shelby
12-20-2008, 07:20 AM
Following the offseason departure of some long-time kicking game standouts, there was some concern at the start of the year about Buffalo's ability to maintain its place among the best return teams in the league.Two weeks before the end of an otherwise disappointing season, those worries have long been put to rest.
The Bills don't do many things well, but no one returns kicks better.
Rookie Leodis McKelvin is second in the NFL in both kickoff return yards (1,375) and average per return (29.3), Roscoe Parrish ranks No. 1 in yards per punt return at 15.2, and when they have the ball in their hands they are clearly the players who give the Bills their best chance to score.
"Across the board we're solid," said special teams coach Bobby April.
McKelvin, in particular, has been dynamic, and April and coach Dick Jauron knew it almost from the moment the 2008 first-round draft pick joined the team.
In Week 2 they took away the kickoff return duties from Terrence McGee, Buffalo's all-time leader in all the primary kickoff categories, and gave the job to McKelvin.
Part of that was to keep McGee fresher for his main gig, starting at left cornerback, but also because McKelvin was an undeniable talent.
more... (http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20081219/SPORTS03/812190328/1021)
The Bills don't do many things well, but no one returns kicks better.
Rookie Leodis McKelvin is second in the NFL in both kickoff return yards (1,375) and average per return (29.3), Roscoe Parrish ranks No. 1 in yards per punt return at 15.2, and when they have the ball in their hands they are clearly the players who give the Bills their best chance to score.
"Across the board we're solid," said special teams coach Bobby April.
McKelvin, in particular, has been dynamic, and April and coach Dick Jauron knew it almost from the moment the 2008 first-round draft pick joined the team.
In Week 2 they took away the kickoff return duties from Terrence McGee, Buffalo's all-time leader in all the primary kickoff categories, and gave the job to McKelvin.
Part of that was to keep McGee fresher for his main gig, starting at left cornerback, but also because McKelvin was an undeniable talent.
more... (http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20081219/SPORTS03/812190328/1021)