Bills hope rookie QB won't be buffaloed by Cowboys' blitz
By CALVIN WATKINS
The Dallas Morning News
cwatkins@dallasnews.com
IRVING – Playing against a rookie quarterback isn't a big deal to this group of Cowboys' players.
Last season, the team faced three rookies and beat them all.
Monday night, the Cowboys face another in Buffalo's Trent Edwards, who took over the starting job when J.P. Losman suffered a sprained knee.
Edwards led the Bills to their first victory of the season, 17-14, over the New York Jets last week and was praised for his calm demeanor.
Buffalo kept the same offensive package in for Edwards, and though he didn't have terrific numbers, he did get a win.
"The hardest part is when things don't go right," Edwards said. "I said this after the game that it seemed like for me the most part everything did kind of go our way."
Things might be different against the emerging Cowboys defense.
Over the last three weeks, the Cowboys have eight sacks and eight interceptions. And in the last two weeks, Dallas hasn't allowed an opponent to complete 50 percent of its third down conversions.
The Bills are concerned about the possibility the Cowboys might blitz like crazy because of the inexperience of Edwards. Dallas hasn't blitzed much this season. In the base defensive scheme, the Cowboys send four rushers, the three defensive linemen and outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware.
With the return of Greg Ellis, the other outside linebacker, it adds more pressure to the Bills offensive line.
"Yes, just due to the nature of their activity up front," Bills receiver Lee Evans said of the expected pressure from the Cowboys. "They are going to try to show [Edwards] some different looks and pressure him. And make him make some decisions. I definitely expect them to do something like that."
There is some controversy surrounding the Bills quarterbacks.
Losman was injured in a Week 3 loss to New England, and Edwards came in and went 10 of 20 for 97 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
After it was determined Losman would miss the Jets game, Edwards completed 22 of 28 passes for 234 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Jets.
Before Losman was declared out for this week's game, Bills coach Dick Jauron was noncommittal about who's the Bills' starter.
It seemed to bother Losman who voiced concern about maybe not regaining the starting job once he's healthy.
But after Losman failed to practice this week, Edwards was given the opportunity to start again, this time against the Cowboys on Monday night.
"As cliché as this is, I am going to just keep trying to do my job," Edwards said. "I know I still have a lot to learn. But the limited knowledge I have of this game and the way I play this position, I'm going to just keep trying to do that and keep doing what I'm coached to do."
The Dallas Morning News
cwatkins@dallasnews.com
IRVING – Playing against a rookie quarterback isn't a big deal to this group of Cowboys' players.
Last season, the team faced three rookies and beat them all.
Monday night, the Cowboys face another in Buffalo's Trent Edwards, who took over the starting job when J.P. Losman suffered a sprained knee.
Edwards led the Bills to their first victory of the season, 17-14, over the New York Jets last week and was praised for his calm demeanor.
Buffalo kept the same offensive package in for Edwards, and though he didn't have terrific numbers, he did get a win.
"The hardest part is when things don't go right," Edwards said. "I said this after the game that it seemed like for me the most part everything did kind of go our way."
Things might be different against the emerging Cowboys defense.
Over the last three weeks, the Cowboys have eight sacks and eight interceptions. And in the last two weeks, Dallas hasn't allowed an opponent to complete 50 percent of its third down conversions.
The Bills are concerned about the possibility the Cowboys might blitz like crazy because of the inexperience of Edwards. Dallas hasn't blitzed much this season. In the base defensive scheme, the Cowboys send four rushers, the three defensive linemen and outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware.
With the return of Greg Ellis, the other outside linebacker, it adds more pressure to the Bills offensive line.
"Yes, just due to the nature of their activity up front," Bills receiver Lee Evans said of the expected pressure from the Cowboys. "They are going to try to show [Edwards] some different looks and pressure him. And make him make some decisions. I definitely expect them to do something like that."
There is some controversy surrounding the Bills quarterbacks.
Losman was injured in a Week 3 loss to New England, and Edwards came in and went 10 of 20 for 97 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
After it was determined Losman would miss the Jets game, Edwards completed 22 of 28 passes for 234 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Jets.
Before Losman was declared out for this week's game, Bills coach Dick Jauron was noncommittal about who's the Bills' starter.
It seemed to bother Losman who voiced concern about maybe not regaining the starting job once he's healthy.
But after Losman failed to practice this week, Edwards was given the opportunity to start again, this time against the Cowboys on Monday night.
"As cliché as this is, I am going to just keep trying to do my job," Edwards said. "I know I still have a lot to learn. But the limited knowledge I have of this game and the way I play this position, I'm going to just keep trying to do that and keep doing what I'm coached to do."
posted by The Gryphon at 9:38 AM
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