Tweet
The main thing that defined Buffalo's 2007 season was injuries. The Bills saw one player after another go down last season en route to a 7-9 finish. From both quarterbacks to Paul Posluszny to Marshawn Lynch, it seemed nearly everyone on the roster missed at least some time thanks to injury.
Among the most significant losses was 24-year-old free safety Ko Simpson, whose Week 1 broken left ankle against the Denver Broncos ended his second NFL season before it ever really began. After a rookie year in which the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Simpson succeeded longtime pro Troy Vincent as a starter in the secondary for the Bills and tallied 76 tackles and two interceptions, most were expecting the 2006 fourth-round pick to have a terrific sophomore year.
Unfortunately for the ex-South Carolina Gamecock, things didn't go according to plan. And now Simpson is working his way back from an injury that many felt helped lead to Buffalo's 29th-ranked pass defense last season.
After Simpson went down, though, the Bills eventually found a suitable replacement who actually fared quite well. For that reason, Simpson shouldn't automatically be handed his '06 starting job back by head coach Dick Jauron and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.
Filling Simpson's shoes for 12 games last season was George Wilson, a former wide receiver who enjoyed a surprising amount of success in his first year as a defender. In total, the 6-0, 212-pound Wilson finished with 37 tackles and two interceptions. The 27-year-old showed a propensity for the big play; his shining moments included a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Tony Romo-led Dallas Cowboys in Week 5 and a fumble return for another score in a December blowout versus the Miami Dolphins.
Sadly for Wilson, it was that same Miami game which ended his season. During the contest, a 38-17 victory, Wilson suffered two broken ribs and was promptly placed on injured reserve, becoming the latest in a ridiculously long line of Bills who couldn't last through Week 17.
Among the most significant losses was 24-year-old free safety Ko Simpson, whose Week 1 broken left ankle against the Denver Broncos ended his second NFL season before it ever really began. After a rookie year in which the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Simpson succeeded longtime pro Troy Vincent as a starter in the secondary for the Bills and tallied 76 tackles and two interceptions, most were expecting the 2006 fourth-round pick to have a terrific sophomore year.
Unfortunately for the ex-South Carolina Gamecock, things didn't go according to plan. And now Simpson is working his way back from an injury that many felt helped lead to Buffalo's 29th-ranked pass defense last season.
After Simpson went down, though, the Bills eventually found a suitable replacement who actually fared quite well. For that reason, Simpson shouldn't automatically be handed his '06 starting job back by head coach Dick Jauron and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.
Filling Simpson's shoes for 12 games last season was George Wilson, a former wide receiver who enjoyed a surprising amount of success in his first year as a defender. In total, the 6-0, 212-pound Wilson finished with 37 tackles and two interceptions. The 27-year-old showed a propensity for the big play; his shining moments included a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Tony Romo-led Dallas Cowboys in Week 5 and a fumble return for another score in a December blowout versus the Miami Dolphins.
Sadly for Wilson, it was that same Miami game which ended his season. During the contest, a 38-17 victory, Wilson suffered two broken ribs and was promptly placed on injured reserve, becoming the latest in a ridiculously long line of Bills who couldn't last through Week 17.
Comment