Jerry Sullivan: Stroud looms large with a memorable debut
COMMENTARY
So you think you were excited about the opener? I asked George Wilson one question and the Bills’ special teamer talked nonstop for more than five minutes. It wasn’t an answer, it was a convention address.
Wilson gushed about the team chemistry, the intensity, the preparation, the coaching, the postgame celebration with Kevin Everett, the Bills’ recent history in openers. Finally, “The Senator” took a breath and I slipped in a question about the new defensive tackle, Marcus Stroud.
“When Marcus first came in, he said, ‘I’m going to get my ankle right and I’m going to be an impact player for you guys, week in and week out,’ ” Wilson said Sunday after the Bills drilled the Seahawks, 34-10, at rainy Ralph Wilson Stadium. “He’s just showing you guys the tip of the iceberg.”
Well, if that’s the tip of the iceberg, look out when the rest of it shows up. Stroud was immense in his Buffalo debut. He was everything the Bills expected when they traded for him in the offseason — a difference-maker, a dynamo in the middle of the defense.
Stroud showed the array of skills that earned him three straight trips to the Pro Bowl from 2003 to ’05. We knew he was a 6-foot-6, 310-pound run stuffer. But he’s a surprisingly good athlete, a quick, agile man who can chase down quarterbacks and running backs along the line of scrimmage.
The Bills haven’t had an elite DT since Pat Williams and Ted Washington. That’s why their run defense has been brutal for three years. They took a chance that Stroud would fully recover from ankle surgery, knowing he could make everyone around him better.
It’s only one game, but Stroud’s impact was evident from the outset. Linebackers Kawika Mitchell and Paul Posluszny flowed to the ball. Defensive end Aaron Schobel played at a Pro Bowl level. Kyle Williams could have been mistaken for Pat Williams. The secondary played with a noticeable edge.
They didn’t seem to miss Angelo Crowell, let’s put it that way.
“I think everybody was feeding off each other,” Stroud said. “You can feel the energy trickling down. I haven’t had that much fun in awhile. I’m glad to be healthy and out there playing and having fun. I felt like a kid.”
It’s a wonder Stroud had the energy to tackle, he spent so much time waving his arms and exhorting the sellout crowd. Stroud said he wanted to fully experience the 12th Man in Buffalo. Now he understands.
It was reminiscent of the 2003 opener, five years ago to the day, when Takeo Spikes and Sam Adams burst on the scene in a 31-0 win over the Patriots. Not to spoil the fun, but we know how that season turned out.
“Hopefully, we can get a little [swagger] from this and enjoy it,” Mitchell said. “But not too much. Obviously, we have a lot of season left.”
NFL fortunes can change in a hurry. Mitchell reminded us that his Giants started 0-2 last year, allowing 80 points, and won the Super Bowl.
So the Bills can’t get too giddy about this game. Stroud was happy, but he also knows how long and capricious an NFL season can be. He didn’t seem terribly impressed with his play.
“I made some good plays out there,” said Stroud, who had a half-sack, batted down two passes and drove guard Rob Sims halfway to the lake on one play. “I’ve still got some stuff I need to correct. I made a few mistakes out there, but all in all, we played well together. We still have a lot of work to do to make the playoffs.”
But it’s a promising start. The defense was dominant. The offense caught fire after a ragged start. The special teams were sensational. They beat a Seattle team that has made the playoffs five years in a row. Granted, the Seahawks were depleted by injury. But I don’t recall anyone apologizing for beating the wounded Bills last year.
“It’s been a long time since we came out of the gate fast,” Wilson said. “That’s what we talked about all offseason. That’s what we talked about in training camp. That’s what we talked about all week, that we wanted to come out of the gate fast. It was good to see the smiles on the guys’ faces.”
If the Bills are a playoff team, this is a game they had to win. Playoff teams take care of business at home. They bury opponents when they get the upper hand. They didn’t do it in the opener against Denver a year ago. It’s a big step. Next week at Jacksonville is another story.
There’s still cause for concern. The top two draft picks, Leodis McKelvin and James Hardy, were no factor. Hardy seems a long way from replacing Josh Reed as the No. 2 wideout. The offense was woeful for four series. Then Trent Edwards hit a 32-yard throw to Lee Evans to set up Marshawn Lynch’s go-ahead TD.
Overall, Turk Schonert was solid in his debut as an offensive coordinator. He was aggressive. He moved Evans around and got him the ball. That’s no small thing when you consider Evans’ history of slow starts. Schonert’s call on Lynch’s third-and-11 TD run came at the perfect time.
Experience has taught me to be wary of high expectations. But this group at least seems capable of challenging for a playoff spot. Oh, and if Tom Brady is out for the season, things suddenly get a lot more interesting in the AFC East. Maybe it’s the Pats’ turn for some bad breaks.
A lot depends on Stroud staying healthy. He’s only 30, which isn’t old for a defensive tackle. He seemed pretty spry out there Sunday, young enough to lift a defense.
“It just shows,” Wilson said, “that if you get an All-Pro tackle in the middle of the line, that guard and that center have to account for him every play. And there’s more to come. I promise you, when Marcus has fully arrived, you’ll know it.”
