Buffalo Bills had some bright spots

[shelby]

Kicking off Highlights and lowlights from the Buffalo Bills official 2008 year-end review:

Excluding the "home" game in Toronto, Buffalo ranked 7th in the 32-team NFL in average home attendance (71,405).
The Bills have sold out 42 of their past 47 home games and 59 of 71 since 2000. That's impressive considering the team did not reach the playoffs during that span.
QB Trent Edwards' .655 completion percentage (245 of 374) was second-best in team history .... He was 3rd in the NFL in passer rating in the fourth quarter (106.3), behind only Tony Romo (114.7) and Philip Rivers (111.7) .... He had 4 fourth-quarter winning comebacks (a team record).
The Bills are 10-0 when Edwards has a passer rating of at least 80.0 (including 7-0 in 2008) in games he has at least 20 pass attempts.

LB Paul Posluszny led the team with 129 total tackles. DE Ryan Denney was second with 94.
Denney and Kawika Mitchell led the Bills with 4 sacks .... The Bills were outsacked 38-24 .... If there is a pass-rushing defensive end or linebacker available with the No. 11 overall pick in April's college draft, the Bills should seriously consider taking him.
The defensive unit had 97 negative yardage plays, second only to Tennessee (109) in the AFC.

Ranked 14th in the NFL in total defense (31st in 2007 and 18th in 2006).


more.... (http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20090208/SPORTS0101/902080368/1007/SPORTS)

[jamze132]

There's something positive out of Buffalo for a first! Lets run with it!

[Dujek]

It would be interesting to see how many of those negative yardage plays for the D were on 1st and 2nd down, because I remember plenty of drives where they had the opposition 3rd and a mile and then gave up the first. It always seemed to me that the defense was aggressive 1st and 2nd down, then thought they had the job done when it was 3rd and 15 and gave up the big play.

[Night Train]

It would be interesting to see how many of those negative yardage plays for the D were on 1st and 2nd down, because I remember plenty of drives where they had the opposition 3rd and a mile and then gave up the first. It always seemed to me that the defense was aggressive 1st and 2nd down, then thought they had the job done when it was 3rd and 15 and gave up the big play.

A big play in the Jauron/Fewell mindset is 20 + yards or more downfield, with the receiver getting past the defender while the QB hits him over the top.

Giving up a 10 yard slant in front of the defenders and then watching the receiver gain the first down is still a minor win in their warped minds. :trance:

Thus my complete disdain for the Cover 2 and Jauron. It's gutless football.

[DraftBoy]

A big play in the Jauron/Fewell mindset is 20 + yards or more downfield, with the receiver getting past the defender while the QB hits him over the top.

Giving up a 10 yard slant in front of the defenders and then watching the receiver gain the first down is still a minor win in their warped minds. :trance:

Thus my complete disdain for the Cover 2 and Jauron. It's gutless football.

That's not how the Cover 2 is supposed to work, that's just how the Buffalo Bills Cover 2 works.

[Jan Reimers]

It's like we're in a constant prevent mode, where we bend and bend and bend so much that the other team bends us right into the end zone.

[lukabrossi]

"...bend, but don't break defense".....sounds more like "...bend over and take it defense".

[madness]

This team lacks the one thing that could help put it over the top... consistency.

They can obviously win when firing on all cylinders but that just doesn't come around too often. It's the same reason we need better players out of the C, DE, TE, #2 WR, OLB positions and young players like TE, PP, DW and yes even ML need to put up an acceptable performance every single play. No one is questioning their effort but acceptable performance includes doing all the little things right to gain the advantage at your position.

This is a team game and the more match ups you win, the better your chances of winning overall. Once they learn to do this on a consistent basis, they'll start winning.

[lukabrossi]

i've watched this team for over 35 yrs.......and i didn't see any bright spots this year.

[cocamide]

i've watched this team for over 35 yrs.......and i didn't see any bright spots this year.

Number 1 special teams?
Marshawn and Fred Jackson?
McKelvin's ability as a return man?
JP Losman's last year?

Alright, that's about all I have.

[Nighthawk]

Number 1 special teams?
Marshawn and Fred Jackson?
McKelvin's ability as a return man?
JP Losman's last year?

Alright, that's about all I have.

Did we get into the playoffs or did we take a step backwards? Umm, I'd say we took a step backwards. Nothing good comes from starting the season 4-0/5-1 and then missing the playoffs.

[cocamide]

Did we get into the playoffs or did we take a step backwards? Umm, I'd say we took a step backwards. Nothing good comes from starting the season 4-0/5-1 and then missing the playoffs.

I agree, as a whole the season completely sucked. However, are you saying that the four things I listed weren't bright spots on the team, or have you been on the Internet so long that the only way you know how to respond to someone is with an argumentative tone?

[PECKERWOOD]

I think the Cover 2 can work but we need to perfect a variety of tricky zone blitzes to make it happen. I can point out a variety of bright spots on this team though:

1.) Lynch
2.) Jackson
3.) Evans
4.) Stroud
5.) Williams
6.) Mitchell
7.) Posluszny
8.) McKelvin
9.) Whitner
10.) Young players that showed some promise, Fine, Johnson and Corner definately have me optimistic about their future.

[Nighthawk]

I agree, as a whole the season completely sucked. However, are you saying that the four things I listed weren't bright spots on the team, or have you been on the Internet so long that the only way you know how to respond to someone is with an argumentative tone?

This isn't to say I would want the worst ST in the league, but does it really matter that we had the #1 ST unit in the league if we never make the playoffs? I'm tired of taking small positives from losing seasons, year after year after year. Until we get to the playoffs and become relevant again in the NFL, then trying to find positives in another poor season just doesn't matter.