Bleacher Report - Articles by Garrett Hirschman

Four Members of the Bufalo Bills Coaching Staff to Watch This Summer

Garrett Hirschman — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:47:57 -0400

Many fans expected, or were hoping, that Dick Jauron was going to be fired at the end of the 2008 season.

He was retained, and so was his coaching staff.

There is little doubt that Jauron and his coaching staff will be facing immense pressure in 2009 to get the Bills to the playoffs, or at least have a winning season.

These four coaches are going to be especially crucial for the Bills in 2009, but what do we know about them? Why have the Bills hopes for the playoffs been placed in the hands of these men? Are they capable hands?

By answering these questions, hopefully we can gain some insight on the direction the Bills are heading in 2009.

Turk Schonert, Offensive Coordinator- Schonert got his football career started at Stanford where he played from 1975-1979. John Elway was Schonert's backup during Elway's freshman year. Schonert went on to play in the NFL where he started only twelve games over a ten year career.

Schonert has had a fairly quiet coaching career in the NFL. He has been a quarterbacks coach for four other teams besides the Bills, coaching for Tampa Bay, Carolina, New York Giants, and New Orleans.

He was also the Bills quarterbacks coach from 1998-2000. With Schonert as their quarterback coach, Doug Flutie was the most successful, finishing ninth among NFL quarterbacks in passer rating in 2000.

Schonert has been given the task of overseeing Trent Edwards development. This is not the first time Schonert has groomed a young quarterback. Craig Erickson and Trent Dilfer both came into the league with Schonert as their quarterbacks coach. Chris Weinke also came into Carolina under Turk Schonert.

Out of those three quarterbacks, Craig Erickson had the best season. In 1994 he finished tenth in passer rating.

Turk Schonert is entering only his second season as an offensive coordinator. However, it is an extremely important year for Schonert. Buffalo has a lot of weapons on offense this season, and if the offense struggles, Schonert could come under fire, along with Dick Jauron and Trent Edwards.

There has been talk that the Bills could be going to a no-huddle offense. This might not be surprising, considering that Schonert coached under Sam Wyche in Tampa Bay. Wyche is considered to be the first coach to use the no-huddle offense as a regular offense and not just at the end of halves and games.

Perry Fewell, Defensive Coordinator- Perry Fewell is another coach who came to Buffalo with no NFL experience as a coordinator. Fewell was a standout defensive back at Lenoir-Rhyne College. After his college career he served as a defensive backs coach at the college level for thirteen years, making stops in North Carolina, Army, Kent State, and Vanderbilt.

In 1998 Fewell broke into the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his five seasons with Jacksonville, Fewell had one Pro Bowl safety in Carnell Lake, who made his last of five Pro Bowl appearances in 1999 with Fewell as his defensive backs coach.

In 2003, Fewell went to the St. Louis Rams where he coached under Lovie Smith who was then the defensive coordinator. Aeneas Williams made his last of eight Pro Bowl trips in 2003 with Fewell as his defensive backs coach. When Lovie Smith took the head coaching job in Chicago in 2005, Fewell went with him as a defensive backs coach.

Fewell came to Buffalo in 2006 as the defensive coordinator under Dick Jauron. Fewell no doubt picked up a lot of knowledge from Lovie Smith, who comes from the Tony Dungy school of the cover 2 or Tampa 2 defense as it is sometimes called. Buffalo uses a lot of cover 2 in its current defensive playbook.

Fewell may use a similar defense to the one that was great under Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay, but the results have not been similar. Buffalo has been average on the defensive side of the ball under Fewell. Fewell's system is based on coverage and pressure from the front four defensive lineman.

The secondary has struggled though, mainly due to the defensive line's struggle to get pressure on the quarterback. It is no wonder then that the Bills drafted a defensive end this year who is a pure pass rusher. Aaron Maybin probably will not have a huge impact this season, though Fewell may need him to be if the defense has a hard time.

Sean Kugler, Offensive Line Coach- Kugler is a local guy who was born and raised in Lockport, NY. He played college ball on the offensive line at Texas-El Paso from 1985-1989. From 1993-2000 he was the offensive line coach at his Alma mater.

From 2001-2005 Kugler was the offensive line coach for the Detroit Lions. It was in Detroit where Kugler crossed paths with Dick Jauron. Jauron was the teams defensive coordinator from 2004-2005, and was the interim head coach for the final five games of 2005.

In 2006, Kugler returned to college, joining the Boise State staff under Chris Petersen. Kugler was at Boise State the year they won the Fiesta Bowl, defeating Oklahoma on the final snap with a statue of liberty play.

In 2007, Kugler joined the Bills staff as an assistant under, then offensive line coach, Jim McNally. When McNally retired after 2007, Kugler was promoted to offensive line coach. He brought in, twenty year NFL veteran, Ray Brown to assist him.

Kugler may have the most important job this season. Buffalo has retooled the offensive line and drafted two offensive lineman on day one of the draft who could potentially start. Also, veterans, Langston Walker and Brad Butler, are likely to shift from their starting positions a year ago.

If the offensive line is not at least as good as last years unit, the Bills offense could be in trouble. The Bills skill positions on offense won't mean anything if Trent Edwards is on his back all season long. Worse yet, if the protection of Edwards breaks down enough times, Ryan Fitzpatrick could be the Bills starter by seasons end.

George Catavolos, Defensive Backs Coach- Catavolos was a defensive back at Purdue from 1964-1967. After college he coached at a number of different schools including Purdue, Middle Tennessee State, Louisville, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Catavolos brings a wealth of NFL coaching experience to the Bills. Over a twenty two year career he made stops in Indianapolis, Carolina, Washington, and Detroit. In his first two years with Carolina during the 1995 and 1996 seasons, the Panthers were tied for sixth and seventh in the NFL with 22 and 21 interceptions respectively.

Catavolos met up with Dick Jauron in Detroit for the 2004 and 2005 seasons. In 2005 the Lions were tied for seventh in the NFL with 19 interceptions.

Jauron brought Catavolos with him to Buffalo in 2006 as a defensive backs coach. Catavolos was instrumental in converting George Wilson from a wide receiver to a safety. Catavolos will face a similar challenge this year in converting rookie Jairus Byrd from a corner to a safety.

The Bills do not have a lot of experience in their secondary. Terrence McGee is the veteran of the group, along with with Donte Whitner, Bryan Scott, and Drayton Florence. Leodis McKelvin, Reggie Corner, Ashton Youboty, Dustin Fox, Carry Harris, Lankster Ellis, and Jairus Byrd have nine years of NFL experience combined.

Catavolos has his work cut out for him this summer.

These four coaches are important, but they still are only a part of the staff. The Bills success or failure this season will be due to the entire coaching staff and roster. However, Schonert, Fewell, Kugler, and Catavolos might be worth paying special attention to.

An Interview With the Buffalo Bills' Trent Edwards

Garrett Hirschman — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:20:41 -0400

Buffalo Bills fans are desperate for a franchise quarterback.

It's been 13 years since Jim Kelly retired, and, so far, no other quarterback has reached "franchise" status.

Trent Edwards is looking to change that.

To this point, Edwards is thought pretty highly of in Buffalo. He is well-spoken, seems very sharp, and has shown some signs of greatness on the field.

Fans want to love Edwards in the worst way. However, in sports, the only thing that matters is "what have you done for me lately?" For Edwards, lately is the upcoming season.

If Edwards gets the Bills to the playoffs, he will be loved. If he wins a playoff game, he will be revered. But if he wins a Super Bowl, he will reach legend status and surpass Kelly as the greatest quarterback in Bills' history. Unless, of course, he badmouths the team, and/or city. In that case, he will be remembered, but not put ahead of Kelly.

So what would Edwards think of all this? I honestly could not tell you, but I know if I had the opportunity to interview him, the questions I would ask would be something like this:

A lot of fans think this is a make-or-break year for you as the Bills quarterback. Do you think it is a make-or-break season, and how does that affect you and the pressure you might be feeling?

I might expect a typical answer to this question like, "I treat it like any other year." However, it is hard to dispute that Edwards will have a lot of pressure on him to succeed, especially considering all the weapons the Bills have on offense.

It has been 10 years since the Bills have made the playoffs and even longer since they have WON a playoff game. This will only be your third season here, but does the playoff drought enter your mind at all when you think about taking this team to the playoffs?

This is a question I wouldn't mind asking anyone on the Bills. Fans are well aware of the drought, and even though no one on this team has been here all 10 seasons without playoffs, does it matter to them? Fans would like to think it does, because we are not even sure it matters to the owner!

What do you think will be most-improved in your game this season?

The best answer here would be consistency. Edwards played like a second-year quarterback last season. Good for a stretch, not so good for a stretch. But, if you took consistency off the table, you might want to see him have a better command of the offense and call some more audibles during the game.

The Patriots have owned the Bills this decade. It seems that they not only beat you, but they out-play, out-class, and out-do the Bills in every area. Does it bother you and the team that every time you play New England, you get shown up?

My guess is that Edwards would say that losing bothers him and the team no matter who it is against. This question would probably require a follow-up where I asked, "Yes, but New England is the class of the NFL, and your division. Losing to them doesn't bother you more than losing to the Arizona Cardinals, for example?"

Fans want to believe that the team cares as much about getting creamed by the Patriots as they do. However, the way that the Bills played the Patriots last season, there is reason to doubt that.

Fans are nervous that the Bills might be leaving Buffalo, either for Toronto or maybe another place like Los Angeles. What do you think of the prospect of the team moving away from Buffalo?

This question will show how much smarter Trent Edwards is compared to Willis McGahee. This question is trying to see the connection that Edwards has with the community and the region. Buffalo fans love players who like Buffalo and who can see what the team means to the area and the fans themselves.

How would you describe the fans of the Buffalo Bills?

Edwards is smart, and he would understand that even if he had to lie, there is only one way to answer this question. Again, the purpose here is to give Edwards the chance to endear himself to the fans. Buffalo fans are easy to flatter, and they know it.

Bill Walsh spoke highly of you coming out of college. What does that do for your confidence as a quarterback?

Everyone knows about Bill Walsh's feelings on Edwards. It definitely gave the fans more confidence in Edwards' ability, but I wonder what it actually did for the Stanford grad's confidence, or maybe his ego.

How long have you wanted to be an NFL quarterback, and when did you first think it could actually happen?

Athletes might make a lot of money and be celebrities, but at one point they were pretty ordinary individuals with a dream. A lot of kids have wanted to be NFL quarterbacks at one point or another, myself included, but very few ever get the chance.

As a quarterback, would you rather have a great offensive line, or a great group of receivers?

Considering how much he got beat up in college, my guess is he would take the great offensive line.

Where is your favorite place to eat in the greater Buffalo area?

Personally, I would pick the Anchor Bar or Pearle Street, or maybe a concession stand in Ralph Wilson Stadium on a Sunday afternoon in mid January.

Who knows, maybe Trent Edwards frequents b/r and he can contact me for an interview, or leave a comment with his answers.

The Buffalo Bills' Best Plays from 2008

Garrett Hirschman — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:34:44 -0400

The first week of OTAs are in the book and football is growing on everyone's mind. OTAs give coaches, reporters, and fans their first look at the team. With Terrell Owens in town, the excitement is even greater this year.

Fans are wanting to know what the offense is going to look like. What changes will there be from last year? Will Edwards throw the deep ball more—and to whom: Owens or Evans?

It's still very early, yet. The Bills coaching staff is merely going over the basics of the playbook and getting guys familiar with each other. The goal is to see what you have on your roster, and how much work there is to do. Chemistry on the team is just beginning.

Buffalo's offensive coordinator, Turk Schonert, is sure to have some new tricks in his bag for the upcoming season, but there are also some old ones he will be pulling out, too.

Five plays in particular from 2008 stand out because the Bills used them on a more-or-less, consistent basis. Not only did Schonert go back to these plays in multiple games, but the offense executed them well, Schonert called them at the right time, and the outcome was usually positive.

HB Draw

Despite having one of the Biggest offensive lines in the NFL, the Bills had some struggles in 2008 running the ball when the opposing defense knew it was coming. However, when teams were playing pass first, the Bills would call a draw every now and then, typically out of the shotgun or singleback formation. Before the defense could react, Lynch or Jackson would already be to the second level.

Bootleg

The bootleg saw the most success later in the season. Against Kansas City, the Bills scored three touchdowns off the bootleg. The bootleg is such a great play because it can be run from nearly any formation. When you run in a three wide receiver set, it is dangerous because the QB has more throw options. I would not be surprised to see the bootleg used a few more times in 2009.

HB Toss or Pitch

The toss or the pitch play was especially successful for Buffalo in 2008. Marshawn Lynch is such a determined runner, and outside running plays are all about quickness and determination. Effective from the I-formation, or a singleback set, the key for Buffalo was for the offensive line to seal off the edge and keep the defensive end from getting penetration into the backfield.

Josh Reed in the Slot

Josh Reed was superb for Buffalo in 2008. He did most of his damage out of slot and in the middle of the field. Whether it was running a slant, a hook, or just settling in the soft spot of the coverage, Josh Reed was Trent Edwards bailout receiver in 2008. With Terrell Owens in the equation, Reed will not get much attention from defenses in 2009, giving him the potential for a big year.

Deep Ball

The signature of Lee Evans, the deep ball has been one of Buffalo's strongest plays over the last half decade. In 2008, it had a different look and feel, but was still potent. Trent Edwards lacks the arm strength to out throw Lee Evans, but he has great touch. Lee Evans is excellent at running the hitch and go, which is most lethal with play action and out of the I-formation when the defense is expecting a run. Look for Edwards to throw it up even more for both Lee Evans and Terrell Owens in 2009.

What Should we Expect from the 2009 Buffalo Bills?

Garrett Hirschman — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:59:32 -0400

Around this time of year, fans really start thinking about football and their expectations for the upcoming season. In Buffalo this year, there is more buzz because of Terrell Owens, and more reason to expect more from the team. But what does TO mean to the Bills season, and what should we expect from this team?

If recent history tells us anything then we should expect 7-9 right? Looking through the schedule, 7-9 might not be a stretch. Of course, the record rarely tells the whole story.

If the season could be placed on any one person's shoulders, it would be Trent Edwards. Looking at last season as a whole it was clear that Trent Edwards play was the biggest reason for Buffalo's success and failure. Obviously the QB's play is a large factor of any teams success, but good teams can win despite poor QB play. However, the Bills are not going to be good enough to overcome a poor game, or season by Trent Edwards.

All that being said, I expect Trent Edwards to have a Pro Bowl type year. He is a smart football player who will get the ball to the play makers on offense. Edwards showed flashes of greatness last year, but lacked consistency. This season he is a year wiser and will be more consistent for the Bills.

The Bills have retooled the offensive line for 2009. As of right now it seems likely that two rookies, Eric Wood and Andy Levitre, will be starting. The offensive line is really an unknown, but look for them to struggle a little bit early on and then get better as the season goes on. Everyone has heard the cliche about offensive lines needing to "gel" in order to play well, but the Bills lineman will have to play well as unit in order to get the job done.

Terrell Owens will give the Bills a legitimate second option at WR this season. Both he and Lee Evans will pose a real threat to defenses. The WR to watch, though, is Josh Reed. Last season Reed was exceptional out of the slot, especially on third down. When he got injured it really affected Edwards and the rest of the offense. Teams will have a difficult time shutting down Owens, Evans, and Reed.

Rookie TE Shawn Nelson looks like a promising young player. However, I would not expect him to start or contribute much to the offense this season. Derek Fine is who I expect to start at TE. He seems to be a decent blocker who is a better receiver than he gets credit for. Nelson will play in some situational downs, but Fine will take the bulk of the TE responsibilities.

Buffalo's group of RB's are gifted to say the least. A new offensive line might be just what Marshawn Lynch needs to become an elite back in the NFL. Although he will miss three games due to suspension (pending appeal), Lynch will still be a crucial part of the Bills offense in 2009.

Dominic Rhodes and Fred Jackson are two solid backs who should pick up the load nicely when Lynch is out. Both are shifty and can catch the ball well. Look for them to put up around 600 yards between the two of them.

Defensively the Bills have made some adjustments, but overall the defense will look much the same in 2009. Perry Fewell is not expected to go away from his "bend but don't break" defensive philosophy. The problem is that without a front four who can consistently get to the QB, the linebackers and secondary will left be on an island to defend against the likes of Tom Brady, Randy Moss and Chad Pennington.

Aaron Schobel will be welcomed back and should help the sack numbers for the Bills go up from last season. Schobel may have lost a step, but he has a chip on his shoulder this season for being called old and past his prime by some fans and media.

Aaron Maybin may be a rookie, but I expect him to get plenty of playing time, especially in passing situations. Maybin has tremendous upside, but his first year will be challenging as he adjusts to the size and speed of the NFL. Maybin will see his greatest success come in the second half of 2009 as he adjusts to his new environment.

The Bills have a couple of decent linebackers in Kawika Mitchell and Paul Posluszny. What is a concern, though, is who will play on the other side of Posluszny? Keith Ellison is not an adequate option, and rookie Nic Harris is shifting from safety to linebacker. Without a decent second starter at OLB, the Bills could see a lot plays run to the side either Ellison or Harris is occupying.

Buffalo's secondary could feature a lot of young players in starting positions. Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin will be asked to do a lot this season. McGee will be tested early when the Bills open the season at New England and face Tom Brady and Randy Moss. McKelvin will have to pick up where he left off last season if the Bills hope to have a defense who can handle the pass. Drayton Florence should be a solid number three corner, but if McKelvin struggles he could end up starting.

Donte Whitner has yet to establish himself as a quality safety in the league, and Ko Simpson is below average. Jairus Byrd could start at free safety, but the situation that I expect is for Donte Whitner to start at free safety with Bryan Scott starting at strong safety. I also would not be surprised if Byrd sees some action as the third or fourth cornerback.

It is very early yet, and projecting starters before training camp is a tricky business. Injuries also could turn everything upside down. But Buffalo has some excellent talent, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

Before I went through the schedule I had the Bills going 9-7, maybe 10-6 based on talent. After going game by game on the schedule I had the Bills going 8-8. The level of competition they will face is tough to assess. Many of their opponents have questions at QB and/or new coaching staffs. So, based on last year, they have a tough schedule, but you really don't know until the season is under way.

The biggest question the Bills have right now is the offensive line. If the offensive line is able to pass block as well as last years unit, while run blocking better, the Bills could have a big year. If the line struggles significantly it could translate into 6-10.

Trent Edwards health is also a concern. If he can stay healthy, the Bills are in good shape, if he doesn't, they are in trouble. Edwards has a history of injury trouble, so that could be something to watch for.

Defensively, the Bills will be as good as their playmaking stats. If Buffalo finishes in the top ten in sacks and/or takeaways, it will be a good season. But if they finish in the bottom ten, it will mean another 11th overall draft selection.

What I have yet to mention in this article is the coaching staff, but trust me, I have accounted for them. There is little faith in the coaching staff, but perhaps the notion that this could be Dick Jauron's last coaching stint will have a positive effect on the team and staff.

So there you have it, my expectations for the 2009 Buffalo Bills. Although, I would like to officially make my prediction of a 7-9 record. Losing four Super Bowls in a row seemed very unlikely, but it happened, so why can't four straight 7-9 seasons happen? It would be fitting, especially since this is the 50th year the team has been in the NFL.

For the Buffalo Bills, the AFC East Looms Large

Garrett Hirschman — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:03:30 -0400

The Buffalo Bills have done their best to upgrade the roster for the upcoming season.

They added some flash in Terrell Owens and Aaron Maybin, and some grit in Geoff Hangartner and Eric Wood. All of those additions do not change the fact that the Bills are in one of the toughest divisions in football.

The AFC East was strong last year and has the potential to be even stronger this year. Tom Brady is back, and the Jets and Dolphins have done little, if anything, to diminish their teams from last year.

The Bills are well aware of how good their Eastern rivals are. The Bills went an astonishing 0-6 last season against their division. This feat was even more remarkable considering that in 2007 the team was 4-2 in the AFC East, while posting the same 7-9 record that last year's team had.

New England Patriots—New England's biggest addition is the return of QB Tom Brady from a knee injury. Brady will return with many of the same weapons that propelled him to record-breaking numbers and an MVP award in 2007. The Patriots bolstered their secondary in the offseason with the signing of CB Shawn Springs and the drafting of SS Patrick Chung and CB Darius Butler. New England will be a Super Bowl contender in 2009 and will take the East with a 12-4 record.

Buffalo Bills—The Bills have shifted their roster around significantly from a year ago, but much of the shifting is a result of the draft. So many young players being expected to step in and contribute could be disastrous, but Trent Edwards will cover a multitude of sins and get this team into playoff contention. Edwards is a year wiser and will have more weapons at his disposal. Look for Josh Reed to have a big year as the Bills go 9-7.

Miami Dolphins—Last year's division winner will have no place to hide in 2009. Chad Pennington and Joey Porter will find it hard to duplicate their success from 2008. Pennington will not have the motivation he had last year, and Porter is not getting any younger. The Dolphins will split with the Bills and Jets, while getting swept by the Patriots. Miami will finish a disappointing 8-8 and third in the East.

New York Jets—The Jets are a hard team to pinpoint. Rex Ryan will put a stingy defense on the field, but there are still some questions on offense. The Jets' running back depth should make things easier on either Kellen Clemens or Mark Sanchez, but will the starting QB be able to make enough plays to get the Jets to the postseason? It is not likely, which will lead to an ugly 8-8 record.

Buffalo could have its work cut out. The Patriots are guaranteed to be strong. The Dolphins could be a good team, but will most likely fade from last year's success. The Jets are the wild card; they get the title of "boom or bust". They have talent, but will the QB play hinder the Jets? It is hard to say, but history is not in favor of inexperienced QBs.

The Bills will have a hard time getting into the playoffs without winning the division. What seems likely is that the East will produce a division winner and the mad scramble for a Wild Card will result in the other three teams taking each other out of contention, which is what happened last season.

The AFC East will be the biggest obstacle to the Bills' postseason aspirations. Without going at least 3-3 in the division, the Bills will not make the playoffs. Trent Edwards is going to be key. The rest of the team will not matter much if Edwards does not play well and most importantly, consistently.

All the Buffalo Bills Needed Was Decent Quarterback Play

Garrett Hirschman — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:30:56 -0500

Well, it's that time of year again. No, I'm not talking about Christmas. I am talking about that time of the year when Bills games are meaningless.

Although the Bills were still technically in the playoff picture heading into last week's game against the Jets, I don't think too many Bills fans cared about the game. The same was true yesterday against the Broncos. Sure, a win is nice, but realistically all it did was hurt the Bills' draft pick.

What was encouraging was the play of quarterback Trent Edwards.

Not only did he move the offense up and down the field, but he did it in cold weather, no less.

It got me thinking about what would have happened if Edwards' groin injury never happened. What would be the Bills' record right now? Would they be 10-5?

Who knows, but it's amazing what decent quarterback play can do for a team. Edwards was not great, but he found receivers on crucial plays and didn't turn the ball over. That's more than Jack Losman can say about his recent starts.

Sure, you can argue about the teams they played against and this and that, but does anyone really doubt that Edwards is a much better quarterback than Losman?

My hatred for New England has not burned as bright this year—that is, until I saw that their playoff hopes will live or die in Ralph Wilson Stadium.

I am pretty pumped for this Sunday's game. It would be amazing to beat New England for the first time in a while, at the same time killing their playoff hopes. I don't think the Bills will, but I didn't think they were going to beat Denver either.

It has been a tough year for Bills fans, but I think one bright area could be Trent Edwards having a good game against the Patriots in December. I still believe in this guy, and I will be watching closely to see how he performs against another good team in cold weather.

I have so much to say about the Bills and what should happen next year, but I will save it for after next week.

Since I am in a good mood this week: Bills 34-30 over the Patriots.

Merry Christmas!

Toronto Game Proves Buffalo Bills Fans Deserve Better

Garrett Hirschman — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:52:22 -0500

Buffalo Bills fans are some of the best in football. If nothing else, Sunday's game against Miami proved that.

Is the type of atmosphere that was in Toronto yesterday really what the NFL is looking for?

Was yesterday an example of the glorious life of a large-market team?

If that's what the NFL wants then they can football and the Bills, because I am done with both!

Yesterday was the epitome of the decade for Buffalo Bills fans: A heartless effort from top to bottom.

Ralph Wilson: I think it's time you give this team up. You obviously don't care about winning football games. That's apparent from you reaction to Buffalo New's columnist Jerry Sullivan's question of, "Are you embarrassed [about the way the Bills played against Miami?]" Ralph looked at Jerry, laughed and said, "I'm used to it."

WHAT!?

Is that the owner we have? He's used to it? Does he know that he owns the team and actually has some say in what happens with the team?

Unacceptable Ralph.

I used to dislike Jerry Jones and Daniel Snyder. They were the "enemy" so to speak. They wanted to do away with the Buffalo Bills teams of the world. But right now I would trade Ralph in a heart beat for the winning desire of those two owners.

Russ Brandon: You will be judged by your actions this off-season.

Dick Jauron and the coaching staff: You are dead men walking.

The fans of this community are more passionate and resilient than any in football and they deserve more from the team that they invest so much in. Despite not making the playoffs or being competitive for close to ten years, Bills fans showed up in historic numbers to buy season tickets this year.

How do the Bills thank them?

By playing heartless football against a bitter rival.

Shame on you Buffalo Bills.

Yesterday the Bills got the alternative to life in Buffalo. The fans in the Rogers Center were as heartless as the team they were watching.

Did the Dolphins ever look like they doubted the outcome of the game yesterday?

They simply waited for the Bills to roll over and play dead and then they won the game, headed out of the cozy, seventy-two degree dome and jumped on a plane without ever breaking a sweat.

Jason Peter's has taken a lot of flak this season for his holdout, but from what I see he has been the Bills' player with the most heart over the last four weeks. Props to you Jason.

Is there any reason to believe things are going change with this football team in the near future?

I watched the UB Bulls win the MAC Championship on Friday night and it was great because it was a look at a real team. A team with heart. Head coach Turner Gill has more heart than the whole Bills organization combined. He coaches football the way it is supposed to be coached. With passion.

I cannot wait for the off-season.

Trent Edwards: The Buffalo Bills' Franchise Quarterback?

Garrett Hirschman — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:57:04 -0500

The start of the 2008 season was filled with answers for the Buffalo Bills. They had answered their head coach question, their defensive line questions, and most importantly their quarterback question.

That all came after a 5-1 start and the AFC East division lead. But just as winning brings answers, losing brings questions. The Bills have since gone 1-5 and their fans are asking a lot of questions and getting few answers.

The head coach question still has an answer, though it is not the same one that was there at 5-1. The defensive line has, at times, been a big question, too. However, the most important answer has now become the biggest question: Is Trent Edwards capable of being the Bills' franchise quarterback?

This question is hardly a matter of yes or no. There are a number of factors to consider, not to mention Edwards still has four games to make a statement this year.

The first thing to consider is whether or not Dick Jauron will indeed be the head coach of this team next year. If so, that would give Edwards another year in Turk Schonert's system which has been very effective at times, but has also seen Edwards struggle immensely.

If Jauron is fired it will probably mean a new system for Edwards to learn, which could mean either progress or regression for the Stanford grad.

What will the Bills receivers look like next year? Will James Hardy develop at all, or will the game appear to be over his head still? Will a tight end on the roster emerge as a force, or will the Bills look to free agency or the draft for a good tight end?

Another thing to consider is Trent Edwards' development relative to other quarterbacks in the league.

Edwards has followed a similar route to the starting lineup as Denver's Jay Cutler. Cutler took over for Jake Plummer in 2006 and played in five games that year, going 2-3. Cutler played in all 16 games last year for the Broncos and led them to a 7-9 record.

Cutler was brilliant at times last season, but he also struggled, much like Edwards has this year. He finished the 2007 season with 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Edwards has 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions so far this year, and will probably finish just below Cutler's 2007 stats in most categories.

What has Cutler done this year?

He has the Broncos at 7-5 and in the division lead. He has already surpassed his 20 touchdowns last season with 21 so far this year. His quarterback rating of 87.8 is just below his final number of 88.1 at the end of 2007.

Putting the numbers aside, Cutler has progressed in each of his three seasons in Denver. In his second year he wasn't able to produce a playoff berth in Denver, but looks to be heading for a division title in his third year. Cutler also was a highly touted first round pick in 2006.

Cutler and Edwards aren't identical, but the comparison should go to show that good quarterbacks can struggle in their second seasons as starters.

Trent Edwards has shown that he has the ability to be a franchise quarterback, but he is still young and has yet to play a whole season as a starter. This season has been a learning experience for Edwards and the final four games will be as important as any he has played this year.

A huge reason for Edwards' struggles this season has been the 3-4 defense. Five of the Bills' losses this year have been to teams that run a 3-4 scheme, including all of their division rivals. Obviously if Edwards is going to be the guy he has to show that he can beat the 3-4 defense. He will have three more chances to do so this season.

If the Bills decide that Edwards is not the guy, who can they bring in?

In free agency some big names are Kurt Warner, Matt Cassel, Kerry Collins, and Jeff Garcia. Cassel is the most attractive of that group because of his age, while the others are quality quarterbacks, but don't provide long-term solutions.

The second tier of free agents includes Chris Simms, Rex Grossman, Kyle Boller, David Carr, Patrick Ramsey, Charlie Batch, and Byron Leftwich.

If the Bills were to pick up a free agent quarterback, Cassel is the best option, but he will demand a large salary and has proven himself no more than Trent Edwards has.

What about the draft?

It's still early, but there are some big name junior quarterbacks who may or may not declare for the draft. Some of the bigger names are Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, Mark Sanchez, and Matthew Stafford.

Out of that group Colt McCoy would be my first choice. Tim Tebow is an attractive pick, but his pure passer skills are an unknown at this point, making the risk too great.

At this point, I am in favor of giving Edwards the benefit of the doubt and heading into 2009 with him as the starter, regardless of what happens these last four weeks. I believe he will be better next season and will become a more consistent quarterback as he matures.

That being said, the Bills still need to make some moves at the quarterback position. They need an experienced backup quarterback who can keep things rolling if Edwards goes down. Kerry Collins is an attractive pickup, so is Charlie Batch and maybe Byron Leftwich, too.

I would also like the Bills to bring in a rookie quarterback, perhaps a third round pick or an early second day pick. My short list includes: Chase Daniel from Missouri, Graham Harrell from Texas Tech, and my sentimental pick, Drew Willy from the University at Buffalo.

Trent Edwards has the tools necessary to win in the NFL. He has the make-up of a quarterback who will continue to develop into a solid football player and be good for years to come. The biggest aspect of his development is going to be the head coaching situation.

We continue to stay tuned...

Buffalo Bills Miss Opportunity In Awful Loss To Niners

Garrett Hirschman — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:09:58 -0500

What an uninspiring effort by the Buffalo Bills.

They destroyed the last bit of hope anyone had for them to make the playoffs yesterday with a 10-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

I'll admit that I overlooked the Niner's game. I was fully expecting the Bills to win in convincing fashion yesterday. I was ready to be 7-5 heading into Toronto to take on Miami. The Bills played well on the road in Kansas City, why would they lose to a worse team at home?

Well apparently the Bills overlooked the Niner's too.

That term "overlook" is used a lot in the NFL, but the Bills seemed as though they literally overlooked San Francisco.

Were they watching film on the Dolphins last week, I wonder?

My first disappointment is Trent Edwards.

I did not watch the first half, but rather listened to it in the car. From what I heard Edwards wasn't playing great, but he wasn't awful either. He was completing passes to the wide receivers and moving the ball down the field. The game had all the feel of the St. Louis, or Oakland game. The fourth quarter comeback feeling was in the air.

Then Jack Losman (thanks Nick Mendola) came out for the second half and all was lost.

The FOX broadcasters said Edwards had a groin injury, but neither one seemed convinced that the injury was legit. The sideline reporter even said that Edwards told some offensive linemen that he was fine.

Whether or not he was really hurt, I don't know. But in the most important game of the year Edwards was on the bench with a groin strain/pull.

That's not good enough for me.

In that situation the Bills needed their quarterback to gut one out.

As a disclaimer, I will admit that I have never had a serious groin pull. I don't know what it limits you from doing. Is it an issue of pain or the inability to use the groin? I couldn't tell you. But from Edwards post game remarks it seemed to be a pain issue.

Would Jim Kelly have sat out that game due to pain? I don't think so.

I really hope the coaches pulled Edwards and that he didn't pull himself.

We know this coaching staff is inept, but we want to believe our quarterback is tougher than that, and more competitive.

Let's say Edwards did have a real groin pull and told the team and coaches about it, but said I am going to play through it and he goes out and the Bills comeback and win.

Can you imagine how far that would have gone in the locker room? It might have been the catalyst that propelled the Bills into the playoffs. But we will never know.

How bad is Losman? I mean really, how bad?

What an opportunity to come in and play for your next contract. Instead he locked up a contract in the Arena Football League.

The coaches should be ashamed to lose that game, even with Losman.

Where was the deep ball to Evans? That's the one thing Losman can do well, but they didn't throw it once.

And why didn't Marshawn Lynch reach 20 carries? He finished with 16 carries for 134 yards, but four more carries in crucial points of the game could have been the difference between winning and losing.

This Bills team is as disappointing as any I have watched. People have said, "Well at least we aren't Lions fans." Well I counter with, "Well at least Lions fans aren't being tortured!"

Buffalo has a good core of players, and I believe that Edwards is the real deal, but what is missing is a catalyst. That final piece that will put Buffalo over the top and into contender status.

Buffalo needs a good coach.

After the game I discussed with another fan what the Bills should do for a coach. We both agreed that Bill Cowher would be the best candidate, and that because he is the best he will never end up in Buffalo.

Sad, but true.

Lastly, as if to further punish Bills fans for some unknown wrong, the football gods decided to let the Jets and Patriots lose yesterday.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Just think, the Bills could easily be 8-4 and tied for the division lead right now.

Yet here we are, jealous of Lions fans...

NFL Week 13: Buffalo Bills Playoff Shot

Garrett Hirschman — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 05:30:05 -0500

I was going to write a Bills-Niners preview, but what is there really to say? Run the football and limit turnovers and they will win.

I fully expect Buffalo to win this weekend. The only way they lose is by overlooking San Francisco, and they are in no position to do that.

So let's talk about the playoffs. Playoffs? Yup, playoffs.

The Bills face a tough battle to either win the division or snatch a wild card. They are in a very tough division and cannot afford to lose to a division opponent.

I have said that no 11-5 team will miss the playoffs, and I still stick with that. I will also go out on a limb and say that if the Bills go 11-5 they probably will win the division. If you throw a loss on each of the Bills division rivals by means of a Buffalo victory and factor in their other opponents it seems that 11-5 will most certainly win the division by whoever posts that record.

Sounds simple enough, right?

Yeah, but we all know that winning out or even going 4-1 is a very tall order for this Bills team.

So what about a wild card?

Well, the Colts are pretty much a lock to get a wild card at 7-4. They have a very easy remaining schedule against the Browns, Bengals, Lions, Jaguars, and Titans. The Titans may be meaningless to Tennessee by the end of the year and could be an easy win for the Colts against backups.

The Ravens are also sitting at 7-4 but they have a much tougher schedule, including games against the Redskins, Steelers, and Cowboys. The Ravens are good, but too young to win all three of these games. They will be on the outside looking in come January.

The Bills have to pass two teams in their division to get a wild card. The best candidates for that are Miami and New England. The Dolphins are not quite there and have some tough games left against the Bills and Jets. All we have to do is beat them in Toronto and they will be out.

The Patriots have to play the Steelers this week, which will be a tough game, and then the Bills get them in Buffalo on the last week of the season. That game could very well be for a wild card spot.

So, unlike years past, the Bills control much of their own destiny at this point in the season. They will need a little help and that help seems to be likely to come at this point.

Playoff Prediction: Bills finish at 10-6 and just miss the playoffs.

Sunday's Prediction: Bills look sharp and beat the Niners, 34-10.

Buffalo Bills Get Feel Good Win In Kansas City

Garrett Hirschman — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:17:48 -0500

All of western New York certainly needed a win on Sunday, and a 54-31 victory was just what the doctor (probably a shrink) ordered.

After a heartbreaking loss to the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football, Bills fans just wanted a reason to not pull their hair out.

The Bills delivered that and much more.

There was talk amongst Bills fans that the Chiefs were going to prevail on Sunday. They were not playing like a 1-10 team, and the Bills were in a vulnerable spot. The thinking was that the Bills of old were back; those Bills' teams who would beat some good teams and lose to some bad.

Buffalo certainly did anything but lose on Sunday.

Trent Edwards played well and that was possibly the biggest reason for celebration. He came out a little slow and missed tight end Robert Royal on a wide-open touchdown pass, but the Bills scored a touchdown on the drive anyway.

That missed throw almost seemed to lighten Edwards up a little.

Once Edwards went back to the sideline the offensive line coach Sean Kulger made a comment saying, "Man, I could have made that throw in my sleep." I'm sure all Edwards could do was smile at Kulger, but it must have helped to move on rather than beating himself up over a bad throw that didn't cost his team.

After that drive Edwards slowly started to get his confidence back. He played like he was having fun and that was a big step from the Edwards we have seen the last four weeks.

Offensively the Bills played as well as you could ask. The offensive line had another solid all around game. If they keep it up it could translate into some big wins for the Bills.

Lee Evans and Josh Reed got involved in the passing game and had typical days for the two of them. They each had five receptions with Evans going for 110 yards and Reed for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Edwards must have been thrilled to get Reed back, and I'm sure Lee Evans didn't mind either. The play of these two receivers over the final five weeks will factor largely in the Bills playoff hopes.

Defensively the Bills' had a hard time stopping the Chiefs, but did manage to get some big turnovers, which can make the worst defense look world class.

Leodis McKelvin was a stud on Sunday.

He had two interceptions and gave the Bills great field position all day either by good returns, or by forcing Kansas City to kick short and keep it away from him. Let's hope he continues to play this well.

The Bills should beat San Francisco at home next week. I'll leave it at that until Friday's preview.

The AFC East has proven to be a strong conference this season. That is both good and bad for the Bills. Buffalo has yet to beat a team with a winning record, and the three AFC East teams ahead of them are all playing well right now.

However, if you want to be a playoff team you have to beat some good teams, and Buffalo should be glad it has the chance to do that by playing their division again.

I said last week that no 11-5 team will miss the playoffs this year, and I stand by that. There are five weeks remaining in the season and the playoff picture will become clearer after each week. It's the time when the pretenders are separated from the contenders (I love that phrase).

Check back on Friday and I will preview the San Francisco game, as well as take a closer look at the playoff picture.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

NFL Week 12: Buffalo Bills in Desperate Need of a Win

Garrett Hirschman — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:01:16 -0500

Buffalo heads into Kansas City this week to take on a Chiefs team who is much better than their 1-9 record indicates.

Buffalo has to let go of the Browns loss and focus 100 percent on the Chiefs. Kansas City is playing some solid football and has been getting great play from quarterback Tyler Thigpen.

Josh Reed looks as though he is returning to the lineup this week, and if he is healthy, he will make a tremendous impact on the passing game.

Trent Edwards has sorely missed Reed, who had become one of his go-to guys early in the season.

The Bills' offensive line played a tremendous game on Monday night. They led the rushing attack to 186 yards in what was their best all-around game this year.

Believe it or not, things are going to get easier this week, as the Chiefs have the 31st-ranked run defense in the NFL. Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson should be licking their lips from the backfield on Sunday.

Lee Evans must get the football this week; how else can I put it? Buffalo needs to take some shots to him with the deep ball and force the defense to respect the Bills' downfield passing game.

On defense, Buffalo needs to replicate what it did against the Browns and quarterback Brady Quinn (and no I don't mean break Thigpen's finger). The Bills were able at times to put pressure on Quinn and forced him into some bad throws. They must also put pressure on Thigpen and force him to make some bad decisions.

The run defense was stellar last week despite giving up a 72-yard run. Marcus Stroud was dominant and will need to be so again this week if the Bills want to stop the Chiefs.

Chris Kelsay has to elevate his game. He has not made a play in the last four weeks and is drastically underplaying his contract. He has only one sack and one forced fumble in 10 games this season. With Aaron Schobel out, Kelsay's play becomes even more important. I would like to see him line up on the other side of the line and see if that makes a difference.

I think this game is going to be close. I am expecting good quarterback play from Tyler Thigpen. He is going to keep Kansas City in this game.

Trent Edwards will have a decent game but won't throw for any touchdowns. I would look for him to put up around 225 yards passing with no interceptions.

Lee Evans and Josh Reed will each get around six catches with Evans nearing 100 yards and Reed posting around 60.

Marshawn Lynch is going to have a career day rushing this week. He will run for over 150 yards and have at least two touchdowns either on the ground or through the air. Fred Jackson will also be near the century mark and may get a touchdown himself.

Buffalo's defense will play the run well but will give up some yards in the secondary. Their red zone defense will play well and will hold Kansas City to mostly field goal attempts.

Buffalo will wear down Kansas City with the run and beat the Chiefs: 31-23.

Buffalo Bills Drop Cleveland Browns Game And Maybe The Season

Garrett Hirschman — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:17:50 -0500

I suppose Bills fans were due for a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking loss. That had been the one thing missing so far this year.

Monday night against the Browns the Bills lost what could have been a season changing game.

Had the Bills won, what would fans be saying?

Would the talk be about how we are right back in it, or how the Bills are back? We will never really know.

Once Rian Lindell missed that field goal all that was left was silence. What was there to say? A 47 yard field goal wide right, seriously?

How fitting for the game that may have ended the Bills season.

Despite losing their last three games to division opponents, there was a sense of excitement about the Bills hosting another Monday night game. I was in Wegman's several hours before kickoff and I saw several people with Bills jersey's and jackets, and shirts.

There was a buzz in the air.

One guy walked passed me, saw I was wearing a Bills jacket and shouted "Go Bills!"

That buzz is all but gone now.

As a team I thought the Bills played well. The offensive line had been underfire the past few weeks, but rose to the challenge by playing one of their best games; Marshawn Lynch had some room to run the ball; and Trent Edwards had plenty of time to throw for most of the game.

The defense played an inspired game. Despite some suspect secondary play, they kept the Browns in check and the Bills in the game. They were able to generate some pressure on Brady Quinn, and played well against the run, minus one play.

Marcus Stroud played perhaps his best game as a Bill. He was highly disruptive in the Brown's running game, and got pressure on Brady Quinn several times.

It seemed as though the whole team was getting back to its 5-1 form, except, of course, Trent Edwards.

It was tough to watch Edwards. I think many fans felt a similar feeling as when a parent watches their child step out of the batter's box on every pitch.

He looked as uncomfortable as I have seen any quarterback look in the pocket. He played the whole game after his three interceptions as if his only goal was to not to lose it, when all the team needed him to do was go out and win it.

It is hard to blame anyone but Edwards for this loss. Rian Lindell is a close second; however, he failed to make just one play while Edwards failed to make several.

Not getting Lee Evans the football one time is inexcusable. He is our best wide receiver, and he was open on many plays. Not throwing to him was Trent Edwards biggest mistake.

I have two big issues with the offense, one or both may be on the coaching staff.

How is it that you don't dial up a deep ball to Lee Evans once in last nights game? That may be on Edwards, but still, thats Evans' biggest strength, and we didn't try to use it once.

Along with that, what happened to play action? I had been noticing we don't use it much, but ESPN said that the Bills are the only team in the NFL who have yet to use play action.

Tell me this isn't true, it can't be.

I know Turk Schonert would not eliminate one of the most effective offensive weapons there is...right?

Perhaps the one thing we have learned over these last four weeks is that Josh Reed is the Bills' MVP.

Do we lose four games in a row if he is healthy? Maybe, but I think we would have beaten Miami if he doesn't get hurt, and who knows what his presence along with a divisional win would have done for the Bills momentum-wise over the next four weeks.

Next we travel to Kansas City, in a game that feels like it has a lot less meaning today than it did yesterday.

Buffalo needs to forget about everything but the Chiefs. They need to win, plain and simple. I don't care how, just win. I need to hear Dick Jauron say, "It's a good win for our football team" in his post game interview. The Chiefs are a tough out at home, but we should beat them.

The Bills are in a hole, but if they win out they will make the playoffs. No 11-5 team is going to miss the playoffs in the AFC this year, trust me. That's not the issue, though. The issue is whether or not the Bills can win out.

I don't think they will, but I am sure they will come close and get fans excited one more time, only to rip their hearts out yet again.

Week 11: Bills Looking For Monday Night Redemption

Garrett Hirschman — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:24:10 -0500

When a lot of Buffalo Bills' fans saw the schedule come out this year I am sure many of them circled this weeks game against the Cleveland Browns. In fact, I'll bet some players and coaches circled it as well.

Last year, two of the most stinging defeats for the Bills were the loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the Monday Night Debacle, and the loss to the Browns that eliminated them from playoff contention.

This Monday night the Bills can gain some much needed redemption on national television with a win.

The Bills are in a difficult spot right now. They have dropped three games in a row, all to divisional opponents. If the Bills are to have any chance of claiming a division crown this year, it goes without saying that they must win this week.

The Browns have been a disappointment this year. After putting up a 10-6 record last year and just missing the playoffs, the Browns stumbled out of the gates and have struggled to put teams away in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Derek Anderson has been benched in favor of Brady Quinn and he will have to lead the Browns over Buffalo if they want an outside shot a wild card.

Just like last week I will say it again this week, the Bills have to run the football to win. It's just that simple. The Browns have some talent in the middle of their defensive line, but they are not playing great defense as a whole right now. The Browns are ranked 26th in rushing yards allowed per game. This could be the week Buffalo puts up some numbers on the ground.

The Browns 20th ranked pass defense should allow the Bills to hit some completions. Lee Evans has to be a force because James Hardy and Roscoe Parrish have not shown the consistency Trent Edwards has been missing in Josh Reed. I would not be surprised if Steve Johnson got some more playing time this week in an effort to find some consistency among the wide receivers.

After a strong game against the Jets, Derek Fine was a non-factor against the Patriots. I would like to see him more involved in the offense this week. Robert Royal has not done anything this year to warrant a lock as the starting tight end, and should be benched in favor of Fine, or even Derek Schouman.

The Browns played well last week and should have beaten Denver. Brady Quinn was solid in his debut, throwing two touchdown's and no interceptions. He immediately developed chemistry with tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. who had over a hundred yards recieving and caught both of Quinn's touchdowns.

This is a dangerous game for Buffalo. Brady Quinn played well despite having only a few days to get ready. Against the Bills he will have a couple extra days of preparation. Quinn has all the makings of a good NFL quarterback, and it would be a huge mistake for the Bills to not show him any respect.

The Browns have a lot of offensive weapons. Jamal Lewis is a punishing back who ran well against Buffalo in the snow last year. The Browns are going to try to get him going early in order to take pressure off Quinn. When Quinn does throw, the Bills have to cover Kellen Winslow Jr. He has big play capability, and could make it a long night for the Bills. Braylon Edwards is also very dangerous when he isn't dropping the ball.

Buffalo's defense has to get pressure on Quinn up the middle. He has a great pocket awareness and has that uncanny ability to step up in the pocket and deliver a strike with pressure around him. The defensive line is going to struggle to get to Quinn, so the linebackers and safeties are going to have to come from all over, especially between the tackles if they want to disrupt him and force mistakes.

I would look for Buffalo to show Quinn some different formations and a lot of pre-snap movement in an effort to confuse him. If the Bills continue to drop their linebackers 15 yards off the line of scrimmage in coverage though, the Browns will feast on underneath passes.

Buffalo has a great opportunity to gain some much needed momentum with a win. The biggest thing Buffalo has to do against Cleveland is play with some passion and intensity. If they go out there and go through the motions, they will lose. Last year's humiliating loss to the Cowboys in front of the nation should be enough reason to get fired up, not to mention they are in very real danger of missing the playoffs with a loss.

Donte Whitner looks to play coming of a shoulder injury, and he should be very fired up playing against his hometown team, which will hopefully be contagious.

Buffalo comes out hot and doesn't let up: Bills 37, Browns 17.

Football 101: Welcome Buffalo Bills' Coaching Staff

Garrett Hirschman — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:47:58 -0500

Any football fan, if they are honest, will admit that there are times when he or she watches their favorite team and thinks to themselves that they could do a better job coaching than the "so-called" head coach.

Yesterday that sentiment was probably at an all time high for Bills' fans.

I have been watching this team for most of my life, but I have paid the closest attention to them in the post-Kelly era. I have witnessed the poor coaches, inept quarterbacks, and sub-par line play that have come to characterize this team in this decade.

I have also watched the Bills get kicked around by New England 15 out of the last 16 times we have faced them.

Yesterday's game was not shocking to me and probably not to most Bills fans. The Patriots beat us the same ways they usually do.

I wrote a preview article on the game this past Friday that turned out to be pretty accurate, and I don't mention this to toot my own horn, because I truly believe many Bills' fans could have predicted the very same things, but I mention it because I wonder why the Bills' coaching staff cannot see the same things that so many fans do!

Why is it that we all know that Wes Welker is probably going to get thrown the ball a lot on short routes, but the defensive coaches either don't know this or choose not to address it? And why can we see that there are eight men in the box and that audibling out of a run might be smart?

I could go on and on with things that never seem to change when we play the Patriots, the least of all being the final score, but we are all too familiar with them, so I move on.

I have been fairly hard on the offensive line this year, and rightfully so, but yesterday the problem with the offense seemed to be as much on the sideline as it was on the field.

Leading up to this game, I felt that running the football would be absolutely key to a Bills' victory. The offensive line has not given Marshawn Lynch or Fred Jackson a lot of room to run so far this year, but both backs have shown tremendous heart in how hard they have run.

Sunday the Bills did not run the football nearly enough.

The first offensive play for Buffalo was a seven yard run by Lynch. The two plays after? An incompletion and a sack.

I understand that the coaching staff doesn't have a ton of confidence in the run game right now, but how can they have any more confidence in the passing game?

Trent Edwards has hit a bump in the road and one of the only ways to get him out may be to get the run going. The coaches don't seem to recognize that he is struggling and that opposing teams have figured out how to stop Buffalo's offense.

In Buffalo's five wins this year they averaged 29.6 carries a game. In their four losses they averaged only 19.8.

Those ten carries might not seem like much, but trust me, it's a big difference. Ten carries could be the difference between 60 yards rushing and a 100 yards. Ten carries means more time off the clock and less time your defense is on the field.

The point is that the Bills have had success when they commit to the run. They have not had a ton of rushing yards this season, even in their wins, but just because you are not breaking big plays every time doesn't mean that you take the run out of the game plan.

If you look at the good teams in the NFL right now they all have a common denominator: a commitment to the run. Tennessee is perhaps the best example. Yesterday they were held to a pitiful 20 yards rushing, however, they still ran the ball 29 times and won the game.

Running the ball wears a defense down, even when it isn't for many yards.

New England ran the ball 43 times yesterday. They posted a 144 yards for a meager 3.3 yards per carry, but they stuck with it and put up a 19 play drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in a rushing touchdown and the game being out of reach.

Both the Steelers and Giants are also good running teams and look at their records. Until the Buffalo coaching staff commits to the run, the offense and Trent Edwards are going to struggle.

It's football 101 and the Bills are in danger of failing.

I have not talked about the two big coaching blunders that have gotten the most attention: The missed challenge, and the timeout at the end of the half. I don't think they had a huge impact on the game, but rather reinforce the idea that many of us probably could do a better job coaching this team than the current coaches are doing.

I hope that Turk Schonert sees the same numbers I have shown you, because I don't know how much more I can take losing in the manner we have been losing.

Next week we take on the Browns on Monday Night Football.

I hope that the team watches the tape of last year's Monday Night debacle and gets fired up. Intensity has been lacking recently and if playing on Monday Night Football at home doesn't get the juices flowing I don't know what will.

Buffalo will get some national redemption and beat Cleveland 37-17.

Bills-Pats: Week 10 Preview

Garrett Hirschman — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 04:54:54 -0500

Buffalo heads into New England this week, looking to stop a two-game losing streak.

The Bills have dropped their last two to division rivals: the Jets and Dolphins.

Buffalo needs to get going early in this game and keep momentum on their side. They have struggled to score on offense the last two weeks, and the defense has been unable to deliver the clutch, late stop.

New England is coming of a loss to Indianapolis, where costly mistakes late in the game did them in. Bill Belichick has been doing a great job coaching this year and will undoubtedly have his team ready to go at home.

The Bills are going to have to get the running game going if they hope to have success against New England's defense. The Patriots have a stellar defensive front and are capable of stuffing the run and getting to the quarterback. Vince Wilfork anchors their 3-4 attack at nose tackle, while Jerod Mayo has been a solid rookie linebacker.

The Patriots' secondary has been questionable this year, and if the Bills force New England to bring an eighth man in the box to stop the run, I would look for Trent Edwards to find some open receivers down the field.

Derek Fine had a big game last week at tight end, and Bills fans are looking for him to keep it going in Foxboro. Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish should draw some attention from the Patriots, allowing Fine to find some holes in coverage.

Buffalo's defense has to get pressure on Matt Cassel. If they let him get his confidence up early, he has the potential to have a big day. I would look for the Bills to send Kawika Mitchell and Paul Posluzny on blitz packages from the linebacker spot early and often. Buffalo's front four has struggled to get pressure on the quarterback, but they have been solid in run defense.

The Patriots are well coached and know how to beat the Bills. On offense they are going to throw a lot of screen passes to Kevin Faulk, and will try to get Wes Welker the ball on short routes over the middle. Randy Moss still has big-play capability, and will get a deep ball or two thrown his way.

Above all, the Bills must protect the football on Sunday. Turnovers are costly enough as it is, and against the Patriots, they seem to be even more so.

Running the ball will be absolutely essential if the Bills want to win. They have not run the ball well the last two weeks in their defeats, and a similar trend may continue if they don't get the run going and stick with it.

Buffalo will play a strong game, but New England is tough to beat at home and coming off a loss. Bills 20, Patriots 30.

How Good Is Jimmie Johnson?

Garrett Hirschman — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:10:34 -0400

As Jimmie Johnson is poised to score his third straight Sprint Cup, the question has to be asked.

How good is Jimmie Johnson?

Only Cale Yarborough has won three championships in a row, and that was under the old point system. It was also back when the competition was not nearly as tight as it is in today's NASCAR. Yarborough won the last of those three championships in 1978.

So where will this third championship place Jimmie Johnson among NASCAR greats?

One would think pretty high. When you do something that Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon have never done, you know you have accomplished something.

Another question comes to mind when considering Johnson's greatness: is a championship under the new system easier to win than under the old?

Since the chase was introduced, most people would probably say that the chase is a lot tougher. You have only 10 races to win a championship, and you can't afford a bad run.

Under the old system, you had the whole season and once you built up a lead you could afford a bad run here or there. It was more forgiving than the chase format.

Kyle Bush is perhaps the best example of the difference between the two.

Bush absolutely dominated the first two-thirds of the season. He registered eight wins and showed that he could win on any type of track. However, come chase time, where is Kyle Bush? He is in last place among the chasers, 465 points behind Johnson. Bush had some tough luck early in the chase and it took him out of it by race four.

Jimmie Johnson has come a long way in his time in NASCAR. Before he won his first championship, he was one of those guys who would lead the points all season long, but couldn't hold on until the end. His team peaked at the wrong time. After a few years of this, Johnson finally scored his first championship.

So how is Jimmie Johnson known now?

As the guy who turns it on when all the chips are on the table.

Johnson's team has figured out how to peak at the right time. It also helps that they have tremendous confidence in each other. They know that they can win races and do what it takes to win a championship.

Sunday's race at Atlanta showcased the greatness of Johnson and his crew chief, Chad Knaus.

With less than 10 laps remaining, Johnson surrendered eighth place to come in and take tires. He came out 11th and drove home to a second place finish.

When Carl Edwards was told that Johnson came back to finish 2nd he couldn't believe it. It totally changed his demeanor in victory lane. It was as if he could not escape Johnson's greatness. Edwards won the race, but Johnson stole the show.

The chase is still relatively new. Whether or not it is easier or harder than the old format is not easily determined. What can be determined is that Jimmie Johnson is about to put his name up permanently with the greats of NASCAR.

Do We Still Hate the Miami Dolphins?

Garrett Hirschman — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:34:31 -0400

Growing up as a Bills fan, there was one team that I loathed more than any other, the Miami Dolphins.

It was a rivalry that had more history than I knew about. In the '70s and early '80s, Miami owned Buffalo. They were a storied franchise with the only undefeated season in NFL history.

Buffalo was...well, Buffalo.

The Bills had a couple of AFL titles under their belt from the '60s, but since the league merger, they had not really found their niche. Buffalo lacked the history that Miami had.

That all changed when Jim Kelly came to town.

Heading into this Sunday, Buffalo is 30-16 against Miami since Jim Kelly got his first win against the Fins in 1987. That also includes Buffalo's 2-1 postseason record against Miami. Previous to Kelly, the Bills are just 7-34-1 against the Dolphins.

That's a lot of losing to one team.

The Miami-Buffalo rivalry in the '90s had all the things sports fans love. Two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in Jim Kelly and Dan Marino, two teams that made perennial playoff appearances, two cities that are completely opposite from each other, and plenty of close, heated games.

So is the rivalry still alive? Do we still hate Miami?

Well, a lot of things have changed since Kelly and Marino. First of all, you can't find Jim Kelly's and Dan Marino's just anywhere. Both franchises have struggled to find their next great quarterback.

Both franchises have struggled this decade to become contending teams. Buffalo has not made the playoffs since 1999, while Miami has not gone to the postseason since 2001.

That's seven years since either team has had success.

It's hard to have hateful feelings towards a team when they stink. For most Bills fans, this decade has been filled with hatred for the New England Patriots, and why wouldn't it? New England has dominated Buffalo and the league for the last several years. Even as I write this, I am thinking about how much I want to beat the Patriots.

This Sunday, Buffalo goes into Miami with a 5-1 record and a good chance at making the playoffs. Miami comes in at 2-4, showing significant improvement over last season's squad that finished 1-15.

It's going to start off as Trent Edwards vs. Chad Pennington, but a strong part of me hopes Pennington leaves the game in favor of rookie quarterback, and the future of the franchise, Chad Henne. Ideally, Henne would come in early and play great and the Bills would win a close one.

This is not very likely, but the part of me that misses the days of Kelly and Marino wants Edwards and Henne to make some fireworks of their own.

So, this Sunday, as you watch the Bills-Dolphins game, hope for a great game with a lot of intensity from both teams. And as you look ahead to New England, remember, we hated the Miami Dolphins first.

Trent Edwards Has "It"

Garrett Hirschman — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:15:30 -0400

It looks like the Buffalo Bills have found their quarterback. Trent Edwards was masterful Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, completing 83 percent of his passes—a new single-game franchise record.

He showed no residual effects whatsoever from the concussion he sustained two weeks ago against Arizona. In fact, Edwards may have played his best game yet. He stood tall in the pocket and delivered the ball with poise and accuracy.

The Bills as a whole played their best and most complete game of the season.

The defense showed up and rattled the Chargers all day long. LaDainian Tomlinson was held to just 41 yards on 14 carries. Philip Rivers was not the quarterback his league-high passer rating would suggest. In fact, the whole San Diego team was just a step off all day long.

Sunday's game has already been labeled a statement game. While I think that has some merit, I am not sure who it makes a bigger statement about—San Diego or Buffalo.

Yes, Buffalo played great, and I don't want to take anything away from them. However, San Diego came in as a mystery team. They have not consistently been the Super Bowl contender everyone thought they would be. The Chargers just are not up to the task this year, and Sunday showed that.

Buffalo displayed their consistency Sunday with a game that was not flashy, but was effective. Trent Edwards had a touchdown, Marshawn Lynch had a touchdown, and Rian Lindell tacked on a few field goals. We have seen this game all season long with some important differences.

Aside from the Seattle game, the story with the Bills' first four wins this year was playing well in the fourth quarter after struggling early on. Against the Chargers, this was not the case. Buffalo played their game from start to finish. What impressed me more than anything Sunday was how the team responded to San Diego's touchdown drives.

After the Chargers scored early and the Bills' offense was unable to respond on the next drive, it was the defense that came up with a turnover. Granted, it was a fluke play by Rivers, but the defense still recovered the ball.

Later in the second half after the Bills' defense gave up a go-ahead score, the offense came out on the next possession and drove down the field for a touchdown.

It showed that the mental toughness of this team is not to be underestimated. Last year really tested this young team and now they are reaping the benefits of facing that adversity.

Edwards displayed his toughness when he came back from a scary injury. This team is starting to become molded in his image.

He is calm, the Bills are calm. He is humble, the Bills are humble. He is consistent, the Bills are consistent. Edwards is where it all starts on the field for the Bills, and the team knows it. They have tremendous confidence in his abilities and they want him as their leader.

Donte Whitner said after the game that it is time to put Trent Edwards up there with the Mannings and Bradys.

I am not sure about that, but I will take him on my team any day.