Antwon Burton

A Western New Yorker is getting his big chance in the NFL.  Antwon Burton from Cheektowaga has just signed with the Carolina Panthers.  The Cleveland Hill and ECC product has bounced around the league for a few years, but this is his big shot. The Panthers defensive tackle spot has been plagued by injuries.  So Burton should see more playing time than he has in Denver, Kansas City or Cincinnati.  The Panthers have lost two starters at the position.

Burton, a former undrafted free agent from Temple, has played 7 NFL career games.

Now that we’ve learned that Paul Posluszny will be out 4-6 weeks with a broken arm, what will the Bills do for a middle linebacker?  The listed backup is Marcus Buggs, but he has very little experience and not much size.  In fact, none of the backup linebackers have much experience.  Nic Harris and Ashlee Palmer are rookies, and Jon Corto is strictly a special teamer.

Here’s one idea.  Move Kawika Mitchell to the middle LB spot, a position he played earlier in his career. Move Harris (the impressive rookie) into the starting lineup.  He’s a weakside backer, so that may also involve Keith Ellison moving to Mitchell’s strongside spot.  But it gets an athletic player on the field.

Or, the Bills could sign someone.  I know the name Derrick Brooks is on the minds of fans. He has played in the Tampa 2 system.  But I fear that the reason he hasn’t signed is because he’s lost a few steps.  That could be a concern, although his smarts and knowledge might help him get through.  Or, the Bills could sign a veteran middle LB like Zach Thomas. 

More likely, the Bills will bring someone like Pat Thomas back and try to muddle through.  Also, remember Bryan Scott has played some linebacker.  You could do that and put rookie Jairus Byrd on the field.  He played some in passing downs on Monday.

What would you do?

Yes, the Bills offense exceeded our expectations.  Yes, the young lineman are to be praised for their effort.  Yes, Alex Van Pelt called a solid game his first time out.

No, I’m not ready to buy into the no-huddle attack.  Here’s why.  Look at the disparity in plays:  New England 77, Buffalo 48.  Look at the disparity in time of possession:  New England 37:08, Buffalo 22:52. 

Do you think a tired Bills defense started to wear down, and do you think that had something to do with Tom Brady going 12/14 and throwing two touchdowns in the final two minutes?  The Bills can’t survive if they put their defense in such a hole.  The offense only scored two touchdowns and a field goal (Schobel’s INT was the other TD).  If they’re going to run a no-huddle, and create such a gap in possession time, they the offense better outscore teams and put 28 on the board.  That’s how the Jim Kelly no-huddle did it in the ’90’s. 

So let’s not go too crazy about the offense. Yes, there were positive signs.  No, I’m not ready to believe this style of attack can help the Bills win.

Why did the Bills lose Monday night when they played well enough to beat the Patriots?  Because Leodis McKelvin didn’t play smart football, or he wasn’t told to play smart football.  The smart football play would be to either take a knee when you’re two yards deep in the end zone on a kickoff with a minute left and a 5 point lead.  The smart football play, if you chose to return the kick, is to go down the minute you get hit.  Instead, McKelvin decided to fight for an meaningless extra yard.  While he did that, the Patriots stood him up, pulled out the ball, recovered the fumble and won the game.  Its that simple.  If McKelvin goes down, the Bills likely win the game.  Or at least, make New England drive the field after a punt.  McKelvin should have been told to go down, or he should have known to do that. That’s the smart football play.  He didn’t make it, and the Bills lost.  Smart plays win football games.

Sean Ryan

Lost in all of the opening weekend NFL action, was a touchdown scored by a Western New Yorker. 

Buffalo’s Sean Ryan, a St. Joe’s grad, scored for the Kansas City Chiefs in their game against the Ravens.  The Chiefs are Ryan’s 5th NFL team, but he may have found a home.  He is listed as the team’s starting tight end.  Ryan has some familiarity with KC’s new coach, Todd Haley.  Ryan was in Dallas when Haley coached there. 

The Chiefs may have a long season, but it looks like Ryan is part of their future.

Williamsville native Dan Gronkowski was cut by the Lions Saturday.  But he’s still staying in Detroit.  Sunday, the tight end was signed to the Lions practice squad.  Gronkowski was the team’s 7th round draft pick.  The Lions kept two veteran tight ends on the 53 man roster, along with rookie first round pick Brandon Pettigrew.  There were reports in the Motor City that the Jets had put a claim in on Gronkowski, but couldn’t add him because of other waiver moves.

It was mostly a tough weekend for WNY natives.  Clymer’s Jehuu Caulcrick was cut the the Jets, Amherst’s Mark Rubin was cut by the Rams, Cheektowaga’s Antwon Burton also by the Rams, and Albion’s Derek Kinder was let go earlier in the week by the Bears.

**UPDATE:  Caulcrick was signed to the Jets practice squad on Monday.

There are still some WNYers wearing NFL uniforms.  Corey Graham (Buffalo) is a Bears DB, Sean Ryan (Buffalo) is a Chiefs TE and Brett Kern(Grand Island) is the Broncos punter.

Plus, UB grads Jamey Richard (Colts) and Trevor Scott (Raiders) are both earning NFL paychecks.

While Bills fans burn about the awful preseason performance of the offense, the same anger and disappointment does not exist in the Bills locker room.  Doing interviews on Monday, it struck me how little stock the players put in what happens during the preseason.  Most said they weren’t worried, and maintained their confidence in the offensive plan.  Now some, especially Lee Evans, talked about their disappointment in the performance against the Steelers.  Lee said it left a “salty taste” in his mouth.  But he pointed out, as did others like Fred Jackson, the reasons why it  happened.  Specifically, they say no real game plannning contributes mightily to the on-field struggles.  That’would never happen in the regular season.  Trent Edwards pointed out that Monday was the first day the scout team gave the offense some looks at the upcoming opponent, although in this case it was New England.  Some pointed to the fact that the coaches were trying out new plays and formations, and using new players in new roles.

The players have a point.  Those are all factors that contribute to success.  So it’s to be expected that there will be some effect on the field.  But none of those factors explain missed assignments, bad throws, drops, missed blocks, and turnovers…all things we’ve seen in the first four games.

So while Bills fans have a right to be angry and disappointed…it should be tempered with the fact that it is the preseason.

There are more reports, now from NFL.com, that the Bills are interested in Michael Vick.  That goes along with all the Vick airport sightings by everybody’s uncle, brother, best friend and neighbor.  Everything is possible, but I just don’t see him coming here and I think the reasoning behind the reports is wrong.

Most of the national reports list the Bills for one main reason:  Well, they were willing to sign Terrell Owens.  That’s a major stretch if you ask me.  Yes, Owens brings a marquee value to the team, despite all of his perceived issues.  But none of those issues have ever been legal in nature.  That’s the difference between T.O. and Vick.  If the Bills are interested, I don’t believe it would have anything to do with Owens, or some perceived attitude among the front office that any renegade is welcome.

The NFL.com report said the Bills are “sniffing around about backup quarterbacks.”  If you’ve seen Ryan Fitzpatrick you know why.  But again, its a stretch to link that to Vick.  They may be sniffing, but that likely smells like Brian Griese.  A veteran backup who could relive Edwards and win a few games would be a nice addition.

So don’t get too worked up over what the national media or your neighbor’s friend who works at the airport says.  I just don’t see Michael Vick in a Bills uniform.  He doesn’t strike me as the reliable backup/mentor type for Edwards, and I think that’s what the Bills may be looking for.

Early highlight of the Hall of Fame ceremony is Bills fans chanting “Free Marshawn” when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was introduced.  Only Bills fans would be smart enough to have that ready at just the right time. We all laughed in the sports office when we figured out what they were chanting.  Way to go Bills fans.

Word comes from Denver that the Broncos have signed first round pick Knowshon Moreno.  The RB from Georgia was taken with the 13th pick in the first round, one pick after Bills DE Aaron Maybin.  As we’ve talked about in a previous blog entry, Maybin’s holdout will end when the players around him sign, setting  the market for Maybin and his agent, Joel Segal.  The Moreno signing will help.  Early contract numbers from nfl.com say its a 5 year deal worth $23 million.  No word on the guaranteed money.  Its believed that Moreno will get $13 million.  That’s a million more than the next pick, Redskins DE Bryan Orakpo. 

But before you plan on Maybin showing up at Bills practice, keep in mind the situation brewing with the pick before Maybin.  49ers WR Michael Crabtree is having a tough time with the Niners.  Thursday, his advisor threatened to have Crabtree sit out the season.  He wants to be paid like a top three pick, even though he went 10th.  (Good luck, Michael).  So if that toxic negotiation continues, that could further delay the end of Maybin’s holdout. Hopefully, Segal will man-up and negotiate on the right terms, not Crabtree’s terms.