Archives for November 2005

‘Buffalo has outscored its opponents by a 40-7 margin in the first quarter. No NFL team has relinquished fewer points in the opening 15 minutes than Buffalo and only NYG (+40) has outscored its foes by more points in the first quarter than the Bills (+33). However, the Bills have been outscored by a 152-88 margin in the final three quarters.’

‘This year’s remaining eight Bills games would make even a good team wince.’

‘Buffalo’s line has done a strong job in run blocking, helping Willis McGahee gain 790 yards, fourth best in the NFL. Poor pass blocking, however, has prevented the Bills from attacking deep through the air. A permanent switch of Williams from tackle to guard would seriously alter Buffalo’s salary structure and leave Anderson as the odd man out.’

‘But head coach Mike Mularkey and McNally weren’t here when Williams was drafted, and they must agree that the Bills o-line will be stronger with Peters at right tackle and Williams at left guard. McNally even told me last summer he thought Peters was the best pure athlete he’d ever coached as an offensive lineman.’

‘With a 3-5 record and with an offense ranked 26th in scoring, Buffalo is trying to see if it can assemble a more dominant and more consistent offensive line, even at this late juncture.’

‘Coaching: D – Mike Mularkey and staff have failed to build on the momentum of last season’s spirited 9-7 finish. Giving up on Losman after just four games was a bold move and has given the team its best chance at winning. But miscalculating Losman’s readiness, or failing to get him ready, is the bigger faux pas, leading many critics to wonder if Buffalo gave up on Bledsoe one year too soon.’

‘TE Kevin Everett had surgery to remove scar tissue in his left knee that was hindering his ability to run. The rookie out of Miami, who underwent ACL surgery in the spring, could hit the practice field in the next week or two. Buffalo hopes he can see some playing time this year.’

‘"We’re still trying to find the best five linemen combination," said head coach Mike Mularkey.’

‘"It doesn’t hurt my feelings," Adams said. "No, that doesn’t motivate me at all. It irritates me and takes away the focus of what I need to do … I need to play to win."’

‘Also at practice today, defensive lineman Sam Adams talked openly about his benching during the second half of the New England game. Adams said that he’s not comfortable with his role on defense but will do whatever Mike Mularkey wants him to do. Adams also said that the benching does not motivate him and that it "irritates me and takes away the focus of what I need to do."’

‘The move would come as a surprise for numerous reasons. Williams, who has never played guard, is the Bills highly-touted 2002 first-round draft pick — selected fourth overall out of Texas. He’s potentially losing his job to Peters, who joined the Bills as an undrafted rookie free agent last year. Peters is also a former tight end who was converted into an offensive lineman this year. At left guard, Williams would replace Bennie Anderson, a five-year NFL veteran, who was supposed to bolster the position when the Bills signed him to a three-year, $5.1 million deal in March.’

‘Since Ol’ Whitey took the reins, Buffalo has yet to make a single playoff appearance. Moreover, the Bills have won precisely three games in which they trailed at any point in the fourth quarter. The last time it happened was Week 5 of the 2003 season, when a furious rally wiped out a seemingly insurmountable three-point Cincinnati lead en route to a 22-16 win in overtime. For the calendar-challenged, that’s more than two years ago.’

‘While Kansas City’s last visit to Buffalo cost the franchise a spot in the ’96 playoffs, the Chiefs have had the Bills number as of late. Kansas City owns victories in three of the last four contests between these two original American Football League adversaries, including a convincing 38-5 win at Arrowhead (10/26/03) in the most recent meeting. In addition, Chiefs head coach Dick Vermeil owns a sparkling 4-0 career record vs. the Bills, making Buffalo the only club he has faced three or more times that has never defeated one of his teams.’

‘A late fumble by Kelly Holcomb, and the Bills’ nine-point lead dissipated into the New England night. The game was over and the season unraveled. One hopeful night exposed these Bills for what they really are.

Losers.’

‘However, the worst-case scenario for forward-thinking Bills fans might be wins over the Chiefs and Panthers. That would put the Bills at 5-6 and probably still in the AFC East race heading into a winnable game at Miami. Then Losman’s development gets even further stunted.’