Die Hard Bills Fan

The season is starting in just under 5 days with the Buffalo Bills home opener just around the corner. The game is of course on Sunday, September 7^th when the Bills take on the Seattle Seahawks at the Ralph at 1:00 PM (Eastern Time).

So what am I going to do for you guys out there reading this? Get you pumped for the regular season opener! From now until Sunday I will be covering the Bills as a team and their chances of making the playoffs. First, I will cover the Buffalo Bills defense. I will list the depth chart of the position in my breakdown of the D position by position and give them an overall grade along with some commentary of the team.

DE

1. Aaron Schobel

2. Chris Kelsey

3. Ryan Denney

4. Chris Ellis

5. Copeland Bryan

The Bills have a very solid group of defensive ends on the roster this year. That means they will have a good duo out there on any play seeing as the Bills like to rotate in the freshest players on the D-line… Schobel has made the pro bowl two years in a row but he is trying to improve his sack total for this year after only 6.5 sacks last year, the lowest in his career since his rookie season back in 2001… Kelsey is trying to return to top form after he battled nagging injuries all last season. He underwent off-season surgery on his torn tendon in his ankle… Denney is also trying to return to top form after he had to undergo foot surgery. He was only able to play in 7 games last year due to the injury… Chris Ellis is the rookie DE from Virginia Tech. He was selected by the Bills in the 3^rd round. Ellis could be used as a situational pass rusher and is also good against the run. Fast fact, the last DE selected by the Bills from VT, Bruce Smith… Bryan appeared in only 2 games last season and was later put on the IR in December. Before joining the Bills last season, Bryan was on the Bear practice squad…

GRADE: B

DT

1. Marcus Stroud

2. Kyle Williams

3. John McCargo

4. Spencer Johnson

The Bills are hoping that a healthy Stroud can return to his former pro bowl form. The 6’ 6’’, 306 lb. tackle was brought in to help improve the Bills D against the run which finished near the bottom of the league last season. Stroud will also get some double team attention at the line giving the DEs and LBs some room to run and make plays… The 25 yard old Williams just signed a contract extension this off-season for 3 more years in Buffalo… McCargo, the former 1^st round pick (26^th overall) in the 2006 draft was fined this spring for being overweight. He reported to camp in shape and looks to build into a starting DT… Johnson came over in the off-season as a free agent from he Vikings. He didn’t put up huge numbers because he played behind the monstrous Williamses in Minnesota…

GRADE: B- (Grade will improve after we see how Stroud plays)

MIDDLE LB

1. Paul Posluszny

2. John DiGiorgio

Poz is BACK! After fracturing his forearm in the Bills Week 3 game last year he is back at 100%. The guy just has a nose for the ball and is a great tackler. Through the first 3 games last year, he led the Bills with 26 tackles (remember he didn’t even finish the 3^rd game)… DiGiorgio had a very good year last year filling in for the injuried Posluzny. He had 113 tackles last season to go along with 2 sacks and 1 INT. Provides great depth at the MLB position…

GRADE: B+

WEAK-SIDE LB

1. Kawika Mitchell

2. Jon Corto

Mitchell was an early free agent signing for the Bills. The Superbowl Champion is highly underrated. He had 86 tackles, 4 sacks and 1 INT to go along with 2 forced fumbles. Something to remember, his last game in Buffalo on December 23^rd of last season, he had 2 sacks, forced a fumble, and returned an INT for a touchdown… Corto is the Orchard Park native now on his hometown Bills squad. He was on the Bills practice squad last season…

GRADE: B

STRONG-SIDE LB

1. Angelo Crowell

2. Keith Ellison

The 27 year old Crowell is entering his contract year with the Bills. This is the last season of the 3 year deal he signed in 2005. He too is another Bills LB that is highly underrated. He had 126 tackles last season that led the team… Ellison also played significant time last season. He had 39 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 INT in 12 games last season…

GRADE: B+

CB

1. Terrence McGee

2. Jabari Greer

3. Ashton Youboty

4. Leodis McKelvin

5. Reggie Corner

McGee was the clear choice for the #1 corner spot. McGee has 78 tackles and 4 INTs last season in 15 games… Greer looked to be the odd man out with the Bills after they selected a bundle of corners in the draft. He has played hard though and the Bills coaching staff is impressed. He earned the #2 spot for at least the first half of the season… Youboty was another guy that was as good as gone before the preseason but he played hard and had two very good games. He won the nickel corner spot because of his great progress… McKelvin was the #11 pick in this years draft. He has looked so-so in the preseason. He has either made a good play or has completely messed it up. It will be interesting to see whether he plays a lot at all this year. A candidate to play in the dime and quarter packages for the Bills (which they don’t run very much at all)… Corner was a ball hawk in college and had a sharp preseason. The rookie has even be rumored to be ahead of McKelvin on the depth chart…

GRADE: C+

FS

1. Ko Simpson

2. George Wilson

Simpson is looking to rebound after he was injured in the Bills 1^st game last season against the Denver Broncos and then placed on the IR for the year. The 4^th round draft pick from the 2006 draft is looking to have a breakout year and also continue the chemistry with SS Donte Whitner after the two started their entire rookie seasons together… Wilson played in 12 games last season after Simpson and former Bills safety Brain Leonard went down, before of course he went down to injury also. It occurred before the last week of the season. He ended the year with 37 tackles and 2 picks…

GRADE: C

SS

1. Donte Whitner

2. Bryan Scott

3. John Welding

Whitner guaranteed that the Bills will make the playoffs this season. He has been an unofficial team captain since he was drafted. He shows great leadership and also builts team chemistry by having the team over for film watching and he even took McKelvin under his wing during the off-season Hard qualities to find from a 23 year old entering his third season of NFL play… Scott returns for another stint in Buffalo after he played in 15 games last season, most in a special teams role… Same goes for Welding. Will play in the special teams role…

GRADE: B

Overall the Bills defense has a good mix of playmakers and role players. Due to all of the injuries last season, the Bills now have good depth at almost all of their positions. They are a young D that flys to the football. Look for team to improve as an entire unit this year.

Here is the rundown on what I will be covering the rest of the week:

Weds: Bills Offense

Thurs: Bills Special Teams

Fri: Breakdown of the Bills Schedule and Chances of Making the Playoffs

Sat: Game Preview with my Picks of all of the Winners in Week 1

Sun: Game recap with Commentary

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Hello Bills fans.  I came across this article on sportingnews.com that analyzes the Bills from a fantasy football prospective.  The article basically states that the Bills will open up the offense more under new coordinator Turk Schonert.  Marshawn Lynch will also be given more responsibility in the passing game.  Trent Edwards will be relied upon to take this team to the next level.  The Bills brass has a lot of faith as do I in Trent.  I feel that he has the brains and the tools to help this team get back to the playoffs.  I also feel with the additions of Marcus Stroud and Kawika Mitchell, our defense can dominate especially at stopping the run.  A healthy Stroud means linebackers Paul Posluszny and Angelo Crowell flowing to the ball untouched.  Stroud will be doubled team which will also free up either John McCargo, Kyle Williams or Spencer Johnson.  This team is going to suprise many and I can’t wait for September 7th.  Go Bills. 

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Hello Bills fans.  We are only five weeks away from training camp at St. Johns Fisher College.  There is a ton of optimism by most Bills fans about the team this season.  Trent Edwards showed flashes last season that he could finally be our long term starter at quarterback.  He had some good games and helped the team win.  He also had some rough games which is totally normal for a rookie signal caller.  Trent showed his smarts and quick reaction when going to his second or third target.  He hardly ever locked on to one receiver and sensed when the heat was coming.  I am very excited about this upcoming season.  With offensive weapons such as Marshawn Lynch, Lee Evans, Roscoe Parrish, Josh Reed and rookie James Hardy along with Trent Edwards, I expect this team to make some noise.  Our defense is going to be much improved due to the additions of Kawika Mitchell, Marcus Stroud, and rookie Leodis McKelvin.  Mitchell is going to make an immediate impact on the weakside.  He is a big linebacker with a knack for the ball and can also help out in coverage.  Stroud will be a dominant force in the middle.  Stroud and John McCargo will help out our run defense tremendously.  This team has a bright future and will continue to improve under Coach Jauron.  Can you say playoffs?  I can.  Go Bills. 

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Hello Bills fans.  There have been rumors circulating around that defensive tackle Marcus Stroud is in Buffalo and a trade with the Jaguars is trying to be worked out.  Numerous reports show that he is still in Buffalo but some say that he is suppose to arrive today.  I hope the Bills can acquire Stroud.  When healthy, he is one of the best defensive tackles in the league.  This would do wonders for our run defense.  Signing Stroud and pairing him next to John McCargo would make many Bills fans very happy.  I love the signing of linebacker Kawika Mitchell.  Adding another piece such as Stroud to a young defense could help this team get back to the playoffs. 

On another note, free agent wide receiver Bryant Johnson and tight end Ben Troupe are scheduled to be in Buffalo this weekend.  Johnson would be a great addition to our wide receiver corps.  He is a big target that is under the radar because he was the #3 guy with Arizona.  Ben Troupe is a 270 lb. athletic tight end that had a great season in 2005.  He hasnt reached his full potential and couldnt stay on the field this year.  What an opening weekend of free agency it would be if we could add Stroud, Johnson and Troupe to our team.  Go Bills. 

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Hello Bills fans.  I just watched the Senior Bowl and here is my list of players that would help the Bills in a big way.  Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis from USC is a beast.  He made a bunch of plays today and had to be doubled teamed most of the time.  I hope this guy falls to the Bills at #11.  He will most likely be a top five pick.  The guy is going to be a great pro.  Draft expert Mike Mayock ranks Ellis above Glenn Dorsey from LSU.  I pray that he is still there when the Bills are on the board.  Another defensive tackle that impressed me was Trevor Laws from Notre Dame.  He is another defensive playmaker.  He gets into the backfield quick and has a knack for the ball.  Either Ellis or Laws would be great alongside John McCargo.  Linebacker Dan Conner is also another possibility.  He is a great tackler and would be a great complement to Paul Posluszny and Angelo Crowell.  Conner will definitely be a first round pick but I don’t know if the Bills will go linebacker with their first round pick.  Defensive Back Rodgers-Cromartie from Tennessee State had a tremendous game.  He has the speed to close on receivers and the ball skills to get the interception.  He might be the best corner in the draft.  I was trying to get a good look at the wide receivers.  There wasn’t one that jumped out at me.  I like Adarius Bowman’s size but he couldn’t hold on to the ball in the endzone.  Caldwell from Florida is a speedster but reminds me of a bigger Roscoe Parrish.  There were a few receivers that didn’t play because of injury that I would have liked to see.  I think the Bills should go defense in round one and then draft a receiver in the second round.  The receiver class is deep this year so the Bills can afford to wait.  I can’t wait for the combine to see more of the players I mentioned.  Go Bills. 

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Hello Bills fans.  After being torched for over 290 yards on the ground, I think it’s about time to get rid of the Cover 2 defense.  Maybe its because of the lack of talent we have up front, but it seems that we have given up way to many yards on the ground this year.  This team needs a big defensive tackle in the worst way.  John McCargo has had a great year.  He seems to always make plays.  Larry Tripplett is very inconsistent.  One week he looks great and the next week he disappears.  Kyle Williams is a hard-nosed player that seems to be improving.  We need a big tackle.  I miss the days of having Pat Williams and Sam Adams.  Teams just couldn’t run on us.  I watched the Vikings game the other night and Big Pat still can play.  He was voted to the Pro Bowl this year.  Teams have to triple team him at times because of his strength.  He seems to always get a good push up the middle.  The Bills are missing that.  The Cover 2 utilizes speed tackles and ends to get pressure on the quarterback.  When no pressure occurs, our corners and safeties are vulnerable because they are basically playing zone.  I have seen way to many receivers wide open for first downs.  This past week we gave up two huge runs due to our inability to only keep seven in the box.  Once a back seems to past our linebackers, he is home free.  The Bills must try to fill obtain a defensive tackle either in free agency or the draft.  I would love to see them land Albert Haynesworth from the Titans.  I doubt that will happen because he will demand big bucks.  Hopefully we can correct our defensive problems by either getting more talent or adopting a new scheme.  Go Bills. 

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Hello Bills fans. The Buffalo Bills defeated the Jets today 13-3. Trent Edwards started the game and went 14-21 for 130 yards and one interception. He left the game at the end of the third quarter with a wrist injury. J.P. Losman came off the bench and went 3-5 for 113 yards and a touchdown. His 85-yard bomb to Lee Evans put the Bills ahead to stay. He also threw a bomb to Roscoe Parrish that was on the money but Parrish couldn’t hold on. Losman came in and drove the team to two scoring drives. Marshawn Lynch had 21 carries for 80 yards. As always all of his yards were hard fought. The offense was really sluggish today until the 4th quarter. We had a great opening drive that lasted over ten minutes but couldn’t put the ball in the endzone. Rian Lindell was perfect on the day going 2 for 2 on field goals. The defense had another tremendous game. What can I say, it just seems that we are getting better and better on the defensive side. Aaron Schobel had a sack and two forced fumbles. John DiGiorgio led the team with 13 tackles. Kyle Williams and John McCargo contributed with some great tackles. Angelo Crowell had a big sack knocking the Jets out of field goal range. Anthony Hargrove and Chris Kelsay had solid games applying pressure on Pennington. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell really has these guys playing hard. Terrence McGee and Jabari Greer held Coles and Cotchery in check. Our special teams also played great. Our punt and kickoff coverage was phenomenal. John Wendling had two special teams tackles. I was very nervous during this game because it was close up until Evans touchdown. Our young team is finding ways to win close games. Something that was a tough task only a few weeks ago. Lets Go Bills. Thanks for the win

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Hello Bills fans. Still flying high after our win yesterday. Mondays are so much better after a win. One thing I have to say is I love the way the defense is playing. Angelo Crowell was all over the field yesterday. He led the team in tackles and had a big forced fumble in the first half. It also seems that middle linebacker John DiGiorgio is developing into a real good player. He has tremendous speed and seems to always be around the ball. DiGiorgio shows that he belongs out there and plays hard every snap. Anthony Hargrove is another player that has sparked this defense. Since coming back from his suspension, he has been a relentless pass rusher and just seems to fire everyone up. I really like the way our young defensive tackles are playing. Both Kyle Williams and John McCargo had tackles for loss yesterday and show they can get into the backfield. McCargo is showing why the Bills traded up to get him in the first round in 2006. Jabari Greer is also another player that has stepped up his game and contributes every week. Greer and Terrence McGee give the Bills two corners with great closing speed. There are both very aggressive and really good tacklers. Donte Whitner is also playing well. He has really impressed me with his toughness against the run and his ability to help the corners out in coverage. Credit also has to be given to defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. He has really developed great game plans even though he is missing some of his starters. The only thing that concerns me is that Chris Kelsay injured his ankle yesterday. It was not said how serious the injury was but we cannot afford to lose another defensive starter. This defense seems destined to show everyone that they are no pushovers. Lets go Bills. Bring home another victory.

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Hello Bills fans. What can I say? Great win for the Bills but I was at the edge of my seat for the last seven minutes of the game. I know a win is a win but I would like to put a team away when we have the chance to do so. I was again impressed by the play of Trent Edwards. His final numbers weren’t that great 11 of 21 for 153 yards and one interception, but he managed to bring home the victory. The only mistake he made was the interception in the 4th quarter that setup a touchdown by the Ravens making the score 19-14. Marshawn Lynch ran hard and ended the game with 27 carries for 84 yards and one score. The offensive line had a tough day opening holes for Lynch. Lee Evans had a great game catching 5 passes for 98 yards and his 54-yard reception setup our only touchdown on the day. We did have plenty of chances to get in the endzone but came away settling for field goals. Rian Lindell was perfect on the day making all four of his field goal attempts. Our defense once again played great. They held the Ravens in check most of the day and forced them into some 3rd and long situations. The defense also stopped the Ravens on a crucial 4th down at the end of the game to basically seal the win. I have to give credit to Anthony Hargrove, John McCargo, Angelo Crowell, Jabari Greer and Terrence McGee. We didn’t give up any big plays through the air and forced Kyle Boller to rush a few of his passes. I just wish that our offense could score more touchdowns. We need to get our receivers involved more and stop being ultra conservative when in the red zone. I have to give credit to our coaches today because our offense was able to move the ball at times against a real good Ravens defense. I really like how our young defense is coming along despite injuries to key players. McCargo is really playing well along with John DiGiorgio and Anthony Hargrove. I hope the team carries this momentum into next week’s game. Thanks for the win. Lets Go Bills.

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Hello Bills fans. Tomorrow the Baltimore Ravens travel to Ralph Wilson Stadium to take on the Buffalo Bills. This is another tough game due to the Ravens tough defense. This will be yet another huge test for rookie quarterback Trent Edwards. Hopefully the offensive line can protect him and give him enough time to get the ball out to our playmakers. One positive is that the Ravens come into this game a little banged up. Kyle Boller is getting the start in place of injured quarterback Steve McNair. Ray Lewis is also questionable and cornerback Chris Mcallister is not playing. Hopefully we can capitalize on this and get Lee Evans involved early and often. Here are the key matchups the Bills will need to win to pull out the victory.

Trent Edwards vs. Ravens Defense: Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan is going to send everything but the kitchen sink at Trent Edwards. He will be blitzing often to try and make Edwards rush his throws. Our offensive line needs to step up and give Trent some time to find Evans, Roscoe Parrish, and Josh Reed. I think Edwards will have a good game because he knows how to recognize the blitz and get the ball out of his hands early.

Willis McGahee vs. Bills Defense: Our defense has held our last two opponents to less than 80 yards rushing. I hope we have another one of those days and take McGahee out of the game early. Let Kyle Boller try to beat us through the air. McGahee will be back in Buffalo for the first time after he was traded from the team in March. We need to shut him down and not let up big plays on the ground. Our defensive line has been playing better as of late and I really feel that we have a special player in John McCargo. Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay must put pressure on Boller. This will help Terrence McGee and Jabari Greer greatly.

Special Teams: Our special teams has come up big for us this year except for the onside kick in the Dallas game. McGee and Parrish need to get our offense in good field position. Rian Lindell needs to be on his game as well because I feel this one will be a close game. Brian Moorman is a phenomenal punter and hopefully he can pin the Ravens back when called upon. It would be nice going through this one without a punt but the Ravens defense is hard to score on.

This is a big game for the Bills. Being home will help because we need the crowd to throw off the Ravens offense. I think Lynch is ready for the breakout game and hopefully Trent can lead us to victory. My Prediction….Bills 20 Ravens 17.

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