Falcons 13 Bills 10

By Coast

Final Score indicates that the Bills lost, but who cares? Nobody except Trent Edwards. Trent couldn't lead the Bills to the game winning or tying score at the end of the game and was nothing but down on himself during his post game interview. He was making comments like he let down his team, he showed he wasn't ready to play at this level. Trent, relax, no one expects anything from you this year. Completing over 70% of your passes and throwing for a touchdown and no interceptions indicated that you have a ton of upside. In fact, in 2 games, Edwards has been 21-27 through the air (Although in the opener he averaged 4.9 yards per completion...talk about reigning him in). Hopefully his progression continues and the Bills can trade him for a first rounder in 2009.

Now to the players that actually matter...or shouldn't matter but do. Let's begin on the offense. The bigger JP(Jason Peters) needs to stop taking holding penalties. 2 every 3 quarters is not going to get the job done at all. The rest of the offensive line...the 80 million dollar offensive line...is not making me forget the days of Mike Gandy and Bennie Anderson quite yet. Against Atlanta they did produce some holes for Lynch but not enough. The pass protection for Losman was still mediocre. They need to pick up their play and have two games to do it before it matters.

I have had enough of the Peerless Price experiment. This isn't 2002. He doesn't have an Eric Moulds in his prime lined up on the other side of his field. He also isn't 24 years old anymore. Price's career as an NFL receiver is over as far as I am concerned, especially as a Bill. He has been invisible in the pre season. Against the Falcons he was again invisible. Losman did have him down the side line on a 3rd and long and Price really didn't even try to make a play on the ball. It was slightly underthrown but Peerless, come on man, try for it. Roscoe Parrish is smaller but is obviously better and has way more upside. Plug him in and see what he can do. It certainly couldn't hurt because we are not getting anything from the position as it stands now.

We have no tight end. Robert Royal doesn't have a reception thus far in the pre season as far as I can remember. The Kevin Everett experiment may be over in a couple weeks and our H backs are H backs because they can't play tight end. The Bills have had a need for a tight end for years...why isn't this problem ever addressed?

As far as the defensive line goes, as the first drive indicates, it is far below average. Falcons 3rd stringer Jason Snelling (I don't know if his first name is even Jason but it sounds good and I am not looking it up because it isn't worth my time to look up this dudes name) ran at will until the Falcons got inside the 5. There the Bills "bend but don't break" defense took over. Attn. Dick J...this defensive "bend but don't break" style won't work against Brady and Maroney twice a year or Pennington and Jones or Palmer and Johnson or Big Ben and Fast Willy...Yeah the defense stiffened but we are talking about Harrginton and Snelling, let's relax a little bit, our first team defense looked absolutely awful on that first drive.

This team is taking way too many penalties. The Bills offense in particular. Every time a big play was made or some progress was made on a drive it seemed as if a penalty dragged them down. Holding on Peters, Foul Start on Preston, or how about a snap over the head of our QB resulting in a 20 yard loss. Nice game Duke, welcome to the 2nd team, give me Jason Wittle at RG over this bum and hopefully Fowler can stay healthy because Duke can't snap.

Were there any positives in this game? Trent looked decent vs. the future Bronco cuts. Remember JP in his first pre season? We were all salivating over this guys athleticism and arm strength. Looking good vs. future arena league roll players doesn't get you anything in my book.

Marshawn Lynch looked really good. He runs hard, something we aren't used to seeing our of our running back position. He showed great quickness on a few of his runs as well. He only had 16 yards on 5 carries but when you factor in the 1 or 2 3 yard losses because our "great left side of the line" didn't feel like blocking anyone, Lynch had a decent day.

Pos and Whitner looked good on defense. They were huge in that goal line stand and really stood out when the first team was out there...a first team defense that hasn't allowed a touchdown. Let's give it up with John DiGiorgio already. They are still trying to say on the post game shows that there is a competition for MLB. No...there isn't. Jauron, you aren't fooling anyone, Pos is the guy and everyone knows it.

The Bills D Line took a hit losing Denney for an extended period of time. He broke his foot on the opening kick off which brings me to another point. WHY IS TERRANCE MCGEE RETURNING KICKOFFS IN THE PRE SEASON? Soooooooo stupid...it's like not bunting a guy over to third with a runner on 2nd tie game and 0 outs in the bottom of the 9th. SO the Bills need more depth at D line. Can it come within? Hargrove will be out till the Monday nighter. That leaves us with uh Powell and Ah You. Is CJ AH YOU really going to be on an NFL roster? Only time will tell, or will the bills go outside the team and pick up a guy like Simeon Rice? Doubtful, Powell or Ah You will most likely make this team.

Jason Webster...you were a cast off in Atlanta for a reason. Jabari Greer welcome to the starting lineup. Webster is awful and it is obvious. Greer, McGee, Thomas, Youboty and maybe Webster as a Dime back, I really don't want to see this guy on the football field.

2 more pre season games to go. Hopefully this offense begins to find an identity because thus far they haven't really even came close to finding the end zone. There is still time though, only 20 days till 9.9.07 and opening day.