shawnemerriman: Surgery went extremely well so you guys prayers were answered #thankyou
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Merriman tweets after surgery
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Bills place Merriman on IR
In a press release issued by the team, General Manager Buddy Nix released the following statement:
“Shawne has worked extremely hard, but unfortunately, his Achilles flared back up and it doesn’t appear that he will be able to return to the field anytime soon,” said Nix. “So we felt it was in the best interest of our team and for Shawne to put him on IR.”
Merriman issued the following statement on his website:
"Due to the fact that I have recently been experiencing excessive aggravation in my Achilles tendon, which is a limitation that I have been dealing with for well over two years now, I sought the opinions of multiple medical specialists. After much consideration and unanimous professional recommendations stating that my Achilles is in danger of rupturing, I have been advised that it would be in my best interest to undergo surgery as soon as possible in order to prevent a major injury. I would like to thank all of my fans for their continued support on my road to a full recovery and am looking forward to getting back on the field."
MY TAKE: My first thought when the Bills ruled him out of the Giants game was, they're just going to err on the side of caution and rest him going into the bye week and he'll come back looking like he did during preseason. Shawne even said the injury was minor. Wishful thinking.
Before I get into what this means let me just say that there is no denying how good Merriman looked during his limited reps in the preseason. He was explosive. He looked like he had his burst back. He was killing quarterbacks and making his D line look good. There was a good reason to be genuinely excited about what he could do if he was healthy. You can't deny that. I'll also add that the guy we saw in preseason was not the same guy we saw in the regular season. At first, I thought it was his shoulder injury that he sustained during week one against the Chiefs that was holding him back. After watching him a bit closer, the shoulder didn't seem to be so much the problem but rather the Achilles. He didn't have any explosiveness. No burst. That said, I believe his Achilles flared up somewhere between the Bears preseason game and week 1 of the regular season. There's no other way of explaining how good he looked at one point and then like he did the past few games.
Despite the lack of productivity, I do believe Merriman provided some leadership. He was often seen leading the pregame huddle with the team. I also feel that Merriman was pretty good against the run and teams had to account for him. But many will be quick to point out the obvious - he wasn't making the difference fans had expected - only one sack and it was on a QB scramble.
Not sure what this means moving forward with Merriman and the Bills. He's under contract with the team for one more year. He's also already guaranteed money for next year which leads me to believe the Bills will bring him back for another year if he's healthy enough.
What I do know is that this means that Arthur Moats will finally be at OLB full time, where he should have been since day one. Moats has to step up because the Bills are very thin at the OLB position with the only healthy guys being Moats, Danny Batten and Chris Kelsay. The Bills claimed Antonio Coleman off the Giants practice squad. Coleman was cut by the Bills after the preseason. I thought Coleman had a really good preseason and deserved a spot on the roster but the Bills decided to go with Robert Eddins instead. Coleman should be familiar enough with the defense to step right in if needed.
“Shawne has worked extremely hard, but unfortunately, his Achilles flared back up and it doesn’t appear that he will be able to return to the field anytime soon,” said Nix. “So we felt it was in the best interest of our team and for Shawne to put him on IR.”
Merriman issued the following statement on his website:
"Due to the fact that I have recently been experiencing excessive aggravation in my Achilles tendon, which is a limitation that I have been dealing with for well over two years now, I sought the opinions of multiple medical specialists. After much consideration and unanimous professional recommendations stating that my Achilles is in danger of rupturing, I have been advised that it would be in my best interest to undergo surgery as soon as possible in order to prevent a major injury. I would like to thank all of my fans for their continued support on my road to a full recovery and am looking forward to getting back on the field."
MY TAKE: My first thought when the Bills ruled him out of the Giants game was, they're just going to err on the side of caution and rest him going into the bye week and he'll come back looking like he did during preseason. Shawne even said the injury was minor. Wishful thinking.
Before I get into what this means let me just say that there is no denying how good Merriman looked during his limited reps in the preseason. He was explosive. He looked like he had his burst back. He was killing quarterbacks and making his D line look good. There was a good reason to be genuinely excited about what he could do if he was healthy. You can't deny that. I'll also add that the guy we saw in preseason was not the same guy we saw in the regular season. At first, I thought it was his shoulder injury that he sustained during week one against the Chiefs that was holding him back. After watching him a bit closer, the shoulder didn't seem to be so much the problem but rather the Achilles. He didn't have any explosiveness. No burst. That said, I believe his Achilles flared up somewhere between the Bears preseason game and week 1 of the regular season. There's no other way of explaining how good he looked at one point and then like he did the past few games.
Despite the lack of productivity, I do believe Merriman provided some leadership. He was often seen leading the pregame huddle with the team. I also feel that Merriman was pretty good against the run and teams had to account for him. But many will be quick to point out the obvious - he wasn't making the difference fans had expected - only one sack and it was on a QB scramble.
Not sure what this means moving forward with Merriman and the Bills. He's under contract with the team for one more year. He's also already guaranteed money for next year which leads me to believe the Bills will bring him back for another year if he's healthy enough.
What I do know is that this means that Arthur Moats will finally be at OLB full time, where he should have been since day one. Moats has to step up because the Bills are very thin at the OLB position with the only healthy guys being Moats, Danny Batten and Chris Kelsay. The Bills claimed Antonio Coleman off the Giants practice squad. Coleman was cut by the Bills after the preseason. I thought Coleman had a really good preseason and deserved a spot on the roster but the Bills decided to go with Robert Eddins instead. Coleman should be familiar enough with the defense to step right in if needed.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Fitz close to contract extension
Chris Mortenson of ESPN said the following on ESPN32 today:
"You always like to hear something happen for the good guys, the guys who have never had a big paycheck. Right now Ryan Fitzpatrick is on his bye week, I think when he comes back next week he will see tremendous progress between the Bills on a contract, and that contract won't pay him what those elite quarterbacks make, but there's a 2nd tier of QBs averaging between 9 and 12 million dollars per year, and if they can nail down a last few things I think Ryan Fitzpatrick signs a new contract next week and gets that deal somewhere between 9 and 12 million per year." (Thanks to Carey Bender, who posted this on TwoBillsDrive)
MY TAKE: If Kyle Orton can make 9 million a year, I'm totally fine with Fitzpatrick making 10 to 11 million a year even if it sounds like a scary number. Starting Quarterbacks make a lot of money - there's no way around it (unless you keep drafting guys that keep failing). Some will point to the Dick Jauron contract extension and cite it as an example of why you should wait to sign the guy later in the year. This is a much different scenario. Fitzpatrick really hasn't had an awful game yet. Even though I thought he was the reason we lost that Giants game, he only threw 2 really bad balls. I've also noticed that he's cooled off a bit since his first 3 starts but to expect that production every single game is a bit ridiculous.
The other important thing to note is how much of a bonus he gets up front because that'll be the only guaranteed money he gets. If he suddenly falls flat on his face next year, the Bills could cut him and only lose out on the bonus (which will probably be substantial). That's worst case scenario thinking.
I noted that the offense hasn't been the same since week 3 but we've also sustained some injuries to key positions (LT, WR). When the offense was close to completely healthy, Fitz was unstoppable. I really look forward to seeing how the offense performs against the Redskins. The bye week should give this team some much needed rest and the coaching staff some extra time to prep. I trust that Gailey will find some holes to expose against the 'Skins.
I'd like the Bills to get going on the Stevie Johnson contract talks. It would be really nice to see Fitz, Stevie and Fred Jackson back next year (Jackson still has 1 year left on his current deal so regardless of what happens, he'll be here next year). Fitz and Stevie have a really good thing going and I'm seeing the emergence of Stevie as a true #1 receiver. His routes just keep getting better and better. Lock him up - establish the core of the offense for many years to come. Then you can focus on what you're going to do with Fred Jackson (just pay the man!) and guys like Demetrius Bell.
"You always like to hear something happen for the good guys, the guys who have never had a big paycheck. Right now Ryan Fitzpatrick is on his bye week, I think when he comes back next week he will see tremendous progress between the Bills on a contract, and that contract won't pay him what those elite quarterbacks make, but there's a 2nd tier of QBs averaging between 9 and 12 million dollars per year, and if they can nail down a last few things I think Ryan Fitzpatrick signs a new contract next week and gets that deal somewhere between 9 and 12 million per year." (Thanks to Carey Bender, who posted this on TwoBillsDrive)
MY TAKE: If Kyle Orton can make 9 million a year, I'm totally fine with Fitzpatrick making 10 to 11 million a year even if it sounds like a scary number. Starting Quarterbacks make a lot of money - there's no way around it (unless you keep drafting guys that keep failing). Some will point to the Dick Jauron contract extension and cite it as an example of why you should wait to sign the guy later in the year. This is a much different scenario. Fitzpatrick really hasn't had an awful game yet. Even though I thought he was the reason we lost that Giants game, he only threw 2 really bad balls. I've also noticed that he's cooled off a bit since his first 3 starts but to expect that production every single game is a bit ridiculous.
The other important thing to note is how much of a bonus he gets up front because that'll be the only guaranteed money he gets. If he suddenly falls flat on his face next year, the Bills could cut him and only lose out on the bonus (which will probably be substantial). That's worst case scenario thinking.
I noted that the offense hasn't been the same since week 3 but we've also sustained some injuries to key positions (LT, WR). When the offense was close to completely healthy, Fitz was unstoppable. I really look forward to seeing how the offense performs against the Redskins. The bye week should give this team some much needed rest and the coaching staff some extra time to prep. I trust that Gailey will find some holes to expose against the 'Skins.
I'd like the Bills to get going on the Stevie Johnson contract talks. It would be really nice to see Fitz, Stevie and Fred Jackson back next year (Jackson still has 1 year left on his current deal so regardless of what happens, he'll be here next year). Fitz and Stevie have a really good thing going and I'm seeing the emergence of Stevie as a true #1 receiver. His routes just keep getting better and better. Lock him up - establish the core of the offense for many years to come. Then you can focus on what you're going to do with Fred Jackson (just pay the man!) and guys like Demetrius Bell.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Bills/Jets sold out, Sheppard, Hairston injured, Merriman update, Williams and more
The Bills announced that the Bills/Jets game (11/6) is officially sold out which means we get to see the next 5 Bills games on TV. The next game at the Ralph after that Jets game is against Tennessee which should sell out (if Titans can remain in the picture, same can be said for Bills as well).
Kelvin Sheppard will start at ILB for the first time against the Redskins (following the bye week). Sheppard has looked good in a limited role. Andra Davis, who has clearly lost a step, has been mentoring Sheppard since the start of camp. Nick Barnett has also given Sheppard some tips. The Bills have been slowly but surely easing him into the position.
Chris Hairston suffered an ankle injury in the second half of the Giants game. It's believed he will be out 2-4 weeks which is actually good news for the team because a serious injury could have really put the Bills in a tough spot as far as offensive lineman go. Demetrius Bell's injury is getting better and he should be ready by the time they play the Redskins. I'll repeat myself once again - this bye is coming at a great time for the Bills. Guys who are dinged up are finally getting a chance to rest and guys who have been hurt should be close to coming back by the time they have to play again. Hairston got some great experience while Bell was hurt. He looked pretty good in relief.
Shawne Merriman is telling the team and fans that he will be ready to return after the bye week. Gailey seems a bit skeptical and is waiting for an update from the medical staff. Say what you want about him but Merriman does provide stability at the position and plays the run really well. Same can be said for Kelsay. If only he didn't injure his shoulder in the first game, we might have seen some of that explosion that we saw in the preseason. Who knows, maybe the Bills get lucky and he miraculously feels better after the bye and we DO see that playmaker. Given his recent injury history, I wouldn't bet on it.
Speaking of Chris Kelsay, it's looking like his calf injury will be close to healed up for the 'Skins game. Still can't believe we were missing Merriman, Williams and Kelsay on the defensive line against the Giants and it was still a close game.
Gailey said there was no new update on Kyle Williams and they will put his foot through more tests to determine the severity of the injury. His foot has been bothering him since camp. This could explain why he hasn't been as dominant as he was last year. That said, he STILL has been effective when he was in there. Of all the guys injured, this is the guy the Bills need to get better.
Big props to Kraig Urbik who played a good game this past Sunday. He looked like he was going to be the weak link of the line during training camp but before his injury and since he has returned from that injury, he has been solid. I saw him push guys down the field several times against the Giants. Our interior line looks to be in good shape.
Kelvin Sheppard will start at ILB for the first time against the Redskins (following the bye week). Sheppard has looked good in a limited role. Andra Davis, who has clearly lost a step, has been mentoring Sheppard since the start of camp. Nick Barnett has also given Sheppard some tips. The Bills have been slowly but surely easing him into the position.
Chris Hairston suffered an ankle injury in the second half of the Giants game. It's believed he will be out 2-4 weeks which is actually good news for the team because a serious injury could have really put the Bills in a tough spot as far as offensive lineman go. Demetrius Bell's injury is getting better and he should be ready by the time they play the Redskins. I'll repeat myself once again - this bye is coming at a great time for the Bills. Guys who are dinged up are finally getting a chance to rest and guys who have been hurt should be close to coming back by the time they have to play again. Hairston got some great experience while Bell was hurt. He looked pretty good in relief.
Shawne Merriman is telling the team and fans that he will be ready to return after the bye week. Gailey seems a bit skeptical and is waiting for an update from the medical staff. Say what you want about him but Merriman does provide stability at the position and plays the run really well. Same can be said for Kelsay. If only he didn't injure his shoulder in the first game, we might have seen some of that explosion that we saw in the preseason. Who knows, maybe the Bills get lucky and he miraculously feels better after the bye and we DO see that playmaker. Given his recent injury history, I wouldn't bet on it.
Speaking of Chris Kelsay, it's looking like his calf injury will be close to healed up for the 'Skins game. Still can't believe we were missing Merriman, Williams and Kelsay on the defensive line against the Giants and it was still a close game.
Gailey said there was no new update on Kyle Williams and they will put his foot through more tests to determine the severity of the injury. His foot has been bothering him since camp. This could explain why he hasn't been as dominant as he was last year. That said, he STILL has been effective when he was in there. Of all the guys injured, this is the guy the Bills need to get better.
Big props to Kraig Urbik who played a good game this past Sunday. He looked like he was going to be the weak link of the line during training camp but before his injury and since he has returned from that injury, he has been solid. I saw him push guys down the field several times against the Giants. Our interior line looks to be in good shape.
McGee solid in return
Terrence McGee got plenty of time at CB for the first time all year since he hurt his hamstring early in the opener against the Chiefs. McGee didn't disappoint. He had some outstanding, hard hitting tackles early in the game resembling a former, undersized cornerback we're all familiar with, Antoine Winfield.
Getting McGee back is huge for the secondary that has struggled mightily the past several weeks. Aaron Williams should be back in 3 weeks or so which will give this secondary another small boost.
I'm personally looking forward to seeing a 100% McGee in the final 10 games of the season - that's if he can avoid injury. We haven't seen much of him in the past few years because of injury but when he's healthy, he's a damn good cornerback. He is in the last year of his deal with the Bills.
Getting McGee back is huge for the secondary that has struggled mightily the past several weeks. Aaron Williams should be back in 3 weeks or so which will give this secondary another small boost.
I'm personally looking forward to seeing a 100% McGee in the final 10 games of the season - that's if he can avoid injury. We haven't seen much of him in the past few years because of injury but when he's healthy, he's a damn good cornerback. He is in the last year of his deal with the Bills.
The Blame Game
I put the loss of the Bengals game on the Defense. This loss falls on Ryan Fitzpatrick who threw 2 critical interceptions at the wrong time.
Stevie Johnson beat his man, Webster, twice on very similar routes and Fitzpatrick under-threw Johnson both times. That doesn't change my opinion on Fitzpatrick. Every QB is going to have a tough game. Fitzpatrick hasn't looked like himself the past 3 weeks but I suspect the bye week is coming at the perfect time for him (along with the rest of the team and their injuries) and will give him plenty of time to look over film and self evaluate.
Stevie Johnson beat his man, Webster, twice on very similar routes and Fitzpatrick under-threw Johnson both times. That doesn't change my opinion on Fitzpatrick. Every QB is going to have a tough game. Fitzpatrick hasn't looked like himself the past 3 weeks but I suspect the bye week is coming at the perfect time for him (along with the rest of the team and their injuries) and will give him plenty of time to look over film and self evaluate.
Bills lose close one against the G Men
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 104 yards and a career-best three touchdowns and Lawrence Tynes kicked a go-ahead, 23-yard field goal with 1:32 remaining to give the New York Giants a 27-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
Bradshaw scored on three one-yard runs and had a 30-yard run to help set up Tynes' winner as the Giants (4-2) rebounded from a bad loss to Seattle last weekend by limiting the high-scoring Bills (4-2) to seven second-half points.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (21 of 30 for 244 yards) threw touchdown passes of 60 yards to Naaman Roosevelt and nine yards to Stevie Johnson, but his final attempt was batted down by Jason Pierre-Paul on a fourth-and-5 from the Bills' 25 to preserve the win.
Fitzpatrick also was intercepted twice by Corey Webster, with the last starting the possession that led to the winning kick.
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