NFL FanHouse

Steve Slaton Pulled in Houston Win

Matt Snyder — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:40:00 EST

My high school coach used to say, "no back is worth two fumbles," meaning if a running back lost two fumbles in one game, he should be immediately removed. Sunday in Buffalo, Houston's Steve Slaton didn't even get that chance. After just one carry and one catch, Slaton lost a fumble and was benched for the rest of the game. It was the seventh fumble -- losing five of them -- on the season for the diminutive back from West Virginia.

Even worse news for Slaton, and his fantasy football owners, was what Ryan Moats did in his stead. Moats racked up 126 yards on 23 carries and scored three touchdowns in the Texans' 31-10 victory over the Bills.

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Chris Brown also saw action out of the backfield, garnering 22 yards on seven carries, giving the Texans 186 yards rushing and 4.7 yards per carry. They entered the game averaging just 79 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry on the ground. With all this in mind, it's definitely plausible that there might be some sort of shakeup in the Texans' backfield.

With the win, the Texans are now 5-3 and a legitimate threat in the AFC for the first time in franchise history. They will test their mettle next week when they visit the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.

Steve Slaton Pulled in Houston Win originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Terrell Owens Sets Goal: To Outperform Roy Williams

Knox Bardeen — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:25:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Cowboys, AFC East, NFC East

After entering the National Football League in 1996 as a third-round selection, Terrell Owens has put up some big-time numbers in his 14-year career.

He's the NFL's active touchdown leader with 142 scores. He's second among active receivers to Isaac Bruce with 14,364 career receiving yards. He's also been a six-time Pro-Bowler. But, when asked what his goal for 2009 entailed, Owens didn't shoot for the moon like you would expect a player with his accolades to do. In fact, all Owens wants to do is outperform Dallas wide receiver Roy Williams.

Owens opened his media briefing with a laugh and said: "I've been looking at my stats compared to Roy E. Williams' stats over there in Dallas, and my goal is to have better stats than him at the end of the season."

Asked if he regrets signing with Buffalo, Owens said:

"No, not at all. Everything happens for a reason. There are times, I'm human, and it's frustrating. I never want to go back and rethink things. But that's the nature of it."

As it stands right now, Owens has 242 yards receiving on 18 catches and one touchdown. He's played in all seven of the Bills' games thus far and averages 13.4 yards per reception.

Williams, on the other hand, has only played in five of Dallas' six games and has 12 receptions for 230 yards and a touchdown. Williams averages 19.2 yards per reception.

The first glaring detail upon looking at the schedules for both teams shows that Dallas has 10 games remaining -- Buffalo only nine. If both receivers play in all of their remaining games, it would seem that Williams has an advantage. But remaining games don't paint the full picture.

By taking a look at the strength of schedule for both teams' remaining games in reference to receiving yards allowed, you'll see that Buffalo has a much easier time. In the nine games left for Buffalo, they only face three defenses in the top-10 in receiving yards allowed. The average rank of the defenses left to face is 18.4. Dallas, unfortunately for Williams in this competition he didn't ask to compete in, faces seven top-10 receiving defenses with an average rank of 8.5.

Owens definitely has an easier road to travel and should be able to easily win this "bet", even though he has one less game to play. He also probably knew that the schedule favored him before he opened his mouth. Because you wouldn't think that Terrell Owens would stir up trouble aimlessly, without thinking about the consequences of his actions -- would you?

Terrell Owens Sets Goal: To Outperform Roy Williams originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Derek Anderson Plays Better, Still Stinks

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, Panthers, Raiders, Redskins, NFL Quarterbacks

It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

Give Derek Anderson credit. He got better. He put that "15 incompletions in 17 attempts" disaster behind him with a much more quarterback-like effort against Pittsburgh Sunday. It wasn't enough to take the Browns off this list for the first time this season, but there are indications that Cleveland has settled on their guy, no matter how many of his passes bounce off the grass.

Cleveland Browns: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn

Anderson hit nine of 24 passes against Pittsburgh, even topping 100 yards and managing a touchdown pass. However, the Browns scored one offensive touchdown, relied way too much on the wildcat, and lost convincingly to Pittsburgh. While it is starting to sound like this is Anderson's job to completely screw up, the Browns would be delusional to think he deserves that kind of consideration.

Quinn, it could be argued, hasn't gotten nearly a fair shake in this battle. He faced elite defenses in each of his three starts, two of them on the road. Anderson is hitting 44 percent of his throws, averaging less than five yards per attempt (despite his "big arm" reputation), and has thrown three picks for every touchdown he has so far.

At this point, however, it probably doesn't matter who the quarterback is. This team is a lost cause at 1-5.

Status update: Very warm

Buffalo Bills: Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick

It wouldn't take much to outplay Mark Sanchez on this day, and Fitzpatrick got it done. Filling in for an injured Edwards, who had started the day by hitting his first five throws, Fitzpatrick was erratic but still a winner. The Terrell Owens failure continues, and the insertion of rookie Jamon Meredith at right tackle didn't solve much up front. But a win is a win, and now the Bills have a decision to make.

It's been said that you can't lose your job over an injury. However, Edwards seemed well on his way to losing the job before he was injured. Not only that, but while it wasn't at all pretty, Fitzpatrick at least found a way to win a game. Of course, they needed Sanchez to throw five picks to make it happen, but Fitzpatrick did have his good moments. At the very least, this should give Dick Jauron something to think about.

Status update: Very warm

Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell and Todd Collins

Campbell got the hook in the Redskins' disastrous loss to Kansas City Sunday, but it is likely not the end of him. It's not like Collins lit up the Chiefs. Actually, he was statistically worse than Campbell. Collins pulled an Aaron Rodgers on a late snap deep in Redskin territory, as he held the ball entirely too long and took a sack for a safety that ended whatever minuscule chance the Redskins had to win the game.

Coach Jim Zorn has said Campbell is likely to start Monday night, and perhaps the offense will get a jump-start with consultant Sherm Lewis taking over as the play-caller for Zorn. Campbell has shown some real upside in his short career as a starter, but the reality is that he may not be best-suited as an every-down starting quarterback in the NFL.

Status update: Very warm

Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski

Carolina Panthers: Jake Delhomme and Matt Moore

Yes, their teams won Sunday. However, it's hard to feel good about how the starting quarterbacks played. Neither Delhomme nor Russell were effective, and both have to continue to be on thin ice with their respective teams.

The Panthers can't count on the running game to carry them to victory every week, and while the Raiders' defense put on a bit of an eye-opening performance, it's hard to imagine them repeating it given how inconsistent their effort and level of play have been in recent years.

Status updates: Warm

Pocket Presence: Derek Anderson Plays Better, Still Stinks originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jets' Trust in Mark Sanchez Backfires

Thomas George — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:53:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Jets, NFL Analysis

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- In a game the Jets were so sure throughout that they had won, they lost. In a game where the Bills refused to fold, they won.

In a comical, error-filled, misguided dance with futility, both teams often looked a mess.

But the beauty was in the fight.

An eyeball-to-eyeball brand of football surfaced -- as it often does when divisional rivals who long ago grew sick of each other jostle for four quarters, and just for good measure, decide to tangle for an extra one.

Buffalo grabbed the final cookie from the jar, claiming a 16-13 victory that took nearly 12 minutes of the overtime.

For Buffalo (2-4), a three-game losing streak was snapped. For the Jets (3-3), a three-game losing streak was created.

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Bills coach Dick Jauron finally gained a reprieve, a chance to live another week without the sniffing, the digging, the drivel over whether and when he will be fired. Jets coach Rex Ryan, meanwhile, looked bamboozled, much like he did after his team's losses at New Orleans and Miami. His prized defense was pushed around, and his rookie quarterback crashed with a bumbling five interceptions.

It was enough to make a grown man moan.

"This was a rough one,'' Ryan mumbled, adding that he thought about pulling Mark Sanchez.

Actually, what Ryan should have done is tugged the tails of his offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, and reminded him, "Uh, Brian, Thomas Jones is rushing for more yards than any running back in the history of the Jets EVER has. Can we have more of Jones and less of Sanchez?''

The Jets, infatuated with their snappy new quarterback, tried to win this game by dancing into the night with Sanchez, even though his feet kept getting tangled.

It was a horrible decision. Sanchez threw the ball 29 times in the game. Jones rushed 22 times.

Sanchez completed just 10 of those passes for 119 yards, tossed the five picks, was sacked twice and finished with a quarterback rating of 8.3 -- that's right, 8.3. A perfect quarterback rating, folks, is 158.3. And Sanchez played every snap.

Jones rushed for 210 yards. He averaged 9.5 yards a pop. He broke his previous career-best run of 61 yards with a 64-yarder in the second quarter, and then followed that with a 71-yard touchdown run moments later.

There is simply no way that Sanchez should have thrown the ball more times than Jones ran it. But that was what the Jets went with, and it played right into the Bills' hands. Actually, into five different Bills' hands -- five different Bills made interceptions and rookie cornerback Jarius Byrd had two. There was a sixth Jets pick, an extra one thrown by holder Steve Weatherford on a failed field-goal attempt in overtime.

Bills safety George Wilson was one of those that picked Sanchez.

"We decided we would boil this game down to a backyard brawl, the kind you have in your backyard growing up,'' Wilson said. "When you play it like that, there is no quit. We really got after them more and more as the game continued.''

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New York Jets Thomas Jones runs past Buffalo Bills' Jairus Byrd (31) and Donte Whitner (20) for a touchdown in the second quarter at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Sunday, October 18, 2009. The Bills defeated the Jets 16-13. (Kathy Kmonicek/Newsday/MCT)

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Chicago Bears Johnny Knox celebrates his touchdown with Devin Hester in the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, Sunday, October 16, 2009. (Nuccio DiNuzzo/Chicago Tribune/MCT)

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New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss hands the ball to a fan after catching a touchdown pass against the Tennessee Titans during the second quarter of a NFL football game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

ATLANTA - OCTOBER 18: Running back Jerious Norwood #32 of the Atlanta Falcons tries to out run center back Zack Bowman #35 of the Chicago Bears during the second quarter of the game at the Georgia Dome on October 18, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zack Bowman;Jerious Norwood

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New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez looks to throw in the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Sunday, October 18, 2009. The Bills defeated the Jets 16-13 in overtime. (Kathy Kmonicek/Newsday/MCT)

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The New York Jets defense tackles Buffalo Bills Fred Jackson during second quarter action at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Sunday, October 18, 2009. The Bills defeated the Jets 16-13 in overtime. (Kathy Kmonicek/Newsday/MCT)

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Buffalo Bills Brian Moorman (8) celebrates with teammate Rian Lindell (9) after he hit the game winning field goal during overtime of an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Bills won the game 16-13. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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Buffalo Bills Brian Moorman (8) celebrates with teammate Rian Lindell (9) after Lindell kicked the game winning field goal during overtime of an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Bills won the game 16-13. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson (22) leaps over teammate Corey McIntyre (38) during overtime of an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Bills won the game 16-13. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

ATLANTA - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Mike Smith of the Atlanta Falcons watches the first quarter of the game against the Chicago Bears at the Georgia Dome on October 18, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) ) *** Local Caption *** Mike Smith

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ATLANTA - OCTOBER 18: Quarterback Matt Ryan #2 of the Atlanta Falcons looks to pass the ball in the second quarter of the game against the Chicago Bears at the Georgia Dome on October 18, 2009 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Ryan

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He is right. The longer the game went, the better the Bills played -- and the more the Jets outsmarted themselves and began to be outslugged.

Bills kicker Rian Lindell ended it with a 47-yard field goal after both teams had two overtime possessions. Lindell had missed a 46-yarder as regulation expired that would have won it for the Bills.

"I've had some experience playing on the other side with that team and being in that locker room,'' Jets safety Jim Leonhard said. "That was definitely a crazy game. Those guys have lost their share but they are proud. They are sick of it. They were going to claw back. And we let them.''

The Jets led 13-3 midway through the third quarter, but a Lindell field goal and 37-yard TD pass from backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to Lee Evans tied the game at 13 entering the fourth quarter.

And though the Jets knocked out Bills starting quarterback Trent Edwards early in the second quarter, Fitzpatrick managed to throw for just 3 fewer yards -- and four fewer interceptions -- than Sanchez the rest of the way.

"I've got some serious work to do,'' Sanchez said as he dressed in the Jets locker room, discouraged and disgusted. Despite a side-by-side, seated chat with new Jets receiver Braylon Edwards in the locker room, Sanchez looked demoralized.

"That's about the worst I've played,'' Sanchez said. "I really messed up.''

Embarrassing, he called it.

His coaches did him no favors. The more he struggled, the more they asked him to do.

"He's young, I'm new,'' Edwards said. He added something about the Jets needing to take advantage of what teams give them and not put so much pressure on themselves.

I think I know what he was thinking.

"I know you need balance, and they couldn't just run me all the time; I think they we were trying to be balanced,'' Jones said in one of the most gracious postgame interviews you will ever find. "It was a big day for the rushing yards and all, but in the end, it means nothing because we lost.''

The Jets lost both on the field and in the headsets. They toyed with the Bills, letting them hang around after going up 13-3, then made it worse by throwing it around with a rookie quarterback while their beast of a running back wound up tamed by his own team.

And the Jets are also fretting over a possibly serious knee injury to nose tackle Kris Jenkins. New York, wobbly, seeks a cure at Oakland next Sunday.

The Bills, hoping to build something that lasts, travel to Carolina.

"That sure was a great win for our football team'' Jauron said. "There are no ways around that one and we certainly needed it.''

Jauron certainly needed it -- he bolted away from the heat.

And suddenly, it is feeling awfully warm for the big-talking Jets.

Jets' Trust in Mark Sanchez Backfires originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trent Edwards Leaves With Head Injury

Matt Snyder — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, AFC East, NFL Injuries, NFL Quarterbacks

After beginning the game uncharacteristically hot -- hitting on his first five passes for 43 yards -- Bills starting quarterback Trent Edwards has left the game with an ~~apparent knee~~ head injury (see update). Edwards was hobbled after being sacked by Calvin Pace and David Harris of the Jets. After milling around the sidelines for a bit and discussing things with Bills' trainers, Edwards went to the locker room.

In his stead, Ryan Fitzpatrick is taking snaps. Considering the weather (mid-40s, almost 20 MPH winds) and the opponent (the Jets are eighth against the pass), things aren't going to be easy for Fitzpatrick. He's only 4-10-1 in his 15 career starts and sports a sorry 66.9 rating.

Of course, this sets the stage perfectly for a complete and utter meltdown from Terrell Owens. T.O. is certainly no stranger to the world of the disgruntled, and he's obviously not bad happy thus far in 2009 with the production of the Bills offense -- and, likely, himself. Now, he's going to be attempting to catch passes from a seventh-round pick from out of Harvard who wasn't good enough to hold down a third-string job with the Bengals. Coming from a man who has complained about Jeff Garcia and Donovan McNabb, it's hard to see him enjoying the work of Fitzpatrick.

Maybe the Bills can summon J.P. Losman to return from the UFL?

Update: Edwards actually suffered a concussion in the game -- the second of his young NFL career. As of now, his status for the game against the Panthers this coming weekend is unknown. Edwards was healthy enough to travel home with the team instead of staying in a hospital, which is a good sign.

Trent Edwards Leaves With Head Injury originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Between the Lines: Keeping the Line Together Pays Off

JJ Cooper — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Chicago Bears, Bills, Buccaneers, Jets, Giants, NFL Analysis

As we have done since the FanHouse began, I'll be taking a look every week at some aspect of line play. You can read more features in the series here. Check back every Thursday for a new Between The Lines.

It probably wouldn't surprise you to know that offensive line continuity is a good thing , but you may not realize just how important it is.

After looking at the first month of the season, it seems pretty clear that if you can keep your offensive line together, there's a pretty good chance you'll be a winner.

Five weeks into the NFL season, only 10 teams have started the same five offensive linemen every week. Of those 10 teams, seven have winning records including the surprising Bears. 49ers and Jets and the undefeated Giants. Combined those 10 teams are 28-18 this year.Of the six teams who have had five or more games missed or played out of position by members of their original starting five, none have a winning record--including the disappointing Packers, Chargers and Seahawks. Together those six teams are 10-18.

Admittedly offensive line shakeups can partly be explained by a team's failure--teams with trouble are much more likely to bench an offensive lineman than a team that keeps on winning. But it's fair to say that the Packers' problems really began the minute that starting left tackle Chad Clifton went down with an ankle injury. What had been an adequate line quickly turned into a disaster when guard Daryn Colledge was moved to tackle, center Jake Spitz was moved to guard and backup Sean Wells came in at center.

Five of the 10 teams who have started the same offensive line all year have allowed less than 10 sacks, including the Falcons (two sacks allowed) and Giants (three sacks allowed). None of the six teams with the most offensive line shakeups have allowed less than 10 sacks, including the league's worst Packers (20 sacks), Lions (17) and Raiders (15).

If you want one more example when a team with its original starting five has faced a team with a shakeup on the offensive line, the team with the original starting five is 16-9 this season.

Here's some other notes from looking at line play around the league.

o. He has some work to do which you would expect for a second-year quarterback but Bucs quarterback Josh Johnson is already one of the best scramblers in the league. Tampa Bay even ran the option with him on Sunday. With 4.4 speed, Johnson also has the ability to dance around in the pocket dodging pass rushers, just like Fran Tarkenton did in the 1960s and early 1970s. It also means that he sometimes holds onto the ball way longer than any quarterback should. Johnson held the ball for 12 seconds on a sack last week (the average sack happens only 2.7 seconds after the snap) and this week he had a sack where he ran around for nine seconds, although this one was nullified by an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Eagles.

o. There have been a lot of questions about Julius Peppers' effort this season, as we noted in a Between The Lines breakdown two weeks ago. But before this week's Redskins game, Panthers linebacker Jon Beason called out Peppers' lack of effort. Peppers seemed to listen as he picked up two sacks and a safety. In rewatching that game Peppers still isn't playing with the all-out fire of a Jared Allen, but he did show significantly better effort against the Redskins than he did against the Panthers.

o. The Bills have to rank as one of the most disappointing teams in the league this year, and if you're looking for a reason you need to look no further than the offensive line. Buffalo traded away Jason Peters and drafted three rookies who were immediately inserted into the offensive line.

The three rookies have been OK, but the Bills have been a complete disaster at offensive tackle. Left tackle Demetrius Bell has allowed four sacks. Right tackle (and fill-in left tackle) Jonathan Scott has allowed 3.5 sacks while fill-in right tackle Kirk Chambers allowed 2.5. Those 10 sacks allowed are as many as half the league have allowed as teams.

Between the Lines: Keeping the Line Together Pays Off originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Beyond Bad

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, Raiders, Redskins, NFL Quarterbacks

It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

Yes, he won the game. However, there's no stopping Derek Anderson from showing up high on the list of quarterback controversies every week. Right there with him is the guy Anderson inexplicably beat Sunday despite only completing two of 17 passes -- Trent Edwards. After all, if you can't beat a quarterback who couldn't even complete 12 percent of his throws, who can you beat?

Cleveland Browns: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn

We'd all love to believe that a win solves everything. Just get something positive on the left-hand side of that won-loss record, and it's looking up from there.

But when you throw 17 passes and only find your teammates successfully with two of them, it masks nothing, except how hopelessly inept your competition must be. Anderson is no safer or more secure in this job now than he was last week, nor should he be.

Anderson had a performance that fits a 35-0 loss perfectly, but instead gave his team a 6-3 win, Anderson knows that his position is likely not stable. In order to show that he deserves to quarterback this team for the rest of the season, Anderson should consider completing at least a higher percentage of throws than JaMarcus Russell. That would be a good start.

Status update: Hot

Buffalo Bills: Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick

Yeah, remember that 6-3 game Sunday? Edwards was on the other end of that one. Turns out Browns defensive coordinator Rob Ryan was right when he said Edwards was no Carson Palmer. Ryan could have said Edwards was no Jordan Palmer and probably been correct.

Edwards gets to throw footballs to Lee Evans and Terrell Owens, and he has Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch available to run. Seriously, how is this offense so bad? You can blame the line all you want, but when you watch this team, you see plenty of instances where Edwards has time to step up and throw, only to see that he takes a checkdown or holds the ball too long.

Fitzpatrick might not be Carson Palmer, either, but on a team with expectations much higher than 1-4, it's time to start looking for immediate help wherever possible. Including the bench.

Status update: Hot

Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski

The Raiders need to do something. Yes, they have plenty of other problems besides Russell. However, the organization has to believe that they can put Gradkowski out there and not get as embarrassed as they do by Russell.

At least Russell's quarterback rating is higher than Anderson's. He has that going for him.

Gradkowski is not a star in the making for Oakland. However, every time Russell bounces a pass off the grass, it becomes more and more obvious that he isn't, either.

Unless there is a stunning turnaround on the way, Russell will go down as one of the biggest busts in draft history, despite his enormous physical stature and ability.

Status update: Very Warm

Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell and Todd Collins

Campbell isn't the problem, but the 2-3 Redskins have played far too easy a schedule to only be 2-3. They can't play winless teams forever.

The times that Collins has played, the team has usually responded well. He's a veteran who knows both this offense and his Redskin teammates very well. If Campbell underperforms against Kansas City Sunday, there could be a push to make the switch. After all, Washington hosts Philadelphia in Week 7, and even if they beat Kansas City, there will be tremendous pressure to take care of business at home and get above .500.

Status update: Lukewarm

Pocket Presence: Beyond Bad originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The 2009 Buffalo Bills: What Did You Really Expect?

Dan Graziano — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:41:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, NFL Analysis

Fired a week before the start of the season as the Bills' offensive coordinator, an angry and confused Turk Schonert said the problem in Buffalo was that coach Dick Jauron wanted "a Pop Warner offense" -- an offensive playbook as simple and uncreative as possible, and that Schonert's schemes were too complicated to fit in with Jauron's plan.

Now five weeks in to the season, having committed nine (NINE!) false start penalties Sunday in losing one of the worst offensive games in sports history to the previously winless Browns, the Bills are playing as if to prove Schonert right.

More Coverage: Bills Lose 2 Linebackers for Season | Team Schedule

To this point in 2009, Buffalo's has been the kind of offense that makes you contemplate man's inhumanity to man. They are 25th in the league in yards per game, 26th in points per game, 28th in third-down conversions, 29th in first downs and 31st in time of possession. All of this in spite of an array of skill-position talent that includes Terrell Owens, Lee Evans, Fred Jackson and, for the last two games, Marshawn Lynch. A group like that should be able to move the ball and score, but it can't. And while it's easy to lay it all at the feet of the unimaginative Jauron or "Captain Checkdown" QB Trent Edwards, the big problem with the Bills is the five great big guys up front. With an offensive line like this, how can they possibly be good?

"I said it last week and I'll say it again this week -- this is a low point for the organization and for the fan base," Bills GM Russ Brandon said after Sunday's fiasco. "We worked our tails off in the off-season to put us in a position that should be better than where we are now."

But with all due respect to Brandon, his pain and the amusing accuracy of the first part of his quote, we must respectfully disagree with the second. The Bills may well have done some hard offseason work in certain areas, but they obviously ignored the offensive line. The result is a patchwork mess that is costing their offense any chance to operate.

This isn't to let Jauron or Edwards off the hook, as neither is without his flaws. But when you're playing behind an offensive line that still needs to hand out "Hi, my name is..." stickers in its meetings, you're not set up to succeed.

"It's frustrating, because we have guys who know the snap count, we know the cadence and we were trying to use that as a weapon," Edwards said of the Sunday penalty-fest. "Their D-line, we saw on tape, tended to jump offsides a little bit, so we were using some hard counts and some quick counts as well. For some reason or another we weren't set."

It could be because the offensive line, as a group, hasn't played together long enough to get into sync. Of the five starting Bills offensive linemen from Sunday's game, only one -- center Geoff Hangartner -- played a single NFL game in 2008. And he played it for the Carolina Panthers. Starting tackles Demetrius Bell and Jonathan Scott were members of the Bills organization, but neither one suited up for a single 2008 game. And starting guards Eric Wood and Andy Levitre were playing for Louisville and Oregon State, respectively.

Last year's line? Gone. Set out on the curb like fallen leaves. Left tackle Jason Peters, a 13-game starter in 2008, was traded to the Eagles. Langston Walker, who started 16 games at right tackle last year, was cut a couple of days after Schonert was. Left guard Derrick Dockery was released and is a Redskin. Right guard Brad Butler? Out for the year with a knee injury. And last year's center, Duke Preston, is a Dallas Cowboy.

The result is a lack of continuity at a position where continuity matters more than anything. The best counter-example at this point is the New York Giants, who have started the same offensive linemen and quarterback for 37 games in a row and whose offense runs like a Patek Philippe. The Bills are going with an old digital Seiko they put together themselves, and the result is that the Saints get sacks on plays where they rush only three defenders and the Browns get a free win thanks to nine false starts

"I don't know what to tell you about it," Hangartner said. "It's inexcusable and we've got to do something to change it. We are killing ourselves. We are putting ourselves in bad down-and-distance with the negative plays because of the penalties, and we just can't have it."

But they do have it. They have a big old mess in Buffalo, and the biggest reason seems to be that they have obviously ignored the most crucial foundation aspect of their offense. There's nothing that can fix this except the time this offensive line needs to play together and learn each other. And unfortunately for the 2009 Bills and their lame-duck coach, the 11 games left in this season aren't enough time for that.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Joshua Cribbs (16) is tackled by Buffalo Bills defenders Reggie Corner (27) and Jairus Byrd (31) during the second quarter of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Buffalo Bills Photos

ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Trent Edwards #5 of the Buffalo Bills throws a pass against the Cleveland Browns at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Trent Edwards

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Eric Wright #24 of the Cleveland Browns intercepts a pass intended for Terrell Owens #81 of the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York.Cleveland won 6-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Eric Wright;Terrell Owens

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Marcus Buggs #53 of the Buffalo Bills sacks Derek Anderson #3 of the Cleveland Browns at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. Theplay was nullified by a penalty. Cleveland won 6-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marcus Buggs;Derek Anderson

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Marshawn Lynch #23 of the Buffalo Bills runs against the Cleveland Browns at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marshawn Lynch

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Terrell Owens #81 of the Buffalo Bills looks to run around Mike Adams #20 of the Cleveland Browns at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Terrell Owens;Mike Adams

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Derek Anderson #3 of the Cleveland Browns hands off to Jamal Lewis #31 of the Buffalo Bills against at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. Cleveland won 6-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Derek Anderson;Jamal Lewis

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Jairus Byrd #31 of the Buffalo Bills intercepts a pass as Drayton Florence #29 of the Bills and Mohamed Massaquoi #11 of the Cleveland Browns look on, at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jairus Byrd;Drayton Florence;Mohamed Massaquo

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Terrell Owens #81 of the Buffalo Bills tries to make a case for pass interference with side judge Joe Larew #73 against the Cleveland Browns at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. Cleveland won 6-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Terrell Owens;Joe Larew

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Dick Jauron, head coach of the Buffalo Bills stands on the sidelines against the Cleveland Browns at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. Cleveland won 6-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dick Jauron

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ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 11: Trent Edwards #5 of the Buffalo Bills readies to pass against the Cleveland Browns at Ralph Wilson Stadium on October 11, 2009 in Orchard Park, New York. Cleveland won 6-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Trent Edwards

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The 2009 Buffalo Bills: What Did You Really Expect? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Browns Complete 2 Passes, Score 6 Points ... And Win

Chris Burke — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:50:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns

Considering that Cleveland and Buffalo entered Sunday a combined 1-7 on the year, no one could have been expecting the two teams to wage an all-time classic. But what resulted instead was so far at the opposite end of the spectrum that it may go down as one of the worst NFL games in recent memory.

How bad was it? Well, Browns quarterback Derek Anderson completed 2-of-17 passes for 23 yards, threw an interception -- and won.

Cleveland took advantage of a fumbled punt by Buffalo's Roscoe Parrish with three minutes left to boot a game-winning field goal and claim a 6-3 win.

More: Check Box Score | Dallas Wins in OT | Philly Pummels Tampa Bay

If you want to play devil's advocate for a minute, and argue that the Cleveland and Buffalo defenses were simply that good, go ahead, we'll wait.

Done? Ok, now back to the actual facts ...

Buffalo committed three turnovers -- two fumbles and one Trent Edwards interception -- and ran two plays inside Cleveland's red zone. On the first, they committed a false start, backed up to the 22, lost three yards on the next snap, and wound up throwing an interception on 4th-and-24. The second, from the Cleveland 19, came on a Rian Lindell field goal.

The Browns, meanwhile, only got inside the Buffalo 40 on two occasions -- with both trips ending in Billy Cundiff field goals.

And that was enough to win!

Back to Anderson for a minute. His unbelievable miserable stats were good for a mighty 18.2 passer rating. Compare that to Eli Manning's Week 5 effort -- a perfect 158.3 -- and you can about estimate the gap between the Giants and Browns squads in this 2009 season.

Eric Mangini may never forget this contest, his first win as Cleveland's head coach, but everyone else would probably prefer to never think about it again.

Browns Complete 2 Passes, Score 6 Points ... And Win originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Browns' D Coordinator: Trent Edwards Is No Carson Palmer

Chris Burke — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:35:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, NFL Coaching, NFL Quarterbacks

Cleveland's off to an 0-4 start, thanks in no small part to a miserable defense that has allowed more yards per game (403.2) than any team in the league and is No. 31 in points allowed (118).

But the Browns' bumbling hasn't kept defensive coordinator Rob Ryan from flapping his gums prior to this week's game at Buffalo. Friday, Ryan -- twin brother of loud-mouthed (and, thus far, more successful) Jets head coach Rex Ryan) -- called out Bills QB Trent Edwards.

"I don't think that's [Bengals quarterback] Carson Palmer back there by any stretch," Ryan said of Edwards.

"The guy can run and do some things, but we've played Brett Favre, we've played Carson Palmer. Those are two pretty good quarterbacks right there. This guy [Edwards] always seems to have a lot to say, so I'm going to say the same thing: Let's go. Let's get it on, see what he's all about this week.''

Hard to say what exactly brought on Ryan's diatribe against Edwards, but The Buffalo News speculates that it may be an after-effect of a game last season when Edwards' Bills rallied past the Raiders, where Ryan was coaching the defense at the time. After tossing for a career-high 279 yards in that Buffalo victory, Edwards said that the Bills' offense wore down Oakland's D.

Hopefully, there's some other background story that we're not aware of, because that's about the weakest bulletin board material ever.

It's also a bit hard to figure how Ryan could be bad-mouthing anyone at this point, given what his defense has done through four games. No one's going to argue that Edwards is an MVP candidate, but even he might find some openings against a Cleveland defense than ranks 29th against the pass.

Browns' D Coordinator: Trent Edwards Is No Carson Palmer originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 11:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Has Derek Anderson Won the Job?

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, Buccaneers, Panthers, Raiders, Redskins, NFL Quarterbacks

It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

For the Cleveland Browns, Sunday was at least a respectable performance. Now it's time for them to build on that. But have the 0-4 Browns settled on a starting quarterback?

Cleveland Browns: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn

Anderson played pretty well in a 23-20 overtime loss to Cincinnati. However, the Browns struggled to move the ball in overtime, and the Bengals made them pay in the end.

This was easily the best Cleveland's offense has looked this season, and perhaps they'll get even better without walking distraction Braylon Edwards around anymore. Anderson seems to have developed a chemistry with young receiver Mohamed Massquoi, who caught eight balls and averaged close to 20 yards per catch Sunday. The winless Browns will stick with Anderson again this weekend, and if he can build off his performance against Cincinnati, Quinn will struggle to see the field again this season.

Status update: Very warm

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Johnson and Josh Freeman

Johnson appears to have a long way to go as an NFL quarterback. He ran well and appeared somewhat comfortable in his first NFL start, but the Buccaneers offense was hampered by a lack of big plays. Johnson struggled to throw the ball deep, and only connected with star receiver Antonio Bryant four times for a paltry 44 yards.

The Philadelphia defense is no easy opponent for Johnson, but he'll try to advance himself this Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. Expect to see more short passes as the Bucs try to make Johnson more and more comfortable with playing at this level.

At 0-4, there might be a temptation to pull the trigger and go with the bigger-armed Freeman, but this is not the time. That move can wait at least a few more weeks.

Status update: Warm

Carolina Panthers: Jake Delhomme, Matt Moore, and A.J. Feeley

Now that the 0-3 Panthers are off their bye week, we'll watch carefully how Delhomme performs against the Redskins. If he is still a turnover machine, he could be in trouble. However, significant improvement will be expected, since Carolina had a week to lick their wounds and make some corrections.

Moore might not be highly-regarded, but he's been in the system for a while, and there's no reason to hide him on the bench if Delhomme continues to underperform.

Status update: Lukewarm

Washington Redskins: Jason Campbell and Todd Collins
Oakland Raiders: JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski
Buffalo Bills: Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick

These three teams are lumped together because there has been no real indication that they're willing to make a change, but the on-field play by the starters has to improve. If it doesn't, teams really have no choice but to explore other options. The Redskins and Raiders are getting competitive play from their defenses, and the burden of carrying the whole team is too much. Buffalo has quality skill players at running back and wide receiver, yet Edwards can't seem to move the ball consistently.

Status updates: Lukewarm

Pocket Presence: Has Derek Anderson Won the Job? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL Twitter Mailbag: Browns, Jets, T.O.

Michael David Smith — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:10:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, Jets

The big mess that is Cleveland Browns is the first subject of business for our latest NFL Twitter mailbag, where we explore the decision to bench Brady Quinn and what it tells us, in hindsight, about Quinn dropping in the 2007 NFL draft. We also look at Eric Mangini, who looks through three games like one of the worst head-coaching hires in modern NFL history.

We then switch gears to talk about a couple of Twitter issues: Terrell Owens taking to Twitter to rip Rodney Harrison, and David Clowney getting benched for tweeting about his playing time. Your questions and comments, and my responses, are below.

WatchKalibRun Is Miami vindicated for passing on Brady Quinn now? (though I don't think Ted Ginn was a good pick)
I think it's safe to say that, yes, the Dolphins are vindicated for passing on Quinn. I'm not going to say that Quinn will never become a solid NFL starter, but I will say that in his third season, he still has a long way to go, and we're now seeing why all those teams passed on him while he sat there at Radio City Music Hall looking confused. Quinn might end up having a better NFL career than that year's No. 1 overall pick, JaMarcus Russell, but I think the Eagles' second-round pick, Kevin Kolb, is better than either Quinn or Russell.

BlackRainNinja: Can us Cleveland fans fine Mangini? Or maybe our dumb owner? *Shakes head* goodness the Browns SUCK!
The Browns' 0-3 start under new coach Eric Mangini has really infuriated the Cleveland fans I'm hearing from. I thought Joe Posnanski's column on whether Mangini is the worst NFL coaching hire ever really did a great job of capturing how Browns fans are feeling right now.

Corpuscavernosa: I love TO's comments. Rodney Harrison was one of the dirtiest players in the NFL. Cheating with HGH as well as his play. It's good fun.
You're definitely right that Harrison was one of the dirtiest players in the league, and you're definitely right that Harrison cheated with HGH. I enjoy Harrison's candor now that he's an analyst, but every player he criticizes will be armed with plenty of ammunition to fight back.

jackswann: Coach Ryan seems to have serious control issues. In what world does "I wish I played more, I'll work harder" break a rule?
I agree with you that Clowney's tweet did not merit a benching. I can understand a coach not wanting his players to comment about playing time on Twitter, but Ryan's decision to keep Clowney on the inactive list the next Sunday strikes me as over the top.

DJLitten: Do the individual teams have a Twitter-checker that monitors player tweets? This is the hard news I need.
I am aware of at least one team that has a member of the PR staff follow every player and other team employee on Twitter and monitor what they're tweeting about. Seems a little paranoid, but then again it's the job of the PR staff to keep tabs on what's being said about the team -- and Twitter is now a huge part of that.

Want to be part of our next NFL Twitter mailbag? Post a question or comment on Twitter.com, and be sure to start it with @MichaelDavSmith.

NFL Twitter Mailbag: Browns, Jets, T.O. originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hangartner's Snaps Left Edwards Running for His Life

JJ Cooper — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:55:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, Chiefs, Eagles, NFL Analysis

This year I'm logging every sack and taking notes along the way. Here's some plays that jumped out while watching the Week 3 games.

o. Center Geoff Hangartner is one of the few veterans on a young Bills line, but he was the one who looked out of place late in the Saints game. When the Bills got the ball with under three minutes to play needing two scores to win, Hangartner helped ensure it didn't happen.

On second down, Hangartner gave Trent Edwards a bad shotgun snap -- it almost scooted on the ground -- then compounded his error by being driven back by Sedrick Ellis. Thanks in part to the snap, Ellis was able to grab Edwards for a sack.

On third down, Hangartner's snap hit the ground halfway to Edwards. Thanks, in part, to having to bring his head down to find the ball and scoop it up, Edwards didn't get the ball off before Charles Grant beat right tackle Jonathan Scott for a sack.

And then on fourth down, Hangartner again snapped it to Edwards' feet, although Edwards was able to get rid of this one for a short gain that turned the ball over on downs.

o. When quarterback Jim Everett was a Ram, his reputation for softness really seemed to solidify when he ducked down for a sack one time when no one was around to hit him. It wasn't that bad, but Browns quarterback Derek Anderson came close to pulling an Everett against the Ravens. After driving the Browns down to inside the red zone, Anderson dropped back to pass and was given plenty of time. But with no one around him yet (Trevor Pryce had just been pushed past him), Anderson pump faked, then ducked and fell to his knees. He tried to get up, but by that point Pryce was able to come back from Anderson's back side for one of the easiest sacks of his long career.

o. The more sacks I watch, the more I think that max protection is usually a bad idea. The best example of this came in the Chiefs-Eagles game. Facing a third and 25 early in the game, the Chiefs decided to keep a pair of tight ends in to block. Philadelphia sent only four rushers, so Kansas City had what would seem to be an advantage--seven blockers to block four.

But because the blockers were all coming from the outside what actually happened was the Eagles managed to get two pass rushers running past tight end Sean Ryan on one side while Juqua Parker beat tight end Brad Cottam on the other side. While this was happening both Chiefs offensive tackles were left with no one to block. The play turned almost comical. As three Eagles pass rushers come flying past the tight ends for pressure, four of the Chiefs five offensive linemen are blocking no one. By going max protect, the Chiefs did force the Eagles defensive ends to take a wider path to the quarterback, but in return they got to go against significantly worse pass blockers, which is a trade the Eagles will take.

Parker got the sack although an unblocked Trent Cole played a big part in it by forcing Matt Cassell to scramble.

Hangartner's Snaps Left Edwards Running for His Life originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Terrell Owens Rips Rodney Harrison

Michael David Smith — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:47:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, NFL Media Watch

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens took to Twitter to lash out at former Patriots safety and current NBC analyst Rodney Harrison Sunday night, responding to Harrison ripping him on television by making pointed comments about Harrison's 2007 performance-enhancing drug suspension.

Owens went catchless for the first time since 1997 in the Bills' loss to the Saints, and in discussing the game on NBC's Football Night in America, Harrison (who previously said Owens called Owens "a clown") is "more concerned with his own stats than the team's success."

That prompted this response from Owens on Twitter:

I could less about Rodney Harrison! Anybody tht using steroids, yes STEROIDS rodney, is a cheater & cheated the game!
Is tht Y u used steroids b/c u were worried about ur stats or ws it b/c u were losing it? Lol! U're a loser & a cheater? Got any steroids I cn borrow?
Hey rodney! Send me sum steroids 2 the Bills facility next week!

Owens was referring Harrison's suspension for using human growth hormone, in violation of NFL policy. Harrison has always maintained that he used HGH only to recover from injuries and has never used anabolic steroids.

But those little details aside, the larger point here is that Owens has long had a reputation as a malcontent, and access to Twitter gives him an easy way to vent his frustrations. With the Bills off to a 1-2 start and Owens not getting involved in the offense, you can bet he'll have more opportunities to vent.

Terrell Owens Rips Rodney Harrison originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T.O. Catchless for First Time Since '97

Tom Mantzouranis — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:06:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Saints

It's the first question people ask whenever Terrell Owens joins a new team: when is he going to blow everything up with his me-me-me attitude?

Well, uh, getcha popcorn ready.

In the Saints' 27-7 win over the Bills Sunday, Owens was held catchless in a game for the first time since Jan. 4, 1997, a 35-14 playoff loss for Owens' 49ers against the Packers.

Owens was curt in his responses to the media after the game -- when asked about his feelings regarding his catch-streak ending, Owens simply said, "It's over."

At one point, a reporter asked Owens if he felt that he and Lee Evans were being wasted in the Bills' current attack. Owens responded, "Guys, we're just going with the plays that are called." When the reporter then pressed Owens, stating, "You could have said no," thereby indirectly supporting Buffalo's in-game strategy, Owens reiterated his line again.

Bills quarterback Trent Edwards targeted him on a number of passes, but couldn't connect. He had Owens with a step deep on Saints corner Jabari Greer in the third quarter, but overthrew him. An earlier pass intended for Owens deflected in the secondary and led to an interception by defensive end Will Smith. The last target Owens got came with 3:17 left in the game. Edwards hit Owens on the sideline, but Owens couldn't stay in bounds.

It was part of a rough day all around for the Bills' offense, which didn't score a single point (Buffalo's only score of the game came on a fake field goal). Edwards managed only 156 yards and was sacked four times. Josh Reed led the team with six receptions, and Derek Fine had five.

T.O. Catchless for First Time Since '97 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Terrell Owens Tweets: Cowboys Have a Tony Romo Problem

Michael David Smith — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:53:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Cowboys

Terrell Owens' new team, the Buffalo Bills, won on Sunday afternoon. His old team, the Dallas Cowboys, lost on Sunday night. And Owens made it home in time not just to watch the Cowboys lose, but to go on Twitter to take a shot at his old quarterback, Tony Romo.

Owens re-tweeted a 140-character missive originally written by someone on Twitter named Deidric McGowan, saying, "Dallas just found out they had a T.R. problem not a T.O problem !!" The comment was obviously a reference to Romo's 13-of-29, 127-yard, three-interception effort in a loss to the Giants.

It is, of course, no surprise that Owens is ripping Romo -- during his NFL career, he's ripped every quarterback he played with at some point or another. And Owens even made a point of going back on Twitter to say later that he didn't want to bash the Cowboys, tweeting, "Look, I'm not gonna say anything bad about the Cowboys, I hate that some of my boys played hard & they lost! Hope my boy [Marion Barber, who suffered a strained quad] is ok!! Nite!"

But while that later tweet made it seem like Owens wanted to make amends, you can bet this isn't the last time we'll read a tweet from Owens in which he takes a shot at the Cowboys. And you can bet the day is coming when Owens will take a shot at the Bills on Twitter as well.

What did you think of Owens' tweet? Tell me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Terrell Owens Tweets: Cowboys Have a Tony Romo Problem originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T.O. a No-Show in Bills Debut

Dan Graziano — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:50:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Patriots, AFC East, NFL Analysis

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- If Terrell Owens was upset at how few throws came his way in his first game as a Buffalo Bill, he wasn't saying. He wasn't talking, wasn't tweeting and wasn't complaining -- to anybody who might hear and make a big deal of it, at least. In Buffalo's heartbreaking loss to the Patriots on Monday night, Owens didn't catch a ball until there was 4:43 left in the third quarter. In all, he caught three -- two that counted in the final stats and one that was nullified by his own interference penalty.

But the VH1 reality star didn't have a thing to say about his night, or his team's. He sent a locker room attendant to fetch his clothes so he could dress out of sight and escape without doing interviews. And his Twitter page offered no insight.

More Coverage: Brady Rallies Pats | Check Box Score

"Congrats 2 the Pats!!" Owens tweeted one hour and five minutes after the game ended. "On the bus headed 2 airport. Cn't wait 2 get hm & get n the bed!"

(I still say he could get so much more in if he'd lay off the exclamation points, but hey -- to each his own.)

"We'll b ready next week! I promise u that!!" came 11 minutes later.

"RIP Patrick Swayze!!" eight minutes later. Then after that, it's basically him and Chad Ochocinco tweeting about the fact that the latter is in New Orleans for some reason.

Anyway, the Bills' people said Monday that they consider Owens and Lee Evans both to be No. 1 receivers, that they don't believe teams will be able to double-cover both of them and that whichever one draws the extra coverage in a given week, the other will have to play like a No. 1. It sounds good, but you have to wonder whether Owens agrees with the plan and its bedrock assessment.

"I'm not going to put any words in his mouth," Bills QB Trent Edwards said. "I really feel like he's a competitor. I've said that all along, and that's rubbing off on the rest of us. Frustrated or not, he's still raising the level of our game, so we need to feed off that. He's obviously a big weapon in our offense, so we need to keep getting him the ball."

Monday night, Edwards threw six balls to Evans, three to Owens, four each to tight ends Derek Schouman and Shawn Nelson, one to Roscoe Parrish and seven to running back Fred Jackson. He said he felt the Patriots did a good job of taking the deep ball away from Evans and Owens, and that he'd have to review film to see if he had more chances to find those guys than he thought he did.

Early reviews (meaning preseason and this first game) indicate that the Buffalo offense is going to be terrible, which is likely to limit what Owens does -- or what he has the opportunity to do -- all year. But we'll see. And we'll keep checking Twitter to see what @terrellowens has to say about the whole thing.

T.O. a No-Show in Bills Debut originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Same Old Tom Brady, Just in Time

Dan Graziano — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:15:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Patriots, AFC East, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Analysis

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A good magician never reveals his secrets, so we're never going to know how Tom Brady pulled off this latest trick. How could he look so rusty and timid for 55 minutes, and so sharp and confident for the final five? How did he look up at a stadium full of 68,756 fans so spitting mad they were booing the cheerleaders and feel so certain he could send them all home happy, with a 25-24 comeback win for the ages? How did he and the Patriots survive this Monday night land mine without the deep passing game? Without, really, any help from their defense?

We have some of these answers, and for others we'll just have to wonder, and draw our own conclusions. In the end, Brady and the Patriots sidestepped an inexcusable season-opening upset because the Bills choked -- and because, just before it got too late, their quarterback turned from a rag-armed pumpkin back into Tom Brady.

More Coverage: Check Box Score | T.O. a No-Show in Bills Debut

That first part? Oh yeah. Make no mistake about it. The Bills coughed this baby up as if it were the hairball from hell. Buffalo had this game won every way it could. Its offense, the laughingstock of August, had moved the ball efficiently all night against a defensive front that's going to be a problem for New England all year. With 5:32 left on the clock, Trent Edwards hit running back Fred Jackson with a 10-yard touchdown pass and the Bills were up 24-13. The Pats had Brady, sure, but they didn't have time. Didn't look that way, at least.

"We had the game. We had it," Bills cornerback Terrence McGee said. "I mean, we were going to do it."

Even after New England's ensuing drive -- a bloodlessly efficient three minutes and 26 seconds, in which Brady threw 11 passes, completed nine of them and capped things with an 18-yard touchdown strike to tight end Benjamin Watson, the Bills still had reason to believe they had this -- that they were really going to beat the Patriots for the first time in six years. Brady's two-point conversion attempt failed. Buffalo led by five with 2:10 left. All they had to do was secure the kickoff, pick up a couple of first downs and this one was all theirs.

And that's when they blew it.

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FOXBORO, MA - SEPTEMBER 14: Matt Light #72, Stephen Gostkowski #3,Stephen Neal #61, Michael Matthews #80 and Chris Hanson #6 of the New England Patriots celebrate the win over the Buffalo Bills on September 14, 2009 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Bills 25-24. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Light;Stephen Gostkowski;Chris Hanson;Michael Matthews;Stephen Neal

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OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Linebacker Shawne Merriman #56 of the San Diego Chargers stands with his defensive teammates on the field against the Oakland Raiders on September 14, 2009 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shawne Merriman

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OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Brandon Manumaleuna #86 of the San Diego Chargers runs for yards after the catch against the Oakland Raiders on September 14, 2009 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brandon Manumaleuna

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Oakland Raiders wide receiver Louis Murphy hauls in a 57-yard touchdown grab against the San Diego Chargers during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Oakland Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour (92) walks off the field after their NFL Football in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. The San Diego Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-20. Seymour is a former New England Patriots player. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable walks off the field after their NFL Football in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. The San Diego Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-20. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers smiles after their NFL Football in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. The Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-20. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Johnnie Lee Higgins (15) is escorted off the field after he was hurt during their NFL Football in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. The San Diego Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-20. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell walks off the field after their NFL Football in Oakland, Calif., Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. The San Diego Chargers defeated the Raiders 24-20. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: Louis Murphy #18 (bottom) and Darrius Heyward-Bey #12 of the Oakland Raiders celebrate after Murphy scored on a 57-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers on September 14, 2009 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Louis Murphy; Darrius Heyward-Bey

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OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 14: (L-R) Robert Gallery #76 and JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders celebrate after Russell threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Louis Murphy #18 in the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers on September 14, 2009 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

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The Patriots made the surprise decision to kick the ball deep, rather than onside it. And Buffalo return man Leodis McKelvin made the far more surprising decision, upon fielding the ball in the end zone, to try and return it, rather than take a knee and a touchback.

"When I caught the ball, I was thinking in my head, 'Do I have two feet (in the end zone)?' " McKelvin explained. "So I was worried if I downed it, we might get a safety or something. So I ran it out."

Ran pretty well, actually. Out past the 30-yard line, where Pats safety Brandon Meriweather hit him, Pierre Woods stripped the ball out of his hands and kicker Stephen Gostkowski recovered to give the Patriots possession -- and new life -- at the Buffalo 31.

"It was chaos, man," Woods said. "I mean, Gostkowski recovered it. I can't say enough about the kicker, man. He got the ball back for the offense."

Which is where the Patriots want it -- in Tom Brady's hands. Sure, he hadn't looked like 2007 Tom Brady all night. McGee, the Buffalo defensive back, said the Bills were "real surprised (the Patriots) weren't trying any deep throws," and there was some speculation (though McGee wouldn't bite) that Brady's shoulder was still sore from the Albert Haynesworth hit he took in the preseason. If that's true, the Patriots aren't about to admit it.

"I don't critique what Tom does," running back Kevin Faulk said.

And why would they? Once the miracle fumble put the ball back in Superman's hands, he did what he always does -- he made the throws he had to make. And he won the game.

Three passes -- one to Randy Moss, one to Wes Welker, and one more in the end zone again to Watson, and the Pats were up 25-24. Gillette Stadium was a churning bowl of euphoria chowder. The Bills, even with 50 seconds left on the clock and needing only to get to field-goal range, were beaten. For the 12th time in a row, incidentally, by the Patriots.

"It stings a little bit more because of the fact that it was the Patriots again," McGee said. "But you know Brady, he's not going to give up."

Brady was happy about the win, of course. But he acknowledged that his team could have played a better game, and he had the look of a kid who knew he'd just gotten away with something.

"Not the way we drew it up," Brady said. "But I'll take it."

A team for which perfection is the only goal was right on the brink of 0-1 -- in the division, no less. But Brady, with some help from the Bills, pulled them back from the brink.

"It's a great feeling," left tackle Matt Light said, "to have that aspect of our game back."

That's right. The Patriots feel, once again, like no matter what happens, Brady can save them. If they or the rest of the NFL needed any proof, Brady provided it Monday night.

Just in the nick of time.

Same Old Tom Brady, Just in Time originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday Night Football Live Chat

Adam Gretz — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:25:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Patriots

It's the first Monday night of the season and what a night we have ahead of us. First, the New England Patriots host AFC East rival Buffalo in a game that will feature the triumphant return of all-everything quarterback Tom Brady, while Terrell Owens makes his debut with the Buffalo Bills, who will be going up against a Patriots defense that is vastly different from the one that took the field a season ago.

We'll be chatting it up, live, with the fun and witty comments starting at 6:45 PM ET. If everything goes well, we'll try to keep this thing rolling along for the night-cap between the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=61518e2aaa&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Monday Night Football Live Chat&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Monday Night Football Live Chat originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Preview: Bills at Patriots

Chris Burke — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:35:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Patriots, FanHouse Previews

If you're looking for a white-knuckle, nail-biter of a Monday night game, it might be best to look elsewhere -- like to Oakland, where the Raiders host San Diego late, though that might not be much help either. New England has won 11 straight against Buffalo, including two last year minus Tom Brady, and posted a 20 1/2-point average margin of victory during that win streak. On top of that trend, the Patriots' home crowd will be understandably jacked up to see Brady back on the field, and will do its best to make Terrell Owens' regular-season Buffalo debut a miserable one.

The Bills would love to signal in the T.O. era with a huge road win. But they will need a near-flawless effort to get it done.

Three Key Questions:

1. Is Tom Brady, post-knee injury and with a preseason throwing shoulder nick, healthy?

2. Can Trent Edwards take advantage of Buffalo's talented receivers?

3. How well will Fred Jackson fill in at running back for the suspended Marshawn Lynch?

Players in the Spotlight: Buffalo's secondary. Ok, Brady and Owens are going to be in the television spotlight, but if the Bills have any hope at all of escaping Foxboro with an upset win, their defensive backfield must play huge. It's an underrated group that brings back all four starters from 2008 -- Terrence McGee, Donte Whitner, Leodis McKelvin and Bryan Scott. Both cornerbacks are undersized, though, with McKelvin standing an inch taller, 5-foot-10, than McGee, so slowing Randy Moss will be difficult. If nothing else, Buffalo needs to keep New England to the nickel-and-dime underneath patterns and take away the deep ball.

Buffalo's Path to Victory: All eyes are on Owens and Edwards, but Jackson's the guy who needs to turn in the biggest game for the Bills to hang around. With Lynch out, and Buffalo adopting a no-huddle offense this season, the only chance the Bills have of keeping the Patriots on the sideline for extended periods of time is for Jackson to grind out some yards on the ground. That said, Edwards has to avoid any turnovers at all and hit on a bomb or two. Defensively, it's always difficult to get pressure on Brady, so the Bills need to generate what they can there, but keep the game in front of them -- if New England starts hitting on 20-plus-yard passes right away, it could get ugly.

New England's Path to Victory: New England just needs to do what New England does -- or, rather, what New England did before the Brady-less 2008 season. It could take Brady a little bit to settle back into regular-season game speed, but probably not that long, which mean lots of looks at Moss and Wes Welker. The Patriots have a massive stable of running backs, as well, that all can handle some carries and ease the offensive burden. New England might struggle initially with Buffalo's no-huddle attack, depending on how well the Bills execute it. With Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden at cornerback, New England could be one of the few teams able to play Owens and Josh Reed straight up and let the rest of its defense go to work.

Prediction: Buffalo has an opportunity to show that it's a threat in the AFC East. The problem is that, realistically, the Bills just don't match-up well with New England in any way. It will be fun to see how Owens performs (and behaves) in a new uniform, but don't expect his presence to be enough to pull Buffalo through. New England 31, Buffalo 14

FanHouse Preview: Bills at Patriots originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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