tandem in Thurman Thomas and Kenneth Davis is the '90s. Thomas was the do everything RB who had versatility to his game and Davis was the change of pace home run hitter.

Present day Marshawn Lynch is the do everything back and Fred Jackson is the home run hitter. While both these young men have a long way to go in proving that they are an equally talented tandem, there is no reason not to get excited with the skills they possess.

On the receiving end of things, the Bills had the greatest slot receiver to ever play the game in Andre Reed. He was simply outstanding in that role. Catching balls over the middle of the field is no easy task and he made it look easy.

Josh Reed should be able to dominate in that role now that T.O. has been brought on board. Fans can say what they want about Reed, but he is clutch when the offense needed to convert a third down.

The Bills actually have two other receivers that could effectively play the slot role in Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish. They both are speed demons and could destroy teams in space.

The T.O. move is very reminiscent of when the Bills signed James Lofton; aging veteran, pro-bowl caliber, critics think there isn’t much left in the tank, but Lofton went on to accomplish another Pro-Bowl appearance. He was still running deep routes for Buffalo in his mid thirties.

Buffalo is hoping that T.O can do the same thing Lofton did then, now.

The last element to the offensive attack was the TE. The '90s no huddle offense was named after Keith McKeller. Right now the Bills don’t have a sure thing at TE, but they brought in the extremely athletic Shawn Nelson in hopes that he could become a solid target for Edwards.

With all the weapons that the Bills now have, the team is only going to go as far as Edwards and Jauron can take them.

If the Bills don’t make the playoffs this year, don’t be surprised if Sam Bradford and John Gruden are high on Buffalo’s wish list.

Biggest Position Battle for Buffalo Bills is on the Line

Michael McMasters — Mon, 18 May 2009 11:45:13 -0400

The beginning of a long road starts today. The Bills are well aware of the fact that they haven’t been to the play-offs this decade. The front office seems to be happy with the personnel in place, and the fans are anxious to see if this is the year the Bills break the no play-off trend.

The main concern on offense is the offensive line. With news faces lining up at every position on the line, and two rookies getting the chance to start, things are going are going to be a little sloppy at first.

Replacing Jason Peters will be no easy task, but Langston Walker should be up to the task. He is a big man and even though he does not posses the quickest feet for the position, he is a solid technician and should be able to dominate slower bull rushers.

His main competition is last years seventh round pick Demetrius Bell. He has come along nicely, hitting the weights, getting stronger and adding 20 pounds of muscle to his frame. He possesses prototype size for the position and has very quick feet.

Lining up at LG is the biggest competition on the line this year. The Bills brought in Seth McKinney during free agency and because he has eight years experience he should get the first looks at the spot.

Hot on his trail is Andy Levitre. This kid seems determined to find his way on to the field early. He has extremely fast hands and is technically sound. It helps that he plays to whistle and has a mean streak. If he was a couple inches taller he would’ve been playing tackle in the NFL.

Manning the C spot will be the Bills second biggest FA signing, Geoff Hangartner. While he doesn’t have the most experience playing 3-4 NT’s, he is an extremely smart player and has good size to him. He helped Carolina to finishing third in the NFL on the ground.

His main backup and starting RG is Eric Wood. This guy is a finisher.

He has great size and is a very smart young man. He plays to the whistle and seems to enjoy the idea of wrestling with the big bodies in the AFC East and seems to have the right mindset to be a pro bowl player down the road.

With Langston Walker moving over to the left means Brad Butler is finally getting the opportunity to play RT. It is the position he played in college and he should feel right at home there.

Should and injury occur on the line Kirk Chambers is the man the guys will plug into the line. He handled LT and RT in spot duty fairly well and shouldn’t be a serious hindrance to the team when he is lining up.

Really it all depends on how well the line gels. They have to become a cohesive unit before week one, or things can get ugly real fast. I’m pretty sure Trent Edwards doesn’t want to wake up in Mercy Hospital.

Message to the Buffalo Bills: Shut Down the Circus

Michael McMasters — Sat, 16 May 2009 14:07:39 -0400

It’s tough being a Buffalo Bills fan. The team gets no love, no respect. It seems like nowadays the Bills are the laughingstock of the NFL.

Ever since the Terrell Owens signing, there has been a frenzy of media attention. It's like Bills quarterback Trent Edwards said in a recent interview with ESPN: If the Bills hadn’t signed T.O., you wouldn’t even be talking to me right now.

The Bills got the Monday night game solely because T.O. is news. He is arguably the greatest wide receiver to play the game, but I question what motivates him. It seems like he is going to bring a circus to town with his new reality TV show.

I mean, seriously, what are they going to cover? T.O. goes to organized team activity practice, T.O. goes to dinner with the team, T.O. goes to a Toronto strip club, etc.

While there is no denying he is a talented player and could bring some much needed swagger to this team, ultimately it just seems like a Jason Taylor-type deal.

Will his mind be on football come game day, or will he just be trying to set up his next career in acting/entertainment?

On top of all the T.O. commotion, Bills players seem to be getting arrested left and right. Marshawn Lynch is smoking pot and toting pistols around in a backpack, Donte Whitner is getting Tasered by the police outside of clubs, Ko Simpson is beating guys up in clubs, and Corey McIntyre is exposing himself to old ladies.

This is not the type of attention the Bills need. The team can’t afford to be known as the Cincinnati Bengals of the AFC East.

Guys who need to be on the field are jeopardizing their NFL careers. All teams have a problem child—it just seems like the Bills are stocking the stable with a problem family.

That’s why it’s ironic when general manager Russ Brandon says they are always looking for the utmost character from this football team.

I honestly don’t believe that these guys have bad intentions; I just question the crowd they hang around with.

There doesn’t seem to be anyone so harmful as an Adam "Pacman" Jones on the team just yet. It would really hurt the team if an impact player turned out to be like him, simply because the Bills are short on impact players to begin with. The Bills have a bunch of decent players, but nobody really seems to take over a game.

You could credit that to the fact that the team is relatively young and they are just now trying to figure out how to perfect their game in the pros, but make no mistake about it: These young players can’t afford to put more adversity on their plates.

The Bills could grow from all this commotion, and it might motivate players to prove the public’s perception of them to be incorrect.

Bills fans have to hope this is how it turns out because another 7-9 season would just prove that the circus is still running strong at One Bills Drive.

Could Pisa Tinoisamoa Be the Missing Piece at SLB for the Buffalo Bills?

Michael McMasters — Fri, 15 May 2009 10:06:44 -0400

With Angelo Crowell off to warm weather and a rebuilding Tampa team, the Bills are in dire need of a linebacker to step up and take his place. So far the front runner for the spot is Keith Ellison.

There are a couple of guys who will compete against him in Alvin Bowen and newly drafted Nic Harris, but if they can’t put Ellison on the bench, there will be some serious problems, especially when Ellison is on the field playing the run.

The Bills recognized that fact, which is the reason why they are pursuing Pisa Tinoisamoa now. If the Bills are serious about a play-off push they have to get guys that have played the game at the pro level and have played it well.

Last year playing for St. Louis on a defense that wasn’t to stellar Tinoisamoa racked up 104 total tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. For a guy who usually plays at 220 pounds those numbers are actually pretty good.

Tinoisamoa also has the benefit of knowing some of the staff. Just like last year when the Bills pursued Marcus Stroud, because there was some familiarity between Dick Jauron and Stroud, Fewell was a part of St. Louis’ staff when Tinoisamoa was drafted.

Tinoisamoa doesn’t exactly have to dominate in games, he just has to make sure tackles and not be dragged 10 yards down the field like Ellison.

The biggest benefit of bringing Tinoisamoa in is that it would give the Bills more time to develop guys like Alvin Bowen and Nic Harris.

Although they show potential, throwing both a former fourth-round pick and a rookie fifth into the fire would not be smart, not when your team is in "win now" mode anyway.

The last time the Bills had a solid linebacker trio was when Fletcher, Spikes and Posey were playing ball for them in 2004. This is actually the last time the Bills had a winning record as well. Can Tinoisamoa round out the group the Bills have now?

It is possible. Kawika Mitchell proved to be a solid addition last year as he racked up 82 total tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

Paul Posluszny in his first full year of starting; he finished the season with 110 tackles, one interception and a forced fumble.

If Tinoisamoa could match his numbers from last year on the Bills squad there would be little doubt that the Bills linebacker squad would be a good one.

Now all it is going to take is a contract. The Bills should be offering a contract that is close to Mitchell’s deal last year. He signed for five years, $17.5 million. Getting Tinoisomoa around that range would be a great signing for both sides.

The only question for Tinoisomoa should be, where do I sign?

Aaron Maybin: Big Time Player, or Big Time Bust?

Michael McMasters — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:52:52 -0400

Don’t kid yourself folks, There are some questions. Can Aaron Maybin compete at the pro level? Will this kid ever come close to dominating the way Bruce Smith did in the '90s? The Bills really don’t want to end up with another Erik Flowers, do they?

Flowers like production isn’t something the Bills can afford. Two seasons with Buffalo and a grand total of four sacks, that’s just not going to get it done. Maybin has to make a few plays for the Bills this year.

What kind of plays? Big plays, plays with Brady on his back at key moments, or a forced fumble greeting the running back. If he can put a little heat on the QB you can force him to make some errant throws. Errant throws would equal more interceptions.

Is Aaron Maybin up to the challenge? Well all we hear from the coaches is he works hard in practice and in play, he hustles to the football, he wants to be a force. One thing that is worrisome is he lacks elite size.

If I’m playing DE I want to able to match up physically the Offensive lineman. At 249 that’s a little on the small side. If I have trouble holding the point and attacking the running plays in college there will be a major problem in the Pro’s.

So Maybin’s best option right now is to be a situational rusher. If he can hit a tired offensive line, especially late in a game you may be able to finish tight games. Teams that usually win the close ones are the teams that can apply some pressure on the opposing offense in the waning minutes of a game.

What else is scary? Well Maybin only started one year. You can argue about the quality of starts all day long, but if you don’t have the experience you don’t have it. Some guys have a monster year and slowly watch their careers fade away shortly after entering the NFL.

Sure, the tape doesn’t lie. I can buy that for a second. 12 sacks in the Big Ten is not exactly easy for a first year starter, neither is 20 tackles for a loss. Yet, this was it, no other serious body of work to look at, just this previous season.

One positive thing that can be said about Maybin is he a very intelligent young man. Picking up the playbook and understanding what the coaches want him to do will go a long way with never quit, hustle attitude.

Realistically don’t expect eye-popping numbers. If he could six sacks his first season then that would be considered going in the right direction.

At the end of the day, just produce. Maybin doesn’t need to be the savior he just needs to show that he can make plays on a team that lacks play-makers.

The Bills have to play Tom Brady two times this year. With the receivers he’s got, you give him all day and he is going to burn you every time. The Bills can’t afford to let this happen. Somebody needs to put Brady on his back.

Bottom line, can Aaron Maybin be the guy to do it?

Buffalo: Gunning it

Michael McMasters — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:58:05 -0400

You want explosive? Try this: play T.O, Lee Evans, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish, and Steve Johnson all on the field at the same time. The Bills are talking about running the no huddle, here.

The Bills would benefit being in shotgun formation with multiple looks for Edwards. Edwards is the type of QB who possesses an ultra quick release. So, taking advantage of what he does best would help explore other available options in the Bills' offense.

For instance, if Edwards sees a heavy blitz coming, he can call multiple hot routes in the shotgun formation and mess with how the defense wants to play. The Bills could always use one of the receivers on the field as the dump off option.

They could also try sitting Roscoe Parrish in a zone, making him the safety valve. Have that guy pick the soft parts of the zone coverage. If he does that, he can be very dangerous. A linebacker trying to catch this guy once he’s in the open field will be a joke—a linebacker trying to cover him would be disastrous.

I would also try to make some good use of Steve Johnson, as well. I want this guy running slant routes. At 6’2" and 202 lbs, he adds good size for the slot receiver. Having him run dig routes and short crossing would be a pain for defensive coordinators.

Josh Reed is another receiver that can make some clutch plays. Last year he caught 56 balls for 597 yards and one score. Now, that doesn’t seem like much, but when you add the fact that 13 of those resulted in first downs, it gets somewhere.

T.O. is heralded as one of the best to ever to play the game. It should help the Bills in public relations. While people are scrambling to buy his jersey, I can’t help but wonder if he can hold onto the football. Even if he doesn’t put up career numbers, he is an excellent decoy.

T.O. is all about himself, but the ironic thing is that his arrival is going to make every other receiver that much better.

Make no mistake about it: the biggest threat on this team is Lee Evans. He has supreme deep speed and with Turk Schonert giving him snaps in the slot and outside, defensive coordinators still really only have to be scared of how much he can dominate.

Bleeding Red, White, and Buffalo Blue

Michael McMasters — Tue, 12 May 2009 23:48:47 -0400

I’ll never forget my first experience as a fan of the Buffalo Bills. I was about six years old and I always watched the games, when they were on, but I never understood the meaning of to live and die in Buffalo.

One day my Mom decides she is going to take me to the stadium. I was so psyched. At the time, we were living on Sheldon Road so we could literally walk there. And walk there we did.

To my surprise, we were given a tour of the stadium. It was really neat to explore the majestic, then called Rich Stadium. We got a tour of the press boxes, the meeting rooms, and my favorite, the locker room.

Upon entering the locker room, the single most amazing event in my short life happened. I met Bruce Smith. To me he was the biggest man I have ever seen in my life and it was really cool to see this Hall of Fame player and get to ask him questions.

What was unique about talking to Bruce Smith. that I have come to realize over the years, was that he first donned the red, white, and Buffalo blue the year I was born.

We eventually got to walk on the field and it was the craziest moment in my life. I ran sideline to sideline and stood on the Bills logo. At the time, it was the 90's Bills helmet.

Memories are great, which is why I bleed now. The Bills have really suffered from those early 90's days. Not since Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett, and Steve Tasker have we experienced any glory days.

The Bills have struggled mightily this past decade and I can’t remember a time I cried harder than the Music City Miracle game.

When I talk to the fans, I realize that you have to have the thick skin, or one tough heart. The fan-base is incredible considering we haven’t been to a play-off game in nine years. It is a well known fact that our fans ride or die with the Bills.

I remember when Willis McGahee bashed the town and said the Bills should move to Toronto, Canada. Well, I remember the town’s reaction to that. It was all over the billboards across town. I think it said something like “Willis McGahee knows how to hit the hole, got kids?”

I love the Buffalo Bills and I will proudly bleed red, white, and Buffalo blue until the day I die. Don’t stop Billieving!

Taking a Time-out with the Buffalo Bills' Coaching Staff

Michael McMasters — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:14:04 -0400

Just like the players on the squad themselves, the Bills coaching staff is full of up and comers.

These coaches are thirsty to prove they can do it at the NFL level. With Dick Jauron at the helm, Turk Schonert calling the offense, Perry Fewell running the defense, and Bobby April leading special teams, this makes for quite a combination of coaches running the show.

It all starts with Dick Jauron. For three consecutive years Jauron has managed to go 7-9 with a young inexperienced football team. Jauron actually got his first taste of NFL coaching with the Buffalo Bills back in 1985. So he is no stranger to the struggles the Bills have faced.

Jauron had previously served as the head coach of the Chicago Bears from 1999 to 2003 then went on to serve as the interim head coach of the Detroit Lions in 2005, before landing the head job in Buffalo in 2006.

Since taking over for the Bills, Jauron has managed to put fans on one roller-coaster ride after the next. While there is no denying that Jauron is an incredibly smart man, when it comes to game day he just seems to either lose focus or just isn’t capable of making the correct adjustments.

In 2006 he gets a pass, taking a team to 7-9 when you really don’t know what you have is pretty good.

In 2007, he also gets a pass, when your team breaks down due to injuries and you are flip flopping between QB’s this is bound to happen. In 2008 this is his last free pass. Trent Edwards was still getting his feet wet, and there was no legitimate WR opposite Lee Evans.

As the defense steadily improved each year under Jauron, the offense is still stuck in neutral. Maybe that has something to do with the different offensive coordinators or it could be the QB’s that are playing the position.

Taking a look at Turk Schonert this is going to be his second year as the offensive coordinator for the Bills after taking over for Steve Fairchild. Last year was Schonert’s first real taste on how to run things. He had previously played backup QB for the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Atlanta Falcons.

He started his coaching career in Tampa Bay, and coached there from 1992 to 1995.

It is to early to tell if Schonert has made strides as the offensive play caller seeing as he has only done it for one year.

Throughout the season he called some amazing plays, but at the same time having J.P Losman throw the ball on second down in the New York Jets game, proved he was green. The Bills lost the game because of that call.

Losman is out the door while Schonert is still around so maybe its not entirely his fault. Of course a second year man is always going to get the benefit of doubt.

Add on the fact that the offensive line play wasn’t pretty and the squad didn’t have a real outside threat next to Lee Evans and you got disaster in the making.

Play-calling started out hot, but finished as cold as the Buffalo winds in December.

Perry Fewell, the defensive coordinator for the past three years, on the other hand has shown steady improvements everywhere on his squad. The only thing that’s lacking is big plays. There really are no takeaway or sack artists on the Bills defense.

The Bills drafted what could be the missing pieces to the defensive puzzle in Aaron Maybin and Jairus Byrd. Fewell is obviously hoping Maybin can put some pressure on opposing QB’s while Byrd grabs every ball that comes his way.

In 2008 six of the nine losses the Bills suffered were by ten points or less. The defense was keeping the Bills in games, the offense just failed to capitalize on opportunities given to them.

A lot of the players are young and show tremendous upside, but they lack the experience needed to dominate.

Expectations will be high this year for the defense because the offense will no doubt start off shaky. Fewell should be up to the challenge.

The one area of the game that hasn’t been a problem for some time now is special teams. You can credit Bobby April for that. Winning special teams coach of the year in 2008 really shows just how committed you are to being the best at what you do.

April has been a long time stand out special team coach over the years. Serving as the special teams coach for Atlanta, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, and St. Louis before taking over for Buffalo in 2004, he has excelled everywhere he has stopped.

It always helps to have premier return men like Roscoe Parrish and Terrance McGee, but somebody has to set up those blocks and the Bills can thank April for instilling the discipline and toughness needed to play special teams.

He is responsible for some special team rule changes that will be implemented for the 2009 season, so he obviously knows what he is doing.

Can the Buffalo Bills coaching staff put together a play-off season this year? They have the tools. They just lack the experience and maybe they lack the winning attitude.

This is the year they have to show it, otherwise they will all be scrambling for jobs in 2010.

What Are the Buffalo Bills Bringing in 2009?

Michael McMasters — Mon, 11 May 2009 22:21:43 -0400

Are the playoffs coming this year? Please tell me yes. Not you Donte Whitner, just show it.

This year is going to be a wild one. There is no doubt they want to smack Brady around. Sitting on the fringes of playoffs every year makes their blood boil.

They have to play hungry and they have to set an attitude quick. Fans are sick of 7-9 three consecutive years. The Buffalo Bills have to bust out big.

Terrell Owens in Buffalo? Get out of here. This guy. That’s the fans' reaction to the signing. Whether you love him or hate him, he is going to bring the swagger.

Owens might be a me guy, but he’s a me guy that wants to win. You can’t argue that the man can't play football. How much gas he has left is the real question.

How far does he take this squad. Well history would tell us every time he went to a new team the playoffs followed. He didn’t blow the playoffs for the Cowboys, that you can blame on Tony Romo.

Trent Edwards is the guy who better have the salt and butter because that’s what makes the popcorn so good.

Edwards is all of a sudden looking like he has a stud offense. Lee Evans and Owens on the outside, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish, and Steve Johnson in the slot, and don’t forget the Bills just drafted Shawn Nelson.

If Edwards struggles with all these pieces of receiving weapons, he is not your guy.

Granted the offensive line could play a part in how well Edwards will do, but the Bills did a solid job of getting rid of bad fits and signing and drafting smart, nasty linemen.

The rookies Eric Wood and Andy Levitre will have their work cut out for them. These guys will be facing the fire the entire way. Going up against some pretty big DL in the AFC East will be a daunting task.

The whole line is reshuffled and you can’t count on cohesiveness right away. The entire OL, besides Geoff Hangartner, will be playing a different position from last year.

Marshawn Lynch is gone for three games. So far he has been keeping his nose clean, but how long will that last? Hit and run here, gun charges there. No, seriously the player is great, we all make poor decisions and this should motivate him.

Looking at those three games he will be gone, the Bills went and got Dominic Rhodes. Well all I can say here is—sleeper. Rhodes was not perceived as a huge signing, but I can see it paying huge dividends.

Fred Jackson is complaining about his contract, or at least his agent is. Jackson is actually a pretty solid back that should get some sort of extension because he is pretty smart, catches the ball well and has a solid burst.

I like the idea of a three-headed monster in Buffalo. One—it keeps the backs fresh, and two—it makes for a healthy competition for the backs. These guys love to play and they want to be on the field all the time.

The Bills are getting a healthy Schobel back and they just drafted Aaron Maybin. The Bills didn’t miss the 2008 Super Bowl and they know they have to smack Brady around. Consistent pressure on the opposing QB is going to go a long way for your football team.

Turnovers are another issue. The Bills need to get their hands on some footballs. They went out and got a guy by the name of Jairus Byrd to compete against Ko Simpson for the FS spot. Maybe he can play like Ed Reed. The Bills have got to be hoping so.

With second year man Leodis McKelvin taking over for a departed Jabari Greer, big things might be happening for the secondary. The Bills have been missing a shut down corner since Nate Clements headed off to San Francisco.

Big things can happen for the defense, especially if the Bills throw a lot of different looks at offensive coordinators. Fans should anticipate 4-3, 3-4, Creep, 46, and heavy nickel packages.

This roster has the talent to go somewhere. The only problem is; do the players really have a solid coaching staff to take them there? Right now, I’m going to say it is possible.

Dick Jauron took the Bears to a 13-3 season back in 2001. As the Bills would say: “Why not us?”

In What Direction Will the Bills Go?

Michael McMasters — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:51:15 -0400

In the 2009 season, the Buffalo Bills are going to be a fun team to watch—not because they just might make the playoffs, but because so many guys are competing for their jobs.

Dick Jauron just might get the spark he needs by forcing players' hands. It is indeed time to put up or shut up. Play hungry or go home.

Needing more production from the defensive ends, Chris Kelsay tops the list of players who better start producing sacks. After signing his $23 million extension in 2007, Kelsay has been nowhere to be found in the pass-rush department.

Enter Aaron Maybin. Finally, after three years of mediocre play by Kelsay, the Bills addressed arguably their biggest need going into the 2009 season.

This could be a little tricky, though. I don’t necessarily see Kelsay gone just yet.

Even though the Bills have Maybin now, they could still benefit from Kelsay because he is good against the run. Maybin just doesn’t have the size to play the run just yet. In 3-4 looks Maybin can be the rush linebacker. He gets spot duty in the 4-3.

Inside the 3-4 there would be no competition for the left end spot. Marcus Stroud would take it. I'm not sure how Kelsay would fit into a 3-4, so he really doesn’t get any looks in that particular scheme. He will play on four or five man fronts, but never on a three.

When the Bills do play the 3-4, there are some questions about who would play the RE. Schobel is nowhere near big enough to do it, but Spencer Johnson has nice size to him and he could adequately hold the point of attack.

Schobel isn’t strictly a 4-3 down lineman. He could definitely play rush linebacker as well.

The guy who could come in for both Schobel and Maybin when they are out of gas is Chris Ellis. He didn’t play much last year, but should get some opportunities this season.

He has good size, but needs to work on getting stronger. We will see how it plays out come training camp.

Another positional battle is the strong-side linebacker. Keith Ellison has been the incumbent starter since Angelo Crowell was placed on IR last year. Crowell has since signed with the Buccaneers, so Ellison looks like he’s got the spot. Right?

Wrong. The Bills drafted Alvin Bowen last year, and they may like to see what he can do at the spot. He was a tackling machine at Iowa State and looked like he might have had a chance to play if he hadn’t gotten hurt.

The Bills also addressed the position in the draft this year. They went and got Nic Harris.

This kid was a beast in Oklahoma and always seemed to be around the ball. He seemed to be trying to keep his weight down to play safety, but the guy has a linebacker frame and speed.

The SLB position in the 4-3 is going to be manned by one of those three guys come opening day. Ellison excels in coverage, Bowen seems to be a run-stuff type guy, and Harris seems to be the blend of the bunch. This three-way competition is going to be very interesting to watch.

The secondary gets a little confusing.

At the end of the season, Donte Whitner was playing free safety and was under the assumption that he would be playing there this year as well. The problem with that is that the guy is just not an interception machine. He can get to the ball and he can jar it loose, but he doesn’t exactly get a good jump on passes.

Ko Simpson was supposed to be that guy when he was drafted the same year as Whitner. He looked promising his first year, but in the first game of his second season he fractured his ankle and he hasn’t been the same since.

The Bills recognized that they couldn’t keep having Whitner play every position in the secondary and drafted Jairus Byrd in the second round of the draft this year. The kid played cornerback at Oregon but should make the switch to FS because he lacks elite speed.

Head to head right now, Whitner looks like the guy who has the free safety spot, while Brian Scott would man strong safety.

Should Byrd or Simpson prove to be a better choice for the Bills at FS, Whitner will revert back to his SS spot, which is his best fit on the team anyway.

Offensively it really doesn’t look like too much competition is to be had. Every player seems to have a role on the offensive side of the ball. One of the few surprise competitions would be between Langston Walker and Demetrius Bell.

The Bills did not address the LT position in the draft, and the way things are shaping up right now it looks like the line is just about set in stone, with Andy Levitre playing LG, Geoff Hangartner playing C, Eric Wood playing RG, and Brad Butler playing RT.

So that leaves Langston Walker. He did play well when he had to sub for Jason Peters last year, but he was only doing it for the beginning of the year when the Bills were playing cupcake teams.

With the Bills rumored to be running the no-huddle offense and a zone-blocking scheme, Walker just doesn’t fit what they would be trying to do at LT. Demetrius Bell, on the other hand, has prototypical size and quickness for the position.

In fact, it is believed by the Bills coaching staff that he has more potential than Jason Peters.

Langston Walker should get the nod opening day, but Demetrius Bell will be hot on his heels and could supplant Walker by midseason.

Another interesting battle is going to occur between Fred Jackson and Dominic Rhodes. Both are capable No. 2 backs. This is actually going to be a tough call. Both of these guys have assets.

Rhodes catches the ball extremely well and seems to find the end zone. Rhodes might prove to be the savvy guy with the football in his hands.

Jackson on the other hand is pretty quick getting through the hole. If Jackson gets in the open field he is dangerous. He is probably the fastest back in the rotation.

The Bills could really get rolling once they get Marshawn Lynch back as this could be a very scary three-headed monster, especially if the offensive line proves it can block.

2009 training camp is going to prove in which direction the Bills are going to head. They got six possible starters in the draft, and these guys are going to have to earn their stripes.

But it is crucial for the Bills to decide whether they want to go with a shot of youth movement or with proven veterans.

Ten Minutes with the Buffalo Bills' John McCargo

Michael McMasters — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:44:58 -0400

First off, being a DT selected high in the 2006 NFL draft, how do you anticipate contributing to the Buffalo Bills defense this year? How do you plan to convince the coaching staff they should start you?

What have you done to prepare yourself for the upcoming 2009 season? What type of conditioning program have you gone through? What is your playing weight as of right now? Could you stand to get stronger?

What is Marcus Stroud like in the locker room? I know you haven’t had a chance to play with him, but do you think that he could help you with your game?

What was up with you and your defensive line coach, Bill Kollar? You guys didn’t seem to like each other. Does that play any part as to why you didn’t see the field? Are you glad to see him gone?

Were you shocked to see the Bills try to trade you to Indianapolis? What were your feelings after you failed the physical there? You came back to Buffalo, how were your teammates towards you? Were they receptive? How about your coaches?

Albert Haynesworth just hit the $100 million lottery? Does this motivate you? You seem to have the tools to perform, you just don’t seem to be consistent. Will this be the year you put it together?

Lastly, what is the realistic goal for the Buffalo Bills in the 2009 season?

A Look Inside the AFC East

Michael McMasters — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:11:12 -0400

The 2009 NFL season is just months away and the Buffalo Bills have a long hard task ahead of them. Not only did they get swept by every team in the division, they just seemed like a team that started the race in a Porsche and finished the race in a Geo Tracker.

The AFC East isn’t helping them in any way. Taking a look at every other team, outside of the Jets, both Miami and New England seemed to take some steps forward, while the Buffalo seems to be sitting right where they were last year.

The Jets most notable loss was Brett Farve. Although the guy has next to nothing left to offer a team he was still better than every other guy on the roster. Guys like Kellen Clemens and Brett Ratliff just weren’t going to get it done and the Jets subsequently traded Ratliff and all but handed the keys to their fifth overall selection Mark Sanchez.

They lost Laveranues Coles as well, so they are lacking a solid WR. They could throw the ball to Jerricho Cotchery and Dustin Keller, but other than that they really don’t have too much offensive firepower.

Thomas Jones is an aging RB and it seems like there may be some disputes with his contract. They brought in Shonn Greene from the draft to dangle in front of Jones so who knows how this could all potentially shake out.

Defensively the biggest addition was Rex Ryan. He may be able to get a spark from Vernon Gholston the guy is looking like the biggest bust from the 2008 NFL Draft. Either way Ryan grabbed some of the guys he liked off of the Ravens roster in Bart Scott and Jimmy Leonhard.

I expect the team to play hard nosed defense, but don’t be mistaking this team for play-off caliber just yet. They are rebuilding and it might take a couple of years to see the end result. They have some pieces, but I expect the Jets to be drafting high next year.

This is the only team I see the Bills having a very good shot at beating this year. The Bills could sweep the Jets depending on the play of Mark Sanchez. The Jets are going to struggle offensively and they won’t be cohesive as a defensive unit in year one.

Prediction: Bills sweep the Jets this year.

The Dolphins haven’t seemed to lose any important pieces to the puzzle that they are building. Offensively they even took it up a notch.

After playing behind Chad Pennington for one year, Chad Henne may have gained some valuable clipboard holding experience. By watching Pennington play, he should stand to get a better idea of playing Bill Parcells football.

Bringing in Pat White just reaffirms that yes the Dolphins will be running the Wild-Cat this year. They now have a guy who can effectively throw the ball which makes it dangerous against teams that can’t fly to the football. You can’t just blitz them every play now.

The only thing I didn’t like about the Dolphins off-season was the fact that they didn’t get a receiver. Who is going to play opposite of Ted Ginn Jr.? Brian Hartline? Other than that this offense can be pretty dangerous.

Defensively the Dolphins grabbed Vontae Davis with their first pick on draft day. They also grabbed Chris Clemons who could turn out to be a solid starting safety for them in the future. The defense as a whole has a ways to go.

Both Buffalo and New England have serious wide-outs and the Dolphins secondary just doesn’t match up to the plethora of weapons both those teams have. They will be hard pressed to play against any passing attack, but you got to recognize that they acknowledge they are lacking in the area.

Joey Porter still provides a solid pass rush so that will make it easier on the DB’s. They could still stand to get another pass rusher on the opposite side of Porter. 17.5 sacks by Porter is insane, but you’d like another guy to help in that aspect. The team would be deadly if they had another terror opposite of him.

The Bills can beat the Dolphins, it’s just going to be a tough battle. The Dolphins won’t be able to do the Wild-Cat effectively against the Bills because they are a fly to the football type team, but these rivalry matchups could be split between these teams.

It is going to be either the Bills or Dolphins that will be vying for a wildcard play-off spot this December.

Prediction: Dolphins and Bills split series.

The biggest thing I can say for the Patriots is Brady’s back. There isn’t any doubt that he is one of if not the best QB in the game today. It doesn’t hurt that you have Randy Moss and Wes Welker as your receivers either. The addition of Joey Galloway and Fred Taylor is just going to make the team that much better.

They were already a potent offense and then you throw in the fact that they stole Alex Smith from Tampa Bay it could be a long season for opposing AFC East teams. The Patriots do so well because they have so many role players on their squad and they get the most out of their players.

Brady is going to come out on fire, I just don’t see a team that is ready to compete with their offense this year.

Defensively this team is old. They got some youngsters this year in Patrick Chung and Ron Brace, but realistically Patriot rookies don’t start early. I know that Jerod Mayo took the field last year, but he was picked high.

I see the rookies getting limited playing time and learning from the veterans, but Bill Belichick prefers his veterans. He was supposedly targeting Julius Peppers this off-season and if they do somehow acquire him, that defense could be really dangerous.

You got to hate the idea of facing Adalius Thomas and Julius Peppers coming off the edge. The only really weak spot on this side of the ball is CB. They drafted Darius Butler to possibly start, but still that would be breaking the mold of what the Patriots do.

The Bills have a very slim chance of beating the Patriots this year. It’s sad to say as fan, but the Patriots are stacked. They just have the best looking team on paper. Realistically, the best thing the Bills can do is play a close game against this powerhouse dynasty.

Prediction: The Patriots sweep the Bills this year.

The Buffalo Bills have done some interesting things this off-season that may or may not make this team competitive in 2009. They cut/traded basically their entire offensive line. It is looking like two rookies could be getting a shot at starting on this new line.

They went and got Terrell Owens and they drafted Aaron Maybin with their first pick in the 2009 NFL draft. The Bills are taking big risks this year.

You have a WR that could blow up on you if you start losing, you got a rookie DE that only started one year of college ball, your entire offensive line is being reshuffled and the organization is counting on two rookies to start on it. The SLB position is up for grabs and so is the FS spot.

Things are definitely interesting if not stable for the Buffalo Bills this year.

The Bills and the 4-3/3-4 Hybrid

Michael McMasters — Sun, 10 May 2009 02:21:35 -0400

Since entering the 2009 offseason, the Buffalo Bills have done some intriguing things towards tweaking their defense. Already ranked 14^th in the league in total defense last year, they headed straight in that direction in the 2009 NFL draft even after trading Jason Peters their “Premier” LT.

Aaron Maybin is the best selection the Bills could have made, but the serious question is, does he fit the 4-3 as a DE? I don’t think so. Not yet anyway, so where does he go?

I have him taking on a hybrid role. This guy is going to line up in a couple of spots to see where he fits best for the team. Standing at just under 6’4 and weighing in at 250 pounds, the kid looks like you prototype rush linebacker.

The guy has an ultra quick step, and guess what? He knows a guy on the team that conveniently plays a linebacker position in Paul Posluszny. Maybin could stand to really get to know how to play the linebacker position. I am not saying that he has to be a full time linebacker, but here’s something to think about:

You play him as a rush linebacker. The Bills have been drafting some intelligent players lately. Apparently they want guys that can play multi dimensional roles. Why would they want to do that unless they felt they could throw some defensive curveballs at opposing offensive coordinators?

Just think of it this way, The Bills can do a lot of different things right now. Maybin could line up next to Posluszny with Nic Harris playing an inside role as well.

Harris would be the perfect patrol man for the linebacker position. He can cover the middle of the field. You have him cover the weak zones in the field where a running back could be getting a dump pass. That pass is such a deadly asset in any teams offensive playbook, and defensive coordinators really need to look at shutting that particular part of a teams offense down.

With Kawika Mitchell having a stellar first season with the Bills at WLB, there is really no point of moving him away from what he does. I think he does good job covering the mid zones so he just needs to keep doing what he is doing.

Now, this is where it gets tricky. The Bills don’t have the big defensive ends to do something like this full time. Aaron Schobel only weighs in at 243 pounds. That just won’t get it done to play a 3-4. I mean, that means you got two big 300 pound guys knocking you on your back.

That would dramatically destroy any shot you had at shutting down the run. Yet, how about getting Marcus Stroud to get in there and play DE?

Marcus Stroud actually played DE last year. Standing at 6’6", the guy is a pretty big dude. He could drop his weight to 295 and get substantially better at wrecking that line in that position.

That still doesn’t answer the question "then who plays the nose?" Well, here is something maybe to look at. Kyle Williams has played admirably well for where he was selected in the 2006 NFL draft.

This guy could be their Tony Sirgusa. This guy can play nose and three technique. He could handle it especially if the Bills could use John McCargo as a sub to give each other breathers.

The secondary looks to be shaking out to look like serious competition. How does this figure into the plan by drafting Dairus Byrd in the second round? Well, Donte Whitner is the slotted starting FS on the depth chart, but with Bills recent draft history, they usually try to get their young guys on the field. It’s the philosophy that they have. So what happens here?

Well, here’s how things shake down. The Bills could use Whitner as a roaming safety like the Steelers use Polamalu. This guy can do so many things for your football team. He may not get the picks, but if you let him flow to the football he would amaze you.

Byrd will get some reps. He will possibly intermittently interchange with Ko Simpson and complete for playing time. It will be a real battle where it is all about producing. Whoever is playing better is going to see the field.

The Bills are such an interesting team to watch; they just seem to have the right elements to try running a hybrid defense. With every other team in the AFC East running the 3-4 the Bills need to not necessarily make the switch as well, but mix some elements around and running a Baltimore Ravens type defense.