Strategy And Personnel

PLAYER NOTES

--LB Nick Barnett was in on 10 tackles. He has proven to be a solid addition to the defense as a free agent.

--WR David Nelson caught four passes for 47 yards, including a 26-yarder on the Bills' first touchdown drive.

--RB/WR C.J. Spiller caught two passes for 9 yards while playing wide receiver all day. On punts, he had three returns for 22 yards.

--WR Naaman Roosevelt had only one pass thrown his way, and he caught it for a 22-yard gain.

--FS Jairus Byrd was in on four tackles and made an interception.

--LB Spencer Johnson has adapted to his role in the defense and was in on four tackles, had a sack and blocked a field goal.

REPORT CARD vs. REDSKINS

PASSING OFFENSE
A-minus -- Ryan Fitzpatrick signed a rich, multiyear contract extension Friday, and two days later, played as if he deserved it. He completed 21 of 27 passes for 262 yards with two TDs and an interception. The pick was a bad one, as it came in the end zone and cost Buffalo points, but the two TDs were well-conceived plays to TE Scott Chandler. The Bills continue to trot out a patchwork receiving corps of good -- not great -- players, and they got the job done. Stevie Johnson had six catches. David Nelson had four receptions, including a 26-yarder, and Brad Smith, C.J. Spiller and Naaman Roosevelt combined for six catches. The offensive line rose to the challenge of protecting against a strong Washington pass rush.

RUSHING OFFENSE
A -- Fred Jackson is making a strong case for MVP recognition as the NFL nears the halfway point. He's fourth in the league in rushing, and he's second in yards gained from scrimmage. Against the Redskins, he rushed for 120 yards, caught passes for 74 yards, picked up blitzes, and as he always does, led by example. It has gotten to the point where you expect him to make a big play every time he touches the ball.

PASS DEFENSE
A -- The Bills took advantage of a banged-up Redskins offense and battered QB John Beck with nine sacks, Buffalo's second-highest total in team history. The sacks went for 56 yards, and Beck threw for only 208 yards in his team's shutout loss. The Bills locked up Washington's subpar receiving corps, and the Redskins' longest play was 24 yards. George Wilson and Jairus Byrd both had interceptions, Leodis McKelvin had two pass breakups, and Marcell Dareus led the sack parade with 2 1/2, the most by a Buffalo rookie in 24 years.

RUSH DEFENSE
A-plus -- Buffalo took the early lead and turned the Redskins one-dimensional pretty quickly. Without Tim Hightower, Washington had almost no running attack and finished with just 26 yards on 12 attempts. That yield was the 10th best in Bills history, and this was just the third time the Bills have not allowed a rushing first down. Dareus was a beast on the inside, and Nick Barnett was in on 10 tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS
B -- Rian Lindell made three of his four field-goal attempts, the miss coming on a 44-yarder he clanked it off the upright. Spiller just can't break a punt return, and it's starting to become a concern. He's supposed to be a guy who can make the first guy miss and then hit a seam, but he never seems to do that. The kickoff coverage team did an excellent job, as the Redskins' average drive start after kickoffs was the 19-yard line. Brian Moorman had a poor 27.7-yard net average because the punt team allowed a 21-yard return.

COACHING
A-minus -- Chan Gailey called a smart game. The best thing he does each week is give Fitzpatrick latitude on the field to call audibles, which Fitzpatrick does exceptionally well. Repeatedly in this game, Fitzpatrick was able to get the Bills into the right situation, and that's a credit to Gailey for his preparation and his trust in his quarterback. On defense, it was a very good day for George Edwards and Dave Wannstedt, as they knew the Redskins' line was terrible, and they attacked it with a bunch of pressure packages. Clearly, the Bills made good use of their bye week.

Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.