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Buffalo Bills Breakdown: Keys to Victory, Part Four: The Coaches
Published: June 17, 2009
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This is the fourth installment of an analysis of the Buffalo Bills to have a good look at what the 2009 season will bring.
The Bills have an opportunity to return to glory this season, due to New England’s weakening stranglehold on the AFC East, and the Bills look to be on the cusp of becoming a contending team.
The Bills coaching staff will be the coordinating crew that will assemble all of the Bills’ athletic talent to make a deep playoff run. The entire coaching staff will be put to the test, but the key individuals that will shape the Bills future will be under a microscope.
Here is my breakdown of who will be most crucial for the Bills success this year.
Dick Jauron
Dick Jauron finally has all of the pieces together and the stars are in alignment for him to show that he is a capable coach…wait, that was last season. The Patriots lost Brady early, the Dolphins were coming off a terrible season and the Jets had a 39-year old as their quarterback.
The Bills started out a sizzling 5-1 and looked to be the owners of the AFC East. Unfortunately for Jauron, the team’s immaturity killed their chances and he couldn’t rally them for a playoff berth.
Untimely penalties, injuries, dropped balls and substandard performance kept the Bills out of the playoffs last season. This year will be instrumental in determining Jauron’s future with the Bills.
Jauron was hailed as a coaching genius when he engineered a 13-3 season for the Chicago Bears, which marked the best single-season turnaround in their history, improving from a 5-11 mark the previous season. For his efforts, Jauron was named NFL Coach of the Year in 2001.
In the two years that followed in Chicago, Jauron was unable to have any further success with the Bears, despite having basically the same personnel. Jauron has a lot to prove to the Bills’ fans, himself, and the rest of the NFL.
Jauron is known to be a ‘player’s coach’ and served time under Mike Holmgren, Forrest Gregg, and Tom Coughlin. Jauron doesn’t exhibit the kind of fire that other coaches display openly when players fail to execute.
Because of his demeanor, many have blamed him for the off-field antics of some of the Bills—in particular the multiple players that are in trouble with law enforcement. Jauron will have his hands full with the King of Antics—Terrell Owens.
The way that Jauron and Owens public relationship develops will bleed over to the rest of the Bills.
It will be interesting to see if Owens ever publicly confronts Jauron and to see what the reaction will be. Regardless, this will be one of Jauron’s biggest challenges this year, aside of just winning games.
Jauron needs to show leadership and it needs to be a ‘public’ kind of leadership or the media will eat him alive. This may be a stretch for Jauron.
Jauron’s natural coaching strength is on the defensive side of the ball, earning success and accolades as a defensive backs coach, but Jauron is the kind of person that delegates authority well, so his coordinators and position coaches carry much of the load.
Turk Schonert
Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert played for the Bills as a quarterback and will be starting his fourth season as the offensive coordinator. Schonert began his coaching career as a quarterbacks coach and his offensive philosophy revolves around developing quarterback potential.
An interesting side note about the relationship between the Bills quarterback, Trent Edwards, and Schonert, is that they are both products of the Stanford football program.
With the addition of playmaker Terrell Owens, the Bills’ red-zone offense got a whole lot better. One of the nagging criticisms that Schonert faced last season was the lack of red-zone offense.
Owens is one of the best red-zone receivers in the NFL and Schonert would be wise to include Owens as a major part of the red zone offense.
The Bills offense has ranked no better than 25th in the NFL for the past six seasons. Part of the reason for the lackluster offense is in the offensive play selection, in particular the lack of any consistent passing offense—the Bills didn’t have a 300-yard passing game last season.
Schonert must address this by looking at more short-yardage plays such as quick slants that will open up the deep pass possibilities as well as create more big-play, running opportunities. Short passing game success equals all around offensive improvement.
Josh Reed in the slot must become a vital part of this offense for the Bills to succeed and rookie tight end, Shawn Nelson, must be involved in the offense. This should improve on the Bills 39 percent third-down efficiency rating if the right plays are called.
Schonert’s biggest challenge this year will be to create a viable and consistent short passing attack to compliment Marshawn Lynch and create room for Lee Evans downfield. The short passing game needs to be more a part of the regular Bills offense, not just on third down.
Perry Fewell
Defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell, should push the Bills defense to new heights with a very talented and underrated defensive crew. Fewell is recognized as one of the better defensive coordinators in the league and much of the Bills defensive success stems from his leadership.
Fewell is a master at using situational players and he will have one of the best with Aaron Maybin. It will be interesting to see how Maybin is utilized in the Bills various schemes.
Fewell’s philosophy is to generate pressure with the front four to clog running lanes and hurry the quarterback. He likes to move his linebackers to be in position to make solid tackles, likes to move the safety into the box, and often relies on the cornerbacks to be in man coverage.
Along with Maybin delivering sack pressure, a healthy Aaron Schoebel will be a valuable tool at Fewell’s disposal this year.
With additional depth at cornerback, Donte Whitner should be freed up to perform full-time duty as safety instead of filling in at corner in package situations. Whitner’s full skill set and talent will be best utilized if left at safety and Fewell should look to do this.
Sean Kugler
Offensive line coach, Sean Kugler may have the toughest job this season with an offensive line that looks to be nearly all new.
Most football analysts agree that it takes some amount of time for an offensive line to play well together because of the dynamic nature of the O-line. On every play, the offensive line has to assess the defense in under one second and make adjustments to attack the defense, create running lanes and protect the quarterback.
Kugler will have the awesome task of replacing a Pro Bowl left tackle and underachieving left guard along with the possibility of four new faces along the O-line, to create a solid unit—a tough task for anyone.
Kugler has a couple of young prospects that he must develop quickly in Andy Levitre and Eric Wood for the line to make serious improvement.
Kugler has limited professional coaching experience, but will be tested to develop a unified line from a jumbled mixture of talent.
Bobby April
Assistant head coach and special teams coach, Bobby April, may be primed for a head coach slot after this season. Last season, April earned Special Teams Coach of the Year honors for the second time in his career.
Regardless of personnel changes and up or down seasons, April has managed to coach one of the leagues best special teams units year after year.
This type of notoriety will earn him the shot at a head coaching position—maybe the eventual successor of Dick Jauron? We will see when and if that ever happens…remember a guy named Marv Levy? Levy was a special teams coach also.
Final Note
The Bills blew an opportunity last year to make it into the playoffs, but they have the chance to be back in the running again this year if the coaching staff can properly use the talent that they have.
For some of the Bills coaching staff, this will be a make or break season and for other members of the staff it may be the year that they head on to other opportunities.
Previous installments
Buffalo Bills Breakdown: Keys to Victory Part Three: Bills Extra Special Teams.
Published: June 5, 2009
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This is the third installment of an analysis of the Buffalo Bills to have a good look at what the 2009 season will bring.
The Bills have an opportunity to return to glory this season, due to New England’s weakening stranglehold on the AFC East, and the Bills look to be on the cusp of becoming a contending team.
The Bills special teams unit has been the source of pride for the Bills in previous seasons and will have to perform equally well this year for the Bills to be competitive for the division crown.
It is hard to have a discussion about the Bills special teams unit without giving cudos to the best special teams coach in the NFL, Bobby April. But I will discuss April in another installment; this article is for the players.
The Glamour Positions
The positions that receive much of the attention from casual football fans are the return men on special teams units. They are the ones that dazzle and delight as they weave through opposing coverage teams and carve the field up for big yards.
Roscoe Parrish has shown that he is valuable and skilled in his role as punt returner. He only led the league last year and will be returning in that capacity this season.
Parrish has a knack for finding seams in coverage and exploding for big yards. One particular skill that he possesses that sets him apart is his ability to feel where the soft spots are.
Parrish is a big-time punt returner that could break open a game on any punt return.
Bills fans should expect more of the same this year from Parrish with what looks to be a diminished role in the passing game due to the arrival of Terrell Owens. This means fresher legs for Parrish, which should translate to more return yards.
Last season, the Bills’ average starting position after a kickoff was past the 32-yard line; that was best in the NFL. The Bills can thank kickoff stud Leodis McKelvin for that.
McKelvin set the Bills team record for kickoff return yards in a season with 1,498 yards. He even set that season mark after teams started purposely kicking away from him in the latter part of the season.
McKelvin’s prowess as a kick returner has solidified him as one of the leaders in the NFL at the position and he has the skills to do the same or better this season.
McKelvin runs with strength and with a lack of fear rarely seen in that position; he couples that with incredible burst speed, along with the patience to wait for his blockers to commit on their blocks. He did all this as a rookie and surely will do more this season.
Freddie Jackson showed the Bills fans last year that he is a very capable return man himself. He is a versatile athlete that is fully capable of handling a bigger share of kickoff returns, but McKelvin is simply outstanding, so the Bills will not increase Jackson’s kickoff role unless McKelvin gets injured.
The Coverage Teams
The kickoff and punt coverage teams play a vital role on any football team, though many fans overlook their importance until a failure takes place and the opposing team gets the ball in great field position or worse, they score.
John Wendling and Justin Jenkins were among the most active special team men last year and should be aided by a couple of eager rookies. Wendling ‘kamikaze’ style of flying down the field has gotten him noticed on more than a few big plays.
The Bills picked up some quality players in the draft and there will be some level of shifting, especially in the defensive backfield, so deciding who will emerge as a special team standout is difficult at this point.
Rooky safety, Nic Harris, is reliable tackler that impressed plenty of people with his nose for the ball and electrifying hits on opponents. Harris should more than likely earn a spot on the Bills roster and will be on the special teams unit.
Rooky cornerback, Ellis Lankster, is another newcomer with the potential to make an impact on special teams if he can secure a spot on the team. Lankster, a West Virginia product, is an excellent open-field tackler that plays very aggressively.
The one advantage that anyone on the coverage team has is the coaching of Bobby April. April is a master at teaching special teams techniques.
The Leg Men
The place kicker and the punter are two positions that are usually disliked or even despised by many fans. However, a good, consistent punter is usually the trademark of a good team and on any NFL weekend recap, the last second, game-winning field goal only stresses the importance of having a reliable place kicker.
Ralph Wilson stadium in Orchard Park, New York is known for being the toughest place in the NFL to do anything where the pigskin is in the air for any amount of time.
Why…because the constantly blowing winds off of Lake Ontario swirl in the stadium to create an environment that most punters and kickers cannot flourish in. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, there is snow in Buffalo.
Conjuor images of O.J. Simpson weaving through defenders with a solid white field beneath his feet, every breath exhaled forming a two foot cloud in front of him, with coaches and fans on the sidelines bundled with every piece of winter gear imaginable.
That is Buffalo…tough, cold, windy and no place any faint-of-heart, sissy-fied kicker would ever dream of making a living.
Punter Brian Moorman and Kicker Rian Lindell aren’t your typical punter or place kicker.
Moorman has proven himself year after year and his ninth NFL season should be no different. Last year he averaged more that 44 yards per punt, but more importantly he has the ability to place the ball.
Over the last eight seasons, Moorman has averaged 23 balls a year inside the 20-yard line. To put that in layman’s terms, at least once every game he is responsible for pinning the opposition deep in their own territory.
Rian Lindell is going into his 10th NFL season and has never missed an extra point and has a Buffalo career average of nearly 83 percent on field goals. Lindell has done all of this while playing in one of the worst kicking environments in the NFL.
If we compare Lindell’s home stats to his away stats from last year, it is clear to see that it is tough to kick in Buffalo. Lindell was a perfect 20-for-20 when the Bills were away from Buffalo (Rogers Centre in Toronto included).
Lindell is a solid kicker with a strong leg, last year he nailed a 53-yarder in Buffalo, but he did have a less than stellar season last year. He had an average of only 55 percent in Ralph Wilson Stadium last year.
For the Bills to take the next step as a team, Lindell has to improve at home.
Formula For Success
The Bills special teams unit has been one of the best in the NFL for many years, so it will be hard to improve on previous seasons. With that said, the level of performance this year should at least equal last year’s.
The success the special teams can ignite a fire for the Bills in any game and can quickly demoralize opponents. This vital part of the team should have ample opportunity to help the Bills in the hunt for a playoff berth.
Next installment: Coaching staff.
Previous installments:
Seattle Seahawks: Super Bowl XL Champs and America’s Team (Humor)
Published: June 1, 2009
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Imagine if you will, an alternate ending for the most horrendously-officiated Super Bowl games in history, Super Bowl XL.
When we use hindsight to view the past, one or two incidents can be identified that would have changed the sequence of events.
Imagine what the alternate future for the Seattle Seahawks would have been if the officials had properly called (or not called) one or two blown calls. The focus of this article is not to complain about each and every call, but to examine what could have happened if the officials had gotten it right from the start.
The Plays That Changed the Game
Instead of running through the numerous miscalled penalties against the Seahawks, I ask you to focus on only two plays that would have changed the landscape of the Seahawks’ future.
Play 1: Taken away touchdown—Darrell Jackson gets a “flaky” push-off penalty on an apparent 16-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Had the call not been made or if defensive pass interference been called, then the Seahawks start the game with a 7-0 lead and the Steelers are down before they ever get on offense.
Play 2 Phantom touchdown—The Ben Roethlisberger “mystery” touchdown that never happened would have set up a fourth and goal for the Steelers. Until that point, the Steelers were pathetic, unable to move the ball with the exception of a lucky toss to Hines Ward that set up the “phantom touchdown” that never was. Without that, the Seahawks go into halftime up 3-0, even with the earlier call against Jackson that nullified his touchdown.
The Shift of Momentum
The Seahawks dominated the Steelers in the first half of Super Bowl XL, stifling Jerome Bettis and nullifying Roethlisberger. The Seahawks’ offense drove down field easily on the first drive, showing the inability of the Steelers’ defense to slow down league MVP Shaun Alexander and the rest of the Seattle offense.
The two controversial plays of the first half definitely gave the Steelers an emotional lift. They were manhandled in every sense of the word and somehow were up 7-3 at halftime.
Alternate Reality
Go back in your mind to Ford Field in Detroit on Feb. 5, 2005; can you hear the theme from The Twilight Zone in the background?
Seattle drives down the field on their first possession and in the words of John Madden, “Boom, now that’s the way to start a game!” Touchdown Seahawks!
Super Bowl XL starts with a convincing Seahawks drive that silences critics and naysayers around the country, ending with the Seahawks victorious.
As the final whistle blows, a cooler of orange Gatorade is dumped on head coach Mike Holmgren. On the other side, a disgruntled and obviously crushed Bill Cowher huddles with his wife and daughters, tears streaming down his face.
Loud mouth Joey Porter kneels on Ford Field, shocked that Jeremy Stevens was able to snag three touchdown passes.
Jerome Bettis sobs uncontrollably as he bids farewell to the fans, waving “I love the Bus” signs around the stadium.
Matt Hasselbeck is announced as the MVP of Super Bowl XL, thanks to his 348 yard, four touchdown passing performance.
Shaun Alexander celebrates with the entire offensive line, posing with the Lombardi Trophy. Steve Hutchinson vows to stay with the Seahawks to bring another Super Bowl win to Seattle.
The Aftermath
In the Seahawks 2006 campaign, expectations are high, but the Seahawks deliver with a resounding 15-1 season.
Alexander receives back-to-back league MVP honors behind the blocking of four Pro Bowl offensive linemen. Alexander defies the myth of the “Madden Curse” and runs for 2,158 yards and 31 rushing touchdowns.
Coach Holmgren retires after bringing his second Super Bowl victory to Seattle, content to never return to coaching again.
The years that follow become known as the “Golden Years” in Seattle as the Seahawks begin an era of dominance that is unmatched in the annals of professional football.
Of course, this future never happened in our universe…we live in the universe of bumbled officiating and blind Steeler Nation zombies that only see Big Ben “breaking the plane.”
So for now, Seahawks fans, rejoice in the future of “what if” scenarios.
Buffalo Bills Breakdown: Keys to Victory Part Two: Defensive Domination
Published: June 1, 2009
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This is the second installment of an analysis of the Buffalo Bills to identify how the moves that the team has made in the offseason will affect their chances at a playoff run.
The Bills have an opportunity to return to glory this season, due to New England’s weakening stranglehold on the AFC East, and the Bills very possibly being a new and improved team this year.
The Bills defense will have to do much better than their 22nd ranked run defense and 28th ranked sack effort from the 2008 season to be competitive for the division crown.
The Defensive Line
The defensive line will be the biggest improvement for the Bills, which, in turn will dramatically affect the entire defense.
The Bills decision to draft Aaron Maybin will be the biggest addition to the all-important defensive line. Maybin, 6’4” and 250lbs, is a super-fast defensive end that will put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and will put backside pressure on run plays going the opposite direction.
Maybin should add somewhere in the range of 15 sacks over the course of the year and should hasten offenses to dump the ball quickly.
The other defensive end will most likely be the dynamic Aaron Schobel, depending on if his left foot will allow him to play at the level he did when he recorded 14 sacks for the Bills in the 2006 campaign.
The inside of the D-line will be stout again this year with 300 pounders, Marcus Stroud, Kyle Williams and Spencer Johnson providing clutter in the middle to occupy double teams and stuff the runs between the tackles.
The Linebackers
Outside linebacker Kawika Mitchell is a solid player that has made some big plays to help the Bills win and should get the chance to do more this year with improved line play. Mitchell plays the run well and defends well against the past when he keeps the play in front of him.
Paul Posluszny played exceptionally well and seemed to be involved in every play last season. Posluszny is a blue collar favorite in Buffalo that will only grow as his leadership develops on the field. Like Mitchell, Posluszny is exceptional against the run, but sometimes suffers in pass coverage.
The other linebacker position may be filled by Keith Ellison or in free agency. The Bills have looked at a few free agents already and may pick one up prior to the season. Pisa Tinoisamoa was the latest player looked at by the Bills. Ellison may not be ready to be a full-time starter—he was the backup for Angelo Crowell who left for Tampa Bay.
The Defensive Backs
The Bills are deep and talented at the cornerback position. Terrence McGee holds down the left corner spot and has been a remarkable shut-down corner for the Bills. Right corner duties will be picked up by Leodis McKelvin, who has shown some impressive skills and the ability to make up ground when he does make a mistake.
Jairus Byrd and Ashton Youboty will have a heated competition for the nickel slot. Byrd is a great cover corner that should win the nickel slot and may make the starting lineup by midseason.
Strong safety Donte Whitner is a Pro Bowl caliber player that can deliver punishment to opposing ball carriers and drops back well for excellent coverage. Whitner has shown over the past couple of seasons that he can play at a very high caliber.
Free safety Ko Simpson should be the starter this year, barring any injury. Simpson is capable at his position, but needs to avoid letting the big play get away from him. He should do well this year with improved performance from the defensive line, which will decrease the time that opposing offenses will have to stretch the field.
Formula For Success
The Bills defense will be a much improved unit mainly because of the play of the defensive line. A stout run defense will force many teams into throwing downs where the defensive ends will be able to put pressure on the quarterback.
The success of the D-line will allow all the other pieces of the defensive puzzle to fall into place and the Bills will see dramatic results. Those results will put them in a position to challenge for the division crown.
Next installment: Special teams.
Jim Mora: In Line for NFL Coach of the Year Honors?
Published: May 31, 2009
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Jim Mora is in prime position to capitalize on Mike Holmgren’s nightmare of a season in 2008. Will he be able to capitalize all the way to NFL Coach of the Year honors? I think so, and here’s why.
You remember last season; no need to recap the weekly revolving door at wide receiver, the Pro Bowl quarterback who was sidelined with a career-threatening chronic back issue, an offensive line decimated by a variety of injuries, or a solid defense that was just too tired at the end of every game to be effective.
This year, the Seahawks are returning with a healthy core players—many of whom took this team to the playoffs in 2007. There are a few key additions and upgrades, however.
Offense
The offensive line has never been the glamour position on any football team, but these big guys are often the prime reason for success or failure of any offensive scheme.
Walter Jones is still one of the premier left tackles in the NFL. This year, he and a healthy Mike Wahle will team up to reinvigorate the left side that made the blind side of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck vulnerable and did little to help the running game last season.
Jones will return to the Pro Bowl, and Wahle will play at an equal level, but probably won’t make it to Hawaii.
Rookie Max Unger should push either right guard Rob Sims or center Chris Spencer for a spot on the line, and right tackle Sean Locklear is solid.
With the change to a zone-blocking scheme, the ‘Hawks will be able to take advantage of their versatility along the line.
Hasselbeck should see a return to the Pro Bowl with a healthy back and a stable of quality receivers. Running back Julius Jones is primed for his best season ever, and T.J. Duckett is a reliable short-yardage man.
Second-year back Justin Forsett will see considerable playing time, and his quickness at hitting holes should work well with the zone-blocking scheme.
Big-name receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh will be a reliable option for Hasselbeck, and will put up big numbers this year—maybe Pro Bowl numbers. Deion Branch should do well with some of the attention being shifted to “Housh,” and Nate Burleson will finally live up to the expectations that everyone had when he came from the Vikings.
Tight end John Carlson should really have a breakout season this year, although most Seahawks fans already know that Carlson is the real deal. Can you say Pro Bowl?
Defense
The defense should be improved with the addition of big bodies in Cory Redding and Colin Cole, along with the development of Brandon Mebane. Mebane showed last year that he is ready for the spotlight. Defensive end Patrick Kerney should see his sack numbers return to normal form with the additional bulk and talent at tackle.
The linebacker corps will create opportunities for every other part of the ‘Hawks defense. The trio of Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill, and rookie Aaron Curry is fast, versatile and simply put, on paper, the best linebacker trio in the NFL.
Tatupu is the leader of the crew, but Hill may be the one who does most of the heavy work. Curry is an amazing athlete, and it will be interesting to watch his development in the NFL.
The addition of Ken Lucas gives Seattle the size it needs at cornerback to team with Pro Bowler Marcus Trufant. Josh Wilson and Kelly Jennings will do well in nickel and dime packages.
The safety position is one area that the Seahawks have been vulnerable, but this year, with additional pressure on the quarterback, free safety Brian Russell shouldn’t be left on an island to defend receivers indefinitely. Strong safety Deon Grant should continue to be a solid contributor.
Final verdict
The Seahawks had a solid team last year that was ripped apart by injuries; that core team returns and looks to be better with a few key additions.
Jim Mora had the fortune of stepping into a talented Atlanta Falcon team and was rewarded with a deep playoff run. Mora will have the same situation in Seattle this season with the added benefit of a division that is still open for the taking—a ready-made playoff team that is poised for a run at the Super Bowl.
This all spells NFL Coach of the Year for Jim Mora and a return to happy days and sunny skies in Seattle.
No More Major League Pitching For Trent Edwards of The Buffalo Bills.
Published: May 20, 2009
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Was anyone else watching when Trent Edwards of the Buffalo Bills threw out the opening pitch at the Toronto Blue Jays game against the New York Yankees last Thursday?
I didn’t have the misfortune to see it live, but did see it rebroadcast a few times and even though it was thouroughly entertaining, it kind of made me cringe thinking that this was the starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills – My Team!
For those of you who haven’t seen it, let me see if I can try to explain it to you.
Trent coolly stepped up to the mound as the crowd at Rogers Centre cheered in anticipation of the opening pitch. He does an abbreviated wind up and lets the ball go.
As soon as the ball leaves his hand, it is obvious that this ‘pitch’ (I’m using the term pitch loosely) is going to be extremely wild…mind you that this is coming from a man that makes a living throwing a football with pinpoint accuracy!
The baseball sailed wide by about 8 feet. He threw a baseball 8 feet wide on a 60 feet throw…or to put it in football terms missed a wide open Terrell Owens in the end zone on a 20 yard toss that sails for an interception.
Holy moly…let’s hope that his well calibrated football throwing arm isn’t anything like his poorly tuned baseball pitching arm.
I am sorry Trent, but my 40-something non-NFL arm could put a baseball somewhere close to the strike zone…at least 5′ close!
Hopefully Trent works this thing out before the Bills season opener, and he improves his accuracy or T.O. won’t be the only raging maniac in Buffalo.
Bills fans, at least take solice in this fact: Trent Edwards won’t be leaving the NFL anytime soon to test his hand at being a big league pitcher.
