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)
2010 Buffalo Sabres Season Preview
10/08/2010 | Posted by
Scott Lunn
Editor's Note: This article was actually written by Devin Dombrowski, I'm simply posting it on his behalf.
Last season was an exciting one for Buffalo fans as the Sabres ended their two year playoff hiatus by winning the Northeast Division and eventually winning the Stanley Cup flopping in the first round to the sixth seeded Boston Bruins. This was due in large part to Ryan Miller and the best season of his career. To many Buffalo fans, Miller has always been that "really good" goalie that had trouble crossing over into the great category. Not only did he affirm himself as a top three goaltender in the NHL, he almost helped lead Team USA to a stunning gold medal victory in the Olympics. The big question this season will be whether or not he builds on that success or slips a little now that greatness will be expected of him.
Key Additions: Rob Niedermayer (F), Jordan Leopold (D), Shaone Morrisonn (D)
Key Losses: Toni Lydman (D), Henrik Tallinder (D), Tim Kennedy (F), Adam Mair (F)
As usual, it wasn't an exciting offseason for Buffalo (unless you count the death of the slug). On the surface, it would appear that losing Lydman and Tallinder will hurt the blue line quite a bit. But as you'll remember, I've never been overly impressed with either player. Last offseason I was hoping they would both get traded and the Sabres would get something in return for them. Naturally this didn't happen, but the Sabres essentially traded in these two guys for Leopold and Morrisonn during the summer. Are they an upgrade? Well, let's take a look.
2008-09 | GP | Goals | Assists | +/- | Blocked Shots |
T. Lydman | 80 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 166 |
H. Tallinder | 66 | 1 | 11 | -2 | 81 |
J. Leopold | 83 | 7 | 17 | -15 | 100 |
S. Morrisonn | 72 | 3 | 10 | +4 | 98 |
2009-10 | |||||
T. Lydman | 67 | 4 | 16 | +2 | 98 |
H. Tallinder | 82 | 4 | 16 | +13 | 95 |
J. Leopold | 81 | 11 | 15 | -2 | 138 |
S. Morrisonn | 68 | 1 | 11 | +8 | 104 |
Use those numbers and draw whatever conclusion you would like. But I have two last things to consider when evaluating these players. Toni Lydman is 32 years old and Henrik Tallinder is 31. Jordan Leopold is 30 years old and Shaone Morrisonn is 27. Also, Tallinder and Lydman were signed by their new teams for a total of $6,675,000 against the cap. Leopold and Morrisonn will count for a combined $5,075,000 against the cap. Sounds to me like a pretty solid deal.
But enough with the defensemen, let's talk about the forwards.
The only notable addition via free agency is Rob Niedermayer. He won't light up the score sheet for sure, but he provides some good veteran depth and leadership. I don't think it's a coincidence at all that the Sabres matured last season when Mike Grier came back for his second stint with the team. I think the Niedermayer signing is a similar one in that aspect. It's also worth noting that Niedermayer is now the only player on the Sabres current roster with his name on the Stanley Cup. That has to count for something, right?
Leaving the team is Adam Mair and Tim Kennedy. Mair was on the outside looking in when last season started and struggled for the bulk of the season. To his credit though, when the playoffs started, Mair was very noticeable on the ice. Unfortunately for him, Cody McCormick was called up during the playoffs and seemed to play just as well. With that, McCormick looks like he'll be a permanent Sabre this season and Mair was sent packing. I have nothing against Adam Mair and wouldn't have minded it if he came back, but I do like this move. McCormick is younger, might have a little more scoring in him and will definitely drop the gloves when necessary. We've already seen that much so far in the preseason.
Kennedy was the hometown boy that impressed many last season. He definitely had his rough spots during the season and was horrid at taking faceoffs, but overall it would've been worthwhile to bring him back. Kennedy was a RFA and there was little doubt that he'd be back this season. The Sabres offered him a little over $800,000 and a two way contract to remain with the team. Kennedy balked at that offer, mostly the two way part, because he didn't want to be held accountable for his play. If he were to slip up like he did last season, the Sabres would now have the option to send him down to Portland. So Kennedy took the team to arbitration and was rewarded with a $1 million/1 year deal. Because the amount was under a certain limit, the Sabres had no choice but to accept the offer. So the Sabres promptly bought out his contract and sent him packing. Recently, Kennedy has been waived by the Rangers. This means he'll either be playing in the AHL or be unemployed. One has to think that maybe he should've just shut up and taken the Sabres initial offer.
One of the biggest reasons that Kennedy was expendable to the Sabres was the emergence of Tyler Ennis and possibly Nathan Gerbe. Gerbe has had plenty of opportunities to impress the Sabres during numerous call-ups and could never really accomplish much. I'm absolutely in that crowd as I was just about sick of hearing about Gerbe and his "potential". To his credit though, Gerbe got increased playing time during the playoffs and started to impress me. If he can bring that type of game every night, he surely deserves a roster spot.
Ennis got his call-up later than Gerbe or Kennedy, but blew both out of the water when his style of play. In 10 regular season games, Ennis contributed nine points. Similarly, in six playoff games, Ennis chipped in four points. Granted it's a small amount of games, but Ennis has shown the ability to be a near point per game player and I'm all for that. Last time the Sabres thought they had one on the roster they signed him to a 2 year/4.5 million dollar deal.
It's no secret that by the end of last season, I was about as down as you could be on the "core" of the Sabres. But this is where selective memory comes into play. I've all summer to calm down and relax about them. I'm taking a homeristic view into the season that they have another season under their belts and will be more experience and ready to contribute. Just as a disclaimer though, this goes for about the first 10 games of the season. If it becomes more of the same (I'm sure it will) from Pominville, Connolly and the gang; I'll be all for trading them and getting fresh faces in Buffalo. I can only take so much ineptitude and I get the bulk of that from the Bills already.
Looking at the Northeast Division, Boston is really the only team I see as a legit threat to take the title away from Buffalo. Ottawa is getting older and signing Sergei Gonchar didn't exactly address that particular issue. I'm still not enamored by their goaltending situation, though I never really have been. Montreal will be a solid team, but I'm pretty sure trading Halak and keeping Carey Price was the textbook definition of a wrong move. Price has already been booed mercilessly after allowing four goals in the preseason opener. I see that ending well. The Leafs will be improved with J.S. Giguere in net, but well, they're still the Leafs.
And because of the reasons listed above (barring some major injury), I fully expect the Sabres to make a trip to the playoffs again. Realistically I see them as a 4-6 seed, but winning the division is definitely in play.
NFL Picks – Week Five
10/08/2010 | Posted by
Devin
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Buffalo Bills - When I started realizing that the Bills had a real shot at going 0-16, I quickly looked up the schedule again to see if there were any potential wins remaining. I saw two. Jacksonville and Cleveland. Again, potential wins, not definite. Of course, all of this was before the Jaguars defeated the Colts last week. I know for a fact that the Bills wouldn't even be able to hang with the Colts, let alone beat them. That changed my mind on this game dramatically. The only way the Bills have a shot in this game is if they knock out David Garrard early and Captain Checkdown comes into play. That's my best case scenario for this game. (Jaguars)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals - I'm sure how I can explain the Begansl losing to Cleveland. This team is simply not a contender, despite a wealth of talent on the offensive side of the ball. I'd be hard pressed to argue that few QBs in the NFL have regressed quite like Carson Palmer has. He is a far cry from the player he was five years ago. (Bengals)
Atlanta Falcons @ Cleveland Browns - If the Falcons want to win the NFC South, they will need to win the winnable games. I know, sound logic. They are tied with New Orleans at 3-1 but currently have the tie-breaker. There is no way they continue that lead or build on it by losing to Cleveland. Nobody will take them seriously if that happens. It's bad enough they struggled against San Francisco and got bailed out by Nate Clements. (Falcons)
St. Louis Rams @ Detroit Lions - The Rams bottomed out for two straight years but they got their franchise QB in the process. Sam Bradford has been crazy good so far in the first four weeks. He has the Rams at 2-2, tied for first in the NFC West and he's doing it with really no good receivers around him. I find it especially impressive. (Rams)
Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts - I was going to say that the Chiefs will be brought back down to Earth this week as they are currently the lone remaining undefeated team, but I don't think anybody believes that they are for real anyways. For further proof, please see that the line for this game has Indianapolis favored by 8.5 points. In case you're wondering, that is the biggest line of the week. (Colts)
Green Bay Packers @ Washington Redskins - I have no idea what happened in the NFC East but it's suddenly turned into a giant pile of mediocrity. Washington is 2-2 and tied for first place. With three other 2-2 teams. It's like they're competing with the NFC West to see who can be worse and still make the playoffs. And just for the record, the 2-2 Rams already blew away the Redskins. That should tell you all you need to know. (Packers)
Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers - The Bears just aren't as good as their 3-1 record would indicate, but luckily for them, Carolina is worse. Personally, I'm shocked that Jimmy Clausen has struggled so far in the NFL. I thought for sure he would be a star after going to the greatest college EVER. (Bears)
Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens - I just want to thank Baltimore personally for taking down the Steelers at Heinz Field last Sunday. It was a little too close, considering the fact that the Steelers were starting Chaz Batch, but a win is a win. They need to keep the momentum rolling and steamroll the Broncos. (Ravens)
NY Giants @ Houston Texans - Thanks to Jacksonville, the Texans are alone in first place heading into Week Five. It's uncharted territory for Houston and they absolutely need to keep it going. The Jags aren't going to be any threat as the season goes on, so they need to hold on to the 1.5 game lead they have over Indianapolis. (Texans)
New Orleans @ Arizona Cardinals - Last season, New Orleans pounded the Cardinals 45-14 in the playoffs. Flash forward to this year, where the Cardinals are without Kurt Warner and are significantly worse, and yes, this game has blowout written all over it. Adding to the equation, the Cardinals are starting Max Hall at QB. Oh boy. (Saints)
San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders - This game will probably be closer than it should be, but mostly because the Chargers are the hardest team to get a handle on. I have no idea what to make of them right now. I'll answer that question in December. For now, they're on a week-to-week basis with me. (Chargers)
Tennessee Titans @ Dallas Cowboys - I'm pretty sure the Titans are the better team, but they're on the road and Dallas has had two full weeks to prepare for the game. (Cowboys)
Philadelphia Eagles @ San Francisco 49ers - I have no way to explain my logic behind this pick. Just a gut feeling, nothing more, nothing less. (49ers)
Minnesota Vikings @ NY Jets - Minnesota's trade for Randy Moss can go in a few different directions. One, it will give Minnesota fans a reason to dig through their closet and put on their old Moss jersey. I know I enjoyed this when the Bills brought back Peerless Price. Two, it will give the Vikings' offense someone to draw attention away from Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin. Three, Brett Favre, a QB who historically likes to close his eyes and bomb the football, now has a receiver who can make plays on the other end and bail him out. Four, Moss flames out, the Vikings are without a third round pick in next year's draft and Brett Favre cashes his $20MM check while chuckling to himself on the farm. (NY Jets)
Last Week: 8-6
Entire Season: 38-24
Scott's Picks:
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Buffalo Bills
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals
Atlanta Falcons @ Cleveland Browns
St. Louis Rams @ Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts
Green Bay Packers @ Washington Redskins
Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers
Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens
NY Giants @ Houston Texans
New Orleans @ Arizona Cardinals
San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders
Tennessee Titans @ Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles @ San Francisco 49ers
Minnesota Vikings @ NY Jets
Last Week: 9-5
Entire Season: 36-26
Fantasy Update:
Scott is now up 2-1. I'm clearly ahead of him in my league and he is the same in his league. Our BZ Staff League has gone back and forth and while we're both 3-1, he has scored way more points than me and took the lead by virtue of that tie-breaker.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals - I'm sure how I can explain the Begansl losing to Cleveland. This team is simply not a contender, despite a wealth of talent on the offensive side of the ball. I'd be hard pressed to argue that few QBs in the NFL have regressed quite like Carson Palmer has. He is a far cry from the player he was five years ago. (Bengals)
Atlanta Falcons @ Cleveland Browns - If the Falcons want to win the NFC South, they will need to win the winnable games. I know, sound logic. They are tied with New Orleans at 3-1 but currently have the tie-breaker. There is no way they continue that lead or build on it by losing to Cleveland. Nobody will take them seriously if that happens. It's bad enough they struggled against San Francisco and got bailed out by Nate Clements. (Falcons)
St. Louis Rams @ Detroit Lions - The Rams bottomed out for two straight years but they got their franchise QB in the process. Sam Bradford has been crazy good so far in the first four weeks. He has the Rams at 2-2, tied for first in the NFC West and he's doing it with really no good receivers around him. I find it especially impressive. (Rams)
Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts - I was going to say that the Chiefs will be brought back down to Earth this week as they are currently the lone remaining undefeated team, but I don't think anybody believes that they are for real anyways. For further proof, please see that the line for this game has Indianapolis favored by 8.5 points. In case you're wondering, that is the biggest line of the week. (Colts)
Green Bay Packers @ Washington Redskins - I have no idea what happened in the NFC East but it's suddenly turned into a giant pile of mediocrity. Washington is 2-2 and tied for first place. With three other 2-2 teams. It's like they're competing with the NFC West to see who can be worse and still make the playoffs. And just for the record, the 2-2 Rams already blew away the Redskins. That should tell you all you need to know. (Packers)
Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers - The Bears just aren't as good as their 3-1 record would indicate, but luckily for them, Carolina is worse. Personally, I'm shocked that Jimmy Clausen has struggled so far in the NFL. I thought for sure he would be a star after going to the greatest college EVER. (Bears)
Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens - I just want to thank Baltimore personally for taking down the Steelers at Heinz Field last Sunday. It was a little too close, considering the fact that the Steelers were starting Chaz Batch, but a win is a win. They need to keep the momentum rolling and steamroll the Broncos. (Ravens)
NY Giants @ Houston Texans - Thanks to Jacksonville, the Texans are alone in first place heading into Week Five. It's uncharted territory for Houston and they absolutely need to keep it going. The Jags aren't going to be any threat as the season goes on, so they need to hold on to the 1.5 game lead they have over Indianapolis. (Texans)
New Orleans @ Arizona Cardinals - Last season, New Orleans pounded the Cardinals 45-14 in the playoffs. Flash forward to this year, where the Cardinals are without Kurt Warner and are significantly worse, and yes, this game has blowout written all over it. Adding to the equation, the Cardinals are starting Max Hall at QB. Oh boy. (Saints)
San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders - This game will probably be closer than it should be, but mostly because the Chargers are the hardest team to get a handle on. I have no idea what to make of them right now. I'll answer that question in December. For now, they're on a week-to-week basis with me. (Chargers)
Tennessee Titans @ Dallas Cowboys - I'm pretty sure the Titans are the better team, but they're on the road and Dallas has had two full weeks to prepare for the game. (Cowboys)
Philadelphia Eagles @ San Francisco 49ers - I have no way to explain my logic behind this pick. Just a gut feeling, nothing more, nothing less. (49ers)
Minnesota Vikings @ NY Jets - Minnesota's trade for Randy Moss can go in a few different directions. One, it will give Minnesota fans a reason to dig through their closet and put on their old Moss jersey. I know I enjoyed this when the Bills brought back Peerless Price. Two, it will give the Vikings' offense someone to draw attention away from Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin. Three, Brett Favre, a QB who historically likes to close his eyes and bomb the football, now has a receiver who can make plays on the other end and bail him out. Four, Moss flames out, the Vikings are without a third round pick in next year's draft and Brett Favre cashes his $20MM check while chuckling to himself on the farm. (NY Jets)
Last Week: 8-6
Entire Season: 38-24
Scott's Picks:
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Buffalo Bills
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals
Atlanta Falcons @ Cleveland Browns
St. Louis Rams @ Detroit Lions
Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts
Green Bay Packers @ Washington Redskins
Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers
Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens
NY Giants @ Houston Texans
New Orleans @ Arizona Cardinals
San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders
Tennessee Titans @ Dallas Cowboys
Philadelphia Eagles @ San Francisco 49ers
Minnesota Vikings @ NY Jets
Last Week: 9-5
Entire Season: 36-26
Fantasy Update:
Scott is now up 2-1. I'm clearly ahead of him in my league and he is the same in his league. Our BZ Staff League has gone back and forth and while we're both 3-1, he has scored way more points than me and took the lead by virtue of that tie-breaker.
Labels:
NFL Picks
End of an Era: Marshawn Lynch
10/05/2010 | Posted by
Devin
The Bills finally solved their three-headed running back situation on Tuesday by shipping Marshawn Lynch off to Seattle for a fourth round pick in 2011 and a conditional pick in 2012. On the surface, this is a good deal for the Bills, Seahawks and Lynch. Let me explain.
It was a good deal for the Bills because like I said above, it solves their running back situation. While running Lynch, they were taking carries away from Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. Now the Bills can effectively use Jackson as the number one back and let Spiller see some more action. On the surface, this is a great move. Although I suppose I have to remind everyone that the Bills are still terrible and it most likely won't make a huge difference.
The Bills also got a good return for Lynch. In terms of draft picks, the Bills might have been able to score a
third round pick, but that is very doubtful. So getting a fourth and a conditional is the next best thing. They also weren't going to get a player of any interest to help them this season. Keep in mind, this year has been renamed Operation Bottom Out. A draft pick is much more preferred over some random bench warmer. Let's just hope Buddy Nix uses the pick wisely. This was a good deal for Seattle because they just picked up a number one running back for a fourth round pick and a conditional pick. Small price to pay for a guy in his fourth year and ran for 1,000 yards in his first two. Besides Justin Forsett, there really isn't much going on in Seattle's backfield. Keep in mind, this is a division where 8-8 can win it, so Seattle needs to improve now and take advantage of the situation.
I'd be remiss in discussing Lynch if I didn't bring up his legal troubles. Lynch has had two run-ins with the law already and is most likely one more incident away from a year long suspension. So with that in mind, Seattle also took a bit of a risk. The way I see it, this lowered his trade value considerably which is why I'm so happy with what the Bills got in return.
Finally, this is a good deal for Lynch. He wanted out of Buffalo and needed a change of scenery. The city embraced Beast Mode early in his career, but the fans quickly became sick of his off the field transgressions. Lynch was also not getting a full workload because again, he was sharing carries with Jackson and Spiller. While he still might share carries with Forsett in Seattle, sharing with one instead of two is a better thing for all involved.
I was a huge fan of Lynch when he was drafted by the Bills. I was willing to look past his first incident. Then came his second and I quickly quoted on Facebook, "I don't want felons on my team." I still stand by that statement. Last year I couldn't stand Lynch. He looked fat and uninterested in helping the team. I've had a brief change of heart this year because he's looked much better on the field and I'd like to think he's not stupid enough to screw up again off the field.
All in all, this is a slightly sad day for me as a Bills fan. I know it's for the betterment of the franchise and for Lynch, but I'll miss him. He was a knucklehead, but there were lots of good times mixed in as well. Lynch took the sting away when the Bills traded Willis McGahee, who set the world record for being my favorite current Bill to the guy I couldn't stand anymore. For that, I'll always appreciate those few good years with Lynch.
Best of luck Marshawn.
Bills vs Jets Preview
10/02/2010 | Posted by
Devin
For the first time since 2004, the Bills will open the season with a 0-4 record. Sorry to put it so bluntly, but the Bills aren't a good team and the Jets are much better. When I projected the Bills schedule before the season, I said that the Bills would split the season series with the Jets. Despite my views on how much better the Jets are than the Bills, I still think that will be the case at the end of the season. Maybe. After this week, the Bills don't face the Jets until Week 17, so there is a very real possibility the the Bills will steal a win against the Jets backups. For the sake of getting a high draft pick, I almost hope this doesn't happen. We'll save that talk for Week 17 though, there is a game this Sunday to discuss.
Quarterbacks - For as much as I rip on The Sanchize, he is better than Ryan Fitzpatrick or Brian Brohm. Then again, that isn't saying much. The Sanchize has played very well in the past two weeks and it has a lot of people thinking he's turned the corner. Me? I'm not so sure. I'll get closer to that decision when we're about halfway through the season. Food for thought. In two games against Buffalo last year, The Sanchize threw for 223 yards, one touchdown and five interceptions.
Fitzpatrick is no Pro Bowl QB, but I think he can rack up some serious yards against the Jets. It looks like Revis Island will miss his second straight game, which would put mass producer Antonio Cromartie up against Lee Evans. As Fitzpatrick displayed last Sunday in New England, he isn't afraid to hit Roscoe Parrish and Stevie Johnson over the middle when they're open. If you think I'm crazy; consider this. The Jets currently rank 27th in the NFL in pass defense, allowing an average of 274.7 yards per game.
Running Backs - I have no idea what is going on with LaDainian Tomlinson. He apparently isn't totally
washed up like he appeared to be after his tenure in San Diego. My guess is he is rejuvenated and motivated, but does it last all season? Keep in mind, he's still 31 years old. Have you ever seen Rob Zombie's version of Halloween? (If not, I suggest you do.) There is a scene in the beginning where young Michael Myers beats a bully to death with a huge tree branch in a fit of rage. It's pretty brutal. If you know the scene I'm talking about, you know exactly what Shonn Greene has done to a number of my fantasy teams this year. Greene has 106 yards and zero touchdowns so far in three games. I could list the number of players that blew those numbers away in one game, but I think I've established my point already.
I like the Bills stable of running backs a lot more than the Jets, but unfortunately for Buffalo, they have to face the Jets run defense. Being optimistic, I can see the Bills maybe running for 50 yards combined (if they're lucky).
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends - I don't intend on sounding like a homer, but I'm not sold on the Jets receivers either. Jerricho Cotchery does nothing for me. Neither does David Clowney. If Brad Smith is lining up in the wildcat, I suppose he instills a little fear in me. And I only fear Braylon Edwards if he is driving on my street at 5AM.
Even without Revis, I'm not expecting much from Lee Evans. No slight against Lee, but this is what happens when he goes up against number one defenders every week. I've loved how Chan Gailey has worked Roscoe Parrish into the games so far this season. Since coming into the NFL and being completely mis-used by the Bills, the best season for Parrish was in 2007 when he grabbed 35 passes for for 352 yards. So far in three games this season, Parrish has nine receptions for 152 yards. I'm no mathematician, but it looks to me like this will be a career year for Roscoe.
Tight ends are another story. Dustin Keller is pretty good and the Bills are horrendous at stopping the tight end. For more information, please see exhibit A.
Exhibit A:
Those numbers are due in large part to the awful pass covering ability of Donte "Toast" Whitner and Chris Kelsay. I'd like to discuss this further but after the Bills gave Kelsay a $24MM extension, I'd rather just move on to another topic.
Defense: This came as a total shock to me, but the Bills have the 22nd overall defense in the NFL and the Jets only have the 20th. The Jets have the fourth overall run defense so their overall ranking is hurt by their all-of-a-sudden mediocre pass defense. I highlighted this above, but their pass defense will surely improve when Revis Island returns to the lineup from his injured hamstring (and ego).
Going into the season, I thought the strength of the Bills (if they even had one) would be their secondary. So far it's been a major disappointment. They are currently 18th in the NFL with an average of 221.3 yards per game. I still think the secondary is good, so I have to partially chalk this up to the competition. Facing Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady in consecutive weeks is no easy task. It will be interesting to see how they do this week for multiple reasons.
Special Teams: I have no idea how anybody would rank overall special teams. So I decided to look at two aspects of special teams to get a better grasp on things.
Kicking: Rian Lindell is 4/6 on the season, with his two misses being from 50+ yards. So in reality, he's been perfect this season.
Nick Folk is 6/7 on the season, with his one loss also being from 50+ yards. I would like to rip on Nick Folk for flopping last season and being released by Dallas, but Folk is the guy who helped pull off the ridiculous comeback Dallas had on MNF in Buffalo. Excuse me while I vomit.
Returns: Honestly, I know next to nothing about the Jets return game. I just looked it up on their depth chart and according to ESPN, Brad Smith is the main kick returner and Jim Leonhard is the punt returner. Uh, whatever. I suppose both are a threat to bring it back, but I'm not very worried.
This is one aspect during the Bills decade of awfulness that they continue to dominate. Currently C.J. Spiller is the main kick returner and he already showed what he can do last week against New England. In the event he isn't available, they have Leodis McKelvin, which aside from his fumble problems last opening day, is also an explosive kick returner.
Roscoe Parrish continues to return punts for Buffalo and honestly, he's a threat to bring it back every time. There are a few returners in the NFL who I legitimately think can take it back every time they touch the ball and Parrish is on that list. Maybe that is me partially being a homer, but give him a few blocks and he's gone. Trust me.
Prediction:. Jets 23, Bills 14.
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