Five-star scouting report / By Allen Wilson
Chiefs give Bills the chance for big plays in all areas
1. A crisis of confidence? Bills QB Trent Edwards has regressed badly after a promising start and it has coincided with the team’s four-game losing streak. He has thrown eight interceptions during that stretch and is making the kind of shaky decisions that lead one to believe he is unsure of what he’s seeing from defensive coverages. He needs to get better quickly, which is why it’s a good thing he’s playing against a Chiefs defense that is 27th in the NFL in passing yards allowed and is dead last in sacks with six. The Chiefs have tried to manufacture pressure by blitzing, but if the Bills pick it up, WR Lee Evans might come out of hibernation and re-establish himself as the big-play target.
2. Is Thigpen the answer? The Chiefs hope Tyler Thigpen ends their long, futile search for a franchise quarterback. He has brought some stability to the position, averaging 236 yards with eight touchdowns and only one interception in the last four games. The Chiefs have adopted the same spread offense Thigpen operated in college to take advantage of his strengths. Thigpen’s two main targets are TE Tony Gonzalez and WR Dwayne Bowe, who have 55 catches and five touchdowns each. Gonzalez, the NFL’s most prolific receiving tight end, can still stretch the deep middle of defenses. Bowe is a matchup problem for cornerbacks because of his size, strength and athleticism. The Bills’ secondary is in a state of flux with injuries to S Donte Whitner (shoulder) and CB Jabari Greer (knee) likely keeping both out. The Bills had some success blitzing Cleveland, so look for plenty of pressure packages to try to rattle Thigpen.
3. Feeding the beast. With 33 touches Monday night, RB Marshawn Lynch, right, showed what he’s capable of doing when the Bills get him the ball regularly. He’ll have a chance to build off his first 100-yard game of the season against the Chiefs’ banged-up defense, which allows 165.4 rushing yards per game (31st in the NFL), a league-worst 5.1 yards carry and league highs of 15 20-plus yard runs and five over 40 yards. The Chiefs should get a heavy dose of Lynch and backup Fred Jackson, whose ability to churn out yardage will allow the Bills to dictate the tempo of the game and dominate time of possession.
4. No way for L. J. After posting back-to-back 1,700-yard seasons in 2005 and ’06, Kansas City RB Larry Johnson’s numbers have dipped sharply the last two years. He leads the Chiefs with 484 yards even though he’s missed four games due to team and league suspensions. Some observers believe Johnson has lost a step, but a deteriorating offensive line might be the primary reason. LG Brian Waters is the only player left from a once star-studded line. The Bills’ run defense would seem to have an advantage, but look for the Chiefs to use a lot of multiple receiver packages to keep the Bills from loading the box.
5. Many happy returns. If you thought Leodis McKelvin had a big day returning kickoffs against Cleveland, you haven’t seen anything yet. The Chiefs’ coverage units are so bad that the team has had to sign people off the street to fill in for injured players. That doesn’t bode well against McKelvin or punt returner Roscoe Parrish, who are not only threats to score from anywhere on the field but they also get outstanding blocking from what Browns K Phil Dawson called the best return game he’s ever seen in his 10-year NFL career.
Prediction: If the Bills don’t break their losing streak today they may never do it. Bills, 27-16.
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