Buffalo Bills News - November 21, 2008

Johnson gains ground on Hardy [6:36 AM]
Buffalo News reports: '“[Johnson] has a good grasp overall of what we’re trying to do, so he gives us the best chance to go in there and make some plays,” said Bills receivers coach Tyke Tolbert. “Steve has kind of gotten ahead of him as far as the learning curve is concerned, so that’s why he got most of the reps in the game this past week. Although James got some reps as well, Steve got most of them because of his grasp of the offense.”'

Comparing Edwards and Losman by the numbers [6:36 AM]
Buffalo News reports: 'Overall, an organization needs to have faith in and commitment to a young quarterback. The Bills did not have Losman’s back anywhere close to the way the Giants, for instance, had Eli Manning’s back. Will the Bills have Edwards’ back? We’ll see.'

:60 with Leodis McKelvin [6:35 AM]
Buffalo News reports: '“It’s been cool. The people here are real nice. There is not a lot that’s different from where I’m from (Waycross, Ga.). Out here in Orchard Park it’s pretty rural, just like down south. There are not any tall buildings and a lot of wildlife. Actually, I’ve seen more wildlife walking around here, stuff like deer, skunks and chipmunks, than I see back home. I hear about all the snow they get up here, so I’m looking really forward to that.”'

Chiefs’ Thigpen is packing heat in the shotgun [6:35 AM]
Buffalo News reports: 'Thigpen took over the starting job on Oct. 26 against the New York Jets, after Chiefs QBs Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard were lost to season-ending injuries. Thigpen outplayed Brett Favre in that game, a 28-24 Jets victory, throwing for 280 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. In his four games as the starter, Thigpen has connected for eight touchdowns with just one interception, with an average of 236 passing yards per game.'

Friday's Kansas City Coverage [6:18 AM]
TwoBillsDrive.com reports:
Chiefs’ defenders often get an earful from coach Cunningham (Kansas City Star)
Gonzalez back at practice, will play Sunday (Kansas City Star)
Chiefs CWO Feeds Under-Served (KCChiefs.com)
Q&A with Tyler Thigpen - 11/20 (KCChiefs.com)
Q&A with Herm Edwards - 11/20 (KCChiefs.com)
Worth a look (KCChiefs.com)

Seventh-round draft pick Johnson shows promise at receiver [3:56 AM]
Rochester D&C reports: '"He has a good grasp overall of what we're trying to do and we think he gives us the best chance of going in there and making some plays," receivers coach Tyke Tolbert said with a burst of honesty not usually found in NFL coaches.'

Buffalo Bills coach Dick Jauron should be on the hot seat [3:55 AM]
Rochester D&C reports: 'Jauron is a nice guy and a good football man. No one denies that. He'll have a job in the NFL for as long as he wants one. But this is his eighth full season as an NFL head coach and his record is a modest 55-73 (.430). He had one big season with the Chicago Bears (13-3 in 2001), but he's 42-70 in his other 112 games to date.'

Buffalo activates GlenOak grad Fox [3:54 AM]
Canton Repository reports: 'The Bills elevated Fox from their practice squad Thursday and signed him to a one-year deal. Fox said he expects to back up McKinley graduate Reggie Corner at cornerback and at nickel back.'

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November 20, 2008

Win-starved Chiefs host win-starved Bills [9:17 PM]
AP reports: 'Edwards should have plenty of time to collect his thoughts on pass plays. The Chiefs have managed an NFL-low six sacks; the league average is 21.'

Evans not hiding frustration with offensive woes [7:17 PM]
Wellsville Daily Reporter reports: '“The hardest thing that is happening to me — this happened early in the season, and it’s happened the past couple of games — is that I’m preparing for defenses that we’re not really getting on Sundays or Monday night and they didn’t really bring the defense that we thought the Browns played against the Broncos,” Edwards said. “That’s what we’re practicing out here on the practice field all week and then we’re facing an entirely different defense. That’s just something I need to grow from and learn from and that’s probably the defenses we’re going to get, not necessarily what they’re showing on tape, but what they’re going to put out there on the field when the time comes ready to play.'

Bills WR Reed eager to get back in lineup [6:01 PM]
AP reports: '"I feel like I could do my part just to give us a better chance to win a game," said Reed, who's expected to play against the Chiefs after experiencing no aftereffects from the injury after practicing for his second straight day. "It feels good to get back out there and just try to pick up where I left off."'

Reed looking good for Sunday [5:21 PM]
BuffaloBills.com reports: '“It’s just trust,” said Reed of his chemistry with Edwards. “You go out there and Lee is our number one man and being that he’s going to draw some double teams and Trent just has that trust that if his first look is not there and even his second look is not there I’m going to be where he expects me to be. That’s where it comes from with him knowing if he needs me to make a play I’m going to make it.”'

Living the NFL Fan's Dream: 31 Stadiums, 36 Games, 17 Weeks [2:14 PM]
BuffaloBills.com reports: 'This past Monday, Adam arrived at Ralph Wilson Stadium after a long drive from Atlanta where he watched the Falcons and Broncos do battle for his 22nd game. His adventure continued in Orchard Park on Monday night where he slated the Bills vs. Browns match-up as game #23 of the his 36-game schedule.'

Addressing Edwards [2:13 PM]
BuffaloBills.com reports: '“The hardest thing that is happening to me is that I’m preparing for defenses that we’re not really getting on Sundays and Monday night and they didn’t really bring the defense that we saw the Browns played against the Broncos,” said Edwards. “That’s what we’re practicing out here on the practice field all week and then we’re facing an entirely different defense. So I have to adjust to that.”'

Buffalo (5-5) at Kansas City (1-9) [2:12 PM]
The Sports Network reports: 'Bills 20, Chiefs 10.'

Using Bills’ Jackson early means good results from Lynch late [7:59 AM]
RealFootball365.com reports: 'The Coe College product will provide not motivation but rather a reminder to the star, namely that it’s best to just act and not think once the ball is snapped. Lynch gained nearly twice as much ground on almost twice as many attempts against Cleveland, 23 for 119 yards versus 12 for 60 by Jackson, and the coaches shouldn’t attempt to alter that ratio; on the other hand, it would be entirely beneficial to let Jackson go from changing the pace to setting it.'

Edwards is not gun shy [6:27 AM]
Buffalo News reports: '“I’d say I’m still just as confident as I was,” Edwards said after Wednesday’s practice. “Obviously once you make some mistakes, you try to tone it down a little bit. You’re trying not to force as many balls. That’s probably why I didn’t look as confident. We weren’t taking as many shots because of the defenses they were giving us.”'

Bills’ play an extension of their coach [6:26 AM]
Buffalo News reports: 'Jauron is a lame duck, Gregg Williams without perfect hair. Until a press release crosses my desk, telling me otherwise, he is coaching for his job.'

Reed back at practice [6:26 AM]
Buffalo News reports: 'Reed took part fully in individual drills at the start of practice and was somewhat limited, coach Dick Jauron said, during the rest of the practice. Quarterback Trent Edwards was optimistic about Reed returning to the lineup for the Chiefs game.'

50 people arrested by Orchard Park police at Monday Night game [6:24 AM]
Buffalo News reports: '“Once again, it disappoints me that some people come to the games and get so intoxicated that they engage in poor behavior,” Orchard Park Police Chief Andrew Benz said Wednesday.'

Evans: Don't blame Edwards for Buffalo Bills' loss [6:11 AM]
Rochester D&C reports: '"They're basically dropping a lot of people deep," Evans said. "And it's hard to get open when they drop so many people deep and you really don't have a lot of underneath routes to hold people there. That's basically what it has been."'

McKelvin move is paying off for Buffalo Bills [6:10 AM]
Rochester D&C reports: '“It was a relief,” McKelvin said of scoring his first TD. “I was one man away from getting to the end zone every week. Those first couple returns gave us momentum and great field position and when the third one came, I just took my chance because I figured they’re not going to kick it to me anymore. The other guys blocked great and I just did what I had to do.”'

McKelvin finally looked worthy of high pick [6:09 AM]
Niagrara Gazette reports: 'Brady Quinn threw deep at him right away. McKelvin ran stride for stride with Braylon Edwards and the pass fell incomplete. They didn’t pick on him much after that. Consider his first real NFL test passed.'

Former Chiefs linebacker returns with ring in hand [6:08 AM]
Topeka Capital Journal reports: '"I have no hard feelings. It will be fun to come back to Kansas City where I got my first opportunity, where the fans were always good to me. It's a place I called home for four years."'

Thursday's Kansas City Coverage [6:07 AM]
TwoBillsDrive.com reports:
Chiefs are losing games — and fans (Kansas City Star)
Linebacker Derrick Johnson returns to the Chiefs lineup (Kansas City Star)
McBride placed on injured reserve (Kansas City Star)
Former Chiefs linebacker returns with ring in hand (Topeka Capital Journal)
Inside slant (The Sports Xchange)
Strategy and personnel (The Sports Xchange)
Notes, quotes (The Sports Xchange)
Q&A with Herm Edwards - 11/19 (KCChiefs.com)
QB Damon Huard Named KC's 2008 Ed Block Courage Award Winner (KCChiefs.com)
Injury Report - Bills (KCChiefs.com)
RB Jackie Battle to 53-Man Roster; DT Antwon Burton to PS (KCChiefs.com)
Chiefs Add LB Curtis Gatewood and DE Andy Studebaker to Roster (KCChiefs.com)
A Day of Giving (KCChiefs.com)
Carrying the Weight of the Chiefs World (KCChiefs.com)

Edwards and Coaches Need to Adjust [6:05 AM]
WGRZ-TV reports: 'I'm not saying I don't think Edwards is a wise investment. Honestly, I thought Edwards might struggle like this earlier in the year, and I do agree with Schonert, Dick Jauron, and others that Edwards will mature into an outstanding NFL quarterback. What I'm not willing to do is lay this all on Edwards inexperience. This is where coaching comes in.'

Inside slant [6:04 AM]
The Sports Xchange reports: 'Edwards tossed interceptions on three of his first six passes and turned noticeably gun shy against the Browns.'

Strategy and personnel [6:03 AM]
The Sports Xchange reports: 'The Bills (5-5), losers of five of their last six, would see their slim playoffs chances all but end with a loss to upset-minded Kansas City (1-9). The Bills need to shake the emotional damage of a four-game losing streak fast. The Chiefs have lost their last four by margins of just 4, 3, 1 and 10 points and have scattered playmakers capable of giving Buffalo matchup problems. Young QB Tyler Thigpen (10 TDs, five INTs) has terrific ball skills but is prone to being sacked. Alas, that's what the Bills don't do very well with Aaron Schobel (foot) out. This is no time to hold off on the blitz. Offensively, the Bills will finally see a 4-3 look, which most of their success came early against. The Chiefs can take the ball away, but they've also given up 4,025 yards, 205 first downs, 30 TDs and are allowing 5.1 yards per carry. If a struggling Trent Edwards can't get on track against this defense, the Bills can start scouting QBs in next year's draft.'

Notes, quotes [6:02 AM]
The Sports Xchange reports: '"We don't try to hide from the fact that we haven't played up to the standards that we've set for ourselves recently, but we're still the team that played that way early to get us where we are. So here we are, and now we have to take the whole bundle and set it aside and just focus on this week. That's part of the process, too. You have to be able to do that, regardless of how painful the losses have been. Regardless of how close in proximity the recent one is. You have to get by it. It's not easy; it's not easy to get by the loss and to get on with the project, but you have to do it. We have to do it if we're going to have any chance to take what we've done, the good and the bad, to take the whole thing and move to the next game." -- Coach Dick Jauron, on his club's mental state after starting 5-1 then going 0-4, putting its playoff chances in major jeopardy.'

Silver Lining [6:01 AM]
Wellsville Daily Reporter reports: 'But for once, Lynch and Jackson were rewarded for their combination of power and elusiveness. “We wanted to take it upon ourselves to try and have a good game,” said Jackson, who gained 60 yards on 12 carries, but had a key third-quarter fumble deep in Browns’ territory Monday night. “We were able to do so, but didn’t make enough plays obviously.”'

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