Archives for November 2011

‘"The big thing I think is you point to third downs and just staying on the field," Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "That’s something that helps our team, not only the offense in sustaining drives but keeping the defense off the field and giving them more of a breather. That’s something that hasn’t been there that really does need to improve. You can’t sustain drives without converting on third-down and that’s something that’s really hurt us the last few weeks."’

‘It’s been the same sad song for a decade. They’ve hit on a few, like Kyle Williams and Stevie Johnson. They’ve found street free agents. But they haven’t done nearly well enough to compensate for all those bad first-round picks. The chronic lack of talent and roster depth is catching up to them again.’

‘The Bills face a decision on who that next guy is behind Jones. The team has a pair of receivers on their practice squad — Kamar Aiken and Tim Toone — and could promote one of them when they place McGee on injured reserve.’

‘Well, blaming the head coach and the quarterback sure is a lot sexier than blaming, say, the defensive coordinator and the nose tackle. Chan Gailey and Ryan Fitzpatrick haven’t been very good during Buffalo’s three-game freefall, but there is plenty of blame to go around.’

‘The Bills need to finish 9-7 at the worst to make the playoffs. Can you pick out four wins from the remaining six games with any confidence: at New York Jets, Nov. 27; Tennessee, Dec. 4; at San Diego, Dec. 11; Miami, Dec. 18; Denver, Dec. 24; at New England, Jan. 1.’

‘With injuries mounting and offensive production dwindling, the Bills (5-5) seem a shell of what they were when they got off to a 4-1 start. Buffalo again lacked any spark in losing for the third straight time.’

‘The Bills won games earlier this season against teams that are clearly more talented than they are by being opportunistic on defense and catching opponents off guard with some creative offensive play-calling, and then executing those plays. During the three-game losing streak, they have done just the opposite. The Bills have forced only two turnovers from opponents, and Buffalo’s offense has scored a paltry 24 points.’

‘Chan Gailey said he has no answers right now, and that’s not a good thing. He has not had a good few weeks calling plays, but what’s hurting him most is the lack of quality depth on this team. His guys have to throw it and catch it better. On defense, there’s not much more that can be said about George Edwards. Whatever’s he’s teaching and calling, it’s not working, and it hasn’t for two years. The defense is ill-prepared to stop any offense at this stage.’

‘Cornerback Leodis McKelvin is officially in Chan Gailey’s doghouse. Last week before the Miami game, Gailey came right out and said that McKelvin has been struggling, which he has. However, he did not given an indication that McKelvin would be sitting most of the day in Miami. Terrence McGee and Drayton Florence started, and when McGee went down with a knee injury, rookie Justin Rogers took the bulk of the plays rather than McKelvin. McKelvin, the 2008 first-round pick, has never played like a first-rounder, and he continues to struggle with making plays on the ball when it’s in the air.’

‘”He’s banged up. We’ll have to wait and see,” Gailey started. “I don’t know if I can give you a good answer right now. He’s hurting. I doubt he would practice early in the week but we hope to have him late in the week.”‘

‘On if his message to the team is to look in the mirror and see what they can do better individually: That’s exactly what I say to the team. If everybody gets better individually then the segment gets better. If the segment gets better then the team gets better. But it all starts with all of us individually trying to get better and trying to do things that are part of the solution, not part of the problem.’

‘”It was as much my fault as it was his fault to put him in that situation,” said Gailey of Levitre. “We didn’t know it was going to rain like that, but it could’ve and it came in spurts. The first half was okay and the second half when it started raining hard that’s when it got bad. It’s a tough situation for everybody to be in, for Fitz to be in, for us to be in. And we feel it’s probably better not to keep pushing that.”‘

‘”He’s banged up, but we’ll have to wait and see,” said Gailey. “I don’t know if I can give you a good answer right now. He’s hurting and I doubt he would practice early in the week, but we hope to have him late in the week.”‘

‘What is really frightening about how poorly the Bills have played during this losing streak is that the offense is totally shot. They have not scored a meaningful touchdown since that game in Toronto. I will still hold on to the thought that Ryan Fitzpatrick can win in this league. But he is a guy who even on the best of days needs help.’

‘It seems painfully apparent that Edwards’ crew is stubbornly sticking with a 3-4 alignment without adequate personnel and that’s merely complicated by injuries to nose tackle Kyle Williams and outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, both on injured reserve. Cornerback Terrence McGee was likely lost for the season against Miami and strong safety George Wilson, that unit’s best player this season, missed the game with a neck injury.’