Well Bills fans this week’s game will determine what the last five weeks of the regular season will be about. Everyone knows what a win and what a loss will do for Buffalo down the stretch. Let’s hope for the best and get to your questions from AskChris@bills.nfl.net.
1 – Hey Chris,
What’s going on with the offense? CJ Spiller & BRad Smith were brought in to provide a spark on offense and aren’t being used as well as they should be. There’s only so much Fred can do, we should’ve been utilizing our 3 possibly 4 headed rushing attack against a jets D that’s not good against the run and the cowboys aren’t the team they’re hyped up to be. I’m a faithful bills fan since the 80’s but I can’t stand to watch this team on tv anymore
As always thanks for all the work u do, and GO BILLS!!!!!
Chris Nogas
CB: Well you’ll see a lot more of C.J. now with Fred out for the season (broken fibula). The one plus is we’ll really be able to gauge C.J.’s progress here in his second season as he’ll be carrying the load for the last six games of the season. When young players get an opportunity like this it can also accelerate their improvement, so going into next season Spiller may be better equipped to do more, much like David Nelson did this year after playing a lot last season.
2 – Chris,
What are Nix and Gailey going to do about the utter lack of a pass rush? When the “D” does nothing to stop the opposing quarterback, it makes Fitz think he has to go out there and win the game himself. Is it too late for the pass rush to get fixed, either by new blood on the roster or shuffling around who we now have?
Thanks,
Kenny in Indiana
CB: I think the pass rush is going to be a tough thing to fix because the team does not have a proven pass rusher on the roster. Danny Batten, Antonio Coleman and Arthur Moats are nice young prospects, but they’re far from proven. Without a proven pass rusher that opponents have to account for they can spread their protection evenly across the front and the opposing quarterback rests a bit easier.
DC George Edwards has tried to mix in some blitz packages through the course of the season and some have worked (See: Philly game) and some have not. But until they get a proven pass rusher on this roster Edwards will be forced to create pressure with extra rushers and that leaves them vulnerable in coverage at times. It’s risk-reward at its highest level.
3 – Hi Chris,
First off, thank you for all the updates and info…it really means a lot to those of us outside the Buffalo area.
I know a lot of people have written off Shawn Merriman but as a true Bills fan, I can’t help but have hope. Have you received any updates on Mr. Merriman? Has he had surgery? If so how did it go? I realize that it’s very early, but is there a prognosis for his future in the NFL?
Thanks again,
James – Wheaton MD
CB: It’s hard to blame those fans that doubt Merriman will ever be the same. They’ve haven’t seen his old form in a few years, and this year ended much like the others in recent years on I-R. Surgery was successful. He did not rupture his Achilles, but he did have his Achilles repaired. Whether he has a rehab as long as those players that rupture their Achilles I do not know. Suffice to say it’s going to take several months before he’s doing football related work again. When we get an update we’ll pass it along.
4 – Hey Chris, will you be doing the live blog again Sunday? Once again no Bills on TV here in Danville, Va. Thanks a lot. Hope to be chatting with you on blog soon.
Garry Cross
CB: We’ve got the live blog up every game day on Buffalobills.com so if you’re somewhere in the U-S where the game is not broadcast we can help you out with a running play-by-play and a fan forum where you can ask me questions during the game and converse with one another. Just check the home page right before the game starts.
5 – Chris,
Once again thank you for the website being stationed out in San Diego CA its hard to keep updated on my beloved Buffalo Bills. I am pat of the Bills Backers San Diego club and we all watch the game. Today Mr. Andre Reed showed up and he said the bills are playing with no heart and they look dull. I couldn’t agree more I love my Bills but i’m getting tired of always watching them lose. My question is why have we been abandoning the run game? Fred Jackson get so little touches. But when he does get the ball he makes it happen. The team has even said he is our play maker so why not give him the ball more?
Thanks again Chris.
Jeremy
CB: It’s very hard to disagree with your point. Yes, the last two games got out of hand quickly, which often leads offensive play callers away from the run game. My argument against that at least these past two weeks is there was no rhythm to the passing game, so why not use the run to help move the chains?
Fred only got seven carries against the Dolphins and that game was a two-score game at the half. Now that Fred is out for the season I wouldn’t anticipate the Bills leaning on the run game as much when and if they’re behind by two scores or more on the scoreboard. But I think there’s merit to sticking with the run a bit longer even if you’re behind on the scoreboard when the passing game is out of sync. Perhaps if the run game can at least get you a couple of first downs a rhythm can be established.
