N.Y. Giants at Buffalo Bills
BUFFALO BILLS (7-7) vs. N.Y. GIANTS (9-5)
December 23, 2007
Press Box Pregame Notes: It’s two days before Christmas and Buffalo’s final home game of the 2007 regular season. Despite the fact the Bills have been eliminated from playoff contention, there are a number of interesting storylines surrounding today’s game against the favored N.Y. Giants. The Giants are still alive for an NFC Playoff berth, but with the (still) undefeated New England Patriots on their sked next week, they desperately need a win today against the Bills if they hope to advance to the postseason. Also, I have learned that Kevin Everett will be at today’s game. It still isn’t clear whether Kevin will walk onto the field (I hope he does), but he will be here in the stadium and that will certainly provide an emotional lift to the Bills. I wonder if I’ll see him in the locker room after the game ….. I just arrived here in the Press Box and today should be an adventure weather-wise. The drive in from the southtowns was incredibly windy. It is rather warm. Temps are expected to be in the 50s. But the wind and rain will undoubtedly be a factor today. I’m watching the teams warm up and the sky is brightening and the precipitation is nothing more than a light mist right now ….. Lee Evans just made a one-handed grab of a Trent Edwards pass in warm-ups. I think he’s one of the best receivers in the NFL ….. I’m anxious to see a great matchup between Buffalo’s constantly improving O-line and the Giants’ feared pass rushers, Osi Umenyiora (12 sacks) and Michael Strahan (nine sacks). The Bills have not allowed a sack in the past three games ….. The Jills are appropriately dressed in red Santa outfits and they’re pulling the Bills mascot around in a sleigh. Nice ….. Game time temp was just announced at 53 degrees and winds are expected to gust up to 35 mph this afternoon. I’m sure Brian Moorman and Rian Lindell are none-too-excited ….. It’s an understandably late arriving crowd with the crappy weather ….. We just noticed some great new Sony hi-def flat screens here in the Press Box. Impressive.
1st Quarter - The Bills won the toss and elected to receive, of course. Lawrence Tynes kicked the ball OB so the Bills will start from their own 40 ….. A 21-yard pass completion from Trent Edwards to Lee Evans is a good way to start. The Bills are in a no-huddle offense ….. Nice nine-yard gain by Marshawn Lynch for a first down at the Giants’ 38 ….. After an obvious holding call, Trent dumped a pass to Marshawn and his “beast mode” took over, gaining 30 yards to the Giants’ six ….. Two plays later, a nifty toss from Trent to TE Michael Gaines for a TD and the Bills are up 7-0. The Giants got good pressure on that drive, but Trent was quick to get rid of the ball, something he is becoming noted for ….. The Giants went three-and-out on two runs by Brandon Jacobs and an errant throw by Eli Manning ….. As usual, Roscoe Parrish made things exciting on the punt, returning a 51-yarder 20 yards. The Bills will start on their own 34 ….. Marshawn just showed his good hands on a 12-yard catch-and-run. The Bills are still in a no-huddle offense as the rain starts again ….. Roscoe Parrish just made an amazing, diving 42-yard catch at the Giants’ four ….. Next play, Trent to Lee Evans for a TD and just like that, the Bills are up 14-0 and making it look very easy ….. Dustin Fox just dropped Ahmad Bradshaw on the ensuing kickoff. The Giants will start at their own 30, down by two TDs ….. On 3rd and 10, Eli hit Amani Toomer for 55 yards, but the Bills are challenging that he was down by contact at the 31 instead of the 15. The Bills won the challenge, so it’s a 39-yard gain for NY ….. On 3rd and 9, the ball slipped out of Eli’s hands attempting to throw and the Giants have to punt. Good punt, though, to the Bills’ 4 ….. The Giants look sloppy. Two penalties and two Marshawn runs have the Bills out to their own 18 ….. One play later, Trent has all day to throw but ends up dumping it to Michael Gaines who catches and runs for 20 yards to end the quarter.
2nd Quarter - The Bills have some breathing room now at their own 37 ….. Three plays later, the Bills will punt for the first time ….. Bad snap on the punt and the Bills turn the ball over at their own 23. The rain is coming down in sheets. I mean, it is pouring. I’m glad I’m inside. Nevertheless, Eli completes a 12-yard pass to Amani Toomer ….. Two plays later, Brandon Jacobs scores and the Bills’ lead is cut to 14-7. The turnover cost the Bills as the defense was forced to defend a short field ….. The Jills left the field and returned with clear ponchos ….. The slick ball is causing problems now. Trent Edwards’ pass sailed well over Lee Evans’ head on 3rd and 5. Pro Bowler Jason Peters was hurt on the play. He walked off with a limp ….. NY takes over on their own 43 after Brian Moorman’s punt hit an unsuspecting Giants player and went out of bounds ….. Three-and-out with a slick ball fumble on 3rd and 8 ….. Donte Whitner dove for a blocked punt attempt but ran into punter Jeff Feagles without touching the ball, so the Giants will take over after a 15-yard personal foul penalty ….. Brandon Jacobs just tied the game on a 43-yard burst. His combination of size and speed is scary as he just ran away from the defense. We’re tied at 14 and suddenly it’s a new game ….. Jason Peters is staying on the sidelines as the Bills get back on offense. He’s standing so it doesn’t appear to be too serious ….. That being said, the Bills just gave up their first sack in three weeks ….. Add a false start penalty and the Bills are kind of reeling ….. It was just announced that Jason Peters has a groin injury ….. Brian Moorman got the Bills out of trouble with a 52-yard punt ….. Eli had all day to throw on 3rd down and completed a 19-yard pass to Amani Toomer ….. The Bills’ D holds, forcing a 42-yard field goal attempt. It’s good. The Giants have scored 17 unanswered points …..With the ball back in their two-minute offense, Trent makes a nice 11-yard completion to Josh Reed at the Bills’ 44. Two-minute warning ….. The Bills are missing Jason Peters. His replacement, Kirk Chambers, just got beat by Osi U. who forced Trent to fumble. The Bills recovered, but it’s 3rd and forever ….. After a punt, with 1:18 to go in the half, I’m guessing the Giants will go into their own two-minute offense ….. Giants WR Steve Smith just dropped what looked like a sure TD and the Giants media sitting in front of me just erupted in disgust ….. Aaron Schobel forced a fumble and recovered, but there are only two seconds left in the half.
Halftime - It was a tale of two quarters. The Bills scoring 14 in the first and the Giants scoring 17 in the second. Both quarters were really one-sided in all aspects ….. Maybe the best lasagna I’ve ever had. Love these food service peeps. I have to give season-long props to Delaware North Companies SportsService ….. Some guy in a sopping wet Bills jacket just walked past me and said: “Thank God your inside, kid.” I must be getting old because it felt nice to be called “kid.” It also feels nice to be warm and dry in the press box.
3rd Quarter - The lights are on, it’s dark outside, and the weather stinks (still raining) as we start the 3rd quarter. LB Keith Ellison just intercepted a tipped pass and the Bills take over at their own 31. Jabari Greer made a great break on a ball intended for Plaxico Burress, tipping it in the air for Keith to grab ….. Marshawn for 28 yards to the Giants’ 3 and then he walks in for the TD on the next play. Before you can blink, the Bills are back on top 21-17. Marshawn is inching toward a 1,000-yard season ….. The Giants are moving the ball, gashing the Bills’ D with big Brandon Jacobs for 8, 15 and 5 yards. Brandon limped off the field (with help) on the last gain. He could barely put any weight on his left leg. Apparently, it didn’t affect the Giants as reserve RB Ahmad Bradshaw gained 15 yards on the next play ….. Offensive pass interference on Plaxico Burress backs the Giants up 10 yards ….. Ahamad Bradshaw is now taking his turn at chewing up the Bills’ D (runs of 15, 3, 11 and 6), now to the 1, first and goal ….. The Bills step up big with a goal line stand on three downs, forcing a 4th and goal from the 2 and John McCargo tackled Ahmad Bradshaw for a three-yard loss. What a huge goal line stand for the Bills and they’ll take over from their own 5 still leading this game ….. That joy was short-lived as Buffalo goes three-and-out ….. Brandon Jacobs is back in the game and he just rumbled for 12 yards. He now has 123 yards on 19 carries. For a second week in a row, the Bills’ small but quick defense is getting hammered by a big-body back ….. The pounding continues as the 3rd quarter ends.
4th Quarter - Eli fumbled the snap and the Bills recover (Larry Triplett pounces on it) at their own 11. What a huge mistake and the second turnover this half for the Giants ….. Trent Edwards just threw an interception. The ball bounced off Lee Evans and Kawika Mitchell returned it 20 yards for a TD. That was a huge mistake the Bills could not afford to make in such a close game. Giants lead 24-21 ….. The Bills take over needing some offense. Thus, Trent to Lee Evans for 18 yards and Marshawn runs for 13 more. Marshawn passes the 1,000-yard mark with that gain, only the 4th rookie RB to ever do so for the Bills ….. The drive stalls after those first two plays, though, and Buffalo punts to the Giants’ 19 ….. The Giants appear content to keep the ball on the ground, but it backfires on 3rd and 1 on a nice defensive play by Keith Ellison (taking out the lead blocker) and John DiGiorgio (who made the tackle) ….. Giants’ CB James Butler just dropped an INT that hit him between the numbers. Josh Reed dropped the next Trent Edwards pass. Trent fumbled and both teams kicked it around before the Bills recovered ….. That whole series looked like a blooper reel ….. Terrence McGee just made a huge pick around midfield and the Bills take over at the Giants’ 38. Terrence grabbed it with one hand and cradled it against his shoulder pad for the pick ….. The temperature has dropped so drastically, it’s now snowing ….. The Bills go three-and-out ….. After a punt pins the Giants at their own 12, Ahmad Bradshaw just ran 88 yards for a TD and the Giants are now up by ten, 31-21 ….. As I was packing up to head down to the tunnel for the postgame podcast, Corey Webster intercepted Trent Edwards and returned it 38 yards for a TD to add insult to injury. The Giants win 38-21.
Final Thoughts - This is certainly not the way the Bills wanted to see the home schedule end. The score was really not indicative of how close the game was. But the one stat that was glaringly lopsided were the yards rushing for the Giants. Ahmad Bradshaw had 17 carries for 151 yards and Brandon Jacobs had 25 carries for 143 yards ….. I had a great season-ending talk with Donte Whitner after the game. Donte, as usual, took all the time the media needed to answer questions and was very polite and patient after the loss. He even took extra-extra time with me and he was one of the last players in the locker room, which is pretty typical. I look for Donte to be named one of the Bills’ team captains next season. I don’t know how he cannot be. He’s clearly one of the team leaders ….. As I walked back to the press box from the locker room, it was dark and the wind and ice just about knocked me down, pelting against my face and I struggled to find my way. This was the second worst weather I’ve ever been outside in ….. I am sad to see the season end. It’s been a great ride and I was glad to be a part of the Bills’ media this year. It was a lot of work, but I have many fond memories of covering the team this season and I’m looking forward to next year. As I get ready to head home for the holidays (literally, I’m leaving for my fam’s place in Pennsylvania in a few moments), I want to thank the Bills’ excellent media relations staff, namely Scott Berchtold, Chris Jenkins and Dawn Dotzler. They were always very kind and helpful and made the whole experience very enjoyable.
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