|
Published: October 06, 2008 12:33 am
TIM SCHMITT: Injuries happen; defensive embarrassment shouldn’t
By Tim Schmitt E-mail Tim
GLENDALE, Ariz. — You had to see this coming, right? The Anointed One never played a whole season in college — and that was in the wild and woolly Pac-10, where defense plays third fiddle to offense and coaches’ wardrobes.
So to think Trent Edwards would stay healthy all year, depriving J.P. Losman the chance to show his Grizzly Adams tribute, well, that was crazy talk.
Sure, Edwards has been smart about unloading the ball, and his team’s ground game has been slightly better than adequate, but with offensive line play that’s been spotty and his injury-prone past, thinking he’d be under center all season was a losing proposition.
Then Arizona’s Adrian Wilson tried to use Edwards as a tent spike, and Plan B officially went into effect, if only for a week.
Remember, the Bills hadn’t dealt Losman for two reasons — one, the offers they got made that baseball-player-for-some-maple-bats deal look sweet; and two, they’d then have him as an experienced backup.
For about a quarter, the move looked smart. Then, we remembered why Losman isn’t the starter.
But while Edwards’ injury and Losman’s resurfacing were bit parts of the story Sunday as the Bills fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, it wasn’t the story.
What happened to the discipline? What happened to the defense? Can anybody make a tackle on third down?
The Bills came into Sunday’s game with the fourth-best pass defense. We now know that number was grossly inflated by weak opponents.
Larry Fitzgerald is a man-child and Edgerrin James still has something left, but Steve Breaston? Early Doucet? Jerheme Urban? Mike Gandy?
If there’s anything to take from Sunday’s decimation, it’s that the overhauled defense we thought had been completely corrected still stands a long way from dominant.
The Bills didn’t have answers for the Cardinals offense and they didn’t have any for reporters in the locker room afterward.
“It was just one of those days,” Kawika Mitchell said.
Everyone has an off day, but logic dictates this was more than just a few bad bounces. After completing 33 passes, Warner said he was “starting to feel comfortable” throwing to Breaston, who was starting in place of an injured Anquan Boldin; and Doucet, who had never caught an NFL pass before he hung a six-spot on the Bills corners.
What would it have been like if he was really comfortable?
McGee’s absence was a big part of it. With him out of the lineup, the Bills had to push the remaining corners up a slot, and frankly, they looked in over their heads.
But the blame can’t lie there. Aaron Schobel was, for the most part, manhandled by a guy the Bills deemed expendable in Gandy, and Mitchell, Paul Posluszny and Keith Ellison all made little impact.
Maybe this is the motivation the Bills defense needs to put extra work in during the bye week. Maybe this was just a case of thinking about a week’s vacation before actually punching out.
Or maybe this is a sign that Buffalo’s defense isn’t nearly as good as we thought it could be.
It’s their turn to decide.
“They beat us up,” Posluszny said. “Putting that many points on the board, we can’t accept that.”
Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266 or at tschmitt@gnnewspaper.com.
|
|
|
Photos
Image has been deleted
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Job Fair
HUMAN SERVICES JOB FAIR For COMMUNITY MISSIONS
Program Locations/Job Opportunities working w/c...>MORE
Insulation Installer
Insulation Installers. Exp. preferred but will train the right candidates. Start $8-$10/hr. Earn $15. in less than 30 da...>MORE
Inventory Control
Inventory Control Carousel Pickers Order Pickers Receivers/Shippers Packers Pay: $10/hr Sh...>MORE
Nursing
NURSING. RN's. Up to $7500 Sign on Bonus. Thinking of a change? Consider Mount St. Mary's Hospital. Various positions av...>MORE
Activities Director
Activities Director FT AS Degree and /or or 3-5 yrs exp working in adult home. Send Resume To: Ransomville Manor at 35...>MORE
Instructors
Join Our Team! Would you like to work on a top performing team who is ranked 17th in the nation and have the opport...>MORE
RN
RN, Director of Quality / Education: to plan, organize, develop and direct all staff development and CQI programs. North...>MORE
Cook Manager
COOK /Manager full time exp. req. Call for appt. 297-2500 ask for general manager. ...>MORE
Driver
Drivers CDLA. Must be able to go to Canada Good pay, great benefits. Call 278-2000 Ext. 106...>MORE
Nursing
NURSING. ElderWood Senior Care, "Care Without Compromise". We invite you to stop by and learn how you can become part of...>MORE
See all ads |
Buick 2005 LeSabre
BUICK 2005 Lesabre Custom, excellent condition, fully loaded, $6700 or best offer, 754-4540...>MORE
VW 2001 Beetle
VW 2001 Beetle, loaded, GLX turbo, exc. cond, all service records, fun to drive, blue bk $5600, take best offer, 990-06...>MORE
1995 Plymouth Neon
Plymouth ‘95 Neon, 4 cyl, auto, 4 dr, exc in & out, 1 owner, only 56k orig. mi, no rust. $2195. 523-7102 ...>MORE
Mercury 1999 Grand Marquis
Mercury ‘99 Grand Marquis 4 dr, leather, all options, 49k org mi., showroom cond. $6000. 860-2854, ...>MORE
1991 Dodge Caravan
DODGE 1991 Caravan, exc body, runs great, full power, needs TLC. $1200 or BO. Call 754-4608....>MORE
2000 Dodge Caravan
DODGE 2000 Caravan, V6, power everything, excellent body, runs great, $2195. Call 754-4608....>MORE
Mazda 1995 Millenia
Mazda 1995 Millenia loaded, leather, only 26k mi. exc. cond. $2995. Best Offer 531-3548 or 297-1526...>MORE
Ford Windstar 1998
FORD 1998 Windstar $1000 or best offer. 298-5220...>MORE
Dodge 2001 Neon
Dodge 2001 Neon 4 dr, auto, a/c, new tires, c/d no rust, inspected, $3900. white 860-2854...>MORE
Ford 1995 Crown Victoria
Ford 1995 Crown Victoria 4 dr, loaded, new tires must see & drive $3500. red. 860-2854...>MORE
See all ads |
|
 |
|