thebuffalobills4
08-16-2004, 12:48 PM
McGahee, reserves give Bills edge over Broncos
By MARK GAUGHAN
News Sports Reporter
8/16/2004
Click to view larger picture
James P. McCoy/Buffalo News
Bills running back Willis McGahee falls into the end zone with the game's only touchdown.
Two top-ranked defenses from last season flexed their muscles Sunday night in Ralph Wilson Stadium.
The Buffalo Bills' starting defense made two interceptions in four drives against Denver quarterback Jake Plummer.
The Broncos' starting defense got one interception off Drew Bledsoe and was stingy against the run.
The starting units played to a 3-3 draw through 19 minutes of action. The Bills' reserves won the rest of the battle, securing a 16-6 victory before a crowd of 49,645.
Willis McGahee looked good playing with the Bills' second-teamers. While he never kicked into high-speed gear, he displayed some power and elusiveness in gaining 58 yards on 13 carries. He also scored the lone touchdown on a 1-yard plunge in the second quarter.
The Bills' first-team defense, which ranked second in the NFL last year, got interceptions from nickel cornerback Terrence McGee and defensive end Ryan Denney. Defensive end Aaron Schobel sacked Plummer on the first play from scrimmage. Defensive end Chris Kelsay also had a sack.
"We got two turnovers, which was big for us because it was something that we struggled with last season," said linebacker Takeo Spikes. "Turnovers are a main focus this season, so it was a good start."
The Broncos' defense, which ranked fourth last season, held the Bills' starters to 25 yards on 14 plays. Bledsoe did manage to move the offense 29 yards on his third and final series to a 31-yard Rian Lindell field goal.
"I think that we showed what our mentality is going to be," Bledsoe said. "We showed that we are going to be hard-headed in the running game and that we are going to continue to pound it on people. . . . Eventually, we will get plays to open up because of that."
Bledsoe's final numbers were 4 of 6 passing for 27 yards with one interception.
Plummer went 3 of 11 for 40 yards with two pickoffs.
"Anytime you have two turnovers in four drives it's not very good," said Denver coach Mike Shanahan, whose team went 10-6 last year. "It was a great job by Buffalo making some plays. They were a great defense last year, and I think they'll be an excellent defense again this year."
Bills No. 2 QB Travis Brown looked sharp in directing the Bills' TD drive. Brown completed 7 of 14 for 76 yards.
"Travis played well," Bledsoe said. "He did what he has been doing all of training camp. . . . He moved around a little bit when he had to and made a great play on a third-down conversion."
Bills No. 3 QB J.P. Losman directed two drives to field goals. He was 5 of 5 for 55 yards and ran for 37 yards.
On Denver's third play from scrimmage, Plummer underthrew Ashley Lelie on a crossing route. The ball bounced off Lelie's hand, and McGee made a nice grab for the pickoff.
The Bills took over at Denver's 22 but could not take advantage. After a false-start penalty, Bledsoe faced third-and-15 from the 27. He lobbed the ball down the left sideline for a leaping Eric Moulds. But as Moulds was trying to grab it, cornerback Willie Middlebrooks reached up and picked it out of the air at the 1.
"The defense came up in press coverage and I threw it deep," Bledsoe said. "Eric guaranteed me that in the regular season he would have come down with it. The defender made a good play, but he also got fairly lucky to come up with the interception. If I had to do it over again I may have thrown it more toward his back shoulder and made him stop to catch it."
The third time the Broncos got the ball, the Bills blitzed linebacker London Fletcher up the middle and dropped Denney into coverage down the sideline. Plummer's pass was a tad underthrown, and Denney looked back and made a nifty catch 15 yards downfield. It set up the first field goal.
"For the most part we stuck to the game plan and stayed persistent with the run game, and our defense held up pretty well," Bills coach Mike Mularkey said. "I thought the special teams played pretty well."
Lindell's field goals were from 31, 25 and 42 yards.
The Bills had a healthy advantage in time of possession of 35:06 to 24:54.
e-mail: mgaughan@buffnews.com
mgaughan@buffnews.com
http://www.buffalonews.com/graphics/2004/08/16/0816billsmain.jpg
By MARK GAUGHAN
News Sports Reporter
8/16/2004
Click to view larger picture
James P. McCoy/Buffalo News
Bills running back Willis McGahee falls into the end zone with the game's only touchdown.
Two top-ranked defenses from last season flexed their muscles Sunday night in Ralph Wilson Stadium.
The Buffalo Bills' starting defense made two interceptions in four drives against Denver quarterback Jake Plummer.
The Broncos' starting defense got one interception off Drew Bledsoe and was stingy against the run.
The starting units played to a 3-3 draw through 19 minutes of action. The Bills' reserves won the rest of the battle, securing a 16-6 victory before a crowd of 49,645.
Willis McGahee looked good playing with the Bills' second-teamers. While he never kicked into high-speed gear, he displayed some power and elusiveness in gaining 58 yards on 13 carries. He also scored the lone touchdown on a 1-yard plunge in the second quarter.
The Bills' first-team defense, which ranked second in the NFL last year, got interceptions from nickel cornerback Terrence McGee and defensive end Ryan Denney. Defensive end Aaron Schobel sacked Plummer on the first play from scrimmage. Defensive end Chris Kelsay also had a sack.
"We got two turnovers, which was big for us because it was something that we struggled with last season," said linebacker Takeo Spikes. "Turnovers are a main focus this season, so it was a good start."
The Broncos' defense, which ranked fourth last season, held the Bills' starters to 25 yards on 14 plays. Bledsoe did manage to move the offense 29 yards on his third and final series to a 31-yard Rian Lindell field goal.
"I think that we showed what our mentality is going to be," Bledsoe said. "We showed that we are going to be hard-headed in the running game and that we are going to continue to pound it on people. . . . Eventually, we will get plays to open up because of that."
Bledsoe's final numbers were 4 of 6 passing for 27 yards with one interception.
Plummer went 3 of 11 for 40 yards with two pickoffs.
"Anytime you have two turnovers in four drives it's not very good," said Denver coach Mike Shanahan, whose team went 10-6 last year. "It was a great job by Buffalo making some plays. They were a great defense last year, and I think they'll be an excellent defense again this year."
Bills No. 2 QB Travis Brown looked sharp in directing the Bills' TD drive. Brown completed 7 of 14 for 76 yards.
"Travis played well," Bledsoe said. "He did what he has been doing all of training camp. . . . He moved around a little bit when he had to and made a great play on a third-down conversion."
Bills No. 3 QB J.P. Losman directed two drives to field goals. He was 5 of 5 for 55 yards and ran for 37 yards.
On Denver's third play from scrimmage, Plummer underthrew Ashley Lelie on a crossing route. The ball bounced off Lelie's hand, and McGee made a nice grab for the pickoff.
The Bills took over at Denver's 22 but could not take advantage. After a false-start penalty, Bledsoe faced third-and-15 from the 27. He lobbed the ball down the left sideline for a leaping Eric Moulds. But as Moulds was trying to grab it, cornerback Willie Middlebrooks reached up and picked it out of the air at the 1.
"The defense came up in press coverage and I threw it deep," Bledsoe said. "Eric guaranteed me that in the regular season he would have come down with it. The defender made a good play, but he also got fairly lucky to come up with the interception. If I had to do it over again I may have thrown it more toward his back shoulder and made him stop to catch it."
The third time the Broncos got the ball, the Bills blitzed linebacker London Fletcher up the middle and dropped Denney into coverage down the sideline. Plummer's pass was a tad underthrown, and Denney looked back and made a nifty catch 15 yards downfield. It set up the first field goal.
"For the most part we stuck to the game plan and stayed persistent with the run game, and our defense held up pretty well," Bills coach Mike Mularkey said. "I thought the special teams played pretty well."
Lindell's field goals were from 31, 25 and 42 yards.
The Bills had a healthy advantage in time of possession of 35:06 to 24:54.
e-mail: mgaughan@buffnews.com
mgaughan@buffnews.com
http://www.buffalonews.com/graphics/2004/08/16/0816billsmain.jpg