Week Seven Preview
By Nick Flickinger, NYC Buffalo Bills Backers Columnist
After losing to the Jets at home, a crushing defeat by the Bears, and an
embarrassing loss to the Lions, the Bills are painting a terrible picture
of them selves. I never thought I would see a quarter back fumble more
than Bledsoe, but J.P. continues to impress. He had a great running toss
to roscoe, and really needs to start getting out of the pocket and running
much more.
You know how in five-card-draw poker if you have an ace you can exchange
your other four cards, well that's the only solution to the Bills line.
Jason Peters isn't quite an ace, but every one else needs to hit the road.
Mike Gandy let up three and a half sacks against the lions. I like Peters,
but it is saying something when the team's two tackles were a back up
guard and a college tight end before joining the team. Ty Warren, Vince
Wilfork, and Richard Seymour, combined with blitzing linebackers will
probably be in J.P.'s face all game. Let's just hope he can hold on to the
ball.
The line's woes have not helped out Willis lately. After leading the
league in rushing, Willis has only gained 116 yards on the ground in the
last two games combined. Willis only got 70 yards in the first game
against the Patriots and may have another similar game. The line is
playing worse and now Melvin Fowler and Tutan Reyes are both questionable.
All season running up the middle has not been very successful and now it
will be even worse. If Willis wants to get into this game at all, Jauron
will need to send him on mostly off tackle runs. He has to make his own
holes.
When J.P. has gotten the ball out of his hand, he's been solid this year.
Completing 61.6 percent of his passes, and with more TDs than ints this
year, he has done what he needs to do. The fumbles are the x-factor that
has made his season slightly disappointing. Lee Evans has stepped up his
game this year and has caught passes that aren't just straight fly routes.
He catches balls all over the field and is really becoming the respectable
number one receiver who the Bills need. Price and Reed have also chipped
in on short and intermediate passes, with roscoe providing a lot of the
deep threat. With Corner Back Ellis Hobbs and Safety Eugene Wilson, both
playing through injuries for the Patriots the Bills receiver can take
advantage. With a hurting offensive line the receivers need to get open
quickly and often. Expect them to do so against the ailing secondary.
The Bills added a new member to their defensive line this week. Anthony
Hargrove will probably split time with Ryan Denney and Chris Kelsay
opposite Aaron Schobel. After the front four was such a pleasant surprise
at the beginning of the season they have been nowhere to be found since
then. The Bills only rush their front four on most plays and cannot create
consistent pressure with them. For a second straight year the Bills have
been terrible against the run. The Bills continue to show how much they
miss Pat Williams. Triplett, Kyle Williams, and Tim Anderson are
serviceable but they really need that one big guy to disrupt every thing
on running plays. Going up against a very good line in New England don't
expect too much out of the Bills D-line this week.
The comeback of Takeo Spikes definitely will help. Although he did
definitely look like a player coming off injury last week. He was a bit
hesitant and it took him longer to get into plays. With Crowell and
Fletcher helping him out and assuming he gets back to old form the Bills
linebackers can really start to dominate games. After Maroney and Dillon
ran all over the Bills after Spikes left the game look for him to take
this one personally. Spikes and Fletcher combined on the first play from
scrimmage against the Pats in week one to score the first touchdown on a
Sunday of the NFL season. With first round pick Ben Watson, Daniel Graham,
and good receiving running backs the linebackers have their work cut out
for them, but I expect them to get the job done. With a healthy Takeo,
they could easily be the best group of linebackers in the league, and they
will show that Sunday.
Terrence McGee is never allowed to look at Roy Williams again. Nate
Clements seems to be fully healthy this week and he needs to be. Even
though the Patriots don't have a clear-cut number one receiver, just out
of principle McGee can't guard who ever it may be. Troy Brown and Reche
Caldwell lead a weak receiving corps into Buffalo. With bad receivers and
Clements back to form the Bills should give Tom Brady another tough time
this week. Ko Simpson has played all right. He certainly has all the
skills he needs to play at this level, he just needs to read plays better
and take better angles to the ball. The referees certainly do not like
Donte Whitner. In week one they called a phantom penalty that took away
his touchdown and last week, even after review, the ref wouldn't give him
a clear interception. He is still playing great and is making a great
attempt at Rookie of the Year. He won defensive rookie of the month in
September. He has been playing great all year and is proving to have been
a great sleeper pick at number eight in this year's draft. If the safeties
help out the corners, passing yards will be scarce for New England.
Peyton Manning will have a huge game against the Redskins and will prove
to be the best fantasy quarter back this year. With the loss of Larry
Fitzgerald and Matt Leinart's strong play Anquan Boldin will put up big
numbers, he's your best bet at receiver this week, plus he's playing the
Raiders, that always helps. Ladanian Tomlinson takes his league leading
seven rushing touchdowns into Kansas City this week, look for him to add a
few to that number. The Bills are a very up-and-down team and betting on
them is not recommended but I do see them coming out strong back at home
this week and upsetting the Patriots in a defensive game, meaning they
will be under 37. Pick of the week is going to be Cardinals -3 at Oakland.
Leinart played well against the Bears last week and Oakland is winless for
a reason.
E-mail feedback and comments to Nick at
sattt34 at aol.com
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