Chiefs vs. Bills: Inside The Enemy Camp
Every week during the season we go “Inside The Enemy Camp” and interview the editor of the FanSided blog that covers KC’s next
victim
opponent.
This week we head to the northeast to talk to Brad Andrews of buffalowdown.com. Brad quietly runs one of the best FanSided blogs out there. He took over BLD during the offseason and the site has been steadily growing ever since. It is a fantastic place to read about the Bills. He was kind enough to answer a few of my questions this week.
Let’s go Inside The Enemy Camp with Buffalowdown!
I thought it would have been really cool to see Cam Newton run Chan Gailey’s offense. Unfortunately, the Panthers snatched him up. The Bills are rolling with Fitzy again. How had he looked this preseason? Is he the man or a placeholder?
Not to give a non-answer, but this will really be the year we see what Fitz is made of. He’s never been give an actual chance to be “the man,” as his only real chances to start previously have involved taking over midseason for awful teams. This year he has no excuse. The Bills are not great at tackle and bad at tight end, but they are at least decent everywhere else on offense. He has enough support to put up some decent numbers if he really can play. If he can’t, the Bills will be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes anyway.
Lee Evans has been destroying defenses in Baltimore. Was getting rid of him maybe a bad idea?
Nah. Evans never seemed comfortable with Gailey and was in desperate need of a change of scenery. The Bills are overloaded with young receiving talent, and Evans would’ve just taken playing time away from them.
CJ Spiller had a less than spectacular rookie season. Has he shown any improvement this preseason?
He’s looked good this preseason. In his rookie season, Spiller really struggled to adjust to the speed of NFL defenses. He was just such an overwhelming talent on the college level he was able to dance behind the line and then still run away from everyone. Not gonna happen in the NFL. Fortunately, the Bills have worked very hard on making him a “one-cut and go” running back, and so far he’s looked far more decisive when he gets the ball.
Who are a couple of young Bills players that KC fans may not have heard of yet that they should keep an eye on Sunday?
The Bills have three second-year wide receivers that could make waves – Donald Jones, David Nelson, and Marcus Easley. Jones and Nelson made the team as undrafted rookies last year while Easley missed his whole rookie season with an injury. Any of the three look like they could be poised for a breakout season (much like Stevie Johnson last year). Jones will likely start opposite Johnson Sunday, so we’ll see what he can do. Also, although he’s not quite “young,” Bills NT Kyle Williams is a truly great player who is only just starting to get the national attention he deserves. He had a pretty amazing season in 2010 despite playing with an awful defense.
New uniforms. Better or worse?
Oh, God, so much better. Not that the new unis are amazing or anything, but the old ones were the worst in the NFL (except maybe the Titans or Panthers). It’s bad enough the team has stunk the past decade…I didn’t need the extra embarrassment of cheering for a team with such crappy uniforms.
Last year’s Chiefs Bills game was a classic. Definitely the scariest Halloween I’ve ever experienced. How hard was it being on the other side of a loss like that? Do you think that will give the team extra motivation his time around?
Well, the Bills lose at least three times a year in ridiculous ways, so I’m sort of numb to it. I do think the team will be plenty motivated however, and you know Chan Gailey would love to stick it to Todd Haley. The Bills have to be looking at this as a golden opportunity to be relevant in 2011, as two of Buffalo’s next three games (vs. Oakland, @ Cincy) are very winnable.
Lastly, your prediction for Sunday’s game?
It should be close. I think the Bills will actually be tough early in the season before the team’s complete lack of depth causes problems. I think it’s going to come down to the Chiefs’ running game – Buffalo’s league-worst run defense should be better in 2011, but will it be good enough to stop Jamaal Charles? I’ll say for now it is and the Bills sneak out of Kansas City with a 20-17 win. But really, Charles shredding the Bills for 175 yards and leading the Chiefs to a blowout win wouldn’t be shocking.
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