Bills notebook
Shuffled O-line holds its own in opener
The Buffalo Bills got Jason Peters back this weekend. They didn’t need him Sunday.
The Bills’ revamped offensive line did just fine without its All-Pro left tackle during a 34-10 rout of the Seattle Seahawks.
Peters reported Saturday after holding out since the spring in a contract dispute. His absence forced the Bills to juggle the lineup.
In for Peters at left tackle was right tackle Langston Walker, while Kirk Chambers took Walker’s spot on the right side.
The changes had no negative effect on the Bills’ offense as the front five kept the Seahawks’ highly-touted pass rush off quarterback Trent Edwards and paved the way for a big rushing day for running back Marshawn Lynch.
“We’ve played together for a while,” Walker said. “Some of the things we tweaked, like me going to left tackle and Kirk coming in. But for the most part, everything was the same as last year. So I wasn’t worried about our cohesiveness at all.”
Not many fans shared Walker’s optimism. There was concern about Walker moving over from his natural position and Chambers being inserted into the starting lineup.
But people shouldn’t have worried. Walker was solid as a run blocker and pass protector. Chambers might have been even better. He minimized the impact of Seattle All-Pro left defensive end Patrick Kerney, who had just two tackles. Kerney recorded the Seahawks’ only sack of the game, but Edwards appeared to hold the ball too long.
“A lot of our success has to do with schemes where Trent was getting rid of the ball, Trent moving in the pocket, running backs chipping and tight ends helping out when they needed to block,” Chambers said. “We’re playing as a team and I felt like we protected as a team.”
It is not certain when Peters will return to the starting lineup. The Bills announced Sunday that he has passed his physical and will begin practicing this week. Whether he’ll return next Sunday at Jacksonville depends on how quickly he gets into game-playing shape.
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Kevin Everett received the George Halas Award by the Pro Football Writers Association on Sunday. The award goes to the person who displays courage and perseverance while overcoming adversity.
Everett received a plaque from News sports reporter and PFWA member Mark Gaughan during a halftime ceremony.
“It’s a great honor and to be the first Buffalo Bill to receive this award is amazing,” said Everett, who has made a remarkable recovery from a spinal cord injury. “The injury was bad but there have been some great things that have come from it — we’ve been able to help a lot of people. It’s a real honor.”
Everett received the award at midfield, just yards away from where his injury occurred while covering the second-half kickoff during the 2007 opener.
That recollection stirred up some strong emotions in the former tight end.
“It brought tears to my eyes to be honest,” Everett said. “Especially at the beginning of the game while I was looking at that spot. I was tearing up. But I’ve been blessed, and I just thank God every day.”
A year ago, the Bills were upset over Everett’s situation. On Sunday, they could celebrate his return to good health.
“He went through a lot,” strong safety Donte Whitner said. “To see him walk through here before the game, at halftime and after the game it was an inspiration to us all.”
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Defensive tackle John McCargo was the biggest surprise among the game inactives. The Bills dressed only three defensive tackles with Spencer Johnson backing up starters Marcus Stroud and Kyle Williams.
Head coach Dick Jauron said McCargo was a victim of the numbers game. The Bills dressed four defensive ends because two of them, Ryan Denney and Copeland Bryan, are key members of special teams.
“We like to play in waves,” Jauron said. “We played in a three-man wave inside with Spencer, and I thought Spencer earned the right to play. There’s really no place to go when you think about this defense and special teams, you’ve got to have those guys.”
Also on the inactive list were offensive tackle Demetrius Bell, receiver Stevie Johnson, cornerback Reggie Corner, offensive tackle Matt Murphy, defensive end Chris Ellis and tight end Derek Fine.
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Edwards was the 16th quarterback to start a season opener for the Bills, and the first new one since 2005. He joined Joe Ferguson (Sept. 16, 1973) and Tom Flores (Sept. 10, 1967) as the only three to win their debuts as starters. . . . The 20 punts between the Bills and Seahawks tied for the fourth-most in a Bills game. The Bills (11) and Indianapolis (12) combined for 23 in 1996.
