Die Hard Sports Fan

Wow!  That’s really all you can say about the Buffalo Bills Week 3 win against the Oakland Raiders to improve to 3-0.  To be honest with everyone, the Bills had no right to win this game, but that is why they play the whole 60 minutes.  Trent Edwards and crew went on a 4^th quarter rally with a little more than 6 minutes left in the game that was ended with Rian Lindell’s 38 yard field goal to win it.

So who do I have for my “Unsung Hero”?  Who receives the gameball?  How did the Bills do overall in my eyes?  Keep the page scrolling for the answers.

GRADES on Bills

Running Game: B

Marshawn Lynch led the ground game with 83 yards and 2 TDs.  Fred Jackson in his limited role averaged almost 5 yards a carry on his 5 attempts in the game.  The ground game stuttered at times, but when they were really needed they stepped up.  Lynch also had some strong carries to help set up the winning field goal.

Passing Game: B+

Another strong 4^th quarter helped bump this grade up.  Edwards came through when needed though and was the main reason the Bills scored 17 points in the final quarter. 

Run Defense: A

The run defense also got a boost in the grade due to their late game heroics.  They also very quietly held a strong running game to under 100 yards.

Pass Defense: B-

The defense held the Raiders to 72 yards passing, before the 4^th quarter strike from JaMarcus Russel to Higgins that went for 84 yards.  The Raiders only threw the ball 3 times in the 2^nd half!

Special Teams: C

Two weeks in a row the special teams have been sub par.  Lindell did win the game, BUT the rest of the time they were horrible.  Kick and punt coverage were both awful.  If it wasn’t for the last second field goal, this squad might have received a F.

Coaching: B+ 

The offense made adjustments all game, and the defense played great.  Another hard fought win for this Bills squad.  They are really playing hard under Head Coach Dick Jauron.

GAMEBALL

QB Trent Edwards.  He is the winner of the gameball two weeks in a row now.  How can you argue with this pick though?  Edwards finished the game 24 of 39, 279 yards and 1 TD and 1 INT to go along with 9 yards on the ground.  The 4^th quarter is where he won this award though, when he threw for 177 yards on 13 of 18 throwing including a TD pass to Roscoe Parrish.  This is now the 2^nd week in a row, Edwards has led 4^th quarter comebacks and the Bills start 3-0 for the first time since 1992.

UNSUNG HERO

WR Josh Reed.  Reed was the leading receiver for this game with his 6 catches for 72 yards.  Edwards looked for him when the game mattered most and Reed helped move the chains.  Sure he will not get the attention of go to guy Lee Evans, or the game changing Roscoe Parrish, but Reed has turned into a solid possession guy.  Edwards looks for him on 3^rd downs and Reed has some very sure hands.  I remember a few years ago when Reed couldn’t catch and I would want to pull my hair out watching him play.  Now he has turned into a solid threat.  Who would’ve thought that?  He wins the unsung hero award for this week.

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The Buffalo Bills will face the Oakland Raiders in less than an hour at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

TV & Radio Info:

Game: Oakland Raiders (1-1) @ Buffalo Bills (2-0)
TV: CBS (Don Criqui, Dan Fouts)
Radio: 97 Rock (Buffalo), 103.3 The EDGE (Buffalo), WHAM 1180 AM (Rochester), WNSS 1260 AM (Syracuse), FAN 590 AM (Toronto). All done by John Murphy, Mark Kelso and Paul Peck on the Bills radio network.
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

Game Notes:

• At halftime, Buffalo Bills great Bruce Smith will be put on the Wall of Fame at the Ralph.  Be sure to stay in your seats for this one to honor a legend.  Smith is currently the NFL’s alltime sack leader and one of the best Bills players of all-time. 
• In the last meeting between these two teams back in 2005, Oakland was victorious with a 38-7 score.
• Oakland has beaten Buffalo seven of the last eight games played between the two teams.  Oakland also leads the overall series 19-15.
• This game with be decided in the trenches.  The Raiders are 2nd in the league, averaging 225 yards per game, including 300 yards in their win over the Cheifs last game.  The Bills have improved their run defense greatly and have only let up 91.5 yards on the ground.  The winner of this match up will decide the time of possession battle.
• Bills QB Trent Edwards has not throw an INT through the Bills first two games.  He has looked mature and has been very accurate with his throws.
• Oakland has scored an average of 18.5 points per game while the Bills have only let up 13. 
• The Bills are looking to go 3-0 for the first time since their superbowl years in 1992.

Injury Report:

Bills - Out of Game: TE Derek Fine (Hand).  Probable: CB Terrence McGee (Back) and WR Roscoe Parrish (Knee).

Raiders - Doubtful: RB Justin Fargas (Groin) and T Kwame Harris (Knee). Probable: RB Darren McFadden (Toe) and WR Javon Walker (Hamstring).

Quote of the Week:

“It’s kind of damned if you do and damned if you don’t. If you spill he’s bouncing around the corner. If you post up on the outside the way they try to cut block and seal guys off he might take on back side off on you. So it’s something that we really have to get our fits well, get into our fits and put the guy on the ground. Because if not, he’s capable of hitting a home run every time.”

-DT Kyle Williams on Darren McFadden

Bills need the 12th man to step up in this game.  Be loud and proud Bills FANS!  This is the last game at the Ralph for the next 3 weeks when the Bills finally return 10/19 to face the Chargers.  LET’S GO BUFFALO!

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Hello and welcome back to the site.  Like promised I am back to give you the rest of the NFL picks.  However, I am still a little bit under the weather (like yesterday, which is why I didn’t finish the picks in the first place) so the post today will just be the picks.  Sorry no insight for today.  Let’s get it started.  I’ll run down all of the pick (including yesterdays).  My picks are in bold.

Oakland Raiders (+9.5) @ Buffalo Bills

Arizona Cardinals (+3) @ Washington Redskins

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3) @ Chicago Bears

Kansas City Cheifs (+6.5) @ Atlanta Falcons

Houston Texans (+5) @ Tennesse Titans 

Cinininati Bengals (+13.5) @ New York Giants

Miami Dolphins (+13) @ New England Patriots

Carolina Panther (+3.5) @ Minnesota Vikings

 St. Louis Rams (+10) @ Seattle Seahawks

New Orleans Saints (+6) @ Denver Broncos

Detriot Lions (+4.5) @ San Francisco 49ers

Jacksonville Jaguars (+5) @ Indianapolis Colts

Pittsburgh Steelers (+3.5) @ Philadelphia Eagles

Cleveland Browns (+3) @ Baltimore Ravens

Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers (+3)

New York Jets (+8.5) @ San Diego Chargers

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“Sportz Assassin” reports on FanHouse today: “Since 1952 — that’s not a typo — the Redskins have had just three coaches with a winning overall record: Joe Gibbs, George Allen and Vince Lombardi. Great names who are all in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. However, it should be noted that Lombardi coached just one season in D.C. before passing away before the start of the 1970 season and Gibbs second stint saw him finish with a 30-34 record.”

Hmmm…

I remember when Joe Gibbs first came to the Skins as the head coach. I recall thinking, or feeling that it was going to be the beginning of an era. Honestly. Now, it might have been because I was young, and had just started playing pee-wee football myself. But, I knew it in my heart.

Am I prepared to say the same thing about Jim Zorn. Well, not exactly. But, I will say that I do think Zorn has the right stuff. He’s not Joe Gibbs. That’s a good thing. But, already we’ve seen that Zorn likes to pop off at the mouth. He’s got that head-mouth disease. He says exactly what’s on his mind. Some might say that’s a good thing. But, Gibbs, if he was nothing else, was a master of managing the press and public perception.

Zorn however, is trying to temper himself. But, it will take some time. Beginning tonight, he’s about to find out just how little the media and fans will coddle him if he doesn’t learn to win. And, in that crucible of scrutiny, Zorn will rise or falter by how well he manages the media to manage our expectations.

Joe Gibbs began his first tenure as coach with a 0-5 start. He’s been quoted as saying that he believed he would be fired. Melodrama aside, he understood the nature of being an NFL coach. In fact, any executive, whether it’s in the NFL or Corporate America, must learn how to manage expectations while at the same time building and cultivating strong relationships.

There is a saying: A great relationship can overcome poor results. But great results will never overcome a bad relationship. For example, just ask Marty Schottenheimer about his experience with the San Diego Chargers.

Yet, even though Joe Gibbs never had to worry about truly poor results beyond his 0-5 start, he never forgot that critical lesson. And, of course, it shouldn’t go without saying that a great relationship is made even greater when accompanied by great results. And in that regard, Joe Gibbs won three super bowls. He should have had a fourth, but Joe Theisman was playing “drunk” that day against the Raiders.

To be successful, and write his name next to the winning coaches of the Redskins, Zorn has to do what he does best: Put Jason Campbell in a position to succeed. Teach the players well. And lastly, go beyond just calling the right plays. Rather, he must call the right plays at the right time.

Is it game time, yet!!

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 As you’ll read below, there is a rumor that the Saints want to try to trade for Shockey again.  I loved Jeremy since we got him.  I loved how he played offense like a defender.  Then, just like Tiki, Shockey called out the coaching staff and his teammates in that Playoff loss up in Seattle.  Since then, Tiki continued to talk smack which wore out his welcome.  Shockey may have said something once more, but it didn’t go on and on.  Somebody made him shut his mouth in 2007 because he said nothing and his teammates and coaches were the same for the most part.  Besides his mouth, I don’t like the fact that Jeremy thinks he’s still a Hurricane rather than a Giant and continues to work out in Miami during the offseason.  Also, Shockey brings other Giants to train with him in Miami but none of them include Eli Manning.  Then there is the whinning on the field if he doesn’t get the ball.

I really don’t know what the Giants should do with Shockey even though Jerry Reese insists that he will be their Tight End next season.  Shockey has become less of a receiving threat on the Giants, but he’s become a more well rounded TE.  Jeremy is still a threat that opposing teams need to focus on, but not as much.  He’s a play maker so he gets double teamed often as well.  If all of that whinning really affects Eli then they should let him go.  I’m not on the field to know exactly what’s taking place, but on television it doesn’t look good.  Jerry Reese has to put the best team on the field.  As of right now, he stated that Shockey is the Tight End.

Giants.com:

Positional Breakdown: QB’s - John Schmeelk takes a closer look at the depth at the QB position.

Fans Take - A Giants fan expresses his thoughts about the 2007 season.

The Star-Ledger:

More Shockey rumblings - Mike Garafolo read something that Peter King, of Sports Illustrated, wrote today.  According to Peter King, the New Orleans Saints still want to trade for Jeremy Shockey.  Garafolo checked it out and couldn’t find any signs of Shockey being traded.  Mike felt like the Saints’ first offer was way to low so he believes that if the Saints are serious then they need to come to the table more prepared.

Garafolo also pointed out that the Oakland Raiders are only so close to the cap that they might need to make more room.  One of the things Oakland can do is trade Nnamdi Asomugha to the Giants since this has been rumored before.

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Based on the accuracy of this ESPN report, Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger passed on this trade rumor: the Atlanta Falcons have agreed to trade DeAngelo Hall to the Oakland Raiders for a second round draft pick.  Garafolo believes that Hall will get a six-year contract close to the six-year, $57 million deal that Assante Samuel recently signed.  The Giants weren’t going to come near that number.  Mike reminded us that the Giants are still interested in other big-time corners like Nnamdi Asomugha of the Raiders and Marcus Trufant of the Seahawks.

I was a fan of Hall’s skills on the field, but not all of the crap that comes with him - and a contract around six-years, $57 million to boot.  I didn’t want the Jints to trade for him so it can’t happen now if that report is accurate.  I’m happy.  It seems like Oakland is really shelling out the cash this year.  Now we have to wait and see what moves the Giants make…

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In addition to signing Asante Samuel, the Eagles also signed DE Chris Clemons from the Raiders to a 5-year contract.  The Eagles have been quite busy and they are even interested in going after Randy Moss…so are the Cowboys.  So the influx of talent in the NFC East will make it even harder to repeat.  The Cowboys also have been busy, but the Redskins and the Giants have not.  We will have to keep a close eye on the NFL Draft because that’s the route the G-MEN are going to take.

Giants.com:

Mailbag for February 29, 2008 - Michael Eisen answers questions from Jints fans.

Did you Know? - Michael Eisen had a Q&A Session with Rich Seubert regarding his tenure on the Giants.

Newsday:

Giants lose Mitchell, Torbor and Wilson - By the time I wrote yesterday, we already knew that Mitchell went to Buffalo and Torbor went to Miami.  Later on in the day, Gibril Wilson agreed to a 6-year deal with the Oakland Raiders worth $39 million according to Bob Glauber.  Damn…that was quick.

New York Daily News:

Giants lose three from defense - Ralph Vacchiano covered the same story as Newsday.

New York Post:

WILSON, MITCHELL, AND TORBOR LEAVE JINTS - Paul Schwartz covered the same story as Newsday.

New York Times:

Giants Lose Three Players in Free Agency - The New York Times covered the same story as Newsday.

Samuel Leaves Patriots for a 6-Year Deal With the Eagles - Judy Battista reported that the Eagles ended up signing Asante Samuel as rumored.  Samuel signed a 6-year deal estimated at $10 million per year.  I don’t want talented people in the NFC East that aren’t part of the Big Blue Wrecking Crew.  Samuel is good for a pick every other game, and now we have to face him twice a year for 6 years.

The Star-Ledger:

…but don’t rule out Wilson - Mike Garafolo stated that he believes that Sammy Knight visited the Denver Broncos and left without a contract.  He also said that Eugene Wilson is still available.

Coleman gone - Mike Garafolo pointed out that Erik Coleman of the Jets has signed with the Atlanta Falcons so cross him off the list of possible candidates.

Giants lose 3 starters

Needell: Don’t freak over losing Wilson, either

Wilson gone

Needell: Eagles sign Samuel

Afternoon tidbits - Mike Garafolo provided a few tidbits yesterday afternoon:

• The Giants are also interested in Trent Green as a backup QB.
• Yahoo! reported that the Giants are interested in CB Jason Webster and DE N.D. Kalu.
• Derrick Ward has not left the G-MEN yet.

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