Lori Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 BUFFALO BILLS (3-4) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-3) SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2005 – 8:30 PM ET GILLETTE STADIUM, FOXBOROUGH, MA ESPN: Mike Patrick, Paul Maguire, Joe Theismann, Suzy Kolber REGULAR-SEASON SERIES RECORD: New England leads, 48-40-1 PLAYOFF RECORD: New England leads, 1-0 NOT-READY-FOR-PRIME-TIME PLAYERS: Considering the Bills’ record of futility in their last four appearances on Sunday night broadcasts, I’m amazed ESPN wants to show any more Buffalo games. By the numbers… Combined scores of those games: 119-18. Bills offensive touchdowns: 0. Turnover margin: -16. Ugh. Hand me the remote, willya? LAST MEETING: November 14, 2004 – Patriots 29, Bills 6 The latest Sunday Night Special - New England built a 23-0 lead before a 70-yard Jonathan Smith punt return late in the third quarter saved Buffalo the embarrassment of a second straight shutout loss in Foxborough. Drew Bledsoe was a forgettable 8-19 for 76 yards and 3 interceptions on the night; in garbage time, the Patriot defense gave rookie J.P. Losman a rude welcome to the NFL. For New England, Corey Dillon piled up 151 yards on 26 carries, Tom Brady threw two short TD passes, and Adam Vinatieri added five FGs in the easy win. OVERVIEW OFFENSE: (#3 in total yardage, #27 rushing, #2 passing) With LT Matt Light still sidelined by a Week 3 leg injury, only one current starter remains from the Patriot offense that took the field for Super Bowl XXXVI. That one player, of course, is Brady; he comes into this game 7-1 as a starter against Buffalo, with 14 touchdown passes and a 91.4 QB rating in those eight games. Brady’s one of the best in the business at beating the blitz - the Bills found that out the hard way last September, blitzing on more than half of the Patriots’ passing plays in that game only to see him consistently shred their secondary before the passrushers got to him. They tried different tactics in the rematch, easing off on the blitz calls and concentrating more on coverage; they were slightly more successful, forcing a couple of sacks and an INT, but the end result was still the same – a double-digit New England victory. The Bills’ staggering run defense might catch a sizable break this week – last I heard, Corey Dillon still isn’t practicing and is listed as questionable for Sunday. With backup Kevin Faulk already out, FB Patrick Pass started at RB against Denver. Pass is a decent runner and good receiver out of the backfield, but he’s not Dillon. Amos Zereoue is the only other RB on the roster. Bills DBs will be seeing reigning Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch for the first time since 2003; he was inactive for both games last year. David Givens is the other starter; both he and Branch have given Buffalo problems in the past. Veterans Tim Dwight and Troy Brown and speedster Bethel Johnson are also in the mix. TEs Daniel Graham and Ben Watson are both former first-round picks with playmaking potential; either one of them could create a mismatch over the middle, especially if Lawyer Milloy stays up in run support. The right side of the line should be solid; center Dan Koppen and RG Stephen Neal both started in Super Bowl XXXIX, and RT Tom Ashworth is back from the injury that cost him most of last season. The left side is a different story, though – while 2005 first-round pick Logan Mankins was expected to eventually take over at LG, the injury to Light has forced another rookie, Nick Kaczur, into the lineup at LT. As a result, Brady has seen a lot more pressure this year, and has taken some big hits. He’s only been sacked seven times, but a good part of that can be attributed to his quick decision-making and fast release. DEFENSE: (#25 in total yardage, #24 rushing, #24 passing) Three-time Pro Bowl DL Richard Seymour should return to the lineup this weekend, bringing the defensive line rotation back to full strength. Fellow first-round picks Ty Warren (LE) and Vince Wilfork (NT) join Seymour in the Pats’ base 3-4, but these are the Patriots – expect to see some 3-4, 4-3, and whatever else Bill Belichick and new DC Eric Mangini have devised to mess with the minds of Buffalo’s QBs and playcallers. Jarvis Green, who started in Seymour’s absence, will also see his share of action. By now, OLBs Willie McGinest and Mike Vrabel have to know the defensive mindset almost as well as Belichick himself; when a big play is needed, expect one or the other to be lurking nearby. (Vrabel can also move inside if needed.) Rosevelt Colvin never quite made it all the way back from that devastating hip injury, but he still provides solid depth on the outside. There’s trouble at ILB, though - Chad Brown and Monty Beisel have proven inadequate replacements for Tedy Bruschi and Ted Johnson, and the run D has suffered as a result. Bruschi’s return would obviously be a huge emotional lift, but what kind of game shape he’s in remains to be seen. In the secondary, the loss of SS Rodney Harrison can’t be overstated. He helped hold the defense together last season when DBs started dropping like flies around him; rookie James Sanders may have inherited the SS position, but there’s no way he can duplicate Harrison’s on-field leadership. Eugene Wilson is the FS; the converted college CB has held the position ever since Lawyer Milloy was released. Asante Samuel mans one CB spot, but the other one is a mess. Tyrone Poole? Back on crutches. Chad Scott? IR. The Pats traded for Duane Starks in the offseason, but have been underwhelmed with the results; if he’s healthy enough, Randall Gay may reclaim that spot as early as this weekend. SPECIAL TEAMS: Surprise, surprise – Adam Vinatieri is his usual steady self. He’s 9-10 from under 50 yards so far in 2005; the only miss – a 37-yarder again San Diego – was his first from inside 45 since the end of the 2003 season. “Automatic Adam” has also added two more game-winning FGs (vs. Pittsburgh and Atlanta) to his resume this season, bringing his career total to 20 fourth-quarter/OT game-winners. Punter Josh Miller has had one kick blocked, but other than that is having a solid year with a 38.5-yard net average and only two touchbacks. Veteran Tim Dwight handles punt returns; Bethel Johnson and rookie CB Ellis Hobbs have split time on kick returns. Johnson’s one to watch – he’s returned a kickoff for a TD in each of his first two seasons. Are the kick-coverage teams any better than they were last year, when the Bills scored a return TD in each game? We’ll see. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OUTLOOK: Where better to spend Halloween Eve than at Buffalo's personal haunted house, Gillette Stadium? Nightmare at One Patriot Place, indeed. In the three games played there since the place opened for business in 2002, the Bills have yet to score in the first half, are a cumulative -12 in turnover margin, and have lost by an average of 21 points. With numbers like that, perhaps a nice horror movie might be a more palatable viewing choice for Bills fans Sunday night… There’s this, though: New England is more vulnerable right now than at any point since their playoff run began. Brady has had to shoulder more of the load on offense, and there’s a hole through the middle of the D. I like the matchup of Moulds and Evans against the Pats DBs… but will Holcomb have time to get the ball to them? With Mike Williams questionable and backup Greg Jerman out, what, exactly, is plan B at right tackle? (And how will that affect the running game?) And will rumored changes in the Bills’ defensive scheme mean improvement against the run? (It can’t get any worse... can it?) Yes, the Pats are vulnerable. Unfortunately, Buffalo doesn’t appear to have a team capable of taking advantage of that, especially not on the road. And regardless of whether or not Bruschi actually plays a down this week, when he runs out of the tunnel in uniform Sunday night and the resulting roar blows the roof off the lighthouse at “The Razor”, it could signal yet another bad weekend in New England. This week, at least, I hope I’m dead wrong. Go Bills. Links: NFL.com injury report NFL.com Patriots depth chart NFL.com Patriots team stats Ourlads.com – Patriots depth chart Patriots.com bostonsportsmedia.com www.patsfans.com
Dennis in NC Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 Thanks for the preview, Lori. It's tough to put a happy spin on our Bills right now. At least Desperate Housewives is sure to be interesting Sunday night...
Mark VI Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 Lori . I read this twice and couldn't find " run for the bus " anywhere ?
Nanker Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 BUFFALO BILLS (3-4) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-3)SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2005 – 8:30 PM ET GILLETTE STADIUM, FOXBOROUGH, MA ESPN: Mike Patrick, Paul Maguire, Joe Theismann, Suzy Kolber REGULAR-SEASON SERIES RECORD: New England leads, 48-40-1 PLAYOFF RECORD: New England leads, 1-0 NOT-READY-FOR-PRIME-TIME PLAYERS: Considering the Bills’ record of futility in their last four appearances on Sunday night broadcasts, I’m amazed ESPN wants to show any more Buffalo games. By the numbers… Combined scores of those games: 119-18. Bills offensive touchdowns: 0. Turnover margin: -16. Ugh. Hand me the remote, willya? 487645[/snapback] I heard that ESPN is going to save a lot of time and money by simply rebroadcasting the last game in this time slot. It'll be after the 4th sack of Bledsoe before anybody notices the switch.
nick in* england Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 Good stuff Lori - a really good read. Sadly I think you are dead on with your assessment...
aussiew Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 Well done Lori. I'll be watching this S&M game. I just can't help myself. I'll pray to at least get some points on the board.
bill in Livonia Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 Well written Loei but wht so pessamistic? With a few breaks and an act of God we will beat these Bums.
Orton's Arm Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 Lori, I wish I could disagree with your post. But with the possible return of Richard Seymour and Tedy Bruschi, I'm afraid the Patriots' worst defensive woes may already be behind them. I also expect another week in which weapons like Lee Evans are wasted because of the offensive line's inability to give them time to get open deep.
KD in CA Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 Thanks, Lori. 119 - 18. Ouch! 487714[/snapback] I knew it was ugly, but I didn't realize it was that bad. Good read Lori -- thanks.
ATBNG Posted October 28, 2005 Posted October 28, 2005 Nice preview Lori. Real impressed with your comments on the Pats - you have a good sense of where they're at. One thing to watch for on defense is what New England does at MLB. Vrabel played the second half of the Denver game at ILB due to Chad Brown's ineffectiveness, and they may be looking at starting McGinest/Vrabel/Bruschi/Colvin and trying to work Chad Brown back outside as a reserve to spell WM and RC. Brown's been ineffective inside all season - I thought he would be a bubble player for the roster after his preseason perormance, and he still hasn't yet done much of anything. You noted the lack of depth at RB (I doubt you'll see more than 5 two back sets of any kind) - they also have a strange situation at safety with Guss Scott going on IR (Poole also went on IR today). They signed Hank Poteat for corner help, and they probably will play Arturo Freeman quite a bit at safety Sunday night. Last year they dropped MLB Don Davis back at strong safety quite a bit when they were think at corner (moving Wilson to corner and dropping Harrison back to FS) but these types of improvisations seemed to be effective in part based on having Harrison back there to make sure things went according to plan. Wilson's a good player (Peyton gave him a Pro Bowl vote last year) but he's introverted and not the type of guy to get in others' faces - thus far he seemingly hasn't exactly exhibited premier veteran leadership, although he has big shoes to fill in that respect. Big plays are up and turnovers are almost nonexistent. I think they have to make the move to take Bruschi off of the PUP list on Saturday at some point, but all indications are that he will be starting and playing some special teams. The NE kick coverage teams are probably slightly worse than last year so far. Brutal isn't too strong a word. Their return game is better with Johnson and Hobbs - Hobbs has a lot of promise as a kickoff return guy. This is one area where Buffalo really needs to make a play or two Sunday night early to counter the emotion in the stadium. Miller's numbers understate how well he's done - he's had at least three punts already this year that he's bounced off the G-2 yard range and hopped up downing inside the five.
AKC Posted October 28, 2005 Posted October 28, 2005 Yes, the Pats are vulnerable. Unfortunately, Buffalo doesn’t appear to have a team capable of taking advantage of that, especially not on the road. And regardless of whether or not Bruschi actually plays a down this week, when he runs out of the tunnel in uniform Sunday night and the resulting roar blows the roof off the lighthouse at “The Razor”, it could signal yet another bad weekend in New England. This week, at least, I hope I’m dead wrong. Go Bills. The one thing Belichick has become consistent in since his embarrasing firing as a head coach in Cleveland is to bring out his defense every week focused on taking away the strong suit of his opponent. And while it can be argued that Buffalo hardly has a strong suit on offense, the reality is the ONLY danger to the Pats Sunday is our running game. Our current coaching staff has shown the propensity to allow opposing defensive schemes to dictate how we play on our side of the ball, and what I'm expecting is that every possible enticement will be used to draw the Bills into passing the football. On yet another Sunday of the 2005 season it's likely that we'll be throwing more than running the ball, a recipe that so far this season has attracted few appetites- unless we consider those of our opponents. At the same time Mularkey has proven that he's in love with gimmick football. To see JP Losman finding some duty on the field Sunday shouldn't surprise Bill's fans since Mularkey would probably consider it confusing to the Pats. Some might argue it would be most confusing to our QBs. We've opened games well, if you can consider the first drive the "opening" of the game. That's something else that won't miss the keen eye of one Bill Belichick. Back in NE their D is probably being fed a pretty steady diet of our initial drives this season in the hopes their D makes our first drive the major priority of the day- kill off the strength of your enemy and your enemy will most easily succumb. Watching our first drive Sunday night should tell us much about the week of prep and which staff got into their players heads more effectively.
The Dean Posted October 28, 2005 Posted October 28, 2005 Great as always, Lo. While I remain eternally hopeful, I'm not optimistic. However, for some strange reason, today I sort of think we MAY put in a strong effort. Let's face it, our boys laid down like dogs last week (w/apologies to dogs). The effort was shameful. I just think they will come out focused and purposeful and play their asses off this week. With that said, that doesn't mean they have the talent to win the game...but... AAHHHHHHHHHH who the hell am I kidding? Damn, ya start to write it down and it all seems so silly.
Coach Tuesday Posted October 28, 2005 Posted October 28, 2005 AAHHHHHHHHHH who the hell am I kidding? Damn, ya start to write it down and it all seems so silly. 488986[/snapback] Hilarious... but true.
Albany,n.y. Posted October 29, 2005 Posted October 29, 2005 Thanks for the preview, Lori. It's tough to put a happy spin on our Bills right now. At least Desperate Housewives is sure to be interesting Sunday night... 487647[/snapback] It's a rerun from last season, hopefully the Bills/Patriots won't be the same.
BB2004 Posted October 30, 2005 Posted October 30, 2005 BUFFALO BILLS (3-4) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-3)SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2005 – 8:30 PM ET GILLETTE STADIUM, FOXBOROUGH, MA ESPN: Mike Patrick, Paul Maguire, Joe Theismann, Suzy Kolber REGULAR-SEASON SERIES RECORD: New England leads, 48-40-1 PLAYOFF RECORD: New England leads, 1-0 NOT-READY-FOR-PRIME-TIME PLAYERS: Considering the Bills’ record of futility in their last four appearances on Sunday night broadcasts, I’m amazed ESPN wants to show any more Buffalo games. By the numbers… Combined scores of those games: 119-18. Bills offensive touchdowns: 0. Turnover margin: -16. Ugh. Hand me the remote, willya? LAST MEETING: November 14, 2004 – Patriots 29, Bills 6 The latest Sunday Night Special - New England built a 23-0 lead before a 70-yard Jonathan Smith punt return late in the third quarter saved Buffalo the embarrassment of a second straight shutout loss in Foxborough. Drew Bledsoe was a forgettable 8-19 for 76 yards and 3 interceptions on the night; in garbage time, the Patriot defense gave rookie J.P. Losman a rude welcome to the NFL. For New England, Corey Dillon ground out 151 yards on 26 carries, Tom Brady threw two short TD passes, and Adam Vinatieri added five FGs in the easy win. OVERVIEW OFFENSE: (#3 in total yardage, #27 rushing, #2 passing) With LT Matt Light still sidelined by a Week 3 leg injury, only one current starter remains from the Patriot offense that took the field for Super Bowl XXXVI. That one player, of course, is Brady; he comes into this game 7-1 as a starter against Buffalo, with 14 touchdown passes and a 91.4 QB rating in those eight games. Brady’s one of the best in the business at beating the blitz - the Bills found that out the hard way last September, blitzing on more than half of the Patriots’ passing plays in that game only to see him consistently shred their secondary before the passrushers got to him. They tried different tactics in the rematch, easing off on the blitz calls and concentrating more on coverage; they were slightly more successful, forcing a couple of sacks and an INT, but the end result was still the same – a double-digit New England victory. The Bills’ staggering run defense might catch a sizable break this week – last I heard, Corey Dillon still isn’t practicing and is listed as questionable for Sunday. With backup Kevin Faulk already out, FB Patrick Pass started at RB against Denver. Pass is a decent runner and good receiver out of the backfield, but he’s not Dillon. Amos Zereoue is the only other RB on the roster. Bills DBs will be seeing reigning Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch for the first time since 2003; he was inactive for both games last year. David Givens is the other starter; both he and Branch have given Buffalo problems in the past. Veterans Tim Dwight and Troy Brown and speedster Bethel Johnson are also in the mix. TEs Daniel Graham and Ben Watson are both former first-round picks with playmaking potential; either one of them could create a mismatch over the middle, especially if Lawyer Milloy stays up in run support. The right side of the line should be solid; center Dan Koppen and RG Stephen Neal both started in Super Bowl XXXIX, and RT Tom Ashworth is back from the injury that cost him most of last season. The left side is a different story, though – while 2005 first-round pick Logan Mankins was expected to eventually take over at LG, the injury to Light has forced another rookie, Nick Kaczur, into the lineup at LT. As a result, Brady has seen a lot more pressure this year, and has taken some big hits. He’s only been sacked seven times, but a good part of that can be attributed to his quick decision-making and fast release. DEFENSE: (#25 in total yardage, #24 rushing, #24 passing) Three-time Pro Bowl DL Richard Seymour should return to the lineup this weekend, bringing the defensive line rotation back to full strength. Fellow first-round picks Ty Warren (LE) and Vince Wilfork (NT) join Seymour in the Pats’ base 3-4, but these are the Patriots – expect to see some 3-4, 4-3, and whatever else Bill Belichick and new DC Eric Mangini have devised to mess with the minds of Buffalo’s QBs and playcallers. Jarvis Green, who started in Seymour’s absence, will also see his share of action. By now, OLBs Willie McGinest and Mike Vrabel have to know the defensive mindset almost as well as Belichick himself; when a big play is needed, expect one or the other to be lurking nearby. (Vrabel can also move inside if needed.) Rosevelt Colvin never quite made it all the way back from that devastating hip injury, but he still provides solid depth on the outside. There’s trouble at ILB, though - Chad Brown and Monty Beisel have proven inadequate replacements for Tedy Bruschi and Ted Johnson, and the run D has suffered as a result. Bruschi’s return would obviously be a huge emotional lift, but what kind of game shape he’s in remains to be seen. In the secondary, the loss of SS Rodney Harrison can’t be overstated. He helped hold the defense together last season when DBs started dropping like flies around him; rookie James Sanders may have inherited the SS position, but there’s no way he can duplicate Harrison’s on-field leadership. Eugene Wilson is the FS; the converted college CB has held the position ever since Lawyer Milloy was released. Asante Samuel mans one CB spot, but the other one is a mess. Tyrone Poole? Back on crutches. Chad Scott? IR. The Pats traded for Duane Starks in the offseason, but have been underwhelmed with the results; if he’s healthy enough, Randall Gay may reclaim that spot as early as this weekend. SPECIAL TEAMS: Surprise, surprise – Adam Vinatieri is his usual steady self. He’s 9-10 from under 50 yards so far in 2005; the only miss – a 37-yarder again San Diego – was his first from inside 45 since the end of the 2003 season. “Automatic Adam” has also added two more game-winning FGs (vs. Pittsburgh and Atlanta) to his resume this season, bringing his career total to 20 fourth-quarter/OT game-winners. Punter Josh Miller has had one kick blocked, but other than that is having a solid year with a 38.5-yard net average and only two touchbacks. Veteran Tim Dwight handles punt returns; Bethel Johnson and rookie CB Ellis Hobbs have split time on kick returns. Johnson’s one to watch – he’s returned a kickoff for a TD in each of his first two seasons. Are the kick-coverage teams any better than they were last year, when the Bills scored a return TD in each game? We’ll see. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OUTLOOK: Where better to spend Halloween Eve than at Buffalo's personal haunted house, Gillette Stadium? Nightmare at One Patriot Place, indeed. In the three games played there since the place opened for business in 2002, the Bills have yet to score in the first half, are a cumulative -12 in turnover margin, and have lost by an average of 21 points. With numbers like that, perhaps a nice horror movie might be a more palatable viewing choice for Bills fans Sunday night… There’s this, though: New England is more vulnerable right now than at any point since their playoff run began. Brady has had to shoulder more of the load on offense, and there’s a hole through the middle of the D. I like the matchup of Moulds and Evans against the Pats DBs… but will Holcomb have time to get the ball to them? With Mike Williams questionable and backup Greg Jerman out, what, exactly, is plan B at right tackle? (And how will that affect the running game?) And will rumored changes in the Bills’ defensive scheme mean improvement against the run? (It can’t get any worse... can it?) Yes, the Pats are vulnerable. Unfortunately, Buffalo doesn’t appear to have a team capable of taking advantage of that, especially not on the road. And regardless of whether or not Bruschi actually plays a down this week, when he runs out of the tunnel in uniform Sunday night and the resulting roar blows the roof off the lighthouse at “The Razor”, it could signal yet another bad weekend in New England. This week, at least, I hope I’m dead wrong. Go Bills. Links: NFL.com injury report NFL.com Patriots depth chart NFL.com Patriots team stats Ourlads.com – Patriots depth chart Patriots.com bostonsportsmedia.com www.patsfans.com 487645[/snapback] I'm going with 31-6 Patriots in a laugher.
mead107 Posted October 30, 2005 Posted October 30, 2005 lori you do a very good job doing the previews . thanks for your effort keep up the good work .
Recommended Posts