Week 14 Picks
12/09/2010 | Posted by
Devin
About halfway through this season, I decided to stop writing full-blown picks articles and focus more on the upcoming Bills game. This was a solid strategy but when it comes to a week like this it's borderline impossible. I've sat here at the computer for well over an hour trying to come up with a good Bills vs Browns preview. Here is what I've been able to come up with so far:
1. The Bills offensive line is a mess and might get destroyed on Sunday
2. The weather will be really bad
3. Jake Delhomme sucks
4. Peyton Hillis is going to plow through the Bills horrendous run defense
That's it. That's all I've been able to come up with. There is no possible way I can write a full preview when every thought I have centers around those four ideas. So I decided, at least for this week, that I would revert back to old form and just pick all the games and throw a few lines up about each game instead.
Picks are in bold.
Indianapolis @ Tennessee
- For the NFL wanting to showcase Thursday night football games and hold it against cable companies because they don't have the games, they are sure picking some awful matchups. Granted it isn't their fault and they can't predict the future, but these have been some crap games. The Falcons/Ravens game was a nice start, but it's been pure garbage since then, this game included. Next week we have San Diego and San Francisco. (How does San Francisco get so many primetime games?!?) The following week it's Carolina/Pittsburgh on Thursday and Dallas/Arizona on Saturday. I have a feeling some Time Warner executive is sitting back cackling about this and the NFL's demands to carry the network. Regardless, I'm glad I have them because sometimes any football is better than no football.
Back to the game though. I can't see any possible way that the Colts lose this game. For the first time that I can remember, their back is against the wall and their playoff hopes are in serious jeopardy. On top of that, Peyton Manning has been pure garbage for the past three weeks and he's going to eventually rebound in a big way. Luckily for all of us fantasy players, it's happening around fantasy playoff time. This is a huge change from previous years where Manning owners were carried to the playoffs and then screwed over as Indianapolis rested their starters.
On top of that, the Titans have fallen into the tank and are finished for the season. They are two games back in the division with games against the Colts, Texans, Chiefs, and Colts. There isn't an easy game remaining on the slate. Vince Young is finished for the season, Kerry Collins is showing his age, and Rusty Smith is Rusty Smith. All of this must be affecting CJ2K because he's rushed for 58 yards in the last two games combined. All of this leads to my one big question about Tennessee. At what point do people start pointing the finger at Jeff Fisher? There seems to be constant character issues in Tennessee and to be quite honest, what exactly has he done? He's been the coach for almost 20 years with only one Super Bowl appearance to date.
Cleveland @ Buffalo
- As I highlighted above, Peyton Hillis is going to run all over the Bills. If the reports are true and Buffalo does get a huge blizzard, I expect even more running and an even bigger day for Hillis. As if he isn't hard enough to tackle, now do it when the conditions suck and it's freezing outside. The only hope I have right now is that Hillis turns the ball over a few times and the Bills are able to hang with them and make it close. For a game that I thought was a definite win earlier in the season, I have little hope at this point and don't expect a whole lot.
Green Bay @ Detroit
- Crazy thought of the day. If the season were to end today, the Packers would not make the playoffs. A large part of this is because the awful NFC West will get a team in no matter what, but also because Chicago has a full game lead on Green Bay and the tie-breaker as of now. Because of all this, Green Bay is full must-win mode for the final four games of the season. They face the Giants and Bears in the final two weeks, the two teams ahead of them in the wild card and division. Combine this with the fact that they are playing Detroit, and there is no way Green Bay can lose this game.
New York Giants @ Minnesota
- If there was one annoying thing about last week's Vikings/Bills game, it was the whole "Tarvaris Jackson is good" idea that kept getting thrown out there. Listen, he wasn't good at all. His one touchdown was a toss-up to Sidney Rice, who made a great catch to pull it down in between two Buffalo defenders. But let's not get crazy. I could've thrown that pass. It wasn't Jackson's great pass at all; it was Rice's tremendous effort. On top of that, Jackson threw three interceptions to a defense that had four going into the day. The reason Minnesota won was because A)Adrian Peterson ran all over the league's worst run defense and B) The Bills turned the ball over five times, including twice that gave Minnesota the ball in the red zone and once on the one yard line where they were poised to score.
With all of the above in mind, the Giants will win this game. Their defense is much better than Buffalo's and they are a much more desperate team. They need to win this game to keep pace and setup a division deciding matchup next week against Philadelphia. Good teams don't lose the easy ones.
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
- When doing a little research on the Steelers, I came across one really impressive stat. Rashard Mendenhall has 1007 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. Normally that wouldn't be very impressive given the fact that he is good and the Steelers are also good, but it's amazing given the offensive line he has in front of him. This says a lot coming from a Bills fan, but the Steelers have the worst offensive line I've seen in a long time. The Bills have one of the worst defenses in recent memory and they were consistently putting pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. On top of that, the few times they were protecting him well was because they were always holding. I'm saying this as unbiased as I can, I have no idea how they are going to win in the playoffs with such a horrendous offensive line. They should win at least three of the next four games, but it will be interesting to see how this is addressed in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay @ Washington
- Tampa Bay pretty much blew their shot at the playoffs last week when they lost to Atlanta. Right now they are 7-5 and trail the Giants and Packers for the wild card. They would actually need a collapse from both teams (not happening) to gain the sixth seed. Even more of a long shot is to hope either New Orleans or Atlanta flop in the final four weeks and allow them to creep in. I've mentioned this before, but we can thank the awful NFC West for this, because as of now, the 6-6 St. Louis Rams would be hosting a playoff game. I addressed a similar issue in my fantasy league for next season; the NFL may want to do the same.
Atlanta @ Carolina
- When I was recently asked about how I'd pick for the Super Bowl, I said I'd have to pick Atlanta in the NFC if they have home-field throughout the playoffs. The formula is simple: the Falcons almost never lose at home. In three seasons, Matt Ryan has lost once inside the Georgia Dome. That is a crazy stat, but 100% true. Now that we know that, also know that the Falcons control their own destiny for the top seed in the NFC and have games against Carolina, Seattle, New Orleans, and Carolina. Three easy wins on that list and the hard game against New Orleans, it's at home. In other words, the Falcons have pretty much wrapped up home field throughout the playoffs.
Oakland @ Jacksonville
- I realize that Jacksonville is in first place in the AFC South and in the driver's seat to make the playoffs, but I refuse to believe they're a good team. They have exactly zero wins against teams with a record above .500. Their losses on the other hand, have come against teams with records of 6-6, 8-4, 5-7, 8-4, and 8-4. Do you see the point I'm making here? They play bad teams, they win. They play good teams, they lose. Sometimes it's really that simply. If the Jags somehow hold onto the South lead and host a playoff game, not only will it not sell out, but they'll be one and done for sure. Mark it down. The Jaguars are a joke.
Seattle @ San Francisco
- I have to think Seattle is going to win this game because right now they are dead-locked in first place at 6-6 with the Rams. That's my only reasoning. Well that and the 49ers aren't very good. Seattle beat them 31-6 on opening day and I don't see any reason why it would be different this week.
St. Louis @ New Orleans
- As of now, this would be a first round preview. Yikes. The Rams are much improved over past years, but they aren't beating the Saints on the road. To their credit though, the line is -8.5 for New Orleans and I think the Rams will at least cover the spread.
New England @ Chicago
- If we've learned one thing over the years, it's to not piss the Patriots off. The Jets pissed them off by constantly running their mouth without accomplishing anything and look what happened last Monday night. This week, Brian Urlacher came out and said the Bears are the best team in the NFL right now. I'm just guessing, but I don't think Tom Brady and company will respond very well to that.
Miami @ NY Jets
- While last week's loss to New England was certainly deflating for the Jets playoff hopes, they still have a wild card berth nearly locked up so hope is still high in Jersey. The key to this game will be how well the Jets run the ball because cold weather + important game = Mark Sanchez implosion when he's forced to throw the ball. Speaking of running the ball, LaDainian Tomlinson has slowed down a bit in recent weeks. I wrote about this earlier in the season but I was of the mind that his body and age would slow him up and he wouldn't keep up his hot start. He's gone over 100 yards this season one time. The last time he even ran for more than 60 yards was in Week Five. Look, all I'm trying to say is that Tomlinson is old and washed up.
Denver @ Arizona
- Interim coaches are 2-0 this season in their debut, which is the sole reason for me picking Denver. Seriously. I have no other reasoning.
Kansas City @ San Diego
- If San Diego loses this game, they will be eliminated from winning the AFC West. They won't be out of the wild card "mathematically," but believe me they'll be out of it. Crazy to think at how they've done with the amount of talent they have. Also worth noting in this game, Matt Cassel had an emergency appendectomy this week. I'm no medical expert, but I can't imagine him playing very well on such short rest after a rather major operation. And if he doesn't play, it appears to be Brodie Croyle under center. Not looking good for Kansas City this Sunday.
Philadelphia @ Dallas
- Dallas has been much improved since Jason Garrett took over for Wade Phillips, which further proves that Dallas had simply quit on Phillips. If Jerry Jones had made the move sooner, I bet we'd be discussing the playoff chances for Dallas. But for as well as they've played, I don't think they'll keep up with Philadelphia. The Eagles might be the fastest team in the league and their NFC leading 344 points prove that point. Ironically, for as good as the Eagles have been, they are only 8-4 and tied for first place. Without a win against the Giants earlier this season, the Eagles would actually be out of the playoffs because of an opening day loss to Green Bay. I find this all very interesting because as good as they are; they are one slip-up away from golfing on wild card weekend.
Baltimore @ Houston
- This game is a combination of Baltimore losing, Baltimore being angry, and Houston not being very good. It's shaping up for a blowout in Baltimore's favor. But don't worry, Houston still won't fire Gary Kubiak. They still have hope for finishing 9-7 and out of the playoffs yet again.
Last Week: 12-4
Entire Season: 123-69
Scott's Picks:
Indianapolis @ Tennessee
Cleveland @ Buffalo
Green Bay @ Detroit
New York Giants @ Minnesota
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay @ Washington
Atlanta @ Carolina
Oakland
@ Jacksonville
Seattle
@ San Francisco
St. Louis @ New Orleans
New England @ Chicago
Miami @ NY Jets
Denver @ Arizona
Kansas City @ San Diego
Philadelphia @ Dallas
Baltimore @ Houston
Last Week: 12-4
Entire Season: 118-74
1. The Bills offensive line is a mess and might get destroyed on Sunday
2. The weather will be really bad
3. Jake Delhomme sucks
4. Peyton Hillis is going to plow through the Bills horrendous run defense
That's it. That's all I've been able to come up with. There is no possible way I can write a full preview when every thought I have centers around those four ideas. So I decided, at least for this week, that I would revert back to old form and just pick all the games and throw a few lines up about each game instead.
Picks are in bold.
Indianapolis @ Tennessee
- For the NFL wanting to showcase Thursday night football games and hold it against cable companies because they don't have the games, they are sure picking some awful matchups. Granted it isn't their fault and they can't predict the future, but these have been some crap games. The Falcons/Ravens game was a nice start, but it's been pure garbage since then, this game included. Next week we have San Diego and San Francisco. (How does San Francisco get so many primetime games?!?) The following week it's Carolina/Pittsburgh on Thursday and Dallas/Arizona on Saturday. I have a feeling some Time Warner executive is sitting back cackling about this and the NFL's demands to carry the network. Regardless, I'm glad I have them because sometimes any football is better than no football.
Back to the game though. I can't see any possible way that the Colts lose this game. For the first time that I can remember, their back is against the wall and their playoff hopes are in serious jeopardy. On top of that, Peyton Manning has been pure garbage for the past three weeks and he's going to eventually rebound in a big way. Luckily for all of us fantasy players, it's happening around fantasy playoff time. This is a huge change from previous years where Manning owners were carried to the playoffs and then screwed over as Indianapolis rested their starters.
On top of that, the Titans have fallen into the tank and are finished for the season. They are two games back in the division with games against the Colts, Texans, Chiefs, and Colts. There isn't an easy game remaining on the slate. Vince Young is finished for the season, Kerry Collins is showing his age, and Rusty Smith is Rusty Smith. All of this must be affecting CJ2K because he's rushed for 58 yards in the last two games combined. All of this leads to my one big question about Tennessee. At what point do people start pointing the finger at Jeff Fisher? There seems to be constant character issues in Tennessee and to be quite honest, what exactly has he done? He's been the coach for almost 20 years with only one Super Bowl appearance to date.
Cleveland @ Buffalo
Green Bay @ Detroit
- Crazy thought of the day. If the season were to end today, the Packers would not make the playoffs. A large part of this is because the awful NFC West will get a team in no matter what, but also because Chicago has a full game lead on Green Bay and the tie-breaker as of now. Because of all this, Green Bay is full must-win mode for the final four games of the season. They face the Giants and Bears in the final two weeks, the two teams ahead of them in the wild card and division. Combine this with the fact that they are playing Detroit, and there is no way Green Bay can lose this game.
New York Giants @ Minnesota
- If there was one annoying thing about last week's Vikings/Bills game, it was the whole "Tarvaris Jackson is good" idea that kept getting thrown out there. Listen, he wasn't good at all. His one touchdown was a toss-up to Sidney Rice, who made a great catch to pull it down in between two Buffalo defenders. But let's not get crazy. I could've thrown that pass. It wasn't Jackson's great pass at all; it was Rice's tremendous effort. On top of that, Jackson threw three interceptions to a defense that had four going into the day. The reason Minnesota won was because A)Adrian Peterson ran all over the league's worst run defense and B) The Bills turned the ball over five times, including twice that gave Minnesota the ball in the red zone and once on the one yard line where they were poised to score.
With all of the above in mind, the Giants will win this game. Their defense is much better than Buffalo's and they are a much more desperate team. They need to win this game to keep pace and setup a division deciding matchup next week against Philadelphia. Good teams don't lose the easy ones.
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
- When doing a little research on the Steelers, I came across one really impressive stat. Rashard Mendenhall has 1007 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. Normally that wouldn't be very impressive given the fact that he is good and the Steelers are also good, but it's amazing given the offensive line he has in front of him. This says a lot coming from a Bills fan, but the Steelers have the worst offensive line I've seen in a long time. The Bills have one of the worst defenses in recent memory and they were consistently putting pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. On top of that, the few times they were protecting him well was because they were always holding. I'm saying this as unbiased as I can, I have no idea how they are going to win in the playoffs with such a horrendous offensive line. They should win at least three of the next four games, but it will be interesting to see how this is addressed in the playoffs.
Tampa Bay @ Washington
- Tampa Bay pretty much blew their shot at the playoffs last week when they lost to Atlanta. Right now they are 7-5 and trail the Giants and Packers for the wild card. They would actually need a collapse from both teams (not happening) to gain the sixth seed. Even more of a long shot is to hope either New Orleans or Atlanta flop in the final four weeks and allow them to creep in. I've mentioned this before, but we can thank the awful NFC West for this, because as of now, the 6-6 St. Louis Rams would be hosting a playoff game. I addressed a similar issue in my fantasy league for next season; the NFL may want to do the same.
Atlanta @ Carolina
- When I was recently asked about how I'd pick for the Super Bowl, I said I'd have to pick Atlanta in the NFC if they have home-field throughout the playoffs. The formula is simple: the Falcons almost never lose at home. In three seasons, Matt Ryan has lost once inside the Georgia Dome. That is a crazy stat, but 100% true. Now that we know that, also know that the Falcons control their own destiny for the top seed in the NFC and have games against Carolina, Seattle, New Orleans, and Carolina. Three easy wins on that list and the hard game against New Orleans, it's at home. In other words, the Falcons have pretty much wrapped up home field throughout the playoffs.
Oakland @ Jacksonville
- I realize that Jacksonville is in first place in the AFC South and in the driver's seat to make the playoffs, but I refuse to believe they're a good team. They have exactly zero wins against teams with a record above .500. Their losses on the other hand, have come against teams with records of 6-6, 8-4, 5-7, 8-4, and 8-4. Do you see the point I'm making here? They play bad teams, they win. They play good teams, they lose. Sometimes it's really that simply. If the Jags somehow hold onto the South lead and host a playoff game, not only will it not sell out, but they'll be one and done for sure. Mark it down. The Jaguars are a joke.
Seattle @ San Francisco
- I have to think Seattle is going to win this game because right now they are dead-locked in first place at 6-6 with the Rams. That's my only reasoning. Well that and the 49ers aren't very good. Seattle beat them 31-6 on opening day and I don't see any reason why it would be different this week.
St. Louis @ New Orleans
- As of now, this would be a first round preview. Yikes. The Rams are much improved over past years, but they aren't beating the Saints on the road. To their credit though, the line is -8.5 for New Orleans and I think the Rams will at least cover the spread.
New England @ Chicago
- If we've learned one thing over the years, it's to not piss the Patriots off. The Jets pissed them off by constantly running their mouth without accomplishing anything and look what happened last Monday night. This week, Brian Urlacher came out and said the Bears are the best team in the NFL right now. I'm just guessing, but I don't think Tom Brady and company will respond very well to that.
Miami @ NY Jets
Denver @ Arizona
- Interim coaches are 2-0 this season in their debut, which is the sole reason for me picking Denver. Seriously. I have no other reasoning.
Kansas City @ San Diego
- If San Diego loses this game, they will be eliminated from winning the AFC West. They won't be out of the wild card "mathematically," but believe me they'll be out of it. Crazy to think at how they've done with the amount of talent they have. Also worth noting in this game, Matt Cassel had an emergency appendectomy this week. I'm no medical expert, but I can't imagine him playing very well on such short rest after a rather major operation. And if he doesn't play, it appears to be Brodie Croyle under center. Not looking good for Kansas City this Sunday.
Philadelphia @ Dallas
- Dallas has been much improved since Jason Garrett took over for Wade Phillips, which further proves that Dallas had simply quit on Phillips. If Jerry Jones had made the move sooner, I bet we'd be discussing the playoff chances for Dallas. But for as well as they've played, I don't think they'll keep up with Philadelphia. The Eagles might be the fastest team in the league and their NFC leading 344 points prove that point. Ironically, for as good as the Eagles have been, they are only 8-4 and tied for first place. Without a win against the Giants earlier this season, the Eagles would actually be out of the playoffs because of an opening day loss to Green Bay. I find this all very interesting because as good as they are; they are one slip-up away from golfing on wild card weekend.
Baltimore @ Houston
- This game is a combination of Baltimore losing, Baltimore being angry, and Houston not being very good. It's shaping up for a blowout in Baltimore's favor. But don't worry, Houston still won't fire Gary Kubiak. They still have hope for finishing 9-7 and out of the playoffs yet again.
Last Week: 12-4
Entire Season: 123-69
Scott's Picks:
Indianapolis @ Tennessee
Cleveland @ Buffalo
Green Bay @ Detroit
New York Giants @ Minnesota
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay @ Washington
Atlanta @ Carolina
Oakland
@ Jacksonville
Seattle
@ San Francisco
St. Louis @ New Orleans
New England @ Chicago
Miami @ NY Jets
Denver @ Arizona
Kansas City @ San Diego
Philadelphia @ Dallas
Baltimore @ Houston
Last Week: 12-4
Entire Season: 118-74
Bills/Vikings Preview & Week 13 Picks
12/02/2010 | Posted by
Devin
When the NFL schedule was first released for this season, the game this week against Minnesota was the second most highly anticipated one for me personally. The first being last week's game against Pittsburgh since I live in a city that tries to act like Pittsburgh's little brother.
While it may seem odd that a game against an NFC North team would draw my interest, it should be no surprise to those who know me. For one, I know enough Vikings' fans personally to generate a tiny rivalry with them, so it's always fun when the Bills take on the Vikings. Second, the Bills get to face Brett Favre, who is my version of the devil when it comes to NFL players. I've made no secret when it comes to my feelings on Favre so I would really enjoy watching him fall flat on his face against my team. And third, I really want to see Stevie Johnson rebound from the last game and especially do it against Cris Carter's former team. It would be that much sweeter if he did.
Before the season I predicted that both of these games would be losses and joked that nothing good comes my way in terms of sports. While the latter is mostly true, I don't think a Bills victory this week is very far-fetched anymore. The Vikings have been a disaster this season and while the Bills have only won two games, they are easily the best 2-9 team I've ever seen. The one advantage Minnesota has on Buffalo is Adrian Peterson against the worst rushing defense in the NFL. Luckily for the Bills, if Peterson even plays at all, odds are he won't be 100% for the game.
Since the last time I wrote a preview, the Bills have won two out of three games and probably should've won the third. This included a home win against Detroit that I was in attendance for and a second half thrashing of the Bengals. I will say without a doubt that Buffalo fans don't always get the credit they deserve. I'd like to see what other group of fans would fill a stadium for the most part (it was still blacked out) for their 0-8 team facing the 2-6 Lions on a rainy November afternoon and still make the same amount of noise and impact on the game. I was so proud to be a Bills fan that day.
And since I've been gone for most of November, let's see what I've missed during that time.
Ryan Fitzpatrick has continued his steady play and has pretty much ruled out the possibility of drafting a QB in the first round. In my opinion, I don't think Fitzpatrick is the answer in terms of a franchise QB. However, I do think he could hold down the job for a year or two while a second or third round pick learns the ropes from him.
Fred Jackson has now rushed for 621 yards, which is truly amazing considering the fact that he was barely used for the first four weeks of the season. Last season, Jackson had a career high 1062 rushing yards on the season. He would have to average 88 yards per game for the final five to eclipse that number, which is a definite possibility.
Stevie Johnson has 59 receptions, 796 yards receiving, and nine touchdowns so far. A few points of interest on Stevie's season so far. According to my research, Eric Moulds holds the franchise record for receptions in one season with 100 in 2002. Stevie would have to haul in 8.2 per game to tie that mark. It's a long shot, but it isn't out of the question just yet. Eric Moulds also holds the franchise record for receiving yards in a season, with 1368 in 1998. Stevie would need 114.4 per game to tie that mark. I think that is out of the question personally. But who knows? Maybe a huge 200 yard day puts it more within reach. Finally, Bill Brooks holds the franchise record for receiving touchdowns in a season with 11 in 1995. That record is by far the most attainable and could even be tied this weekend in Minnesota. One franchise record would be awesome. Two would be even better, but all three would be downright amazing.
The defense has also come around lately. Granted they still allow a ton of yards, the point totals have decreased which has really allowed the Bills to be in almost every game. After a string of five games early in the year allowing 30+ points, the Bills have gone on to allow 13, 22, 12, 31, and 19. The 31 is misleading because that game was against the Bengals where Fitzpatrick gift wrapped seven points, so in reality that was a 24 point performance for the defense. Like I said, not great, but a definite improvement over what they were earlier in the year.
Because I'm A) a huge homer and B) really liking this Bills team, I'm picking them to upset the Vikings this Sunday. It also helps that I have money riding on this game with a fellow Vikings fan.
Here are my other Week 13 picks, along with Scott's picks.
Houston @ Philadelphia
New Orleans @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit
San Francisco @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Denver @ Kansas City
Cleveland @ Miami
Washington @ NY Giants
Oakland @ San Diego
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
Carolina @ Seattle
St. Louis @ Arizona
Dallas @ Indianapolis
Pittsburgh @ Baltimore
NY Jets @ New England
Entire Season: 111-65
SCOTT'S PICKS
Houston @ Philadelphia
New Orleans @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit
San Francisco @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Denver @ Kansas City
Cleveland @ Miami
Buffalo @ Minnesota
Washington @ NY Giants
Oakland @ San Diego
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
Carolina @ Seattle
St. Louis @ Arizona
Dallas @ Indianapolis
Pittsburgh
@ Baltimore
NY Jets @ New England
Entire Season: 106-70
Before the season I predicted that both of these games would be losses and joked that nothing good comes my way in terms of sports. While the latter is mostly true, I don't think a Bills victory this week is very far-fetched anymore. The Vikings have been a disaster this season and while the Bills have only won two games, they are easily the best 2-9 team I've ever seen. The one advantage Minnesota has on Buffalo is Adrian Peterson against the worst rushing defense in the NFL. Luckily for the Bills, if Peterson even plays at all, odds are he won't be 100% for the game.
Since the last time I wrote a preview, the Bills have won two out of three games and probably should've won the third. This included a home win against Detroit that I was in attendance for and a second half thrashing of the Bengals. I will say without a doubt that Buffalo fans don't always get the credit they deserve. I'd like to see what other group of fans would fill a stadium for the most part (it was still blacked out) for their 0-8 team facing the 2-6 Lions on a rainy November afternoon and still make the same amount of noise and impact on the game. I was so proud to be a Bills fan that day.
And since I've been gone for most of November, let's see what I've missed during that time.
Fred Jackson has now rushed for 621 yards, which is truly amazing considering the fact that he was barely used for the first four weeks of the season. Last season, Jackson had a career high 1062 rushing yards on the season. He would have to average 88 yards per game for the final five to eclipse that number, which is a definite possibility.
Stevie Johnson has 59 receptions, 796 yards receiving, and nine touchdowns so far. A few points of interest on Stevie's season so far. According to my research, Eric Moulds holds the franchise record for receptions in one season with 100 in 2002. Stevie would have to haul in 8.2 per game to tie that mark. It's a long shot, but it isn't out of the question just yet. Eric Moulds also holds the franchise record for receiving yards in a season, with 1368 in 1998. Stevie would need 114.4 per game to tie that mark. I think that is out of the question personally. But who knows? Maybe a huge 200 yard day puts it more within reach. Finally, Bill Brooks holds the franchise record for receiving touchdowns in a season with 11 in 1995. That record is by far the most attainable and could even be tied this weekend in Minnesota. One franchise record would be awesome. Two would be even better, but all three would be downright amazing.
The defense has also come around lately. Granted they still allow a ton of yards, the point totals have decreased which has really allowed the Bills to be in almost every game. After a string of five games early in the year allowing 30+ points, the Bills have gone on to allow 13, 22, 12, 31, and 19. The 31 is misleading because that game was against the Bengals where Fitzpatrick gift wrapped seven points, so in reality that was a 24 point performance for the defense. Like I said, not great, but a definite improvement over what they were earlier in the year.
Because I'm A) a huge homer and B) really liking this Bills team, I'm picking them to upset the Vikings this Sunday. It also helps that I have money riding on this game with a fellow Vikings fan.
Here are my other Week 13 picks, along with Scott's picks.
Houston @ Philadelphia
New Orleans @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit
San Francisco @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Denver @ Kansas City
Cleveland @ Miami
Washington @ NY Giants
Oakland @ San Diego
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
Carolina @ Seattle
St. Louis @ Arizona
Dallas @ Indianapolis
Pittsburgh @ Baltimore
NY Jets @ New England
Entire Season: 111-65
SCOTT'S PICKS
Houston @ Philadelphia
New Orleans @ Cincinnati
Chicago @ Detroit
San Francisco @ Green Bay
Jacksonville @ Tennessee
Denver @ Kansas City
Cleveland @ Miami
Buffalo @ Minnesota
Washington @ NY Giants
Oakland @ San Diego
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay
Carolina @ Seattle
St. Louis @ Arizona
Dallas @ Indianapolis
Pittsburgh
@ Baltimore
NY Jets @ New England
Entire Season: 106-70
Are the Sabres For Sale?
12/02/2010 | Posted by
Devin
Apparently they are. Or at least The Hockey News is reporting that they are.
This can mean nothing but good things for the future of the franchise. Don't get me wrong, I think Tom Golisano is a good owner and I will forever appreciate what he did for the Sabres and the city of Buffalo when he purchased the team out of bankruptcy nearly a decade ago. Without him, hockey in Buffalo might not even be a current topic anymore and Sabres gear would be sold on a rack with Hartford Whalers t-shirts.
However, Golisano's time as the owner is probably up now. He is rarely seen at games and almost never involved in anything relating to the team, besides the consistent rumors every year or so that the team is being sold. Larry Quinn is essentially the guy we always see and he is a huge part of the problem for the Sabres. While it may be Golisano's money, Quinn is the guy who is watching over the budget and restricting Darcy Regier in terms of building a Cup contender. In turn, Regier can't build an effective roster and Lindy Ruff is left trying to win with limited options. It all rolls downhill with the Sabres and it starts at the top.
(I realize the report above hints that Quinn would remain at his position, but if Pegula is the sole owner and it's his money to spend, maybe Quinn won't be so awful at what he does. Of course, this is all wishful thinking because if Quinn doesn't own a part of the team, he has no real business working for them. He can go back to his real estate deals and leave us be.)
I'll be honest and tell you that I never heard of Terry Pegula before this report surfaced. But I can say without a doubt that everything I've read about the guy has been extremely positive. Actually, it has sounded like a dream come true. He's a hockey fan, he likes the Sabres, he grew up liking the 70s era Flyers (meaning he likes a bruising style of hockey), he is extremely rich, he has donated $88 million to fund Penn State's hockey program recently (meaning he is willing to invest money without an immediate return or a return at all), and his wife is from the Western New York area.
There is a part of me that feels guarded, mostly because good things like this don't happen to Buffalo franchises, whether it be the Sabres or the Bills. An owner with this kind of interest in this team and deep pockets can only mean one thing: the Sabres would be a serious Cup contender in the near future. While the Sabres do currently spend money, there is still a self-imposed budget in place because to Golisano, this is more of a financial investment to him. According to the linked report above, Golisano purchased the Sabres and with all the concessions added in, paid roughly $62 million for the team. If that is true, selling for $150 million or a figure close to that would have to signal a success on his part. In my eyes, we all win with this deal.
I don't think with a new owner that the Sabres would be wildly drunk with money and blow it foolishly though. With Darcy still working as the GM, he would be smart and make deals in the best interest of the team. As it stands right now, the Sabres are more than $4 million under the cap. That's a lot of money in regards to a NHL team. Among the players coming off the books this season are Tim Connolly and Craig Rivet. With those two alone, that adds up to $8 million dollars in cap space. Not counting anybody else, the Sabres would have a lot of money to use towards their own talent and future free agents. With an owner truly wanting to build a winner and not just looking to make decisions based on his wallet, it signals truly exciting times for Buffalo fans.
This can mean nothing but good things for the future of the franchise. Don't get me wrong, I think Tom Golisano is a good owner and I will forever appreciate what he did for the Sabres and the city of Buffalo when he purchased the team out of bankruptcy nearly a decade ago. Without him, hockey in Buffalo might not even be a current topic anymore and Sabres gear would be sold on a rack with Hartford Whalers t-shirts.
 |
| Terry Pegula: Buffalo's New Owner? |
(I realize the report above hints that Quinn would remain at his position, but if Pegula is the sole owner and it's his money to spend, maybe Quinn won't be so awful at what he does. Of course, this is all wishful thinking because if Quinn doesn't own a part of the team, he has no real business working for them. He can go back to his real estate deals and leave us be.)
I'll be honest and tell you that I never heard of Terry Pegula before this report surfaced. But I can say without a doubt that everything I've read about the guy has been extremely positive. Actually, it has sounded like a dream come true. He's a hockey fan, he likes the Sabres, he grew up liking the 70s era Flyers (meaning he likes a bruising style of hockey), he is extremely rich, he has donated $88 million to fund Penn State's hockey program recently (meaning he is willing to invest money without an immediate return or a return at all), and his wife is from the Western New York area.
There is a part of me that feels guarded, mostly because good things like this don't happen to Buffalo franchises, whether it be the Sabres or the Bills. An owner with this kind of interest in this team and deep pockets can only mean one thing: the Sabres would be a serious Cup contender in the near future. While the Sabres do currently spend money, there is still a self-imposed budget in place because to Golisano, this is more of a financial investment to him. According to the linked report above, Golisano purchased the Sabres and with all the concessions added in, paid roughly $62 million for the team. If that is true, selling for $150 million or a figure close to that would have to signal a success on his part. In my eyes, we all win with this deal.
I don't think with a new owner that the Sabres would be wildly drunk with money and blow it foolishly though. With Darcy still working as the GM, he would be smart and make deals in the best interest of the team. As it stands right now, the Sabres are more than $4 million under the cap. That's a lot of money in regards to a NHL team. Among the players coming off the books this season are Tim Connolly and Craig Rivet. With those two alone, that adds up to $8 million dollars in cap space. Not counting anybody else, the Sabres would have a lot of money to use towards their own talent and future free agents. With an owner truly wanting to build a winner and not just looking to make decisions based on his wallet, it signals truly exciting times for Buffalo fans.
Thoughts on Stevie and my self-imposed ban on ESPN
11/30/2010 | Posted by
Devin
This is a true story. I used to hate Terrell Owens and believed everything I heard about the guy. I thought he was a terrible teammate, a terrible person, and an overrated player.
Then he came to Buffalo. I hated the move, mostly because of what I said above. But I opened up to him very quickly. Some can call it a flip-flop opinion, but the truth is that once he was on my team, I started to realize the truth about T.O. and not believe things I read in the media. For example: T.O.'s "outburst" on the sidelines during a game against the Titans that was blown up on Sportscenter the following day. But I saw the game. I saw what T.O. actually did. And to be honest, any player that cares about winning would've lost their cool during that game. It was absolutely horrendous. Come to think of it, Dick Jauron was fired following that game so as you might imagine, things weren't going well for the Bills.
This is what major media outlets do though, they love to take non-stories that have little to do with the game and hammer them to death 24 hours a day. And yes, this is specifically aimed at ESPN because they are by far the biggest offender of this.
(On a quick little side note: I find it hilarious when everybody clamors about what a great leader Tom Brady is when he's flipping out on the sidelines during the Pittsburgh game, but if T.O. or Ochocinco pull the same stunt, they are a cancer to the team. Hypocrisy at its finest.)
As we speak, ESPN is going on about LeBron James bumping into his coach, Eric Spoelstra. Do you know what they aren't talking about? The 14-2 San Antonio Spurs. The 14-5 Utah Jazz. (Although to be fair, they talked about the Jazz quite a bit when they beat the Heat.) I understand that LeBron James is one of, if not the biggest, stars in the NBA. I understand that his decision to leave Cleveland was an enormous sports story. And I understand that since the Miami Heat decided to become a super team, they would be covered ad nauseam. But as a sports fan in general without an NBA team, I'd like to know what's going on in the league. I actually had no idea the Spurs were the best team before I wrote this because I had to look it up. I shouldn't have to do that. It's not just with the NBA either.
When ESPN isn't camping out in Minnesota (which isn't nearly as often since Brad Childress was fired), they can usually be found in Dallas covering the most high profile 3-8 team in NFL history. Seriously, the Cowboys get more attention than any team in the NFL and they suck. But hey, when ESPN is running the show, they will tell you what they want to tell you and you're just gonna have deal with that.
As an NFL fan, I care about the two huge games this Sunday; Jets at Patriots and Steelers at Ravens. Do you know which game you'll hear more about going through the week? Jets at Patriots. Do you know why? Because Rex Ryan hoards attention and ESPN loves to feed into it. The Bears and Packers are in an absolute slugfest for the NFC North title this season, but I'd doubt you'll hear about that when we can talk about the 2-9 Bills losing an irrelevant regular season game and Stevie Johnson's Twitter account.
On the topic of Stevie's tweet, there are a few things I want to point out. First, I do not think for a second that Stevie Johnson was blaming God for dropping the game winning touchdown on Sunday. He's a kid and had one million different emotions running through him immediately after the game. Foolishly, he went to Twitter first and vented. It came out wrong and I don't think it was the right move, but people need to stop claiming that be blamed God.
(And if he honestly did, who cares? Players consistently praise God after a victory, as if some higher power cared about the outcome of an NFL football game. That is just as ridiculous as this, if not more because it happens on a daily basis.)
Second, what the hell? The Bills are 2-9 and this loss is just as crushing as the losses against Baltimore and Kansas City this season. What about the losses against Dallas and New England on Monday Night Football in past years? Those were much worse in the grand scheme of things. But you wouldn't know this listening to ESPN. I actually heard Steve Levy on Sportscenter relate Sunday's loss to the "No Goal" incident for the Sabres. Was he serious? Yes he was. He actually compared a regular season loss for a team already eliminated from the playoffs to Buffalo's hockey team losing the Stanley Cup on home ice to a goal that should have been disallowed. Are you kidding me? This might be the dumbest thing I've heard in my entire life. He should've been fired on the spot for saying that.
So why is this game getting so much attention? I'd assume it's because Stevie took to Twitter after the game. You know what else Stevie did? He opted to not ignore the media, not face them at his locker, but to actually go to the podium and man-up for his mistake. Don't think for a second that it was easy for him to do that. Any human being could see how devastated he was for dropping the ball. Instead of pulling a stunt I've seen dozens of times before where the player avoids the media, Stevie faced it like a man. Outside of a few columnists on Around the Horn and Peter King, I haven't seen anybody truly give him credit for this. But hey, why give someone credit in a moment of failure when we can pile on him and make it 100x worse?
My likeness for Stevie Johnson has been no secret throughout this season. He played a major role in losing the game against Pittsburgh, which was equivalent to my Super Bowl this season. And yet, I think I like him even more now. He manned up and took his medicine. He showed genuine emotion. He bawled his eyes out because he let his teammates and the fans down. I want players on my favorite team to care as much as him. We always hear about how it's a business and some athletes come off like they're robots designed to play sports, make money, and be a celebrity with no emotion. Here is a kid who really cares about what happened and the media wants to pour salt in the wound instead. Screw you guys. I wish the Bills had 53 players like Stevie Johnson. Hell, I wish the Sabres had one player like Stevie Johnson (who isn't the goalie).
I know Buffalo fans know this, but I wonder how many others know just how difficult Scott Norwood's Super Bowl XXV kick was. All they know is what they're told. Norwood missed a field goal at the end of the game to win the Super Bowl. He cost them the game. What they don't know is that it was a 47 yard attempt on natural grass. In other words, it was not an easy kick to begin with, and then you add in the pressure. According to Pro-Football-Reference, Norwood was 6 of 10 in 1990 on field goals from 40-49 yards. I won't continue to rehash this story because I think I've made my point. There are several different reasons why the Bills lost that game, one of them being Scott Norwood. However, it's no fun to focus on all those other factors when we can pile on one individual and beat away at him about it.
I'm not pulling a Steve Levy and comparing an overly significant moment in Buffalo history to this overall insignificant one, but I needed to give another example of how most factors are thrown out the window when the opportunity arises to publically humiliate someone.
I suppose the moral of the story would be how this situation could've been avoided if Stevie just stayed off Twitter. Almost. He still would've felt Cris Carter's wrath on Monday Night Countdown because apparently Johnson wronged Carter at some point in his life. I've never seen a supposed unbiased TV personality hammer away at a player the way Carter has in the last two weeks.
First it was over the way Johnson was dressed during his presser at the Cincinnati game. I guess he could've been dressed up in a suit like Tom Brady usually does, but maybe Stevie wanted to do the interview right after the game (he did) and not wait until later. Is it a big deal? No. Lots of players do their pressers right after the game. Ryan Fitzpatrick does his in full pads. No big deal. Who cares? I shrugged it off because Stevie poked right back at Carter when he appeared on ESPN's First Take wearing a tuxedo t-shirt. There is no doubt that in my opinion, this made me like Stevie Johnson even more than I did before.
But yesterday I had to draw the line as a fan of Johnson and the Bills. In the morning Cris Carter went on Mike and Mike and basically said that Johnson's bad game against Pittsburgh was because he did TV and radio interviews Tuesday through Thursday. Right, I totally believe that. Then Carter (and I knew this was coming all night but watched anyways) finished him off on the C'Mon Man segment during Monday Night Countdown. Carter not only highlighted every single drop from Sunday, but then rolled tape of himself hanging out with Hakeem Nicks and catching passes in a dome, with nobody around, and really no other circumstances involving the situation. This wasn't a typical C'Mon Man segment. Not even close. This was a flat out attempt to embarrass Johnson even more for his drops and for that, Cris Carter is an absolute joke. Keyshawn Johnson highlighted several key drops for his fellow USC Trojans on the weekend and that was that. He didn't then roll highlights of himself catching balls over the weekend and drag them through the mud even more. But hey, I guess Carter has to do what he has to do to feel good about himself. Maybe one day he'll get in the Hall of Fame and that will take away some of his pain from making a whopping zero Super Bowl appearances in his career.
All of this is why I've enforced a self-imposed ban on ESPN for the rest of the week. I can't stomach it anymore. I used to laugh and roll my eyes when they'd be going on about T.O., but I think I've hit my breaking point this week. We'll see how it goes but there is a chance this lasts longer than a week. I watch the games, so I know what happens on Sunday. I read enough during the week to catch up on the news. I follow enough people on Twitter to get updates without ignorant opinions. And it's not like ESPN even bothers with the NHL, so I won't be missing out on anything there either.
As for Stevie, he'll be fine. He'll learn from his Twitter mistake and I'm sure it won't happen again. He has the support of the Bills organization, including Ryan Fitzpatrick and his teammates. He also has the support from the real fans and that's all that matters. I just hope Stevie saw what Carter said and did on TV Monday night because last time I checked; the Bills play Carter's former team in his former home. Should be interesting. Hey Cris, why so serious?
Then he came to Buffalo. I hated the move, mostly because of what I said above. But I opened up to him very quickly. Some can call it a flip-flop opinion, but the truth is that once he was on my team, I started to realize the truth about T.O. and not believe things I read in the media. For example: T.O.'s "outburst" on the sidelines during a game against the Titans that was blown up on Sportscenter the following day. But I saw the game. I saw what T.O. actually did. And to be honest, any player that cares about winning would've lost their cool during that game. It was absolutely horrendous. Come to think of it, Dick Jauron was fired following that game so as you might imagine, things weren't going well for the Bills.
This is what major media outlets do though, they love to take non-stories that have little to do with the game and hammer them to death 24 hours a day. And yes, this is specifically aimed at ESPN because they are by far the biggest offender of this.
(On a quick little side note: I find it hilarious when everybody clamors about what a great leader Tom Brady is when he's flipping out on the sidelines during the Pittsburgh game, but if T.O. or Ochocinco pull the same stunt, they are a cancer to the team. Hypocrisy at its finest.)
As we speak, ESPN is going on about LeBron James bumping into his coach, Eric Spoelstra. Do you know what they aren't talking about? The 14-2 San Antonio Spurs. The 14-5 Utah Jazz. (Although to be fair, they talked about the Jazz quite a bit when they beat the Heat.) I understand that LeBron James is one of, if not the biggest, stars in the NBA. I understand that his decision to leave Cleveland was an enormous sports story. And I understand that since the Miami Heat decided to become a super team, they would be covered ad nauseam. But as a sports fan in general without an NBA team, I'd like to know what's going on in the league. I actually had no idea the Spurs were the best team before I wrote this because I had to look it up. I shouldn't have to do that. It's not just with the NBA either.
When ESPN isn't camping out in Minnesota (which isn't nearly as often since Brad Childress was fired), they can usually be found in Dallas covering the most high profile 3-8 team in NFL history. Seriously, the Cowboys get more attention than any team in the NFL and they suck. But hey, when ESPN is running the show, they will tell you what they want to tell you and you're just gonna have deal with that.
As an NFL fan, I care about the two huge games this Sunday; Jets at Patriots and Steelers at Ravens. Do you know which game you'll hear more about going through the week? Jets at Patriots. Do you know why? Because Rex Ryan hoards attention and ESPN loves to feed into it. The Bears and Packers are in an absolute slugfest for the NFC North title this season, but I'd doubt you'll hear about that when we can talk about the 2-9 Bills losing an irrelevant regular season game and Stevie Johnson's Twitter account.
(And if he honestly did, who cares? Players consistently praise God after a victory, as if some higher power cared about the outcome of an NFL football game. That is just as ridiculous as this, if not more because it happens on a daily basis.)
Second, what the hell? The Bills are 2-9 and this loss is just as crushing as the losses against Baltimore and Kansas City this season. What about the losses against Dallas and New England on Monday Night Football in past years? Those were much worse in the grand scheme of things. But you wouldn't know this listening to ESPN. I actually heard Steve Levy on Sportscenter relate Sunday's loss to the "No Goal" incident for the Sabres. Was he serious? Yes he was. He actually compared a regular season loss for a team already eliminated from the playoffs to Buffalo's hockey team losing the Stanley Cup on home ice to a goal that should have been disallowed. Are you kidding me? This might be the dumbest thing I've heard in my entire life. He should've been fired on the spot for saying that.
So why is this game getting so much attention? I'd assume it's because Stevie took to Twitter after the game. You know what else Stevie did? He opted to not ignore the media, not face them at his locker, but to actually go to the podium and man-up for his mistake. Don't think for a second that it was easy for him to do that. Any human being could see how devastated he was for dropping the ball. Instead of pulling a stunt I've seen dozens of times before where the player avoids the media, Stevie faced it like a man. Outside of a few columnists on Around the Horn and Peter King, I haven't seen anybody truly give him credit for this. But hey, why give someone credit in a moment of failure when we can pile on him and make it 100x worse?
My likeness for Stevie Johnson has been no secret throughout this season. He played a major role in losing the game against Pittsburgh, which was equivalent to my Super Bowl this season. And yet, I think I like him even more now. He manned up and took his medicine. He showed genuine emotion. He bawled his eyes out because he let his teammates and the fans down. I want players on my favorite team to care as much as him. We always hear about how it's a business and some athletes come off like they're robots designed to play sports, make money, and be a celebrity with no emotion. Here is a kid who really cares about what happened and the media wants to pour salt in the wound instead. Screw you guys. I wish the Bills had 53 players like Stevie Johnson. Hell, I wish the Sabres had one player like Stevie Johnson (who isn't the goalie).
I know Buffalo fans know this, but I wonder how many others know just how difficult Scott Norwood's Super Bowl XXV kick was. All they know is what they're told. Norwood missed a field goal at the end of the game to win the Super Bowl. He cost them the game. What they don't know is that it was a 47 yard attempt on natural grass. In other words, it was not an easy kick to begin with, and then you add in the pressure. According to Pro-Football-Reference, Norwood was 6 of 10 in 1990 on field goals from 40-49 yards. I won't continue to rehash this story because I think I've made my point. There are several different reasons why the Bills lost that game, one of them being Scott Norwood. However, it's no fun to focus on all those other factors when we can pile on one individual and beat away at him about it.
I'm not pulling a Steve Levy and comparing an overly significant moment in Buffalo history to this overall insignificant one, but I needed to give another example of how most factors are thrown out the window when the opportunity arises to publically humiliate someone.
First it was over the way Johnson was dressed during his presser at the Cincinnati game. I guess he could've been dressed up in a suit like Tom Brady usually does, but maybe Stevie wanted to do the interview right after the game (he did) and not wait until later. Is it a big deal? No. Lots of players do their pressers right after the game. Ryan Fitzpatrick does his in full pads. No big deal. Who cares? I shrugged it off because Stevie poked right back at Carter when he appeared on ESPN's First Take wearing a tuxedo t-shirt. There is no doubt that in my opinion, this made me like Stevie Johnson even more than I did before.
But yesterday I had to draw the line as a fan of Johnson and the Bills. In the morning Cris Carter went on Mike and Mike and basically said that Johnson's bad game against Pittsburgh was because he did TV and radio interviews Tuesday through Thursday. Right, I totally believe that. Then Carter (and I knew this was coming all night but watched anyways) finished him off on the C'Mon Man segment during Monday Night Countdown. Carter not only highlighted every single drop from Sunday, but then rolled tape of himself hanging out with Hakeem Nicks and catching passes in a dome, with nobody around, and really no other circumstances involving the situation. This wasn't a typical C'Mon Man segment. Not even close. This was a flat out attempt to embarrass Johnson even more for his drops and for that, Cris Carter is an absolute joke. Keyshawn Johnson highlighted several key drops for his fellow USC Trojans on the weekend and that was that. He didn't then roll highlights of himself catching balls over the weekend and drag them through the mud even more. But hey, I guess Carter has to do what he has to do to feel good about himself. Maybe one day he'll get in the Hall of Fame and that will take away some of his pain from making a whopping zero Super Bowl appearances in his career.
All of this is why I've enforced a self-imposed ban on ESPN for the rest of the week. I can't stomach it anymore. I used to laugh and roll my eyes when they'd be going on about T.O., but I think I've hit my breaking point this week. We'll see how it goes but there is a chance this lasts longer than a week. I watch the games, so I know what happens on Sunday. I read enough during the week to catch up on the news. I follow enough people on Twitter to get updates without ignorant opinions. And it's not like ESPN even bothers with the NHL, so I won't be missing out on anything there either.
As for Stevie, he'll be fine. He'll learn from his Twitter mistake and I'm sure it won't happen again. He has the support of the Bills organization, including Ryan Fitzpatrick and his teammates. He also has the support from the real fans and that's all that matters. I just hope Stevie saw what Carter said and did on TV Monday night because last time I checked; the Bills play Carter's former team in his former home. Should be interesting. Hey Cris, why so serious?
Bills vs Bears Preview/NFL Picks
11/05/2010 | Posted by
Devin
Are the Chicago Bears the worst four win team in the NFL right now?
(Nodding head)
Ok, maybe they aren't the worst in the league. Thanks to parity in the NFL, there are actually nine teams with four wins right now, so it's tough to argue that Chicago is the worst of the bunch, but they should definitely be in the discussion. Let's take a look at their schedule so far.
Chicago beat Detroit in Week One, 19-14, thanks to the crazy ruling on Calvin Johnson's non-touchdown. Basically, they stole a win, and I highly doubt Chicago fans would argue that point. They then traveled to Dallas in Week Two, which was impressive at the time, until we all realized how terrible the Cowboys are this year. Next was a victory against the Packers in the "chuck it up and pray for pass interference game" that Green Bay handed the Bears.
(For the record, I wrote about the Lions and Packers game after it happened and felt the same way at that time as well.)
Chicago then got their first loss against the Giants, where Jeff George v2.0 was sacked 10 times and eventually knocked out of the game. Da Bears bounced back with a 23-6 win over Carolina, who I've already established as one of the worst teams in the league. In that game, Matt Forte ran for 166 yards, which is the only game this season where a Bears' running back eclipsed the 100 yard mark. To be fair, nobody for the Bills has accomplished that yet. BUT, in that same game, backup QB Todd Collins only threw for 32 yards, 22 of those going to Forte. I actually had no idea that was possible. In the last two games, Chicago lost two home games to Seattle and Washington, while gaining a high of 31 yards and 41 yards in each game.
So here they sit. 4-3 and a half game out of first place in the NFC North. I suppose two advantages Chicago has this week is that they had a full two weeks to prepare for the only winless team remaining in the NFL and that the game will be played on a neutral field. Other than that, I've got nothing.
As you may have read in my Bills and Chiefs review, was the Bills alarming lack of turnovers. Well, if there is a week for them to break out of that, it's this week against Chicago. Jay Cutler has thrown for seven touchdowns and seven interceptions this season, so it's not like they'll be facing an elite QB. Of course, they somehow failed to pick Matt Cassel off, so I guess I shouldn't assume anything anymore with the Bills' secondary. Still, there isn't a whole lot that has me enamored with the Bears right now.
In two fewer games; Ryan Fitzpatrick has 283 fewer passing yards, five more touchdowns and two fewer interceptions than the above mentioned Jay Cutler. Advantage: Bills
With 90 rushing attempts this season, Matt Forte has accumulated 352 yards to Fred Jackson's 297 in 75 carries. Advantage: Push
Chicago's leading wide receiver, Johnny Knox, has 24 receptions and one touchdown on the season. Buffalo has three receivers (Evans, Parrish, Johnson), who all have more receptions and touchdowns individually. Ok, Parrish only has the one touchdown, so he's tied with Knox. Johnson and Evans have six and four respectively though. Advantage: Bills
Chicago's Robbie Gould is 12/14 on field goal attempts this season, while Rian Lindell is 9/12, so that advantage goes to Chicago. Although, they'll be kicking in a dome so who really cares.
Buffalo and Chicago both have returners who can break a kick or punt all the way, but Chicago currently employs the best in the league and maybe ever in Devin Hester (The U!), so Chicago also gets this advantage. For the record, I'm full blown scared of Hester. If Lindell wanted to kick every ball out of bounds and give Chicago the ball at the 40, I wouldn't have a problem with it.
The Bears have forced way more turnovers than the Bills, but I think we've already established time and time again that the Bills defense is one of the worst ever. No surprise there. However, the Bills' pass defense is statistically better in terms of average yards allowed per game, so that should count for something. Still, Chicago has the better defense.
It will be interesting to see how one of the worst running offenses in the league matches up with the league's worst run defense. I have no idea what will happen. Buffalo could actually stop them and look competent. Chicago could run wild and tease Forte's fantasy owners. The Earth could literally explode. Everything is in play with this one.
Overall, I'm picking the Bills to win. They're due. They've gone to overtime in both of the last two weeks and fell just short to much better teams than Chicago. There will be no weather affecting the teams, which is a much bigger advantage for Fitzpatrick than it is for Cutler. My only hesitation in picking Buffalo is the fact that they haven't won a regular season game in Toronto since this whole debacle started a few years ago. And really, if that's the only thing stopping me from picking Buffalo, then I'm picking Buffalo. As bad as I want the number one pick in the draft (which I absolutely do), I want Buffalo to get that one win so we can't stop debating if they'll actually go 0-16. One win isn't going to kill their chances. Just do it. Now. Please. I'm begging.
Here are my other Week 9 picks:
Tampa Bay @ Atlanta
New England @ Cleveland
NY Jets @ Detroit
Arizona @ Minnesota
New Orleans @ Carolina
Miami @ Baltimore
San Diego @ Houston
NY Giants @ Seattle
Kansas City @ Oakland
Indianapolis @ Philadelphia
Dallas @ Green Bay
Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati
Last Week: 7-6
Season: 69-48
Scott's Picks:
Tampa Bay @ Atlanta
Chicago @ Buffalo (TOR)
New England @ Cleveland
NY Jets @ Detroit
Arizona @ Minnesota
New Orleans @ Carolina
Miami @ Baltimore
San Diego @ Houston
NY Giants @ Seattle
Kansas City @ Oakland
Indianapolis @ Philadelphia
Dallas @ Green Bay
Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati
Last Week: 8-5
Season: 70-47
(Nodding head)
Ok, maybe they aren't the worst in the league. Thanks to parity in the NFL, there are actually nine teams with four wins right now, so it's tough to argue that Chicago is the worst of the bunch, but they should definitely be in the discussion. Let's take a look at their schedule so far.
Chicago beat Detroit in Week One, 19-14, thanks to the crazy ruling on Calvin Johnson's non-touchdown. Basically, they stole a win, and I highly doubt Chicago fans would argue that point. They then traveled to Dallas in Week Two, which was impressive at the time, until we all realized how terrible the Cowboys are this year. Next was a victory against the Packers in the "chuck it up and pray for pass interference game" that Green Bay handed the Bears.
(For the record, I wrote about the Lions and Packers game after it happened and felt the same way at that time as well.)
Chicago then got their first loss against the Giants, where Jeff George v2.0 was sacked 10 times and eventually knocked out of the game. Da Bears bounced back with a 23-6 win over Carolina, who I've already established as one of the worst teams in the league. In that game, Matt Forte ran for 166 yards, which is the only game this season where a Bears' running back eclipsed the 100 yard mark. To be fair, nobody for the Bills has accomplished that yet. BUT, in that same game, backup QB Todd Collins only threw for 32 yards, 22 of those going to Forte. I actually had no idea that was possible. In the last two games, Chicago lost two home games to Seattle and Washington, while gaining a high of 31 yards and 41 yards in each game.
So here they sit. 4-3 and a half game out of first place in the NFC North. I suppose two advantages Chicago has this week is that they had a full two weeks to prepare for the only winless team remaining in the NFL and that the game will be played on a neutral field. Other than that, I've got nothing.
As you may have read in my Bills and Chiefs review, was the Bills alarming lack of turnovers. Well, if there is a week for them to break out of that, it's this week against Chicago. Jay Cutler has thrown for seven touchdowns and seven interceptions this season, so it's not like they'll be facing an elite QB. Of course, they somehow failed to pick Matt Cassel off, so I guess I shouldn't assume anything anymore with the Bills' secondary. Still, there isn't a whole lot that has me enamored with the Bears right now.
In two fewer games; Ryan Fitzpatrick has 283 fewer passing yards, five more touchdowns and two fewer interceptions than the above mentioned Jay Cutler. Advantage: Bills
With 90 rushing attempts this season, Matt Forte has accumulated 352 yards to Fred Jackson's 297 in 75 carries. Advantage: Push
Chicago's Robbie Gould is 12/14 on field goal attempts this season, while Rian Lindell is 9/12, so that advantage goes to Chicago. Although, they'll be kicking in a dome so who really cares.
Buffalo and Chicago both have returners who can break a kick or punt all the way, but Chicago currently employs the best in the league and maybe ever in Devin Hester (The U!), so Chicago also gets this advantage. For the record, I'm full blown scared of Hester. If Lindell wanted to kick every ball out of bounds and give Chicago the ball at the 40, I wouldn't have a problem with it.
The Bears have forced way more turnovers than the Bills, but I think we've already established time and time again that the Bills defense is one of the worst ever. No surprise there. However, the Bills' pass defense is statistically better in terms of average yards allowed per game, so that should count for something. Still, Chicago has the better defense.
It will be interesting to see how one of the worst running offenses in the league matches up with the league's worst run defense. I have no idea what will happen. Buffalo could actually stop them and look competent. Chicago could run wild and tease Forte's fantasy owners. The Earth could literally explode. Everything is in play with this one.
Overall, I'm picking the Bills to win. They're due. They've gone to overtime in both of the last two weeks and fell just short to much better teams than Chicago. There will be no weather affecting the teams, which is a much bigger advantage for Fitzpatrick than it is for Cutler. My only hesitation in picking Buffalo is the fact that they haven't won a regular season game in Toronto since this whole debacle started a few years ago. And really, if that's the only thing stopping me from picking Buffalo, then I'm picking Buffalo. As bad as I want the number one pick in the draft (which I absolutely do), I want Buffalo to get that one win so we can't stop debating if they'll actually go 0-16. One win isn't going to kill their chances. Just do it. Now. Please. I'm begging.
Here are my other Week 9 picks:
Tampa Bay @ Atlanta
New England @ Cleveland
NY Jets @ Detroit
Arizona @ Minnesota
New Orleans @ Carolina
Miami @ Baltimore
San Diego @ Houston
NY Giants @ Seattle
Kansas City @ Oakland
Indianapolis @ Philadelphia
Dallas @ Green Bay
Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati
Last Week: 7-6
Season: 69-48
Scott's Picks:
Tampa Bay @ Atlanta
Chicago @ Buffalo (TOR)
New England @ Cleveland
NY Jets @ Detroit
Arizona @ Minnesota
New Orleans @ Carolina
Miami @ Baltimore
San Diego @ Houston
NY Giants @ Seattle
Kansas City @ Oakland
Indianapolis @ Philadelphia
Dallas @ Green Bay
Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati
Last Week: 8-5
Season: 70-47
Bills vs Chiefs Review/ NFL Top 10
11/02/2010 | Posted by
Devin
Before I get to my usual routine, there are a few things worth mentioning first.
One, the Bills are not the worst team in the league. I'm 100% convinced of this. I know their record would tell you they're the worst, but I really believe there are about five other teams that could be thrown into that discussion. Records don't always dictate a clear picture of who is better than who. For more on that, read my comments below about Kansas City in the top ten.
Two, after news broke that Randy Moss was waived by Minnesota, it started a flood of message board experts claiming that the Bills should go after him (since they have top priority on waivers). I don't think I can actually make my font big enough to express how I feel, but the Bills claiming Randy Moss would be the single dumbest thing they've done since they gave Dick Jauron a contract extension. As I tell you below in my 'good' section, the Bills receivers have been one of the bright spots for the team this year. What would bringing Randy Moss to Buffalo accomplish? He's got a major attitude (it's no accident that New England traded him and now Minnesota waived him), he's a free agent at the end of the season, the Bills have no shot at the playoffs and he would take away valuable reps that Stevie Johnson and Roscoe Parrish are getting. I'm so against this that I'm actually pounding my fist on the desk. Anybody that thinks Buffalo should do this needs their head examined. Now.
The Good: The Bills receivers (Johnson, Evans, Parris), The Bills' third down efficiency
Ryan Fitzpatrick struggled for the most part on Sunday, which is to be expected because he is what he is. For as much as I've praised him so far this season, I feel that I've also said time and time again that he has his bad moments and this is why he isn't the long-term answer at QB for the Bills. I think he'll serve as a great mentor to a rookie QB next season and he knows his place with the team. Despite his struggles yesterday, the combo of Parrish, Evans and Johnson hauled in 14 receptions for 159 yards and one touchdown. Parrish had one of the bigger plays of the game with a 37 yard reception on third and long, but Johnson had the biggest with a fourth and goal and the game on the line touchdown reception.
I honestly can't say enough about Stevie Johnson right now. He has caught at least one touchdown in five straight games. I'd be hard pressed to remember when a Bills' receiver has consistently performed like this, and that isn't even factoring in the whole 7th round pick. It's pretty impressive to say the least. Plus he wants to be called Stevie. I like that.
Roscoe Parrish now has 26 receptions on the season and is nine shy of a career best. This is a credit to Chan Gailey, even though I know people feel like bashing the guy to no end right now. Parrish also had a huge 33 yard punt return near the end of the game that should've helped seal the victory, but alas, the Bills found another way to lose (which is fine by me in the grand scheme of things).
Another overlooked stat in yesterday's game was the Bills going 11/23 on third down conversions. For a team that typically got to third and long and just assumed they'd punt the ball away, Buffalo has been converting their fair share of third downs lately. For the overall season, Buffalo is 37/97 on third down. To put this into perspective, the Chicago Bears have converted 15/84 third downs for the ENTIRE 2010 SEASON. Seriously. Think about it. Buffalo converted four less third down opportunities on Sunday than the Bears have in seven games.
The Bad: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Todd Haley, Rian Lindell, Brian Moorman
Overall, Fitzpatrick didn't have an awful day. He threw for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Considering what we've seen for the past decade, not terrible. But he was off his game for most of the first half and pretty much blew the game when he badly overthrew C.J. Spiller in overtime. Spiller was split wide and beat his guy by a solid 10 yards and had the game won, but Fitzpatrick missed him and it wasn't even close. Those are the throws someone like Andrew Luck might make. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
I'm not going to hammer Chain Gailey for his play calling like most people want to do. I've seen a lot of criticism of Gailey for his pass-happy routine near the end of the game. I'm assuming most of those people just didn't see the entire game. To want him to run the ball and get in field goal position is assuming the Bills would be able to run the ball. Fred Jackson was averaging 3.2 yards per carry and I highly doubt he would've moved the ball very much near the end. And somehow throughout all of this, it's like most people didn't even notice what Todd Haley was doing.
This guy isn't even on the same planet during the game. With the score tied 0-0 in the second quarter, he threw away an easy field goal opportunity to go for it on fourth down and the Chiefs turned the ball over. Look, I'm all for gutsy coaching and taking chances, but not in a close game in the second quarter. As it turns out, overtime could've been avoided had he taken the points. Also worth noting; Jamaal Charles averaged eight yards per carry on 22 carries, yet Haley continued to let Matt Cassel throw the ball. Cassel is awful. I'm convinced the Chiefs win despite him and I'm pretty sure the same can be said for Haley. If Kansas City makes the playoffs (most likely), Haley will no doubt cost them a game with his decisions.
I really do like Rian Lindell so I'll keep this short and sweet. Bottom line, his missed kick in overtime cost the Bills the win. I won't put it on his shoulders since the game could've been over several times before that, but it needs to be mentioned. Now he did make it the first time, but the stupid timeout rule came into effect and he missed his second try. Overall I think Lindell is one of the most consistent kickers in the game and rarely gets credit because he plays for Buffalo. It's also worth mentioning that Kansas City's field looked like a sandbox by the end of the game and the winds were swirling like crazy, so it's not like the 53 yard kick was a chip-shot by any means. Again, worth bringing up but I'm in no way blaming Lindell for yesterday.
Same goes for Moorman. He's largely looked at as the best Bills' player of the decade. Sad, isn't it? But with a tie game looking like a real possibility, Moorman shanked the punt and gave Kansas City decent field position to drive down and win it. I'm pretty sure if he pins them inside the 15 yard line, Kansas City doesn't make it down in time.
The Ugly: Run defense, lack of turnovers
I think by now we've established how bad the Bills' run defense is. I said a few weeks ago that teams should prepare for career days and yesterday was no exception. I said before the game that Kansas City would probably rush for 250 yards and I was close, they hit 274 by the end of the game. I'm seriously dreading the Minnesota game against Adrian Peterson. It gives me nightmares (not literally).
Also ugly, the fact that the Bills can't force any turnovers. And hey, it's not like they don't get a chance. George Wilson let a sure interception go right through his hands. At the time, Steve Tasker felt like mentioning on the CBS broadcast that defenders are typically defenders because they don't have the hands for offense. I guess the fact that Wilson is an ex-wide receiver didn't factor into that statement. Tasker is awful at what he does now. However, I digress. After having a boat-load of interceptions last season, the Bills have one this season. It's pretty bad. With Buffalo losing all these close games, you would have to think that a few turnovers here and there would really help their cause. Of course, actually winning the games rules out the chance at drafting Andrew Luck, so maybe they are doing us a favor and we just haven't realized it yet.
NFL Top 10
1. New England Patriots (3) – Here's a scary thought about New England. I think they are way better without Randy Moss. Yes, the offense was much more explosive with Moss, but New England didn't win their three Super Bowls with an explosive offense. And in fact, they lost their one Super Bowl with that explosive offense. When New England was winning championships, they were doing it with a bend but don't break defense and a dink and dunk offense. That is officially what they are right now and I'm frightened and how it's going to turn out.
2. New York Giants (4) – I think I'm half crazy to put an NFC team this high and I think the overall conference is so inferior, but it's hard to ignore that they are tops right now and riding a four game winning streak. So far my favorite part of the Giants' season has been the emergence of Hakeem Nicks in the fantasy world. It's been a pure delight.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (1) – For sure, I thought Pittsburgh was the best team heading into Sunday night but I can't ignore an ugly loss to New Orleans. Keep in mind, Cleveland came into the Superdome exactly one week ago and hammered the Saints. The irony is off the charts for that one. Luckily they have Cincinnati coming up this week, so they should be able to get back on track with an easy win.
4. New York Jets (2) – If the Jets want to contend for a Super Bowl, getting shutout at home by Green Bay isn't really the way to do it. I'll be honest, with it being on at the same time as the Bills, I literally saw zero plays from this game. But judging by the numbers, it looks like The Sanchize had one of "those games" yesterday. Two games upcoming against Detroit and Cleveland should help right the ship though.
5. Baltimore Ravens (5) – I neglected to right about the Ravens game against Buffalo but it's the sole reason why I can't move them up. They were playing the league's worst run defense and still let Joe Flacco sling the ball all over the field. They also allowed over 500 yards at home to the Bills' offense. Maybe they didn't take the Bills seriously; it's a real possibility, but if left me less than convinced that they will take down Pittsburgh by the end of the season. They barely beat the Steelers by three points without Ben Roethlisberger. It's a fact that people are ignoring right now.
6. Indianapolis Colts (10) – As of right now, I feel that Indy is about fifth best team in the AFC, but I'd be hard pressed to pick against them in the playoffs. I'll be interested to see how they continue this season with all the mounting injuries. Rule of thumb: You can never rule out a QB as good as Peyton Manning.
7. Atlanta Falcons (8) – Atlanta controls their own destiny for the NFC South. There is no way I think Tampa Bay is for real and New Orleans is week to week at this point. I'd feel more confident in Atlanta had they not laid a huge egg against Philadelphia a few weeks ago. It's hard to trust them after that.
8. New Orleans (9) – New Orleans got a huge win against a very good Pittsburgh team, but I can't ignore the awful outing they had against Cleveland. It might not ruin their season, but it's a red flag in my eyes.
9. Houston Texans (6) – I'm not even sure why I'm ranking Houston in the top 10 anymore. The last three years Houston has finished 8-8, 8-8 and 9-7. I really don't think I have any reason to think they'll be a double digit win team this season.
10. Kansas City Chiefs (NR) – I think it would be wrong to not include Kansas City at 5-2, but I honestly don't totally feel that they are worthy of the 10 spot. It took them 75 minutes yesterday to score 13 points against the league's worst running defense. Jamaal Charles ran for 177 yards, so they let Matt Cassel throw the ball. Dwayne Bowe dropped a sure touchdown in the first quarter. Todd Haley is insane. Raiders, Broncos, Cardinals, Seahawks, Broncos, Chargers, Ram, Titans and Raiders. Seriously, have you ever seen an easier schedule? They might be the worst 13-3 team to make the playoffs ever. Their wins this year have been against the Chargers, Browns, 49ers, Jaguars and Bills. Combined record: 11-27. Their two losses came against Indianapolis and Houston. Combined record: 8-4. You be the judge.
Just Missing Out: Philadelphia, Green Bay, Oakland (?)
Teams I didn't consider for .0001 of a second: Minnesota, Buffalo, Denver, Dallas
Bills future QB Update (in the ever-changing order that I like them):
1. Andrew Luck – 19/26, 192 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT (Season: 1920 yards, 20 TDs, 6 INTs)
2. Christian Ponder – 17/28, 196 yards, 1 TD (Season: 1383 yards, 13 TDs, 7 INTs)
3. Ryan Mallett – 27/44, 409 yards, 3 TDs (Season: 2449 yards, 18 TDs, 7 INTs)
4. Jake Locker – 7/14, 64 yards, 2 INTs (Season: 1678 yards, 14 TDs, 6 INTs)
One, the Bills are not the worst team in the league. I'm 100% convinced of this. I know their record would tell you they're the worst, but I really believe there are about five other teams that could be thrown into that discussion. Records don't always dictate a clear picture of who is better than who. For more on that, read my comments below about Kansas City in the top ten.
Two, after news broke that Randy Moss was waived by Minnesota, it started a flood of message board experts claiming that the Bills should go after him (since they have top priority on waivers). I don't think I can actually make my font big enough to express how I feel, but the Bills claiming Randy Moss would be the single dumbest thing they've done since they gave Dick Jauron a contract extension. As I tell you below in my 'good' section, the Bills receivers have been one of the bright spots for the team this year. What would bringing Randy Moss to Buffalo accomplish? He's got a major attitude (it's no accident that New England traded him and now Minnesota waived him), he's a free agent at the end of the season, the Bills have no shot at the playoffs and he would take away valuable reps that Stevie Johnson and Roscoe Parrish are getting. I'm so against this that I'm actually pounding my fist on the desk. Anybody that thinks Buffalo should do this needs their head examined. Now.
The Good: The Bills receivers (Johnson, Evans, Parris), The Bills' third down efficiency
I honestly can't say enough about Stevie Johnson right now. He has caught at least one touchdown in five straight games. I'd be hard pressed to remember when a Bills' receiver has consistently performed like this, and that isn't even factoring in the whole 7th round pick. It's pretty impressive to say the least. Plus he wants to be called Stevie. I like that.
Roscoe Parrish now has 26 receptions on the season and is nine shy of a career best. This is a credit to Chan Gailey, even though I know people feel like bashing the guy to no end right now. Parrish also had a huge 33 yard punt return near the end of the game that should've helped seal the victory, but alas, the Bills found another way to lose (which is fine by me in the grand scheme of things).
Another overlooked stat in yesterday's game was the Bills going 11/23 on third down conversions. For a team that typically got to third and long and just assumed they'd punt the ball away, Buffalo has been converting their fair share of third downs lately. For the overall season, Buffalo is 37/97 on third down. To put this into perspective, the Chicago Bears have converted 15/84 third downs for the ENTIRE 2010 SEASON. Seriously. Think about it. Buffalo converted four less third down opportunities on Sunday than the Bears have in seven games.
The Bad: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Todd Haley, Rian Lindell, Brian Moorman
Overall, Fitzpatrick didn't have an awful day. He threw for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Considering what we've seen for the past decade, not terrible. But he was off his game for most of the first half and pretty much blew the game when he badly overthrew C.J. Spiller in overtime. Spiller was split wide and beat his guy by a solid 10 yards and had the game won, but Fitzpatrick missed him and it wasn't even close. Those are the throws someone like Andrew Luck might make. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
I'm not going to hammer Chain Gailey for his play calling like most people want to do. I've seen a lot of criticism of Gailey for his pass-happy routine near the end of the game. I'm assuming most of those people just didn't see the entire game. To want him to run the ball and get in field goal position is assuming the Bills would be able to run the ball. Fred Jackson was averaging 3.2 yards per carry and I highly doubt he would've moved the ball very much near the end. And somehow throughout all of this, it's like most people didn't even notice what Todd Haley was doing.
This guy isn't even on the same planet during the game. With the score tied 0-0 in the second quarter, he threw away an easy field goal opportunity to go for it on fourth down and the Chiefs turned the ball over. Look, I'm all for gutsy coaching and taking chances, but not in a close game in the second quarter. As it turns out, overtime could've been avoided had he taken the points. Also worth noting; Jamaal Charles averaged eight yards per carry on 22 carries, yet Haley continued to let Matt Cassel throw the ball. Cassel is awful. I'm convinced the Chiefs win despite him and I'm pretty sure the same can be said for Haley. If Kansas City makes the playoffs (most likely), Haley will no doubt cost them a game with his decisions.
I really do like Rian Lindell so I'll keep this short and sweet. Bottom line, his missed kick in overtime cost the Bills the win. I won't put it on his shoulders since the game could've been over several times before that, but it needs to be mentioned. Now he did make it the first time, but the stupid timeout rule came into effect and he missed his second try. Overall I think Lindell is one of the most consistent kickers in the game and rarely gets credit because he plays for Buffalo. It's also worth mentioning that Kansas City's field looked like a sandbox by the end of the game and the winds were swirling like crazy, so it's not like the 53 yard kick was a chip-shot by any means. Again, worth bringing up but I'm in no way blaming Lindell for yesterday.
Same goes for Moorman. He's largely looked at as the best Bills' player of the decade. Sad, isn't it? But with a tie game looking like a real possibility, Moorman shanked the punt and gave Kansas City decent field position to drive down and win it. I'm pretty sure if he pins them inside the 15 yard line, Kansas City doesn't make it down in time.
The Ugly: Run defense, lack of turnovers
I think by now we've established how bad the Bills' run defense is. I said a few weeks ago that teams should prepare for career days and yesterday was no exception. I said before the game that Kansas City would probably rush for 250 yards and I was close, they hit 274 by the end of the game. I'm seriously dreading the Minnesota game against Adrian Peterson. It gives me nightmares (not literally).
Also ugly, the fact that the Bills can't force any turnovers. And hey, it's not like they don't get a chance. George Wilson let a sure interception go right through his hands. At the time, Steve Tasker felt like mentioning on the CBS broadcast that defenders are typically defenders because they don't have the hands for offense. I guess the fact that Wilson is an ex-wide receiver didn't factor into that statement. Tasker is awful at what he does now. However, I digress. After having a boat-load of interceptions last season, the Bills have one this season. It's pretty bad. With Buffalo losing all these close games, you would have to think that a few turnovers here and there would really help their cause. Of course, actually winning the games rules out the chance at drafting Andrew Luck, so maybe they are doing us a favor and we just haven't realized it yet.
NFL Top 10
2. New York Giants (4) – I think I'm half crazy to put an NFC team this high and I think the overall conference is so inferior, but it's hard to ignore that they are tops right now and riding a four game winning streak. So far my favorite part of the Giants' season has been the emergence of Hakeem Nicks in the fantasy world. It's been a pure delight.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (1) – For sure, I thought Pittsburgh was the best team heading into Sunday night but I can't ignore an ugly loss to New Orleans. Keep in mind, Cleveland came into the Superdome exactly one week ago and hammered the Saints. The irony is off the charts for that one. Luckily they have Cincinnati coming up this week, so they should be able to get back on track with an easy win.
4. New York Jets (2) – If the Jets want to contend for a Super Bowl, getting shutout at home by Green Bay isn't really the way to do it. I'll be honest, with it being on at the same time as the Bills, I literally saw zero plays from this game. But judging by the numbers, it looks like The Sanchize had one of "those games" yesterday. Two games upcoming against Detroit and Cleveland should help right the ship though.
5. Baltimore Ravens (5) – I neglected to right about the Ravens game against Buffalo but it's the sole reason why I can't move them up. They were playing the league's worst run defense and still let Joe Flacco sling the ball all over the field. They also allowed over 500 yards at home to the Bills' offense. Maybe they didn't take the Bills seriously; it's a real possibility, but if left me less than convinced that they will take down Pittsburgh by the end of the season. They barely beat the Steelers by three points without Ben Roethlisberger. It's a fact that people are ignoring right now.
6. Indianapolis Colts (10) – As of right now, I feel that Indy is about fifth best team in the AFC, but I'd be hard pressed to pick against them in the playoffs. I'll be interested to see how they continue this season with all the mounting injuries. Rule of thumb: You can never rule out a QB as good as Peyton Manning.
7. Atlanta Falcons (8) – Atlanta controls their own destiny for the NFC South. There is no way I think Tampa Bay is for real and New Orleans is week to week at this point. I'd feel more confident in Atlanta had they not laid a huge egg against Philadelphia a few weeks ago. It's hard to trust them after that.
8. New Orleans (9) – New Orleans got a huge win against a very good Pittsburgh team, but I can't ignore the awful outing they had against Cleveland. It might not ruin their season, but it's a red flag in my eyes.
9. Houston Texans (6) – I'm not even sure why I'm ranking Houston in the top 10 anymore. The last three years Houston has finished 8-8, 8-8 and 9-7. I really don't think I have any reason to think they'll be a double digit win team this season.
10. Kansas City Chiefs (NR) – I think it would be wrong to not include Kansas City at 5-2, but I honestly don't totally feel that they are worthy of the 10 spot. It took them 75 minutes yesterday to score 13 points against the league's worst running defense. Jamaal Charles ran for 177 yards, so they let Matt Cassel throw the ball. Dwayne Bowe dropped a sure touchdown in the first quarter. Todd Haley is insane. Raiders, Broncos, Cardinals, Seahawks, Broncos, Chargers, Ram, Titans and Raiders. Seriously, have you ever seen an easier schedule? They might be the worst 13-3 team to make the playoffs ever. Their wins this year have been against the Chargers, Browns, 49ers, Jaguars and Bills. Combined record: 11-27. Their two losses came against Indianapolis and Houston. Combined record: 8-4. You be the judge.
Just Missing Out: Philadelphia, Green Bay, Oakland (?)
Teams I didn't consider for .0001 of a second: Minnesota, Buffalo, Denver, Dallas
Bills future QB Update (in the ever-changing order that I like them):
1. Andrew Luck – 19/26, 192 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT (Season: 1920 yards, 20 TDs, 6 INTs)
2. Christian Ponder – 17/28, 196 yards, 1 TD (Season: 1383 yards, 13 TDs, 7 INTs)
3. Ryan Mallett – 27/44, 409 yards, 3 TDs (Season: 2449 yards, 18 TDs, 7 INTs)
4. Jake Locker – 7/14, 64 yards, 2 INTs (Season: 1678 yards, 14 TDs, 6 INTs)
Bills vs Ravens Preview/NFL Week 7 Picks
10/21/2010 | Posted by
Devin
"It's gonna be rough on Buffalo." – Ray Lewis
Baltimore heads into this week at 4-2 and rather angry, as you can tell by the above quote. I have a
problem with the quote itself, which I suppose I can address right now.
I understand it's because Baltimore is angry for blowing a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter at New England. I understand that. But the fact that Ray Lewis immediately called out Buffalo reminded me of what a bully would do to the losers in high school. Maybe Lewis would've been better off saying, "We couldn't handle New England, AGAIN, so we're gonna come home and beat down on the lowly Bills so we can feel better about ourselves." Essentially that's what he said. But whatever. I guess that's what happens when you're one of the worst teams in the league. Hold on while I go beat up a 10 year old and steal his lunch money.
Okay, I'm back. Baltimore might be one of the best 4-2 teams in the league considering their schedule so far. They've lost the two games by a combined eight points. Also, both losses were on the road. Among their wins were road victories against the Jets and Steelers, two of the best teams in the league. I don't know who makes these schedules but someone slighted Baltimore with two home games and four away to start the season. Then again, with a home game against Buffalo, it all evens out.
We might have forgotten this over the bye week, but Buffalo returns to the field with virtually no strengths. As if I needed a reminder on this, I read this quote on Wednesday from an article on Buffalo Rumblings about Buffalo's Heavy-Front Run Defense:
So let me get this straight. The Bills developed a "new" defensive "strategy" specifically aimed at stopped the run and somehow still allowed 216 yards rushing. AND it will continued to be used going forward? Gee, I wonder why the Bills will be drafting first overall this April.
This game will also rub a little salt in the wound for bitter Bills fans as Baltimore currently employs Haloti Ngata and Michael Oher. For those that may not remember, the Bills passed on Ngata for the opportunity to draft the biggest mouth on Twitter. Oher was taken in the first round in 2009, but Buffalo opted to draft Aaron Maybin instead. That sound you hear is the city of Buffalo throwing up right now.
Despite all the Bills bashing I did above, the game might be a little closer than people think. The Vegas line is currently at -13 for Baltimore, which I think is a little high. The Ravens have only won one game by more than 10 points this season. The others were by one, three and seven. The game against Cleveland was by seven, which makes me believe the Bills can at least keep this somewhat close.
I know that the Ravens have the reputation as a great defensive team, but this isn't the same Baltimore team that took home the Lombardi Trophy based on their defense. In their game against Cleveland, the Ravens allowed Peyton Hillis to run for 144 yards on 22 carries. Last week against New England, Danny Woodhead ran for 63 yards on 11 carries. I'm no expert, but couldn't Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller chew up some yardage and clock against this defense?
Here is where the game will get ugly. The Bills are dead last in the league, allowing an average of 182.4 yards per game on the ground. I foresee a huge day for Ray Rice and when he's tired, go ahead and toss Willis McGahee into the game. Willis isn't the back he was in the past, but don't you think he'll be a little amped up for this game? If you think he doesn't still hate Buffalo, you're fooling yourself. Both of these backs are going to go off on Sunday.
Buffalo hasn't been great against the pass either, but luckily for them, Joe Flacco isn't exactly lighting up opposing defenses this year. Flacco has yet to eclipse the 300 yard mark in a game this season, which puts him in perfect company with every Bills QB from the past three years. In fact, Flacco has thrown for 1401 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions in six games this season. In half the amount of games, Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown for 595 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
With all of this being said, the Bills still aren't going to win the game. In fact, I think I just spent the previous four previous paragraphs convincing myself that Buffalo will simply cover the spread. What can I say? It's been a fun 2010 season for Buffalo so far.
Prediction: Baltimore 31, Buffalo 20.
My other NFL Picks (in bold):
Cincinnati @ Atlanta
Washington @ Chicago
Philadelphia @ Tennessee
Jacksonville @ Kansas City
Pittsburgh @ Miami
Cleveland @ New Orleans
St. Louis @ Tampa Bay
San Francisco @ Carolina
Arizona @ Seattle
New England @ San Diego
Oakland @ Denver
Minnesota @ Green Bay
NY Giants @ Dallas
Last Week: 8-6
Entire Season: 52-36
Scott's Picks:
Cincinnati @ Atlanta
Washington @ Chicago
Philadelphia @ Tennessee
Jacksonville @ Kansas City
Pittsburgh @ Miami
Cleveland @ New Orleans
St. Louis @ Tampa Bay
San Francisco @ Carolina
Buffalo @ Baltimore
Arizona @ Seattle
New England @ San Diego
Oakland @ Denver
Minnesota @ Green Bay
NY Giants @ Dallas
Last Week: 9-5
Entire Season: 53-35
Fantasy Update: Thanks to Jeff Fisher, Chris Johnson and the other Titans for running up the score in a blowout; I'm now losing 2-1 in our fantasy bet. That's right; Scott beat me in the one league we're close in because the Titans had to go for it on 4th and 5 with under two minutes remaining in a 23-3 game. Whatever.
Baltimore heads into this week at 4-2 and rather angry, as you can tell by the above quote. I have a
problem with the quote itself, which I suppose I can address right now. I understand it's because Baltimore is angry for blowing a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter at New England. I understand that. But the fact that Ray Lewis immediately called out Buffalo reminded me of what a bully would do to the losers in high school. Maybe Lewis would've been better off saying, "We couldn't handle New England, AGAIN, so we're gonna come home and beat down on the lowly Bills so we can feel better about ourselves." Essentially that's what he said. But whatever. I guess that's what happens when you're one of the worst teams in the league. Hold on while I go beat up a 10 year old and steal his lunch money.
Okay, I'm back. Baltimore might be one of the best 4-2 teams in the league considering their schedule so far. They've lost the two games by a combined eight points. Also, both losses were on the road. Among their wins were road victories against the Jets and Steelers, two of the best teams in the league. I don't know who makes these schedules but someone slighted Baltimore with two home games and four away to start the season. Then again, with a home game against Buffalo, it all evens out.
We might have forgotten this over the bye week, but Buffalo returns to the field with virtually no strengths. As if I needed a reminder on this, I read this quote on Wednesday from an article on Buffalo Rumblings about Buffalo's Heavy-Front Run Defense:
In a Week 5 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Buffalo Bills unveiled a new "heavy" run defensive front designed to help shore up the league's worst run defense. Though the Jags still ran for 216 yards in a 36-26 victory, the heavy package will apparently remain a part of coordinator George Edwards' defensive arsenal moving forward.WHAT?!?!
So let me get this straight. The Bills developed a "new" defensive "strategy" specifically aimed at stopped the run and somehow still allowed 216 yards rushing. AND it will continued to be used going forward? Gee, I wonder why the Bills will be drafting first overall this April.
This game will also rub a little salt in the wound for bitter Bills fans as Baltimore currently employs Haloti Ngata and Michael Oher. For those that may not remember, the Bills passed on Ngata for the opportunity to draft the biggest mouth on Twitter. Oher was taken in the first round in 2009, but Buffalo opted to draft Aaron Maybin instead. That sound you hear is the city of Buffalo throwing up right now.
Despite all the Bills bashing I did above, the game might be a little closer than people think. The Vegas line is currently at -13 for Baltimore, which I think is a little high. The Ravens have only won one game by more than 10 points this season. The others were by one, three and seven. The game against Cleveland was by seven, which makes me believe the Bills can at least keep this somewhat close.
I know that the Ravens have the reputation as a great defensive team, but this isn't the same Baltimore team that took home the Lombardi Trophy based on their defense. In their game against Cleveland, the Ravens allowed Peyton Hillis to run for 144 yards on 22 carries. Last week against New England, Danny Woodhead ran for 63 yards on 11 carries. I'm no expert, but couldn't Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller chew up some yardage and clock against this defense?
Buffalo hasn't been great against the pass either, but luckily for them, Joe Flacco isn't exactly lighting up opposing defenses this year. Flacco has yet to eclipse the 300 yard mark in a game this season, which puts him in perfect company with every Bills QB from the past three years. In fact, Flacco has thrown for 1401 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions in six games this season. In half the amount of games, Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown for 595 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
With all of this being said, the Bills still aren't going to win the game. In fact, I think I just spent the previous four previous paragraphs convincing myself that Buffalo will simply cover the spread. What can I say? It's been a fun 2010 season for Buffalo so far.
Prediction: Baltimore 31, Buffalo 20.
My other NFL Picks (in bold):
Cincinnati @ Atlanta
Washington @ Chicago
Philadelphia @ Tennessee
Jacksonville @ Kansas City
Pittsburgh @ Miami
Cleveland @ New Orleans
St. Louis @ Tampa Bay
San Francisco @ Carolina
Arizona @ Seattle
New England @ San Diego
Oakland @ Denver
Minnesota @ Green Bay
NY Giants @ Dallas
Last Week: 8-6
Entire Season: 52-36
Scott's Picks:
Cincinnati @ Atlanta
Washington @ Chicago
Philadelphia @ Tennessee
Jacksonville @ Kansas City
Pittsburgh @ Miami
Cleveland @ New Orleans
St. Louis @ Tampa Bay
San Francisco @ Carolina
Buffalo @ Baltimore
Arizona @ Seattle
New England @ San Diego
Oakland @ Denver
Minnesota @ Green Bay
NY Giants @ Dallas
Last Week: 9-5
Entire Season: 53-35
Fantasy Update: Thanks to Jeff Fisher, Chris Johnson and the other Titans for running up the score in a blowout; I'm now losing 2-1 in our fantasy bet. That's right; Scott beat me in the one league we're close in because the Titans had to go for it on 4th and 5 with under two minutes remaining in a 23-3 game. Whatever.
A Rough Start
10/20/2010 | Posted by
Devin
Normally, I'd be writing this weekly as a recap of the week that was in Sabres hockey. Since I got a late start, we'll pretend the last week and a half has really only been one week. Honestly, it's felt like 10 years. I can't remember the last time the Sabres got off to such an awful start. They are completely frustrating to watch. But allow me to put on my homer glasses for a second as I tell you why they will eventually be okay.
Right now, nobody on the team is scoring besides Derek Roy. He has five goals in the first six games and I honestly can't remember the last time I've seen Roy play this way. Unlike Tim Connolly, it looks like Derek Roy took his playoff criticism to heart and working that much harder when he's on the ice. Obviously he isn't going to keep this pace up all year (and finish with 68 goals), but I would gladly take a 30 goal season from Roy. His career high is 32, so I don't think it's out of the question one bit.
And on that note, nobody else on this team can score to save their lives. Drew Stafford, Jordan Leopold, Tim Connolly, Paul Gaustad and Cody McCormick are the only other Sabres to have scored; which is a combined seven goals. So if you're keeping count at home, the score is the Buffalo Sabres 7, Derek Roy 5.
But on that note, that means the goals are going to eventually come. Ennis, Hecht, Pominville (when healthy), Connolly (?), Gerbe (?); they all have some sort of goal scoring ability. At some point the goals are going to come. I'm not being unrealistic in thinking that. I honestly feel like once a few more start to hit the net, the flood gates will break. I know, it's some real hard hitting analysis here. Just trust me on this. The Sabres didn't win their division on accident last year. They aren't going to finish 1-80-1 this season. They will figure things out and get going. Honestly, I'd rather him them slump in the beginning rather than the end.
Three Stars:
1. Derek Roy – Not much more I can say about Roy that I didn't say above. He's been on fire so far this
season and it's about time. I have no doubt that he'll hit a slump at some point, but hopefully this year it isn't prolonged. He seems to have a knack for the net this year, which is welcome surprise to start the season.
2. Ryan Miller – It almost seems crazy to list Miller as the second star when he's posted a 1-3-1 record to start the season, but that isn't entirely fault. There isn't much I can to defend Miller in the games against Chicago and New York. He allowed nine goals combined in the two. However, in the other three games he's allowed four goals total. This includes a season opening win at Ottawa and a 1-0 defeat to New Jersey in overtime. For anybody that faults Miller in that game, get real. In those three games, he's had a whopping total of three goals to support him. THREE GOALS. Buffalo scored that many against Chicago Saturday night, unfortunately Patrick Lalime was in net and he apparently needs at least five for the win.
For anybody new to the blog or anybody needing a refresher course; I figure I should get this out of the way now as a quick disclaimer. Ryan Miller is one of my all-time favorite Buffalo athletes. He was long before his Olympic fame. He was when I was forced to defend him against people who had nicknamed him Mr. Softie. We can pretty much expect Miller to make the weekly list of three stars each week when I write this, barring the news that he robbed one of Buffalo's homeless shelters or something of the sort. Just figured I'd mention it now.
3. Tyler Ennis – I mentioned this in my Sabres preview, but Ennis played the last 10 games of the regular season last year and finished with nine points. He then chipped in four more in six playoff games. Not quite a point per game player, but pretty close. Well so far this season he's kept that pace up, with four assists in six games. Eventually it would be nice to see him score some goals, but assists are just as good in my book. Last season only four players finished with 50 or more points: Roy, Connolly, Pominville and Vanek. With that in mind, getting 50 or more from Ennis would be fantastic. In fact, that's my benchmark for the rookie. I know it seems like a lot, but I've got a feeling about this kid.
Three Duds:
1. Thomas Vanek – I feel bad when I'm hard on Thomas Vanek, mostly because I do think he's a good player and has a great amount of skill. I think what his problem is and has been for years is that he tries too hard, presses himself and ends up blowing multiple opportunities. Then he sits on the bench, beats himself up about it and presses even more. It's a vicious cycle and has been going on since the Sabres handed him his mega-deal and unfortunately for Thomas, it's going to continue.
So far in six games, Vanek has 2 points and a -3 rating. To put it nicely, that is garbage. If people are wondering why the Sabres are struggling to start out the season, lots of fingers can be pointed at #26. When you're the highest paid player on the team, yes he makes more than Miller, he needs to deliver. I don't expect Ovechkin or Crosby type numbers from Vanek, but he should be a point per game player at the very least. Anything less is underperforming in relation to the amount of money he makes. It's sad but true.
2. Tim Connolly – By the time the playoffs ended last season, I pretty much wanted to drop the gloves and beat the living crap out of Tim Connolly. Nobody exemplified more what was wrong with the Sabres. But then I figured having the summer off would be a nice way of refreshing my mindset and I'd be able to give him a solid 10 games to prove himself to me again.
(Keep in mind I was all for his contract extension at the time, now I would cut my own hand off to get rid of him)
So let's flash forward to this season. We're six games in and I was sick of Connolly five games ago. He does nothing for me and even worse, he does even less for the Sabres. I don't want to totally put this on him because he used to be a dynamic player, but the concussion he sustained in Ottawa was his downfall. I know he's physically healthy, but he will never the same player he was. I highly doubt the Sabres can unload him on any other team (although the Rangers were somehow able to rid themselves of Scott Gomez and Ales Kotalik), so it looks like we're stuck with Connolly for the rest of this year at the very least. At that point I fully expect the Sabres to walk away from him and let him sign elsewhere.
3. Tyler Myers – Everyone in Buffalo dreaded the potential sophomore slump and it appears to be strangling our Calder Trophy winner right now. Through the first six games, Myers has one assist and a -6 rating. I won't beat him up too much because I think he's still a very good player and will be for a very long time. This is only natural for second year players of almost any professional sport. I just hope be breaks out of the slump soon or the Sabres are in trouble. If this means making him a healthy scratch for a night, so be it.
The Week Ahead:
At Atlanta (10/20), vs Ottawa (10/22), at New Jersey (10/23), at Philadelphia (10/26)
See ya next week, where hopefully the Sabres aren't occupying the basement in the Northeast.
Right now, nobody on the team is scoring besides Derek Roy. He has five goals in the first six games and I honestly can't remember the last time I've seen Roy play this way. Unlike Tim Connolly, it looks like Derek Roy took his playoff criticism to heart and working that much harder when he's on the ice. Obviously he isn't going to keep this pace up all year (and finish with 68 goals), but I would gladly take a 30 goal season from Roy. His career high is 32, so I don't think it's out of the question one bit.
And on that note, nobody else on this team can score to save their lives. Drew Stafford, Jordan Leopold, Tim Connolly, Paul Gaustad and Cody McCormick are the only other Sabres to have scored; which is a combined seven goals. So if you're keeping count at home, the score is the Buffalo Sabres 7, Derek Roy 5.
But on that note, that means the goals are going to eventually come. Ennis, Hecht, Pominville (when healthy), Connolly (?), Gerbe (?); they all have some sort of goal scoring ability. At some point the goals are going to come. I'm not being unrealistic in thinking that. I honestly feel like once a few more start to hit the net, the flood gates will break. I know, it's some real hard hitting analysis here. Just trust me on this. The Sabres didn't win their division on accident last year. They aren't going to finish 1-80-1 this season. They will figure things out and get going. Honestly, I'd rather him them slump in the beginning rather than the end.
Three Stars:
1. Derek Roy – Not much more I can say about Roy that I didn't say above. He's been on fire so far this
season and it's about time. I have no doubt that he'll hit a slump at some point, but hopefully this year it isn't prolonged. He seems to have a knack for the net this year, which is welcome surprise to start the season.2. Ryan Miller – It almost seems crazy to list Miller as the second star when he's posted a 1-3-1 record to start the season, but that isn't entirely fault. There isn't much I can to defend Miller in the games against Chicago and New York. He allowed nine goals combined in the two. However, in the other three games he's allowed four goals total. This includes a season opening win at Ottawa and a 1-0 defeat to New Jersey in overtime. For anybody that faults Miller in that game, get real. In those three games, he's had a whopping total of three goals to support him. THREE GOALS. Buffalo scored that many against Chicago Saturday night, unfortunately Patrick Lalime was in net and he apparently needs at least five for the win.
For anybody new to the blog or anybody needing a refresher course; I figure I should get this out of the way now as a quick disclaimer. Ryan Miller is one of my all-time favorite Buffalo athletes. He was long before his Olympic fame. He was when I was forced to defend him against people who had nicknamed him Mr. Softie. We can pretty much expect Miller to make the weekly list of three stars each week when I write this, barring the news that he robbed one of Buffalo's homeless shelters or something of the sort. Just figured I'd mention it now.
3. Tyler Ennis – I mentioned this in my Sabres preview, but Ennis played the last 10 games of the regular season last year and finished with nine points. He then chipped in four more in six playoff games. Not quite a point per game player, but pretty close. Well so far this season he's kept that pace up, with four assists in six games. Eventually it would be nice to see him score some goals, but assists are just as good in my book. Last season only four players finished with 50 or more points: Roy, Connolly, Pominville and Vanek. With that in mind, getting 50 or more from Ennis would be fantastic. In fact, that's my benchmark for the rookie. I know it seems like a lot, but I've got a feeling about this kid.
Three Duds:
1. Thomas Vanek – I feel bad when I'm hard on Thomas Vanek, mostly because I do think he's a good player and has a great amount of skill. I think what his problem is and has been for years is that he tries too hard, presses himself and ends up blowing multiple opportunities. Then he sits on the bench, beats himself up about it and presses even more. It's a vicious cycle and has been going on since the Sabres handed him his mega-deal and unfortunately for Thomas, it's going to continue.
So far in six games, Vanek has 2 points and a -3 rating. To put it nicely, that is garbage. If people are wondering why the Sabres are struggling to start out the season, lots of fingers can be pointed at #26. When you're the highest paid player on the team, yes he makes more than Miller, he needs to deliver. I don't expect Ovechkin or Crosby type numbers from Vanek, but he should be a point per game player at the very least. Anything less is underperforming in relation to the amount of money he makes. It's sad but true.
2. Tim Connolly – By the time the playoffs ended last season, I pretty much wanted to drop the gloves and beat the living crap out of Tim Connolly. Nobody exemplified more what was wrong with the Sabres. But then I figured having the summer off would be a nice way of refreshing my mindset and I'd be able to give him a solid 10 games to prove himself to me again.
(Keep in mind I was all for his contract extension at the time, now I would cut my own hand off to get rid of him)
So let's flash forward to this season. We're six games in and I was sick of Connolly five games ago. He does nothing for me and even worse, he does even less for the Sabres. I don't want to totally put this on him because he used to be a dynamic player, but the concussion he sustained in Ottawa was his downfall. I know he's physically healthy, but he will never the same player he was. I highly doubt the Sabres can unload him on any other team (although the Rangers were somehow able to rid themselves of Scott Gomez and Ales Kotalik), so it looks like we're stuck with Connolly for the rest of this year at the very least. At that point I fully expect the Sabres to walk away from him and let him sign elsewhere.
3. Tyler Myers – Everyone in Buffalo dreaded the potential sophomore slump and it appears to be strangling our Calder Trophy winner right now. Through the first six games, Myers has one assist and a -6 rating. I won't beat him up too much because I think he's still a very good player and will be for a very long time. This is only natural for second year players of almost any professional sport. I just hope be breaks out of the slump soon or the Sabres are in trouble. If this means making him a healthy scratch for a night, so be it.
The Week Ahead:
At Atlanta (10/20), vs Ottawa (10/22), at New Jersey (10/23), at Philadelphia (10/26)
See ya next week, where hopefully the Sabres aren't occupying the basement in the Northeast.
Labels:
Buffalo Sabres,
Derek Roy,
Ryan Miller,
Thomas Vanek,
Tim Connolly,
Tyler Ennis,
Tyler Myers
Bills Postgame Review/NFL Top 10
10/19/2010 | Posted by
Devin
As I said late last week, going forward I would incorporate my Bills postgame review with an NFL Top 10. I like to consider it a compromise from me quitting the power rankings overall. Since the Bills were on a bye this past week, I see no reason to talk about them. So let's make this short and sweet and just skip right ahead to the NFL Top 10.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (NR) – I've pretty much started preparing myself with the idea that Pittsburgh is going to win another Super Bowl. Wow, that made me sick just typing that. Right now they are lumped together with the Jets and Patriots for the best record in the NFL (the Jets are a ½ game better, but have a bye this week to even things out), but neither of those teams would have the same record if they started Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch for the first four games. And that is why I have Pittsburgh at number one. They are only going to get better.
The Ravens did beat them at home, but it also took everything the Ravens had to win in the final two minutes of the game. It took the Ravens absolute best to barely win the game, while Pittsburgh was handicapped by playing the game without an NFL caliber starting QB. I know it was against Cleveland, but Roethlisberger looked pretty good, throwing for three touchdowns yesterday. That was basically opening day for him. So not only will he continue to get better as he shakes the rust off, but that five weeks off (rape suspension + bye week) also allowed him to enter Week Six completely healthy; meanwhile QBs like Mark Sanchez, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have been taking hits and getting beat up.
2. NY Jets (NR) – Man, did the Jets ever get lucky against Denver on Sunday. With time running down, Sanchez heaved the ball deep, praying for pass interference. Of course he got it and LaDainian Tomlinson easily scored and won the game. You might remember this move from the Bears/Packers Monday Night game a few weeks ago when Jay Cutler pulled a similar stunt on the game winning drive. And this is why the pass interference rules need to change. It's a cop-out for a team struggling and desperate at the end of the game. I complain quite a bit about the way NCAA football operates, but two things they have 100% correct are overtime and pass interference rules.
3. New England Patriots (NR) – I was pretty shocked to see New England defeat Baltimore yesterday. I watched Buffalo pretty much march all over New England's awful defense and figure Joe Flacco and Ray Rice would have a field day. Apparently not. The stats were decent for both, but the 20 total points definitely wasn't. You know what else wasn't good? Tom Brady whining like a little baby when he was hit after the pass. If I were a Patriots fan, I'd be so embarrassed with his antics. I liked the fact that he got face to face with Terrell Suggs after the play, but it doesn't make up for temper tantrum seconds before. Brady officially reminds me of the rich kid that nobody likes in school, yet people still want to be friends with him so they can swim in his pool on the weekends. Just another reason to dislike Boston.
4. NY Giants (NR) - The Giants didn't exactly handle Detroit like I thought they would, but a win is a win. The tough part of their schedule is about to start. They have 10 games remaining, six of those against Washington, Dallas and Philadelphia. The others against Green Bay, Minnesota, Jacksonville and Seattle. Only the Jacksonville game looks like a sure win at this point which makes me wonder just how good the Giants will be. Right now I have them fourth but they still have a lot to prove in the upcoming weeks.
5. Baltimore Ravens (NR) – Every single time I want to think Baltimore is ready to take that next step, they slip and fall down. Despite that, they are 4-2 with road wins at Pittsburgh and the Jets. That's still pretty impressive, but I hate how inconsistent they are. I'm pretty they will be taking their frustrations out on Buffalo this Sunday, so I have that to look forward to. I see at least five definite wins on their remaining schedule, which means they are still looking good in terms of the playoffs. It won't mean much when they have to go to Heinz Field in January so they can lose again though.
6. Houston Texans (NR) – Houston really frustrates me. During Sunday's game, I was sure that Kansas City was going to win and even sent a text to Scott that Houston peeked during Week One. Then they come back and pull the rug out from under the Chiefs. So now they are 4-2 at the bye, first place in the AFC South, with a rematch against Indianapolis looming. I'm really hesitant to put Houston this high because I have a hard time trusting them. Every time we think they're good, they finish the season 8-8 and we peg them as a super sleeper for next season. I'll give them a high ranking for now but if they lose to Indianapolis in two weeks, they'll be in class with the Dolphins.
7. Philadelphia Eagles (NR) – Sometimes I love the NFL. We have teams like the Bills, Browns, 49ers and others who barely have one NFL caliber starting QB. Then we have a team like the Eagles with both Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb. First it was Kolb's job, then he gets injured and Vick snatched it away. Then Vick gets hurt and Kolb lights Atlanta up. What a problem to have. I can only imagine the arguments between fans right now. After living through the Rob Johnson/Doug Flutie nightmare, I fear for QB controversies such as this one.
(If you don't think there is one, wake up)
I know that Andy Reid says it's a good problem to have, which I can agree that it's much better than having two awful QBs to choose from, but I still don't envy him at all. I know he committed to Vick before the injury, but he also committed to Kolb and changed his mind. So basically I've learned that we can't trust a word he says. Honestly, how do you sit Kolb after yesterday's performance? Kolb finished 23/29, 326 yards, three touchdowns and 133.6 QB rating. It's been YEARS since a Buffalo QB even came close to a day like that. I read a rumor somewhere along the line that the Eagles are showcasing Kolb and if that's true, I suggest that Buddy Nix gets on the phone right now. Granted I find that very hard to believe, but I'd be all for it at this point.
8. Atlanta Falcons (NR) – So I was pretty sure Atlanta was the top team in the NFC until they decided to play dead in Philly. What a horrendous performance. In my defense, it's been pretty difficult trying to get a grasp on things so far this season. I blame the NFL and parity for that. I'm starting to get the feeling that Atlanta will always be just good enough to lose in the second round, nothing more. I guess the good news for Falcons fans is that I'm almost always wrong with my predictions, so they have that going for them.
9. New Orleans Saints (NR) – Speaking of my predictions going wrong, I couldn't have been more wrong when I predicted a Tampa Bay upset over New Orleans. For the first time in the 2010 season, the Saints looked like the defending Super Bowl champs. They should destroy Cleveland next week by a similar margin, but then they have Pittsburgh at home. That will be the game that tells me whether or not New Orleans is for real this season or just hanging around with no real plans to repeat.
10. Indianapolis Colts (NR) – I know the Colts are 4-2, but they just don't look good overall. Their two losses were to division teams, while their four wins were outside of the division. What does that mean? Well it means a whole lot when it comes down to tie-breakers in December. The reason I still have the Colts at 10 is simply because of Peyton Manning. I just can't rule him out. He's too good and the Colts will always be a contender as long as he's lining up (which might literally be for another decade). But let it be known, the Colts are not the same powerhouse that they usually are. On the positive side of that, they most likely won't be able to rest their starters in the final weeks of the season, which is huge for people in fantasy playoffs. I'm excited.
Just Missing Out: Chicago, Tennessee, Kansas City, Washington, Miami
Teams I didn't consider for .0001 of a second: Buffalo, Cleveland, Carolina
Bills future QB Update (in the ever-changing order that I like them):
1. Andrew Luck – OFF (Season: 1538 yards, 16 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 166.86 QB rating)
2. Jake Locker – 21/35, 286 yards, 5 touchdowns, 1 interception (Season: 1431 yards, 13 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 132.56 QB rating)
3. Ryan Mallett – 10/15, 96 yards, 1 touchdown (Season: 1844 yards, 14 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 168.11 QB rating)
The Ravens did beat them at home, but it also took everything the Ravens had to win in the final two minutes of the game. It took the Ravens absolute best to barely win the game, while Pittsburgh was handicapped by playing the game without an NFL caliber starting QB. I know it was against Cleveland, but Roethlisberger looked pretty good, throwing for three touchdowns yesterday. That was basically opening day for him. So not only will he continue to get better as he shakes the rust off, but that five weeks off (rape suspension + bye week) also allowed him to enter Week Six completely healthy; meanwhile QBs like Mark Sanchez, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have been taking hits and getting beat up.
2. NY Jets (NR) – Man, did the Jets ever get lucky against Denver on Sunday. With time running down, Sanchez heaved the ball deep, praying for pass interference. Of course he got it and LaDainian Tomlinson easily scored and won the game. You might remember this move from the Bears/Packers Monday Night game a few weeks ago when Jay Cutler pulled a similar stunt on the game winning drive. And this is why the pass interference rules need to change. It's a cop-out for a team struggling and desperate at the end of the game. I complain quite a bit about the way NCAA football operates, but two things they have 100% correct are overtime and pass interference rules.
3. New England Patriots (NR) – I was pretty shocked to see New England defeat Baltimore yesterday. I watched Buffalo pretty much march all over New England's awful defense and figure Joe Flacco and Ray Rice would have a field day. Apparently not. The stats were decent for both, but the 20 total points definitely wasn't. You know what else wasn't good? Tom Brady whining like a little baby when he was hit after the pass. If I were a Patriots fan, I'd be so embarrassed with his antics. I liked the fact that he got face to face with Terrell Suggs after the play, but it doesn't make up for temper tantrum seconds before. Brady officially reminds me of the rich kid that nobody likes in school, yet people still want to be friends with him so they can swim in his pool on the weekends. Just another reason to dislike Boston.
4. NY Giants (NR) - The Giants didn't exactly handle Detroit like I thought they would, but a win is a win. The tough part of their schedule is about to start. They have 10 games remaining, six of those against Washington, Dallas and Philadelphia. The others against Green Bay, Minnesota, Jacksonville and Seattle. Only the Jacksonville game looks like a sure win at this point which makes me wonder just how good the Giants will be. Right now I have them fourth but they still have a lot to prove in the upcoming weeks.
5. Baltimore Ravens (NR) – Every single time I want to think Baltimore is ready to take that next step, they slip and fall down. Despite that, they are 4-2 with road wins at Pittsburgh and the Jets. That's still pretty impressive, but I hate how inconsistent they are. I'm pretty they will be taking their frustrations out on Buffalo this Sunday, so I have that to look forward to. I see at least five definite wins on their remaining schedule, which means they are still looking good in terms of the playoffs. It won't mean much when they have to go to Heinz Field in January so they can lose again though.
6. Houston Texans (NR) – Houston really frustrates me. During Sunday's game, I was sure that Kansas City was going to win and even sent a text to Scott that Houston peeked during Week One. Then they come back and pull the rug out from under the Chiefs. So now they are 4-2 at the bye, first place in the AFC South, with a rematch against Indianapolis looming. I'm really hesitant to put Houston this high because I have a hard time trusting them. Every time we think they're good, they finish the season 8-8 and we peg them as a super sleeper for next season. I'll give them a high ranking for now but if they lose to Indianapolis in two weeks, they'll be in class with the Dolphins.
7. Philadelphia Eagles (NR) – Sometimes I love the NFL. We have teams like the Bills, Browns, 49ers and others who barely have one NFL caliber starting QB. Then we have a team like the Eagles with both Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb. First it was Kolb's job, then he gets injured and Vick snatched it away. Then Vick gets hurt and Kolb lights Atlanta up. What a problem to have. I can only imagine the arguments between fans right now. After living through the Rob Johnson/Doug Flutie nightmare, I fear for QB controversies such as this one.
(If you don't think there is one, wake up)
8. Atlanta Falcons (NR) – So I was pretty sure Atlanta was the top team in the NFC until they decided to play dead in Philly. What a horrendous performance. In my defense, it's been pretty difficult trying to get a grasp on things so far this season. I blame the NFL and parity for that. I'm starting to get the feeling that Atlanta will always be just good enough to lose in the second round, nothing more. I guess the good news for Falcons fans is that I'm almost always wrong with my predictions, so they have that going for them.
9. New Orleans Saints (NR) – Speaking of my predictions going wrong, I couldn't have been more wrong when I predicted a Tampa Bay upset over New Orleans. For the first time in the 2010 season, the Saints looked like the defending Super Bowl champs. They should destroy Cleveland next week by a similar margin, but then they have Pittsburgh at home. That will be the game that tells me whether or not New Orleans is for real this season or just hanging around with no real plans to repeat.
10. Indianapolis Colts (NR) – I know the Colts are 4-2, but they just don't look good overall. Their two losses were to division teams, while their four wins were outside of the division. What does that mean? Well it means a whole lot when it comes down to tie-breakers in December. The reason I still have the Colts at 10 is simply because of Peyton Manning. I just can't rule him out. He's too good and the Colts will always be a contender as long as he's lining up (which might literally be for another decade). But let it be known, the Colts are not the same powerhouse that they usually are. On the positive side of that, they most likely won't be able to rest their starters in the final weeks of the season, which is huge for people in fantasy playoffs. I'm excited.
Just Missing Out: Chicago, Tennessee, Kansas City, Washington, Miami
Teams I didn't consider for .0001 of a second: Buffalo, Cleveland, Carolina
Bills future QB Update (in the ever-changing order that I like them):
1. Andrew Luck – OFF (Season: 1538 yards, 16 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 166.86 QB rating)
2. Jake Locker – 21/35, 286 yards, 5 touchdowns, 1 interception (Season: 1431 yards, 13 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 132.56 QB rating)
3. Ryan Mallett – 10/15, 96 yards, 1 touchdown (Season: 1844 yards, 14 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 168.11 QB rating)
NFL Picks – Week Six
10/16/2010 | Posted by
Devin
Quick Disclaimer: Like the power rankings, the weekly NFL picks are going to be retired after this week. Starting next week I will be previewing the upcoming matchup for the Bills in horrific detail. Along with those previews, I will give my weekly picks, along with Scott's picks and our fantasy bet update. I simply won't be writing something about each game because as you can see below, some games are better left ignored completely.
Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears – I tried to come up with something for this game but I really have nothing. I hope it's low scoring so the NFL Redzone channel doesn't show any of it. (Seattle)
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots – It's funny how the Patriots work. They got rid of a bad locker room presence in Randy Moss for a 3rd round pick. Then they give up a 4th round pick for ex-Patriot Deion Branch who is probably the happiest person alive to come from Seattle and back home to New England, where he had the most success of his career. And yet, the Patriots somehow prosper from the entire deal. Amazing. However, it doesn't help their horrendous defense so I see a big day for Joe Flacco and the gang. (Baltimore)
Detroit Lions @ New York Giants – The Giants are in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC East at 3-2. I had to look that up as I was typing it because it sounded crazy. They are rolling right now though and in my opinion, the best of the bunch in the East. They should easily beat Detroit and improve to 4-2, setting up a showdown with Dallas where I'm sure they will be looking to completely bury the Cowboys. (NY Giants)
Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles – As of now, I don't think Michael Vick is playing in this game, therefore I'm picking Atlanta. I know this sounds crazy, but I'm thinking Atlanta might be the best team in the NFC right now. If Vick plays, Philly has a legit chance, but I don't like their odds with Kolb. He looked decent against San Francisco but I need to see it against a real team before I'm sold. (Atlanta)
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers – Poor Colt McCoy. He finally gets his first NFL start and he is going to get annihilated by Pittsburgh's defense. I would be surprised if the Browns even mustered six points in this game. McCoy could end up having a promising NFL career, but this game will most likely derail it. (Pittsburgh)
Miami Dolphins @ Green Bay Packers – After getting their first two wins on the road and starting out 2-0, Miami fell back down to pretender status with two straight home losses (to division teams). Maybe it's a good thing Miami goes back on the road, but this game will really depend on whether or not Aaron Rodgers plays. If he doesn't, the Packers are screwed. I'm also not a fan of Green Bay's running game right now. But hey, good thing they held out for Marshawn Lynch. I'm picking Miami but I still think they are a pretender in the grand scheme of things. (Miami)
San Diego Chargers @ St. Louis Rams – I don't like the Rams in this game at all. They are improving but they showed last week in Detroit that they're still a long ways away. San Diego has struggled once again to start this season and I'm sure they'll be looking to take it out on the Rams after last week's debacle against Oakland. (San Diego)
New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Super Bowl hangover + Madden cover = Trouble in New Orleans. Tampa Bay literally stole a win last week against the Bengals thanks to crappy Carson Palmer. I have to give credit where it's due though – Josh Freeman made some nice plays to get them in position for the win. I like Tampa Bay with the home upset this week. (Tampa Bay)
Kansas City Chiefs @ Houston Texans – Houston has crashed back down to Earth after their hot start. I expected a loss against Dallas but I didn't expect the lifeless performance they gave against the Giants. I can see the Chiefs still being a playoff team thanks to their schedule, but they really aren't that good and Houston should win this game. In fact, they NEED to win this game or I'll file them under the 'pretender' status along with the Dolphins. (Houston)
Oakland Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers – Did anybody see the 49ers owner send out the message that they will still win the NFC West? Normally I'd say he's crazy because the Niners are 0-5 and no team has ever come back from that kind of start to win a division, but…they are playing in the NFC West. A three game deficit to Max Hall and the Cardinals isn't impossible at all. It should make things interesting to watch. I'll be rooting for San Francisco to grab some wins so they don't steal a QB away from Buffalo in the draft. In the meantime, they will be going 0-6 with a loss to Oakland. (Oakland)
New York Jets @ Denver Broncos – I might have been wrong on the Jets. Mark Sanchez wasn't great on Monday night in the elements, but he also refrained from throwing any interceptions and helped the Jets win. It's basically the opposite of what happened last season. My favorite part of that Monday Night game was Revis Island getting toasted by Percy Harvin. Fun times in Jersey. Ouch, my hamstring hurts. (NY Jets)
Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings – I know I'm stating the obvious but whoever loses this game is finished when it comes to the playoffs. Both are on the ropes and both need to start winning now. If Minnesota loses, Brett Favre might sit a few games out because "his elbow hurts." I find that excuse awfully convenient. It didn't seem to hurt when he was racing down the field to celebrate with Randy Moss. Did anybody notice how Minnesota totally botched a two point conversion attempt during the game? They had to actually call a timeout to get things straight. It's the year 2010 for crying out loud. Ten year old kids play Madden and know when to go for two. This is getting embarrassing. It's called common sense, not a "when to go for two" conversion chart. (Dallas)
Indianapolis Colts @ Washington Redskins – I have a rule of thumb that I don't pick against the Colts in a night game (unless it's the Super Bowl). The Redskins have been interesting because I don't think they are very good, yet they are 3-2 and have defeated Dallas, Philly and Green Bay; all quality opponents. They could go a long way towards establishing themselves if they can win this, but I don't see it. (Indianapolis)
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars – How the Jaguars got a home primetime game is beyond me. Combine that with the fact that San Francisco has already had two and I'm convinced that the primetime schedule is made by TV executives throwing darts during the offseason. It makes no sense. (Tennessee)
Last Week: 6-8
Entire Season: 44-30
Scott's Picks –
Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
Detroit Lions @ New York Giants
Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Miami Dolphins @ Green Bay Packers
San Diego Chargers @ St. Louis Rams
New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kansas City Chiefs @ Houston Texans
Oakland Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers
New York Jets @ Denver Broncos
Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings
Indianapolis Colts @ Washington Redskins
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Last Week: 7-7
Entire Season: 43-31
Fantasy Update: We're still splitting both of our leagues and Scott has the 2-1 lead thanks to the BZ Staff League. We're both 4-1 in that league, but Scott has well over 100 points total over me for the tie-breaker. We play each other in that league so this is my chance to take the 2-1 lead and supremely piss Scott off.
Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears – I tried to come up with something for this game but I really have nothing. I hope it's low scoring so the NFL Redzone channel doesn't show any of it. (Seattle)
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots – It's funny how the Patriots work. They got rid of a bad locker room presence in Randy Moss for a 3rd round pick. Then they give up a 4th round pick for ex-Patriot Deion Branch who is probably the happiest person alive to come from Seattle and back home to New England, where he had the most success of his career. And yet, the Patriots somehow prosper from the entire deal. Amazing. However, it doesn't help their horrendous defense so I see a big day for Joe Flacco and the gang. (Baltimore)
Detroit Lions @ New York Giants – The Giants are in a three-way tie for first place in the NFC East at 3-2. I had to look that up as I was typing it because it sounded crazy. They are rolling right now though and in my opinion, the best of the bunch in the East. They should easily beat Detroit and improve to 4-2, setting up a showdown with Dallas where I'm sure they will be looking to completely bury the Cowboys. (NY Giants)
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers – Poor Colt McCoy. He finally gets his first NFL start and he is going to get annihilated by Pittsburgh's defense. I would be surprised if the Browns even mustered six points in this game. McCoy could end up having a promising NFL career, but this game will most likely derail it. (Pittsburgh)
Miami Dolphins @ Green Bay Packers – After getting their first two wins on the road and starting out 2-0, Miami fell back down to pretender status with two straight home losses (to division teams). Maybe it's a good thing Miami goes back on the road, but this game will really depend on whether or not Aaron Rodgers plays. If he doesn't, the Packers are screwed. I'm also not a fan of Green Bay's running game right now. But hey, good thing they held out for Marshawn Lynch. I'm picking Miami but I still think they are a pretender in the grand scheme of things. (Miami)
San Diego Chargers @ St. Louis Rams – I don't like the Rams in this game at all. They are improving but they showed last week in Detroit that they're still a long ways away. San Diego has struggled once again to start this season and I'm sure they'll be looking to take it out on the Rams after last week's debacle against Oakland. (San Diego)
New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Super Bowl hangover + Madden cover = Trouble in New Orleans. Tampa Bay literally stole a win last week against the Bengals thanks to crappy Carson Palmer. I have to give credit where it's due though – Josh Freeman made some nice plays to get them in position for the win. I like Tampa Bay with the home upset this week. (Tampa Bay)
Kansas City Chiefs @ Houston Texans – Houston has crashed back down to Earth after their hot start. I expected a loss against Dallas but I didn't expect the lifeless performance they gave against the Giants. I can see the Chiefs still being a playoff team thanks to their schedule, but they really aren't that good and Houston should win this game. In fact, they NEED to win this game or I'll file them under the 'pretender' status along with the Dolphins. (Houston)
Oakland Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers – Did anybody see the 49ers owner send out the message that they will still win the NFC West? Normally I'd say he's crazy because the Niners are 0-5 and no team has ever come back from that kind of start to win a division, but…they are playing in the NFC West. A three game deficit to Max Hall and the Cardinals isn't impossible at all. It should make things interesting to watch. I'll be rooting for San Francisco to grab some wins so they don't steal a QB away from Buffalo in the draft. In the meantime, they will be going 0-6 with a loss to Oakland. (Oakland)
New York Jets @ Denver Broncos – I might have been wrong on the Jets. Mark Sanchez wasn't great on Monday night in the elements, but he also refrained from throwing any interceptions and helped the Jets win. It's basically the opposite of what happened last season. My favorite part of that Monday Night game was Revis Island getting toasted by Percy Harvin. Fun times in Jersey. Ouch, my hamstring hurts. (NY Jets)
Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings – I know I'm stating the obvious but whoever loses this game is finished when it comes to the playoffs. Both are on the ropes and both need to start winning now. If Minnesota loses, Brett Favre might sit a few games out because "his elbow hurts." I find that excuse awfully convenient. It didn't seem to hurt when he was racing down the field to celebrate with Randy Moss. Did anybody notice how Minnesota totally botched a two point conversion attempt during the game? They had to actually call a timeout to get things straight. It's the year 2010 for crying out loud. Ten year old kids play Madden and know when to go for two. This is getting embarrassing. It's called common sense, not a "when to go for two" conversion chart. (Dallas)
Indianapolis Colts @ Washington Redskins – I have a rule of thumb that I don't pick against the Colts in a night game (unless it's the Super Bowl). The Redskins have been interesting because I don't think they are very good, yet they are 3-2 and have defeated Dallas, Philly and Green Bay; all quality opponents. They could go a long way towards establishing themselves if they can win this, but I don't see it. (Indianapolis)
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars – How the Jaguars got a home primetime game is beyond me. Combine that with the fact that San Francisco has already had two and I'm convinced that the primetime schedule is made by TV executives throwing darts during the offseason. It makes no sense. (Tennessee)
Last Week: 6-8
Entire Season: 44-30
Scott's Picks –
Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
Detroit Lions @ New York Giants
Atlanta Falcons @ Philadelphia Eagles
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Miami Dolphins @ Green Bay Packers
San Diego Chargers @ St. Louis Rams
New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kansas City Chiefs @ Houston Texans
Oakland Raiders @ San Francisco 49ers
New York Jets @ Denver Broncos
Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings
Indianapolis Colts @ Washington Redskins
Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Last Week: 7-7
Entire Season: 43-31
Fantasy Update: We're still splitting both of our leagues and Scott has the 2-1 lead thanks to the BZ Staff League. We're both 4-1 in that league, but Scott has well over 100 points total over me for the tie-breaker. We play each other in that league so this is my chance to take the 2-1 lead and supremely piss Scott off.
Labels:
NFL Picks
Bills vs Jaguars Review
10/12/2010 | Posted by
Devin
The irony was off the charts last Thursday when the Bills announced that Sunday’s home game against Jacksonville was going to be blacked out locally because they had somewhere between 10 and 12 thousand unsold tickets.
Of all teams to play against and not sell out, it just had to happen against the poster children for the NFL blackout rule. As most Bills fans know by now; the NFL was doing us a favor by blacking it out.
The Good: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson and Steve Johnson.
Fitzpatrick finished the game 20/30, 220 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. No joke, I have a two QB fantasy team where I normally start Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. With Brady being on the bye, I actually picked Fitzpatrick up and he almost tripled Manning for the afternoon. Since taking over for awful Trent Edwards, Fitzpatrick has thrown for 595 yards, seven touchdowns and only two interceptions. The Bills really can’t ask much more out of Fitz. He has his moments, like when he horrendously botched two consecutive screen passes, but we also know what we’re getting from Fitz before heading into the game. To get the kind of production from him that we have, well, it’s been pretty amazing to be honest.
In his first full game as a starting RB this season, Jackson ran for 73 yards. So why is this good? Because he was only given the ball 12 times. 12 TIMES!! How is that even possible? Jackson averaged 6.1 yards per carry and looked downright dominant almost every time he touched the ball. So of course, let’s take it out of his hands. I’ve been giving Chan Gailey the benefit of the doubt for most of this season, but I’m starting to really doubt his play calling abilities.
Steve Johnson caught two more touchdown passes and now has four in the past three games. Not bad for a
seventh round pick that has been rarely used before this season. Especially considering that the Bills drafted James Hardy in the second round of the same draft. Johnson has now accounted for 50% of the Bills receiving touchdowns so far this season. The Bills haven’t had a receiver catch 10 or more touchdowns since Eric Moulds did it in the 2002 season. So needless to say, Johnson is on quite a pace for the Bills right now.
The Bad: The defense. They are really bad right now. They can’t stop the run. They can’t stop the pass. They get no pressure on the QB. They don’t force any turnovers. They literally can’t do anything defensively. If I’m calling plays for the Bills; I’m going for it on fourth down every single time because the defense isn’t stopping the other team anyways. But hey, let’s extend Chris Kelsay for another four years.
Also bad, the story about how the Bills didn’t shop Marshawn Lynch around enough. And by bad, I mean for anybody that believes that story. There were teams like Green Bay and Philadelphia that were rumored to be interested in Lynch. So when they didn’t get him, of course they’re going to say that the Bills didn’t shop him around enough. It’s called the blame game and they’re shifting the blame off themselves and on to the Bills. It’s an excuse to get the fans of their back. I know people think Buddy Nix isn’t a smart man, but do you really think he’s dumb enough to just take the first offer and not shop around? No, he isn’t. He wouldn’t have lasted a day in this league if that were the case. Give it a rest you idiots.
The Ugly: Yes, it’s the defense again. Since allowing 13 points to Miami on opening day, the Bills have since allowed 34, 38, 38 and 36 points in consecutive weeks. Even when the Bills offense can score points (and they have in two of the losses), they don’t even stand a chance because the Bills defense is just so friggin bad.
On average, they allow 182.4 yards per game on the ground. I can’t remember in my lifetime seeing a Bills team be so inept on defense. I’m being completely honest here. For everyone that plays fantasy football, you may want to consider adding whatever RB is facing the Bills that week (assuming they aren’t taken already). Here is a list of the RBs they’ll be facing in the upcoming weeks: Ray Rice/Willis McGahee, Jamaal Charles/Thomas Jones, Matt Forte, Jahvid Best, Cedric Benson, Rashard Mendenhall, Adrian Peterson, Peyton Hillis and the list goes on.
Seriously, Adrian Peterson is going to set the single game rushing mark against the Bills. I will bet anything on it. (Yes, I know he already has the record, he will break it again)
Of all teams to play against and not sell out, it just had to happen against the poster children for the NFL blackout rule. As most Bills fans know by now; the NFL was doing us a favor by blacking it out.
The Good: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson and Steve Johnson.
Fitzpatrick finished the game 20/30, 220 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. No joke, I have a two QB fantasy team where I normally start Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. With Brady being on the bye, I actually picked Fitzpatrick up and he almost tripled Manning for the afternoon. Since taking over for awful Trent Edwards, Fitzpatrick has thrown for 595 yards, seven touchdowns and only two interceptions. The Bills really can’t ask much more out of Fitz. He has his moments, like when he horrendously botched two consecutive screen passes, but we also know what we’re getting from Fitz before heading into the game. To get the kind of production from him that we have, well, it’s been pretty amazing to be honest.
In his first full game as a starting RB this season, Jackson ran for 73 yards. So why is this good? Because he was only given the ball 12 times. 12 TIMES!! How is that even possible? Jackson averaged 6.1 yards per carry and looked downright dominant almost every time he touched the ball. So of course, let’s take it out of his hands. I’ve been giving Chan Gailey the benefit of the doubt for most of this season, but I’m starting to really doubt his play calling abilities.
Steve Johnson caught two more touchdown passes and now has four in the past three games. Not bad for a
seventh round pick that has been rarely used before this season. Especially considering that the Bills drafted James Hardy in the second round of the same draft. Johnson has now accounted for 50% of the Bills receiving touchdowns so far this season. The Bills haven’t had a receiver catch 10 or more touchdowns since Eric Moulds did it in the 2002 season. So needless to say, Johnson is on quite a pace for the Bills right now. The Bad: The defense. They are really bad right now. They can’t stop the run. They can’t stop the pass. They get no pressure on the QB. They don’t force any turnovers. They literally can’t do anything defensively. If I’m calling plays for the Bills; I’m going for it on fourth down every single time because the defense isn’t stopping the other team anyways. But hey, let’s extend Chris Kelsay for another four years.
Also bad, the story about how the Bills didn’t shop Marshawn Lynch around enough. And by bad, I mean for anybody that believes that story. There were teams like Green Bay and Philadelphia that were rumored to be interested in Lynch. So when they didn’t get him, of course they’re going to say that the Bills didn’t shop him around enough. It’s called the blame game and they’re shifting the blame off themselves and on to the Bills. It’s an excuse to get the fans of their back. I know people think Buddy Nix isn’t a smart man, but do you really think he’s dumb enough to just take the first offer and not shop around? No, he isn’t. He wouldn’t have lasted a day in this league if that were the case. Give it a rest you idiots.
The Ugly: Yes, it’s the defense again. Since allowing 13 points to Miami on opening day, the Bills have since allowed 34, 38, 38 and 36 points in consecutive weeks. Even when the Bills offense can score points (and they have in two of the losses), they don’t even stand a chance because the Bills defense is just so friggin bad.
On average, they allow 182.4 yards per game on the ground. I can’t remember in my lifetime seeing a Bills team be so inept on defense. I’m being completely honest here. For everyone that plays fantasy football, you may want to consider adding whatever RB is facing the Bills that week (assuming they aren’t taken already). Here is a list of the RBs they’ll be facing in the upcoming weeks: Ray Rice/Willis McGahee, Jamaal Charles/Thomas Jones, Matt Forte, Jahvid Best, Cedric Benson, Rashard Mendenhall, Adrian Peterson, Peyton Hillis and the list goes on.
Seriously, Adrian Peterson is going to set the single game rushing mark against the Bills. I will bet anything on it. (Yes, I know he already has the record, he will break it again)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Follow Us
