Bills notebook: Defense aims to be sharp against Jags' "ball of butcher knives'
Published: November 20, 2009, 12:48 am
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The Buffalo Bills are about to encounter a "rolling ball of butcher knives" in Jacksonville on Sunday.
That's the nickname attached to Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew. The Bills say it's an apt description.
"He is like a bowling ball, and he will cut you up," Bills safety Donte Whitner said. "He's a physical runner who plays bigger than he is and he likes to deliver a blow instead of taking one. He's a tremendous running back."
Jones-Drew is fourth in the NFL in rushing with 860 yards and has a league-high 12 touchdowns. He also has 32 receptions and 1,080 yards from scrimmage.
Few draft analysts thought the four-year veteran could be a full-time running back because of his size. But the 5-foot-7, 210-pound Jones-Drew is proving them wrong and making the Jaguars look smart for not re-signing franchise rushing leader Fred Taylor.
"Maurice is doing a great job with his role," Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said this week. "He's an unselfish player. He's a guy who runs hard, blocks hard, plays hard on every snap. He's stepped up and done a great job for us."
Though not as fast as Tennessee's Chris Johnson, Jones-Drew has the speed to score any time he touches the ball. He has touchdown runs of 80, 79 and 61 yards.
His low center of gravity, balance and strength allow him to break tackles and stay on his feet after contact.
The Bills know that stopping the Jaguars' offense begins, and maybe ends, with stopping Jones-Drew.
"Really 60-65 percent of their offense is generated through him and he wants the ball," said Bills interim head coach and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. "He believes when he touches the ball that he can make a difference and so you want a guy like that on your football team. He's an impressive guy."
The Bills have allowed 100 yards to six running backs this season. Will Jones-Drew be the seventh?
"We can't let this guy get going against us," Whitner said. "He's good at breaking tackles, so we have to play good team defense and get a lot of people around the ball."
Cornerback Terrence McGee (knee), linebacker Keith Ellison (quadriceps), left tackle Demetrius Bell (knee), safety Jairus Byrd (groin), defensive tackle Marcus Stroud (knee), cornerback Ashton Youboty (ankle), linebacker Nic Harris (illness) and wide receiver Justin Jenkins (illness) did not practice Thursday. McGee worked out on the side with trainers but appears to be at least another week away.
Defensive tackle Kyle Williams (knee) and wide receiver James Hardy (knee) were limited in practice, but Williams is encouraged that he might return Sunday.
Tackle Jonathan Scott was back Thursday after missing several days due to the death of his father. Fewell isn't sure yet if Scott will start Sunday.
The Jaguars could be without two defensive starters Sunday. Cornerback Rashean Mathis is out with a groin injury and linebacker Justin Durant is questionable with a concussion.
Durant, who is second on the team with 83 tackles, was hurt in the third quarter of last week's 24-22 win at the New York Jets. He went through baseline testing Thursday, but hasn't been cleared to practice.xleg
While the Bills have had problems at offensive tackle, the Jaguars appear set with top draft picks Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton.
Monroe, a first-round choice, starts at left tackle. Britton, a second-rounder, is the Jaguars' right tackle. The rookies have helped the Jaguars rank sixth in the NFL in rushing.
"They're both talented guys," Del Rio said. "They've had some ups and downs. For the most part we're pleased. The young guys have done a good job of getting thrust into action. Opening day they're at Indy going up against two of the better pass rushers (Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis) in the league. That's a pretty big challenge. They've had some challenges through the year and will get more."
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