Bills Mafia — #BillsMafia

Editor’s Note: Almost immediately following its official inception during the first week of August, the #BillsMafia movement has had followers naming/renaming their Twitter handles using the term “Bills Mafia.” One of the first to do so was @BillsMafiaDon, the self-appointed “Don” of the movement. An active, vocal member of the #BillsMafia community, @BillsMafiaDon has been offered the opportunity to blog here at BillsMafia.com in a special weekly column.

Guess who’s back Bills Mafia? Do you care? I hope so. I know it’s been a while since you all have heard from me, but sometimes life gets in the way of the pleasures we enjoy. While I love reaching out to you all, and expressing my feelings for you to read, I have been dealing with quite a bit on the home front that has prevented me from doing what I love to do most, and that is to write. I’m sure I am a bit rusty, but I will give it my best. So much has happened since the last time I wrote one of these for the website, so I’m hoping to at least touch on some of those events that have taken place.

Firstly, I have yet to be able to express my disappointment from this past season. We were all on quite a high, were we not? Things were looking great for us, and the confidence level amongst the Bills Mafia was something like I have never experienced before. By now, many of us have gotten used to the way our fanbase has been expected to act. In the past decade or so, we have all become accustomed to the negativity, the jokes, and the outrage, but Bills Mafia has brought a new element to the table, and this element of confidence is here to stay. Unfortunately however, confidence will only get you so far, and just as they did in 2008, our Bills had an epic collapse to close out the 2011 season. The elements to this years collapse have been talked about over and over again, so I will not go into too much detail, but rather share a few of my personal feelings regarding the positives and negatives from this past season.

Some Positives:

Year 2 of the Nix-Gailey regime was better than the first, but that isn’t saying much after a year in which your team is drafting in the top 5. At the start of the year, we looked to be a very productive offense, as Ryan Fitzpatrick and crew were putting up points in bunches, and for the first time in a long time, I actually had confidence that we were going to score when our offense hit the field. For the younger fans who may not remember, during this playoff drought we have been experiencing the past 12 years, there have been times where our offense was a lock to go 3 and out, regardless of the players on the field, or the opponent. If there is one thing I have learned this past season, it’s this: Chan Gailey’s offense works. That is, when his team is healthy.

The offense made serious strides under Gailey in 2011.
(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Under the tutelage of Chan Gailey, our offense made great strides in the 2011 season. In just one year, our total offensive ranking jumped from 25th to 14th. The emergence of the passing game has certainly helped this ascension, but let’s not forget about the ground game, as it appears we may be going into the 2012 season with one of the best backfield tandems in the game. Fred Jackson, before his season was ended prematurely due to injury, was putting up MVP like numbers, and despite missing 6 games, was still 12th in the league in yards after catch! Even more encouraging, was what we saw out of CJ Spiller in his absence. Having two solid backs of this caliber can be problematic to a degree, but if you ask me, it’s a great problem to have.

Another area of improvement has been on the offensive line. Ryan Fitzpatrick finished the 2011 season as one of the least sacked, hurried, and hit QBs in the league. While this can be attributed to the fact that Chan Gailey’s system is designed to get the ball out of the QB’s hands quickly, it’s definitely a positive sign that our OL is starting to solidify. Despite the fact that our starting center was hurt, and arguably our best offensive lineman playing out of position for a good portion of the year (Levitre), the Bills still did a great job of piecing together a solid front, although some issues persisted once Eric Wood hit IR. For our OL, things seem to be looking up, but as I will address in the next section, depth was an issue for this unit (and others).

Some Negatives:

I think it’s pretty obvious what the negatives to this team are, but if you ask me, the greatest issue we have is a lack of depth (aside from pass rush). This was proven to be the case in 2011 as injuries piled up in bunches once again for our Buffalo Bills. I address this issue first because I feel it’s the underlying issue to many of the problems we faced in the 2011 season. While injuries are never an excuse as to why the mission could not be accomplished, they certainly are a REASON why we declined as much as we did last year. The list of our injured guys last year is a who’s-who of the Bills Mafia, most notably Kyle Williams, Eric Wood, and Fred Jackson. That being said, the front office will need to do a better job of having the depth needed to overcome the injuries should they take place.

The other negative aspect of this team I want to address before I move on to my free agency preview is our pass rush. Surprised? I thought so. I don’t really have to say too much about this issue, because we are all aware of just how bad our pass rush is. To put things into perspective, about a third of the sacks we accumulated in 2011 occurred in 1 game, as we totaled 10 sacks against the Washington Redskins. In the other 15 games last season, the Bills only totaled 19 sacks, which is less than Jared Allen and Demarcus Ware had INDIVIDUALLY.

Enough about the past though, let’s look ahead to the 2012 offseason, shall we?

Free Agency 2012

Free Agency is already off to a solid start for the Bills.

Free agency is just around the corner, and unlike previous years, it’s already off to a pretty solid start for our Buffalo Bills. For once we have made an effort to retain our own, as Steve Johnson and Scott Chandler, two very important pieces to this offense, will return to the Buffalo Bills for the 2012 season and beyond. Also, news of Kirk Morrison resigning with the team broke earlier today, marking another solid move by the suits at One Bills Drive. One thing we can’t overlook when it comes to these signings, is that for once, it seems that players are buying into what the staff is preaching, and players finally WANT to be in Buffalo. That in itself, is a great feeling.

Scott Chandler signing his contract Thursday (courtesy @AlissaChandler's Twitter feed)

While some of you out there may hold the opinion that Steve is a bit overrated, I would have to respectfully disagree. Steve Johnson is a key element to the rebuilding of this franchise, and his chemistry with Fitz cannot be understated. The returns of Steve Johnson (first Buffalo Bill EVER to have back to back 1,000 yard seasons) and Scott Chandler (who tied a Buffalo Bills season record for TDs by a TE) have set the tone for the 2012 Buffalo Bills offseason, specifically on the offensive side of the ball. Not only are these signings good for the team (as well as the Morrison signing), but they’re great for the fan base. A restoration of confidence is never a bad thing, regardless of what the cynics may say about our organization’s desire to get better (or lack there of).

If you ask me, the 2012 free agency period will be a bit different for the Bills. I say this because I have learned that for the most part, Buddy Nix has been a man of his word, and he has promised on a few occasions that the Bills will be aggressive throughout free agency. I’m going to briefly go position by position in the areas of need/desire that we could possibly address this free agency period.

WR – Retaining Steve was huge, but we definitely are not done addressing this position. Now, it’s time to find him a running mate. While I do believe in the guys we have at the WR position for the most part, we still lack depth. With guys like Donald Jones and David Nelson in the mix, the Bills could be a formidable passing attack if they add another threat on the outside to compliment #13. I don’t want people to get me wrong, and assume that I don’t have faith in the guys we have, because I do, but we have to look at things in proper perspective, especially after we saw what happened to our offense once guys started to get banged up. There is no question how much of a passing league the NFL is becoming (or has become), and if you look at some of the more successful teams in the NFL, one thing they all have in common is their ability to move the ball through the air. Most of these teams also have solid receiving tandems, most notably the two Super Bowl teams, and their tandems of Hakeem Nicks/Victor Cruz and Rob Gronkowski/Wes Welker.

With all that being said, I don’t think the Bills will be players in the Vincent Jackson sweepstakes. As much as I wish it would happen, I believe that Jackson’s financial demands will be too much for the Bills to meet, even given the fact that we have a boatload of cap room to work with. Just because we have the room however, does not mean that we will use it all, and spending all the way to the ceiling is not something that would be wise for our front office. One thing we certainly do not want to do, is handcuff our finances for the future. Adding Vincent Jackson would tie up over 20-million in monies at just one position per year.

More realistic free agency options in my opinion would be guys in the second tier, such as Mario Manningham, Early Doucet, Robert Meachem, and others. I don’t expect a guy like Colston or Jackson to join the Bills Mafia, but that doesn’t mean I’m not hoping for a miracle, and it certainly doesn’t mean I won’t be partaking in the recruitment of VJ. If the Bills are unable to adequately address WR during free agency, it will certainly be a position addressed come April’s draft. I will address the receivers in this years draft in due time, when I provide you with my pre-draft analysis in mid-April.

OL – As I said before, one of the biggest problems we had this year was the lack of depth on the offensive line. With Demetrius Bell’s status in the air, the Bills will try to add depth to the interior of our line, as well as the tackle positions. I am not ruling out the possibility of us drafting a tackle at #10 this year, but I still believe it’s unlikely to occur. If you ask me, the Bills will try to re-sign Bell, and if they can’t get a reasonable deal done, they will find their tackle solution between rounds 2-5, or will get a solid veteran in free agency.

The Bills signed Kirk Morrison to a 2-year deal Friday. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

LB- With a switch back to the 4-3, the Bills resigned Kirk Morrison to a two year deal, teaming him up with Nick Barnett and Kelvin Sheppard. It appears that Buffalo has a tentative starting LB corp of Morrison (Sam), Sheppard (Mike), and Barnett (Will). The Bills now seem to have a pretty solid starting LB unit, and they have decent backups to provide depth. That being said, I still believe the Bills will address this position, but most likely in the draft, and not in free agency.

DE- This one is huge guys, and there is one HUGE name out there that could help us out tremendously. We all know who that man is: Super Mario. While I’m not one to have unrealistic expectations, I do think making a run at Williams is quite possible. With our need for great improvement when it comes to our pass rush, Williams would instantly make our front a force to be reckoned with. Could you imagine Super Mario along the line with Dareus and Kyle? That being said though… Please Bills Mafia, let’s not come to expect this. It’s one thing to desire, but it’s another to expect, and expectation of a move like this is a prime way for the negativity to emerge once again, fueled by disappointment. DE is a position that will be addressed, there’s no doubt about that. In fact, I wouldn’t doubt that we add 3 DEs between now and the start of camp.

CB- When it comes to our secondary, there is no question that it could use some work, but it’s not as bad as some people may think. The restructuring of McGee’s contract has provided the Bills with some much needed options. McGee’s new deal will free up money for Buffalo, but McGee will be able to earn his money if he stays healthy and produces. Aside from McGee, the Bills have some promise with Aaron Williams, Justin Rogers, and Drayton Florence in the mix. When it comes to McKelvin, I have seen many suggest that the Bills may get rid of Leodis. I do not see this happening, simply due to the fact that if they did decide to cut him, the team wouldn’t be saving all that much money in cap space. The only way I see #21 depart is by trade. In the end though, I believe he will remain on this roster simply for the fact that McKelvin can be extremely dangerous in the return game, and with the appearance that Roscoe will not be back in 2012, a return man of McKelvin’s caliber will be much needed, although Rogers finished the 2011 season strong in this aspect.

If you ask me, one reason our secondary was thrown all over last year was due to our inadequate pass rush. A pass rush and coverage ability go hand in hand. If you have a formidable pass rush, you’re going to force the quarterback into making quick decisions, and ultimately on occasion, some critical mistakes. The same goes for our secondary though, as great coverage can lead to sacks. I see the Bills addressing corner in free agency, and if they don’t, they will address the position come late April.

In Closing:

Before free agency kicks off, I just want to provide the Bills Mafia with a few words of wisdom. Whether you choose to accept my words is up to you. Firstly, I want to start off by saying that we should trust what this front office is going to do this offseason. While we may not always be the flashiest team when it comes to making a splash in free agency, rest assured that Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey have a plan for our Buffalo Bills. It may be hard to see through the fog, but we are improving in many aspects, but we still have a long way to go. Patience is a virtue, and we need to trust that these guys know what they are doing. For once, I believe we have a GM/HC tandem that is out for the best interest of the fans, and the organization as a whole.

Don’t get discouraged if the guy you want isn’t the guy we get. There are reasons to every move that is being made, and one sign that we are on the right track is the simple fact that guys who have worked in this system, with this staff, have a great desire to return. The chemistry in our locker room right now is something I have not seen in quite some time, and it’s a very good thing to see all of these players embrace the system, embrace the staff, and most of all, embrace #BillsMafia.

I will leave you with one more idea, and you can choose to agree, or disagree: You have the right to your own opinion. All I want to say is, the dog with the loudest bark does not always have the most vicious of bites. If you take a look at many of the successful teams around the league, there aren’t very many of them who are signing the biggest names on the market. The Eagles broke the bank to assemble an All-Star team in 2011, and that did not get them any farther than the team they fielded the previous year. The Miami Dolphins went on a spending spree when they brought in Brandon Marshall and Karlos Dansby, yet they aren’t in any better position than we are at the moment (assuming they don’t land Peyton Manning). The key to improvement isn’t always about finding the biggest names in free agency, but rather, about finding the right guys for your system, and drafting successfully in the process. Like Steve said, we have guys turning that corner. Now it’s time to complete the turn, and cruise our way back to the playoffs.

Sincerely,
Sean Corleone aka @BillsMafiaDon
#BillsMafia

PS: STAY OUT OF THE AFC EAST PEYTON!!!!!

Editor’s Note: Almost immediately following its official inception during the first week of August, the #BillsMafia movement has had followers naming/renaming their Twitter handles using the term “Bills Mafia.” One of the first to do so was @BillsMafiaDon, the self-appointed “Don” of the movement. An active, vocal member of the #BillsMafia community, @BillsMafiaDon has been offered the opportunity to blog here at BillsMafia.com in a special weekly column.

Greetings Bills Mafia! Welcome back to yet another installment of “The Don Speaks” here on BillsMafia.com. First of all, I would like to thank all of you for your patience in recent weeks. I will admit, I haven’t been on my game lately, and the same can be said for our Buffalo Bills. My apologies go out to the family for my recent period of slacking, but I swear; I have good reasons behind it.

Recently, my wife and I purchased our first home, and we couldn’t be more excited to start this new chapter in our lives. Amongst the confusion and hectic nature of the move, I just haven’t had the time to communicate with you all, and have failed in my duties as your “Don” to provide you with the words of wisdom you all yearn for (vast overstatement, lol). Now that we are starting to get settled in however, I have no excuse but to bring you my best analysis from here on out.
The move to our new home was rather smooth, especially given the fact that we had to get things done in such a short period of time. There were times during the process when I didn’t think we would ever get this house, and at one point, I had started to give up any hope I may have been holding on to. Despite the obstacles we faced in the process, we were able to finally close on our house last Thursday, and we couldn’t have been happier to do so. That is, until we almost died. On Wednesday morning, we found that we had a gas leak in our new home, so we called our local electric company to take a look at our potential problem. We had no idea just how serious things were.

After analyzing our problem, the electric company found that we had TWO significant gas leaks, and determined we were one spark away from our house bursting into flames, and losing everything we had worked so hard to obtain. To go into extreme detail surrounding our situation would be exhausting, as I have other matters to discuss with you all today, but to keep a long story short, my wife and I are extremely lucky to have caught this problem before the problem caught us. Someone was certainly looking down upon us.

Once the chaos ceased in our home, I couldn’t help but to somehow relate our situation to that of our Buffalo Bills (of course I would, right?). Just as my wife and I had done, our Bills had worked extremely hard to get off to a great start in this journey to accomplishing a goal. It seemed as if our ultimate goal of making the playoffs was in the near future, but in this journey, the Bills have faced some obstacles and adversity in their growth process, as they attempt to move out of the basement of the league, and into the respectable neighborhood. While it is true our Bills have a few leaks here and there, by no means is the house burning to the ground. All we need to do is keep the faith that things will be fixed by those who know what they are doing.

The Week That Was:
Buffalo Bills 7 @ Dallas Cowboys 44

This was by far the worst loss the Bills have suffered this year.

The Buffalo Bills went into Dallas with hopes of keeping pace with the Patriots and Jets in the AFC East, as they were readying themselves to face a tough NFC East opponent in the Cowboys. Not only was this a big game for the Bills as a team, but it was a big game for RB Fred Jackson and WR David Nelson for other reasons. Both Fred Jackson and David Nelson were making homecomings of sorts, and for Jackson, he literally was about to play in his childhood back yard. For those who haven’t heard by now, Fred Jackson’s childhood home was demolished in order to make room for the new Cowboys stadium. The home of the Cowboys literally sits on top of Fred Jackson’s old home, but unfortunately for Fred and the gang, the homecoming was not a sweet return.

From the very onset of the game, the Bills looked lackadaisical and dull. The Cowboys came out of the game with a bang, and quickly jumped on top of the Bills with a 21-0 lead and never looked back. When it was all said and done, the Cowboys absolutely thrashed the Bills by the tune of 44-7. This was by far the worst loss the Bills have suffered this year, and the first time they have lost back to back games in the 2011 season. Here are some notes from the loss in Big D.

• The Buffalo Bills are now 2-4 since their appearance on Sports Illustrated (after they defeated NE at the Ralph)
• QB Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown for 7 TDs and 9 INTs in the last 5 games for the Buffalo Bills, and has slipped down to 10th overall on ESPN’s total QBR ratings.
• RB Fred Jackson currently leads the league in rushing with 917 yards on the ground, and is 2nd amongst NFL RBs in yards per carry (for RBs that have at least 100 carries). The only RB averaging more yards per carry is Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray.
• After going 7 straight games without a fumble, Fred Jackson has now lost fumbles in consecutive games.

Honest Analysis:
After the loss to the Cowboys, it seemed as if our fanbase had started reverting back to our old ways. Immediately following the game, many of the Bills Mafia started questioning a multitude of issues surround the Bills, one of them being Ryan Fitzpatrick’s contract extension. After seeing a variety of opinions regarding Fitz and his recent performances, I decided to ask you all if you thought the extension was premature, and I was overwhelmed with the input I received from the family. I received many great responses, and it’s obvious that this is an issue we all are passionate about, regardless of which side you are on in the debate.

My take on Fitzpatrick is pretty simple. The quarterback that we saw early on in the season was a player who was playing with a chip on his shoulder, and I don’t think that the chip has gone away simply because he has received a pay day. The biggest issue for our offense in my opinion has been up front, where we have had some of our best lineman suffer significant injuries that have caused our offensive unit to take a step backwards. Say what you will about our guys on the o-line, but early in the season, they were getting the job done, and Fitz was remaining in the upright position. As soon as our guys started to get banged up, that is when things started to stall offensively for the Bills, and I don’t think there is any coincidence to this whatsoever.

Andy Levitre's versatility has proven to be a tremendous asset for our team.

One guy we have to give ultimate praise to is Andy Levitre, who has basically been holding this offensive line together with duct tape. Levitre has proved his worth by showing just how much of a team player he is, as his versatility has proven to be a tremendous asset for our team. When both of our LT’s went down with injuries (both whom were playing very well), Levitre stepped into the LT spot and has done a decent job, despite being out of his natural spot. Levitre will need to continue playing out of position now that we have lost C Eric Wood for the season. Let’s just hope we can get either Hairston or Bell back as soon as possible, or else we may continue to struggle as an offense.

David Nelson's TD (and ensuing celebration) saved the Bills from an overall grade of F.

In regards to the performance in the Cowboys game, it was extremely ugly. There is no denying that, and there is no way to sugarcoat it. We were outplayed in every phase of the game, and our inability to sustain drives has killed this team of late. It’s one thing to lose a close game in dramatic fashion, even if you think you’ve had a call or two go against you unfairly, but it’s another thing to get absolutely embarrassed when you’re in the process of trying to win the respect of your peers. On Sunday, we showed that we still have a lot of work to do, but by no means do I think it is over, as some of the fan base has been suggesting. The performance was ugly, so I give the guys an overall grade of D-. I could give the guys a flat out F for this performance, but the grade was bumped up due to the fact that David Nelson scored a TD in his homecoming, and gave the ball to his extremely hot girlfriend. That has to be worth something, right?

The Week That Will Be:
(5-4) Buffalo Bills @ (2-7) Miami Dolphins

On paper, you would think a game between a 5-4 team and a 2-7 team would be a no brainer, but this is not a game the Bills can be taking lightly. The Dolphins, who have looked horrid on occasion this season, have been playing much better of late, and have scraped together 2 wins, seemingly hurting their chances in the Suck for Luck sweepstakes. All kidding aside, the Dolphins have some players on this roster that could pose a threat to this Buffalo Bills.

The Dolphins have a decent front 7 that could make things difficult for Fitz and company.

Defensively, the Dolphins have a decent front 7, and if our offensive line does not play up to par, the Dolphins defensive unit could certainly make things difficult for Fitz and company. With Eric Wood out for the year, Levitre will be playing center in his absence, and it looks that Pears will get his first start of the season at tackle. There is uncertainty up front for this Bills offense, but the game plan here should be to feed our league leading running back Fred Jackson. While Miami has a solid rush defense (10th overall in the league), we need to utilize our best/hottest player at the moment, and that would be Fred. If there are any qualms I have regarding our offensive playcalling of late, it’s the fact that we seem to get away from Fred at times, when we should be continuously feeding the hot hand.

When it comes to our passing game, it seems like this is a matchup that should favor our offense, but it could all come down to whether or not Steve Johnson plays this Sunday. The Dolphins struggle against the pass, as they rank 25th overall in the league, so if our running game can not be established, Fitz will need to take advantage of a secondary that gives up a lot of yards. Perhaps this game will help get Fitz on track.

This game is of extreme importance to our playoff hopes in 2011, and needless to say, this is a must win for the Buffalo Bills. In the end, I feel as if Fitz will get back on track this week with a solid performance. Defensively, we can’t let Matt Moore tear up our secondary, and hopefully the return of Kelsay will help give our pass rush the boost we so desperately need. I think this game will be a lot closer than some seem to be indicating, and in the end, I feel our Buffalo Bills will move to 6-4 with a victory in Miami by the score of 20-14.

Calling Out A Hater:

We are changing the mentality of our fanbase. That mentality is not null and void just because we have lost a couple of games.

I’m not going to be brash this week when calling out the haters, because unfortunately, this week’s haters are within our own fan base. All I want to say is this: Don’t give up. Right now, the Bills stand at 5-4, and with the Jets loss against the Broncos, a win gets us right back in the thick of things. Lately, it seems like I have gone back in time, due to the fact that there are Bills fans who are reverting back to the old mindset dominated by thoughts of futility and dooms day mentality. By no means is this season over, and with a win this week, we remain very much alive in the playoff hunt. No, we shouldn’t fire Chan Gailey and staff. No, we shouldn’t bench Fitzpatrick for Thigpen. And no, we shouldn’t be losing hope just because we face a little adversity. The team we started the year with was a team we all believed in, and that is what Bills Mafia is all about. We are changing the mentality of our fanbase. That mentality is not null and void just because we have lost a couple of games. There is still plenty of football yet to be played. So before you jump off the bandwagon, remember that it isn’t stopping anytime soon, and jumping from a moving vehicle could be detrimental to your health.

Peace and Blessings #BillsMafia,

Sean (aka @BillsMafiaDon)
Bills Mafia Blog

Editor’s Note: Almost immediately following its official inception during the first week of August, the #BillsMafia movement has had followers naming/renaming their Twitter handles using the term “Bills Mafia.” One of the first to do so was @BillsMafiaDon, the self-appointed “Don” of the movement. An active, vocal member of the #BillsMafia community, @BillsMafiaDon has been offered the opportunity to blog here at BillsMafia.com in a special weekly column.

Welcome back family! Are you ready for some football? Me too, that’s why there isn’t going to be a long, drawn out introduction this week. This week, it’s all business, so let’s get down to it. Let’s talk about the “Pig Roast” we just had, shall we?

The Week That Was:
Washington Redskins 0 “@” Buffalo Bills 23

Coming off of the bye, the Buffalo Bills were hoping to avoid losing back to back games as they traveled to Toronto for a matchup against the Washington Redskins. After a victory slipped out of their hands in New Jersey just 2 weeks prior, the Bills came out of the bye refreshed, and it definitely showed as they dismantled this struggling Redskins team. While the Bills didn’t absolutely blow them out in regards to points, they were able to prevent John Beck and the offense from doing anything what so ever en route to a 23-0 victory. Here are some notes from Sunday’s victory at the Rogers Centre.

• In Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills, Mike Shanahan was shut out for the first time in his career as an NFL head coach. The shutout-less streak for Shanahan ends at 267 games, and if you include the playoffs, the streak ends at 280. (Shutout occurred in his 268th regular season game)
• Fred Jackson’s 194 yards from scrimmage surpassed the yardage total for the entire Redskins offense in the game. (Redskins: 178 total yards)
• The Bills shutout Sunday was the first for the team since December 17, 2006.
• Buffalo finished the game with 10 sacks; the second most in franchise history. (Their 4 sacks in the first half was the first time they had 4 in the first half since 10/04/2009)
• The Bills, after a blocked FG in Sunday’s game, now have blocked FG’s in consecutive games for the first time since 1996.

Honest Analysis:

Sunday’s game may not have been flawless, but it’s hard to not be pleased with how the team performed. While it is true that teams have struggled coming off the bye so far this season, Chan Gailey proved once again that the norm doesn’t apply to this team, as he did an excellent job of preparing the guys for Washington. During the bye week, Chan had stated with emphasis that the pass rush was an area they needed to focus on. Whatever they did, it certainly worked, as the Buffalo pass rush looked the best it has all season. Whether or not that is due to preparation, or opponent weakness in this instance, time will only tell, but in this league you have to beat the teams that are on the schedule, regardless of who it is that you’re playing. We didn’t just beat the Redskins; we dominated them.

Dareus started for the Bills at NT, and that very well may be where he stays.

One of the most pleasant aspects of Sunday’s game was the play of rookie Marcel Dareus. For the first time this season, Dareus started for the Bills at nose tackle, and that very well may be where he stays. On Sunday, the Crimson Elephant had a breakout performance, and absolutely dominated the Redskins interior offensive lineman throughout the game. When Kyle returns, the Bills will be faced with an interesting dilemma in regards to who they will keep at the nose position. After seeing what Dareus did on Sunday however, I am of the opinion that keeping him at the nose is the best option for us. Either way, as Chan Gailey put it, deciding where to place guys like Marcel and Kyle is a “good problem to have.”

When it comes to our Buffalo Bills, to paraphrase Dennis Green, we are who we thought we were. I couldn’t be happier with our play thus far, and Sunday’s victory was one that we had to have heading into this week’s matchup against the Jets. It wasn’t a flawless performance, as I still feel maybe our offense took their foot off the pedal at times, but you can’t complain with a win, especially when you shut out your opponent. My overall grade for Sunday’s win is an A. Now, it’s time to defend our airspace.

The Week That Will Be:
(4-3) N.Y. Jets @ (5-2) Buffalo Bills

The Jets fly into the Ralph Sunday with hopes of evening their record with the divisional rival Buffalo Bills. The Bills, with a victory in this game, will remain in first place in the AFC East, and with a Patriots loss to the Giants, would stand alone at the top of the division. No tiebreakers needed. A loss Sunday however could knock the Bills out of the top 8 in the AFC, depending on the outcomes of the other games around the league. This game is as close to a must win game as we have seen this season, and it very well just might be our biggest challenge to date.

Buffalo's offense is going to have to figure out a way to attack the Jets secondary.

While the Jets haven’t been overwhelming the league with their offensive attack, their defense has been stout to say the least. The high powered Buffalo offense is going to have to figure out a way to attack this Jets secondary, and the offensive line is going to need to give Ryan Fitzpatrick the time to find the open man, if any exist. The Jets have a formidable pass rush, and the Bills have relied on their ability to get the ball out quick and protect their signal caller. One of the key battles in this game is going to be the Buffalo offensive (and Fred) against the Jets pass rushers. If the Bills can win this battle, they certainly will put themselves in a good position to win this game.

The return of WR Donald Jones will likely be a key element to this game as well. With the return of Jones, David Nelson will probably be covered by Kyle Wilson for a good portion of the game, so I expect for Buffalo to target Nelson whenever possible, as Wilson is still growing into his role in the Jets defense. With Stevie stuck on Revis Island, the rest of the Bills weapons need to get open for Fitzpatrick to make plays. Aside from the passing game, Fred Jackson will likely see a good portion of work against the Jets, as he should. The Jets have had their share of struggles against opposing RBs up to this point in the year, and this is especially so when they are attacked on the edges. Look for Fred to see a good dose of touches early on in this game (I know…I’m going out on a limb there huh?).

In the end, this is a HUGE game, and I could go on for days when talking about what matchups we need to keep our eye on, and what we need to do to win this game. When it’s all said and done, I believe our Bills will continue their success at home. This game has me nervous, don’t get me wrong, and I actually have pondered the idea of picking the Jets to win in my weekly prediction, but I just can’t stop believing. I blame Journey for that. On Sunday, I believe the Buffalo Bills will come out victorious by the tune of 20-17. Enough with the talking though (especially you, Jets fans); It’s time to settle this once and for all.

Quote Of The Week:
Previous quotes/questions given for context

Chan Gailey, Quote of the Week

Reporter: “Two months before you were even on the Bills radar, before even Buddy Nix was hired, Mike Shanahan was being courted by this team. Does that mean anything? Or…?”

Chan: “No. Doesn’t mean anything to me.”

Reporter: “Well you weren’t the first choice in some ways…”

Chan: “We got a bunch of folks on our team that are that way. I feel right at home.”

Calling Out A Hater:

I’m not going to call any of you out by name #JetsNation, but just SHUT UP already. Can’t you go 5 minutes without talking smack? Can’t you just know where you currently stand in the grand scheme of things, and stop talking about the past? Where is all this confidence coming from anyway? Don’t you remember when YOU were the doormat? Don’t you remember when WE owned YOU? I mean, since you’re so infatuated with the past and all, when was the last time you even made a Super Bowl appearance? We may have lost 4, but we’ve been to the big dance in the last 30 years. No matter what you say, or what you think about this team, it doesn’t change the fact that Rex has yet to get you over the hump. And just stop it with this “our coach is better” nonsense. Take your gangrene to the clinic, and just sit back and watch it unfold. Even if we lose, you’re going to know who we are, and you’re going to realize that this ain’t Dick Jauron’s team anymore.

Peace and Blessings #BillsMafia,

Sean (aka @BillsMafiaDon)
Bills Mafia Blog

Editor’s Note: Almost immediately following its official inception during the first week of August, the #BillsMafia movement has had followers naming/renaming their Twitter handles using the term “Bills Mafia.” One of the first to do so was @BillsMafiaDon, the self-appointed “Don” of the movement. An active, vocal member of the #BillsMafia community, @BillsMafiaDon has been offered the opportunity to blog here at BillsMafia.com in a special weekly column.

Welcome back Bills Mafia! How was your bye week? I’m pretty sure that it would have been much better for us all had we left Jersey victorious, but it’s now time for us to move on. Losing isn’t something anyone likes to deal with, but when losses occur, we as individuals have to put those losses behind us and move forward. Some losses however are just harder to deal with, especially when it deals with matters of life and death. Unfortunately for the Bills Mafia, we experienced losses both on and off the field this past week.

As most of you already know, the Buffalo family lost a beloved individual last week. Kent Hull, who was the Bills center for eleven years, and key ingredient to the no huddle offense in the 90s, passed away on October 18th at the age of 50. The loss of this great man was felt throughout Bills nation, and it was touching to hear the many stories that were shared over this past week regarding who this man really was. Hull will certainly be remembered for his excellence and professionalism on the field, but he will also be revered for who he was off the field. The Bills family could not have lost a better individual, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.

Kent Hull, Buffalo Bills Legend

When someone passes away, it puts many things in perspective. For some, situations such as this one will make you appreciate everything that has been provided for you throughout your life, and it makes you realize that you truly are blessed to live another day. Death also helps us recognize that no matter how much we love the game of football, in the end, that’s all it really is: A game. For most of us, the Buffalo Bills are a way of life, and a loss can ruin our entire work week as we anticipate the next challenge. However, a loss in competition pales in comparison to the loss of a human being. I’m truly finding it difficult to come up with the right things to say as I write this article, as the contents throughout may seem meaningless given this tragic event. If you take anything from this week’s article, let it be this simple idea: Appreciate everything you have, and take nothing for granted, because tomorrow is not promised. Rest In Peace #67.

The Week That Was:
Buffalo Bills 24 @ New York Giants 27 (10/16/11)

With the bye week on the horizon, the Buffalo Bills marched into New Jersey with hopes of starting the 2011 season at 5-1. The Giants on the other hand were trying to avoid going into their bye week with a .500 record. Out of the gate, the Buffalo offense got off to a great start, as they answered a scoring drive with one of their own. With the first play from scrimmage for the offense, Fred Jackson took a Ryan Fitzpatrick handoff 80 yards to pay dirt to tie the game up at 7. Later in the quarter, Buffalo’s own Naaman Roosevelt caught a quick pass from Fitz and took it 60 yards to the house to give Buffalo a 14-7 lead. Right off the bat, it looked as if this Buffalo offense was going to continue thriving, but as the game progressed, the Giants defense began to buckle down.

Early on, it looked as if Fred Jackson was going to flat out dominate the Giants defense, who had struggled against the run in the first 5 weeks of the season. While Jackson was able to make some big plays for the Buffalo offense, as the game progressed, the Giants found a way to hold their ground and contain the potent Buffalo attack. These two evenly matched teams fought right down to the wire in this one, and in the end, the Bills came up short as they lost the game 27-24. Last Sunday’s loss pushed the 2011 Buffalo Bills to a 4-2 record. This was Buffalo’s second loss of the season, and their second loss by a 3 point margin. Here are some notes from last Sunday’s loss to the Giants.

• Fred Jackson’s 80 yard TD in the first quarter was the longest TD run of his career, and the longest TD run for a Buffalo Bills player since 1990 (Thurman Thomas)
• In 2010, the Buffalo Bills scored a total of 283 points. So far in 2011, the Bills have scored 188 points, and will only need to average 9.5 points per game for the rest of the season to equal last years total.
• Naaman Roosevelt’s 60 yard touchdown in this game was the first TD of his young career.

Honest Analysis:

There was a lot to like about the Bills’ performance last game, especially given how shorthanded we were due to injuries, but there are definitely areas of concern for this team of ours. The 2011 Buffalo Bills have been successful up to this point in the season largely due to the fact that the Bills defense has been able to create turnovers in bunches. These turnovers in turn have created great opportunities for our offense. Last Sunday however, the Giants won the turnover battle 2-0, and for the first time this season, the Bills were unable to take the ball away from their opponent. While I don’t think it is necessary for the Bills to create turnovers in order to win games, I do feel as if we have relied a bit heavily on those takeaways up to this point. That being said, despite the fact that the Bills lost the turnover battle this past week; they still only ended up losing the game by 3 points, and were in position late in the 4th quarter to take the lead.

As expected, the Giants ensured that Ahmad Bradshaw was a key to the game.

Going into this game, I had a feeling that the ground game on both sides was going to dictate the outcome, and I specifically stated that Ahmad Bradshaw would be the key to this game. The running games for both teams were very effective, and for the Giants, Bradshaw’s 3 touchdown performance helped push them over the top en route to their 4th victory of the season. For the Bills, Fred Jackson had a great day, but two costly mistakes by Ryan Fitzpatrick proved to be the difference in this one. Of his two mistakes, the second interception of the day may have been the one that hurt the most.

Shortly after the game, there were many tweets suggesting that Ryan Fitzpatrick wasn’t any good, and some even went as far to criticize our front office for not brining a quarterback in this past offseason. The negative tweets that were being spewed by Bills fans triggered some really bad memories for me. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I absolutely despise the negative outlook when it comes to our Bills. While I can appreciate passionate statements in regards to our team, whether negative or positive, the one thing that really gets to me is when fans use the past to make an argument about the present. Every situation is unique, and there is no reason that our recent futility should dictate our future aspirations and expectations. With that being said, I apologize to any of you who may have been upset by my remarks post game. Emotions can get the best of me, just as they can you. We are all human.

In the end, losing this game is not the end of the world, but it certainly should be used as a learning curve for the rest of the season. The performance all around was a bit sloppy, so I have to dish out a grade of C+ for our boys in red white and blue. If not for the two costly mistakes by Fitzpatrick, and some costly penalties on the defensive side of the ball, we could have come out of this game victorious. I will not put all of the blame on Fitzpatrick for this loss. Fitzpatrick should have made both of those throws, and he knows it, but there were other factors throughout this game that contributed to the final outcome.

The Week That Will Be:
(3-3) Washington Redskins @ (4-2) Buffalo Bills
(at the Rogers Centre in Toronto)

The Buffalo Bills return from the bye week with an important game against a banged up Washington Redskins team. The Redskins, who currently sit at 3-3, not only have lost Hightower and Cooley for the season, but also have uncertainty looming at the quarterback position. As of right now, it looks as if John Beck will be the starter this week, and he will have to go to battle without one of his best weapons in Santana Moss.

For the Bills, it was announced earlier this week that they will be without LB Shawne Merriman for the remainder of the 2011 season. While Merriman may not have put up great statistics up to this point in the season, his loss is not encouraging news for a defense that desperately needs to figure out how to get after opposing quarterbacks. The younger defensive players will need to step up in Merriman’s absence, particularly Arthur Moats and Kelvin Sheppard. To make matters worse for this defense, it looks as if the Bills will be without Kyle Williams for the second straight game. Williams, who is dealing with a nagging foot injury, is not certain when his return will take place.

Despite the injury concerns for both teams, this matchup seems to favor the Buffalo Bills on paper. The Washington offense is struggling, and this might be just what the doctor ordered for this Buffalo Bills defense. The Buffalo defense has allowed 400 plus yards in 5 straight games, and is hoping to put an end to that streak this Sunday. The Redskins defense however is very solid, and will be a great test for the Bills’ offense. Washington’s defense goes into this game ranked 6th in the league in points against, and 12th in yards allowed; two categories the Buffalo offense ranks highly in (3rd in points scored and 10th in yards gained).

This game will come down to our ability (or inability) to score on this Redskins defense. While I expect the Buffalo defense to bounce back this week, I feel that there is a very real possibility that we may score under 20 points for the first time this season. However, given that the Bills average 31 points per game thus far, I can’t find it within me to predict a score along the lines of 17-10. With that being said, I feel that we can come out of this game victorious, and I believe that we will. My prediction for the Bills this Sunday is a victory, as they defeat the Washington Redskins 28-14.

Quote Of The Week:

George Wilson, Quote of the Week

“This is NOT a home game. It’s an international game that counts as a home game.” – George Wilson

Calling Out A Hater:

Canadian sports columnist Cathal Kelly put out a reactionary piece early Thursday morning, in which feelings were shared based on George Wilson’s recent comments regarding the game that is about to be played in Toronto (see above). If you haven’t read the article, please do, because reading it may allow this next rant to make a little more sense to you.

Firstly, I’d like to point out that the Buffalo Bills and their fans do not owe the Canadian/Toronto community ANYTHING. While it is true that some great Bills fans exist in the area, it doesn’t change the fact that the Buffalo Bills are OUR TEAM! What has taken place here is a desperation deal that was made by our owner in an attempt to expand the brand, and with hopes of generating more revenue for our smaller market team. The deal with the Toronto group was nothing more than that, and financially, it has worked out greatly for our organization. Don’t be bitter– you got fleeced here.

This piece by Kelly absolutely infuriates me, because Kelly is missing the point in all of this. THE BILLS ARE OUR TEAM!!!!!!! They always have been, and they always will be, and the closing statement is a prime indication of how much Kelly just doesn’t get it, as an idle threat is made: “Keep talking. It’s going to seem less and less like a home game with each passing press conference.” Really?!? REALLY?!?!

Peace and Blessings,

Sean (aka “@BillsMafiaDon”)
Bills Mafia Blog

Editor’s Note: Almost immediately following its official inception during the first week of August, the #BillsMafia movement has had followers naming/renaming their Twitter handles using the term “Bills Mafia.” One of the first to do so was @BillsMafiaDon, the self-appointed “Don” of the movement. An active, vocal member of the #BillsMafia community, @BillsMafiaDon has been offered the opportunity to blog here at BillsMafia.com in a special weekly column.

Underdogs exist in all walks of life. Whether you are an individual overcoming personal adversity, or a group of individuals overcoming odds, these kinds of stories stick within the minds of the observer. This is especially true within the world of sports. One such story that comes to mind for me is the story of Bobby Martin, and if you are not familiar with his tale, I recommend reading up on this extremely inspirational young man. Bobby, no different than your average teenager, grew up loving football, and was rarely seen in his community without a smile on his face. What makes him stand out? Bobby was born without legs. Despite this obstacle being thrown his way, Bobby went on to play football for his high school’s team. Talk about overcoming adversity, eh? Some students can’t achieve this WITH legs. Bobby Martin was an underdog from the very moment he was introduced to this world, but Bobby wasn’t going to allow himself to be stuck with the underdog label forever. He was determined to change the way people saw him.

While there are stories of great inspiration involving the individual underdogs of the world, there are also the stories of the groups who seemingly fall out of favor. On occasion, these groups get absolutely blasted in the media, and shots are taken whenever the opportunity presents itself. For our Buffalo Bills, this certainly was the case. After years of futility, the Bills had somehow transitioned from the underdogs, to the outright disrespected. Even when our team experienced success, there always seemed to be an excuse for the team we had defeated. More attention was given to the mistakes made by our opponents, rather than what we did to come out victorious. It had even come to the point where Bills fans throughout the nation had come to expect this kind of treatment, and some even mirrored these opinions when they talk about their own team. Those days seem to be fading; at least for the time being.

If you haven’t noticed by now, the media is now starting to change their tune when it comes to our Buffalo Bills. Some of the mouthpieces have been trashing us since the pre-season, but all of the sudden, these same people want to let the world know that the Buffalo Bills are for real. For the record, Bills Mafia has known this for quite some time. My take on this newfound respect (or the appearance of) is this: We don’t need their love, because we know how much they want to hate. All that matters is that the family believes.

The Week That Was:
(1-3) Philadelphia Eagles 24 @ (3-1) Buffalo Bills 31

The Buffalo Bills have been the underdog going into almost every game they have played this season. This trend continued, as they prepared for their week 5 matchup against a desperate Philadelphia Eagles team. Not only were the Bills seen as underdogs by the majority, but of the ESPN “experts” who submitted their week 5 picks on ESPN.com, only one of the 10 on the committee picked Buffalo to win (Merrill Hoge). While there were others throughout the nation who picked Buffalo to win this game, it seemed all but inevitable to the masses that Buffalo was about to be exposed against Philadelphia. The Bills had other plans.
On Sunday, Philadelphia faced an opportunistic Buffalo defense, a defense that was tied for the lead league in takeaways through the first 4 weeks of the season. Despite their inability to hold opposing offenses under 400 yards in recent games, this defensive unit for the Bills has made big plays in key situations, helping the team become one of the more dangerous opponents in the NFL. Even though this Buffalo defense allowed a high yardage total against Philadelphia, they were able to create 5 turnovers en route to another victory at Ralph Wilson Stadium, pushing the team to a 4-1 start. The offense didn’t do so bad either, as they continued their trends in both red zone efficiency, and in the area of capitalizing on the opportunities created by their defense. Here are some notes from Sunday’s victory against the Eagles.

• In Sunday’s game, RB Fred Jackson passed Travis Henry in the Buffalo Bills record books. Jackson now ranks 10th all-time in team history in the yards from scrimmage category. Jackson is also the first Buffalo Bills player in 20 years to have 700 or more yards from scrimmage in the first 5 games of a season.
• The Buffalo Bills have returned interceptions for touchdowns in 3 straight games. This is the first time a Bills team has done so since 1960.
• The Buffalo Bills are 1 of only 3 teams in the NFL who have yet to lose a fumble this season. The other 2 teams are the Lions and Patriots. These three teams have a combined record of 13-2.
• The Buffalo Bills have scored a TD or FG on every red zone possession they have had this season.

Honest Analysis:

As I stated last week, both of these teams possess the ability to make big plays, and I shared the opinion that we could see points in bunches. While this game wasn’t the highest scoring game we have seen thus far in the 2011 season, it still came down to another dramatic finish (something I also suggested may happen). The prediction I gave last week was a 31-30 victory for Buffalo, and I have to say, I’m doing pretty darn good with my predictions up to this point in the season. Enough of me patting myself on the back though: It’s about time we start praising our warriors.

It became apparent to me (and many others) that the running game on both sides was going to dictate the outcome of this game. For the Bills, the defense’s concerns were not limited to the Eagles’ running backs. On top of the fact that Buffalo wanted to limit the amount of touches seen by LeSean McCoy, it was a must that they also pay close attention to Michael Vick, who is one of the most dynamic athletes in the NFL. On the flip side of things, the Buffalo offense needed to come into this game with a run first mentality, as they were facing one of the NFL’s worst run defenses.

The game plan here was to feed Fred as much as possible, to force the Eagles into making quick decisions in passing situations, and to make plays on the ball. These plans proved successful, as the as Fred finished the game with 196 total yards (111 of those yards on the ground). Defensively, the Bills blitzed more than they have in any other game this year, and forced the Eagles to commit 5 turnovers in the game.

In the first 5 weeks, we have seen the Bills win via blowout, coming from behind, and holding opponents off as they attempted a comeback of their own. More importantly, the Bills showed us that they know how to rebound from a loss. In week 4, Buffalo blew a lead in Cincinnati, but proved that they have learned from the mistakes they made in that game, as they were able to close out the Eagles, preventing a comeback similar to the one we saw against the Bengals. At the end of the day, the Bills won the game 31-24, and have now equaled their win total from last year.

Overall, I couldn’t be more proud of our team up to this point in the season. Sure, we have some glaring concerns that are starting to surface as the season progresses, but it seems as if this Bills team has finally figured out how to win, no matter the situation. As for Sunday’s performance, I have to dish out a B+ for the boys. Points were deducted for the lead dissipation, and we definitely need to figure out a way to stop giving up so many yards. Enough of the nitpicking though. Now it’s time to focus on another NFC East opponent: The New York Giants.

The Week That Will Be:

(4-1) Buffalo Bills @ (3-2) New York Giants

In order for the Bills to get the offense rolling on Sunday, they must feed the ball to Fred Jackson early and often. The Giants, who have struggled against the run during Justin Tuck’s absence, will be without their defensive end once again this week. In the last 2 games without Tuck, the Giants have allowed opposing RBs to rush for 272 yards on 49 carries (5.55 per rush), and have given up a total of 4 rushing touchdowns. This certainly spells trouble for the New Jersey….err… New York defense this Sunday, as they are about to face one of the league’s most dynamic players in Fred Jackson. If the Bills’ run game can be established, it will open up the passing game for Ryan Fitzpatrick, who currently ranks as the 5th best quarterback in the NFL according to ESPN’s QBR rankings.

The Bills need to get in Eli Manning's face Sunday.

Defensively, the Bills need to get in Eli Manning’s face and force him to make quick decisions. The Bills look like they will be without Chris Kelsay for the second straight week, and could be without Merriman and Kyle Williams as well. In order for the Bills front to be successful this Sunday, the younger players on the roster such as Arthur Moats, Danny Batten, and Alex Carrington will need to play well in the absence of our veteran leaders. For the Giants, their running game will be missing Brandon Jacobs, but RB Ahmad Bradshaw is not the kind of player we can take lightly. Even though Bradshaw is not at full strength, the Bills need to know where he is at all times this Sunday. Bradshaw will be given plenty of opportunities this week, and in passing situations, he will be a key asset for Manning as Eli will look to check the ball down if he is facing pressure. Bradshaw’s play this week will be a key element in the outcome of this game.

In the end, I don’t expect the Giants to have enough to beat us this weekend. I think both of these teams will score plenty, but I am giving the edge here to our Buffalo Bills. These 2 teams are very similar in many aspects, but look for the Bills defense to continue their takeaway party. If the Bills offense can continue to capitalize on the opportunities given to them, they should come out of this game victorious. My prediction for this Sunday is a Bills win by the tune of 34-27.

Quote Of The Week:

George Wilson, Quote of the Week

“We don’t care what other teams are thinking, we’re worried about our guys, in our locker room. If we do our job, we will be a tough ballclub to beat, regardless of who we’re playing. We just gotta take it one game at a time. Enjoy this one until tomorrow afternoon…Hey, I don’t even know what happened today, I’m looking forward to the Giants in the Meadowlands next week.”

Calling Out A Hater:

During the preseason, a local radio host here in our area was doing an NFL segment during his show. This show was aired on our ESPN affiliate, 104.5 “The Team.” This host went on to take a call from a Buffalo Bills fan, and then proceeded to share his opinions on our 2011 Buffalo Bills. What did he say you ask? At first, he stated the Buffalo Bills would have 4 total wins on the season, a mark they have already reached. Then, the kicker (no not Lindell), but the quote that really got me: “The Buffalo Bills don’t have any linebackers. They don’t have a defensive line.” Immediately, my ears perked, and anger began to set in. I called him, and was eventually on the air. I simply asked him if he forms his opinions based around facts, or if he just bases it on perception and assumptions. I informed him that we have these 2 beasts named Kyle and Marcel. I told him of these guys named Barnett, Merriman, Davis, and others. I explained exactly what we had in store for the league… and I was basically laughed off the air. To make matters even worse, he continued to rip me after he hung up on me. Now I’m calling you out BRIAN! You laughed me off the air, but now I’m laughing because you’re off the air. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that you DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT.

And on that note, I’m out #BillsMafia.

Peace and Blessings,

Sean (aka “@BillsMafiaDon”)
Bills Mafia Blog

Editor’s Note: Almost immediately following its official inception during the first week of August, the #BillsMafia movement has had followers naming/renaming their Twitter handles using the term “Bills Mafia.” One of the first to do so was @BillsMafiaDon, the self-appointed “Don” of the movement. An active, vocal member of the #BillsMafia community, @BillsMafiaDon has been offered the opportunity to blog here at BillsMafia.com in a special weekly column.

Family is defined differently depending on who it is you’re asking. For some, this word is used in the most literal sense when speaking of those who share the same blood. For others, family consists of more than just relatives, and includes individuals who have helped them become the man or woman they are today. For me, I’m fortunate enough to say that both of these definitions are valid. The men and women within my lineage are some of the best people you could ever meet, and without them, I doubt I would have even made it to this point in life. On top of having great people amongst the branches of my family tree, I have many great friends who have also been vital to my growth as a human being.

Anybody who knows me could tell you that one of the most important things to me is family. While my family structure hasn’t always been the most normal in comparison to others, I can’t really complain about the people I’ve been surrounded by throughout my life. I was reminded just how lucky I have been this past week, as I got a chance to spend some quality time with the people I love and care for, which unfortunately doesn’t happen as often as I would like it to these days. With hectic work schedules, and a growing family, it isn’t always the easiest for us to coordinate our schedules and spend this much needed time together. When the opportunity to do so arises however, those moments serve as a reminder that life is great, and that we can’t take the people we love for granted.

On that note, this weekend is going to be a very exciting beginning for the Bills Mafia, as the very first tweet up will be occurring at the Ralph. Unfortunately, I will not be in attendance, and I really wish that I were able to be with you all. It just so happens that my wife and I will be celebrating our 1 year anniversary this Sunday. It’s only fitting that my anniversary is coinciding with this big moment for my other family. For those of you who will be in attendance this weekend, I wish you nothing but good times. It’s time to show the rest just how powerful our definition of family can become, simply by showing respect for one another, and believing in our soldiers. Even if your family tree is barren, there will always be a guardian angel or two along the way to guide you. No matter your tree, there is always room for growth. This weekend will be proof that trees can blossom, even in a season where leaves are supposed to fall off the tree.

The Week That Was:
(3-0) Buffalo Bills 20 @ (1-2) Cincinnati Bengals 23

Leading up to this game, there was much talk of this being a possible letdown, but in actuality, this was a great matchup. In the first three weeks of the season, the Bills and Bengals were basically polar opposites of each other. The Buffalo offense had been off to a great start, but the defense had let up 30 plus points in 2 straight games. Despite the scoring numbers, and letting up 300 yard passing performances in consecutive weeks, the Bills defense had made some plays on the ball and helped seal victories for the team. Concurrently, the Bengals defense was thriving, but the offensive unit just wasn’t capitalizing on the opportunities the defense had been giving them. These elements combined made for much better a match up than most seemed to be anticipating. In the end, the Bills lost for the first time this season to the tune of 23-20, and found out what it’s like to let a lead slip away, rather than steal one themselves. Here are some notes from Sunday’s loss in Cincinnati.

• With the victory, the Bengals snapped a 10 game losing streak against Buffalo. The last time Cincinnati beat Buffalo was 1988, in a game where the 11-1 Bills lost to the Bengals 35-21.
• Despite not throwing a touchdown in Sunday’s game, Ryan Fitzpatrick remains in the top 5 rated quarterbacks according to ESPN’s QBR ratings (fifth).
• The Buffalo Bills lead the league in points off of turnovers (62)

Honest Analysis:

As I said last week, there was no reason for us to take this game lightly, as the Bengals defense was looking to be a legit force in the league. After 4 weeks, the Bengals now have the #1 overall defense in the NFL, and I don’t think that we should be completely deflated by losing to them. Just because others weren’t giving the Bengals a chance to win, doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t have won the game. With that being said, I have to just get it off my chest by saying that I think we got the shaft.

The catch by Steve Johnson in the fourth quarter that was ruled incomplete should have been ruled as a completion. In the 1999 NFC Championship game, there was a similar call made against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when a reception made by Bert Emanuel was ruled incomplete due to the fact that the ball had touched the turf, even though Emanuel maintained control of the ball. Because of this controversial call, the NFL changed their ruling on what constitutes a reception in these situations. The rule states that so long as the receiver maintains control of the football, the ball can touch the turf. On Steve’s reception, both of his knees were down, he was touched by the defender, and he maintained control of the ball throughout the fall to the turf. This was a classic example of why this rule was made, and the officials completely dropped the ball on this one; Not Steve. If the Bills had converted that third down, they would have been able to eat a little more clock as they tried to protect their 7 point lead. Instead of an extended drive, the Bills were forced to punt, leading to a drive that lasted just under a minute and a half. From there, the Bengals touchdown on the ensuing drive completely shifted the momentum of the game.

With all of that being said, I don’t want to make it seem as if I am blaming the referees for this loss, as the Bills were far from perfect. Buffalo definitely needs to improve on third downs offensively, and could use some improvement in the tackling department as well. In the end however, I believe that some of the media types are being a bit harsh on Buffalo for this loss, given the fact that they played such a solid defensive unit, and managed to not turn the ball over in the process. By no means does this loss shake my confidence in this team, as no win is guaranteed in the National Football League. Any team can win on any given Sunday.

The Week That Will Be:
(1-3) Philadelphia Eagles @ (3-1) Buffalo Bills

The Eagles have a stud in LeSean McCoy

This Sunday will be a treat on many levels, and it will certainly be a great test for our Buffalo Bills. In order to come out of this game victorious, the Bills are going to need to retain the Eagles running game, as well as limit Vick from making the big play. The latter of course is easier said than done, as Vick can hurt you in the air, as well as on the ground. On top of the threat Vick poses, the Eagles have a stud at RB in LeSean McCoy. If the Bills are able to contain the ground game, and force the Eagles into passing situations, the secondary needs to continue to create turnovers. The Bills, despite the high yardage totals allowed, are tied for the lead league in interceptions.

Offensively for the Bills, the run game needs to be established against this Philadelphia defense that struggles against the run. Feeding Fred Jackson early and often should be the game plan Sunday, and in passing situations, the Buffalo offensive line needs to give time for Fitz to find the open man, especially against this secondary. This game has the potential to be an absolute shootout, and I am expecting points in bunches on Sunday. Both of these teams share their struggles defensively, and this is especially true in the redzone. The Bills and the Eagles currently rank 30th and 32nd respectively in redzone defense.

My expectations come Sunday is for both teams to surpass the 30 point plateau, and for another game to come down to the wire. I personally don’t know how much more my heart can take with these finishes, but a fourth straight dramatic finish may be on the horizon. These offenses possess the ability to put up points in bunches. On Sunday, we are going to see playmakers making some big plays. That is a promise. My prediction for the outcome is for the Bills to defeat the Eagles 31-30.

Quote Of The Week:

David Nelson, Quote of the Week

“We took a step back; this is an opportunity for us to prove who we say we are.”- David Nelson

Calling Out A Hater:

Instead of calling out a hater this week, I’m going to keep it humble. I just want to say again that I hope all of you going to the game have a great time.

Until Next Time,

Peace and Blessings

Sean (aka “@BillsMafiaDon”)
Bills Mafia Blog

Editor’s Note: Almost immediately following its official inception during the first week of August, the #BillsMafia movement has had followers naming/renaming their Twitter handles using the term “Bills Mafia.” One of the first to do so was @BillsMafiaDon, the self-appointed “Don” of the movement. An active, vocal member of the #BillsMafia community, @BillsMafiaDon has been offered the opportunity to blog here at BillsMafia.com in a special weekly column.

Have you ever hit rock bottom? If you have, were you able to pick yourself back up? In life, the adversity we face on a daily basis shapes us as individuals, and our true character can be revealed in these times of angst and uncertainty. For me, my rock bottom occurred earlier this year, as I had lost my job, and had a very difficult time finding work again. The issues I faced during this time, whether they were of a financial nature, or just mental exhaustion, made it very difficult for me to keep a positive outlook in regards to the path I was traveling upon. If it weren’t for the strong support from the people around me, especially my wife, I can’t say for certain whether I would be writing this article for you all at this very moment.

While the experiences I had earlier this year were not the most pleasant, there was always something inside of me that kept me going. My inner voice would constantly remind me that my troubles were nothing in comparison to some of the things people deal with in this world. When we experience these personal lows, it is best to keep things in perspective, as there is certainly always someone out there who is dealing with even greater hardships than we are. Sometimes we just need to sit back, take a deep breath, and reflect on the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. This mindset got me through my hardest of days, and the experiences I had during this time resurfaced earlier this week, as I witnessed some of my coworkers lose their jobs due to budget cuts. Having been there myself, I know there will be some difficult days ahead for those who have been affected by these changes. I doubt that any of those individuals will be reading this column, but for the sake of putting it out there, I wish nothing but the best for all of you. Sometimes life can be cruel to the kindest of people, but I have no doubt in my mind that you will find your way, just as I have.

In case you haven’t figured it out, the theme/message in this week’s installment is one of perseverance. In this life that we live, there are no guarantees, but it’s almost a certainty that each and every one of us will face difficult times at one point or another. Speaking from the perspective I’ve gained through my personal experiences, I’m here to share with you the idea that no matter what life throws at you, there is always a way to get through it. Don’t ever let anyone convince you otherwise. Where there is a will, there’s a way, and when that way is found, all things will fall into place. Our ability to pick ourselves back up after we fall starts with one simple concept: Belief. When times get tough, always remember that you don’t have to look very far to find the inspiration you are seeking.

The Week That Was:

New England Patriots 31 @ Buffalo Bills 34

Week 3 presented us with quite a treat, as our Buffalo Bills were up against our divisional rivals in a matchup between two unbeaten teams. We all know what the storyline was leading up to this game, but to reiterate, the New England Patriots entered Sunday’s game with a 15 game winning streak against the Bills, with the last loss coming on opening day at the Ralph back in 2003. The Bills were coming off a week 2 come-from-behind victory against the Oakland Raiders, and the morale at One Bills Drive was certainly high entering this very important game. If any group could teach us a thing or two about perseverance, it would be the 2011 Buffalo Bills.

It was almost an exact replay of last week’s game against the Raiders, as the Bills fell behind early and found themselves in a 21-0 hole in the first half. At this point during the game, Rich Gannon stated that it would be very difficult to come back from this deficit, because falling behind to a team such as the Patriots was a much different scenario than falling behind a team like the Raiders. While Gannon may not have believed in our guys to get the job done, one thing is for certain: The players believed, and for the second straight week, the Bills came out victorious in dramatic fashion. Sunday’s 34-31 victory over New England ended the streak that has been plaguing us for the last 8 years, and moved the Bills to their second 3-0 start in 4 years. While the world may have been telling the Bills they couldn’t; they did. Here are some notes from Sunday’s victory against the Pats.

• On Sunday, Tom Brady threw 4 interceptions, his first 4 pick performance since November 5, 2006. The Patriots also lost that game, as they were defeated by the Colts 27-20 at Gillette Stadium. Brady’s 4 interceptions Sunday equal his INT total from the entire 2010 season.
• The Buffalo Bills are the first team in NFL history to win back to back games in which they trailed by at least 18 points.
• Ryan Fitzpatrick is currently the #2 ranked Quarterback based on ESPN’s new Total QBR rating behind Tom Brady (Brady: 85.3, Fitz: 83.7). These two Quarterbacks are the only 2 in the NFL who have a QBR above 80.
• This is the fourth time the Bills have opened a season scoring 30 points in each of its first three games. The last time they did so was in 1992.
• The Buffalo Bills losing streak of 15 games to the Patriots was the longest active losing streak in the NFL. Now that the streak has been broken, the current losing streak against one opponent is held by the Bengals, who have lost their last 10 meetings with the Bills.

Honest Analysis:

Leading up to week three’s matchup against the Patriots, I had feeling that this was going to be our time to end the streak. Throughout the week, I was a bit nervous at the level of confidence exuded by the Bills Mafia, but I couldn’t help but share the feeling that we would somehow come out victorious in week 3. Just like we had in week 2, our offense sputtered out of the gate against the Patriots, and we quickly found ourselves in a 21 point hole against a team that rarely squanders a lead as big as the one they had. Bills fans throughout the nation know exactly what Brady is capable of, and with this commanding lead early on in the game, there were many who started to share their disgust on Twitter.

Tom Brady

No fanbase outside of New England can attest to Brady’s abilities better than Bills Nation, as Brady’s lifetime record against the Bills going into Sunday’s game was a staggering 17-1. One big concern heading into this game was whether or not the Bills would be able to keep Tom Brady from absolutely embarrassing our secondary. Through the first 2 weeks of the season, Brady had been dismantling defenses, kicking off the new year with one of the best statistical starts in NFL history. Early on, it looked as if he wasn’t about to let up either. At this point in the game, things were not looking very promising, and the negativity was being spewed tweet after tweet. Not many were giving the Buffalo Bills a chance to win this game in the first place, but spotting the Patriots 21 points this early had made those media personalities a bit more confident in their opinions, as they began to pile on the Bills for their lack of productivity to start the game. Luckily however, this team doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit, and they certainly couldn’t care less about what these “experts” have to say.

The best way to beat Tom Brady is to get in his face and limit his opportunities, and while they didn’t register a sack in Sunday’s game, the Bills defense did plenty to fluster the future hall of famer. Brady was pressured, and the Patriots were unable to truly establish their running game. Despite the inability to bring Brady to the turf, our defense did a tremendous job closing passing lanes and getting their hands in the air when Brady threw the ball. On top of the 4 interceptions by the defense, the Bills offense continued to produce as the game progressed, and finished the game with 30+ points for a third straight week. The Buffalo Bills now lead the NFL in points scored, compiling a total of 113 points in the first 3 weeks of the season. To put things into perspective, the Bills didn’t cross the 100 point plateau last season until week 7.

While I’m still going to remain cautiously optimistic, things are certainly looking up for our Buffalo Bills. I stated last week that the Raiders game was probably the best game I have ever been too, but if I had been in attendance for this most recent victory, this one would have taken the cake. What’s there not to like about beating the Patriots at home to move to 3-0? I envy all of you who actually got to see this take place in person. Last week, I stated we would see a Buffalo victory by the score of 33-28, and I wasn’t too far off with this prediction. I promise you that I will not be handing out A+ grades every week, but this performance will get a third straight perfect rating from yours truly. While the performance wasn’t flawless by any means, this victory means more to us than anyone outside of the Bills Mafia will ever realize.

The Week That Will Be:

(3-0) Buffalo Bills @ (1-2) Cincinnati Bengals

Starting the season 3-0 is certainly a great feeling, but now is not the time for us to get too confident or too comfortable. Up to this point, the Bills have yet to face a top tier defensive unit, and they will get their first crack at a top 10 defense this week in Cincinnati. The Bengals may not have looked like a powerhouse early on in the year, but their greatest strength is on the defensive side of the ball. As we currently stand, the Bengals are #1 in the NFL in yards per rush allowed, allowing only 2.9 yards per carry. The Bills will be a great test for the Bengals’ defense in this regard, as the Bills currently rank #2 in the league in yards per carry, gaining 5.6 a pop.

There is no question that the Bills offense has looked great up to this point, but the defenses we have faced in the first three games are not the best we will be seeing this year. Kansas City (23rd), Oakland (28th), and New England (32nd), have all looked pretty bad thus far. Who would have thought that the toughest test we would see in the first 4 weeks of the season was going to be the Bengals? Currently, Cincinnati ranks third in yards allowed, and sixth in points allowed. To put this into perspective however, the three offensive units the Bengals have faced currently rank 26th, 27th, and 32nd in the league (Cleveland, Denver, San Francisco). Which one of these units is for real; The Bills offense, or the Bengals defense? We will find out this Sunday.

While I don’t expect a blowout this week, I do feel that we will get the victory in Cincinnati. The Bengals actually match up pretty well against us, so the Bills will have to get off to a good start in order to move to 4-0. My prediction for this week is a victory for the Bills, with the final score being Buffalo 23-Cincinnati 10.

Quote Of The Week:

Drayton Florence, Quote of the Week

“Everyone outside this room’s calling this an upset, but in this locker room, this is what we expected.” –Drayton Florence

Calling Out A Hater:

John Clayton, Hater of the Week... Again!

Sorry, but I have to do it… Hey, John Clayton… Yeah, I’m talking to you again buddy. How’s your 27th best QB in the NFL doing? Oh that’s right, he’s 3-0, kicks butt, and wears Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle tees on ESPN. You best fear the beard… he’s coming for you!!!

And with that… I’m out.

Until next time family,

Sean (aka “@BillsMafiaDon”)
Bills Mafia Blog

Editor’s Note: Almost immediately following its official inception during the first week of August, the #BillsMafia movement has had followers naming/renaming their Twitter handles using the term “Bills Mafia.” One of the first to do so was @BillsMafiaDon, the self-appointed “Don” of the movement. An active, vocal member of the #BillsMafia community, @BillsMafiaDon has been offered the opportunity to blog here at BillsMafia.com in a special weekly column.

It was very early Sunday morning as my friends and I were preparing to take the 5 hour trip out to Orchard Park for the game between the Raiders and the Bills. The original plan was to sleep a little bit, wake up at 4 AM, and then make the trek to lovely western NY to see our beloved Bills take on the boys in silver and black. Just hours before, I had finished watching Sal Capaccio‘s “Out of Bounds”, which to my surprise was actually being shown in my area. This even furthered my excitement for the game, and the anticipation of actually being in the Ralph for the home opener was growing by the second. I eventually came to the realization that I was way too excited to sleep, and my friends and I decided at 2 AM that it would be a great idea to just leave right then and there.

Sal Capaccio with Bills WR Donald Jones

The drive out was extremely boring; even more so than usual, but I honestly didn’t care. The 2 friends who made the trip with me slept the whole way, and as I drove through the thick fog and darkness, blasting various styles of music, I couldn’t have been happier. I was on my way to see the Bills open up the Ralph in style. New uniforms, new turf, and a new swagger were on the horizon. I couldn’t help but to replay Marv’s encouraging words in my head “Where else would you rather be than right here, right now?” My answer to that question would be: “Nowhere.”

My friends and I finally arrived in Buffalo at about 6 AM Sunday morning, and to say that I was fighting off exhaustion is an understatement. To be completely honest, I don’t even know how I was functioning, but I somehow mustered up enough strength to chow down a French toast special at Denny’s. After we ate breakfast, my friends and I drove around aimlessly looking for something to do to kill the time, as per the new parking rules, the stadium lots didn’t open until 9AM. I had told my one friend Mo about the family, and even expressed to him that I was looking forward to meeting some of the family members at the Coffin Corner tailgate. Unfortunately, this never happened. At 8 o’clock, we decided that we were just going to park in a lot that wasn’t stadium owned and operated, as we were just about fed up with driving around trying to kill time. After we parked, that was it for me. As soon as I put that car in park, I put the seat back and closed my eyes.

Hours had passed with very little tailgating for yours truly, but it didn’t really matter to me, as we were about to make our way into the stadium with kickoff just under an hour away. As we approached the gate, my friend Jeremy turned to me and informed me that he had lost his ticket. At first, I thought he was joking, but no: He seriously lost his ticket, lol. Luckily, the nice kid at the guest services window was able to look up the season ticket information and give him a new one. I was hoping that this wasn’t going to be a sign of things to come as we finally walked through those gates. Little did I know, we were about to witness one of the best games to ever be played in Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Now before I forget, I just want to give a big thanks to all of you who read the first article. The feedback that I have been getting from you all is greatly appreciated, and I just want everyone to know that I’m open to discussion about anything I write within these rants of mine. I also want to share that if you have any questions, comments, or just feel like sharing an opinion that is more than 140 characters in length, you can email me at BillsMafiaDon@BillsMafia.com. Without further ado, here is the week that was.

The Week That Was:

Oakland Raiders 35 @ Buffalo Bills 38

For the second consecutive week, the Buffalo Bills faced a rushing attack that was at the top of the league rankings in 2010, and for the second straight week, the Bills held a premier runningback to less than 100 yards on the ground. After a convincing win in Kansas City, the Bills were up against a strong running team lead by Darren McFadden, who in his first game of the season, ran for 150 yards in a win against the Broncos. On Sunday, the Bills were effectively able to contain Darren McFadden, holding him to just 72 yards on 20 carries (51 of those yards in the first half). While this is a somewhat modest performance for McFadden, he still had a tremendous game, as he also added 7 receptions for 71 yards, and scored a total of 2 touchdowns (1 rushing, 1 receiving). In the end however, the Bills showed the world why this team is different than people are used to, as they came back and won the game in dramatic fashion pushing their record to 2-0. The old Bills would have found a way to lose this game.

Here are some quick notes from the win against the Raiders.

• The Bills are 2-0 for only the third time in 10 years, and the first time since a 4-0 start in 2008.

• Sunday, the Raiders allowed the most points in a loss since a 43-37 defeat to Seattle back in 1998.
• There were 5 lead changes in the 4th quarter of Sundays game.
• The Buffalo Bills scored a touchdown in all 5 of their possessions in the second half.
• On the final drive in the fourth quarter, David Nelson caught 5 passes, including the game winning TD.
• The Raiders have now lost their last 4 games when they’ve had to travel to the East Coast.
• Brad Smith has run the ball out of the wildcat formation 6 times this season. All 6 went for first downs.
• Ryan Fitzpatrick has 17 pass attempts in the red zone thus far this season. Of those 17 attempts, 6 of them were touchdowns.
• So far this season, Ryan Fitzpatrick has a 120 Quarterback Rating in the fourth quarter.
• Fred Jackson currently leads the league in rushing with 229 yards. Darren McFadden is second, with 222.
• 6 different Buffalo Bills players have scored an offensive touchdown in 2011. (Scott Chandler (3), Steve Johnson (2), Fred Jackson (2), David Nelson , Donald Jones, and CJ Spiller each with 1)

Honest Analysis:

Going into this game, I knew we could be in for a treat, but I had no idea just how good this was going to get. My prediction given to you all last week was a 17-14 final, and I couldn’t have been more wrong with my expectations. This game was an absolute shootout, and both passing defenses were not as solid as I expected them to be, and this is primarily due to the fact that both offenses did a tremendous job protecting their signal callers. One key to this game was our ability to contain McFadden, and I am very happy with our defenses performance against the run thus far this season. This game was a true test for our run defense, and I expect us to get better against the run as the season progresses.

In the first half, the offense just couldn’t get things rolling as they struggled to capitalize on the opportunities that were given to them. The Raiders jumped out to a 21-3 halftime lead, and I couldn’t help but to think that perhaps last week was a sign of how bad the Chiefs were, rather than how good we were. My outlook was negative at this point, to the point where I didn’t really take in what I was seeing at the half, as one of my childhood idols had his number put on the ring of fame at the Ralph. While I did pay attention to the ceremony, and cheered Phil Hansen in appreciation, my mind was too distant to truly appreciate what I was witnessing. Then the second half started, and everything changed.

As the second half rolled on, the spirit Hansen showed during his halftime speech carried over to the play on the field. The Bills offense came out of the half with a confidence and efficiency that we have not seen in Buffalo in quite some time, dismantling the Oakland secondary en route to a 38-35 victory. I will admit though, we definitely got away with one this past Sunday. Late in the game, there were some huge penalties on the behalf of the Raiders, and without those penalties, we wouldn’t be 2-0 right now.

Before we talk about the Patriots game, I just want to make it known how big I think Donald Jones was in this game. While his production may not show greatly in the boxscore, he is definitely the unsung hero in my opinion. In the final drive of the game for the Bills, Jones made 3 huge plays for us. First came the huge first down just before the 2 minute warning, giving us a new set of downs to start our 2 minute drill with. Jones also converted a huge fourth down for the Bills late in the game, and knocked a would-be interception out of the hands of Chris Johnson. Not many people are talking about Jones this week, but without him, we would not have won this game. Another guy who isn’t getting much play this week is CJ Spiller, who showed us that he is definitely getting better as he gets more opportunities in his second year in the league. In the end, I feel blessed to be able to say that I was fortunate enough to have witnessed this game in person, and I can honestly say that this may be the best football game I have ever been to. While the performance wasn’t flawless, I have to give out another A+ for this one. Now it’s time to make a statement.

The Week That Will Be:

(2-0) New England Patriots @ (2-0) Buffalo Bills – 9/25/2011
Ralph Wilson Stadium

It’s been quite a long time since the Bills have beaten the New England Patriots, and I will never forget the last time we did, as we trounced them on opening day back in 2003. This was the first Bills game I had ever watched with my girlfriend at the time (who is now my wife), and this is a moment that we still talk about today. While I don’t expect to beat the Patriots by 31 this Sunday, I do think that it’s quite possible for us to win this game.

Tom Brady and Ryan Fitzpatrick are off to great starts as they both have tallied 7 TDS and 1 INT up to this point. These two QBs are currently tied for the most TD passes in the league, and this Sunday’s game has the potential to be a shootout just like we saw a few days ago. Neither team has shown an ability to stop the pass on a consistent basis in 2011, so I definitely expect this game to be similar to the first time we played the Patriots last year. Our front 7 definitely needs to get in Brady’s face, because if he has enough time in the pocket, he will pick us apart, and defensive stops will be scarce. I am of the belief that in this game, we match up extremely well with a team that most believe should handle us pretty easily come Sunday. My prediction for Sunday’s outcome is a victory for the Buffalo Bills, as they beat the New England Patriots 33-28.

Quote Of The Week:

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Quote of the Week

“We’re giving this game ball to Mr. Wilson, you know, it’s the first time he’s missed an opener in a long time, and we’re sorry that he couldn’t be here, but I hope he’s proud of what we did on the field today” – Ryan Fitzpatrick

Calling Out A Hater:

As Fitz continues to thrive within Gailey’s offense, I definitely would be justified to keep calling out John Clayton as I did last week, but with the risk of sounding like a scorned lover in doing so, I’ll try to keep my selections a little more diverse. This week’s “hater” is the entire Raider Nation, or at least those who came at us in the family leading up to Sunday. I won’t call any of them out by name (or Twitter handle), because giving them any attention individually is really not worth our time, especially given some of the ignorance we witnessed last week. For those tweeps out there who had nothing but negative things to say about us as individuals, and about this team, all I have is one word: Scoreboard.

Until next time….
Peace and Blessings La Famiglia

Sean (aka “@BillsMafiaDon”)
Bills Mafia Blog

Editor’s Note: Almost immediately following its official inception during the first week of August, the #BillsMafia movement has had followers naming/renaming their Twitter handles using the term “Bills Mafia.” One of the first to do so was @BillsMafiaDon, the self-appointed “Don” of the movement. An active, vocal member of the #BillsMafia community, @BillsMafiaDon has been offered the opportunity to blog here at BillsMafia.com in a special weekly column. Zachary Specht will continue to blog and share his thoughts throughout the week as well, along with whenever the OG’s choose to drop in share a word. But today, it’s @BillsMafiaDon’s turn…

Greetings #BillsMafia! I would like to welcome you all to the first edition of “The Don” Speaks (which hopefully will be a weekly installment here on BillsMafia.com). I want to start off first and foremost by informing you that if you’re looking for a negative twist on all things Buffalo Bills, you’ve come to the wrong place. While I do possess the objectivity needed to see what the truth is regarding this franchise we love, I also have the innate ability to see the positives in all things. This is especially true when the opinions shared pertain to matters in which I have an undying passion for. Besides, if you and I can survive what we’ve already had to endure, we certainly should feel confident in the fact that there isn’t much anyone can say, or do, to defeat us. What I have learned over the years is that we don’t need the rest of the world to BILLieve in us; all we have to do is be there for each other. This is a family. It’s more than just a game. It’s more than just a hashtag.

This past offseason has been a pleasure for me, as I have been able to connect with so many other individuals who share this passion I have for the Buffalo Bills. I do not live in the Buffalo area, so I haven’t always had a chance to speak with vast amounts of other Bills fans when it comes to matters pertaining to this team of ours. This most recent offseason however has been much different for me, and a big thanks needs to go out to the Twitter community for making this happen. You guys in this family of ours have been great, and it’s even better knowing that the players will do the family proud. Nothing is better than knowing that we have a group of guys who actually want to be a part of the family, and not guys who are here because they have been “born into it.” I can say with absolute certainty that this team of ours has more swagger and courage than any team we’ve seen in recent years, and I’m confident that this new outlook is starting to spread throughout the fanbase. This new look, feel, and confidence is refreshing to say the least. Respect is a must in this Mafia, and we’ve been asking too kindly for far too long to get it back. Enough asking: It’s time to take it back.

The format you see here will be one you hopefully get used to as the season progresses. I’ll babble on a little bit about some nonsense in the introduction, as I just have, and then I’ll proceed onto a few thoughts I have regarding the week that was, and the week that will be. In closing, I’ll leave you with my choice for the quote of the week, as well as a short rambling where I call out this week’s “hater.” Without further ado, buckle up and enjoy the ride.

The Week That Was:

Buffalo Bills 41 @ Kansas City Chiefs 7

Kansas City Beatdown

The moment we had all been waiting for arrived this past Sunday, as our Buffalo Bills strolled into Kansas City for their season opener against the Chiefs. The Bills were hoping to get off to a fast start in year two under Chan Gailey, and it was a game of importance on many levels. Not only was coach Gailey looking for revenge against the organization that had fired him in 2009, but the entire Bills squad was trying to avenge an overtime loss suffered at Arrowhead Stadium last season. Boy did they ever. The Bills dominated all phases of Sunday’s game en route to a 41-7 victory, and they have certainly opened up some eyes in the football world. While it was just one game, even the most optimistic of us fans couldn’t have seen this coming.
Here are some quick notes from the win in KC.

• Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 4 TD passes against the Chiefs matches a career high for him, a feat he has accomplished two other times (Ravens 2010, Bengals 2010). All 3 of these games in which Fitz had 4 TD passes were on the road. An interesting stat to note, is that Tom Brady and Ryan Fitzpatrick are tied for the most 4 TD pass games since the start of last season (3 each). Also, of the 12 TDs thrown by Fitz in the 3 games mentioned, 5 of those TD passes were caught by Steve Johnson.
• While Buffalo held the NFL’s best rushing attack from a year ago to just 108 yards, people keep pointing to the fact that they allowed 6.0 yards per carry, but don’t let this misguide you too much. Of KC’s first 9 carries, 7 of those carries were for 3 yards or fewer. Of KC’s 18 total rushing attempts, only 4 runs went for 6 or more yards. A couple of big runs, one by Charles (22) and another by McCluster (23), skew the stats quite a bit. Those two runs account for almost 42% of KC’s rushing total for the entire game.
• Sunday’s win was the first time the Bills had scored 40 points in a season opener since 1992 (40-7 win against LA Rams)
• Sunday was the biggest opening day loss in Chiefs history and the worst home loss in 35 years.
• One major concern in recent years for the Buffalo Bills has been their inability to win the time of possession battles, but they owned Kansas City in this regard on Sunday, having the ball for 37:02. (KC 22:58)

Honest Analysis:

Going into this game, I was pretty confident in our defense’s ability to at least contain Charles better than they had last year. The loss at Arrowhead last season was one we let get away from us, and it was a very tight game despite the fact that we allowed 274 yards on the ground. Knowing that it wasn’t going to get that bad this time around, I figured that we could win this game, but I had absolutely no idea just how much of a difference we were about to see from our defensive unit. My prediction on Friday to @JoeB_WGR was that we would win 24-17, so that’s about what I was expecting. I now see that this defensive group makes things so much better for the team all around, and they helped us win the field position battle throughout the game this week, as did our special teams. Even better yet, our offense rewarded our defense by not squandering the opportunities that were given to them. The offense was fluid, and the run game looks much better than it did at times last season. We also got a small glimpse as to what Brad Smith will bring to this team. While he didn’t have a huge day, he converted two third downs for us, helping us extend those respective drives. And let’s not forget to congratulate CJ Spiller, as he scored his first NFL career rushing touchdown.

My biggest concern going into this game was Tamba Hali, who finished 2nd in the NFL in sacks in last season. Hali did manage a sack in the opener, but was held in check for most of the game thanks to some solid play by our tackles. Hali’s sack was the only sack for KC in the game. So much for a makeshift offensive line, eh? In the end, there isn’t much about this game that I don’t like, but I will say that Fitz got away with a couple of throws that could have been picked off. There are some adjustments that need to be made, but this squad has far exceeded many expectations coming out of the gate. This was however only one game, so we need to bring this type of tenacity into week 2. I’m not going to get too picky about this, as this win was highly impressive. Be proud of the guys for this one, and enjoy the feeling we have right now. This was a message to the league. Overall, I give the opener an A+. How could you not?

The Week That Will Be:

(1-0) Oakland Raiders @ (1-0) Buffalo Bills – 9/18/2011
Ralph Wilson Stadium

Raiders' run game ranked 2nd overall in 2010

This game will be another great test for this new look defense, as the Bills face the 2nd ranked rushing attack in the NFL from a year ago. If the Bills can contain the Raiders’ ground game, they should be able to hold the Raiders in check to a large degree. The Raiders have some talent at the WR position, and there is no question that they have a tremendous amount of speed as well. This isn’t a game that should be taken lightly; as the Raiders possess the ability to break a big one open at any point in time.

Defensively, the Raiders were one of the worst against the run in 2010, but we only need to look in the mirror to be reminded that a year can make a huge difference. Oakland’s pass defense last year was solid, but they lost Scrabble in free agency, and still have some concerns up front, but let’s not go assuming the Raiders secondary is nothing without Nnamdi. This defense for Oakland has shown flashes at times, and if they can play as well as they did at times against the Broncos on Monday night, we could be in for quite a treat for the home opener. While the Raiders ranked 11th overall against the pass last season, don’t let the ranking fool you. No other team was thrown on less than the Raiders in 2010, and that’s not because they were that hard to pass on. When your run defense is as bad as theirs looked at times, why do opponents even need to throw? I think we can all relate to that.

Overall, I feel this game will be a better game than some people expect it to be, and the energy at the Ralph is going to be absolutely insane. Coming off of the high from Week 1, and with the intensity of the home crowd, I think that the Bills will be able to come out victorious. It should be a hard fought battle, with the fate of the game dependent on the ability of our defense to contain Darren McFadden. My prediction for this game is Buffalo 17 – Oakland 14. I will be at the home opener this week, so I hope to have plenty of goodies for the family next week.

Quote of the Week:

Chan Gailey, Quote of the Week

“All those people who thought we were as bad as they thought we were… we’re not” — Chan Gailey

Calling Out a Hater:

John Clayton, Hater of the Week

John Clayton from ESPN completely disrespected our QB Ryan Fitzpatrick by ranking him in the late 20′s before the season began. Well John, Fitz is one of only 2 QBs in the NFL who threw for 4 TD passes on opening day, with the other being Tom Brady, who is now getting all of the love from your New England based network. Sort the stats by QB rating there Peabody, and tell me: Who appears at the very top?

And with that, I’m out!
Until next time… Peace and Blessings, La Famiglia.

Sean (aka “@BillsMafiaDon”)
Bills Mafia Blog