Die Hard Sports Fan

Two struggling teams in the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs will face off tomorrow afternoon in a must win game for Buffalo.

Broadcast Info:

Game: Buffalo Bills (5-5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (1-9)
TV: CBS (Ian Eagle, Solomon Wilcots)

Radio: 97 Rock (Buffalo), 103.3 The EDGE (Buffalo), WHAM 1180 AM (Rochester), WNSS 1260 AM (Syracuse), FAN 590 AM (Toronto). Broadcasts are all done by John Murphy, Mark Kelso and Paul Peck on the Bills radio network.
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

Game Notes:

• The Chiefs have won two of the past three meetings, but Buffalo leads the all-time series, 19-16-1.
• Lynch recorded his first 100-yard rushing game of the season against the Browns last week. Lynch aims for his second consecutive 100-yard performance as the Chiefs are next to last in rushing defense, allowing 165 rushing yards per game.
• Tyler Thigpen started the season third on the depth chart behind Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard. But he has thrown eight touchdown passes and only one interception in his past four games for a passer rating of 96.9.
• The Bills started the season with such promise, racing out to a 4-0 record. But Buffalo has lost four consecutive games to drop to 5-5 and are now playing for its playoff lives.
• Linebacker Kawika Mitchell spent four seasons with Kansas City (2003-06)
• Chiefs running back Larry Johnson averages 93 rushing yards per game at home.
• Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe posted a career-high two touchdown receptions last week.
• The home team has won 10 of the last 11 games between the Bills and the Chiefs.
• Roscoe Parrish needs one punt return for a touchdown to take sole possession of first place in franchise history with four in a career.
• Josh Reed needs 25 receiving yards to reach 3,000 in his career.
• Leodis McKelvin needs 133 kick return yards to pass Eric Moulds (1,205) for most kick return yards by a rookie in a season.
• Under Dick Jauron, Buffalo is 11-5 (.688) with a positive turnover margin and 2-15 (.118) with a negative turnover mark.

Injury Report:

Bills- Out of Game: CB Jabari Greer (Knee), DE Aaron Schobel (Foot), S Donte Whitner (Shoulder), and LB Marcus Buggs (Ankle). Questionable: WR Josh Reed (Ankle) and S Bryan Scott (Knee).

Chiefs- Out of Game: LB Donnie Edwards (Hamstring), G Adrian Jones (Ankle), CB Patrick Surtain (Quad), and LB Patrick Thomas (Thigh). Probable: WR Mark Bradley (Calf), CB Brandon Flowers (Thigh), LB Derrick Johnson (Thigh), S Jarrad Page (Groin) and DT Glenn Dorsey (Knee).

Quote of the Week:

“I can speak for everybody in that locker room, we don’t like the slide we are on, so we definitely are going to have to get that confidence and swagger back and believe we can pull a close game out.”

-DT Marcus Stroud

Open Thread:

Please feel free to comment below or in the tag board in the sidebar to chat with Bills fans from around the world.

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The Buffalo Bills could be getting some key reinforcements back this week to take on the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football this week and it couldn’t come at a better time.

Bills Safety Donte Whitner has been medically cleared to play and participated in most of the defensive drills during Friday’s practice.  Whitner says that he has a full range of motion.  His versatility on defense has been missed as he has lined up all over the field.  From safety to cornerback, Whitner has played it all this season.  Getting him back will be a much needed boost to the passing defense.   He’s officially listed as questionable. 

All signs point to guard Brad Butler playing too. Butler worked with the first team offense Friday and didn’t miss a snap.  It looks like he will return to the starting lineup to try to turn this running game around.

Also for the offense, TE Robert Royal and WR James Hardy are listed as questionable.

It looks like Josh Reed will remain inactive though for this game.  The #2 wide receiver has missed the last few weeks.  He is still nursing a strained Achilles that has been keeping him out of the lineup since the game against Miami.  DE Aaron Schobel is also out, still recovering from a foot injury.

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Some more bad news came out on the Bills injury front, and the news was that safety Donte Whitner will be missing some time which is of course, not good news for the Bills and their defense.  Here is the latest from WGR550.com (it also includes some more Bills news):

Bills coach Dick Jauron announced today that safety Donte Whitner has a separated shoulder. Whitner suffered the injury in Sunday’s 26-to-17 loss to the Jets.  Jauron described Whitner’s status as week-to-week.

Whitner is second on the team with 37 tackles. He is also a defensive captain.

Jason Whittle is battling a back injury. He did participate in Monday’s walk-through practice. Aaron Schobel did not practice. He’s listed as day-to-day with a foot injury. Brad Butler’s knee injury is progressing. Butler will be pushed during Wednesday’s workout, according to Coach Jauron. Ashton Youboty practiced.

Marshawn Lynch felt better today after suffering from a stomach virus on Sunday. Jabari Greer hurt his wrist, but was fine on Monday.

The team pays a visit to New England to face the Patriots for the first time this season on Sunday.

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Hello Bills fans.  Im not going to lie.  It feels great to be 5-1.  What a great team victory it was this past Sunday in Orchard Park.  I wanted to talk a little bit about one of the defensive captains and team leaders Donte Whitner.  This past weekend, the Bills used Whitner as a free safety, strong safety and corner.  Whitner has been asked to play so many roles in Perry Fewell’s defense.  Bryan Scott has played strong safety and George Wilson plays free when Whitner is called upon to cover the slot receiver.  With Terrence McGee and Ashton Youboty bothered by injuries, Whitner has taken control of the secondary.  He is playing more of a “hybrid” safety role similar to what he did at Ohio State.  Its amazing that after the Bills selected Whitner 8th overall back in the 2006 draft, many experts called it a reach without realizing what type of player he was.  Whitner has been on the field since his rookie year and is becoming one of the best safeties in the game.  I give credit to Marv Levy because without his eye for talent, the Bills would be without a great leader.  Check out the article on timesunion.com.  Go Bills. 

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Hello Bills fans.  What a game yesterday.  The Bills started off with an impressive drive and finished the game with one to get their second victory.  I just wanted to talk about the play of cornerback Ashton Youboty.  During the preseason, many felt that Youboty was either going to get traded or released after the Bills signed a cornerback in free agency and drafted one in the first round.  Youboty had a great preseason and showed the coaches that he could be the full-time nickel back.  He beat out veteran Will James and rookie Leodis McKelvin by his tenacious tackling and great ball skills.  Youboty is one of the reasons we won yesterday.  He had a great sack on Garrad in the first quarter.  It was a corner blitz that the Jaguars didnt recognize.  Youboty also had a great open field tackle on Garrad that prevented a first down.  He also made a great play on a Jacksonville receiver to prevent another first down.  It really shows that he could be a great player in this league.  Youboty was a high draft pick but never really developed his first two seasons.  He dealt with the passing of his mother during his first training camp and never really settled in.  He is now showing signs of his ability and will continue to make the Bills secondary one to fear.  With Terrence McGee, Jabari Greer, Donte Whitner, Ko Simpson and Ashton Youboty, the Bills have one of the best secondaries in the game.  Congrats to Youboty.  Lets Go Bills. 

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1st Quarter

A hot day in Jacksonville and that is how the Bills started.  They got the ball to start the game and on their first drive the offense was clicking.  First down after first down for the Bills on mostly short passes and runs.  They held onto the ball for 7 minutes and they eventually punched it into the end zone on an 11-yard TD run by Marshawn Lynch.  The extra point by Rian Lindell was good and the Bills jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead.

While the Bills looked strong, the Jaguars offense looked shaky coming out of the gate.  After two runs, the Jags had to face a 3^rd and 7 from their own 28.  Aston Youboty came on a corner blitz and sacked QB David Garrard for a loss of 10.  3 and out for the Jags on their first series.

The Bills then went 3 and out (on 1^st down there was a holding call on Buffalo) on their next series.

With 3:08 left in the 1^st quarter, Jacksonville started to drive down the field.  They got to the Buffalo 16 before time ran out.

End of the 1^st, Buffalo leads 7-0.

2nd Quarter

The Jags started off the quarter right where they ended in the 1^st at the Bills 16.  A short pass, run and incomplete pass followed so Jacksonville had to settle for a 28 yard field goal by kicker Josh Scobee.  Jaguars still down, 7-3.

The Bills then went on another long drive, that tired out Jacksonville’s defense.  The standout play of this drive was a 33 yard catch and run by QB Trent Edwards to RB Fred Jackson on 3^rd and 1.  The drive would stall out at the end, so the Bills settled for a 21-yard FG by Lindell.  Bills add to their lead, it’s now 10-3. 

The rest of the quarter was run a few plays then punt until Garrard started to lead his team down the field on a 2 minute drill.  With 14 seconds left, instead of just taking the chip shot field goal, Jacksonville was going for the touchdown to tie the game.  Garrard dropped back and threw what was suppose to be a fade pattern to WR Mike Walker.  The problem with the throw was that the ball was throw on a line to the front of the endzone instead of a high ball to the back corner.  Bills CB Terrence McGee read the play perfectly and picked it off to end the threat.

Bills would knell the ball and let the clock run out.  They would go into the tunnel at halftime with a 10-3 lead.

3rd Quarter

Jacksonville got the ball to start the 2^nd half and their drive looked very similar to the Bills 1^st drive of the game.  A good mix of run and pass led to a Maurice Jones-Drew 2 yard touchdown run.  Jags tie the game up at 10 after the extra point is knocked through. 

The Jags then pulled a quick one on the Bills.  On the following kickoff they kicked an outside kick that they recovered.  They then took advantage of the good field postion and went on another drive.  It eventually stalled out though so after 6 plays and a little more than 3 minutes off the clock, Scobee put another field goal right through the uprights, this time from 50 yards out.  Jags now have their first lead of the game, 13-3.

Similar to the end of the 1^st, the end of the 3^rd ended with another Jags drive.   The quarter ended with the Jaguars threatening again at the Bills 25, this time with a 13-10 lead

4th Quarter

Again, Jacksonville could not get it into the end zone.  The drive ended with another FG by Scobee from 39 yards.  Jags add some more to their lead, 16-10.

The Bills showed that they were still calm and in control of this game.  They didn’t try to force it down the field.  After the Jags latest field goal they go 7 plays and then punt.

This was the drive that Jacksonville could put the game away with.  Instead they give it right back to the Bills after running just 4 plays, and a little more than 2 minutes off the clock.

Bills get the ball back and drive it down the field.  It was set up by a great punt return by Roscoe Parrish.  The game changing play of this drive and possibly the entire game was on 3^rd and 6 from Jacksonville’s 44 yard line.  Edwards dropped back, stepped up in the pocket to avoid the rush and fired a rocket to Lee Evans for a 37 yard game.  On the very next play the Bills come out in trips, 3 WRs to the right side of the field.  Second round pick James Hardy ran a route to the corner of the end zone.  Edwards rolled out and threw the ball high in the air to where only Hardy could get to it.  He got both feet in for a Bills touchdown.  After the extra point the Bills now lead again, 17-16. 

Jacksonville could do nothing on their next drive.  Two incompletions by Garrard and then DT Kyle Williams broke through the O-line and sacked Garrard for a loss of 10 yards.

The Bills ran close to 3 minutes off the clock, and Lindell put a 45 yard field goal dead center.  Bills now lead 20-16, forcing the Jags to go for the end zone.

The Jags gave it their all but with only 29 seconds left and over 70 yards to go it was highly unlikely.  Garrard did complete a pass to WR Matt Jones but then he latteraled it forwards which ran 10 seconds off the clock and ended the game. 

Bills win 20-16.

The NFL.com Gamecenter: Post Game is attached.

BILLS Wrap Up

Trent Edwards finished the day 20 for 25 with 239 yards and a TD (no INTs)

Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson went for a combined 76 yards on the ground.  Lynch went for 59 and 1 TD on 19 carries while Jackson got 17 yards on 6 attempts.

Lee Evans had another strong game with 4 catches and 77 yards.  Josh Reed also caught 4 balls for 36 yards.  James Hardy caught his first NFL TD on a 7 yard catch.  He also had one other reception in this one, for a total of 12 yards.  RB Fred Jackson led the day for receiving though with 7 catches for 83 yards.  Lynch had one catch for 8 yards.

Kicker Rian Lindell went 2 for 2 today on field goal attempts.

Terrence McGee had another INT for the Bills today, his 2^nd of the year.  He also led the team with 7 tackles.

LB Paul Poz and S Donte Whitner each had 6 tackles.

Williams and Youboty had 1 sack apiece. 

This is the first time the Bills are 2-0 since 2003.

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1st Quarter

Rain was coming down hard and you could tell that both of the teams quarterbacks didn’t play much in the preseason.  It was a quarter filled with incompletions and punts.  The Bills went on a drive with 4:04 left in the 1^st quarter.  It started with great field position (had the ball at midfield).  Trent Edwards dropped back and threw a nice ball to Lee Evans down the sideline.  Completed for 32 yards.  On this same drive the Bills were stuck on 3^rd and 11.  It looked like they would have to settle for a field goal but a great play call changed that.  The Seahawks showed blitz and it looked like it would work but then Edwards handed the ball to Marshawn Lynch on a draw play.  Evans threw a great block downfield that sprung Lynch for a 21 yard touchdown. 

Bills lead 7-0 after one quarter of play.  

2nd Quarter

The Bills special teams is going to have to step up if they want to stay in ball games this season and they showed up big on a punt return for a TD by return man Roscoe Parrish.  Parrish caught the punt and then showed why he is a game changer, makes cut and breaking tackles before he took it all the way to the house, finishing the 64 yard run. 

Later in the quarter with about 5:00 on the clock, the Seahawks went on a drive of their own.  On 2^nd and 10, the Bills had blown coverage and the Seahawks looked like they could take advantage.  Matt Hasselbeck threw a deep ball to Nate Burleson who was wide open.  He jumped up, had the ball in his hands but just couldn’t hang on.  The next play Hasselbeck dropped back and threw a fade to Burleson who made a great catch in the end zone with Bills CB Jabri Greer on the coverage.  Seahawks finally get on the board, 14-7.

Bills kicker Rain Lindell then added a FG to add to the Bills lead, 17-7.

Then after the Seahawks failed to do anything with a minute left, they gave the ball back to Buffalo.  Edwards made a few good passes which set up Lindell with another FG try.  The 38 yard attempt was up and good.

Bills lead at halftime, 20-7.

3rd Quarter

Seahawks wide receiver Burleson was injured in the 3^rd quarter while running a pattern on 3^rd and 7 with under 6 minutes left.  He ran an out and fell to the ground holding his knee.  He did not return to the game.

Seahawks would also add a FG to the mix.  Score is now 20-10.

With under 3 minutes left in the 3^rd, the Bills lined up for another FG try.  The snap was good, the holder (and also punter) Brain Moorman got the snap and then stood up to throw a fake.  Ryan Denney (the DE and special teams player) was wide open and ran into the end zone for the first TD of his career.  The trick play worked and the Bills are now up, 27-10.

On that kickoff following the Bills TD, Jon Corto the Orchard Park native (who was featured in a previous story) forced a fumble.  Bills recover!  The Bills then went for the stranglehold.  On first and 10, Edwards faked a handoff and steps up in the pocket.  He then delivers a strike to TE Robert Royal who caught it for a 30 yard TD.  Bills now lead 34-10.

4th Quarter

It was just a quarter where the Seahawks couldn’t do anything and the Bills were content with running out the clock.  With :34 left in the game, the Bills finally accomplished something that they were close to the entire game.  They intercepted a pass.  Terrence McGee picked off the Hasselbeck pass and that would seal the game.  BILLS WIN 34-10!

Wrap Up

Trent Edwards went 19/30 with 215 yards and a TD with no INTs.

Marshawn Lynch led the ground game carrying the ball 18 times for 76 yards and a TD.  Fred Jackson also contributed with 31 yards on 10 attempts.

Brain Moorman (holder and punter) went 1/1 for 19 yards and a TD.

It seemed like everyone was catching passes in this game with 6 different players recording receptions.  Evans had 4 catches for 102 yards, Royal had 6 catches for 52 yards and a TD.  Josh Reed caught 3 balls for 37 yards, Denney of course had the TD catch for 19 yards.  The running backs also got mixed into the action with Lynch catching 3 catches for 18 yards.  Not only did Parrish serve as a big return man but he also caught 3 balls for 6 yards (mostly on screens).

Lindell went 2/3 on field goals with one of them being blocked.

McGee had an INT, Denney, Aaron Schobel and Kawikea Mitchell all had 1 sack.  DT Kyle Williams had 1.5 sacks while newcomer Marcus Stroud contributed with .5 sacks. 

Not only did Moorman throw the TD pass, he also averaged 40.6 yards a punt (on 9 punts) with 3 inside the 20.

Keith Ellison played well at LB today in place of Angelo Crowell who will be out for the year.  All of the newcomers on D looked amazing too, not to mention 2nd year man Paul Poz.

MORE TO COME on this game tomorrow where I tell you what my feelings are.  Of course it will be happy though because the Bills WON!  LET’S GO BUFFALO!

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The Buffalo Bills named their team captains today.  Six were named in all and of the 6 captains, 3 are retutning from last season. 

Lee Evans (offense), Chris Kelsay (defense) and Brain Moorman (special teams) were the 3 captains that were named again for a second straight year.  Second year quaterback Trent Edwards was also named a captain on the offensive side of the ball.  Thrid year saftey Donte Whitner, who has showed great leadership for such a young player will also represent the defense.  George Wilson, the backup saftey was given the 2nd special teams captains role.

All of the players were voted captain by their teammates.

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The season is starting in just under 5 games with the Buffalo Bills home opener just around the corner.  The game is of course on Sunday, September 7^th when the Bills take on the Seattle Seahawks at the Ralph at 1:00 PM (Eastern Time).

So what am I going to do for you guys out there reading this?  Get you pumped for the regular season opener!  From now until Sunday I will be covering the Bills as a team and their chances of making the playoffs.  First, I will cover the Buffalo Bills defense.  I will list the depth chart of the position in my breakdown of the D position by position and give them an overall grade along with some commentary of the team. 

DE

1. Aaron Schobel

2. Chris Kelsey

3. Ryan Denney

4. Chris Ellis

5. Copeland Bryan

The Bills have a very solid group of defensive ends on the roster this year.  That means they will have a good duo out there on any play seeing as the Bills like to rotate in the freshest players on the D-line…  Schobel has made the pro bowl two years in a row but he is trying to improve his sack total for this year after only 6.5 sacks last year, the lowest in his career since his rookie season back in 2001…  Kelsey is trying to return to top form after he battled nagging injuries all last season.  He underwent off-season surgery on his torn tendon in his ankle…  Denney is also trying to return to top form after he had to undergo foot surgery.  He was only able to play in 7 games last year due to the injury… Chris Ellis is the rookie DE from Virginia Tech.  He was selected by the Bills in the 3^rd round.  Ellis could be used as a situational pass rusher and is also good against the run.  Fast fact, the last DE selected by the Bills from VT, Bruce Smith…  Bryan appeared in only 2 games last season and was later put on the IR in December.  Before joining the Bills last season, Bryan was on the Bear practice squad…     

GRADE: B

DT

1. Marcus Stroud

2. Kyle Williams

3. John McCargo

4. Spencer Johnson

            The Bills are hoping that a healthy Stroud can return to his former pro bowl form.  The 6’ 6’’, 306 lb. tackle was brought in to help improve the Bills D against the run which finished near the bottom of the league last season.  Stroud will also get some double team attention at the line giving the DEs and LBs some room to run and make plays…  The 25 yard old Williams just signed a contract extension this off-season for 3 more years in Buffalo…  McCargo, the former 1^st round pick (26^th overall) in the 2006 draft was fined this spring for being overweight.  He reported to camp in shape and looks to build into a starting DT…  Johnson came over in the off-season as a free agent from he Vikings.  He didn’t put up huge numbers because he played behind the monstrous Williamses in Minnesota…

GRADE: B- (Grade will improve after we see how Stroud plays)

MIDDLE LB

1. Paul Posluszny

2. John DiGiorgio

            Poz is BACK!  After fracturing his forearm in the Bills Week 3 game last year he is back at 100%.  The guy just has a nose for the ball and is a great tackler.  Through the first 3 games last year, he led the Bills with 26 tackles (remember he didn’t even finish the 3^rd game)… DiGiorgio had a very good year last year filling in for the injuried Posluzny.  He had 113 tackles last season to go along with 2 sacks and 1 INT.  Provides great depth at the MLB position…

GRADE: B+

WEAK-SIDE LB

1. Kawika Mitchell

2. Jon Corto

            Mitchell was an early free agent signing for the Bills.  The Superbowl Champion is highly underrated.  He had 86 tackles, 4 sacks and 1 INT to go along with 2 forced fumbles.  Something to remember, his last game in Buffalo on December 23^rd of last season, he had 2 sacks, forced a fumble, and returned an INT for a touchdown… Corto is the Orchard Park native now on his hometown Bills squad.  He was on the Bills practice squad last season…

GRADE: B

STRONG-SIDE LB

1. Angelo Crowell

2. Keith Ellison

            The 27 year old Crowell is entering his contract year with the Bills.  This is the last season of the 3 year deal he signed in 2005.  He too is another Bills LB that is highly underrated.  He had 126 tackles last season that led the team…  Ellison also played significant time last season.  He had 39 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 INT in 12 games last season…

GRADE: B+

CB

1. Terrence McGee

2. Jabari Greer

3. Ashton Youboty

4. Leodis McKelvin

5. Reggie Corner

            McGee was the clear choice for the #1 corner spot.  McGee has 78 tackles and 4 INTs last season in 15 games… Greer looked to be the odd man out with the Bills after they selected a bundle of corners in the draft.  He has played hard though and the Bills coaching staff is impressed.  He earned the #2 spot for at least the first half of the season…  Youboty was another guy that was as good as gone before the preseason but he played hard and had two very good games.  He won the nickel corner spot because of his great progress… McKelvin was the #11 pick in this years draft.  He has looked so-so in the preseason.  He has either made a good play or has completely messed it up.  It will be interesting to see whether he plays a lot at all this year.  A candidate to play in the dime and quarter packages for the Bills (which they don’t run very much at all)… Corner was a ball hawk in college and had a sharp preseason.  The rookie has even be rumored to be ahead of McKelvin on the depth chart…

GRADE: C+

FS

1. Ko Simpson

2. George Wilson

            Simpson is looking to rebound after he was injured in the Bills 1^st game last season against the Denver Broncos and then placed on the IR for the year.  The 4^th round draft pick from the 2006 draft is looking to have a breakout year and also continue the chemistry with SS Donte Whitner after the two started their entire rookie seasons together…  Wilson played in 12 games last season after Simpson and former Bills safety Brain Leonard went down, before of course he went down to injury also.  It occurred before the last week of the season.  He ended the year with 37 tackles and 2 picks…     

GRADE: C

SS

1. Donte Whitner

2. Bryan Scott

3. John Welding

            Whitner guaranteed that the Bills will make the playoffs this season.  He has been an unofficial team captain since he was drafted.  He shows great leadership and also builts team chemistry by having the team over for film watching and he even took McKelvin under his wing during the off-season  Hard qualities to find from a 23 year old entering his third season of NFL play…  Scott returns for another stint in Buffalo after he played in 15 games last season, most in a special teams role… Same goes for Welding.  Will play in the special teams role…

GRADE: B

Overall the Bills defense has a good mix of playmakers and role players.  Due to all of the injuries last season, the Bills now have good depth at almost all of their positions.  They are a young D that flys to the football.  Look for team to improve as an entire unit this year.

Here is the rundown on what I will be covering the rest of the week:

Weds: Bills Offense

Thurs: Bills Special Teams

Fri: Breakdown of the Bills Schedule and Chances of Making the Playoffs

Sat: Game Preview with my Picks of all of the Winners in Week 1

Sun: Game recap with Commentary 

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Hello Bills fans.  I was able to watch the first half of tonights game online.  I have to say that the offense has woken up.  Trent Edwards was 9-11 for 104 yards and two td’s.  Robert Royal caught both td passes from Trent on perfectly thrown balls.  Lee Evans had three catches for 55 yards and Marshawn Lynch carried the ball five times for 25 yards.  The offensive line had great push on running plays and protected Trent everytime he dropped back.  The starting defense started a little shaky but rebounded nicely by getting an interception.  The defensive line had great pressure and forced Big Ben to throw into traffic.  The ball was deflected by Ko Simpson into the hands of Donte Whitner.  I know its only preseason but this was the type of play I was looking for.  Go Bills. 

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