Bills: Monday not fun day for Dallas
TV audience won’t see a ‘punching bag’
By Mark Gaughan NEWS SPORTS REPORTER
Updated: 10/04/07 6:58 AM
“Going against a team like Dallas, you have to have a full arsenal and be ready. You got to bring guys from everywhere.” Bills safety Donte Whitner
There was a buzz in the Buffalo Bills’ locker room Wednesday as the team prepared for its first home appearance on “Monday Night Football” in 13 years.
The Bills, buoyed by their first win of the season, are excited about facing the undefeated Dallas Cowboys before a national television audience.
Bills safety Donte Whitner said the team wants to prove it’s no punching bag.
“Yeah, we do have a lot of injuries,” he said, “but we’re still professional athletes and we have a lot of pride and we want to win.”
There were several roster developments as the team installed its game plan:
• Whitner saw some action in practice at free safety and is expected to shift to that spot for at least some of the game to add some athleticism to the deep middle of the defense.
• Defensive end Anthony Hargrove returned to the practice field after missing the first four games due to a suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Hargrove is expected to be activated for the game and should provide some much needed relief to starting ends Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay.
• Linebacker Keith Ellison, out the past four games due to a high ankle sprain, returned to practice for the first time since his injury. He did most of the work and said he was optimistic he could be available for the game.
• Starting cornerback Ashton Youboty sat out due to his sprained ankle and is not expected to play. That will put Jabari Greer into the starting lineup. Greer was voted AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the New York Jets. Greer’s interception in the fourth quarter led to the eventual winning touchdown in the 17-14 Bills victory.
Whitner’s work at free safety was precipitated by the strained calf injury suffered by Jim Leonhard in the fourth quarter of the Jets game.
Leonhard is out this week, so fifthyear veteran Bryan Scott, signed by the Bills three days after the season opener, joins the starting lineup. Scott started for Atlanta at free safety in 2005 and at strong safety in 2004.
“My role is changing this week,” Whitner said. “I’ll be playing some free safety this week because Jim went out with the calf, and the coaches feel like Bryan is more suitable at strong safety.” There will be plenty of pressure on the safeties on Monday. Dallas’ offense, averaging 38 points per game, has both an elite deep threat in Terrell Owens and an elite tight end in Jason Witten.
“He’s more than going to be able to fill that role,” Leonhard said of Scott. “It’s a great opportunity for him to get a chance to play out in space and show his athleticism.”
“I know there’s not a free safety in the league who’s going to hit as hard as he is,” Greer said.
The Bills (1-3) are 10-point underdogs, and the players realize that most fans around the country will not give them much of a chance to slow down the Dallas express. The Bills’ defense still ranks 32nd in the NFL.
“Teams think they can line up and just pound the ball, pound the ball,” Whitner said. “Last week against the Jets, we didn’t allow that. We’re not going to allow teams to just line up and think they can pound us and pound us and pound us, because we’re short on defense and have some guys missing. We have guys that are going to step up and stop that run and force teams to beat us with the pass.”
The Cowboys may be more than happy to do that.
Whitner said the Bills’ defense may be ready to throw a few more wrinkles at the Cowboys.
“As a whole [last Sunday], it wasn’t crazy out there like New England, with guys just running everywhere, tripping over each other,” he said. “[Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell] cut the playbook back a little. We’re starting to pick it back up again, because we have to. Going against a team like Dallas, you have to have a full arsenal and be ready. You got to bring guys from everywhere.”
“I kind of like being the underdog,” said quarterback Trent Edwards. “You have to let that motivate you throughout the week — that the people who are predicting the game don’t respect the way you play. So that’s going to motivate me and motivate the rest of the guys.”
By Mark Gaughan NEWS SPORTS REPORTER
Updated: 10/04/07 6:58 AM
“Going against a team like Dallas, you have to have a full arsenal and be ready. You got to bring guys from everywhere.” Bills safety Donte Whitner
There was a buzz in the Buffalo Bills’ locker room Wednesday as the team prepared for its first home appearance on “Monday Night Football” in 13 years.
The Bills, buoyed by their first win of the season, are excited about facing the undefeated Dallas Cowboys before a national television audience.
Bills safety Donte Whitner said the team wants to prove it’s no punching bag.
“Yeah, we do have a lot of injuries,” he said, “but we’re still professional athletes and we have a lot of pride and we want to win.”
There were several roster developments as the team installed its game plan:
• Whitner saw some action in practice at free safety and is expected to shift to that spot for at least some of the game to add some athleticism to the deep middle of the defense.
• Defensive end Anthony Hargrove returned to the practice field after missing the first four games due to a suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. Hargrove is expected to be activated for the game and should provide some much needed relief to starting ends Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay.
• Linebacker Keith Ellison, out the past four games due to a high ankle sprain, returned to practice for the first time since his injury. He did most of the work and said he was optimistic he could be available for the game.
• Starting cornerback Ashton Youboty sat out due to his sprained ankle and is not expected to play. That will put Jabari Greer into the starting lineup. Greer was voted AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the New York Jets. Greer’s interception in the fourth quarter led to the eventual winning touchdown in the 17-14 Bills victory.
Whitner’s work at free safety was precipitated by the strained calf injury suffered by Jim Leonhard in the fourth quarter of the Jets game.
Leonhard is out this week, so fifthyear veteran Bryan Scott, signed by the Bills three days after the season opener, joins the starting lineup. Scott started for Atlanta at free safety in 2005 and at strong safety in 2004.
“My role is changing this week,” Whitner said. “I’ll be playing some free safety this week because Jim went out with the calf, and the coaches feel like Bryan is more suitable at strong safety.” There will be plenty of pressure on the safeties on Monday. Dallas’ offense, averaging 38 points per game, has both an elite deep threat in Terrell Owens and an elite tight end in Jason Witten.
“He’s more than going to be able to fill that role,” Leonhard said of Scott. “It’s a great opportunity for him to get a chance to play out in space and show his athleticism.”
“I know there’s not a free safety in the league who’s going to hit as hard as he is,” Greer said.
The Bills (1-3) are 10-point underdogs, and the players realize that most fans around the country will not give them much of a chance to slow down the Dallas express. The Bills’ defense still ranks 32nd in the NFL.
“Teams think they can line up and just pound the ball, pound the ball,” Whitner said. “Last week against the Jets, we didn’t allow that. We’re not going to allow teams to just line up and think they can pound us and pound us and pound us, because we’re short on defense and have some guys missing. We have guys that are going to step up and stop that run and force teams to beat us with the pass.”
The Cowboys may be more than happy to do that.
Whitner said the Bills’ defense may be ready to throw a few more wrinkles at the Cowboys.
“As a whole [last Sunday], it wasn’t crazy out there like New England, with guys just running everywhere, tripping over each other,” he said. “[Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell] cut the playbook back a little. We’re starting to pick it back up again, because we have to. Going against a team like Dallas, you have to have a full arsenal and be ready. You got to bring guys from everywhere.”
“I kind of like being the underdog,” said quarterback Trent Edwards. “You have to let that motivate you throughout the week — that the people who are predicting the game don’t respect the way you play. So that’s going to motivate me and motivate the rest of the guys.”
posted by The Gryphon at 10:56 PM
<< Home