Time for Bills to embrace "The New Era"

This isn’t the 1960’s anymore.  The NFL is a passing football league and it’s time the Bills follow suit.  Throwing for 111 yards in a 60 minute game is laughable to everybody other than Western New Yorkers.  It doesn’t matter if Sammy Watkins is in a wheelchair, he should be getting more than six targets per game! Okay, there.  I’ve made my point so I’ll step off my soap box and talk about week two.  

Thursday night’s home opener is such an enormous game for both the Bills and Jets that it could be looked at as a de facto elimination game. I’m not going to call it a must win but as both teams sit at 0-1 heading into this primetime matchup, picking up a win is huge due to the fact that it counts as a conference win and a divisional win (which is huge for tiebreakers).  Between the action on the field, and the special halftime ceremony for Bruce Smith, Thursday will be a big night in Buffalo.  Let’s take a look at Buffalo’s week two opponent: the New York Jets.

New York Jets (0-1)

The Jets lost both games in 2015 to Buffalo by identical 22-17 score lines.  Under new coach Todd Bowles, the Jets barely missed out on last year’s playoffs (thanks to the Bills win week 17).  The Jets offense returns many of its regulars including former Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and stand out receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.  The big offseason acquisition was running back Matt Forte.  Forte led the team in receiving and rushing against Cincinnati last week with 155 all purpose yards. Even though they fell to the Bengals 23-22, the Jets looked more impressive than Buffalo on offense.  

When looking at the defense, the natural instinct is to gravitate right to cornerback Darrelle Revis.  Arguably one of the best who’s ever played the position, Revis got torched last week against Bengals receiver A.J. Green.  Green went for 12 catches, 180 yards and one touchdown.  With all of the talk about Sammy Watkins and his health, this is a matchup to keep an eye on.  Sammy abused Revis and opposite corner Buster Skrine in last year’s finale and with the struggles in Buffalo’s passing game, he will probably be asked to have another monster receiving day.  

The Jets front seven is very strong and spearheaded by defensive ends Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson.  If New York can take something out of Baltimore’s playbook and get pressure in the Bills backfield, then points might be at a premium once again.  

Buffalo Bills (0-1)

Going into the season, fans figured it would be the offense that carried the 2016 Buffalo Bills.  It’s still only one game into the season, but after that unit scored only 7 points against the Ravens, fans are rightfully concerned.  The road doesn’t get any easier facing the Jets, a defense that many see as a better group than the Ravens.  Tyrod Taylor had arguably his worst game in a Bills uniform last Sunday as he barely eclipsed the 100 yard plateau.  It’s almost as if, Trent Edwards a.k.a. “Captain Check Down” was out there instead of the Bills current # 5.  The quarterback wasn’t the only problem.  The other Bills playmakers were non-factors all game.  Charles Clay, Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, and LeSean McCoy all need to show up in a big way for Buffalo to pick up a win Thursday.  

If there is a positive from week one, it’s with the defense.  With the absence of Marcell Dareus, Jerry Hughes was called upon to step up and boy did he ever.  Two sacks, countless hurries, and one big play in coverage on 4th & 1 highlight Jerry’s day.  Linebackers Preston Brown and Zack Brown looked impressive in the middle of the field all game.  Surprisingly enough, it was the secondary that was the weak link.  Gilmore struggled at times, Darby dropped a potential pick-six, and Duke Williams…. Ugh Duke Williams! The 66 yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace was tough to watch as Williams got toasted bad on the play.  

Overall, if Buffalo’s defense can bring the same aggressiveness and use the noise from the New Era crowd, they should be able to hold Fitzpatrick and the Jets offense in check.  Here are my three keys to the game.

Three keys to week 2: New York Jets (0-1) v.s. Buffalo Bills (0-1)

1. Sammy Watkins v.s. Darrelle Revis:  I touched on this matchup earlier in the article but this is a big key to the game.  After a Jets reporter exaggerated Watkins’ playing status earlier in the week, he will in fact play Thursday.  After a subpar offensive performance, Rex Ryan would likely make a concerted effort to get #14 the ball.
2. Can another receiver please stand up?  Hey Robert Woods are you there? Marquise Goodwin? Greg Salas, Hello?  Sammy can’t do everything.  Surely, Charles Clay, LeSean McCoy and even Reggie Bush will be options for Tyrod, but one of those receivers needs to step up.  Woods has had big games against New York in the past and with a lot of attention surely going to Watkins, I expect Woods to go for 100+ yards Thursday.  
3. Protect Tyrod Taylor:  The Jets are very capable of stopping the running game.  By stopping the run, you force a lot of 3rd and long plays and we saw what happened last week.  The Bills offensive line is as good as it has been in at least five years even without Cordy Glenn.  They need to put last week behind them and give a solid effort against New York.  Taylor did play very poorly, but he did take a number of big hits throughout the game.  Cyrus Kouandjio will step in to replace Cordy Glenn this week so look for his impact in this one.  

My Prediction:  Bills 17 Jets 14

The defense will have to carry the Bills yet again this week and I think they are up for the task. Fitz is bound to throw at least one interception.  If the game is tight late, and he has the ball, usually good things happen for the opposition.  That, the impact of the crowd, and just enough offense from Tyrod Taylor and co. should carry Buffalo in this one.  

Fun Fact: This is the 112th meeting all-time for the Jets and Bills.  Buffalo leads the series 60-51 and they have taken five straight and six of the last 10 against Gang Green.  

Tyrod's Return to Baltimore

Week one is finally here! After a tumultuous offseason that saw countless suspensions, injuries, and other distractions, the 2016 Buffalo Bills are ready to try and end their 16 year playoff drought.  For quarterback Tyrod Taylor, it's his first game against his old team on the road against the Baltimore Ravens.  Taylor was the back up for Joe Flacco for four seasons including the Ravens Super Bowl championship back in 2013.  Getting off to a 1-0 start is crucial for two teams who figure to be big players in the AFC playoff picture.  So without further or do, lets take a look at Buffalo's week one opponent.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are coming off a very disappointing 5-11 campaign in 2015.  In large part, that five win season was due to a number of injuries at key positions.  Joe Flacco had offseason ACL surgery, and number one wide receiver Steve Smith missed most off the season along with outside linebacker Terrell Suggs. Coming into 2016, most of the team is healthy with the exception of Elvis Dumervil who will sit out of this game.  

It is a team that is expected to be in a tough AFC North race along with the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers.  Both the offense and defense should be very average by NFL standards.  Flacco is surrounding by very solid weapons, but they certainly aren't great.  His wideouts include Smith, newly acquired Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman who sat out his whole rookie season, and Kamar Aiken.  Justin Forsett is the starting running back with Terrance West serving as his back up.  Dennis Pitta also returns from injury and will be the starting tight end.  It's an offense that shouldn't kill the Bills, but if they fail to stop the run, Baltimore has the potential to put up 30 plus points.  

As for the defense, the Ravens are a team that was near the bottom of the league last year in getting pressure to the quarterback.  Another thing they struggled with was defending the pass so that can be an area in which the Bills look to attack.  

Buffalo Bills

As the Bills enter year two under Rex Ryan, the sense is that communication has improved at One Bills Drive.  Another year to play with Ryan's defensive schemes should help big time.  Plus, the additions of Rob Ryan and Ed Reed are huge for that defense.  This is also year two for Tyrod Taylor.  The quarterback got paid this offseason and will make $9 million this season. If all goes well and Taylor improves on his 2015 output, he will get paid franchise QB money in the seasons to come.  Even though top draft picks Shaq Lawson and Reggie Ragland will miss much of this season, the defense should improve on its 19th overall ranking in 2015.  

Sammy Watkins and LeSean McCoy are fully healthy to start the season and if they can keep it that way, it gives Buffalo a realistic playoff chance.  Tight end Charles Clay is someone who needs to be used more in this offense.  Robert Woods comes back once again as the number two receiver with Marquise Goodwin and Greg Salas as the next ones in line.  

This team will have no problem running the football, but their main focus needs to be protecting Tyrod Taylor and keep him away from big hits.  

Three Keys to the game

1. Ronnie Stanley v.s. Jerry Hughes   Stanley is a rookie defensive tackle and he is faced with quite the challenge in his first NFL game.  Hughes is Buffalo's best end rusher so if Hughes is able to get to the quarterback, it could be a long day for Flacco and the Ravens offense.  The battle at the line of scrimmage is always crucial, but this is a match up that should favor the Bills.  

2. Reggie Bush: X Factor   Make no mistake: Mike Gillislee is the back up running back with Bush as the No. 3.  However, with Bush likely serving as punt/kick returner, he has the potential to make a major impact on this game.  Bush will also receive looks in the passing game as well.  A few explosive plays from him can make the difference in a game that I expect to be decided by one possession.  

3. Middle of the Field   A major criticism of Tyrod Taylor from last year was how he refused to throw the ball over the middle of the field.  It's an area of his game he has addressed and showed improvement on in the preseason.  With Sammy Watkins expected to receive the bulk of the attention from the defense, I expect Charles Clay, Robert Woods, and Marquise Goodwin to get many looks over the middle of the field.  If Taylor is able to do this, it will open up the possibility of taking a shot deep (something Taylor really excels in).  

My Prediction

Bills 24         Ravens 17

In the end, the defenses are very similar in this match up, but I like Buffalo's playmakers better than Baltimore.  M and T Bank Stadium is a tough place to play, but I expect LeSean McCoy and Sammy Watkins to have huge games to open the year.  

Season Prediction: 8-8

If everything goes right, there's no reason this team can't win 10-11 games.  If everything goes wrong, then 6-10 looks very realistic.  I don't see either of these scenarios taking place so I'll split the gap and say .500 football.

Fun Facts: 

-The Baltimore Ravens have never had back-to-back losing seasons in franchise history. 

-Bills Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman is undefeated as an NFL coordinator in Week One games

Cubs continue to coast

August has been very hot and humid, but that pales in comparison to the status of baseball’s best team, the Chicago Cubs. At 81-45, the lovable losers are seven games clear of the rest of the MLB and 13.5 ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals for the division.  

They are currently an MLB-best 28-10 since the All-Star break and continue to provide a ton of excitement to the North Side of Chicago.  With just over one month left in the regular season, I wanted to take a look back at what got the Cubs to this spot.

Pitching Staff

In my opinion this is the biggest difference from a season ago.  Sure, the staff was solid during the regular season, but on the biggest stage they crumbled under pressure in the NLCS. Even Jake Arrieta who had an historic second-half seemed to wear down in late October v.s. the Mets.

Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer made the conscience decision to add veteran experience this offseason in the form of John Lackey.  Lackey, a proven playoff performer with the Angels, Red Sox, and Cardinals, figures to be a huge part in how the Cubs fare in two months time.  He is currently on the DL, but is expected back for the start of September.  

The rest of the staff features Arrieta, Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, and Jason Hammel.  All five guys have an ERA under 3.50 and everyone has double digit wins except for Lackey.  Hammel struggled mightily down the stretch last year but he seems to be getting stronger with each start this time around.  

Lester and Arrieta have been so consistent that you can basically expect at least 7 innings and two or fewer runs just about anytime they step on the hill.  That leaves us with Kyle Hendricks. If you told me at the start of the year that he would be a Cy Young candidate I would have probably laughed in your face.  But that is exactly what he has become by pitching late in games and leading the league in earned run average.  

With this embarrassment of riches, one of the main topics of conversation amongst fans has been what the rotation should look like for a playoff series? This could go a number of different ways, but if it was up to me, I would go Lester game 1 then Hendricks for game 2 just because of how much better he is at Wrigley Field.  Sending Arrieta and Lackey for games 3 & 4 on the road is ideal due to their playoff experience.  Then that leaves Lester for a game 5 if necessary with Hammel being the odd man out.  

We will see how it plays out but don’t be surprised if Joe Maddon looks to conserve his starters by pulling them earlier in these games.  Having such a huge divisional lead allows him to do this.  

Starting Line-up

Opposing pitchers must dread facing this team mainly because there are no breaks in it.  One thru eight can all hit and a lot like the pitching staff, their depth allows Maddon to play around with different line-ups.  Fowler is a great leadoff hitter who continues to set the table for the power hitters.  

Then you get to MVP (and should be presidential candidate) Bryzzo. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo have been the best two players in the National League in 2016 and both bring more than just power.  They both have great eyes at the plate drawing a great number of walks.  Bryant does strike out a lot, but his totals are down from last year and even still he more than makes up for those K’s with his defense and baserunning.  Having two guys on pace for over 30 HR’s and 100 RBI’s is such a luxury to have.

Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward were the big offensive acquisitions this offseason and they have not disappointed.  Heyward hasn’t had the year at the plate that he wanted to, but he is the best defensive outfielder on the team and that alone is good enough to keep him in the line-up most nights.  Zobrist has cooled off since hitting .350 earlier in the season but make no mistake, he has still been very productive.  

Then you look at the top infielders on the Cubs: Addison Russell and Javier Baez.  Probably my two favorite players on the team, they are the present and future middle infielders for this organization.  Russell, the starting shortstop in the All-Star-Game was widely criticized for his “pedestrian” first half numbers, but has quickly shut up those doubters early in the second half of the season.  He has 19 HR’s and 80 RBI’s (By the way, he’s 22 year’s old!).  Baez will never hit for average, he strikes out a lot, and isn’t very patient at the plate, but he gets on base, brings a lot of pop in his bat, and makes the kind of defensive plays that will make your jaw drop. I full heartedly think he’s the best fielder I’ve ever seen.  

With Miguel Montero struggling and David Ross serving as a backup who catches on Lester starts, the organization has given the catcher reigns to Willson Contreras.  The 24-year-old from Venezuela was called up this year and has played exceptionally well.  Everyone knew what he could do at the plate and the power he has, but now people are starting to see what he does behind the plate and as a Cubs fan, I’m giddy to see this young stud for the next decade plus.  

Sure, this team is more than capable of getting to the World Series this year, but they are set up to be in contention with this core of talent 10 years down the road.  

In conclusion, I’ll leave you with one little tidbit that I find simply amazing.  My 23rd birthday is on Monday, October 31st.  Game 5 of the World Series is the night of Sunday, October 30th, hopefully in Wrigley Field.  Talk about potentially the best birthday present ever!

Cubs poised for monster second half

It takes a lot to be a sports fan of the Bills, Cubs, Bonnies, Knicks and Sabres.  I’ve been used to nothing but losing and disappointing seasons for the better part of my life and now there is finally a sense of optimism.

I’ve only seen the Cubs make the postseason five times in my life.  That includes the heartbreaking NLCS loss to the Miami Marlins in 2003, a first round sweep at the hands of the Dodgers in 2008, and last season’s magical run to the NLCS in a year most people were surprised to see them even make the playoffs.  

After jumping out to a 25-6 start, it was hard to think of anything other than the World Series.  After all, the Cubs were in fact the favorite to win it all in the pre-season and into the regular season.  But then again, they are called “the lovable losers” for a reason. We have seen in the last month that this level of success can’t sustain itself for an entire 162 game season.  The drought was bound to happen eventually, but I don’t think anyone thought Chicago would close the first half going only 6-15.  

It went from paradise at Wrigleyville to the sky falling in a matter of weeks ( And that is still with a 7.5 game lead in the NL Central! ). Now with the All-Star game in the rear view mirror and the second half upon us, it is time to take a look forward.  As many fans know, the trade deadline is coming up in a few weeks and there is an intense amount of pressure on the organization to trade for relief pitchers.  

The first move was made today when the Cubs traded with the Seattle Mariners for left-handed relief pitcher Mike Montgomery. They gave up their best Triple A prospect in first baseman Dan Vogelbach, but the move makes sense because he was never going to get playing time with Rizzo manning that position. According to team President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer, the Cubs might not be done making moves before the August 1 deadline.  

The big names that virtually all other 29 teams want come from a certain team in the Bronx that still hasn’t figured out if they are buying or selling.  “The Big Three” of Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, and Aroldis Chapman, have been untouchable at the back end of that Yankees pen. The Cubs will be asked to give up a ton in order to obtain one of them and frankly, it is NOT worth it.  

With relief pitchers Joe Nathan and Brian Matusz working their way up in the minor leagues, Chicago should have enough in place to piece together a playoff caliber bullpen come October.  And if they don’t, getting one more lefty arm in that pen could be very beneficial for the playoffs as well to face the powerful lefty hitters like Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper.  

Cubs fans will also be thrilled to hear that outfielders Dexter Fowler and Jorge Soler are close to coming back. Once they get their complete starting line-up, I fully expect the Cubbies to run away with this division.

However, it should be very interesting to see how the rest of the National League stacks up.  Both Washington and San Francisco have comfortable leads in their respective divisions and both hover right around the same record as Chicago.  If all three hold on to win these divisions, it’ll be interesting to see who ends up having the best record and gets home field until the World Series.  

Then you look at the Wild Card spots and there are five realistic teams who have a chance other than the division leaders.  Right now, the Los Angeles Dodgers hold the first spot, with the Miami Marlins and New York Mets tied for the final playoff spot.  NL Central foes, St. Louis and Pittsburgh, sit just a few games behind them.  

With about 70 games left in the season, a lot can happen and it should be noted that all of these teams have issues of their own to deal with.  Kershaw is hurt for the Dodgers, Harvey is out for the season in New York, the Marlins are the cinderella team no one expects to be here come late September, and the Cardinals and Pirates have had to deal with a number of issues in its starting rotations.  

It’s a very wide open National League in the months that lie ahead.  My question is who will seize control of it? Chicago has the pitching, hitting, defense, depth and closer all squared away. As long as they touch up the bullpen come playoff time, then a magical October run might be in the forecast.  

And if the unthinkable happens? If they reverse the curse? Expect to see me taking off from work with a spot on Addison Street in a parade that will surely make Cleveland’s celebration look like a small family gathering.  

All Hail The King

When talking about the best players in the world, legacy is a word that often comes up.  A person’s legacy can be determined in multiple ways based on off-court actions, respect/likability, but most importantly, it is based on postseason performance.  

LeBron James has often been criticized for his NBA Finals record in his career since he is currently 2-4. However, what some people fail to realize is that his teams were underdogs in just about every Finals matchup.  

The 2007 Cavs were just happy to be there with San Antonio.  Out of the four times James went in Miami, he won twice.  Once against a Spurs team they had no business beating, and the other against an OKC team that features two of the current top-five players in the world.  

Case and point, LeBron has been very successful in the postseason even if he has a losing finals record.  This is his sixth straight finals appearance, which hasn’t been seen in over 65 years! The man has absolutely dominated the Eastern Conference and people should expect that to continue.  

Even without the other two thirds of the big three, he managed to carry last year’s Cavaliers into Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Warriors.  The case was made for him to win the Finals MVP award even though he was apart of the losing team.  

I’m here to tell you that as great as last year was for LeBron, nothing can top what he is doing right now.  Back-to-back 40 point games, while dishing out a bulk of the assists, leading rebounder, shot blocker, steals leader, what doesn’t this guy do?  

Facing arguably one of the greatest teams in NBA history in the Golden State Warriors is hard enough, but putting yourself in a 3-1 hole seems nearly impossible to overcome.  A team that won 73 games in the regular season, the defending NBA champs, a team who only lost consecutive games once all year, and here we sit waiting for Sunday night’s winner take all game 7.  

If the Cavaliers can pull out a victory in Oakland, not only would it be one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history, but in the history of all four major sports.  Golden State pummeled Cleveland in the first two games, making this series appear early on to look more like a sweep than a seven game series. Not on the King’s watch. The Cavs have since rattled off three of the last four games to pull even in this best-of-seven series.  

Games 5 & 6 were dominated by LeBron in all facets of the game: Offense, defense, rebounding, and yes…. Perimeter shooting.  An area of James’ game in which he struggled much of the season has suddenly come alive at the perfect time for Cleveland.  If LeBron has a similar performance at Oracle Arena, it’s hard to imagine him not holding the Larry O’Brien trophy postgame.  

It truly is a special time in the NBA.  With the ever increasing dependability of the 3-point shot, the Cavaliers and Warriors are proving to the rest of the Association just how great both teams are.  Just when you think one of them is down, they get right back up.  As an avid supporter of the Knicks, I haven’t had much to cheer about lately, but these last two NBA Finals have been thrilling while leaving me on the edge of my seat.

As most of my close friends and family know, I’ve been labeled as a “LeBron hater” throughout his career and that is correct.  However, I respect him more than anyone in the game of basketball and our generation is currently seeing a once in a lifetime player.  

Curry can be characterized in the same way, but for a totally different reason.  We will never see a shooter come close to the level that Steph is at right now.  The difference with LeBron, is that we will never see someone dominate every other facet of the game the way “The King” has done it.   

Is he Michael Jordan? No. He is already one of the best of all-time though and he’s in the prime of his career.  So my suggestion is to sit back and watch Sunday night because chances are something special is about to happen.  

Last Hoorah

I am currently sitting on a bus going to Boston, Massachusetts for my last cross country race ever.  Eight years.  Eight years of XC all comes to an end Friday November 13th at roughly 1:35 p.m. ET.  I’ve spent these last two weeks or so reflecting on my time running.  Whether it is reminiscing with teammates, going through high school pictures, or reliving everything with the best two people in my life: My Mom and Dad.  My Parents have seen nearly  every one of my races over my career.  As far as I know, there was only one race in my collegiate career that both of them couldn’t attend, and it was over 8 hours away.  No other parents have even come close to the amount of support they have shown not only to their eldest son, but the Bonnies XC program as a whole.  It is no surprise to anyone that they will be out in full force at Franklin Park Friday with my Dad probably pretending to be our head coach!  

I can vividly remember my first ever captains practice the summer before my freshman year of high school.  The captain’s Mike Thielman and Joe Seitz went around asking people why they came out for cross country and I answered with, “Because I love to run.”  Now that got a couple of laughs from the guys because who really does love to run?  Well, eight years later I can honestly say I love running even more than I did back then.  I only joined XC to get in shape for my #1 sport, basketball.  As a young 14 -year old, basketball was the only sport I cared about.  Well.... that was all about to change.  I was quickly sucked in and fell in love with it right away.  I had some natural talent, nothing crazy though.  I now understand that me getting to this point in my career took all of the cards falling into place, and those cards, were all of my captains.  

First, I was blessed with the best captains of all-time.  Freshman year, like I mentioned previously, Seitz and Thielman, then Ryan Perry and Tom Calandra, junior year was Don Seitz and Carl Copeland.  Then my senior year was me alongside the kid who got me into this wonderful sport, Brian Dobmeier.  When he first asked me to join XC, I flat out told him, “well, I’ve never skied before but I’ll give it a shot!”  I also need to thank Ted Langlois and Josh Lewis because the “fresh four” will always live on and I love those guys.  The good fortune continued into Bona where I was blessed with a number of great role models.  Between Terence Petty, Harley Thompson, Nick Masiello, and Steven Kibbe, I had not only the nicest guys ever, but people I truly looked up to and missed so much this year.  Along with these great upperclassmen, the guys who came up in my class were just as impactful on my life.  Joe Ferencik, Caleb Lecker, and fellow-captain Ben Collins all influenced my life more than they could ever imagine.  

I’m going to soak up every moment on that line Friday afternoon because this is really it.  Sure, I’ll run marathons, various other road races, play basketball intermurals, but it won’t be quite the same.  Competing for the team, working towards a common goal is what I will miss more than just about anything.  I called my parents and they were upset because this was the end.  This may be true, it is the end, but all good things must come to an end and it is time to go out on a great note.  LAST ONE, FAST ONE!  

The Ultimate Trap Game

Anyone who watched Buffalo's defense dominate the league's top offense last week would tell you that the Bills should steamroll the lowly 2-12 Oakland Raiders.  That would ultimately put the Bills playoff hopes on the line for one game next week at Gillette Stadium against the New England Patriots.  However, Buffalo will need to do more than just show up to get out of California with their ninth win of the season.  Although it hasn't shown in the win column, Oakland is a young team that has been very competitive in defeat.  Their biggest win of the season came on Thursday Night Football against the Chiefs.  Rookie quarterback David Carr has been the Raiders starter for all fourteen weeks and has shown signs of improvement, even with limited offensive weapons.  Running back Latavius Murray has put together some big games late in the season and he is the guy Buffalo needs to put most of their attention on.  Oakland's offense might be near the bottom of the league, but the defense has shown how good they can be.  It starts with rookie linebacker Khalil Mack.  He has put together a great season and is up for defensive rookie of the year.  Buffalo's O-line held up against Green Bay last week and the same needs to happen this week if they want to win.  The Raiders are susceptible in the run game so with CJ Spiller back, and with Fred, Bryce Brown, and Boobie Dixon, expect the Bills to keep the ball on the ground a lot today.  

Three Keys to the Game: 

1. Punch the Ball in the Endzone:  The offense only produced four field goals last week and got bailed out with a Marcus Thigpen punt return touchdown.  This time, the Bills can't let an inferior team hang around, so scoring touchdowns instead of field goals is big for this struggling offense.  

2. Carr Can't be Calm:  Derek Carr has been pressured a lot throughout the season and today figures to follow that trend.  The best defensive line in the league needs to get pressure and put Oakland in 3rd & long situations.  

3.  No Scoreboard Watching:  Since today's game is at 4:25, the other impactful games will already be decided.  Focus on this game and if Buffalo gets the help they needed, then great.  

My Prediction: I expect Oakland to keep it tight for awhile before a much more talented team in the Bills pulls away in the fourth quarter.  

Buffalo 26    Oakland 14

Say Cheese

Playing on the road against Peyton Manning is bad enough, now the Bills must face their second straight future hall-of-famer in Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.  The Packers come in to this matchup as arguably the hottest/best team in the league.  The explosive Green Bay offense is led at receiver by Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb and by Eddie Lacy at running back.  Lacy is questionable for today's game, so if he can't go, UB product James Starks should receive a lot of carries.  With the Bills stout defense, this figures to be a big matchup of heavyweights.  The Green Bay Packers have a very average defense based on the numbers.  Their main offseason acquisition was defensive end Julius Peppers and along with Clay Matthews, they have a very solid front seven.  The secondary is where they can be exploited, like what Atlanta showed on Monday Night Football last week.  Kyle Orton needs to show great improvement and get the ball out of his hands early if the Bills want to have a chance.  Woods, Watkins, and Hogan should be able to find openings in that porous Packers secondary.  

With the Packers trying to put a strangle hold on the NFC North division, the Bills are teetering on the edge of the playoff picture with just three weeks to go.  Here are my three keys to the game.

1. Apply Pressure With Four:  Aaron Rodgers not only can beat a defense with his arm, but he can do so with his feet.  The Bills defensive line failed to bring Manning to the ground at all last week, so in order to keep the Green Bay offense on the sideline, Buffalo must get to Rodgers without having to blitz.  

2.  Take Some Deep Shots:  Green Bay throws more 20+ yard passes than any other team in the NFL.  The Bills should take a similar approach to last week and establish the run, then take a shot off of play action.  Keeping Rodgers and that offense off the field is the best way to beat Green Bay.  

3. Special Teams: The Packers have a clear offensive advantage and the Bills have a clear defensive advantage.  Whoever can gain an edge in field position, get a big punt return, or win the turnover margin could be the difference in this one.  

My Prediction:  

The Bills are 3-0 this year against the NFC North, but the Packers are the class of this division.  The hottest team in the NFL should continue to roll offensively even on the road, ending any possibility of Buffalo reaching the postseason.  

Green Bay 31  Buffalo 20 

Playoffs? You Kidding Me!

It is week 13 of the NFL season and both the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills have a winning record.  How rare is this? This is the first time ever that Cleveland and Buffalo have played against each other with winning records after Thanksgiving.  Cleveland is one of four teams in the AFC North that sits at 7-4 or better,  just outside of a potential wild card spot.  Buffalo comes in at 6-5, only a game behind a whole slew of teams at 7-4.  With that being said, this might be considered the biggest Browns-Bills game in a long time considering the playoff spots that are up for grabs.  

Cleveland is coached by Mike Pettine, former defensive coordinator for Buffalo.  The Browns have used an above average defense, and an average offense to get to seven wins so far this season.  Brian Hoyer has had his share of struggles at quarterback this season, but more times than not, he has delivered when needed.  Take last week for example where Hoyer threw three picks at Atlanta, but led a last minute drive to set up the game winning field goal.  Josh Gordon, who was the NFL's leading receiver a year ago, returned last weekend from a 10-game suspension and adds another dimension to this Cleveland Browns offense.  They already have a solid running game, and offensive line to go along with Hoyer, but Gordon gives the Browns a true receiving threat all over the field and could make things difficult for Gilmore and Graham at cornerback.  Cleveland has a defense that should apply a ton of pressure against a weak Buffalo offensive line.  Establishing the run for both teams is huge for opening up the passing game for these average quarterbacks.  

Buffalo is coming off of their most impressive victory this season, a 38-3 blow out in Detroit against the New York Jets.  In the game, the Bills were impressive in the red zone, ran the ball effectively, got a huge play on special teams, and dominated defensively.  Kyle Orton was under control the whole game as he made this his fourth straight game without an interception.  The story of the game however, was Robert Woods and his 9 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown.  The Jets weren't about to have Sammy Watkins beat them again, so while he received a majority of double teams, Woods took advantage of single coverage.  It will be interesting to see how Cleveland tries to cover Buffalo's wide receivers.  I expect the Browns number one cornerback, Joe Haden, to be on Sammy Watkins for the majority of this game.  Here are some more keys to this huge AFC contest between playoff hopefuls... Yes, I repeat, the playoffs are still a possibility for both.  

Three Keys to the Game:

1. Win the Battle Up Front:  This is the matchup of the game: Cleveland's O-line v.s. Buffalo's D-line.  Both have been super all year so something has to give.  It is a big reason for why the Browns have had so much success on the ground so if Buffalo can get in the backfield, expect some big plays from Mario, Dareus, and company.  

2. The Pettine Factor:  This one works both ways.  Yes, we know about Pettine's schemes defensively so that could help the Buffalo offense, but on the flip side, Pettine knows the Bills offensive schemes from being with the Buffalo Bills last year.  Which side will get more of an advantage from this?

3.  Josh Gordon v.s. Sammy Watkins:  Two of the best young receivers in the league square off in a must win game for both squads.  The weather is expected to be rainy tomorrow so on a hard day to pass the ball, which receiver will come up and make some big plays? 

My Prediction:   These are two evenly matched teams with a ton still left to play for on both sides.  I like Buffalo's defense just a little more and I feel like the Bills are due for a true home win.  

Buffalo 23   Cleveland 20

Rock the..... Ford Field?

Buffalo, NY

Detroit, MI

It has been a very difficult couple of weeks for the Bills and the city of Buffalo.  I mean 15 days ago, Buffalo found themselves at home up by 10 early in the 4th quarter against a very good Chiefs team, ready to get to 6-3.  One fourth quarter collapse, and a horrendous road loss in Miami has the Bills sitting at 5-5 for this must win contest tonight against the New York Jets.  This marks the Bills first game on Monday Night since the opener of the 2009 season, but it wasn't scheduled that way.  This game, which was originally scheduled for the 23rd, got bumped back one day and had to shift locations to Ford Field in Detroit home of the Detroit Lions.  This was due to the record setting amount of lake-effect snow that accumulated in the south towns of Western New York.  Places like Orchard Park, Lancaster, and Hamburg received over 60" of snow.  There was a travel ban in place in most areas as the roads and main highways were shut down.  The worst snow storm in Buffalo since the Blizzard of '77 has caused hard times for the city so this is more than just a football game.  

With the Bills barely hanging around in the playoff race, this is a must win along with most of the remaining games.  The team was unable to practice for most of this week due to the weather back home.  Now they find themselves in Detroit awaiting a Jets team that has one thing on its mind: revenge.  Four weeks ago Buffalo rolled into the Meadowlands and stomped on the Jets 43-23 causing 6 turnovers.  QB Geno Smith was replaced for backup Michael Vick, who also plans on starting tonight's game.  New York is coming off of a huge upset victory over Pittsburgh and had a bye week to prepare for tonight's game.  That along with the Bills being off of the practice field for much of the week gives the Jets a much better chance this time around.  Orton is coming off his worst performance as a Buffalo Bill and needs to look much better tonight.  Bryce Brown and Anthony Dixon figure to be a part of the offense once again at running back with a limited Fred Jackson.  The big thing once again coming in is the Bills red zone offense.  The worst in the league, Buffalo failed to score a touchdown last week in Miami.  Here are a few other keys to this divisional matchup in Detroit.  

Three Keys to the Game:

1. Ballhawks Have To Make Plays: Six turnovers.  Rarely does an opponent give the ball up that much so the Bills secondary, which consists of Graham, Gilmore, Williams, and Searcy needs to make plays and turn the Jets over.  Especially now that Leodis Mckelvin is out for the season.  

2. Sammy, Sammy, Sammy: The Buffalo Bills are 5-1 when Sammy Watkins gets 30 or more receiving yards in a game (the one loss being last week to Miami).  On the flip side, they are 0-4 when he is held under 30 yards.  Needless to say, we need to get him the ball early and often if we want to see success offensively.  

3. Keep Vick In The Pocket:  Even in his older days, Michael Vick is still a very mobile quarterback.  In the first matchup when he replaced Geno Smith, the Jets offense seemed to move the ball much better after the switch was made.  Most of that was due to Vick's running ability on top of his arm strength.  The Bills need to apply a lot of pressure on him, while being smart and disciplined at the same time.  

My Prediction: After two really tough losses and with everything that has happened to the city of Buffalo, expect Buffalo to come out hot.  I see the Jets keeping this game close, but for the Bills to pull out a huge division win and move back above .500.

Buffalo Bills 24  New York Jets 19

Orton & Banged Up Offense face Red Hot Chiefs

As the Buffalo Bills start the second half of their season this weekend, it is impossible to ignore how tough the remaining schedule is.  Six out of those eight opponents are at least 5-3, the only exceptions being the Jets and Raiders.  The Kansas City Chiefs come into Orchard Park this weekend rolling.  Winners of three straight and four of their last five, the Chiefs have found their winning formula.  Kansas City is one of the most fundamentally sound teams in the league.  They lead the NFL in rushing with a now healthy Jamaal Charles and Kniles Davis.  Quarterback Alex Smith has been very steady in his two years in Kansas City only throwing 11 interceptions in 24 games.  The Chiefs are led by Dwayne Bowe at wide out and Travis Kelce at tight end.  Overall, Kansas City has the 26th ranked offense in the league, but their biggest strength is the defense, led by Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson, Justin Houston, and Eric Berry.  With the Bills poor offensive line, the Chiefs should be able to apply a ton of pressure on Kyle Orton.  

Hopefully the bye week gave the Bills some time to work in more creative schemes into the offense.  Even though the Bills won by 20 points against New York, the vanilla offense was still on display.  Luckily, the Bills were bailed out by six Jets turnovers.  The play calling isn't the only thing that is questionable at One Bills Drive.  Sammy Watkins left practice on Wednesday with a groin injury while Fred Jackson is trying to make a comeback after his knee injury in week 7.  Both players are listed as questionable for Sunday.  Rushing the ball will be crucial for Buffalo this week going against this very strong run defense.  Specifically on first down, where the Bills are near the bottom of the NFL.  Avoiding 3rd & long will help the Bills move the ball more effectively and keep the pressure off of Orton.  Another thing to keep an eye on for this game is Kyle Orton going against his former team.  In a very close matchup between two 5-3 teams, it could very well come down to which QB makes the fewest mistakes.  

Three Keys to the Game:

1. Give Orton Some Time: To me, this game comes down to Buffalo's O-line v.s Kansas City's D-line.  If they can give Orton time to sit in the pocket, he should find holes in that secondary.  If not, then it could be a long day.  Dialing up some play-action passes could open things up as well.  

2. Know Your Opponent: The Buffalo Bills should take a long, hard look at last year's game against the Chiefs.  The Bills doubled them in yards, yet lost the game because of crucial turnovers.  Understand that Kansas City won't kill themselves with careless penalties and turnovers.  No turnovers, control the clock, and capitalize when you get in the red zone.  

3. Start Strong: Coming back against the Chiefs is always a tall task so getting an early lead in the 1st quarter is crucial.  It has been a problem for the Bills, especially at home so get the crowd going early with some big plays.  

My Prediction: Huge game for the AFC Wild Card picture with two 5-3 teams.  The Bills being at home and coming off a bye looks good, but they always seem to lose every game I go to.  That being said, I like the Chiefs in this one.  

Kansas City 24   Buffalo 21  OT

Brown and Dixon Get Chance to Shine

The only good part of last week for the Bills was that they came away with the win.  Coming away with a one point win at home against Minnesota while losing your two starting running backs isn't exactly what the doctor ordered.  That's not to take anything away from Orton, Watkins, Chandler, and Hogan who all came up huge on that final game winning drive, but the Bills simply need to play better this week if they expect to win on the road.  With Spiller out for the season and Fred Jackson out at least two weeks, Anthony Dixon and Bryce Brown step into the starting roles at running back.  It is still uncertain as to how Nathaniel Hackett will distribute the carries but both will probably be a big part of the game plan for this sunday.  Both Dixon and Brown were added in the offseason (Dixon from San Francisco and Brown from Philadelphia).  Bryce Brown is more of a speed guy who likes to get to the edge while Dixon prefers to go straight through defenders and try to get tough yards.  They complement each other very well and against a stout New York defense, the Bills will need big games out of both guys.  

The big story of the NFL from last week was star wide receiver Percy Harvin getting traded from the Seahawks to the Jets.  Today is Harvin's debut for the green and white and he should be someone Buffalo keeps an eye on.  New York is his third different team in as many seasons for the very talented, but troubled wide receiver.  He figures to bring a lot of help to a young quarterback in Geno Smith with one of the worst receiving cores in the league. Eric Decker, the Jets offseason acquisition from Denver, has put together a solid season and figures to be the number two receiver with the addition of Harvin.  The identity of the Jets is running the football behind Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson.  New York averages 135 yards on the ground per game and should be the toughest matchup for the Bills run defense up to this point in the season.  

Three keys to the game:

1. Turnover Battle: The Bills were extremely fortunate to come away with a win last week after turning the ball over four times.  Kyle Orton has brought more life to the passing game, but his turnover problems need to change if Buffalo wants to get a division win today.  

2.  Force the Jets to beat you with Geno: Since the Jets have two very capable running backs who can go off, it is important for the Bills to take that away.  The Vikings ran for over 150 last week so if Buffalo can keep New York under 100 for the game that gives them a good chance.  Geno Smith has been known to make big mistakes so the more he throws the ball, the better for the Bills defense.  

3.  Red Zone: The Buffalo Bills are one of the worst red zone offenses in the league, although things have improved under Kyle Orton.  Field goals will not be enough in this game as the Bills will have to punch in a few touchdowns against a very good Jets defense.  

My Prediction: It's a lot to ask out of Boobie Dixon and Bryce Brown to just jump in and fix an already struggling running game. Buffalo will struggle to move the ball consistently, while I question the Bills ability to stop the Jets on the ground.  The Bills have more flaws than we all thought and the Jets will expose those today.  Also, playing in the meadowlands has never been fun for the Bills.  

New York Jets 23   Buffalo Bills 16

Finish Your Cupcakes

The Bills first six opponents this year have a combined record of 22-14 showing just how difficult the schedule has been.  Coming out of that stretch at 3-3 has given Buffalo a chance to rattle off some wins in this middle part of the season.  These next six games are hands down the easiest games on the Bills schedule as the combined record of these next six opponents is 11-24.  The first game of this stretch is today as the 3-3 Buffalo Bills host the 2-4 Minnesota Vikings.  Minnesota was a rebuilding team before losing Adrian Peterson for the season and now they are relying on rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater to lead this team.  This marks his third start of his NFL career and is coming off of a double digit loss to a team the Bills beat in Detroit.  In fact, every single game for Minnesota this year has been decided by double digits.  The Vikings might be young and still a few years away from doing damage in a tough NFC, but they do have some good playmakers the Bills must be aware of.  At wide receiver, they have the speedster in Cordarelle Patterson who does his damage in the passing game and on returns.  Patterson has the ability to change a game with his skill on kick off and punt returns.  Greg Jennings brings veteran leadership to a young Vikings offense and he is Minnesota's leading receiver.  

Coming off of a tough home loss to our division rival, this is close to a must win game for the Bills playoff hopes.  This is arguably the easiest game on the Bills schedule so taking care of business is essential to keeping pace with New England.  This marks as Kyle Orton's third start as a Bill, and yes, his first without the stache! The offense looked sluggish early last week but eventually was able to put up points.  In the end, the defense was what let the Bills down last week and this poses as a favorable match up for the stout defensive line.  They only picked up 2 sacks last week and with a rookie QB and young offensive line, expect Schwartz to dial up some creative blitz schemes to try and confuse Bridgewater.  Another thing that must change is the run game.  65 yards isn't going to cut it, especially when you play Tom Brady.  A team that's identity is running the football has simply struggled to do so all season.  If the Bills want any shot at a post season berth, they must change that today...... Yes I'm talking to you CJ Spiller wake up.  Without further or due, here are some keys to today's matchup:

1. Start Strong: Buffalo has gotten off to slow starts in their last two games against New England and Detroit.  Get off to a good start, get the crowd going and don't let Minnesota think they have a chance.  The longer the Vikings can hang around, the more pressure it puts on the Bills.  

2. Be aware of Patterson: Cordarrelle Patterson has the ability to hurt teams in both the return and passing games.  Special teams hasn't been much of a factor yet this season, but the Bills better bring their A game today because one mistake and Patterson will take it in for six.  

3. Can we get a CJ Spiller sighting? Six carries for 19 yards isn't going to cut it.  Spiller has ZERO touchdowns through six games this season and I see this as a possible game for him to turn it around.  Hopefully Hackett can get him some touches early on and get him involved in the offense because the Bills need his explosiveness.  


My Prediction: I expect Minnesota to keep it close for a little while but the combination of Buffalo's stout defense wanting to make up for last week, and the potential of our running game, the Bills are too much in this one. 

Buffalo 30    Minnesota 13