Die Hard Bills Fan

The Buffalo Bills came out flat in this one and got blown out 41-17 by the Arizona Cardinals.  Not only did the Bills lose the game to drop to 4-1 on the season but they also lost QB Trent Edwards to a concussion early in the 1st quarter. 

1^st Quarter

After Edwards was lost for the game (and possibily even longer), the Bills offense could get nothing going.  The only score of the 1st, came when Cards QB Kurt Warner threw a TD pass to a wide open Larry Fitzgerald.  After 1, Cards lead 7-0.

2^nd Quarter

The Bills attempted to make this one a ball game but their defense could not stop the Cardinals offensive attack.  Rookie RB Tim Hightower added a 17 yard run for a TD and vetran Edgerrin James also had a short TD run in the quarter. 

The Bills would get two touchdowns this quarter as they tried to get back into it.  The first one came on an absolute strike by backup QB JP Losman to Lee Evans.  The play went for 86 yards and the Bills finally got on the board.  The 2nd TD came on a Losman QB draw from the 2 yard line.

The teams would head into the tunnel at halftime with the Cardinals leading by 10, 24-14 over the Bills after K Neil Rackers hit a 47 yard FG as time expired.

3^rd Quarter

The Bills were able to get the game back to a 1 score game when K Rian Lindell hit a 48 yard FG of his own.  The Cards would not be shut out though in this quarter.  Towards the end of it, Larry Fitz caught his 2nd TD pass of the game and Arizona still lead 31-17 going into the 4th.

4^th Quarter

The Bills would end the game putting up a goose egg in the 4th where they are usually very good.  Neil Rackers hit another FG and Hightower scored his 2nd TD of the game on a short run inside the redzone.  The Cards high power offense was able to overmatch the Bills, winning the game 41-17.

Game Notes

• JP Losman sucks (Sorry not really a stat just had to throw it out there.  I’ll get more into that with the post tomorrow)
• The Bills turned the ball over 4 times in this one, while Arizona didn’t have any. 
• Marshawn Lynch had anothe subpar game with 55 yards on 13 carries.  In his defense though, the Bills started passing more and more as the game went on.
• The Bills also got killed in the time of possesion battle with the Cards holding onto the football for 36:16.
• This is the Bills last game before the bye week.  They take on the San Diego Chargers at home in their next game.

More to come on this game tomorrow.  As you can tell I am not very happy with the outcome or the way the game was played by the Bills in general.

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The Buffalo Bills will face the St. Louis Rams today at the Edwards Jones Dome.

TV Info:

Game: Buffalo Bills (3-0) @ St. Louis Rams (0-3)
TV: CBS (Ian Eagle, Solomon Wilcots)
Radio: 97 Rock (Buffalo), 103.3 The EDGE (Buffalo), WHAM 1180 AM (Rochester), WNSS 1260 AM (Syracuse), FAN 590 AM (Toronto). All done by John Murphy, Mark Kelso and Paul Peck on the Bills radio network.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET

Game Notes:

• The Bills have beaten the Rams in four out the last five meetings, and lead the overall series, 5-4.
• The last game between these two teams ended in a Buffalo win, 37-17.
• RB Marshawn Lynch has scored atleast one TD in each of the first 3 games
• Rams RB Steven Jackson is avergaing just 3.2 yards per carry in a Rams offense that has put up just 29 points in three weeks. It doesn’t get much easier this week as St. Louis goes up against a sixth-ranked Bills defense
• The Bills defense has not allowed a 100 yard rusher in their first 3 games. Let up an average of 93.6 yards per game.
• With returnman Roscoe Parrish out look for rookie Leodis McKelvin to have a huge impact on not only punt returns but also kick returns.
• The Bills are 6-0 when QB Trent Edwards posts an 80-plus passer rating. Edwards is averaging a 96.6 rating through three games this season.
• QB Trent Green of St. Louis is making his first start of this season for the benched Marc Buldger. Green has started three times vs. the Bills, posting a 2-1 record.
• Green is making his first start since suffering a concussion while with Miami in Week 5 last season. The concussion was Grade 3 which is the most severe level. Many thought it would be enough to send Green into retirement. But he’s back for more (which might not be a good thing).
• The Line: The Bills are favored by 8. Over/Under 42.5.

Injury Report:

Bills - Out of Game: TE Derek Fine (Hand) and WR Roscoe Parrish (Thumb). Probable: FB Darian Barnes (Ankle).

Rams - Out of Game: WR Drew Bennett (Foot), WR Keenan Burton (Knee), and RB Antonio Pittman (Lower Leg). Probable: G Jacob Bell (Hamstring), DE James Hall (Thigh), RB Steven Jackson (Groin), TE Joe Klopfenstein (Illness), DE Leonard Little (Hamstring) and T Orlando Pace (Groin).

Quote of the Week:

“I’ve always liked to block but I guess what set it off was something Tyke told me a long time ago. He said if you’re going across the middle and a DB has a free shot to take your head off, he will. Plain and simple. It will make him look good and feel good. So that’s just the mentality I take into it. You’re going to try to take my head off, so what should stop me from trying to take your head off?”

-WR Josh Reed on blocking

Open Thread:

Please feel free to comment below or in the tag board in the sidebar to chat with Bills fans from around the world.

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Buffalo Bills fullback Darian Barnes was back at the practice field today, running with the 1st team offense. Barnes has returned after not being able to practice this week, except for some running yesterday on the side. The big 6′ 2”, 240 lb. fullback underwent an MRI on his right foot Monday. Barnes is the lead blocker for running backs Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson.

He has not been used at all in the running game other than blocking through the first 3 games. Barnes did catch 2 passes last week against the Raiders that went for 34 yards. He also fumbled the ball once.

The injury occured during last Sundays game when Barnes fell akwardly on his last reception that went for 9 yards. That is the play he also fumbled the ball. He stayed in the game for a few more plays before limping off the field, unable to continue.

On Sunday, he was wearing a protective boot and on crutches. Yesterday the boot and crutches were both gone.

Barnes has been overlooked in his blocking role. The Bills finally went back to the full back system after they used a “H-back” last season. The H-Back is a mix between a tight end and a full back. Need less to say, the players in the role of H-back were rarely used last season. Barnes will be a big reason the running game gets back on track. Look for a big game on the ground on Sunday against the 0-3 St. Louis Rams, who have let up over 184 rushing yards on the ground so far this season.

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Wow! That’s really all you can say about the Buffalo Bills Week 3 win against the Oakland Raiders to improve to 3-0. To be honest with everyone, the Bills had no right to win this game, but that is why they play the whole 60 minutes. Trent Edwards and crew went on a 4^th quarter rally with a little more than 6 minutes left in the game that was ended with Rian Lindell’s 38 yard field goal to win it.

So who do I have for my “Unsung Hero”? Who receives the gameball? How did the Bills do overall in my eyes? Keep the page scrolling for the answers.

GRADES on Bills

Running Game: B

Marshawn Lynch led the ground game with 83 yards and 2 TDs. Fred Jackson in his limited role averaged almost 5 yards a carry on his 5 attempts in the game. The ground game stuttered at times, but when they were really needed they stepped up. Lynch also had some strong carries to help set up the winning field goal.

Passing Game: B+

Another strong 4^th quarter helped bump this grade up. Edwards came through when needed though and was the main reason the Bills scored 17 points in the final quarter.

Run Defense: A

The run defense also got a boost in the grade due to their late game heroics. They also very quietly held a strong running game to under 100 yards.

Pass Defense: B-

The defense held the Raiders to 72 yards passing, before the 4^th quarter strike from JaMarcus Russel to Higgins that went for 84 yards. The Raiders only threw the ball 3 times in the 2^nd half!

Special Teams: C

Two weeks in a row the special teams have been sub par. Lindell did win the game, BUT the rest of the time they were horrible. Kick and punt coverage were both awful. If it wasn’t for the last second field goal, this squad might have received a F.

Coaching: B+

The offense made adjustments all game, and the defense played great. Another hard fought win for this Bills squad. They are really playing hard under Head Coach Dick Jauron.

GAMEBALL

QB Trent Edwards. He is the winner of the gameball two weeks in a row now. How can you argue with this pick though? Edwards finished the game 24 of 39, 279 yards and 1 TD and 1 INT to go along with 9 yards on the ground. The 4^th quarter is where he won this award though, when he threw for 177 yards on 13 of 18 throwing including a TD pass to Roscoe Parrish. This is now the 2^nd week in a row, Edwards has led 4^th quarter comebacks and the Bills start 3-0 for the first time since 1992.

UNSUNG HERO

WR Josh Reed. Reed was the leading receiver for this game with his 6 catches for 72 yards. Edwards looked for him when the game mattered most and Reed helped move the chains. Sure he will not get the attention of go to guy Lee Evans, or the game changing Roscoe Parrish, but Reed has turned into a solid possession guy. Edwards looks for him on 3^rd downs and Reed has some very sure hands. I remember a few years ago when Reed couldn’t catch and I would want to pull my hair out watching him play. Now he has turned into a solid threat. Who would’ve thought that? He wins the unsung hero award for this week.

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As most of you know already, the Buffalo Bills improved to 2-0 with a 20-16 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.  They are now tied for first in the AFC East with the New England Patriots.  Big win for the Bills!  They are now 2-0 against playoff teams from last season also.  So who do I have for my “Unsung Hero”?  Who recieves the gameballs?  How did the Bills do overall in my eyes?  Keep the page scrolling for the answers.

GRADES on Bills

Running Game: D+

The running game started off hot but struggled at times after that.  Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch did not combine for over 100 yards.  The Bills as an entire unit averaged a very weak 2.9 yards a carry.  Lynch did come through with the 11-yard TD run, the only real good run on the game.

Passing Game: A

Can’t really say anything bad about a 20-25 day by Trent Edwards.  The final TD drive showed how quick the young QB matured.  Hit Lee Evans on a 37 yard pass on 3rd and 6 and then calm and cool he throws the go ahead TD to rookie James Hardy.  Everyone got involved in catching the football.

Run Defense: B+

Sure they were a little sluggish in the 2nd half but who wouldn’t be after playing in 90+ degree heat.  Held one of the top running back tandeems in the league in Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor to 66 yards.  A job well done.

Pass Defense: B+

Got some decent pass rush and a very timely sack by Kyle Williams helped the grade too.  No pass in this game went for more than 15 yards.  Corner Terrence McGee also came up with a timely INT before the end of the 1st half.

Special Teams: C-

They got fooled!  An outside kick was converted on one of the best units in the NFL.  After the game, Coach Dick Jauron said that he told his players to watch out for the outside kick because he knew it was coming.  Yikes!  The return game struggled a little too.  They averaged under 20 yards on 4 kickoff returns.  Kick coverage was pretty good though.

Coaching: A+

A well prepared game plan.   Didn’t panic when down either.   If offensive coordinator Turk Schonert continues his great play calling, a statue will go up for him soon.  Same goes for the defense in Coach Perry Farwell.  Sorry Bobby Aprils. no love for you today. 

GAMEBALLS

• Trent Edwards: Of course Trent will win one of the honors this week.  How could he not?  Mr. Cool finished the day 20 for 25 with 239 yards, 1 TD and 0 INTs.  Did not play like a second year player in this one.
• Ashton Youboty:  Wow!  Really all I can say about this guy.  I didn’t even think he would make the roster for this season and he stepped up big in this one from the starting nickel corner spot.  He only had 3 tackles but they came up at the right time.  One was to stop Garrard for scrambling for a first, and another was a huge hit on another 3rd down play when they ran a screen.  He also had a sack in the 1st quater.

UNSUNG HERO

Rian Lindell.  What!?  You are going with the Bills kicker?  Now wait a second before you jump down my throat.  He went 2 for 2 on field goals with one of them coming up in the clutch.  It happened with the Bills being up by one, 17-16 when he came into the game.  There was about 30 seconds on the clock, when he booted the 45 yard field goal good to give the Bills a 4 point lead.  Why is this so important you may ask?  Well if he misses that kick, the Jags get the ball back in great field postion only needing a FG for the win.  Something as small as a field goal late in the game is sometimes lost in a game like this, but it’s not forgoten here.  Lindell takes the Unsung Hero adward for Week 2.

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1st Quarter

A hot day in Jacksonville and that is how the Bills started.  They got the ball to start the game and on their first drive the offense was clicking.  First down after first down for the Bills on mostly short passes and runs.  They held onto the ball for 7 minutes and they eventually punched it into the end zone on an 11-yard TD run by Marshawn Lynch.  The extra point by Rian Lindell was good and the Bills jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead.

While the Bills looked strong, the Jaguars offense looked shaky coming out of the gate.  After two runs, the Jags had to face a 3^rd and 7 from their own 28.  Aston Youboty came on a corner blitz and sacked QB David Garrard for a loss of 10.  3 and out for the Jags on their first series.

The Bills then went 3 and out (on 1^st down there was a holding call on Buffalo) on their next series.

With 3:08 left in the 1^st quarter, Jacksonville started to drive down the field.  They got to the Buffalo 16 before time ran out.

End of the 1^st, Buffalo leads 7-0.

2nd Quarter

The Jags started off the quarter right where they ended in the 1^st at the Bills 16.  A short pass, run and incomplete pass followed so Jacksonville had to settle for a 28 yard field goal by kicker Josh Scobee.  Jaguars still down, 7-3.

The Bills then went on another long drive, that tired out Jacksonville’s defense.  The standout play of this drive was a 33 yard catch and run by QB Trent Edwards to RB Fred Jackson on 3^rd and 1.  The drive would stall out at the end, so the Bills settled for a 21-yard FG by Lindell.  Bills add to their lead, it’s now 10-3. 

The rest of the quarter was run a few plays then punt until Garrard started to lead his team down the field on a 2 minute drill.  With 14 seconds left, instead of just taking the chip shot field goal, Jacksonville was going for the touchdown to tie the game.  Garrard dropped back and threw what was suppose to be a fade pattern to WR Mike Walker.  The problem with the throw was that the ball was throw on a line to the front of the endzone instead of a high ball to the back corner.  Bills CB Terrence McGee read the play perfectly and picked it off to end the threat.

Bills would knell the ball and let the clock run out.  They would go into the tunnel at halftime with a 10-3 lead.

3rd Quarter

Jacksonville got the ball to start the 2^nd half and their drive looked very similar to the Bills 1^st drive of the game.  A good mix of run and pass led to a Maurice Jones-Drew 2 yard touchdown run.  Jags tie the game up at 10 after the extra point is knocked through. 

The Jags then pulled a quick one on the Bills.  On the following kickoff they kicked an outside kick that they recovered.  They then took advantage of the good field postion and went on another drive.  It eventually stalled out though so after 6 plays and a little more than 3 minutes off the clock, Scobee put another field goal right through the uprights, this time from 50 yards out.  Jags now have their first lead of the game, 13-3.

Similar to the end of the 1^st, the end of the 3^rd ended with another Jags drive.   The quarter ended with the Jaguars threatening again at the Bills 25, this time with a 13-10 lead

4th Quarter

Again, Jacksonville could not get it into the end zone.  The drive ended with another FG by Scobee from 39 yards.  Jags add some more to their lead, 16-10.

The Bills showed that they were still calm and in control of this game.  They didn’t try to force it down the field.  After the Jags latest field goal they go 7 plays and then punt.

This was the drive that Jacksonville could put the game away with.  Instead they give it right back to the Bills after running just 4 plays, and a little more than 2 minutes off the clock.

Bills get the ball back and drive it down the field.  It was set up by a great punt return by Roscoe Parrish.  The game changing play of this drive and possibly the entire game was on 3^rd and 6 from Jacksonville’s 44 yard line.  Edwards dropped back, stepped up in the pocket to avoid the rush and fired a rocket to Lee Evans for a 37 yard game.  On the very next play the Bills come out in trips, 3 WRs to the right side of the field.  Second round pick James Hardy ran a route to the corner of the end zone.  Edwards rolled out and threw the ball high in the air to where only Hardy could get to it.  He got both feet in for a Bills touchdown.  After the extra point the Bills now lead again, 17-16. 

Jacksonville could do nothing on their next drive.  Two incompletions by Garrard and then DT Kyle Williams broke through the O-line and sacked Garrard for a loss of 10 yards.

The Bills ran close to 3 minutes off the clock, and Lindell put a 45 yard field goal dead center.  Bills now lead 20-16, forcing the Jags to go for the end zone.

The Jags gave it their all but with only 29 seconds left and over 70 yards to go it was highly unlikely.  Garrard did complete a pass to WR Matt Jones but then he latteraled it forwards which ran 10 seconds off the clock and ended the game. 

Bills win 20-16.

The NFL.com Gamecenter: Post Game is attached.

BILLS Wrap Up

Trent Edwards finished the day 20 for 25 with 239 yards and a TD (no INTs)

Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson went for a combined 76 yards on the ground.  Lynch went for 59 and 1 TD on 19 carries while Jackson got 17 yards on 6 attempts.

Lee Evans had another strong game with 4 catches and 77 yards.  Josh Reed also caught 4 balls for 36 yards.  James Hardy caught his first NFL TD on a 7 yard catch.  He also had one other reception in this one, for a total of 12 yards.  RB Fred Jackson led the day for receiving though with 7 catches for 83 yards.  Lynch had one catch for 8 yards.

Kicker Rian Lindell went 2 for 2 today on field goal attempts.

Terrence McGee had another INT for the Bills today, his 2^nd of the year.  He also led the team with 7 tackles.

LB Paul Poz and S Donte Whitner each had 6 tackles.

Williams and Youboty had 1 sack apiece. 

This is the first time the Bills are 2-0 since 2003.

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Hello and welcome back to the site Bills fans!  The game vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars is just under 3 days away.  Instead of breaking down another match up today, I was able to get an interview with Tim Hiller, a columnist for billsgab.com.  They put on a great site there so be sure to check them out.  You can find them on our ” Bills Fan Buddies” links on the left hand site of the site.  Let’s get down to business as I grill Tim about the Bills and the NFL (NOTE: I am in bold while Tim’s answers are just in regular font).

What are your thoughts on the Bills 34-10 win over the Seahawks?

I was obviously excited to see the Bills perform so well.  If you had told me going in that they would win 34-10 I would have taken it without hesitation.  However, let’s not forget that in this game, the bills scored two special teams touchdowns.  Were it not for Roscoe Parrish, as awful as the Seahawks played, they would have been tied going into half time.  I also felt like the fake field goal put the game out of reach, so assuming the Bills aren’t going to score two special teams touchdowns every week, I’m not ready to crown them AFC champs.

How did you like the play calling on both sides of the ball?  I loved the defense and the play action pass call that went for the TD after the kick return fumble recovery for the offense.  This is certainly not last year’s offense.

Playcalling was great on both sides. 

On offense: The Bills let Edwards take his shots.  I mentioned on billsgab.com that I thought it’s really important moving forward that the Bills continue to take shots on offense so that underneath stuff was there, and that so Lynch wouldn’t face 8 or 9 guys in the box.  Moving forward I’d like to see the Bills try some more aggressive short passing (too many screens, not enough working intermediate routes over the middle) and let Edwards show what he’s got.

On defense:  No complaints.  Great job of bringing pressure, and balancing that with dropping back.

How do you think the Bills will fair this season?

I said before the season that I thought the Bills would be 7-9.  I’m sticking to that until I see how they do on the road, and against the league’s best teams.  The win over Seattle, while great, was against a Seattle team that by the end of the game was missing it’s entire receiving core, and no longer has Sean Alexander.  Not to mention Matt Hasselback didn’t practice all preseason.

Tom Brady was lost for the season due to a devastating knee injury.  How do you think Matt Cassell (who hasn’t started a game since high school) will do his next game against the New York Jets and do you think the Pats will be able to make another playoff run without their best player and reigning MVP?

I think the Patriots are still the team to beat in the AFC.  We’ve seen them lose players before and not miss a step.  Of course they’ve never lost Tom Brady.  But they have enough talent on that team, and more importantly, enough experience to rally around Matt Cassell.  My gut tells me that the Patriots probably will fall short, but I think they’ve earned the right for everyone to expect them to be the cream of the crop until proven otherwise.

Who is your AFC East winner and why?
I really can’t pick a winner, it’s so wide open.  I’m going with the Patriots for now, until they prove otherwise.  That being said, I don’t see it as out of the realm of possibility that the Patriots will finish 3-13.  We just don’t know how they will react.  But given their history, I’m not betting against them just yet.  Ask me again next week.

Who are your playoff teams in the AFC and NFC?  And of course I have to ask, who’s your Superbowl picks and who is winning it all (I got the Packers and the Steelers, and that pick was made BEFORE the Brady injury and yes I have proof)?

Gee we are getting ahead of ourselves here.  But since you asked:

AFC:
Patriots
Steelers
Colts
Chargers
Broncos
Tennessee 

I have the Steelers going to the Superbowl

NFC:
Cowboys
Packers
Panthers
Saints
Bears
Giants

I have the Cowboys going to the superbowl and winning it.  That’s my meaningless projection anyways.  We’ll see.

Now let’s get back to the Bills.  What are your keys to the game on Sunday if the Bills expect to win?
They must be able to stop the run.  The Seahawks found a groove towards the end of the game on the ground.  If Jacksonville is able to run, the Bills have no shot.  On offense, Trent Edwards needs to make plays.  It’s one thing to make plays at home, it’s quite another to make them on the road against a tough, tough defense. 

How do you think the Jaguars offensive line will handle the Bills strong D-line without their two starting guards (they let up 7 sacks last week and were only able to run for 31 yards on the ground).  Also how do you think Marcus Stroud will do returning to his old team, that traded him during the off season?

This is I think, the burning question.  I think the Jaguars will struggle to run the ball early, but look for the Bills to tire out late in the game due to the heat.  The key for the Bills will be to make enough plays on offense so that they aren’t relying on their defense to win this one late.  Stroud will certainly be motivated and I believe he will perform well.  But there are three other guys on the defensive line.  We’ll see.

How do you think the Bills will fair defensively against the Jags overall?  They looked good in all areas last week and the Jags struggled greatly.

Again, I think early on, it will be low scoring.  Someone will probably have a second half explosion.  Hopefully it’s not the Jags.

Now let’s switch it over to the other side of the ball. Will Lynch be effective on the ground?

Probably.  Lindell White and a rookie ran all over the Jags.  Look for Lynch to do the same.

Edwards showed some maturity after starting the last game awful but still bounced back to have a good game.  How do you think Edwards will handle himself in this one?

 I’m worried about Trent Edwards in this one.  I don’t think he’s going to do well.  The Bills have not been good on the road in the last few years, and usually that has to do with QB play.

Final question.  What is your prediction for the Bills game this weekend?  I got the Bills in a close one, 24-21.

 I like the Jags 24-14.  I think it will be close early on and heading into half time.  I expect the desperate Jags to really limit the Bills’ passing game though, and look for their offense to make some plays in the second half.

That being said….Go Bills!

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Wow.  That’s how I can sum up such a great game by the Buffalo Bills in this one.  It was an all-around team effort.  The special teams play was amazing.  The defense played very well too and the offense stepped up when needed.  In this article I will break down all of it, give out the game ball, top plays, and even cover some of the other top stories in the NFL and of course will give my opinions on all of those too.  First though I will start with the Bills vs. Seahawks game, with my thoughts on everything.

THINGS THAT WERE GREAT

• Special Teams: How could I write an article on the Bills and not talk about their special teams. Terrence McGee, on his only return of the game, went 27 yards to set up the Bills in good field position. Roscoe Parrish had the highlight reel return, 63 yards for a touchdown. He was great all day setting a Bills record for return yards. Parrish had 120 yards on 6 returns. That’s good for a 20.0 average! Rian Lindell went 2 for 3 on field goal attempts. On his only missed attempt, it was blocked which was the only downside to an incredible game from the special teams. Also, not only did punter/holder Brain Moorman throw for a 19 yard TD, he also averaged over 40 yards a punt, with 9 of them in this one. His great kicks pinned the Seahawks deep in their territory, which made it difficult for them to sustain drives. 46.6 yards a punt is amazing! That stat in this game will be overlooked due to the other great plays.
• Defense: So they couldn’t get a shutout but man did this group look great. The linebackers stepped up and Keith Ellison played a very good game (couldn’t even tell Angelo Crowell was gone which is incredible). The D-line was great and the coverage by the secondary was also very good. Just got beat on one TD play (should have been another one if the Seahawks could catch) and even that one was played decent by Jabari Greer. Newcomers played GREAT!
• NEWCOMERS: Welcome to the squad Marcus Stroud and Kawika Mitchell. Stroud was a force all day and made his home in the Seahawks backfield. The big tackle also let the linebackers run free. Mitchell was great, and looked like he was everywhere on the field. He recorded a great sack on a two player A gap blitz. Even though he was on the team last year, I still consider Paul Poz a newcomer also. He also looked good. Even with Crowell out for the year, the Bills LB core looked solid.
• Kirk Chambers: Jason who? For a guy who never started a game at RT (and only one at LT) in his entire career he looked great. Kept one of the best DEs in the game off of Edwards. Really placed very well, especially because the Bills left him 1-on-1 most of the game. Will provide great depth with Peters back in the mix.
• Running game: In total the Bills rushed 29 times for 106 yards and a TD. Pretty good numbers for a good squad with Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson.
• 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th Quarter Edwards: Trent Edwards struggled coming in to the game but shook off the rust to finish with a good performance. 19 for 30, 215 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTS. That will get the job done on most weeks.
• Kyle Williams: 1.5 sacks and stopped the run all game. Enough said.

THINGS THAT NEED WORK

• Kick Coverage:  Bills coverage teams did not look well at all.  Averaged 26.5 yards on kickoffs and 18 yards on punts.  Needs to improve.  Really the only bad note for a great game.

GAMEBALL

• Coaching Staff:  Sorry Mitchell, Stroud and Parrish but the Bills coaching staff was on fire this game.  Of course Bobby Aprils special teams played well and he was behind the fake FG for a TD call.  New Bills coordinator Turk Schonert opened up the offense.  Didn’t get into trick plays but got the ball to his playmakers.  The O wasn’t predictable and went to step on the ‘Hawks throat with the Trent play action TD pass, something that wouldn’t have happened a year ago.  Defensive Coordinator Perry Fewell also did his job excellent.  He sent blitz all day that bottled up Seattle’s running game and also his secondary was great.  Hats off to all of the coaches involved in this one.

GRADING THE BILLS

• Running Game: B

      Lynch stepped up when needed including TD run in 1^st quarter.

• Passing Game: B+

            Not off the chart numbers but good enough to win the game.  Edwards managed the game well and did not turn the ball over.  Also made some good check offs.

• Run D: A

            Stroud, Kyle Williams and the rest of the line stood out while holding the Seahawks to 85 yards on the ground. 

• Pass D: A

            Pass rush was very good and secondary played well.  Got beat on just one play and also McGee was able to finally get his hand on the football in the 4^th quarter with an INT to seal the game.

• Special Teams: A+

            Two special team TDs, and good punting.  Hey even the bad kick coverage can’t bring this grade down.

• Coaching: A+

            Not only do they get the game ball but an A+ too.  Wow if only the Bills coaching staff cared about this blog…

TOP PLAYS

• Like the top plays for the Bills were even hard to pick.  Very easy to decide these two.  The Fake Field Goal for the TD (Moorman to Denney for 19 yards) and the Parrish return.

NO HUDDLE OFFENSE

This is the first time I am writing this so my no huddle offense is a quick rundown of the top stories of the week, and my thoughts on them.

• Tom Brady placed on IR.  He torn his ACL and as a Bills fan I am happy (does that make me wrong in the head or something).  Now the Pats are without their leader and best player.  I think anyone that they bring in will not come anywhere close.   Knock on wood but I think the Bills will have a good chance to take a run at the AFC East crown.
• Vince Young also is hurt.  Out for 2-4 weeks.  Titans still win their game and lets be honest, Young wasn’t very good anyways.  
• Brett Favre wins his first game as a Jet.  Also makes a Brett Favre throw.  Just threw the ball up in the air and the Jets came down with the TD.  
• Aaron Rodgers also wins his first game with the Packers as a starting QB.  Take that Brett!  Like the comparisons between the two continue.
• AFC GIANTS STRUGGLE:  Chargers lost to Carolina, Colts lost to Bears.  The AFC Giants struggled this week with only the Steelers picking up a win.
• NFC GIANTS DO FINE:  The defending Superbowl champs win their first game and the Cowboys take care of business against the Browns.

Can’t wait for Week 2 to begin already!  Let’s go BUFFALO!  Enjoy some Monday Night Football.

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Hello Bills fans.  What a way to start the season.  At first glance at the schedule, I said to myself that playing against Seattle would be a tough first game.  Seattle has been a playoff team since Holmgren became coach and has a real good offense.  The way the first quarter started, I thought this might be one of those 13-10 games or something close to that.  I had left for Buffalo on Saturday morning right before the storm hit here on Long Island.  My flight was canceled and we had to call the airline to get on an earlier flight.  Once I arrived, I was at peace right away.  I love going up to Buffalo.  Its such a great place to visit and everyone is nice to talk to.  I reached the parking lot across from the stadium around 10:30.  There were very few spots available.  The place was packed.  You could feel the energy from the fans tailgating that this would be our day.  The Bills really played well on all three phases of the game.  The offense started flat but I feel that was due to the rain.  Once Marshawn ran it in, the place was loud.  The defense is so quick with guys like Aaron Schobel, Kawika Mitchell, Paul Posluszny, and Terrence McGee.  Marcus Stroud could not be blocked by anyone on Seattle’s o-line.  Roscoe Parrish is one of the most exciting players to watch in the league.  I saw the whole punt return unfold and got to see him run into the endzone I was sitting near.  Trent Edwards settled in nicely and had some impressive throws that were hauled in by Lee Evans.  Robert Royal’s td was awesome as well.  Brian Moorman’s td pass to Ryan Denney got everyone up on their feet.  Great call by coach Bobby April.  He is the best special teams coach in the league.  As always it was a great trip but its even better when the Bills win.  Can’t wait till November 17 for the Monday night game against Cleveland.  I will be in attendance and hopefully leave as happy as I did this time.  Go Bills. 

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1st Quarter

Rain was coming down hard and you could tell that both of the teams quarterbacks didn’t play much in the preseason. It was a quarter filled with incompletions and punts. The Bills went on a drive with 4:04 left in the 1^st quarter. It started with great field position (had the ball at midfield). Trent Edwards dropped back and threw a nice ball to Lee Evans down the sideline. Completed for 32 yards. On this same drive the Bills were stuck on 3^rd and 11. It looked like they would have to settle for a field goal but a great play call changed that. The Seahawks showed blitz and it looked like it would work but then Edwards handed the ball to Marshawn Lynch on a draw play. Evans threw a great block downfield that sprung Lynch for a 21 yard touchdown.

Bills lead 7-0 after one quarter of play.

2nd Quarter

The Bills special teams is going to have to step up if they want to stay in ball games this season and they showed up big on a punt return for a TD by return man Roscoe Parrish. Parrish caught the punt and then showed why he is a game changer, makes cut and breaking tackles before he took it all the way to the house, finishing the 64 yard run.

Later in the quarter with about 5:00 on the clock, the Seahawks went on a drive of their own. On 2^nd and 10, the Bills had blown coverage and the Seahawks looked like they could take advantage. Matt Hasselbeck threw a deep ball to Nate Burleson who was wide open. He jumped up, had the ball in his hands but just couldn’t hang on. The next play Hasselbeck dropped back and threw a fade to Burleson who made a great catch in the end zone with Bills CB Jabri Greer on the coverage. Seahawks finally get on the board, 14-7.

Bills kicker Rain Lindell then added a FG to add to the Bills lead, 17-7.

Then after the Seahawks failed to do anything with a minute left, they gave the ball back to Buffalo. Edwards made a few good passes which set up Lindell with another FG try. The 38 yard attempt was up and good.

Bills lead at halftime, 20-7.

3rd Quarter

Seahawks wide receiver Burleson was injured in the 3^rd quarter while running a pattern on 3^rd and 7 with under 6 minutes left. He ran an out and fell to the ground holding his knee. He did not return to the game.

Seahawks would also add a FG to the mix. Score is now 20-10.

With under 3 minutes left in the 3^rd, the Bills lined up for another FG try. The snap was good, the holder (and also punter) Brain Moorman got the snap and then stood up to throw a fake. Ryan Denney (the DE and special teams player) was wide open and ran into the end zone for the first TD of his career. The trick play worked and the Bills are now up, 27-10.

On that kickoff following the Bills TD, Jon Corto the Orchard Park native (who was featured in a previous story) forced a fumble. Bills recover! The Bills then went for the stranglehold. On first and 10, Edwards faked a handoff and steps up in the pocket. He then delivers a strike to TE Robert Royal who caught it for a 30 yard TD. Bills now lead 34-10.

4th Quarter

It was just a quarter where the Seahawks couldn’t do anything and the Bills were content with running out the clock. With :34 left in the game, the Bills finally accomplished something that they were close to the entire game. They intercepted a pass. Terrence McGee picked off the Hasselbeck pass and that would seal the game. BILLS WIN 34-10!

The NFL.com Gamecenter: Post Game is attached.

Wrap Up

Trent Edwards went 19/30 with 215 yards and a TD with no INTs.

Marshawn Lynch led the ground game carrying the ball 18 times for 76 yards and a TD. Fred Jackson also contributed with 31 yards on 10 attempts.

Brain Moorman (holder and punter) went 1/1 for 19 yards and a TD.

It seemed like everyone was catching passes in this game with 6 different players recording receptions. Evans had 4 catches for 102 yards, Royal had 6 catches for 52 yards and a TD. Josh Reed caught 3 balls for 37 yards, Denney of course had the TD catch for 19 yards. The running backs also got mixed into the action with Lynch catching 3 catches for 18 yards. Not only did Parrish serve as a big return man but he also caught 3 balls for 6 yards (mostly on screens).

Lindell went 2/3 on field goals with one of them being blocked.

McGee had an INT, Denney, Aaron Schobel and Kawikea Mitchell all had 1 sack. DT Kyle Williams had 1.5 sacks while newcomer Marcus Stroud contributed with .5 sacks.

Not only did Moorman throw the TD pass, he also averaged 40.6 yards a punt (on 9 punts) with 3 inside the 20.

Keith Ellison played well at LB today in place of Angelo Crowell who will be out for the year. All of the newcomers on D looked amazing too, not to mention 2nd year man Paul Poz.

MORE TO COME on this game tomorrow where I tell you what my feelings are. Of course it will be happy though because the Bills WON! LET’S GO BUFFALO!

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