Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Sign Brian Campbell
4:23 AM | 
Posted by
Nick Mendola
There are a number of ways I could've cleverly-titled this column, variations on themes of defense, red hair and soup, but "Sign Brian Campbell" was the choice for a reason.
It's a no-brainer.
There's been discussion on our airwaves about how much Campbell will fetch in the off-season — likely a king's ransom — and arguments about where to throw your money in the "New NHL that closely resembles the old NHL," or NNHLTCRTONHL, for short.
The more you look at numbers, the more it makes sense to pay the man. Performance-wise, there aren't many times fans are watching a replay of an opponent's goal, wondering "What was Campbell thinking?" His offensive gifts are many, the physical play is there, and he eats minutes like the league's best.
Now, after shelling out crazy cash to Thomas Vanek and Derek Roy, and with Ryan Miller's contract on the horizon, it's okay to be a little hesitant to pay Campbell as one of your team's best, but let me walk you through an argument for re-signing the 28-year-old.
First off, he's becoming the most complete defenseman on the team, better offensively than Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman, and a shade better than Jaroslav Spacek in his own end. The numbers don't lie, either:
— His 49 points led Sabres blue-liners, and ranked 18th in the NHL in 2006-07, near young stud defenders like Calgary's Dion Phaneuf and Colorado's John-Michael Liles.
—His 16 points to-date this season rank 8th amongst NHL d-men, despite the Sabres spending a good portion of the early season trying to remember what it felt like to see a red light behind the other team's net.
— He's missed three games in three years, kills penalties and mans the point on a power play unit.
—His 25:07 in average ice time is 13th in the NHL.
— Campbell's recorded 13 points in 34 playoff games, which isn't too far off his production in the more wide-open regular season.
— Calling a guy "Soup" is fun, and the spin-o-rama move is pretty cool.
Of the regular defensemen, only Dmitri Kalinin and Nathan Paetsch are younger than Campbell, although "Soup" is only older than Henrik Tallinder by approximately four months. His 28 years appear to fall right in the wheel house of being able to relate to the new guys and hold weight with the veterans.
If you're asking if I think he should be captain, the answer is yes.
Then, there's the money issue, and there'll be plenty of hemming and hawing. Is he worth three-, four-, or five million per year? Is he more of an Andrei Markov or a Brian Rafalski? Well, how about you check out this list of defensemen and their salaries, and tell me you'd sign them over Campbell:
Paul Mara, NYR, $3 million
Brendan Witt, NYI, $2.8 million
Nick Boynton, PHX, $2.95 million
Brad Stuart, LA, $3.5 million
Sergei Zubov, DAL, $4 million
Mattias Ohlund, VAN, $3.5 million
Cory Sarich, CGY, $3.9 million
Those are all guys in the $4 million range, and several signed last year, in the "New NHL." Campbell is almost certainly a better asset than anyone on the list, and Sarich and Stuart were guys I advocated as Sabres last summer.
Is he Wade Redden, at $6.5 per year, or Chris Pronger at $6.25 million? No. In an ideal world, he should be more in the $3.5 million, Chris Phillips range, but this is also a league in which 475-year-old Mathieu Schneider is making $5.5 million, and still pretty productive. Market value is skewed beyond belief, and Phillips would make a lot more money somewhere else.
Someone is going to pay the man in the $4 to $4.5 million range, and I hope it's Darcy Regier and Tom Golisano. If necessary, I'd be willing go even higher, but I would hope that's unnecessary. Each assist, and minute logged on the ice is another step closer to unrestricted free agency.
A guy like Campbell may be missed more than a Daniel Briere, and while I wouldn't go quite as far as to say Chris Drury, he's getting there. The question you have to ask yourself is does the name "Brian Campbell" fit in your mind as a core-member of the Sabres, with names like Vanek, Roy, Hecht and Miller? All signs point to "Yes."
In summation, I'm only charging 1 percent, Soup. I'll give a lot of it to charity.
E-mail: nick@wgr550.com
It's a no-brainer.
There's been discussion on our airwaves about how much Campbell will fetch in the off-season — likely a king's ransom — and arguments about where to throw your money in the "New NHL that closely resembles the old NHL," or NNHLTCRTONHL, for short.
The more you look at numbers, the more it makes sense to pay the man. Performance-wise, there aren't many times fans are watching a replay of an opponent's goal, wondering "What was Campbell thinking?" His offensive gifts are many, the physical play is there, and he eats minutes like the league's best.
Now, after shelling out crazy cash to Thomas Vanek and Derek Roy, and with Ryan Miller's contract on the horizon, it's okay to be a little hesitant to pay Campbell as one of your team's best, but let me walk you through an argument for re-signing the 28-year-old.
First off, he's becoming the most complete defenseman on the team, better offensively than Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman, and a shade better than Jaroslav Spacek in his own end. The numbers don't lie, either:
— His 49 points led Sabres blue-liners, and ranked 18th in the NHL in 2006-07, near young stud defenders like Calgary's Dion Phaneuf and Colorado's John-Michael Liles.
—His 16 points to-date this season rank 8th amongst NHL d-men, despite the Sabres spending a good portion of the early season trying to remember what it felt like to see a red light behind the other team's net.
— He's missed three games in three years, kills penalties and mans the point on a power play unit.
—His 25:07 in average ice time is 13th in the NHL.
— Campbell's recorded 13 points in 34 playoff games, which isn't too far off his production in the more wide-open regular season.
— Calling a guy "Soup" is fun, and the spin-o-rama move is pretty cool.
Of the regular defensemen, only Dmitri Kalinin and Nathan Paetsch are younger than Campbell, although "Soup" is only older than Henrik Tallinder by approximately four months. His 28 years appear to fall right in the wheel house of being able to relate to the new guys and hold weight with the veterans.
If you're asking if I think he should be captain, the answer is yes.
Then, there's the money issue, and there'll be plenty of hemming and hawing. Is he worth three-, four-, or five million per year? Is he more of an Andrei Markov or a Brian Rafalski? Well, how about you check out this list of defensemen and their salaries, and tell me you'd sign them over Campbell:
Paul Mara, NYR, $3 million
Brendan Witt, NYI, $2.8 million
Nick Boynton, PHX, $2.95 million
Brad Stuart, LA, $3.5 million
Sergei Zubov, DAL, $4 million
Mattias Ohlund, VAN, $3.5 million
Cory Sarich, CGY, $3.9 million
Those are all guys in the $4 million range, and several signed last year, in the "New NHL." Campbell is almost certainly a better asset than anyone on the list, and Sarich and Stuart were guys I advocated as Sabres last summer.
Is he Wade Redden, at $6.5 per year, or Chris Pronger at $6.25 million? No. In an ideal world, he should be more in the $3.5 million, Chris Phillips range, but this is also a league in which 475-year-old Mathieu Schneider is making $5.5 million, and still pretty productive. Market value is skewed beyond belief, and Phillips would make a lot more money somewhere else.
Someone is going to pay the man in the $4 to $4.5 million range, and I hope it's Darcy Regier and Tom Golisano. If necessary, I'd be willing go even higher, but I would hope that's unnecessary. Each assist, and minute logged on the ice is another step closer to unrestricted free agency.
A guy like Campbell may be missed more than a Daniel Briere, and while I wouldn't go quite as far as to say Chris Drury, he's getting there. The question you have to ask yourself is does the name "Brian Campbell" fit in your mind as a core-member of the Sabres, with names like Vanek, Roy, Hecht and Miller? All signs point to "Yes."
In summation, I'm only charging 1 percent, Soup. I'll give a lot of it to charity.
E-mail: nick@wgr550.com
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Monday, November 19, 2007
IMMEDIATE REACTIONS: New England 56, Buffalo 10
510 net yards. 8/11 on third down. 2/2 on fourth down. One punt. Seven offensive touchdowns. One defensive score. 10-0.
What. The. Heck?
Football teams are not supposed to be as good as the New England Patriots. This is going to — by far — be the shortest of my "Immediate Reactions" columns this year, and it has almost nothing to do with it being post-midnight.
Look, I was as hopeful as anyone about the Bills having improbable success against the Pats, but a Bills team without their star running back and with quarterback/wide receiver issues against one of the most cutthroat teams in the history of the NFL.
On the eve of the Whiney Awards, there are already a close-to-record 289 calls to the Whiner Line. Guess who listens to and cut that baby every morning? Yeah, we're going to keep this quick...
— First, the "running up" of the score. I don't have much of a problem with the continuing to pass and attempting to score well into the second half, but I have a number of complaints with New England head coach Bill Belichick, who I think displayed classlessness numerous times (Is classlessness even a word? It's awkward to type. Sounds about time for my weekly apology to Linda Bogdan and the UB English department).
Look, Billy, I know you're trying to get your boy Tom Brady his touchdown record, but don't you think he was in there well after the game was out-of-reach. Also, going for it on fourth down, up 36. Stay classy, William.
I wish I could say I was incredulous the entire time, but I expected it. Belichick's established his modus operandi for 2007, and he unflinchingly presses on.
— I'm not sure what Dick Jauron could've done that would've altered the course of the game entirely, but moving away from Anthony Thomas a little earlier couldn't have hurt. I'm sure the logic was that if you established some semblance of a run with Thomas, the Patriots wouldn't be able to read pass every time he was in there. The Bills offensive line was brutal against New England's pressure, but 11 carries for 31 yards isn't going to cut it. Fred Jackson carried three times for 15 yards, and Dwayne Wright had one carry for one yard. Even worse, Losman tied Thomas in yardage on just four rushes.
— Is there any chance the conversation between the official who threw the intentional grounding flag on Brady and ol' Tom himself didn't go like this:
"Intentional grounding, Tom."
"Oh, good, you know my name. I wasn' t sure if you're aware that I'm Tom $&^%$^%$ Brady and I know %$^$%^& well where the ^&%$%&^$ pocket is."
— For the record, because I think those who call me a "Losman apologist" will appreciate it, here are the incredible stats of all the quarterbacks who have faced the New England defense this year (the final number is quarterback rating for the game):
Wk1- Chad Pennington, 16/21, 167 yards, 4 sacks, 2 TD, 0 INT - 130. 5
Wk2- Phillip Rivers, 19/30, 179 yards, 3 sacks, 2 TD, 2 INT - 74.2
Wk3- Trent Edwards, 10/20, 97 yards, 1 sack, 1 INT - 43.1
Wk4- Carson Palmer, 21/35, 234 yards, 1 sack, 1 TD, 2 INT - 65.7
Wk5- Derek Anderson, 22/43, 287 yards, 3 sacks, 2 TD, 3 INT - 58.9
Wk6- Tony Romo, 18/29, 199 yards, 2 sacks, 2 TD, 1 INT - 91.0
Wk7- Cleo Lemon, 24/37, 236 yards, 3 sacks, 1 INT - 71.4
Wk8- Jason Campbell, 21/36, 197 yards, 3 sacks, 1 TD, 1 INT - 71.2
Wk9- Peyton Manning, 16/27, 225 yards, 3 sacks, 1 TD, 1 INT - 83.1
Wk10- BYE
Wk11- J.P. Losman 15/26, 173 yards, 4 sacks, 1 TD, 1 INT - 74.7
In essence, Losman had the same game every quarterback whose faced the Patriots this year has had. If you live by the quarterback rating, which is kind of silly, he had the fourth-best day against the Patriots this year. I listened to Mike Schopp and The Bulldog's post-game show on the way home, and if you want to lambaste Losman and get him out of the line-up, go for it, but not because of Sunday night. Maybe Howard Simon was right about the whole "free pass" thing. I think Losman starts next week against Jacksonville, and I believe it will be his final chance to "make or break" 2007 for the Bills.
— While the Bills front four did a decent job against the rush in the first half, they should be berated for their lack of pass rush. New England's line is good, and Brady is poised, but come on. You need more from Aaron Schobel and company.
— A note on Brady: he looks like he could take a nap when he's in the shotgun. His body language is that of a guy who barely cares what's going to happen, and then he proceeds to do things like fire lasers in between three Bills defenders. The guy looks he's listening to Coldplay in the pocket. His passes seem to make open receivers appear out of thin air, a la David Blaine.
— I guess it pays to use early draft picks on good linemen. I guess.
— I hope Stephen Gostkowski's foot isn't sore from kicking all those extra points, eight to be exact. Did anyone else feel like Belichick would go for two every time if he didn't think Anthony Hargrove would eat Tom Brady. Love Hargrove on the field, but Brady's the wrong guy to pick a fight with, Big Tony.
— Tough day for Brian Moorman. It's been an off-year for the All-Pro punter, which simply means he's been "pretty good" instead of "incredible.'
— Also, Terrence McGee has to feel like he ran a marathon. After covering Moss and Donte Stallworth up-and-down the field, he had to mentally regroup while returning eight kicks, which would've been nine if Fred Jackson hadn't been antsy.
— Randy Moss is good, but Brady remade him this season.
— Perry Fewell's done an exceptional job as defensive coordinator in 2007, but there were far too many plays Sunday night that began with two defensive backs despite the fact that Wes Welker was in the slot. Angelo Crowell won't work on Welker, and Donte Whitner and George Wilson simply aren't good enough pass defenders yet. Wilson had an especially rough game, and it's worth watching whether Jauron plugs Jim Leonhard back in against Jacksonville.
— Grades across the board were F's, so if I've missed something, just pretend I wrote about it being "substandard," "insufficient" or "lackluster." That should just about cover it all.
Stat line I enjoyed:
— John DiGiorgio, 11 tackles
What's the old maxim? "It ain't the size of the dog in the fight..." The Bills were out-classed Sunday night, but I was impressed that they pushed forward. Hey, it's not much, but it's something.
Stat line I didn't enjoy:
— Eight different receivers, 383 yards, 5 TD.
I know they're good, but that doesn't mean I have to enjoy it. At least we'll be able to tell our grandchildren we saw greatness, again and again and again and again.
Stat line I didn't expect:
— Dwayne Wright/Fred Jackson, 4 carries, 16 yards
That's 4.0 yards-per-carries for the youngsters, and it was extra disappointing for me consider I spent Thursday afternoon writing an article on how excited the kids were to play, and how much the coaches said they believed in them. *Cough* Bull (Expletive deleted) *Cough*
Lastly...
To sum it all up, I'm amazed that I walked out there feeling just slightly worse than I did after the Jets win. It was a foregone conclusion, and while I hate that, it was a young defense that the Brady Bunch tore up in Primetime.
Next week
—I think the Bills of Weeks One through Ten are good enough to beat Jacksonville in Jacksonville, but I also think the Patriots showed the Jaguars far too many ways to exploit the Bills. Marshawn Lynch's status is a big factor in this one, but the Jags defensive line will create a number of issues for Beast Mode as well. My heart's pulling one way, but my brain is saying: Jacksonville 21, Buffalo 18.
The again, I predicted New England would beat Buffalo, 31-20, so what the heck do I know?
The running count...
Here, dear friends, is a list that usually includes the players who have yet to let me down during the course of 2007. With Lynch's injury making him ineligible, this list would likely be down t Roscoe Parrish if I was honest, but do you think "The running count" deserves a free pass for Week 11? If not, it's going to be one player — Parrish — putting the future of the running count in serious jeopardy. So, make the call, and email me with a vote or "yay" or "nay" to a free pass for this list. I'm sure Donte Whitner waits will baited breath.
-Donte Whitner
-Brian Moorman
-Marshawn Lynch
-Roscoe Parrish
-Larry Tripplett
-John McCargo...
—Terrific to see Kevin Everett looking healthy on the scoreboard. I know I'll continue my well-wishes and prayers for him and everyone with serious handicaps or misfortunes. Important to remind ourselves that we've got a lot going for us. Get better, Kevin.
—Howard Simon Show, Monday morning at 6 a.m., followed by The Coach's Extra Point, with Chuck Dickerson and me at 10 a.m. Let's have some fun, Bills fans.
E-mails: nick@wgr550.com
What. The. Heck?
Football teams are not supposed to be as good as the New England Patriots. This is going to — by far — be the shortest of my "Immediate Reactions" columns this year, and it has almost nothing to do with it being post-midnight.
Look, I was as hopeful as anyone about the Bills having improbable success against the Pats, but a Bills team without their star running back and with quarterback/wide receiver issues against one of the most cutthroat teams in the history of the NFL.
On the eve of the Whiney Awards, there are already a close-to-record 289 calls to the Whiner Line. Guess who listens to and cut that baby every morning? Yeah, we're going to keep this quick...
— First, the "running up" of the score. I don't have much of a problem with the continuing to pass and attempting to score well into the second half, but I have a number of complaints with New England head coach Bill Belichick, who I think displayed classlessness numerous times (Is classlessness even a word? It's awkward to type. Sounds about time for my weekly apology to Linda Bogdan and the UB English department).
Look, Billy, I know you're trying to get your boy Tom Brady his touchdown record, but don't you think he was in there well after the game was out-of-reach. Also, going for it on fourth down, up 36. Stay classy, William.
I wish I could say I was incredulous the entire time, but I expected it. Belichick's established his modus operandi for 2007, and he unflinchingly presses on.
— I'm not sure what Dick Jauron could've done that would've altered the course of the game entirely, but moving away from Anthony Thomas a little earlier couldn't have hurt. I'm sure the logic was that if you established some semblance of a run with Thomas, the Patriots wouldn't be able to read pass every time he was in there. The Bills offensive line was brutal against New England's pressure, but 11 carries for 31 yards isn't going to cut it. Fred Jackson carried three times for 15 yards, and Dwayne Wright had one carry for one yard. Even worse, Losman tied Thomas in yardage on just four rushes.
— Is there any chance the conversation between the official who threw the intentional grounding flag on Brady and ol' Tom himself didn't go like this:
"Intentional grounding, Tom."
"Oh, good, you know my name. I wasn' t sure if you're aware that I'm Tom $&^%$^%$ Brady and I know %$^$%^& well where the ^&%$%&^$ pocket is."
— For the record, because I think those who call me a "Losman apologist" will appreciate it, here are the incredible stats of all the quarterbacks who have faced the New England defense this year (the final number is quarterback rating for the game):
Wk1- Chad Pennington, 16/21, 167 yards, 4 sacks, 2 TD, 0 INT - 130. 5
Wk2- Phillip Rivers, 19/30, 179 yards, 3 sacks, 2 TD, 2 INT - 74.2
Wk3- Trent Edwards, 10/20, 97 yards, 1 sack, 1 INT - 43.1
Wk4- Carson Palmer, 21/35, 234 yards, 1 sack, 1 TD, 2 INT - 65.7
Wk5- Derek Anderson, 22/43, 287 yards, 3 sacks, 2 TD, 3 INT - 58.9
Wk6- Tony Romo, 18/29, 199 yards, 2 sacks, 2 TD, 1 INT - 91.0
Wk7- Cleo Lemon, 24/37, 236 yards, 3 sacks, 1 INT - 71.4
Wk8- Jason Campbell, 21/36, 197 yards, 3 sacks, 1 TD, 1 INT - 71.2
Wk9- Peyton Manning, 16/27, 225 yards, 3 sacks, 1 TD, 1 INT - 83.1
Wk10- BYE
Wk11- J.P. Losman 15/26, 173 yards, 4 sacks, 1 TD, 1 INT - 74.7
In essence, Losman had the same game every quarterback whose faced the Patriots this year has had. If you live by the quarterback rating, which is kind of silly, he had the fourth-best day against the Patriots this year. I listened to Mike Schopp and The Bulldog's post-game show on the way home, and if you want to lambaste Losman and get him out of the line-up, go for it, but not because of Sunday night. Maybe Howard Simon was right about the whole "free pass" thing. I think Losman starts next week against Jacksonville, and I believe it will be his final chance to "make or break" 2007 for the Bills.
— While the Bills front four did a decent job against the rush in the first half, they should be berated for their lack of pass rush. New England's line is good, and Brady is poised, but come on. You need more from Aaron Schobel and company.
— A note on Brady: he looks like he could take a nap when he's in the shotgun. His body language is that of a guy who barely cares what's going to happen, and then he proceeds to do things like fire lasers in between three Bills defenders. The guy looks he's listening to Coldplay in the pocket. His passes seem to make open receivers appear out of thin air, a la David Blaine.
— I guess it pays to use early draft picks on good linemen. I guess.
— I hope Stephen Gostkowski's foot isn't sore from kicking all those extra points, eight to be exact. Did anyone else feel like Belichick would go for two every time if he didn't think Anthony Hargrove would eat Tom Brady. Love Hargrove on the field, but Brady's the wrong guy to pick a fight with, Big Tony.
— Tough day for Brian Moorman. It's been an off-year for the All-Pro punter, which simply means he's been "pretty good" instead of "incredible.'
— Also, Terrence McGee has to feel like he ran a marathon. After covering Moss and Donte Stallworth up-and-down the field, he had to mentally regroup while returning eight kicks, which would've been nine if Fred Jackson hadn't been antsy.
— Randy Moss is good, but Brady remade him this season.
— Perry Fewell's done an exceptional job as defensive coordinator in 2007, but there were far too many plays Sunday night that began with two defensive backs despite the fact that Wes Welker was in the slot. Angelo Crowell won't work on Welker, and Donte Whitner and George Wilson simply aren't good enough pass defenders yet. Wilson had an especially rough game, and it's worth watching whether Jauron plugs Jim Leonhard back in against Jacksonville.
— Grades across the board were F's, so if I've missed something, just pretend I wrote about it being "substandard," "insufficient" or "lackluster." That should just about cover it all.
Stat line I enjoyed:
— John DiGiorgio, 11 tackles
What's the old maxim? "It ain't the size of the dog in the fight..." The Bills were out-classed Sunday night, but I was impressed that they pushed forward. Hey, it's not much, but it's something.
Stat line I didn't enjoy:
— Eight different receivers, 383 yards, 5 TD.
I know they're good, but that doesn't mean I have to enjoy it. At least we'll be able to tell our grandchildren we saw greatness, again and again and again and again.
Stat line I didn't expect:
— Dwayne Wright/Fred Jackson, 4 carries, 16 yards
That's 4.0 yards-per-carries for the youngsters, and it was extra disappointing for me consider I spent Thursday afternoon writing an article on how excited the kids were to play, and how much the coaches said they believed in them. *Cough* Bull (Expletive deleted) *Cough*
Lastly...
To sum it all up, I'm amazed that I walked out there feeling just slightly worse than I did after the Jets win. It was a foregone conclusion, and while I hate that, it was a young defense that the Brady Bunch tore up in Primetime.
Next week
—I think the Bills of Weeks One through Ten are good enough to beat Jacksonville in Jacksonville, but I also think the Patriots showed the Jaguars far too many ways to exploit the Bills. Marshawn Lynch's status is a big factor in this one, but the Jags defensive line will create a number of issues for Beast Mode as well. My heart's pulling one way, but my brain is saying: Jacksonville 21, Buffalo 18.
The again, I predicted New England would beat Buffalo, 31-20, so what the heck do I know?
The running count...
Here, dear friends, is a list that usually includes the players who have yet to let me down during the course of 2007. With Lynch's injury making him ineligible, this list would likely be down t Roscoe Parrish if I was honest, but do you think "The running count" deserves a free pass for Week 11? If not, it's going to be one player — Parrish — putting the future of the running count in serious jeopardy. So, make the call, and email me with a vote or "yay" or "nay" to a free pass for this list. I'm sure Donte Whitner waits will baited breath.
-Donte Whitner
-Brian Moorman
-Marshawn Lynch
-Roscoe Parrish
-Larry Tripplett
-John McCargo...
—Terrific to see Kevin Everett looking healthy on the scoreboard. I know I'll continue my well-wishes and prayers for him and everyone with serious handicaps or misfortunes. Important to remind ourselves that we've got a lot going for us. Get better, Kevin.
—Howard Simon Show, Monday morning at 6 a.m., followed by The Coach's Extra Point, with Chuck Dickerson and me at 10 a.m. Let's have some fun, Bills fans.
E-mails: nick@wgr550.com
Sunday, November 11, 2007
IMMEDIATE REACTIONS: Buffalo 13, Miami 10
That was, without question, one of the worst good weather football games played in the history of the NFL, or at least the ones I've watched. Terrible offense on both sides of the ball. Dropped passes, poor passes, poor blocking. Just brutal. The Dolphins are perhaps the one team the Bills have played that are worse than the Jets. I'm going to try and write as little about this game as possible.
Still, the old cliche...
A win is a win is a win.
Right?
Let's check it out.
— First and foremost, the question on everyone's mind: J.P. Losman. The veteran had a lousy first half, as bad as I've seen from him or anyone not named Ray Lucas. The second half was markedly better. This game was essentially the Pittsburgh game, except the fourth-quarter numbers actually mattered. His first-half was wildly-inaccurate, including a terrible interception in the second quarter that could've crushed the Bills' hopes had Miami been anything but inept. A half like that from your quarterback will likely be the death knell for the Bills against most teams.
Enter the second half, and it's very difficult to separate the two in your mind, but Losman went 8-of-12 for 95 yards, with a sack and a miserable throw-away that Will Allen almost took to the house. Still, it's hard to forget that Michael Gaines dropped a sure touchdown on a beautiful touch pass in the third quarter. I won't pro-rate stats, but Losman has now directed the team to three consecutive fourth-quarter wins. Yes, he was an abomination in the opening half, but he's your starter moving forward. Let the hate-filled emails begin...
In fact, the more I think about it, the more Edwards can't be the man yet. The Bills lost two games — Denver and Dallas — that they deserved to win, and won two games — The Jets and Dolphins — that they deserved to lose. Each signal caller was responsible for a win and a loss, so we're fine (Except New England is next week).
— Marshawn Lynch's game wasn't his best, but like the rest of the offense, he was there when it counted. The touchdown run and two-point conversion were both Beast Mode at it's highest. With the exception of the fumble, and the mildly-terrifying injury, he ends up with 61 rushing yards and 24 receiving yards, which works. Hope for his health, because the Bills have the smallest chance to win in the football world with Anthony Thomas or Dwayne Wright as their feature back.
— Were they using new footballs? Marty Booker was simply awful for the Dolphins, who had to have been missing Chris Chambers, as well as a reliable tight end like Randy McMichael seemed to be in every game against the Bills. Buffalo dropped a bunch, too.
— For those who thought Lee Evans didn't go after Losman's passes, here's hoping you saw the Will Allen interception. If you didn't, just picture a mirror image of the Edwards interception against the Jets that some said Evans didn't fight for. Football can be ridiculous.
— At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Donte Whitner has been worth every bit of that eighth-overall pick. He's a solid tackler, a threat around the line of scrimmage and, as we learned against Miami, a motivator in the huddle. At least twice, cameras caught him propping his teammates up after rough spots that would've crippled the team in 2006.
— John DiGiorgio has been adequate, and the Italian side of my lineage is planning a hit on me just for writing this, but wouldn't it be nice to have Paul Posluszny returning for a primetime game against the best team in the NFL? Rhetorical, I know.
— Let's not forget that Josh Reed catch on the right sideline at the very end of the first half. The clock CBS provides which, if I'm not mistaken, is connected to the actual game clock, was at :01 when Reed stepped out-of-bounds. I realize it's the "home clock" benefit, but where in the world was this supposed "home clock" benefit on the onside kick against Dallas? Yes, I'm still bitter.
— With Trent Edwards, I've been a guy who's held third-down conversions in high regard all year, and Edwards has been poor, but Losman didn't direct anything on third-down. One out of 10 on third down.
— One thing you won't hear this week is how the Dolphins had the bye week to prepare for the Bills, but I guarantee you'll hear it an awful lot next week against the Patriots, especially if you-know-who is somehow the starting quarterback.
— Remember last year, when the main concern was Losman's inability to win a game in the final quarter until he lit up the Texans, and Peerless Price may-or-may-not have tapped his toes in the back of the end zone. Three fourth-quarter wins in a row, playing down to the competition or not, seems pretty impressive, regardless of if his performance dug the hole this time around. There will always be a hang-up between the fans, certain media members, and Losman, at least until he's fully out-of-town.
— Not to get too sentimental, but there was something special about the way Chris Kelsay talked about season back when spoke to the press on the first day of off-season work-outs. He's now made two big end zone plays, and would have a nice number of sacks if he didn't spend the first four games of the season playing with spray butter on his gloves (I know he just missed the tackles, but I'm going with the spray butter line. Plus, it makes me think of fresh muffins).
Stat line I enjoyed:
— Terrence McGee, seven tackles, two passes defended
— Jabari Greer, one tackle, two passes defended
The "passes defended" stat isn't one I put a lot of faith in, but both McGee and Greer made clutch plays on the final drive. McGee broke up a third-down out-pattern that would've all but put the Dolphins in field goal range, and Greer broke up a game-ending toss to Booker. Both players have been solid against teams without No. 1 wide-outs, and did a fine job against Dallas, too. The Moss/Stallworth/Welker combination will be a true test, especially with one of those threats being guarded by Kiwaukee Thomas, Jerametrius Butler or Ashton Youboty. At least Tom Brady doesn't use his tight ends. Yikes.
Stat line I didn't enjoy:
— Losman's first half... 4/11, 62 yards, INT
Just brutal. Nothing like building confidence with fans and teammates by looking terrible against the Dolphins, although Miami's downfall has been it's run defense, not stopping the pass. His second half was more than enough to keep him as starter against New England, though, if only to avoid quashing Edwards' confidence.
Stat line I didn't expect:
— Jesse Chatman, 27 carries, 124 yards.
A defense that held down Thomas Jones, Rudi Johnson and, for the most part, Willis McGahee had its hands full with the girl who sang "Fast Car?" Oh, that was Tracy Chapman? My mistake. Play on, boys.
Lastly...
Nothing. I'm done writing about this game. Can't we talk about the Sabres? Scratch that. Can't we start tailgating for next week?
Next week
It'll likely be ugly, but take solace in the fact that the Bills play the Patriots tight at least once each season. If it's 21-0 in the first quarter, go ahead and chastise me, but I'm looking forward to experiencing another night game at the Ralph, and I'm also going to be optimistic, and blatantly disregard the reality that is the 9-0 Patriots. Then again, Hey! It's a four-game win streak with three of those coming with Losman in the fourth quarter. Pulling for the defense, but too many questions surround this game... New England 31, Buffalo 20.
The running count...
Roscoe Parrish is on notice for next week, but I can't take him off the list of players who haven't let me down thanks to that wonderful punt-return in the fourth quarter. Larry Tripplett and John McCargo weren't all over the place, but hard to pull almost any defenders off a list after a 13-10 win, even over Miami.
-Donte Whitner
-Brian Moorman
-Marshawn Lynch
-Roscoe Parrish
-Larry Tripplett
-John McCargo...
—Get better, Kevin Everett
Can't wait to read the spiteful Losman E-mails: nick@wgr550.com
Still, the old cliche...
A win is a win is a win.
Right?
Let's check it out.
— First and foremost, the question on everyone's mind: J.P. Losman. The veteran had a lousy first half, as bad as I've seen from him or anyone not named Ray Lucas. The second half was markedly better. This game was essentially the Pittsburgh game, except the fourth-quarter numbers actually mattered. His first-half was wildly-inaccurate, including a terrible interception in the second quarter that could've crushed the Bills' hopes had Miami been anything but inept. A half like that from your quarterback will likely be the death knell for the Bills against most teams.
Enter the second half, and it's very difficult to separate the two in your mind, but Losman went 8-of-12 for 95 yards, with a sack and a miserable throw-away that Will Allen almost took to the house. Still, it's hard to forget that Michael Gaines dropped a sure touchdown on a beautiful touch pass in the third quarter. I won't pro-rate stats, but Losman has now directed the team to three consecutive fourth-quarter wins. Yes, he was an abomination in the opening half, but he's your starter moving forward. Let the hate-filled emails begin...
In fact, the more I think about it, the more Edwards can't be the man yet. The Bills lost two games — Denver and Dallas — that they deserved to win, and won two games — The Jets and Dolphins — that they deserved to lose. Each signal caller was responsible for a win and a loss, so we're fine (Except New England is next week).
— Marshawn Lynch's game wasn't his best, but like the rest of the offense, he was there when it counted. The touchdown run and two-point conversion were both Beast Mode at it's highest. With the exception of the fumble, and the mildly-terrifying injury, he ends up with 61 rushing yards and 24 receiving yards, which works. Hope for his health, because the Bills have the smallest chance to win in the football world with Anthony Thomas or Dwayne Wright as their feature back.
— Were they using new footballs? Marty Booker was simply awful for the Dolphins, who had to have been missing Chris Chambers, as well as a reliable tight end like Randy McMichael seemed to be in every game against the Bills. Buffalo dropped a bunch, too.
— For those who thought Lee Evans didn't go after Losman's passes, here's hoping you saw the Will Allen interception. If you didn't, just picture a mirror image of the Edwards interception against the Jets that some said Evans didn't fight for. Football can be ridiculous.
— At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Donte Whitner has been worth every bit of that eighth-overall pick. He's a solid tackler, a threat around the line of scrimmage and, as we learned against Miami, a motivator in the huddle. At least twice, cameras caught him propping his teammates up after rough spots that would've crippled the team in 2006.
— John DiGiorgio has been adequate, and the Italian side of my lineage is planning a hit on me just for writing this, but wouldn't it be nice to have Paul Posluszny returning for a primetime game against the best team in the NFL? Rhetorical, I know.
— Let's not forget that Josh Reed catch on the right sideline at the very end of the first half. The clock CBS provides which, if I'm not mistaken, is connected to the actual game clock, was at :01 when Reed stepped out-of-bounds. I realize it's the "home clock" benefit, but where in the world was this supposed "home clock" benefit on the onside kick against Dallas? Yes, I'm still bitter.
— With Trent Edwards, I've been a guy who's held third-down conversions in high regard all year, and Edwards has been poor, but Losman didn't direct anything on third-down. One out of 10 on third down.
— One thing you won't hear this week is how the Dolphins had the bye week to prepare for the Bills, but I guarantee you'll hear it an awful lot next week against the Patriots, especially if you-know-who is somehow the starting quarterback.
— Remember last year, when the main concern was Losman's inability to win a game in the final quarter until he lit up the Texans, and Peerless Price may-or-may-not have tapped his toes in the back of the end zone. Three fourth-quarter wins in a row, playing down to the competition or not, seems pretty impressive, regardless of if his performance dug the hole this time around. There will always be a hang-up between the fans, certain media members, and Losman, at least until he's fully out-of-town.
— Not to get too sentimental, but there was something special about the way Chris Kelsay talked about season back when spoke to the press on the first day of off-season work-outs. He's now made two big end zone plays, and would have a nice number of sacks if he didn't spend the first four games of the season playing with spray butter on his gloves (I know he just missed the tackles, but I'm going with the spray butter line. Plus, it makes me think of fresh muffins).
Stat line I enjoyed:
— Terrence McGee, seven tackles, two passes defended
— Jabari Greer, one tackle, two passes defended
The "passes defended" stat isn't one I put a lot of faith in, but both McGee and Greer made clutch plays on the final drive. McGee broke up a third-down out-pattern that would've all but put the Dolphins in field goal range, and Greer broke up a game-ending toss to Booker. Both players have been solid against teams without No. 1 wide-outs, and did a fine job against Dallas, too. The Moss/Stallworth/Welker combination will be a true test, especially with one of those threats being guarded by Kiwaukee Thomas, Jerametrius Butler or Ashton Youboty. At least Tom Brady doesn't use his tight ends. Yikes.
Stat line I didn't enjoy:
— Losman's first half... 4/11, 62 yards, INT
Just brutal. Nothing like building confidence with fans and teammates by looking terrible against the Dolphins, although Miami's downfall has been it's run defense, not stopping the pass. His second half was more than enough to keep him as starter against New England, though, if only to avoid quashing Edwards' confidence.
Stat line I didn't expect:
— Jesse Chatman, 27 carries, 124 yards.
A defense that held down Thomas Jones, Rudi Johnson and, for the most part, Willis McGahee had its hands full with the girl who sang "Fast Car?" Oh, that was Tracy Chapman? My mistake. Play on, boys.
Lastly...
Nothing. I'm done writing about this game. Can't we talk about the Sabres? Scratch that. Can't we start tailgating for next week?
Next week
It'll likely be ugly, but take solace in the fact that the Bills play the Patriots tight at least once each season. If it's 21-0 in the first quarter, go ahead and chastise me, but I'm looking forward to experiencing another night game at the Ralph, and I'm also going to be optimistic, and blatantly disregard the reality that is the 9-0 Patriots. Then again, Hey! It's a four-game win streak with three of those coming with Losman in the fourth quarter. Pulling for the defense, but too many questions surround this game... New England 31, Buffalo 20.
The running count...
Roscoe Parrish is on notice for next week, but I can't take him off the list of players who haven't let me down thanks to that wonderful punt-return in the fourth quarter. Larry Tripplett and John McCargo weren't all over the place, but hard to pull almost any defenders off a list after a 13-10 win, even over Miami.
-Donte Whitner
-Brian Moorman
-Marshawn Lynch
-Roscoe Parrish
-Larry Tripplett
-John McCargo...
—Get better, Kevin Everett
Can't wait to read the spiteful Losman E-mails: nick@wgr550.com
Sunday, November 4, 2007
IMMEDIATE REACTIONS: Buffalo 33, Cincinnati 21
WEEKLY WARNING: I was at the game, so if I missed something that was pointed out on replay, or more easily viewed on television, I don't hold myself accountable. As always, these are gut feelings written as soon as I get the chance to sit down and write.
— That was the most satisfying mid-season win over a bad defense I've ever experienced. Besides the Chad Johnson injury, which I don't want to gloss over — it was a sickening form of deja vu in Ralph Wilson Stadium — everything was aces at One Bills Drive.
— Very difficult to do anything but sing the praises of J.P. Losman, but let's start with the offensive line. Still suspect as run blockers, but gave Losman all the time he could possibly want to operate. Just a fantastic job, and continued improvement from the Bills' most significant — not good or bad, significant — free agent signings since Takeo Spikes.
— That was one of Losman's most impressive starts as a pro, as he gave the Bills' brass almost everything they could've asked for:
*a fourth-quarter comeback
*closing out an opponent
*long passes
*10-15 yard passes
*check downs
*throwing to tight ends
*converting third downs
*squeezing the ball into small windows
*elusiveness against the pass rush
*improvisation
*time of possession
*passes into the end zone
All that was missing was a little more intelligent work when things broke down around him, like the interception and a couple other forced passes in the brutal wind at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Just a monster day.
— Perhaps most impressive was the first drive, when both his critics, supporters and — most importantly — teammates saw evidence of the player who was one of the NFL's top-rated passers in 2006. 38-, 19- and 8-yard completions to Lee Evans. A 10-yard run from Lynch. Not one set of downs made it to third. Granted, it was against the Bengals, but an inspiring performance considering how many eyes were dissecting that first drive.
— Just ran across this stat in a post-game write-up: Rian Lindell hit his 235th straight extra point, which is the NFL record for consecutive extra points to start a career. Surely a rough day for Tommy Davis, who set the record in 1965.
There can't be too many fans who don't have complete confidence in Lindell, who hasn't missed a big kick in a while after misfiring in the 2004 finale against Pittsburgh and last year against the Colts — a game in which Peyton Manning would've had time to mount a drive afterwards, anyway, but let's not live in the past.
— BEAST MODE! It was great to watch Marshawn Lynch get rewarded for his hard running style with a brilliant, tackle-breaking, 56-yard run to seal the victory late in the fourth quarter. Lynch is already one of my favorite backs to watch in the NFL, and he got a little of the Tomlinson treatment, completing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Robert Royal in the final quarter as well.
The halfback option was such a great call by the coaching staff, considering the Bills had run Lynch six-straight times to open that drive. Pretty nice throw from the rookie as well, and good to see that Royal didn't dive out-of-bounds. Yes, still bitter from last year.
— A rare off-day for the Bills coverage teams, chewed up by Cincinnati's Glenn Holt twice, once for a touchdown. Very surprised that Bobby April chose to kick to Holt late after avoiding him earlier in the second half.
— He'll get some amount of grief for a big drop — despite his scary injury — but Chad Johnson showed Orchard Park just how good of a receiver he is. Just three catches for 48 yards, but he demanded double coverage, and was all over the Bills secondary, who did a commendable job covering Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmanzadeh.
— Can't say enough about how the Bills defense didn't rattle after giving up 20-plus points for the first time since the Monday night loss to Dallas, Oct. 8. Very hard to get burned by play action when you hold a team to 28 yards on 17 carries. The defensive linemen and linebackers were stalwart against the run, and didn't miss too many tackles.
— Very impressed by the way Perry Fewell called the defense, yet again. A lot of pre-snap movement from the tackles and ends, as well as bouncing Donte Whitner in a lot of different spots, to challenge Palmer with several looks.
— Fourteen more tackles for Angelo Crowell, who is perhaps my favorite player on the defense. Took a liking to his solid tackling and superb instincts last season, and he's continued to impress, all but one week of 2007.
-- In terms of NFL parity, think about this:
This year, the three teams the Bills have beaten - Baltimore, Cincinnati and the Jets - have a combined record of 7-17. Last year, those three teams combined for a 31-17. Almost absurd. I take that back. It is absurd.
Here are the rest of our traditional features…
Stat line I enjoyed:
—Lee Evans, 9 catches, 165 yards, TD
Now, why in the world would Evans want Losman to quarterback this team? I still don't get it. Weird. Must make him a "bad teammate."
Stat line I didn't enjoy:
— Kenny Watson, 7 catches, 90 yards
I know it's a minor detail, but the Bills did not do a good job of depriving Palmer of his check down option out of the backfield. Thomas Jones and Marion Barber III had similar success against Buffalo in the past few games.
The official Steven Sadsack line of this column:
— Cincinnati's defense is pretty poor, but not that poor. Hard not to be happy with the contest,
Stat line that betrays itself:
— Palmer, 26/39, 271 yards, 2 TD, INT
Palmer had a nice day, and he's one of the best signal callers in the league, but 57 of those yards came in the garbage time drive to close the game. The Bills did a very good job against Palmer, who's one of those quarterbacks you wish was on your team.
Words of warning...
— It'd be nice for the Bills to crush Miami next week, allowing to Lynch to sit a quarter or two out. Through eight games, Lynch has 177 carries, putting him on pace for 354, a number that would've placed him second in the NFL in 2006. Larry Johnson led the league with 416.
Don't get me wrong, I love having a work horse who hates being tackled, but I also don't want to abuse it. Lynch is as exciting an athlete as the Bills have had, but he seems to get hit several times on each carry. I'd like to have him around for a few years.
Other NFL thoughts...
— 296 yards, Adrian Peterson. Really? Wow. This kid is so impressive, and is proving his doubters wrong by staying healthy. No one's questioned his ability — Peterson was downright freakish at Oklahoma — but collarbone and shoulder issues crippled some of his time for the Sooners. So far, so good for the 3-5 Vikings, who desperately need some steady quarterbacking.
— The Colts had the Patriots game in their hands, and choked it away. I've seen the Patriots play a lot this year, and they are one of the league's all-time best, but Indianapolis but the ball in New England's hands one-too-many times, including an undisciplined fumble by Peyton Manning on third down in the final three minutes. Now, I'm posting this column after the Patriots converted to send the game to the two-minute warning, so unless there's some Colt-magic, I don't think I'll have any editing to do.
— 19-17. That's the AFC's advantage in inter-conference play against the NFC. Detroit's absolute demolition of Denver made me look that stat up, and it's another number that would be .500 if the Bills didn't screw up Monday Night. No, I'm not forgetting anytime soon.
The running count…
Roscoe Parrish was injured, which may put his status for the running count in limbo for Week Ten, but can't take anyone off the list. Had a reader, Scott, suggest that I should be allowed to add players who weren't on the field at the beginning of the season, reasoning that those players hadn't let me down since they entered the spotlight. Another reader, Pat in Geneseo, said I should've taken Moorman off the list after the Jets game, but I told him I don't think it's right to retroactively remove someone, even if I think it might've been a mistake. Pat said I should be allowed to. Anyone agree? Shoot me an email and it could make the difference for Moorman, Derek Schouman, and George Wilson.
-Donte Whitner
-Brian Moorman
-Marshawn Lynch
-Roscoe Parrish
-Larry Tripplett
-John McCargo...
Next week
— Should be a blowout, especially if Losman's under center, but I bet the Dolphins keep it close, at least on the scoreboard. Buffalo 30, Miami 20.
—Get better, Kevin Everett. Pulling for Chad Johnson, too.
E-mail: nick@wgr550.com
P.S. I'd be remiss if I didn't invite everyone to join me in my annual celebration of "No Shave November." It's based almost solely on my belief that Thanksgiving dinner is better when the men at the table have beards. Yes, I'm that odd.
— That was the most satisfying mid-season win over a bad defense I've ever experienced. Besides the Chad Johnson injury, which I don't want to gloss over — it was a sickening form of deja vu in Ralph Wilson Stadium — everything was aces at One Bills Drive.
— Very difficult to do anything but sing the praises of J.P. Losman, but let's start with the offensive line. Still suspect as run blockers, but gave Losman all the time he could possibly want to operate. Just a fantastic job, and continued improvement from the Bills' most significant — not good or bad, significant — free agent signings since Takeo Spikes.
— That was one of Losman's most impressive starts as a pro, as he gave the Bills' brass almost everything they could've asked for:
*a fourth-quarter comeback
*closing out an opponent
*long passes
*10-15 yard passes
*check downs
*throwing to tight ends
*converting third downs
*squeezing the ball into small windows
*elusiveness against the pass rush
*improvisation
*time of possession
*passes into the end zone
All that was missing was a little more intelligent work when things broke down around him, like the interception and a couple other forced passes in the brutal wind at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Just a monster day.
— Perhaps most impressive was the first drive, when both his critics, supporters and — most importantly — teammates saw evidence of the player who was one of the NFL's top-rated passers in 2006. 38-, 19- and 8-yard completions to Lee Evans. A 10-yard run from Lynch. Not one set of downs made it to third. Granted, it was against the Bengals, but an inspiring performance considering how many eyes were dissecting that first drive.
— Just ran across this stat in a post-game write-up: Rian Lindell hit his 235th straight extra point, which is the NFL record for consecutive extra points to start a career. Surely a rough day for Tommy Davis, who set the record in 1965.
There can't be too many fans who don't have complete confidence in Lindell, who hasn't missed a big kick in a while after misfiring in the 2004 finale against Pittsburgh and last year against the Colts — a game in which Peyton Manning would've had time to mount a drive afterwards, anyway, but let's not live in the past.
— BEAST MODE! It was great to watch Marshawn Lynch get rewarded for his hard running style with a brilliant, tackle-breaking, 56-yard run to seal the victory late in the fourth quarter. Lynch is already one of my favorite backs to watch in the NFL, and he got a little of the Tomlinson treatment, completing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Robert Royal in the final quarter as well.
The halfback option was such a great call by the coaching staff, considering the Bills had run Lynch six-straight times to open that drive. Pretty nice throw from the rookie as well, and good to see that Royal didn't dive out-of-bounds. Yes, still bitter from last year.
— A rare off-day for the Bills coverage teams, chewed up by Cincinnati's Glenn Holt twice, once for a touchdown. Very surprised that Bobby April chose to kick to Holt late after avoiding him earlier in the second half.
— He'll get some amount of grief for a big drop — despite his scary injury — but Chad Johnson showed Orchard Park just how good of a receiver he is. Just three catches for 48 yards, but he demanded double coverage, and was all over the Bills secondary, who did a commendable job covering Ocho Cinco and T.J. Houshmanzadeh.
— Can't say enough about how the Bills defense didn't rattle after giving up 20-plus points for the first time since the Monday night loss to Dallas, Oct. 8. Very hard to get burned by play action when you hold a team to 28 yards on 17 carries. The defensive linemen and linebackers were stalwart against the run, and didn't miss too many tackles.
— Very impressed by the way Perry Fewell called the defense, yet again. A lot of pre-snap movement from the tackles and ends, as well as bouncing Donte Whitner in a lot of different spots, to challenge Palmer with several looks.
— Fourteen more tackles for Angelo Crowell, who is perhaps my favorite player on the defense. Took a liking to his solid tackling and superb instincts last season, and he's continued to impress, all but one week of 2007.
-- In terms of NFL parity, think about this:
This year, the three teams the Bills have beaten - Baltimore, Cincinnati and the Jets - have a combined record of 7-17. Last year, those three teams combined for a 31-17. Almost absurd. I take that back. It is absurd.
Here are the rest of our traditional features…
Stat line I enjoyed:
—Lee Evans, 9 catches, 165 yards, TD
Now, why in the world would Evans want Losman to quarterback this team? I still don't get it. Weird. Must make him a "bad teammate."
Stat line I didn't enjoy:
— Kenny Watson, 7 catches, 90 yards
I know it's a minor detail, but the Bills did not do a good job of depriving Palmer of his check down option out of the backfield. Thomas Jones and Marion Barber III had similar success against Buffalo in the past few games.
The official Steven Sadsack line of this column:
— Cincinnati's defense is pretty poor, but not that poor. Hard not to be happy with the contest,
Stat line that betrays itself:
— Palmer, 26/39, 271 yards, 2 TD, INT
Palmer had a nice day, and he's one of the best signal callers in the league, but 57 of those yards came in the garbage time drive to close the game. The Bills did a very good job against Palmer, who's one of those quarterbacks you wish was on your team.
Words of warning...
— It'd be nice for the Bills to crush Miami next week, allowing to Lynch to sit a quarter or two out. Through eight games, Lynch has 177 carries, putting him on pace for 354, a number that would've placed him second in the NFL in 2006. Larry Johnson led the league with 416.
Don't get me wrong, I love having a work horse who hates being tackled, but I also don't want to abuse it. Lynch is as exciting an athlete as the Bills have had, but he seems to get hit several times on each carry. I'd like to have him around for a few years.
Other NFL thoughts...
— 296 yards, Adrian Peterson. Really? Wow. This kid is so impressive, and is proving his doubters wrong by staying healthy. No one's questioned his ability — Peterson was downright freakish at Oklahoma — but collarbone and shoulder issues crippled some of his time for the Sooners. So far, so good for the 3-5 Vikings, who desperately need some steady quarterbacking.
— The Colts had the Patriots game in their hands, and choked it away. I've seen the Patriots play a lot this year, and they are one of the league's all-time best, but Indianapolis but the ball in New England's hands one-too-many times, including an undisciplined fumble by Peyton Manning on third down in the final three minutes. Now, I'm posting this column after the Patriots converted to send the game to the two-minute warning, so unless there's some Colt-magic, I don't think I'll have any editing to do.
— 19-17. That's the AFC's advantage in inter-conference play against the NFC. Detroit's absolute demolition of Denver made me look that stat up, and it's another number that would be .500 if the Bills didn't screw up Monday Night. No, I'm not forgetting anytime soon.
The running count…
Roscoe Parrish was injured, which may put his status for the running count in limbo for Week Ten, but can't take anyone off the list. Had a reader, Scott, suggest that I should be allowed to add players who weren't on the field at the beginning of the season, reasoning that those players hadn't let me down since they entered the spotlight. Another reader, Pat in Geneseo, said I should've taken Moorman off the list after the Jets game, but I told him I don't think it's right to retroactively remove someone, even if I think it might've been a mistake. Pat said I should be allowed to. Anyone agree? Shoot me an email and it could make the difference for Moorman, Derek Schouman, and George Wilson.
-Donte Whitner
-Brian Moorman
-Marshawn Lynch
-Roscoe Parrish
-Larry Tripplett
-John McCargo...
Next week
— Should be a blowout, especially if Losman's under center, but I bet the Dolphins keep it close, at least on the scoreboard. Buffalo 30, Miami 20.
—Get better, Kevin Everett. Pulling for Chad Johnson, too.
E-mail: nick@wgr550.com
P.S. I'd be remiss if I didn't invite everyone to join me in my annual celebration of "No Shave November." It's based almost solely on my belief that Thanksgiving dinner is better when the men at the table have beards. Yes, I'm that odd.
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