plenzmd1 Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Both teams have playoff aspirations and need to get off to a fast start in tough divisions. Expectations are high in Houston, and head coach Dom Capers could start feeling heat if the Texans start slow. QB David Carr has improved steadily each season, and the Texans believe he is poised to make big strides this year after the team simplified the offense. For the Bills, it will be interesting to watch the changeover from pocket passer Drew Bledsoe to the more mobile and athletic J.P. Losman. The Bills have explosive offensive playmakers in RB Willis McGahee and WR Eric Moulds, and they ranked second overall defensively in yards allowed last season. If the defense can hold form and Losman can spark the offense, Buffalo could be an intriguing team to watch. When the Texans have the ball Rushing: Texans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer is a firm believer that you must have balance in your offense in order to survive in this league -- especially with a young quarterback. With four of five starters returning on the offensive line and a year of experience in the zone-blocking schemes, the offense must be focused on attacking downhill against the Bills' front seven. RB Domanick Davis is a versatile ballcarrier who plays in both regular and sub packages. He is a tough, downhill, zone runner with the ability to be effective on both inside and outside running plays. Davis has exceeded expectations and is developing into a frontline runner, but he must protect the ball in critical situations in this game. FB Moran Norris is the top blocker for Davis, and the Texans will utilize backup RB Jonathan Wells and TE Matt Murphy as Norris' backups, which gives them more versatility to attack the Bills' athletic linebackers. Buffalo defensive coordinator Jerry Gray employs an attacking defense out of a 4-3 scheme. The Bills' run defense was stout last year, allowing 100.3 yards per game and improved from last in the league in takeaways in 2003 (18) to first in '04 (39). The biggest concern facing the Bills in the front seven is the departure of DT Pat Williams to Minnesota. RDT Ron Edwards started all 16 games two seasons ago and registered 68 tackles; he is listed as the starter opposite LDT Sam Adams, who does an excellent job of clogging up the middle against the run. Edwards has good size, but he's still a little raw in his technique and needs to play with more consistency. The Bills linebacker corp starts its third consecutive season together and is led by MLB London Fletcher and WLB Takeo Spikes -- both very active players the Texans must slow down. Passing: The Texans' goal this offseason was to keep developing as an offensive unit and to simplify the passing attack with shorter drops and quicker routes. No quarterback in the past three seasons has been sacked more than Carr (140 sacks). Carr must be patience and make good decisions with the ball against an aggressive defense that brings pressure from everywhere on the field. He must be strong in his progression reads, take what the defense is giving him and not force throws into double coverage. RB Davis -- a quality receiver out of the backfield -- could play a critical role in these situations. Look for Buffalo's defensive staff to match DC Nate Clements on WR Andre Johnson due to Terrance McGee's height deficiency. In sub packages, FS Troy Vincent has the versatility to move down and cover the slot receiver, depending on Johnson's alignment. SS Lawyer Milloy is a smart, instinctive player who does his best work when matched up in short zones rather than deep zones. Buffalo's rise in takeaways from an NFL-low 18 to a league best 39 was triggered by an improved pass rush, led by second-round picks Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney, who combined for 7.5 sacks to complement Aaron Schobel's 8 sacks. When the Bills have the ball Rushing: Head coach Mike Mularkey has molded the Bills into a power-running team. They will depend heavily on RB Willis McGahee and FB Daimon Shelton to take pressure off of first-year starting QB Losman, using the run to set up the pass against the Texans. The Bills will attack behind RT Mike Williams, RG Chris Villarrial and OC Trey Teague to create run seams off front-side zones. They must also hold their blocks on the backside to insure possible cutbacks plays. Don't be surprised if McGahee carries the ball more than 30 times in this game and the Bills try and hammer away at an inexperienced linebacker corp. The Texans 3-4 defensive front requires the linemen to stay square, hold the line of scrimmage and control their gap responsibilities, which allows the linebackers to get downhill and force the run. Expect the Texans to use some different alignments in their 3-4 and some run blitzes to force Buffalo to run east-west and not north-south. Projected starting SS Glenn Earl has been sidelined during training camp with a separated shoulder, and though rookie sixth-round pick C.C. Brown has made a strong case for the starting position, this could be concern in the run defense. Passing: Offensive coordinator Tom Clements and QB coach Sam Wyche must simplify things and limit the options in the passing game in order to get the best results out of Losman. The second-year QB brings less experience than Bledsoe, but he's a better athlete and has much more mobility outside the pocket. The Bills' offensive line has been a work in progress over the last few years but made strides last season under offensive line coach Jim McNally. The Bills allowed only 15 sacks over the final 10 games and 38 for the year. Houston defensive coordinator Vic Fangio believes in an attacking 3-4 defense that keeps offenses off balance by bringing pressure from different areas of the field. The Texans are a zone-blitz team and do a very good job of mixing up coverages and personnel groupings in nickel situations. But they were 23rd in defense last season and at or near the bottom in two key categories: Percentage of QB sacks per opponent passing attempts, and TD passes allowed. The Texans must pick the right situations in which to get pressure on Losman and force him to make poor decisions they can capitalize on to gain good field position. A critical mismatch Fangio will take advantage of in sub situations is either OLB Kailee Wong or OLB Jason Babin vs. Buffalo LT Mike Gandy. Also, look for first round pick Travis Johnson to be a force inside in passing situations. Gandy, the former Bears starter, replaces Jonas Jennings at tackle but would be a better fit at guard. DC Dunta Robinson has the ability to develop into a shutdown corner and could match up in the slot vs. Eric Moulds in sub situations. However, WR Lee Evans can make explosive plays in the passing game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan in San Diego Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Both teams have playoff aspirations and need to get off to a fast start in tough divisions. Expectations are high in Houston, and head coach Dom Capers could start feeling heat if the Texans start slow. QB David Carr has improved steadily each season, and the Texans believe he is poised to make big strides this year after the team simplified the offense. For the Bills, it will be interesting to watch the changeover from pocket passer Drew Bledsoe to the more mobile and athletic J.P. Losman. The Bills have explosive offensive playmakers in RB Willis McGahee and WR Eric Moulds, and they ranked second overall defensively in yards allowed last season. If the defense can hold form and Losman can spark the offense, Buffalo could be an intriguing team to watch. When the Texans have the ball Rushing: Texans offensive coordinator Chris Palmer is a firm believer that you must have balance in your offense in order to survive in this league -- especially with a young quarterback. With four of five starters returning on the offensive line and a year of experience in the zone-blocking schemes, the offense must be focused on attacking downhill against the Bills' front seven. RB Domanick Davis is a versatile ballcarrier who plays in both regular and sub packages. He is a tough, downhill, zone runner with the ability to be effective on both inside and outside running plays. Davis has exceeded expectations and is developing into a frontline runner, but he must protect the ball in critical situations in this game. FB Moran Norris is the top blocker for Davis, and the Texans will utilize backup RB Jonathan Wells and TE Matt Murphy as Norris' backups, which gives them more versatility to attack the Bills' athletic linebackers. Buffalo defensive coordinator Jerry Gray employs an attacking defense out of a 4-3 scheme. The Bills' run defense was stout last year, allowing 100.3 yards per game and improved from last in the league in takeaways in 2003 (18) to first in '04 (39). The biggest concern facing the Bills in the front seven is the departure of DT Pat Williams to Minnesota. RDT Ron Edwards started all 16 games two seasons ago and registered 68 tackles; he is listed as the starter opposite LDT Sam Adams, who does an excellent job of clogging up the middle against the run. Edwards has good size, but he's still a little raw in his technique and needs to play with more consistency. The Bills linebacker corp starts its third consecutive season together and is led by MLB London Fletcher and WLB Takeo Spikes -- both very active players the Texans must slow down. Passing: The Texans' goal this offseason was to keep developing as an offensive unit and to simplify the passing attack with shorter drops and quicker routes. No quarterback in the past three seasons has been sacked more than Carr (140 sacks). Carr must be patience and make good decisions with the ball against an aggressive defense that brings pressure from everywhere on the field. He must be strong in his progression reads, take what the defense is giving him and not force throws into double coverage. RB Davis -- a quality receiver out of the backfield -- could play a critical role in these situations. Look for Buffalo's defensive staff to match DC Nate Clements on WR Andre Johnson due to Terrance McGee's height deficiency. In sub packages, FS Troy Vincent has the versatility to move down and cover the slot receiver, depending on Johnson's alignment. SS Lawyer Milloy is a smart, instinctive player who does his best work when matched up in short zones rather than deep zones. Buffalo's rise in takeaways from an NFL-low 18 to a league best 39 was triggered by an improved pass rush, led by second-round picks Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney, who combined for 7.5 sacks to complement Aaron Schobel's 8 sacks. When the Bills have the ball Rushing: Head coach Mike Mularkey has molded the Bills into a power-running team. They will depend heavily on RB Willis McGahee and FB Daimon Shelton to take pressure off of first-year starting QB Losman, using the run to set up the pass against the Texans. The Bills will attack behind RT Mike Williams, RG Chris Villarrial and OC Trey Teague to create run seams off front-side zones. They must also hold their blocks on the backside to insure possible cutbacks plays. Don't be surprised if McGahee carries the ball more than 30 times in this game and the Bills try and hammer away at an inexperienced linebacker corp. The Texans 3-4 defensive front requires the linemen to stay square, hold the line of scrimmage and control their gap responsibilities, which allows the linebackers to get downhill and force the run. Expect the Texans to use some different alignments in their 3-4 and some run blitzes to force Buffalo to run east-west and not north-south. Projected starting SS Glenn Earl has been sidelined during training camp with a separated shoulder, and though rookie sixth-round pick C.C. Brown has made a strong case for the starting position, this could be concern in the run defense. Passing: Offensive coordinator Tom Clements and QB coach Sam Wyche must simplify things and limit the options in the passing game in order to get the best results out of Losman. The second-year QB brings less experience than Bledsoe, but he's a better athlete and has much more mobility outside the pocket. The Bills' offensive line has been a work in progress over the last few years but made strides last season under offensive line coach Jim McNally. The Bills allowed only 15 sacks over the final 10 games and 38 for the year. Houston defensive coordinator Vic Fangio believes in an attacking 3-4 defense that keeps offenses off balance by bringing pressure from different areas of the field. The Texans are a zone-blitz team and do a very good job of mixing up coverages and personnel groupings in nickel situations. But they were 23rd in defense last season and at or near the bottom in two key categories: Percentage of QB sacks per opponent passing attempts, and TD passes allowed. The Texans must pick the right situations in which to get pressure on Losman and force him to make poor decisions they can capitalize on to gain good field position. A critical mismatch Fangio will take advantage of in sub situations is either OLB Kailee Wong or OLB Jason Babin vs. Buffalo LT Mike Gandy. Also, look for first round pick Travis Johnson to be a force inside in passing situations. Gandy, the former Bears starter, replaces Jonas Jennings at tackle but would be a better fit at guard. DC Dunta Robinson has the ability to develop into a shutdown corner and could match up in the slot vs. Eric Moulds in sub situations. However, WR Lee Evans can make explosive plays in the passing game. 431574[/snapback] Wow ! Great analysis ! And the summary is what ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper13 Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 My summary is the Bills Defense will absolutley destroy the Texans. 31-0 Bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Tuesday Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 I expect lots of Colts-style playaction from the Texans on offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 I think the fact that Houston has to start a 6th-round rookie at SS makes it unfortunate we don't have a more seasoned quarterback to teach the rookie a thing or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duey Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 I played the Texans last night on Madden. First play from scrimmage...Losman to Evans, 75 yd TD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffOrange Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 I played the Texans last night on Madden. First play from scrimmage...Losman to Evans, 75 yd TD. 431853[/snapback] Don't mean to hijack, but I'm having a hell of a time getting Evans & Moulds the ball downfield. It seems bullet passes are picked off and lobs are not thrown far enough and easily batted down. Parrish & McGahee are my leading WR's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PromoTheRobot Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 The Bills biggest concern is the departure of Pat Williams. Huh? Seriously, has anyone even mentioned his name this off-season? PTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch19079 Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 The Bills biggest concern is the departure of Pat Williams. Huh? Seriously, has anyone even mentioned his name this off-season? PTR 431861[/snapback] YES, MANY people have mentioned him. and his replacement Ron Edwards IS OUR BIGGEST concern on defense. we all know losman is our biggest concern on offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sound_n_Fury Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 The Bills biggest concern is the departure of Pat Williams. Huh? Seriously, has anyone even mentioned his name this off-season? PTR 431861[/snapback] This whole thing seems written from last's year's perspective, with a little Internet reading tossed in for seasoning. It doesn't sound like they've even seen the Bills play in the preseason so far. You mentioned the Fat Pat reference, but other things that caught my eye were: "Head coach Mike Mularkey has molded the Bills into a power-running team." "..an improved pass rush, led by second-round picks Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney " "A critical mismatch Fangio will take advantage of in sub situations is either OLB Kailee Wong or OLB Jason Babin vs. Buffalo LT Mike Gandy." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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