December 31, 2007

Buffalo Bills: The Season in Pictures

The Buffalo Bills showed plenty of resiliency after opening the 2007-08 season with three straight losses, but could not overcome their shortcomings on offense and defense and missed the NFL playoffs for the eighth straight year. Highlights included a four-game winning streak in the middle of the season and a last-second win in Washington, but Buffalo lost its last three games and finished 7-9 for the second straight year under head coach Dick Jauron.

It's Official: Levy Leaving as Bills' GM

The Buffalo Bills confirmed Monday that General Manager Marv Levy will be stepping down as the team's General Manager.

Levy says goodbye to the Bills

Buffalo Bills General Manager Marv Levy gave a farewell address to the Bills' players this morning and then released a statement confirming his departure from the organization.

Levy, 82, will assist the Bills over the next several weeks in the transition for the team's front office and then he intends to move back to his home in Chicago. His decision to step down from the GM post came after meetings with Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. last week.

Evans Interested In Long Term Deal

For all intents and purposes there's just a year left on Lee Evans' rookie contract. He's signed through the 2009 season, but that last year is voidable in 2008. In all likelihood the Bills will work this offseason to sign their top wideout long term, but how receptive is Evans to such overtures?

"I am (interested). I am," said Evans as Buffalo's players cleaned out their lockers Monday. "We'll just have to see how we progress through the offseason and how things go. But I'm certainly open to that and open to discussion with it so we'll just have to wait and see."

Bills to Pick 11th in 2008 NFL Draft

The Bills record this season was identical to that of their 2006 record at 7-9. Last season a 7-9 mark got Buffalo the 12th pick in the draft where they selected Marshawn Lynch. This season their 7-9 record will land them the 11th overall selection.

New GM must insist upon turnover of dull offense

Dick Jauron trudged into the visiting interview room after Sunday's 17-9, season-ending loss to the Eagles, and these were the first words to come out of his mouth: "Offensively, we did a pretty good job of not turning it over."

A brief look at the Bills loss

Play of the game

The Eagles were clinging to a 10-6 lead midway through the third quarter when Donovan McNabb hit WR Reggie Brown with a perfectly thrown pass on a seam route. Brown made the catch and was on his way to the end zone when he was leveled by Bills SS Bryan Scott.

Grades for Buffalo in its loss to Philadelphia

D Quarterback: Well, at least we can say this much about Trent Edwards: He won't be a rookie next season. Once again, Edwards had an unproductive day and for the third time in the five games since he became the once-and-for-all starter, he failed to direct a touchdown drive.

Disappointing season frustrates Reed.

 I have to applaud wide receiver Josh Reed for being the only player – at least the only player I saw in the Bills' locker room Sunday — who showed some genuine and honest aggravation regarding Buffalo's latest disappointing season.

Bills' offense flat in season-ending loss

One of the many glaring statements about the Buffalo Bills offense came with nine minutes left in Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Final from the Linc: Eagles 17, Bills 9

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Buffalo Bills, 17-9, on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field to finish their season at 8-8.

Levy stepping down as Bills' GM

Marv Levy is expected to step down this week from his position as Buffalo Bills general manager, team sources confirmed Sunday.

December 30, 2007

Scoring Woes Sink Bills Again

The Bills season long inability to score touchdowns on offense was never more apparent than it was Sunday, as they went 0-for-3 in the red zone managing just three field goals in a 17-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

NFL Picks: Buffalo Bills vs Philadelphia Eagles

In a matchup of 7-8 SU clubs of NFL Picks the Philadelphia Eagles host the Buffalo Bills in Week 17 with both hoping to finish the season at .500. The Eagles come into this one winners of 2 in a row including a 10-6 road win over the top seeded Dallas Cowboys. The much maligned Philadelphia QB, Donovan McNabb, has had a good couple of weeks after coming back from injury and just might have squashed any ideas of him leaving the Eagles next season.

Pats’ Brady dominates All-Pro selections

The quarterback position is getting short shrift on the 2007 NFL All-Pro team. It’s a shame only one quarterback can be picked, when there are two players at most other positions. It would be nice to send Green Bay’s Brett Favre out with one more All-Pro selection. At age 38, he’s on track to have his most passing yards in 13 seasons, and his team is 12-3. Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger has been All-Pro worthy.

Power Rankings / Mark Gaughan ranks all 32 NFL teams

(Last week in parentheses) 1 New England Patriots. Czar Belichick pursues Byzantine manifesto: “Perfection by any means necessary.” (1) 2 Indianapolis Colts. Jim Sorgi has chance to win key to city of Cleveland. (2) 3 DallasCowboys.LBGregEllis had a great year. (3)

A new year means it’s time to gaze into crystal ball

Never mind who did what best in sports during the year about to end. Leave that to the award presenters. The more interesting conversation has to do with what may or may not happen in 2008.

Retirement completes circle for Vinny

After 21 seasons, Vinny Testaverde has had enough. The 44-year-old quarterback said Saturday he’ll retire after Carolina’s season finale at Tampa Bay today.

A perfect sixteen

With one mighty heave, Tom Brady and Randy Moss took care of the record books. Now it’s down to business for the unbeaten New England Patriots: stamping themselves as the greatest team in NFL history.

With Westbrook, McNabb rolling, Bills need to dig for inspiration

1. Westbrook watch. If a lumbering straight-line runner like the Giants’ Brandon Jacobs can gash the Bills, what will elusive, tough Brian Westbrook do today? Westbrook, right, who is probably the NFL’s most versatile running back, leads the league in scrimmage yards and needs just 2 yards to break Wilbert Montgomery’s club record of 2,006. With three pass receptions, Westbrook also will break the Eagles’ record of 88 by Irving Fryar in 1996.

Edwards is ready for next step

One thing I’ve come to admire about Trent Edwards is his frank, self-deprecating manner. The guy doesn’t lack for ego or self-confidence. But he’s a rookie. He understands that fans appreciate an athlete who seems to know his place, especially in Buffalo.

Expectations vary for teams, players in "Irrelevance Bowl"

PHILADELPHIA — They were calling this the Irrelevance Bowl in Philadelphia last week, and for a town that demands its Philadelphia Eagles play football in January, it makes sense that the City of Brotherly Love isn't paying much attention to today's game against Buffalo.

Injury Report

BUFFALO at PHILADELPHIA— ADELPHIA — BILLS: OUT: DE Copeland Bryan (knee), T Jason Peters (groin), LB Coy Wire (neck). QUESTIONABLE: WR Josh Reed (back), S Donte Whitner (illness). EAGLES: OUT: TE L.J. Smith (knee). DOUBTFUL: S Brian Dawkins (foot), CB Lito Sheppard (knee). PROBABLE: G Shawn Andrews (knee), CB Sheldon Brown (shin, ankle), LB Omar Gaither (quadricep), RB Brian Westbrook (knee).

A dismal year comes to end

TWO MORE DAYS. And the time can't pass fast enough to say goodbye and get on with the burial. For the year that was came at us like a bullet and never stopped, passing through bodies, shattering families, piercing hearts and minds. The year 2007 was a 24/7 roller coaster, capturing us for how we live and die, who we are and what we do. It delivered an abundance of shame and glory, liars and cheaters.

Trying times at Stanford aided QB

TRENT EDWARDS spent last holiday season in Los Gatos with a broken ankle, his mom and dad, his sisters, memories of too many losses as Stanford's quarterback — and no idea where he would be spending this holiday season. It turned out to be Buffalo. And Buffalo has turned out to be good. "I wouldn't have changed anything about it," Edwards said Wednesday by phone.

Final Exam

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles boast the leading allpurpose weapon in the NFL in running back Brian Westbrook. The Eagles are one of only five NFL teams that rank in the top 10 on both offense and defense.

December 29, 2007

Whitner out for Sunday's finale

PHILADELPHIA — The Buffalo Bills' defense could use all the help it can get Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles but it will have to do without one of its stars.

Wire moved to injured reserve

The Bills on Friday announced the signing of defensive lineman Corey Mace and wide receiver Scott Mayle to the 53-man roster. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. Defensive end Copeland Bryan and linebacker Coy Wire were placed on injured reserve.

Buffalo Bills 2008 Opponents

Bills' Evans goes through difficult season

For most of the 2007 season, Lee Evans has felt like the kid who receives a cool toy for Christmas, only to read the fine print on the package that says "Batteries not included."

December 28, 2007

Bills Promote Mace and Mayle

Heading into their final game of the 2007 campaign the Bills made a pair of roster moves to reward a couple of hard working practice squad players. Defensive lineman Corey Mace and wide receiver Scott Mayle were called up to the active roster Friday.

Buffalo starting safety Donte Whitner questionable against Philadelphia because of illness

Buffalo starting safety Donte Whitner missed his third straight practice Friday because of the flu and is questionable for the Bills' season finale at Philadelphia.

Whitner started all 15 games for the Bills this season and is third on the team with 102 tackles.

The Ralph on ice: Stadium becomes hockey arena

If Don Renzulli had to make a list of potential hosts for a major New Year's party, the Buffalo Bills would probably be toward the top.

"You couldn't ask for a better partner," said Renzulli, senior vice president of events and entertainment for the National Hockey League. Renzulli was referring to the support the Bills have been providing as the league prepares Ralph Wilson Stadium for the Jan. 1 NHL Winter Classic, a regular-season game between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins.

60 Seconds with Dwayne Wright

You’ve started up a music recording business. How did you get into it? “I’ve been into music since I was in 10th grade, but I never had the money to get the equipment. When I was a senior in high school, my parents gave me some money and I was able to start getting the equipment you need. We first started in my mom’s living room, and she didn’t like that at all. Then we moved into my brother’s room back in San Diego. Then we moved into the garage. We built a studio in the garage. Once I was blessed to get into the NFL I brought everything to my house. My studio is halfway built in my basement, and I’m running everything out of my office.”

Ex-star players don’t need the hassles of coaching

Q: What are the chances the Bills will bring in Jim Kelly or Steve Tasker as a coach in some capacity? — Dave Mercado, Miami

A: Zero. NFL coaches basically work 6 or 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, every week of the season. (Some even work a little more.) Friday, Saturday and Sunday are shorter days, except for road games, of course. It’s a 70- to 80-hour work week all through training camp and preseason. Kelly and Tasker have financial security. There’s no way they would want to subject themselves to that kind of lifestyle to the exclusion of everything else in their lives. Kelly would have to walk away from almost all of his business and charity endeavors.

Eagles’ Westbrook looms as major challenge

The Buffalo Bills must adjust from the power running game of Brandon Jacobs and the finesse of Ahmad Bradshaw to the more versatile style of Philadelphia’s Brian Westbrook when the Bills (7-8) play the Eagles (7-8) on Sunday.

Last call for Bills’ ‘Special Ops’

Around the Buffalo Bills’ special teams unit, for whom coach Bobby April always has skyrocketing expectations, there exists an uncomfortable degree of truth about Sunday’s season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles. The prospect that the front office could break up Josh Stamer, Mario Haggan, Ryan Neufeld and Sam Aiken is on everyone’s mind.

This Sunday it's the Schobel Brothers Show

In a perfect world, Matt and Aaron Schobel would be NFL teammates, just like they were college teammates at Texas Christian and high school teammates in Columbus, Texas.

But this is only a nearly perfect world for the Schobel brothers: Matt will line up at tight end for the Eagles on Sunday, which means he occasionally will block Aaron, a Buffalo Bills' defensive end.

McNabb says he's content in Philly

The question was a simple one, and the answer emanating from Donovan McNabb was even more simple.

Do you expect to be back with the Eagles next season, the Philadelphia quarterback and former Syracuse University star was asked the other day.

Eagles-Bills Scouting Report

Recent history: The Eagles last faced the Bills on Sept. 28, 2003, a 23-13 win in Buffalo.

OFFENSE

Eagles: 355.9 yards per game, 6th.

Bills: 277.5 yards per game, 31st

Bills' Trent Edwards, stand up and take a bow

Trent Edwards spent last holiday season in Los Gatos with a broken ankle, his mom and dad, his sisters, memories of too many losses as Stanford's quarterback - and no idea where he would be spending this holiday season.

It turned out to be Buffalo. And Buffalo has turned out to be good.

''I wouldn't have changed anything about it,'' Edwards said Wednesday by phone.

Five ailing Bills miss practice

The Buffalo Bills injury report remained unchanged on Thursday.

Left tackle Jason Peters (groin), safety Donte Whitner (illness), defensive end Copeland Bryan (knee), wide receiver Josh Reed (sore lower back) and linebacker/safety Coy Wire (neck) all missed practice on Thursday.

December 27, 2007

Post Christmas Bills News

Here are some headlines that you may have missed out on over your Christmas break:

Showing Schonert Support

For Lee Evans 2007 was his fourth year in the NFL. In that time he's had two coordinators. When current offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild departs for his new head coaching post at Colorado State, the new man will be coordinator number three. Evans and many other players on offense would prefer not to have a third different offensive system as well. That's why several seem in favor of quarterbacks coach Turk Schonert assuming the soon to be vacant post.

8-8 Carries Weight

Some media members in Philadelphia have dubbed Sunday's game the Irrelevance Bowl as two teams in the Bills and Eagles, with no shot at the playoffs, square off this weekend. But if you ask any of the players in Buffalo's locker room, finishing the season 8-8 sounds a whole lot better than 7-9.

Bills’ Whitner, Reed sit out again

Bills safety Donte Whitner missed his second straight practice today because of the flu, leaving his status uncertain to play in Buffalo’s season finale at Philadelphia on Sunday.

NFL subtracts two yards from Jacobs' total vs. Bills

The NFL has officially deducted 2 yards from Brandon Jacobs' rushing total in the New York Giants' victory at Buffalo last Sunday.

Bills notebook: Chambers will get career start No. 1 at tackle

Kirk Chambers has been waiting all season for the opportunity he will get Sunday in Philadelphia.

Bills' air attack stumbling again

The Buffalo Bills close their season this week adopting a familiar refrain in regard to their passing game: Maybe next year.

December 26, 2007

Bills QB coach Schonert interested in taking over as offensive coordinator

Having spent 12 seasons tutoring NFL quarterbacks, including Bills rookie Trent Edwards this year, Turk Schonert believes he's ready for an even bigger challenge: offensive coordinator.

Whitner, Reed among those who miss Bills practice

The Bills began practice today for their season finale in Philadelphia Sunday and they did so without three key starters on the field.

Buffalo (7-8) at Philadelphia (7-8)

Earlier this month, it was believed this game could potentially be Donovan McNabb's last in a Philadelphia Eagles uniform. That belief could be further squashed if McNabb continues to show he's still capable of being their franchise quarterback.

Philadelphia closes a regular season with McNabb under center for the first time in four years when it meets the Buffalo Bills on Sunday in a matchup of teams trying to finish at .500.

Looking For Killer Instinct

With one game left in their 2007 season the Bills are unfortunately left wondering about just how much progress they still have to make to win more often than they lose

Some goodies aplenty from Sully Claus

In recent weeks, when I was writing charitable, optimistic stories about this year’s Bills, there were mutterings that I had gone soft in my old age. Even I’m beginning to wonder.

Bills aspire to achieve recent Browns' success

Admit it, Buffalo Bills fans. You'll be envying Cleveland Brown supporters this Sunday.

Sabres skate past the Bills in local merchandise sales

In sports-crazed Western New York, there is little doubt the reds and greens of Christmas were joined by Buffalo Sabres blue and gold and Buffalo Bills blue, white and red. But after everything was unwrapped, chances are the pile of Sabres loot was taller than the Bills pile.

Bills opponents are going the extra yards

Don’t blame it all on the offense. As much as the lack of it was responsible for Sunday’s 38-21 loss to the New York Giants that dropped the Buffalo Bills to 7-8, the defense gave up 291 yards rushing.

December 25, 2007

Schneck's absence being felt by Bills

Out of all the individual positions in the NFL, long snapper is easily the most anonymous. The only time fans and media really care about the position is when the person filling the role fails to do his job. When a long snapper succeeds, it's viewed as routine; however, when the snapper fails -- especially at a critical juncture -- he is vilified.

Groin injury forces Peters into role of spectator

If anyone questioned the value of Jason Peters, Sunday’s game against the New York Giants was proof of his worth.  With the Pro Bowl left tackle in the lineup, the Bills easily built a 14-0 lead. But when he went down with a groin injury, the offense had trouble moving the ball and scored only one more touchdown during the 38-21 loss.   The Bills (7-8) will be without Peters again Sunday for their regularseason finale at Philadelphia (7-8).

Bills are absolutely awful on offense

This is not exactly breaking news, but there have been some nightmarish offensive performances by the Buffalo Bills this season.

After all, you don't "achieve" a ranking of 27th in points scored, 31st in yards gained and 29th in first downs earned without your share of putrid outings. But what transpired in Sunday's 38-21 loss to the Giants was certainly among the worst displays of offensive football the hearty, weather-beaten souls at Ralph Wilson Stadium have had to endure.

Are Bills the definition of mediocrity?

Sal: After Sunday's miserable but-oh-so predictable 38-21 loss to the New York football Giants, Webster's should call One Bills Drive and request a team picture to put in its dictionary because these Bills are absolutely the essence of mediocrity.

Leo: The Bills had visions of a 9-7 record and their first winning season since 2004 dancing in their heads, but the best they can do now is a .500 record and that's going to take a lot better performance at Philadelphia this weekend. The Eagles have won two in a row and are just as determined to get to 8-8 after the equally trying year they've experienced.

Bills' Peters likely to miss finale

Buffalo coach Dick Jauron indicated this afternoon that left tackle Jason Peters will most likely not be able to play in the Bills’ season finale at Philadelphia Sunday.

December 24, 2007

Everett wields comic barbs

It had been a while since Kevin Everett felt the love from his Buffalo Bills teammates, so one of the first things he did was talk trash.

Giants’ ‘D’ picks its spots

The New York Giants’ defense refused to fumble away its chance at the playoffs, even though the team’s quarterback did his best to do just that.

Lynch weathers storm, reaches milestone

Marshawn Lynch, the kid from Oakland, Calif., figures he should get used to severe winters in Western New York.

Hixon gains closure after reunion with Everett

Domenik Hixon slipped into a waiting golf cart and headed off to the meeting he both dreaded and welcomed. Hixon hadn’t spoken with Kevin Everett since the Sept. 9 collision from which only one of them walked away. But Everett’s recovery has been miraculous and Hixon’s conscience has been guilt-ridden and you knew this meeting could be nothing but good for the both of them.

Bills-Giants Report Card

Grading the Bills

Running game

C Ranfor117yardsasateamandaveraged 4.2 a carry, but had too many runs that lost yardage. Run blocking still leaves something to be desired.

QUARTERLY REPORT Mark Gaughan breaks down the game quarter- by- quarter A passing fancy

Who says the NFL’s 30th-ranked offense is not explosive? The Bills crammed all their big offensive plays into the first 15 minutes.

A weather-beaten team learns some cold realities

Kevin Everett got out of his wheelchair and made his way around the Bills' dressing room for an hour Sunday morning, hugging his teammates and wishing them well against the Giants. It was an emotional, uplifting moment for the Bills, who had wished and prayed for the day when they would see Everett performing a most basic human function: walking.

Bogged down

There was a perfect symmetry to the Buffalo Bills’ 38-21 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday.

Everett's visit a 'blessing' for Bills

Trent Edwards never cried before a pregame meal until Sunday, when he saw Kevin Everett walking his way.

Bills' grades in their loss to Giants

D Quarterback: Trent Edwards was due for a rookie meltdown, and he looked like a used wax candle after this one was over. He began the day strong, building a quick 14-0 lead with two touchdown passes. Then the wheels fell off in the brutal wind, rain and snow.

A brief look at the Bills loss

Giants linebacker Kawika Mitchell picked off a Trent Edwards pass early in the fourth quarter and returned it 20 yards for the touchdown that gave the Giants the lead for good. Down 21-17 at the time, it was the start of a 21-point, fourth-quarter explosion that sent the Giants into the playoffs.

Musings: Edwards must (ac)climate to cold of Buffalo

While it is certainly too early to judge Trent Edwards, this much I know for sure: The California kid does not yet know how to play in inclement weather, and neither do a number of his teammates.

Would-be fairy tale turns into reality of mediocrity

Gather around children and let me tell you a Christmas story.

About the NFL team that could no longer play for a berth in the playoffs, but still could play for pride.

Crushed by a rush

For the second week in a row the weather outside was frightful, and the Buffalo Bills were anything but delightful.

December 23, 2007

Giants run through Buffalo to clinch playoff berth

The New York Giants clinched a playoff berth Sunday, overcoming a Bills team inspired by Kevin Everett's return to the field where he was injured.

Brandon Jacobs scored twice and Ahmad Bradshaw had an 88-yard touchdown run, as the usually pass-happy Giants leaned heavily on their running attack in a 38-21 win. Kawika Mitchell's 20-yard interception return produced the go-ahead points and sparked a three-touchdown fourth-quarter rally.

Bills tackle Peters leaves game in 2nd quarter with injury

Peters was hurt while blocking Osi Umenyiora on a third-and-5. Peters stood his ground, but his right foot slipped from under him on a slick field drenched by a pelting rain.

Peters lay on the ground for several minutes before limping off on his own.  The Bills said the player's return was questionable as Peters watched the next series from the sideline. He was escorted to the locker room before the end of the first half and did not return to the sideline.

Everett attends Bills last home game

Everett addressed the team before the game and was taken to owner Ralph Wilson's suite on a golf cart to watch the Bills play the New York Giants. Fans and concessionaires who recognized Everett applauded him on his way to the suite.

HOLIDAY RUSH

Today’s matchup at Ralph Wilson Stadium figures to be all about pressure. The Buffalo Bills need to find a way to cope with the pressure the No. 1 pass-rushing team will bring on quarterback Trent Edwards.

Everett’s plans unclear

It remained uncertain Saturday whether Kevin Everett would appear at today’s game between the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Five tickets to postseason yet to be punched

By the end of the day, all 12 participants in the National Football League playoffs could be determined, although the final seeding could still be up in the air. Cleveland, Jacksonville, Minnesota and the New York Giants can clinch playoff spots by winning their games.

Power Rankings / Mark Gaughan ranks all 32 NFL teams

1 New England Patriots. Evil Empire pushes forward to total victory, total perfection, total annihilation, no prisoners, salt the earth, kill every male child. (1)

How QBs handle weather bigger than Giants’ coaching situation

The Giants’ coaching situation seems to turn into a soap opera every December. Many believe that if Big Blue becomes Big Blew It and fails to get an NFC wild card or gets bounced in the first round at Seattle or Tampa Bay, coach Tom Coughlin will be gone.

Bills didn’t adjust to snow in Cleveland

I’m mad! Not so much that we lost, but how we lost. In the kind of weather every 12-yearold in Buffalo looks forward to playing in, we saw a bunch of overpaid players fail to show up.

Bills scouting report

The Bills may be out of the playoff race, but they won't be laying down for the Giants who are still trying to secure an NFC berth. The Bills have refocused their goals and now the mission is to finish 9-7 which would be just the team's second winning record this decade. The one thing the Bills have done all year is give 100 percent effort, and that won't change today.

Bills thrust into spoiler's role

The Bills stayed in the playoff race longer than many people expected, but last week's 8-0 loss to Cleveland extended the Bills' postseason drought to a franchise-record eight years.

December 22, 2007

Bills’ Lynch turns it up

Nearly everyone expected Marshawn Lynch to wear down. Over the past two weeks, however, the Buffalo Bills rookie running back has only become stronger.

Lynch closes in on 1,000 yards rushing

One thousand yards rushing for an NFL running back isn't quite what it used to be, at least not for the premier backs in the league.

Giants' Wilson excited about return against Bills

Gibril Wilson has been anxious to hit someone, and antsy to get back out there to help the Giants during their drive for a wild-card playoff berth.

Bills’ Parrish hurts shoulder

Bills receiver Roscoe Parrish is questionable for Buffalo’s game Sunday against the New York Giants because of a shoulder injury.

Pressure on Eli, Giants to beat Bills

The Giants’ assignment looks simple enough: fly up to Buffalo, beat the Bills on Sunday, go to the playoffs. All they need is one win in their final two games, so they may as well get it against the mediocre Bills.

Bills Scouting Report

The Giants will try again to clinch a postseason berth when they face the Buffalo Bills Sunday in Ralph Wilson Stadium. Last week’s 22-10 loss to the Washington Redskins left the Giants with a 9-5 record but still in control of their postseason destiny. The Giants have won their last six road games and are 6-1 away from Giants Stadium. Buffalo is 4-3 at home (two of the losses were to Dallas and New England) and 7-7 overall. But last week’s 8-0 loss in snowy Cleveland eliminated the Bills from postseason consideration. The Giants trail in the regular season series, 6-3. They are 2-3 in Buffalo, including a loss in a strike replacement game in 1987.

Bills game could offer emotional reunion for Giants' Hixon

Domenik Hixon remembered it as one of the hardest hits he's ever received on a football field. Then he noticed the player who administered the blow lying on the ground, motionless.

Peters Is Making a Name for Himself

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — At 6 feet 4 inches and 340 pounds, Jason Peters would seem to be a hard guy not to notice, particularly for N.F.L. coaches. After all, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.94 seconds, blazing fast for a man his size.

December 21, 2007

Two weeks to go, much to play for

When the Buffalo Bills were 0-3 and decimated by injuries, I wrote that an opportunity for growth was at hand. Young players would receive the chance to mature under game conditions. The team could endear itself to its fan base by displaying a resiliency that belied its inexperience and reduced talent level.

Keep existing coaches and get new weapons for offense

Q: If Bill Parcells comes into Miami and cleans house, what would you think of Cam Cameron coming to Buffalo to become the offensive coordinator? He worked well with PhilipRivers in San Diego, and perhaps he could help develop Trent Edwards. — Dennis J. Richards, Hughesville, Pa.

Defense preparing to gang up on Giants’ Jacobs

The Buffalo Bills face one of the biggest running backs in the league on Sunday in the Giants’ 6-foot-4, 264- pound Brandon Jacobs. Jacobs has rushed for 349 yards and has 11 receptions for 100 yards over the last four games. Last Sunday against Washington, Jacobs ran for 130 yards on 25 carries.

Pressure can't get to Manning

There is little debate about the fact that playing quarterback in the NFL is the most difficult job in sports, even tougher than being the owner of the Atlanta Falcons these days.

Giants need to contain Bills' fleet rookie back

Two numbers jump right off the Giants' stat sheet for the Bills as they prepare for Sunday's game at Ralph Wilson Stadium: 141 and 153.

Those are the rushing totals allowed by the Giants defense the past two weeks. Both are well above the team's 100-yard average yield for the season.

Bills' Jauron does more with less

The Buffalo Bills are officially an afterthought now, as is their coach Dick Jauron. That's a shame. They both deserve better.

In losing a wild-card showdown at Cleveland last weekend, the Bills tumbled to 7-7. That dropped them two games back of the Browns for the final AFC wild-card spot with two games to play. But the fact that the Bills even played a meaningful game in December is testimony to Jauron.

Bills Line Preps For Premium Pass Rushers

Each season the Bills face premier defensive ends with pass rushing ability. In fact twice a year they face the likes of Jason Taylor and Richard Seymour. There are obviously others, but there have been very few instances where Buffalo's offensive front has had to deal with equally talented pass rushers at both ends of an opponent's defensive formation.

Wilson confident Bills on right track to building contender

The Bills have the right coach, will continue building through the draft rather than free agency, and don't be surprised if benched starter J.P. Losman is back for one more year in Buffalo.

That's the assessment of team owner Ralph Wilson now that the Bills (7-7), with two games left, have been eliminated from playoff contention for an eighth straight season.

December 20, 2007

Madden Preview: New York Giants @ Buffalo Bills

Last week's Giant game was really dictated by the weather and that wind was really tough. That is one of those games where you have to score early, get ahead and make the other team do things they don't want to have to do and that's what happened last week. They got in that situation in the second half. The dish just ran away with the spoon. They were down by two scores and have to throw and all that stuff. But I think they are going to bounce back.

Bills Add Long and Underood to Practice Squad

Buffalo continues to tinker with their roster with two games remaining in their 2007 campaign. A day after claiming offensive tackle Patrick Estes off waivers, the Bills signed a pair of players to their practice squad.

Haynesworth would toughen up Bills

Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth will be a free agent after this season, and radio personality and former NFL assistant coach Chuck Dickerson suggests that the Buffalo Bills should make him their primary target this offseason. I agree.

Peters draws praise from O-line coach

Jim McNally began his NFL coaching career with Cincinnati in 1980, the year Anthony Munoz started his Hall of Fame career with the Bengals. McNally coached Munoz for his entire career. Munoz was named All-Pro 11 times and set the standard by which all left tackles are measured. Coaching Munoz helped McNally become a star in a largely drab, anonymous profession.

Bills' O-line in for Giant test

The Bills' passing game (ranked 29th out of 32 NFL teams) hasn't been successful this year, but most of the quarterbacks' struggles can't be blamed on the offensive line, which has finally turned the corner in Buffalo, it seems.

Schobel’s star hasn’t lost luster

Aaron Schobel considers the voting for the Pro Bowl this year a compliment, not a source of disappointment.

Everett plans emotional return at Sunday's Bills game

The atmosphere should be electric at Sunday’s Buffalo Bills game, even though the Bills are out of the playoff race.

Pesky Bills worry Giants' coach

The Giants face Buffalo on Sunday and can clinch a playoff spot with a victory.Even with a loss, the Giants can back into the playoffs if the Redskins and Saints both lose or tie.

December 19, 2007

Bills Invite Everett to Attend Game

The Bills are making plans for tight end Kevin Everett to attend the team's home finale Sunday, which would be his first trip back to Buffalo since sustaining a serious spinal cord injury.

Price Plans to Play Again

This past Tuesday Bills receiver Peerless Price cleared another hurdle in his recovery from neck surgery. He was cleared to do any and all rehab work necessary for a timely recuperation.

Denney to I-R, Bills Sign OT Estes

The list of Bills players on injured reserve is now up to 15 as Ryan Denney became the latest victim. Denney, who broke his foot in the team's third preseason game, returned to action on Nov. 4 in the home win over the Bengals.

Injuries Leave Bills Deep, Experienced

Rarely do you see an NFL team suffer as deeply and thoroughly in the injury department as the Buffalo Bills have this season. Not only has the team been forced to place fourteen of its players on Injured Reserve, but one of those, tight end Kevin Everett, suffered a critical injury that ended his playing career and left him fighting for his ability to walk.

Giants Game Sold Out

The Bills have also announced that Sunday's game against the Giants at Ralph Wilson stadium is sold out. That means the contest will be televised on local television. Buffalo sold out each of their 8 regular season games this season.

One Fan's View: E-Gun anyone?

So the season was on the line, you looked forward to this game all week, and the Bills laid an egg. Literally. They got shut out. Shelly and I went to the NY Bills Backer Bar (NYBBB) with Paris and Pam, Bills fans who live in the apartment below us. Apparently, I put in more of an effort for this game than Fairchild on Sunday.

It was the biggest game of the year. We needed to win. So I took a shower and put on jeans and a tshirt. But here’s the thing, those were relatively new jeans. I didn’t know what the W-L record was with those jeans. But I knew my corduroys that I wore during the 38-17 domination of the Dolphins were on a hot streak. So I changed out of my jeans and t-shirt and recreated my Dolphins game look.

I even went back to the bedroom to change out of my white socks instead of black of the black ones. Afterall, I was in white socks at the Dolphins game. And while that doesn’t sound like much of a sacrifice, it was. Know that when I put on a pair of socks, no matter the length of time on my feet, I feel like they are dirty and can’t be re-balled and sent to the drawer. Therefore, I was cutting into my wash cycle. But this was for playoffs. PLAYOFFS!
But enough about my OCD.

When we got to the game, Paris lifted his Bills jersey to showcase a Duffs tshirt. Shelly then showed us she was wearing her Duffs shirt as well. As a four man team, we did pretty well to swing the superstition in our favor. We took the stakes seriously, and we were well prepared.

The only wild card in my routine was where to watch the game. The NYBBB was 0-1 for the season. And my local bar, a stone’s throw away from my place, was 1-1. I wrestled with this decision all week. I couldn’t extrapolate anything from my current records. I won one at the local place, but I also lost a game there. And what happens if I was suppose to go 1-1 at both bars? I just had to go with my gut. So I had to be with my fellow Bills fans; I went NYBBB.

Flash forward to the actual game, and we didn’t see the same kind of care taken by our OC. What was so aggravating about his calls was that by the second quarter, there were a good deal of drunken fans at the bar. And they were screaming, “Stop running it up the middle on First down,every time Fairchild!”. I found that amazing.

Alcohol in excess typically has thoughts like, “She’s hot” when she clearly isn’t. It makes you think, “I bet it’d be hilarious if I jumped off that high structure for the amusement of friends.” You’ll even be in the mood to bet large sums of money when the odds are clearly against you. Yet, somehow, our drunken Bills fans were drunk in spirit, but sober in mind to know that running the same play on first down over and over again wasn’t going to get it done. This leaves just one question, “Was Steve Fairchild drunk on the sidelines?”

It seemed like it me. You’d have to be pretty inebriated to go for it on 4th and 11 at the 28. I understand that the winds were tricky, and that maybe at that moment the kick was nearly impossible. However, moving the ball 11 yards with one of only 3 formations that you’ve run all season is completely impossible. So do you go with nearly impossible or completely impossible? Having run very few play action plays, no misdirections plays at that point, and using a rookie QB from the west coast during a blizzard, there was no way to get a first down. I’d have rather seen what our most accurate kicker ever could have done.

Yes, that’s a dig at Fancy I. Phil Dawson hit a 49 yard kick in the same direction. Again, not being at the game, I understand that the winds could have changed and blah blah blah. Phil Dawson could be asked to kick FG’s in Fallujah right now in thick enemy fire, and he not only nails the kick, but the ball pierces an Iraqi insurgent’s General in the head. Thus not only ending the war but, in addition, causing an outbreak of peace to spread throughout the world. Phil Dawson’s kicks can save the housing meltdown. It’s too bad Jason Dawe is the original Dawesome; Phil Dawson makes a good case. Note that I predict he totally flames out next year and everyone will be confused as to how it happened. Also know that since I predicted it, it won’t come true. Damn it!

Meanwhile, back on the track, I think if it’s known to be a low scoring game, having the ball at the 40 yard line with 3 time outs with 1:30 to play means you play to score. Why they went into halftime thinking, “let’s just take the knee, warm up during the half and come out scoring 28 points in the second half?”

So taking a huge leap and assuming we score a FG on the 4th and 11 and at the end of the 1st half, that last drive only needed a field goal…for the win. Fairchild, I hate you.


DVD Extras:

• I hope Colorado St sticks to their word and takes Fairchild off our hands. I also think that Fairchild has to leave the team immediately, and the Bills announce his replacement. What’s the point in having two more dud games? If we are going to go with an internal hire in the long run, might as well make the switch now. Let Fairchild go kill some college talent and try to recruit them to Colorado St.
• On the second or third drive, the Bills started moving the ball. There were roll outs and misdirections. They picked up yards. Then they run the reverse (with Reed our slowest guy) and lose yards. I thought it was the right call, and I thought it was terrible blocking by our line. But why Reed? And why give up on the roll outs and misdirections when it seemed to stop the bull rush? One bad play offset the fact that 5 plays previously had worked quite nicely? Again, all signs point to Drunk. I’d love to play him in chess.
• Last time the Bills needed to win to make the playoffs, we lost to a bunch of third stringers. This time we lost to the starting line-up. Not bad. We’ve made some progress since 2004. By my extrapolations based on the above information, we’re getting into the playoffs in 2010.
• Dick grows monster balls at the worst times sometimes. Typically Jauron is a conservative coach, but out of no where, he’ll come up with these head scratching gambles. The 4th and 11 confused the hell out of me. Yet, 4th and 4 with some of the best field position of the day, we punt with time running out. True, he is vindicated since the ball landed at the 1, but he also knows he doesn’t have the lights out defense to go in there and get the stop with Jamal Lewis running the way he has. Does Jauron ever play to win, or does he just play to confuse?
• I think if the game was played in better weather, judging on the poor blocking, poor execution, inability to stop their receivers and running game, it would have been a blow out in favor of the Browns. I think the conditions were the only thing keeping the Bills in it. The Bills looked like the traditional Bills team that has been outcoached and out performed. Personally, I think Jauron has done well with this team, but he’s essentially inherited JP’s role of last year. Last year, I thought JP showed his stuff in the second half of the year and showed some signs of being a guy we can depend on. I also knew he had to take it one step farther to prove he belongs in the following season. And that’s how I feel with Jauron. He lost us the Broncos and Cowboys game. And if he is put in similar situations next year, he has to win that game or else we have to realize we have Wayne Fontes the second. The players love him, but in the end he can’t do anything. And who wants that?
• Trent Edwards played like a rookie who has never seen snow. Oh, right, he is a rookie, and no one has really played in snow like that. To prove alcohol is the basis of bad decisions, a table behind us continuously screamed for JP to come in. Really? Their argument was that he had only 64 yards passing up to that point. However, JP has had days with the exact same stats in September against weaker teams. I don’t think Trent played well, but you also saw him move the ball and give us a chance at the end. Some days he’s going to look great, and other days, he’ll look like a rookie. I’ll take 5-2 on a season that had very little promise.
• With Trent being able to move the ball pretty well in the 2 minute drill at the end, it makes you wonder. On the Bills website, they mentioned how the 1989 Browns game was the first steps for the Bills to think about going no huddle all the time and create the K-gun. And with Edwards’ Redskins game and the end of this game, makes you wonder if the same thing applies. With no timeouts, he moved the ball both times. Maybe this smart, poised, Stanford kid needs to be able to make the calls himself. We could name it the E-gun, but that just sounds like an internet store where you can buy guns to get around state laws.
• In seriousness, I wonder if playing in whiteout like conditions and wearing the white uni’s made it hard to see receivers. At one point early in the game, they showed a field level camera of what Trent was looking at, and you couldn’t see anyone 5 yards past the line of scrimmage and to top it off just seeing a little blue didn’t help. I wonder why the Bills didn’t go with the blue pants and white tops. That should have been ok by the league, and would have helped with seeing receivers.
• I kind of would like to see JP play against the Giants. Only because I think JP is a decent human being and I think he’s better than Eli. I’d like to see him win the game, and have some pundits start wondering if Eli was the biggest bust of the draft. And it could potentially increase JP’s trade value.
• In regards to “what are we getting for JP?” my guess is not much. The only reason I say that is that Pennington will probably ask for a trade as well. So if he does, he’s probably the hot guy to get despite the lack of arm strength. He at least has gotten to the playoffs.
• McGahee, quite a contender you joined over there in Baltimore. I mean, we Buffalo fans really missed you. Happy things worked out well for you guys.
• Who were you happier to see leave the Buffalo Sidelines? Gilbride or Fairchild. I know, “what child do you love more.”
• There is always next year. If we return our starting D’s next year and get to pick the 10 picks and 6 of them are legit, then next year may be the jumping point.
• To those who what Jauron gone. Who’s out there that you’d replace him with? We know how the college HC’s turnout. There aren’t any old school guys that want to come back or that we can afford. I know it’s hard to see progress from 2 years ago, but we did better with less this year under Jauron’s leadership. Imagine if we can start putting some talent into the line-up. Don’t chase everyone out. Next year is his year to show that he deserves the roll.
• Non-football related news. Gift exchange party. Shelly put together a gift exchange party on Sunday night. I had never done one of these things. But I played along. The rules were $30 gift. And everyone picks a number and gifts are selected in numerical order. I got 2. The guy who picked 1 selected my gift. So I couldn’t trade back for it. What did I bring as my gift? An indoor remote controlled Helicopter. Shelly thought it wasn’t going to be a crowd pleaser. But I am proud to say it was a hit. Also adding to the excitement is the fact that I own the “airwolf” theme song. That was played as a surprise on it’s maiden voyage. Anyways, the lesson here, indoor remote controlled helicopter is a great gift for any age or gender. I recommend having Airwolf on hand as well. IF not, Magnum PI will do.
• Shameless plug, if you live in the New York area and want to be on my list for stand-up performances, let me know. I got shows scheduled in January.
• I’m hoping that to god that Ralph doesn’t review this year and feel vindicated that he took on a marginally talented team. I hope he doesn’t think he can do this again next year. Specifically when there is $33MM in cap space. Ralph, prove to us that you have a plan, and this year was just to clear the deadweight, and 2008 is to add on to a very capable team.
• Now that we aren’t getting into the playoffs, I just want to say that I felt that if the Bills got into the playoffs, that playing for Everett’s last chance for a SuperBowl ring was going to be an amazing story. And yes, I was stary eyed enough to think we could have done it. Regardless, I’m excited to see Kevin walk out onto the field. He’s still a champ to almost all of us.

Kevin Shenoy can be reached at binaural02@hotmail.com

POLLOCK: Leftover thoughts on Bills-Browns

Some leftover thoughts from the Bills' 8-0 loss to the Browns in Sunday afternoon's extraordinary weather:

- The blizzard-like conditions even took their toll in the press box. Those of us in the first row, next to the windows, were issued orange, terrycloth Browns' towels to wipe off the condensation.

And that wasn't effective for very long.

Pro Bowl anoints Peters

Jason Peters’ career at left tackle is only 23 games old, but he’s already a Pro Bowler.

Peters on Tuesday became the 14th Buffalo Bills offensive lineman to be selected for the Pro Bowl and the first since Ruben Brown in 2003. Peters has started the last 39 games for the Bills as a tackle — including the last 23 at left tackle. Peters and New England’s Matt Light were named starters at tackle while Baltimore’s Jonathan Ogden was named a reserve.

Giving spirit abounds at Bills party

The jazz chorus from Buffalo Visual and Performing Arts sings songs of the season while “Polar Express” plays on the array of television monitors, not that anyone pays it attention.

Children scurry around the Paul Maguire Club at The Ralph, partaking of the buffet, hitting up players for autographs, all the while hopeful that the wish on their list soon will be granted.

Game of the Week

N.Y. Giants at Buffalo. The Giants can clinch a playoff spot with a victory, but a victory looks a whole lot harder after losing tight end Jeremy Shockey to a season-ending broken leg. "It's going to be tough to overcome that," quarterback Eli Manning said. "We need someone to step up and hopefully one of these rookie tight ends can do that."

Jim Kelly: Bills will stay in Buffalo

Buffalo Bills Hall-of-Fame quarterback Jim Kelly says he’s confident the team will not move in the forseeable future, and hinted at having backers in place to take over after 89-year-old owner Ralph Wilson dies.

“As long as I’m involved, I can’t see them going anywhere else,” Kelly said tonight after making an autograph-signing appearance at The Bills Store in Eastview Mall, Victor.

Kelly hinted that a succession plan is in place.

Bills tackle Peters makes Pro Bowl

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Jason Peters has been elected to start for the AFC in the Pro Bowl on Feb. 10 in Honolulu.

Peters, a fourth-year veteran, has started the last 23 games at left tackle for the Bills.

December 18, 2007

Peters Pro Bowl Bound

From undrafted rookie free agent tight end to Pro Bowl left tackle. It's been quite a four-year run for Jason Peters, who earned his first trip to Hawaii as a member of the AFC squad announced Tuesday afternoon.

Snow also grounded Browns

One thing Buffalo Bills fans should not second-guess is whether the weather hurt the Bills’ chances to win Sunday’s Blizzard Bowl in Cleveland.

BZ Power Rankings - Week 15

1. New England Patriots: Did you see that handshake? Did you see it?? WHO CARES!

2. Indianapolis Colts: Maybe this year we’ll see if Peyton and Co. can win in Foxboro in January.

3. Green Bay Packers: Brett Favre just broke another Marino record and he has that Super Bowl ring. Doesn’t that suck Dan?

 

 

 

4. Dallas Cowboys: Cowboy fans better hope Jessica Simpson stays home for the rest of the season.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: If the Jaguars keep playing like this they just might sell out a home game.

6. San Diego Chargers: LT is making Norv Turner look like he can actually be a head coach.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers: Can we all agree that the Heinz field has the worst field surface in the NFL?

8. Cleveland Browns: The cries for Brady Quinn are pretty silent.

9. Seattle Seahawks: Did these guys mail it in against Carolina or does the NFC really suck that bad?

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Congrats to Tampa Bay for getting the first ever kick return in franchise history!!

11. New York Giants: The Giants could go far in the playoffs…assuming Eli doesn’t suck in the big game.

12. Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings look pretty good. They need to keep giving the ball to Chester Taylor and Adrian Peterson. The QB position is seriously holding this team back.

13.Tennessee Titans: Vince Young looks like he is good enough to almost get the Titans to the playoffs.

14. New Orleans Saints: This team is a total mystery this year.

15. Buffalo Bills: You’d think the Bills were a dome team with the way they played in the elements on Sunday.

16. Houston Texans: How many people are correcting themselves about the Mario Williams pick?

17. Philadelphia Eagles: The curse of Takeo Spikes strikes Philadelphia!

18. Denver Broncos: Just think, if the Broncos could pull out a last second win more often they might actually have a winning record.

19. Washington Redskins: Todd Collins is back!!

20. Arizona Cardinals: Never has a team had so much offensive talent and still can’t win.

21. Carolina Panthers: Good job leading your team to a win….wait…who was the QB on Sunday?

22. Chicago Bears: How many Super Bowls would this team have won if Rex Grossman wasn’t the QB?

23. Detroit Lions: Just as the Lions were 6-2 the team realized that they were the Detroit Lions and tanked the rest of the season.

24. San Francisco 49ers: The Niners have struggled this year but hey, they have a true shutdown corner!

25. Cincinnati Bengals: Is this the end of the Marvin Lewis era in Cincinnati?

26. Kansas City Chiefs: They play to win the game…sort of.

27. Oakland Raiders: Maybe JaMarcus Russell can make the Raiders relevant someday.

28. New York Jets: The Jets look like a halfway decent team without noodle arm leading the team.

29. Baltimore Ravens: Words cannot describe the embarrassment this team should be feeling. How’s playing for a winning team going for ya Willis?

30. St. Louis Rams: Don’t feel bad St. Louis, you guys aren’t in Miami.

31. Atlanta Falcons: I don’t think things could get any worse for this franchise.

32. Miami Dolphins: As the saying goes, a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

Bills' offense shouldn't be Fairchild's anymore

With the 7-7 Buffalo Bills now eliminated from playoff contention in the AFC, the team doesn't have a whole lot left to play for over the final two weeks of the season. However, the coaching staff and front office will be observing specific positions that could be need areas in the offseason, and that should include offensive coordinator.

Bills replay: Browns the better team anyway, for now

Leo: As someone who grew up in Buffalo and worked in Cleveland, Sunday's blizzard conditions certainly came as no shock. Hey, it's December in the Great Lakes. What did we expect, sunny and 85 degrees?

Dejected Bills hope they can finish strong

CLEVELAND — It began to hit the Buffalo Bills in the treasured warmth of the visiting locker room at Cleveland Browns Stadium Sunday afternoon.

Team rides bus home after plane gets stuck

On Monday, the Buffalo Bills’ empty charter plane apparently skidded off the runway and got stuck in mud, forcing the team to ride back to Buffalo on the same buses that took them to the airport.

Bills must ask Santa for new toys

CLEVELAND — For much of the day Sunday, you could barely see the action through the swirling snow. But at times, Bills fans must have felt like they were looking over the back fence in envy at their neighbor’s collection of big, shiny toys.

December 17, 2007

Levy delighted to sign Parrish

CLEVELAND — Roscoe Parrish’s gamechanging ability makes him valuable to the Buffalo Bills, who signed the receiver/punt returner to a multiyear extension this weekend. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Success snowballs for the Browns

CLEVELAND — Browns receiver Joe Jurevicius, who grew up just east of Cleveland, is no stranger to snowy weather.

Visitors never found their footing on tundra

CLEVELAND — In the aftermath of a bitter loss, the Bills made it clear that they did not want to offer any excuses. The conditions were the same for both teams Sunday: Miserable. Surreal. Impossible. But to a man, they said they had never played football in anything quite like it.

Bills' playoff chances snowed under

CLEVELAND — The Buffalo Bills could not complain about bad luck after their Blizzard Bowl loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Browns plow through Bills, close in on playoff berth

CLEVELAND -- He's feeling really good about the Browns now.

By beating the Buffalo Bills 8-0 Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Browns put themselves in prime position to make the playoffs for only the second time since returning to the NFL as an expansion team in 1999.

Sunday's snowstorm hindered both teams

Say what you want about snow games, but the undeniable truth is that they usually produce some of the worst football you'll ever see, and that was definitely the case Sunday as the Browns beat the Bills 8-0.

Cleveland ends Buffalo's playoff hopes with 8-0 victory

For as long as they have been playing professional football in Buffalo, the Bills have prided themselves on being a team that could thrive in the most miserable of weather conditions.

Bills learn their lesson cold.

 In January 1990, the Buffalo Bills lost a playoff game here to the Cleveland Browns on a gray, dreary winter's day, 34-30.

December 16, 2007

Browns, Bills Battle Harsh Elements

CLEVELAND - Even Santa Claus shivered.

Blizzard-like conditions blanketed the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills during their crucial game on Sunday as a severe winter storm pounded the Lake Erie shoreline with heavy snow and swirling winds.

Visitors never found their footing on tundra

CLEVELAND — In the aftermath of a bitter loss, the Bills made it clear that they did not want to offer any excuses. The conditions were the same for both teams Sunday: Miserable. Surreal. Impossible. But to a man, they said they had never played football in anything quite like it.

Buffalo Bills Report Card

I know it’s late in the season, but better late than never as the saying goes. I suppose I picked a bad week to start this considering the team’s performance and all, but hopefully this is the worst Report Card we’ll see for the rest of the season. Additionally, the weather certainly played a role in the results we saw, but I’ll try to indicate how that influenced me as we go here. Let’s start off with a quick run down of the translation of grades.

A = Excellent
B = Above Average
C = Average
D = Below Average
F = Failure

Quarterbacks: C-
- Admittedly, it’s difficult to have success throwing the ball when virtually the only time you do so is on 3rd and long in nasty weather, but even so, Edwards just wasn’t on at all today. The majority of his passes weren’t even within reach of his intended targets, and those that were, didn’t offer much chance to gain serious yards. His saving grace would be the final drive as well as not making any serious mistakes. He needs to learn to deal with this weather if he’s going to be our guy in the future.

Running Backs: C+
- One of the brighter spots on the offense today, but that’s not saying much. Lynch and Jackson were subject to the same horrible play calling as Edwards (more on that later though), but they tried to make the best of it. They had some decent long runs when they actually had holes to run in, and Jackson had some nice catches out of the back field. Lynch as always worked hard to get his yards, and when the D knows you’re running all the time, that’s difficult to do. RB is not the position to worry about on this team.

Wide Receivers: D+
- Virtually non-existent. 7 catches for 65 yards between Reed and Evans and that’s it. Again though, we were in 2 WR sets, and only throwing on 3rd and long for the most part. My problem here is that in this weather, the WR is at an advantage. They know where they are going and the DBs don’t. Cleveland showed how this was supposed to work by running routes that, while not spectacular, made the DBs have to plant and stop quickly, which was virtually impossible in several inches of snow. Our guys didn’t seem to do the same.

Tight Ends: C
- Today could have been a chance for the Tight Ends to shine a bit. On a day where we had trouble getting the passing attack going, in part because of the weather, these guys should have been the safety valves. Picking up 5-6 yards here and there could have been a big help in trying to sustain any sort of drive today. That being said, our TE corps hasn’t been anything special all year, so my expectations are a bit lower with them, hence the lenient grade.

Offensive Line: B
- The other bright spot in my opinion today. When we actually did try and throw the ball, Edwards had all day long to do it, but seemingly nobody was open, or he just couldn’t hit his targets. The line was doing their job, as they have with pass blocking almost all year. The run blocking was not exactly stellar as usual, but again, they had their backs against the wall thanks to predictable play calling.

Defensive Line: D+
- Little to no pass rush this week, after an above average week against the Dolphins. They were decent in stuffing the running holes for most of the game, but began to fall apart late. Derek Anderson also had all day to make passes for the most part, the difference being that he actually completed some of them. This group is far too Jekyll and Hyde for the combined amount of money they’re making right now.

Linebackers: C
- Not too much to complain about here. They stuffed the run early on quite well, and they didn’t really get beat up in pass coverage for the most part either. They were simply on the field too long as we’ve seen multiple times this year, and Jamal Lewis wore them out down the stretch. I think Average says it all with these guys.

Defensive Backs: C
- Similar to the linebackers here. They never got beat real badly, and as I mentioned for the opposition, the DBs are at a disadvantage in this type of weather. Winslow didn’t kill us as many feared, and Edwards was good, but he also didn’t have any real back breaking plays. Again, I think Average is all that can be expected from this group at this point.

Special Teams: C-
- Speaking of Jekyll and Hyde… Our kick coverage was pretty solid, considering the skills of Josh Cribbs, not that he had a lot of opportunity to hurt us. McGee’s lone return was a pretty good one, and Leonhard did alright considering the ball normally wouldn’t be coming to him. The fake punt was a good play call and a good job in execution from Moorman, but unfortunately he was sub-par kicking the ball today, shanking several punts. Of course the biggest downfall of the day here was the snap over Moorman’s head resulting in the safety. Weather aside, that’s just unacceptable.

Coaching: F
- And finally we get down to it. Simply abysmal really… to the point where I was trying to start a collection at halftime for bus money to send Fairchild on his way to Colorado immediately. I understand the weather was awful, and a slightly conservative game plan is probably the way to go here, but seriously, what we got was just downright idiotic. This should refresh everybody’s memory of what they saw today: 1st down: Run up the middle; 2nd down: Run up the middle; 3rd and long: Short pass gain/Incompletion. I can’t even count how many times we saw the exact same thing over and over again in this game. If we the fans knew it was coming, you really would expect that Cleveland did as well. Jauron on his own didn’t do anything overtly stupid, but some of the responsibility for Fairchild’s ineptitude has to go to him as well. The coaching staff simply did not give this team a chance to win out there today. Whether we could have executed some riskier stuff or not is simply unknown, but there is only one way to in fact find out. At some point, it has to become clear that you have to let it all hang out if you want to win games. I understand that Trent is a rookie and they may not have full trust in him yet, but give him a chance to prove himself for crying out loud.

Overall Team Grade: D+

In conclusion, the weather surely had a profound effect on this game, but it should have been one that benefited us much more than we let it. Cleveland’s explosive aerial attack was mostly nullified due to the elements, and that should have been in our favor. I place the blame for this loss squarely on the coaching staff, and in turn that means that they get the blame for blowing an opportunity to continue having a chance at the playoffs. Most of us have known all season that this team is basically over achieving at a fairly high rate, despite the inability of its coaches to take advantage of that fact. Today was simply one of those games where the players couldn’t overcome both the opposition and their own sideline.

Hopefully this can become a regular feature here on the Billszone, so please feel free to let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always greatly appreciated, and comments and suggestions can be directed to me via email: scottlunn@yahoo.com

Bills' playoff chances snowed under

 Once out of the snow, the Cleveland Browns slid closer to a spot in the AFC playoffs.

Browns weather the storm to beat Bills

The Buffalo Bills might like to think they’re built for the elements, but they were no match for blizzard-like conditions, or the Cleveland Browns, this afternoon.

Buffalo Bills report card

QUARTERBACKS (C-) — Trent Edwards looked like, well, a kid from California playing in the snow for the first time, but this wasn’t fun, it was painful. He played gamely but never got in sync with any of his receivers in the slippery conditions and threw plenty of errant passes. Had his team in striking distance of the end zone in the final minute but came up short. He finished the day 13 of 33 for 124 yards.

OpIV's Post Game Review: Week 15

Yet another big game- yet another Buffalo choke job. This team was not prepared for the weather like Cleveland was. Just in case you didn't catch that, I'm going to repeat it: the team from BUFFALO was not prepared for the SNOW. We got shut out by a suspect defense. Pathetic. Truly pathetic.

First and foremost, this loss goes on the head of Steve Fairchild. The playcalling was gutless and predictable. That reverse to Reed killed our best drive of the day (save the last one). We ran 3 straight draws with 1:20 and three timeouts left at the end of the first half. And there were numerous running plays called on 3rd and 7 or longer.

Oh, and as is typical with Jauron teams, we burned a timeout early in the 3rd quarter. It would have been nice to have that on the final drive....

Our vaunted S/T unit choked, and Edwards was just awful. His passes were sailing all over the field and he had no accuracy. Evans had a key drop. Gaines had a key drop. We were missing tackles all over the field. Ellison was just awful, and Whitner couldn't tackle Lewis OR cover Winslow.

I know the detractors out there will blame it on the weather. But the weather didn't seem to affect Anderson or Cleveland's S/T or Cleveland's ability to tackle, at least not to the same degree that it affected Buffalo.

We need to step back and take a real look at the state of this team. Many people have said they are "impressed" with what Jauron has done with this team despite the injuries. But the reality is that there were 4 game where we failed to score an offensive touchdown (Pittsburgh, Dallas, Washington and Cleveland). The reality is that we're 0-7 against teams with a .500 or better record. The reality is that 4 of our wins came against the Jets and Dolphins- two teams that have 4 wins between them.

We're still not even close to competing with the better teams in this league. We simply don't show up against winning teams. Jauron can get this team prepared for the weaker teams in the league, but they seem consistently confused and overmatched against quality opponents.

So, once again, the season ends early, and once again the season ends with what's becoming our motto: "There's always next year."

Season surprises go head to head

When the season started, the Buffalo Bills were 100-1 shots to win the Super Bowl and the Cleveland Browns were 65-1.
They meet in Cleveland today still with a chance to make it into the final 12 teams in the Super Bowl Derby. Just the fact they are in contention is a surprise to their fans, coaches and to one of the owners.

Bills give Parrish extension

The Buffalo Bills did some proactive contract negotiating Friday and signed receiver and punt returner Roscoe Parrish to a multiyear extension.

Air traffic control

The Buffalo Bills hope they have not reached their tipping point for injuries to their defensive secondary when they meet the Cleveland Browns today.

Size matters against Browns; Bills backs aim to control clock

Beware the big receivers.

The Browns are following the NFL trend toward big, tall wide receivers and athletic tight ends. The combination of Braylon Edwards ( 6- foot- 3, 215) and Joe Jurevicius ( 6- 5, 232) gives Cleveland a size advantage over the Bills’ corners.

Edwards’ rookie year has faint echoes of Fergy

Trent Edwards’ four-touchdown-pass coming of age against Miami a week ago briefly recalled the last time a rookie spent most of his season as the Bills’ starter. That was Joe Ferguson in 1973, when the Bills closed fast, as the current team is doing, and finished with their most successful season in seven years.

Three on cusp of titles; Steelers need help from Bills

Indianapolis, Tampa Bay and San Diego can wrap up divisional titles with wins today. So can the Pittsburgh Steelers if they get some help from the Buffalo Bills.

New memories are possible for Bills

 I covered my first NFL playoff game here, on Jan. 6, 1990. The Bickering Bills played the original Browns in a divisional playoff game at old Cleveland Stadium. They lost a heartbreaker, 34-30. In retrospect, it seems like a rehearsal for the string of big-game losses that lay ahead.

Browns happy to have high-stakes opportunity

As he began a news conference this past week to discuss his team's game against the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel couldn't help but bask in the glow of unexpected success.

Rookie Bills QB keeps his cool

Coaches, teammates and opponents rave about Trent Edwards' unflappability. They talk about how the Bills rookie quarterback doesn't get rattled, even when confronted with third-and-long.

Bills scouting report

Don't give credit to the NFL schedule-maker for this one because it didn't seem in the beginning of the year that this game would mean much, and in early October nothing had changed in that regard. However, both Buffalo and Cleveland have put together terrific second-half runs and lo and behold, they're playing what is essentially a playoff game today on the chilly shores of Lake Erie.

Bills at Browns has a playoff atmosphere

Dick Jauron said earlier this week that he did not detect a difference in the atmosphere that surrounded the Bills' preparations for today's playoff-like showdown with the Cleveland Browns.

Jauron makes Bills tougher

There are a lot of reasons to like the Buffalo Bills -- and most of them start with their coach, Dick Jauron.

December 15, 2007

Playoffs A Possible Reward for Browns-Bills Winner

Two teams with hopes of a playoff spot will collide this Sunday in Cleveland, where the Buffalo Bills will battle the Browns.

Bills/Browns: The Battle in the Trenches

Run and stop the run. Win the battle in the trenches. Make big plays with your biggest men, and you have a shot at winning every game. It's been the lifeblood of American football since the sport had legs - and that tradition is very endearing to many generations of football fans.

Decembers to remember

It’s December, so that can only mean Lee Evans can be found waltzing through everyone’s secondary and camping out in the end zone. It’s also time for Evans to put the first three months of the season behind him.

Tasker tries to stay in neutral zone

 Steve Tasker knows he is in a nowin situation Sunday when he works the CBS broadcast of the Buffalo Bills’ biggest game in three years.

Twin Cinderellas fight over NFL glass slipper

When the season started, the Buffalo Bills were 100-1 shots to win the Super Bowl and the Cleveland Browns were 65-1.

Cleveland Browns prepare to face Buffalo Bills, look for wild card

Players on both sides of the Battle of Lake Erie are feeling the ripple effect of Sunday's battle with wild-card implications between the Browns and Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Three things have to happen for the Browns (8-5) to clinch a wild-card spot against the Bills (7-6), and one already has transpired. Denver had to tie or lose to the Texans, and that was accomplished Thursday night when the Broncos were trounced, 31-13, in Houston.

Anderson aces for Browns

As Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome watches the perpetually putrid Kyle Boller play quarterback for his team, he must shake his head every time he thinks about what could have been.

"We took a gamble and we lost," Newsome told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer earlier this year regarding his unsuccessful attempt in 2005 to sneak then-Ravens backup quarterback Derek Anderson through waivers for the purpose of placing him on their practice squad. "He has made the best out of his situation. He has adjusted to a new team well."

6 inches of snow, 35 mph winds expected for Browns-Bills

It’s not as though Cleveland and Buffalo aren’t used to a little snow.

But snow, and wind, could have an affect on Sunday’s game between the Browns (8-5) and Bills (7-6), who are both fighting for a spot in the AFC playoffs.

POLLOCK: Fairchild's timing is bad for the Bills

The timing could not be worse.

In the week before the Bills' biggest game since their ill-fated loss to the Steelers at "The Ralph" that cost Buffalo a playoff berth in 2004, the team took a blow when it was announced that offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild had accepted the head coaching job at Colorado State. Following the announcement, any number of Bills' fans, unfailingly critical of the Bills' play-calling, termed it addition by subtraction.

Browns QB Anderson enjoys last laugh

Two years ago, on NFL Draft Day 2005, the sport’s brass decided that Derek Anderson was the 11th-best incoming quarterback.

Actually, it’s worse than that. Anderson wasn’t taken until the second day, in the sixth round with the 213th pick by the Baltimore Ravens, behind prominent quarterbacks like Charlie Frye, Andrew Walter, David Greene, Dan Orlovsky and Adrian McPherson.

December 14, 2007

Parrish Agrees To Contract Extension

The Bills announced that the team and wide receiver Roscoe Parrish have agreed to terms on a contract extension. In accordance with team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. The three-year veteran has played in 39 career games and made seven starts, including five this season. Against Miami on December 9, Parrish broke the Bills franchise record for punt return yards in a season with 386 yards.

Wilson Placed on IR; Costanzo Promoted

On Wednesday George Wilson was hopeful he'd be able to return for a postseason run if Buffalo was able to qualify for the playoffs, knowing he'd be watching the last three games of the regular season from the sidelines. On Friday, those plans changed as he was sidelined for good with the team placing him on injured reserve....The Bills activated linebacker Blake Costanzo from the practice squad to fill the void on the roster. It's expected he'll fill a role on special teams with Coy Wire out for this week's game.

Game Day Tipsheet: Week 15

Best advantage - Run game - Buffalo's run game doesn't look much better than Cleveland's on paper, but it is what drives the Bills offense. The Browns use the pass to set up the run. In a game that could get sloppy with snow and windy conditions in the forecast Buffalo has a big edge with two versatile and elusive backs in Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson.

Buffalo Bills DE Kelsay likely to return for game at Cleveland

Buffalo Bills defensive end Chris Kelsay likely will play Sunday when Buffalo visits Cleveland in an AFC matchup with playoff implications.

Snow expected for Bills-Browns game

The Bills can expect a dose of Buffalo winter weather for Sunday’s game in Cleveland.

:60 with Fred Jackson

You have a twin brother, Patrick, and you both went to Coe College in Iowa. What can you tell us about him.

Bills Notebook: Fairchild will head home . . . eventually

For Steve Fairchild, taking the Colorado State head coaching job is an opportunity to return home. And now that he’s accepted the position, Fairchild’s focus is on leading the Buffalo Bills’ offense into the postseason.

Question Mark: Players on injured reserve provide no cap relief

Q: The Bills have 13 players on the injured reserve list. As they sign players to the roster to replace the injured players, how does this impact the salary cap?

Injury Report

Bills at Browns

BILLS: DNP: DE Copeland Bryan ( knee), DE Ryan Denney ( foot), S George Wilson ( ribs). LIMITED: DE Chris Kelsay ( ankle). FULL: LB Coy Wire ( neck). BROWNS: DNP: WR Joe Jurevicius ( knee), LB Willie McGinest ( hip), LB Antwan Peek ( ankle), DE Orpheus Roye ( knee), T Kevin Shaffer ( knee), DE Robaire Smith ( back), RB Lawrence Vickers ( illness)

Cover Teams Hoping To Contain Cribbs

"He's shown that he can certainly take it the distance," said Bills head coach Dick Jauron of Cribbs. "We were in a similar situation a week ago and we kicked (Ted Ginn) the ball a couple of times. When you kick it to a returner like that your heart's in your throat. You're just not certain what's going to happen. There are obviously pluses and minuses to it. We'll certainly try to keep them off balance but it's nothing they haven't seen all year."

Stopping Browns' air attack will stretch Buffalo secondary

Buffalo's three primary cornerbacks for this game measure 5-11, 5-9 and 5-11. They will be assisted by safeties that are 5-10 and 5-8. Edwards is 6-3, Jurevicius is 6-5 and Winslow is 6-4. "It's an unbelievable challenge for us," Jauron said. Buffalo safety Donte Whitner, the native Clevelander, said on a conference call: "We've faced tall guys before. Randy Moss is pretty tall. Terrell Owens. I always say [football] is not basketball. You don't have to be 6-5, 6-6, to play football. You have to know what you're doing. You have to have a competitive spirit. If you have that competitive spirit, you can get anything done."

Area Browns fans savor team contending for playoffs

And this year's contests have been more enjoyable than usual because the Browns find themselves in serious playoff contention heading into Sunday's Rust Belt Bowl against the Buffalo Bills. "The place has been really rocking lately," says Bast, a veteran New York State trooper who played football and baseball at Fairport High School in the early 1980s. "It's good to see the Bills doing well because it's good for the area. I just don't want to see them do well this Sunday."

December 13, 2007

Brian Moorman Selected For National Campaign

For the second year in a row, the NFL is asking fans to pick the pitch that will become its Super Bowl commercial. Rather than fans presenting ideas like last year, for the first-time ever, NFL players will be going head-to-head off the field with their pitches for the NFL's Super Bowl XLII commercial. NFL Films traveled to NFL team headquarters this fall in a customized NFL-themed tractor trailer to capture the players' stories. Fans will have the opportunity to hear these unique tales and get an exclusive look at some of their favorite NFL players.

Young Bills defying the odds

 

One of the magnificent coaching jobs in the NFL this year is what Dick Jauron is doing in lovely Western New York.

Kelsay Likely To Play Sunday

"I was actually pretty surprised at how good it felt yesterday and even after practice I thought it would be a little more sore than what it was," he said. "I feel good. I was hoping to play last Sunday, but they kept me out and I think those couple of extra days have really paid off in the long run." "I am optimistic," said head coach Dick Jauron. "He didn't have much if any swelling if any Wednesday. So we'll stay optimistic."

Remembering Bills-Browns ’89 Playoff

There may still be three games left in the regular season for the Bills, but Sunday's game at Cleveland will feel just like a playoff game, as a loss will likely end Buffalo's postseason aspirations. The last time Buffalo played a game this meaningful against the Browns in Cleveland was probably the 1989 Divisional Playoff. The Bills had squeaked into the playoffs with a 9-7 mark after getting some help to conclude what had been a tumultuous season in the locker room.

Everett Planning to Return to Buffalo For Home Finale

The grandfather of Kevin Everett, Junior Nico, told 2 On Your Side's Scott Levin Wednesday night that Kevin is planning on returning to Buffalo to walk out on the field for the December 23rd game. On Tuesday, we learned that Kevin's story is being told by Sports Illustrated.

Jauron has kept Bills on same tune

It would be an understatement to say Donte Whitner’s looked forward to playing Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns for a long time. “Since I was born,” Whitner jokingly responded Wednesday when asked how long he’s had this game circled on his calendar. “I watched a lot of Browns football growing up in Cleveland. I’ve never really had the opportunity to play in Cleveland since I’ve been in high school.”

Jauron has kept Bills on same tune

On Wednesday at the Ralph Wilson Stadium Fieldhouse, various factions of players taped holiday messages for injured teammate Kevin Everett. Most tried to sing, which turned out disastrous. The linebackers made it through four bars of “Deck the Halls” before all eight guys stopped, waited for another to know the remaining words, and when none did, the group exploded in laughter.

Fairchild returning to roots as Ram

"I am honored by the opportunity to return to Colorado State University as a head coach," Fairchild said in a statement released through the Bills. He also expressed appreciation to CSU and the Bills for allowing him to finish out the NFL season. "We would never jeopardize his current commitment," Kowalczyk said in a statement. "We knew from the outset and were comfortable with the dedication he has to his team and his fellow staff members. It is that type of value system — commitment, integrity, honesty, accountability and responsibility — that had him at the top of our list since the beginning."

Fairchild Expected To Stay Through Bills Season

The Bills have had more than their fair share of the unexpected this season. Now coming down the stretch with their biggest game of the season this Sunday, the news comes down that offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild is going to be the new head coach at his alma mater Colorado State.

Fortunately for the Bills the plan for Fairchild is to remain on board with the NFL club until their season is over.

Wilson Hoping To Be Ready For Postseason

Everyone in Buffalo's locker room is eager to make the playoffs, but perhaps no one more so than safety George Wilson. That's because with two fractured ribs, suffered last week against Miami, Wilson has targeted the first week of the playoffs for his return.

"That's my goal," said Wilson. "It's not a guarantee. It all depends on how the ribs heal up over the next few weeks. But that's what we're working towards."

McGee, Greer Tying Down Back End

Questions abounded about Buffalo's cornerback position heading into the 2007 campaign. With the departure of Nate Clements, would the Bills be able to fill the void on the right side? And which Terrence McGee would step on the field in 2007? The one who was steadily improving his first few seasons, or the one that slumped in the first half of 2006?

Fairchild’s college job will test Bills’ continuity

Continuity versus change will be a big offseason decision facing Buffalo Bills coach Dick Jauron in the wake of Wednesday’s announcement that Steve Fairchild will leave the Bills at the end of the season.

Fairchild accepted the chance to return to his alma mater and become head football coach at Colorado State University. Fairchild will continue his duties as coordinator for the Bills until the end of Buffalo’s season.

His departure means the Bills will have their sixth offensive coordinator in nine years next season.

Kelsay practices, appears ready to play

The Buffalo Bills got some good news on the injury front for a change Wednesday.

Defensive end Chris Kelsay took part in practice and has a good chance of playing in Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

Kelsay has missed the past two games with a significant ankle sprain.

Browns notebook: Bills' Whitner still roots for hometown Browns

Buffalo Bills safety Donte Whitner is torn between his two favorite teams this week.

The Cleveland native grew up a die-hard Browns fan, but he will play a key role Sunday in the Bills' game at the Browns.

Both teams are vying for the second AFC wild-card spot. Cleveland (8-5) has a one-game lead over Buffalo (7-6) with three games remaining.

Whitner no longer bleeds Brown

Donte Whitner was 5 when he went to his first Browns game at old Cleveland Stadium. He went with his uncle, a devoted fan who claimed to have drunk with the players in Jim Brown’s time. Whitner recalls nothing about the game. He remembers that it felt like some family initiation ritual.

Better fan behavior

It’s a shame this kind of policing is necessary, but it’s good news to see the determination of police and security officials to crack down on offensive and illegal conduct at Buffalo Bills games. Buffalo has enough problems with its national reputation without broadcasting behavior that can make games unpleasant and unsafe for others.

POLLOCK: How can the Bills earn a playoff berth?

You want a headache?

Try figuring out the scenarios for the Bills, Browns and Titans in their bid for the second AFC wild-card playoff berth ... the sixth and final seed of the conference.

I tried it last night and ended up popping aspirin like M&Ms.

After the Bills throttled the 0-13 Dolphins, 38-17, on Sunday at "The Ralph," to go 7-6, Buffalo wide receiver Lee Evans assessed, "We're right in the thick of it and we pretty much control our own destiny right now."

Browns, Bills clash in possible playoff-berth decider

No one would ever confuse Romeo Crennel with Jim Mora the elder, the combustible former head coach of the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. The Cleveland Browns coach, however, laughingly repeated Mora's oft-quoted line this week as his team got ready to play host to the Buffalo Bills in a game that will go a long way toward deciding the second American Football Conference wild-card playoff berth.