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Bills Stink Up The Ralph Against 49ers
Defense shines in loss: The defense performed very well in this game but the red zone woes on offense really killed the Bills but the defense didn't give in and kept the Bills in the game. Special teams also helped waste a good defensive effort with two missed field goals. Gameday Grades.
Bills Lose Messy Game 10-3: The Bills didn't play like a team that was battling for their playoff lives. San Francisco marched down the field and scored the game's only touchdown on the opening series and that was all they needed. The Bills only scored three points despite being inside the 10 four times in the game. Rian Lindell missed two field goals and Trent Edwards missed the second half after suffering a groin injury. J.P. Losman replaced him and moved the team but not where it counted. The Bills kept going away from a run game that was working behind Marshawn Lynch's 134 yards but he only ran it 16 times. Game Review.
Edwards Hurt: Trent Edwards injured his groin early in the game and tried to play through it. He did not play in the 2nd half and Dick Jauron said he probably should have pulled him earlier. He watched the 2nd half from the sidelines. Chris Ellis hurt his lower leg leaving the team with just two healthy defensive ends. Injury Page.
Ellison Will Go: Keith Ellison is active and is expected to start today for the Bills. That allows Bryan Scott to go back and start for Donte Whitner who is inactive as expected with his shoulder injury. Copleand Bryan won't go even though he was listed as questionable. The other questionable player was Derek Schouman and he will suit up today. Also inactive because of injuries are Aaron Schobel, Jabari Greer, Teddy Lehman, and Robert Royal. Derek Fine will get the start at tight end while Leodis McKelvin will once again start for Greer. The only healthy inactive is Demetrius Bell.
Wintry Mix For Game: It will be December weather on the last day of November for today's game. A rain and snow mix is expected by kickoff with a gametime temperature of 38°. Chance of precipitation will get worse as the game goes on but it should turn to in all rain event. The wind will be a factor as it will be out of the East Southeast at 17mph.
Saturday November 29, 2008
Saturday Commentary: McCargo's Days Over? Now that John McCargo is on injured reserve his season is over and in all likelihood his days as a Bill is over. His days in Buffalo were suppose to be over when he was traded to the Colts earlier this year but he did not pass his physical. It appears a little bit out of the ordinary that he would fail one physical and come right back to Buffalo and play. He has been inactive three of the past four weeks as he obviously is no longer in the team's plans. His back is getting worse, and now that the team needed a roster spot, it was convenient to end his season. These two parties will part ways in the offseason and McCargo will go down as the biggest bust of the two year Marv Levy reign as general manager.
Friday November 28, 2008
McCargo On IR: The Bills faced going into Sunday's game with only one tight end so they made a roster move today. They activated Jonathan Stupar off of the practice squad and placed John McCargo on injured reserve. The move was made because Robert Royal is out and Derek Schouman is questionable leaving Derek Fine as the only healthy tight end. McCargo has been bothered by a back injury that negated his trade to the Colts earlier this year. The move likely ends his career with the Bills. Stupar signed with the Bills practice squad back on Sept. 1st. He is a former undrafted free agent out of Virginia who was originally signed by New England in May. Depth Chart.
Five Out: The Bills will be without five players for Sunday's game against the 49ers. Aaron Schobel, Jabari Greer, Teddy Lehman, Robert Royal and John McCargo have all been ruled out. McCargo is new to the list as his ailing back has gotten worse forcing him to the sidelines. Donte Whitner is doubtful while Derek Schouman, Copeland Bryan, and Keith Ellison are questionable Injury Page.
Limited Tickets Available: The Bills announced this morning that a limited number of tickets for Sunday's game has been made available. These are tickets returned by the 49ers that they did not use.
Ellison Returns; Schouman Limited: Keith Ellison returned to practice on a limited basis along with Copeland Bryan. Derek Schouman was added to the report after being limited with a hamstring injury. Teddy Lehman and Robert Royal also remain sidelined with a hamstring injury. Also not practicing yesterday were Aaron Schobel and Jabari Greer. Injury Page.
Thursday November 27, 2008
Another 3-4 Defense: The Bills will face another 3-4 defense which is not good news. The three other teams in the AFC East are 3-4 defenses along with Cleveland all four games were losses. The only 3-4 team they beat was San Diego who were battling injuries in the middle. The key to the 49ers defense is the two inside linebackers Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes. In a conference call with the Western New York media Spikes called his time in Buffalo a special time and thought he would end his career in Buffalo. He said he'd like to think most of the 51 jerseys that are in the stands are his and not Paul Pozluszny's.
Wednesday November 26, 2008
Linebackers Banged Up: The Bills are now thin at linebacker. Keith Ellison was absent from practice today with an ankle injury and Teddy Lehman is sidelined with a hamstring injury. Bryan Scott appears to be over his sprained knee as he took reps at linebacker. Also not practicing today were Aaron Schobel, Jabari Greer, Copeland Bryan, and Robert Royal. Donte Whitner practiced on a limited basis. Injury Page.
Bills Add To Practice Squad: The Bills filled their open spot on the practice squad today by signing WR Mike Jefferson. He was with the Cowboys practice squad for the majority of the past two seasons. He was active for them early this season but did not play. Seven of the eight players on the practice squad are offensive players with four of them being receivers (three WRs and one TE).
49ers Come To Town: The Bills should have a huge homefield advantage this Sunday when San Francisco comes East to play the Bills in the December weather of Orchard Park. No West coast team has come into the Eastern time zone and won a game this year. That includes losses by Seattle, Oakland, and San Diego at Ralph Wilson Stadium. This shape up well from the suddenly rejuvenated Bills. Game Preview.
Four Bills On List: Four Bills are on the list of 25 semi finalists for the class of 2009 of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Bruce Smith, Steve Tasker, Andre Reed, and Ralph Wilson made the list. It will get whittled down to 15 in early January. Smith is considered a lock for induction this year. Tasker has been a semifinalist two other times but has never made the cut to finalist. Wilson was a finalist in 2001 and 2003 while Reed is on the semifinalist list for the third straight year.
Tuesday November 25, 2008
Tickets Remain For Toronto: The much heralded Toronto series got underway with a small crowd in the preseason but things were suppose to get much better for the regular season game that is less than two weeks away now. While the Bills have long since soldout the entire seven game season at Ralph Wilson Stadium, 4,000 tickets remain for the game in Toronto. When the series was announced it was assumed the tickets would sellout quickly even at very high prices. They would sell them in packages only. Now they are desperately trying to sell games individually and avoid an embarassing blackout. Trent Edwards was dispatched to Toronto yesterday to meet with fans and promote the game. He even sounded uninterested in traveling to a "home" game that will be a very important division matchup. He conceded it would be better to play Miami outside in the December Buffalo weather than inside a dome.
Monday November 24, 2008
Scott Ok: It appears like Bryan Scott made it through the game ok despite only playing on special teams. Dick Jauron said they knew Scott was going to be available but went with George Wilson in the starting lineup because he had all the reps in practice this week. As long as Scott is able to practice this week he will likely be back in the starting lineup assuming Donte Whitner remains out. Depth Chart.
Players Meeting Worked: The veterans on the team led by Josh Reed held a players only meeting on Saturday night at the team hotel. Reed is not a vocal leader but decided it was time for him to step up and speak since he didn't do it during a similar situation when he was in college. Reed said that it's time to look ahead and not look back on how they got to 5-5. The team played with more fire and determination and several players referenced the meeting after the game. Reed said it was a matter of laying down and giving up or fighting and he knew this team would fight. The offense was even more successfully because of Reed taking the middle of the field in his return from a sprained ankle. He also scored his first touchdown in 25 games and opened things up for Lee Evans.
Greer Job Safe: How quickly has Leodis McKelvin moved from the outhouse to the penthouse? People were already trying label him a bust after half a season but he exploded yesterday on defense with two interceptions, returning one for a score. So now Dick Jauron was fielding questions in the post game press conference on if he's unseated Jabari Greer as the starter. Jauron said Greer will still start when he returns but there is a need for extra corners so McKelvin will still see plenty of playing time in the nickel and dime sets.
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