Week 3
By Nick Flickinger, NYC Buffalo Bills Backers Columnist
The Bills have their third straight AFC East divisional game this
weekend. The New York Jets are coming to town for the Bills’ home
opener. After thoroughly “Squishing the Fish!” last week the
Bills are raring to go out and do the same to a weak Jets team that is
hamstrung by all Terry Bradway’s bad draft picks, which were even
dumber than some of Tom Donahoe’s many dumb draft decisions.
The Bills nearly shut out Dante Culpepper and the drowning Dolphins last
week. With Bills four rookies starting on the defense, it looks like the D
can only get better.
President/GM, Marv levy & Head Coach, Dick Jauron’s, strong
draft day decisions are already paying big dividends. Ko Simpson and Donte
Whittner played great against the Dolphins. Their speed keeps them in
every play, and they shouldn’t have any trouble keeping up with Chad
Pennington’s less than laser, rocket arm passing to the Jet receiver
corps.
It’s gratifying to see the Bills young secondary do well to keep
Coy Wire (“you still playing anything but special teams”) off
the field. Kudos to Coy for blocking a punt, but his play in the secondary
confirms that he can’t cover anyone and can’t catch anything.
After a very successful first try at 3rd corner by Kiwaukee Thomas this
week, he’ll join Nate Clements and Terrence McGee in a very
formidable nickel package. Laverneus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery lead a
pedestrian receiving corps that shouldn’t present overwhelming
problems for the Bills secondary.
Takeo Spikes is the team’s emotional leader and he is always needed
on the field. Nevertheless, Keith Ellison did a more than respectable job
filling in. Angelo Crowell also “stepped up” and made the big
play to sign the death certificate for the Dolphins. When Miami first got
into the red zone Crowell picked off a pass from Culpepper that appeared
to be intended for Ryan Denney,
If Spikes does play vs. the Jets, a shut out is a consideration. The Jets
offense features four running backs. Three of them were backups last year
and the forth split time on a college team that had a running game ranked
in the 90s. London Fletcher alone could probably shut down a big part of
the Jets running game.
The Bills’ line had a great game against Miami and can look to do
the same this week. They sacked Culpepper 5 times in Miami’s first
15 plays. Ryan Denney and Chris Kelsay also combined for four sacks. Last
year Aaron Schobel ended Pennington’s season, and the Bills should
be all over him again this year.
The Jets have a weak right half of the line and are starting rookies at
center and left tackle. So, as well as the Bills line played against
“the Fish,” the Bills could easily be even more impressive
hosing down the Jets & all the Jets’ ‘firemen’ fans,
like their leader, “#42 “Harper” wearing the white
J-E-T-S fireman’s hat sitting on the shoulders of his 400 pound
brother, while shouting rallying cries as futile as his own
fireman’s “rally cap.”
The Jets offense doesn’t do anything well and the Bills’
can’t do much wrong these day,. Look for that match-up to be rather
one sided. In fact the only thing that I’ve been disappointed in the
defense with is that they haven’t been scored on too much, so McGee
hasn’t gotten many kick returns, only one last week.
Sure the Bills have only gained 451 total offensive yards and scored 2
touchdowns this year, and yes Peyton Manning had 400 yards last week with
3 touch downs, but that doesn’t mean the offense needs to improve.
The Offense has actually done everything that they have needed to. The
Bills have not turned the ball over once this year. They have become the
perfect “care taker” offense letting Jauron &
Fewell’s dominating defense do the rest.
Maybe Willis McGahee won’t return to his “scoring
machine” ways; maybe Lee Evans won’t be an All Pro big prime
time receiver, but they don’t need to be. As long as the Bills hold
on to the ball and get a field goal every now and then the Bills
“Big D” will do the rest.
J.P. Losman clearly has not put up gaudy numbers, but has been
impressive, in a similar fashion to former Bills QB & Congressman Jack
Kemp, who had mediocre stats but proved to be a big winner for the Bills
after two seasons.
J.P. has a 63.4 completion percentage and a 88.2 QB rating. He has not
made any big mistakes this year and looks a lot more mature this year.
Losman knows his job isn’t to carry the team, but to not lose the
game. Who knows, after this week J.P.’s stats could combine to be
one good game. Don’t look for any Bills’ receiver to have a
big day. When you get 125 passing yards a game, unless you’re
working the “Randy-ratio” (Moss), its hard for a receiver to
have good numbers.
McGahee looked better in Miami, but he still has not dominated a game.
Nevertheless, Willis’s best game of the year did come against the
Jets last year. With the Jets dismal offense, the Bills offense should be
on the field a lot tiring out the Jets’ D. Keeping the D on the
field and most likely a big lead should be a good combination for Willis
to have a break out game.
The Jets really can’t do anything right and this game
shouldn’t be close, especially with a large number of
McFadden’s rowdy crowd going up for the game.
Also, the Bills can’t lose on Pinto Kenny’s 200th game. So
the Bills should cover the 5.5 point spread and improve their record in the AFC
East. Separately, after last week I don’t think I can ever
pick the Bills to cover the over, so take under 34. Willis will be the
game’s top fantasy performer.
Around the league Donovan McNabb should be the best quarterback. He has
664 yards and 5 touch downs this year and is going against a weak San
Francisco D. Stephen Jackson going against Arizona should be the top
runner this week. Larry Fitzgerald will find the end zone for the first
time this season and be the league’s best receiver this week. The
Bills’ D may “throw a shut out” along with Baltimore
against Cleveland. Having either will be a treat this week.
E-mail feedback and comments to Nick at
sattt34 at aol.com
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