Buccaneers-Bills Preview

VIDEO PLAYLIST

• Countdown Daily Recap: Buccaneers-Bills

SCOUTING REPORT

Buccaneers-Bills: 10 observations After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Bucs-Bills matchup. 1. Tampa Bay needs to limit Buffalo's ability to make big plays on offense: Against Dallas last weekend, Tampa Bay's defense gave up more than 22 yards a catch and three touchdown passes of more than 40 yards. That is a far cry from the vaunted Tampa Cover 2 defenses that, over the years, would bend but not give up the big play. Look for the Buccaneers' two safeties to stay deeper and be less concerned about coming up for run support.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
TAM	1-9	164	294	1-5	0-4	0-2	1-6
BUF	3-7	155	228	1-3	2-4	1-2	1-6
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Tampa Bay Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Johnso... 50.4 685 4 8 Leftwi... 54.2 594 4 3

Buffalo Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Edward... 60.2 1170 6 7 Fitzpa... 51.9 659 3 6

Tampa Bay Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Willia... 117 450 3.8 3 Ward 66 243 3.7 1

Buffalo Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Jackso... 129 528 4.1 0 Lynch 87 272 3.1 1

Tampa Bay Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Winslo... 47 483 10.3 5 Bryant 19 269 14.2 2

Buffalo Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Owens 35 563 16.1 2 Evans 28 396 14.1 5

Full Player Stats: Tampa Bay | Buffalo

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	TAM	271.0
	BUF	276.0
Yards Passing	TAM	169.8
	BUF	173.5
Yards Rushing	TAM	100.7
	BUF	102.2
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	TAM	378.3
	BUF	366.7
Pass Yds Allowed	TAM	209.4
	BUF	200.8
Rush Yds Allowed	TAM	168.9
	BUF	165.9

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
Series tied 1-1
Sep 18, 2005	TAM 19, @BUF 3

A costly fourth-quarter fumble turned a potential surprise victory into a disappointing collapse for the Buffalo Bills in their 2009 opener. They'll try to rebound Sunday when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the first time.

The Bills appeared headed to an upset win at New England on Monday night but squandered an 11-point lead with just over 2 minutes to play to fall 25-24.

The momentum appeared to shift once Buffalo gave up an 18-yard touchdown pass with 2:06 remaining. Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin then lost a fumble on the ensuing kickoff after opting to run it out of the end zone, getting stripped of the ball while fighting for extra yardage.

With 50 seconds remaining, Tom Brady threw another TD to drop the Bills, while McKelvin returned home to find his front lawn vandalized with an obscenity and the final score painted on it.

"I chose to bring it out because that's me," McKelvin said. "If I had that choice, probably 100 times, I'd do it again. Next time I get the opportunity, I've just got to do my job and make sure I hold onto the ball."

Coach Dick Jauron doesn't see a need to use someone else on kickoff returns.

"It was one of those things that happen, but I don't have any problem with Leodis," he said. "He's a guy that plays hard. He's a guy that really could take it to the house."

Jauron might be more concerned with getting Terrell Owens more involved after he caught two passes for 46 yards Monday. The outspoken wide receiver, who missed most of the exhibition season with a sprained toe, didn't talk after the defeat.

"He's obviously a big-time weapon in our offense and we need to keep getting him the ball," quarterback Trent Edwards said. "He's a competitor. I've said that all along. And that's rubbing off on the rest of us. That's why we're competing for four quarters there and having a guy like that in the locker room, on the field with us, frustrated or not, he's still raising the level of our game.

"We need to feed off that."

Edwards is looking to build on a solid performance. He completed 15 of 25 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns but was sacked four times.

Edwards now faces a Buccaneers defense that gave up 462 yards -- 344 through the air -- in a 34-21 home loss to Dallas last Sunday.

Buffalo's defense has been hit by a pair of injuries after allowing 441 yards, 368 passing.

The unit will be without middle linebacker Paul Posluszny for about six weeks due to a broken bone in his left arm, while end Chris Kelsay is day-to-day with a knee injury.

Posluszny will likely be replaced by Marcus Buggs, who's appeared in five games since being signed to the practice squad last season.

The Bills are 2-6 against the Buccaneers, but all of those meetings have come in Tampa. The Bucs won 19-3 in the last matchup Sept. 18, 2005.

They are also stinging from their season-opening loss, which featured a pair of long second-half touchdown passes by Tony Romo.

"I don't know if they feel any worse than we do," coach Raheem Morris said of the Bills' defeat compared to his team's. "A loss is a loss. There's no moral victories.

"There's no way to go into a stadium and come out and say 'man, we lost that game, but we really did good.' No, you don't. You go home and sit on your coach and go 'whoa is me' for 12 hours then you get up and come back to work. You can't go in there and think about how you just lost or what could've happened or what should've happened or you'll lose the next week."

One bright spot for Tampa Bay was the play of Byron Leftwich, who completed 25 of 41 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown.

Leftwich also has a solid ground game to rely on, as Carnell Williams and Derrick Ward accounted for 159 of the Buccaneers' 174 rushing yards while each scoring a TD.

Sources: Bucs demote Bates, give Morris D

Continuing a tumultous year, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers changed defensive coordinators Monday night, demoting Jim Bates and handing over their defense to head coach Raheem Morris, according to sources close to the situation.

Source: Bills reach out to Cowher, who declines

The Buffalo Bills have reached out to former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher, but he has informed them that he's not interested in interviewing for the job at this time, a source said Monday.

Bills RG Wood has surgery to fix broken left leg

Bills starting right guard Eric Wood is recovering after surgery to repair a broken left leg that was so severely damaged CBS elected against showing replays of the hit.

FBO: Week 11 Quick Reads

Football Outsiders apply their metrics to Week 11. Findings: Even when Wes Welker doesn't find the end zone, he's historic; Mark Sanchez isn't ready; DeAngelo Williams needs the rock more; and T.J. Houshmandzadeh may have saved Minny's season.

Bucs' Zuttah apparently ahead of Sears at left guard

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are undergoing a changing of their left guard, and it definitely appears as though the key figure in that change is second-year pro Jeremy Zuttah.

Jackson needs swagger

If Amarri Jackson wants to make sure he gets to training camp and through the preseason for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, wide receiver Antonio Bryant has some veteran advice for the Sarasota native.

Receiver Kelly Campbell savors his chance to make Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Each time Bucs receiver Kelly Campbell reads a headline about an NFL player who has been arrested or otherwise gotten into trouble, he can't help but immediately think about the potential consequences.

Dungy is moving forward

It had been a busy Thursday morning but now Tony Dungy was heading back across the Howard Frankland Bridge toward Tampa after a couple of meetings in a campaign to increase parental involvement in Florida public schools.

Mangurian looking for discipline on Bucs' OL

Two months before the start of training camp, Tampa Bay's new offensive line coach has a chilling message for his minions: If you're not planning on being smart and disciplined, don't bother showing up.

Kim brings new tips to Bills' defenders

The Buffalo Bills have a martial arts expert working with their players this week.

Bills' Maybin offers path to success

Buffalo Bills rookie defensive end Aaron Maybin asked a question of about 180 high school football players getting ready to practice at the team's fieldhouse Tuesday evening.

BILLS: Road back for Bowen nearly complete

The road has always been long for Alvin Bowen. Originally, Bowen's football odyssey took him from New Jersey to a Kansas junior college, then later to Iowa State - a long way from a New York City suburb.

BILLS: Corner not afraid of competition

Good thing Reggie Corner isn't afraid to come back clawing and scratching after getting picked on.

To Help at Receiver, Buffalo Adds Fire to Ice

Count Lee Evans as a fan of Terrell Owens . With teams preparing for the coming season, keep up with all the off-season news on the Times's pro football blog.