Jets at Bills: Matchup to Watch

Jets (4-3) at Bills (5-2), 1 p.m. Eastern, CBS

Matchup to Watch: Shonn Greene vs. Buffalo defense

The Bills have allowed 120 rushing yards a game this season. Under Rex Ryan, the Jets have averaged 279 yards on the ground in four meetings with Buffalo, which augurs well for a rejuvenated Greene. Behind a steady offensive line, Greene erupted for a season-high 112 yards on Oct. 23 against San Diego. He must contend with the superb rookie defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, a pass-rushing force who also clogs the middle.

Number to Watch: 14

That is how many passes the Bills have picked off, the most in the N.F.L. this season. Making smart decisions will be even more important for Mark Sanchez, who has thrown one interception over his last three games. He will be facing an opportunistic defense that forced two of the league’s top quarterbacks, Michael Vick and Tom Brady, into throwing four interceptions each.

Quotation of the Week

“Every time you look at him, he’s probably better than you even remember.”

Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick on cornerback Darrelle Revis, against whom quarterbacks have a 2.9 rating, according to ProFootballFocus.com.

Remembering Kent Hull, a Bills Mainstay

Kent Hull played a significant part in the rebirth of the Bills in the late 1980s. He was one of the N.F.L.’s best centers and most respected leaders. Hull died on Tuesday of intestinal bleeding, according to the coroner’s report. He was 50 years old. A few thoughts:

On Aug. 18, 1986, Jim Kelly, three years after he was drafted, finally became a Buffalo Bill. That same day, with considerably less fanfare, the Bills signed a free agent who became Kelly’s center for the next 11 seasons, Kent Hull. The Bills sent a limousine to the airport for Kelly. They picked Hull up in the equipment van. In their time together, Buffalo won seven division titles, made the playoffs eight times and appeared in a record four consecutive Super Bowls.

Hull was a three-year starter on Mississippi State teams that went to two bowl games under Emory Bellard. He once said that his greatest football memory, even including the Super Bowls, was of the Bulldogs’ 6-3 victory over top-ranked Alabama and Bear Bryant in 1980.

Hull began his professional career in 1983 with the only team that drafted him: the New Jersey Generals of the U.S.F.L. For three seasons he blocked for quarterbacks Brian Sipe and Doug Flutie and running backs Maurice Carthon and Herschel Walker. Those years were vital in Hull’s development. He often cited the example set, on and off the field, by the veterans who had played in the N.F.L., like Jim LeClair and Dave Lapham.

When the U.S.F.L. folded, Hull drew interest from at least 10 N.F.L. teams. He chose the Bills because their starting center, Tim Vogler, had just seriously injured his knee. “I told my wife that I was going somewhere where there was a need for me and not necessarily for the money,” Hull recalled years later. “…I picked Buffalo just to show what I could do. It was the best decision I ever made in my life.” (Jim Gehman, “Then Levy Said to Kelly: The Best Buffalo Bills Stories Ever Told”, Triumph Books, 2008)

Hull was so sure he would be cut about a week or two into his first training camp that he left his wife back home in Mississippi. After just a few practices, however, he was Buffalo’s starting center.

Hull went on to play 170 regular-season games, all with the Bills, including 108 in a row from 1986 to 1992, and in 19 postseason games. He made first-team All-Pro in 1990 and 1991, and was elected to the Pro Bowl in 1988, 1989, and 1990. Hull was a captain in his last seven seasons and was inducted to the Wall of Fame at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo in 2002.

At 6-5 and about 280 pounds, and with long arms, Hull was big and strong enough to usually handle the big nose tackles without help. That enabled the guards, who didn’t have to execute the double-team block, to get a direct run at the linebackers at the second level. Hull had good footwork and excellent balance.

By the late 1980s, Hull joined tackles Will Wolford and Howard Ballard and guards Jim Ritcher, John Davis, and later, Glenn Parker, to form one of the league’s best offensive lines. The Bills led the N.F.L. in scoring in 1990 and in rushing yards in 1991 and 1992, and finished in the top 10 in rushing yards every year from 1988 to 1996.

Hull was tough, dependable and consistent. Perhaps his best asset, though, was his football intelligence. The fast paced, no-huddle offense the Bills ran in those years required the center to get over the ball quickly and immediately recognize the defensive front. Then, he had to make the proper line call, changing the blocking pattern for the run or the pass protection scheme if necessary. This was all done in just a few seconds, and it got more difficult as the zone blitzes became prevalent in the early ’90s. Steve Tasker elaborates:

If Jim (Kelly) was the star of the no-huddle, center Kent Hull was its unsung hero. Besides identifying defensive formations and making the appropriate calls for the offensive line, Kent would also shake off certain calls Jim might make. It was kind of like a catcher advising a pitcher about what he should throw. I remember several occasions when Jim would call a play at the line, and Kent would turn his head around and give Jim this ‘you can’t run this play, you idiot’ look, and Jim would change the call. (Steve Tasker and Scott Pitoniak, “Steve Tasker’s Tales From the Buffalo Bills”, Sports Publishing, 2006)

Hull was part of a core group of leaders on the Bills that included Kelly, Darryl Talley, Cornelius Bennett and Bruce Smith. He was well liked and highly respected by his teammates and coaches. He was also a frequent go-to guy for the news media.

After turning down an opportunity to make more money on the open market as a free agent in 1994, Hull returned to the Bills for his final two seasons. In late December, 1996, he retired to the family farm in Greenwood, Miss.

Few players seemed to appreciate the opportunity to play pro football more than Kent Hull, and he never lost that sense of gratitude. He understood, almost immediately, how much an N.F.L. franchise can mean to its community:

I can remember the very first game, we played the Jets, in 1986, the home opener, and people had been talking about getting twenty thousand, thirty thousand people in the stands, and shoot, we had eighty thousand… That city had just gone through a terrible ordeal where Bethlehem Steel had laid off thirty thousand people in one year… The best way to rally everybody is to find some simple thing everyone enjoys, and they all come together. And that happened to be Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills. (Adam Lazarus, “Super Bowl Monday: The New York Giants, the Buffalo Bills, and Super Bowl XXV”, Taylor Trade Publishing, 2011)

In the locker room in Tampa Stadium after losing to the Giants in Super Bowl 25, Hull watched as Scott Norwood, still in his uniform, patiently answered every question and blamed no one but himself. As he was about to leave, Hull went over to Norwood and told him that if everyone, including himself, had done their jobs just a little better, that field-goal attempt would’ve been from a lot closer than 47 yards. Hull then waited for Norwood to shower and dress and, finally, the two teammates walked out together, into the night.

Andy Barall writes about pro football history for The Fifth Down.

Bills at Giants: Matchup to Watch

Bills (4-1) at Giants (3-2), 1 p.m. Eastern, CBS

Matchup to Watch: Eli Manning vs. Bills’ secondary

Interceptions have not been nearly as great an issue for the Giants this season as they were in 2010, but if ever there was a game for a relapse, this would be it. The Bills have 12 interceptions (and 16 takeaways over all), with safety George Wilson recording an interception each of the last three weeks. On Sept. 25, Tom Brady threw four interceptions against the Bills, so Manning must beware.

Number to watch: 75
Say this for the Giants and Bills: They don’t pass up opportunities to score. In 20 trips inside the opponents’ 20 this season, the Bills have scored 15 touchdowns, giving them the N.F.L.’s best red-zone efficiency at 75 percent. Right behind them? The Giants, who have 10 touchdowns in 14 red-zone opportunities (71 percent).

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK

“Fitz is finding everybody — we all want to get into the stands and celebrate with the fans.”
Bills receiver STEVIE JOHNSON, on quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s accuracy in the red zone.

Week 5 Quick Hits: Bills Up, Eagles Down

Andy Benoit takes a quick tour of every N.F.L. game on Mondays. Did he miss something? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Bills 24, Eagles 21

Much will be made of Michael Vick’s career-worst four interceptions. But if Jason Avant had held onto a very catchable third down pass near the red zone late in the fourth quarter, we’d probably be talking about how Vick led a jaw-dropping comeback similar to the one he spearheaded at  New Meadowlands Stadium last season. By the fourth quarter, the Eagles had the Bills figured out on both sides of the ball.

Of course, Dream Teams are supposed to have the opponent figured out by the first quarter. Instead, it was Chan Gailey’s club that played with the upper hand. The Bills’ D had a beat on the Eagles’ offense, as George Wilson and Jairus Byrd were all over the field, forcing two turnovers and a litany of other mistakes. Offensively, Gailey tailored the gameplan for exploiting Philly’s dreadful linebacking corps. Aiding this cause is that Juan Castillo’s new defensive scheme places an extra heavy burden on linebacking. The Bills successfully isolated Fred Jackson outside, mainly through off-tackle runs and screen passes. Jackson, the most underrated running back in the A.F.C., finished with 111 yards on 26 carries and 85 yards on six receptions.

Shrewd offensive planning, as well as timely forced turnovers (the Bills lead the league with 12 interceptions, one more than they had all last season), are why a team can go 4-1 despite  defense giving up over 450 yards four straight weeks.

Chiefs 28, Colts 24

The water has stopped gushing into Kansas City’s boat. Taking advantage of favorable scheduling (Minnesota and Indy in back-to-back weeks), the Chiefs have temporarily dropped out of contention in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. That’s fine if their quarterback can continue to post 100-plus ratings (he’s done so the last three weeks). Perhaps all this team needed was to see Matt Cassel berate Todd Haley.

As for the Colts, they’d be wise to go with Curtis Painter at Cincinnati next week, even if Kerry Collins is healthy. Not because Painter has posted spectacular numbers – he threw for a hearty 277 yards Sunday, but his 281 yards Monday against the Bucs were misleading given that 146 of them came off Pierre Garcon catch-and-runs – but because he at least has a feel for Indy’s system.

Vikings 34, Cardinals 10

Adrian Peterson scored three first-quarter touchdowns, each of them ending with a fierce blow to the Cardinals rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson at the goal line (more “Welcome to the N.F.L.” moments for a gifted but slightly overwhelmed first-round pick). The Vikings finished with 172 yards on the ground, a somewhat surprising figure given how stellar the Cardinals’ run defense was against the Giants last week.

The cliff notes of this game paint a perfect portrait of the 2011 Vikings: 172 yards rushing, Donovan McNabb completing just 10 passes to his limited (read: awful) receiving corps, and the defense beating up an inconsistent Cardinals offense thanks in large part to drastic pro-purple mismatches on the edges: end Jared Allen against tackle Levi Brown on the left, and end Brian Robison against tackle Brandon Keith on the right. Allen and Robison, who have been playing with great quickness and tempo the past few weeks, each had two sacks.

That said, the Vikings are 1-4 because a run-only offense and shaky pass defense masked by two good edge-rushers is not a formula for success against non-N.F.C. West opponents.

Seahawks 36, Giants 25

When it comes to turnovers, the Giants are reverting these days. They’re not just dishing them out – they’re dishing them out in ideal locations (two fumbles inside their 20-yard line last week, two this week). Five turnovers and 11 failed third down conversions on 12 attempts? Giant players would be wise to arrive to Tom Coughlin’s next meeting twenty minutes early.

Seattle’s cross-country victory may have been a Pyrrhic one if quarterback Tarvaris Jackson’s pectoral injury is serious. Too bad; with Sidney Rice finally healthy, Jackson was starting to show glimmers of comfort. Jackson was also developing a rapport with Doug Baldwin, an intriguing undrafted rookie wideout who, with 136 yards receiving, would have been the story of this game if not for the spectacular reel of highlights turned in by the undrafted second-year receiver Victor Cruz (eight catches for 161 yards and a touchdown dance that is sure to catch on once fans forget that it was Cruz’s slip that caused Eli Manning’s late pick-six to Brandon Browner).

Steelers 38, Titans 17

Forget vitamins, exercise routines, crossword puzzles and drinking from the Fountain of Youth. The Steelers have cracked the anti-aging code: five touchdown passes from your quarterback, 107 yards on 11 carries from your second-year power back, a dominant performance from your backup defensive line and a handful of impressive solo plays from your superstar safety. Mix these ingredients together and you won’t be accused of being old for at least seven days (and probably 20 days if your next two games are against Jacksonville and Arizona).

Saints 30, Panthers 27

It’s almost as if Cam Newton came into the game agreeing with all the analysts who worried about Gregg Williams baiting him into turnovers. Instead of living in constant fear of that, Newton, like a swimmer accepting the initial misery of icy cold water, just dove right in. He threw his first pass directly to Saints cornerback Patrick Robinson. After he got the senseless turnover out of the way, there was nothing to worry about, and he went on to have a borderline spectacular game.

But, once again, the Panthers lost. In terms of points, Newton’s opening interception was the difference (it led to an easy Saints touchdown). Not that the Carolina faithful are worried. No team has ever managed to excite its fan base with losses quite like these 2011 Panthers. They’ve dropped four of their first five, yet somehow the momentum only continues to build.

Understandably so; Newton is as impressive as any first-year quarterback we’ve seen. But if you really want to be impressed, take a gander at how Drew Brees is conducting a Saints offense that now runs through Darren Sproles and sensational second-year tight end Jimmy Graham. Sproles had 91 total yards on 16 touches; and Graham 129 yards on eight receptions.

Bengals 30, Jaguars 20

The other two starting rookie quarterbacks squared off before a television audience composed of family and close friends. Andy Dalton of the Bengals had the edge over Blaine Gabbert of the Jaguars. Dalton was 21 for 33 for 179 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception; Gabbert was 15 for 28 for 221 yards and a touchdown.

In viewing the film of both quarterbacks in the weeks leading to the game, two things are apparent: Dalton has slightly more talent around him (including receivers who can create their own separation), and his team has kept him in the simpler chapters of its playbook, especially on first and second down. If Dalton had Gabbert’s arm strength and athleticism, it’s possible the Bengals would be shoveling more on his plate.

Raiders 25, Texans 20

The two most run-oriented offenses in football (statistically speaking) aired it out. Jason Campbell attempted 35 passes, and Matt Schaub 51. Both completed less than 50 percent. Darren McFadden and Arian Foster, maybe the two best runners in the A.F.C. right now, had fewer than 23 carries and 70 yards each.

The Raiders wanted to attack cornerback Jason Allen and the still-mysterious Texans secondary; the Texans wanted to….apparently, not attack a Raiders run defense that had given up a league-worst 5.9 yards per attempt coming in, and apparently not account for the absence of leading receiver Andre Johnson.

To be fair, Houston’s passing game did generate 116 yards from throws to Arian Foster, and it managed to capitalize on the heavy-footedness of gimpy middle linebacker Rolando McClain in coverage. Tight ends Owen Daniels and Joel Dreessen combined for 12 catches and 201 yards. But none of those came on the final play, which was highlighted by Michael Huff’s game-saving interception in the end zone.

Don’t be surprised if the Raiders’ “Winning one for Al” story line grows  over the next month. Oakland’s coming schedule: home vs. Cleveland, home vs. Kansas City, bye, home vs. Denver.

49ers 38, Bucs 3

Chalk this one up to a young Bucs team traveling 2,800 miles on a short week after playing their first nationally televised game in the Raheem Morris era. It happens.

Niner fans, don’t take this as a slight to your team. Elementary as the Niners are offensively, they’re one overtime away from being undefeated.

Chargers 29, Broncos 24

As quarterback controversies go, it doesn’t get worse than the one John Fox has on his hands. First, the controversy has climaxed with the team fresh off its fourth loss and entering a bye. So it has two weeks to fester.

Second, deep down, Fox knows that there will be at least a few players in his locker room who feel that he sacrificed the good of the team by capitulating to the Mile High fans. Those who know football, including Broncos players, know that – this game aside – Tim Tebow can’t match Kyle Orton as an all-around quarterback.

But Orton has been hounded by critics all season, and his performance has suffered. After a reportedly tough week of practice, he went 6 for 13 with an interception in the first half Sunday. Fox apparently felt as if he had no choice and nothing to lose in benching the usually steady Orton.

With Tebow leading two scoring drives and giving the Broncos a shot at the end zone for a chance to defeat the Chargers on the final play, fans will criticize Fox for not making the switch sooner. And they’ll assume that he and his staff are giddy to see what Tebow has. In truth, Fox and his staff know that a gameplan full of quarterback draws and screen passes can work in improvisational fashion, but not against a defense that will have seen it on film and prepared accordingly.

This logic won’t register with a lot of Bronco fans. All they know is that Tebow came in and showed grit, had that “It” factor and gave the offense a spark.

Patriots 30, Jets 21

The Jets concluded their brutal three-game road trip with a third straight loss. Time for panic? No. But it’s certainly a time for concern. With 7:14 remaining in the fourth and the score 27-21, the Patriots ran the ball 11 times for 62 yards to set up a game-icing field goal with just over one minute remaining. New England, featuring a solid but thoroughly unspectacular BenJarvus Green-Ellis, finished with 152 yards on 35 carries (Green-Ellis accounted for a career-high 136 of those yards).

What has happened to the Jet run defense? Supposedly the foundation of Rex Ryan’s club, it ranked 27th the conclusion of this game.

Packers 25, Falcons 14

The Packers finally got a defensive win, but their offense once again deserves a  tip of the cap. Aaron Rodgers was able to get comfortable behind a makeshift offensive line and throw for nearly 400 yards. An astounding 12 Packers caught a pass. As for that makeshift line, it appears to have a bright future given that its most impressive performer was Derek Sherrod, the first-round rookie who could barely make the game-day roster last month.

Andy Benoit is an NFL analyst for CBSSports.com and founder of NFLTouchdown.com. He can be reached at andy.benoit-at-NFLTouchdown.com or @Andy_Benoit.

Monitoring the Perils of Poor Scheduling in the N.F.L.

By any measure, Oakland’s Hue Jackson got what he wanted in his debut as an N.F.L. head coach on Monday night. The Raiders went to Denver and won against a division opponent. They  dominated the Broncos physically, and Denver fans were left calling for the backup quarterback Tim Tebow.

Now comes the hard part.

When the Raiders play their next game at 1 p.m. on Sunday in Buffalo, they will be on the negative side of the biggest discrepancy in recovery and preparation time for a game between two opponents, not including bye weeks, in the N.F.L. this season. The Bills defeated the Chiefs in Kansas City in a game that ended at just after 4 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. The Raiders’ game with Denver ended at at 1:46 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday.  Essentially, the Bills will have a 34-hour head start for their game against Oakland.

To make matters worse, the Raiders will be forced to travel across the country to Buffalo on Friday,  three days after they arrived home from their victory in Denver.

Every team has to deal with scheduling inconveniences. To Jackson’s credit, he has refused to use the schedule as an excuse (video above). But the league has a responsibility to make it fair. The Jets will be at the center of another scheduling challenge later this season.

After the Jets play New England at home on Sunday night, on Nov. 13., their next game will be at Denver on national television on Thursday, Nov. 17. The Broncos will play a 1 p.m. game in Kansas City on Nov. 13.

We will monitor the results of games this season when there are significant discrepancies in recovery and preparation time between opponents. For now, keep an eye on Oakland’s performance at Buffalo this Sunday.

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