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Week 5: Special Teams Snafu Costs Bills Again
Defense plays well in loss while Offense sputters for third straight week.
by Steve Saslow
Here are our position by position grades:
Quarterback:
Trent Edwards finished 16 of 31 for 152 yards and an interception. QB rating was 52.1. Grade F: Three straight games with no touchdowns.
Running Backs:
Marshawn Lynch led the way after getting the start. He ran the ball 17 times for 69 yards a 4.1 yard average. He also led the way with six catches for 56 yards. Fred Jackson had 13 carries for 30 yards and just two catches for 17 yards. Grade C+: Did some things but not nearly enough.
Receivers:
Terrell Owens had four catches for 44 yards. Lee Evans had just two catches for 11 yards and had a false start penalty. Josh Reed didn't catch a pass. Derek Fine and Shawn Nelson each had a catch. Grade F: This unit hasn't done a thing all year.
Offensive Line:
They allowed two sacks and were called for eight of the team's nine false start penalties. Grade F: Penalties were ridiculous. How many would they have had on the road.
Defensive Line:
Aaron Schobel had six tackles but a costly offsides penalty that kept a Browns field goal drive alive. Chris Kelsay had four tackles. Marcus Stroud had nine tackles and knocked down two passes. Kyle Williams had 10 tackles, three for losses, and a sack. Grade B-: Did allow some big holes in the ground game.
Linebackers:
Marcus Buggs and Kawika Mitchell both left with injuries that made the team move Keith Ellison to the middle. Ellison had nine tackles. Ashlee Palmer got the start outside and had three tackles including one for loss. Grade C-: Allowed big gains by Jamal Lewis as he ran for 117 yards.
Secondary:
Terrence McGee did a solid job in coverage having two passes defensed. Drayton Florence had four tackles. George Wilson had six tackles. Jairus Byrd had an interception and seven tackles. Grade A+: Allowed just two pass completions for 23 yards.
Special Teams:
Roscoe Parrish muffed a punt and that was the difference in this game. He averaged 2.3 yards per punt return. The coverage units allowed Josh Cribbs a 30 yard average per kickoff return but held him to 7.7 yard average per punt return. Brian Moorman averaged 52 yards on his punts with a 43 yard net. Rian Lindell hit his lone field goal attempt from 36 yards out but he didn't try a 49 yarder into the wind. Grade F: This unit cost the Bills a game for the second time this year.
Coaching:
Dick Jauron took some interesting chances on fourth down including a fourth and very long hail mary late in the first half. Alex Van Pelt had no answers on offense while Perry Fewell had his defense playing well in the passing game but they still were carved up on the ground. Bobby April's special teams continue to hurt the Bills. Grade D: Another lackluster performance. Is a shakeup in order?
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