Bills – Vikings Live-blog
Pre-game: Unfortunately (or fortunately for some), I’ve had to transfer the live-blog from myBuffalo.com to the Sports Assault Web site due to host issues on the former. Still, no fear! Today, the 2-9 Bills take on the almost-equally woeful 4-7 Minnesota Vikings.
Pre-game: Buffalo has won two of its last three games, with the only loss a 19-16 overtime defeat to Pittsburgh last Sunday. The Bills had several chances to win the game, low-lighted by Stevie Johnson’s blatant drop in the end zone in the extra session.
Pre-game: A host of key Bills will miss today’s contest: Terrence McGee remains out, while Dwan Edwards was placed on the IR earlier this week. Torell Troup, Eric Wood, and Shawn Nelson all won’t suit up. C.J. Spiller returns to action, although he’ll focus on special teams with Fred Jackson excelling in the feature role.
Pre-game: Percy Harvin is forced to sit out with recurring migraine issues, but Adrian Peterson will be in the lineup today after an ankle scare last week. Expect Sidney Rice to see increased targets with Harvin out of the lineup. Pro Bowl left guard Steve Hutchinson’s absence today will be a detriment to the Viking rushing attack.
Pre-game: Minnesota won its honeymoon game following the firing of head coach Brad Childress. Leslie Frazier, who interviewed for the vacant Buffalo coaching job last year, will seek revenge against the club that bypassed him for Chan Gailey.
Pre-game: Brett Favre has thrown one touchdown over the last three weeks – the ageless QB (41 years old) has been saddled with an ankle injury for most of the season, limiting his mobility and making him uncomfortable in the pocket. Still, the 10 TD – 17 INT ratio is not acceptable.
15:00 – Joe Webb returns the opening kickoff to the Minnesota 35. Peterson drags three Buffalo tacklers for a substantial gain on first down.
13:50 – Minnesota’s offensive line initially picks up the rush well, but Favre is hammered from behind by Arthur Moats, forcing a wobbly pass that was intercepted by Drayton Florence. Buffalo takes over at the Viking 45.
13:06 – After a two yard end around to Donald Jones, Fitzpatrick hangs in the pocket and throws a dart at Jones’ feet – incomplete. Urbik, Levitre, Hangartner, Bell, and Wrotto comprise the Bills offensive line.
12:30 – On third and 10, Fitzpatrick rolls right and eludes Jared Allen, but Chad Greenway is disciplined in pursuit, dropping Fitzpatrick for a loss. Moorman’s punt leads to a fair-catch by Joe Webb outside the Minnesota 10.
12:03 – Favre, dinged up on Moats’ hit from behind, won’t start the second series – his backup Tarvaris Jackson is hurriedly warming up on the sideline. Jackson will come in cold, but Buffalo probably isn’t prepared for a quarterback with the opposite style of Favre.
12:03 – Brandon Jacobs scores the day’s first touchdown, busting in from 8 yards out to put the Giants up 7.
11:57 – Chris Kelsay stuffs Adrian Peterson for a three yard loss on first down. Kelsay is coming off a massive game against a depleted (and honestly, not that talented) Pittsburgh offensive line.
11:15 – The Vikings trainers and staff on the sideline are purposely hiding Favre from the camera – the injury could be more serious than first indicated. With Torell Troup jumping offside, Jackson knew he had a free play – the reserve QB launched a deep go route to Sidney Rice, who adjusted to the short throw and corralled the pass in front of Leodis McKelvin.
10:25 – Paul Posluszny blitzes up the middle untouched and knocks Jackson down for a loss of 10. Jackson squirms away from pressure on second down to get close to the previous line of scrimmage. 3rd and 11 facing Minnesota…
9:11 – Jackson targets Berrian on a deep out along the right sideline, but his throw sails out of bounds. Not a good looking throw from the raw QB forced into action. Kluwe pins Buffalo at its own 15. No score.
9:11 – Tarvaris Jackson has seen action in 34 NFL games, including 12 starts in the ’07-’08 season (9 TDs, 12 INTs.) The Alabama State product was a second round pick in 2006.
8:30 – Fred Jackson takes the first two carries of the drive for a combined 9 yards. 3rd and 1 for the Bills, 5 defensive backs for the Vikings.
7:36 – Stevie Johnson gains position in front of Asher Allen and hauls in a 7 yard pass. Johnson’s had a difficult week – he had five drops last Sunday and was disconsolate for much of the week.
6:53 – The pocket closes quickly around Fitzpatrick, and his throwing arm is hit by Jared Allen. The ball bounces toward the far sideline and Antoine Winfield is there to recover for the home team. Buffalo will challenge the ruling on the field, however, as it appeared that Fitzpatrick’s arm was moving forward when Allen knocked the ball loose.
6:53 – A little troubling for Minnesota fans that CBS won’t even show Favre on the sideline, and there’s been no update on the severity of his injury. Could it be his shoulder? Elbow? Hand? It’s hard to say.
6:53 – Solomon Wilcots might be one of the worst color commentators ever. After the review, the ruling is overturned – Buffalo retakes possession after Fitzpatrick’s pass is an incompletion. Favre is taking the long walk to the locker room.
6:18 – On third and 9 for Buffalo, Fitzpatrick fires a deep pass over the middle for Johnson – the ball hits Stevie in the mitts and slips to the turf as Asher Allen closes in. Consider it another drop for the recently-maligned receiver.
6:08 – Tarvaris Jackson returns to the huddle for his second series. Jackson’s only other appearance this year was in Week 8 against the Patriots, where he completed 4 of 6 passes for 36 yards and a TD and added a 33 yard run. He’s very comfortable outside the pocket and can accumulate yardage with his feet, but he’s considered undeveloped from a throwing standpoint. Expect Buffalo to stack the box and force Jackson to beat the Bills deep.
5:10 - Antonio Coleman, an undrafted linebacker for Buffalo, has been ruled out for the game with a knee injury. Arthur Moats, who’s been in on two big plays already, will see the majority of his snaps.
4:34 – Drayton Florence, two weeks removed from winning the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, picks off his second pass of the game, this one for 6. Jackson underthrew his intended target, Greg Camarillo, and Florence pounced on the quick out and jaunted into the end zone. 7-0 Buffalo.
4:34 – Drayton Florence has caught more balls than Stevie Johnson today. That’s Florence’s third interception of the year (second today), but also his second touchdown, as he returned a fumble for a score two weeks ago. 40 yard return on the Bills’ opening TD.
4:29 – Jackson, undaunted by the pick, throws into tight coverage to Sidney Rice for a first down. The Viking horn blows as Leodis McKelvin drags Rice down. Rice is in his third game back after hip surgery kept him on the sideline for the first 9 games of the year.
3:07 – Peterson shakes Arthur Moats at the line of scrimmage and pushes his way past the first down marker. Minnesota is at the Buffalo 46.
2:24 – Jackson latches on to Berrian outside the right hash – the veteran wideout gets inside of McKelvin to catch Jackson’s awkward jump-throw.
1:44 – Jackson tests Buffalo deep – Rice is double-covered by McKelvin and a closing Whitner; Sidney and McKelvin look like they both have possession – the tie usually favors the receiver. The ruling on the field is that Rice was out-of-bounds – after the play is shown on the jumbotron, it looks like Rice landed in-bounds. Pending review, Minnesota may have tied the game on a tremendous individual effort by its top wideout in 2009.
1:45 – The play is overturned – Touchdown Minnesota, as Rice out-jumped and out-muscled two Buffalo players. Who needs Percy Harvin in the lineup? 7-7 tie.
1:37 – After being beaten for a score by Sidney Rice, McKelvin runs into Jonathan Stupar on the kickoff return and fumbles – Frank Walker falls on the ball for Minnesota – first and 10 for the Vikes in the Buffalo red zone. The third year player from Troy’s error are costing the Bills early on. Interesting to see that McKelvin is the primary returner, not the healthy Spiller.
:08 - 3rd and 2 – McKelvin’s having a forgettable first quarter. Jackson targets Berrian isolated on McKelvin along the right sideline, McKelvin hooks his arm under Berrian’s, and he’s whistled for interference. First and goal at the 1 after the mistake. Purple Jesus is pushed back by Paul Posluszny on the final play of the first quarter.
———————————–End of First Quarter, 7-7 tie———————————-
15:00 – McKelvin is tied to the sideline on the first play of the second. He’s got an undesirable hat trick so far – a pass interference penalty, a touchdown he’s responsible for allowing, and a fumbled kick return. Adrian Peterson bulls his way in from one yard out. 14-7 Minnesota after the special teams miscue. Oh points off turnovers, how important you are.
14:56 – 3 catches for 90 yards so far for Sidney Rice, who’s easily been Jackson’s favorite target downfield. Brett Favre has returned to the sideline. McKelvin’s back as a returner again, and he’s pounded to the turf after a five yard return.
14:52 – McKelvin’s play has been uneven this year, and today’s effort is particularly concerning because the former Troy standout is coming off of two solid performances. C.J. Spiller earns two yards on first down, then trots gingerly off the field.
14:15 – It’ll be third and 8 for Buffalo after David Martin catches a quick pass for no gain. Antoine Winfield, one of the best tackling corners in NFL history, pulls Martin to the turf.
13:20 – Jared Allen massacres Demetrius Bell for the second time already. Allen used a speed move around the outside of Bell, and the left tackle got no initial push in pass protection. It’s a pity for Bell, as he’s been a pleasant surprise over the past month.
13:20 – Naaman Roosevelt makes a crunching special teams tackle – losing his helmet in the process. Good to see the University at Buffalo receiving record holder making an impact, even if it’s just on kick coverage. That’s how you keep a roster spot.
13:00 - Shiancoe finds a seam over the middle and catches a pass from Jackson – Jairus Byrd brings him down after a healthy gain. First and 10 at the Buffalo 45.
11:43 – Jackson breaks contain and outruns Arthur Moats for a first down. To make matters worse, Donte Whitner threw his shoulder high at a sliding Tarvaris Jackson, tacking 15 yards onto the run. First and 10 at the Buffalo 15.
11:12 – A quick out to the h-back Jim Kleinsasser nets another first down. Kleinsasser nearly lost his footing while turning after the catch, but he managed a nice gain. Adrian Peterson crushes Akin Ayodele as he plows into the end zone – that’s his second consecutive score, and it’s 21-7 Minnesota with 11:00 left in the 2nd. It’s looking like a huge fantasy day is ahead for Adrian.
11:00 – Only 14 yards on 8 carries for Peterson, but most of those have been tough yards near the goal-line. He’s unquestionably the league’s best power runner. The TD is a milestone, too – Peterson’s 50th NFL score.
10:56 – McKelvin is shaken up after another short return to the Vikes’ 25 yard line. C.J. Spiller runs over to McKelvin and puts his arm around him, probably providing some words of encouragement. Fred Jackson sees a gaping hole right for a 12 yard gain. Great job by the Buffalo line in sustaining their blocks (Wrotto and Urbik on the right side.)
10:02 – I wish Rashad Jennings would stop vulturing TDs from Maurice Jones-Drew. MJD could be one of the most frustrating high picks to own. E.J. Henderson stops Spiller for a three yard loss on a hitter – Spiller had no time to shake E.J.
8:47 – This time, Demetrius Bell holds his own against Allen, but the other side of the Viking d-line causes a turnover. Forced to throw off his back foot, Fitzpatrick can’t get enough zip on the throw – Antoine Winfield easily intercepts the pass and dashes down the near sideline inside the Buffalo 10. Turnovers are absolutely killing the Bills today.
8:00 – Fantastic pass and catch between Jackson and Rice – and the Viking attack, given short fields, is making mincemeat of the Buffalo secondary. Jackson had plenty of time to survey the Bills’ secondary – he lead Rice to the right corner of the end zone, where the athletic wideout sprawled out to make the tough grab. 28-7 - this is looking a lot like the Bengals game two weeks ago. Hopefully Buffalo can muster the same response.
8:00 – 10-12 for 152 yards for Jackson in an emergency backup role. 2 TDs and 1 INt – he’s looked capable, if not a little spotty.
7:45 – Spiller needs to avoid running left/right so frequently, he’s stopped for a loss again. Positive yardage is more important for Buffalo here than trying to make multiple tacklers miss. Fitzpatrick scrambles up the middle, but Chad Greenway wraps up his legs. 3rd and 7…
6:18 - Demetrius Bell jumps offside – Jared Allen is tormenting him today. Geoff Hangartner is out of the game too with a knee injury – Cordaro Howard is in at right guard, while Kraig Urbik shifts to center. The communication cannot be strong for the inexperienced and shuffled front five. Fitzpatrick completes a short throw to David Nelson, but it’s not nearly enough to move the chains. Moorman back on to punt.
5:08 – GARRISON SANBORN, the long-snapper, beats everyone down to make the tackle. Fantastic hang-time on Moorman’s boot.
5:05 - Adrian Peterson shoots through a hole for another first down – 13 yards breaking Kyle Williams tackle with a stiff arm. Ryan Fitzpatrick has 12 yards passing on the afternoon, and the Vikings have scored on four straight trips.
4:17 – Great mobility and awareness by Jackson results in a 20 yard gain. Jackson was nearly sacked by Spencer Johnson, but he threw across his body at the last minute, hitting Camarillo in stride. Donte Whitner’s shoestring tackle holds AP to six yards rather than a long TD.
2:53 – Peterson reads his blocks exceptionally well – he waited for a hole to form and sped through it for another hefty gain. First and 10 at the Buffalo 35.
2:12 - Jarring hit by McKelvin on Gerhart on a slip screen may have forced a fumble, but the officials rule it incomplete. Did Gerhart have control and make a football move before McKelvin forced the ball loose? Tough to say, but the calls aren’t going the Bills way so far. Two minute warning.
2:00 – Three rushing TDs for NYG today – 2 for Bradshaw, 1 for Jacobs. 21-0 lead for the Giants over Washington at the intermission.
1:51 – A 3rd and 2 run is a sure-thing for AP – he powers his way behind right guard to move the chains. 1st and 10 from the 20, Gerhart now in the backfield.
1:17 - Great pursuit on first down by Arthur Moats, giving Jackson no other choice but to throw the ball out of bounds. 2nd and 10. Gerhart is smothered by McCargo a yard beyond the line of scrimmage, setting up a 3rd and long.
:20 – After notching a sack earlier on Jackson, Posluszny blows up a screen pass to Gerhart on third down. This isn’t a chip shot field goal for Ryan Longwell, even if he’s one of the NFL’s most reliable kickers.
:00 – Longwell splits the uprights from 38 yards out, and we’re heading to halftime.
——————————————Halftime, 31-7 Minnesota——————————-
Halftime – Plenty of problem areas for Buffalo after 30 minutes of play. The Bills haven’t excelled in any facet of the game – the pass defense has been porous, the passing game is nonexistent, and Fred Jackson hasn’t found enough touches to make a difference. Stevie Johnson’s dropsies have persisted, and Leodis McKelvin may be the most hated man in Buffalo after Stevie. Down 24, Buffalo faces a tough road in making this a contest.
Halftime – Wow, Nick Collins’ missed tackle on Vernon Davis’ long TD was very, very embarrassing. Straight up Whitnerian. 15 first downs for Minnesota, only 2 for Buffalo.
Halftime – On another note, Green Bay’s throwback uniforms look more like t-shirts. A little wolverine-ish, even.
Halftime – I’m a little surprised that Brandon Marshall is sitting today. Hamstring injuries can be pesky, but still, the ‘Fins are on the outside looking in on the playoff race in the AFC – they’re two games out of the Wild Card and three games back of the division lead. In a must-win situation, you’d think the Dolphins most dangerous offensive weapon would play through injury.
Halftime – How much of Minnesota’s dominance can be attributed to Leslie Frazier as the new head coach? Probably a little bit, since Brad Childress was an incredibly divisive figure. Still, Sidney Rice’s return to health plays an equally large part.
15:00 – Buffalo opens the second half with the ball – not a good return by the tentative Spiller, however.
14:50 – Fitzpatrick tries to find Lee Evans on the first play, but Frank Walker drifts underneath and leaps to tip the ball away. 2nd and 10, 4-10 passing so far for Fitz. Jackson meets the Williams Wall inside, setting up a 3rd and 9.
13:59 – Well-designed screen pass by Gailey on third down, but Jackson can’t quite pass the first down marker. Moorman on to punt after the Bills go three-and-out to open the second stanza.
13:14 - Two bright spots for Buffalo so far: Paul Posluszny and Arthur Moats. That’s about it. 1-7 on third down today for Buffalo.
13:07 – Jackson checks down to Peterson on first down, but Ayodele stops him immediately after the catch. Short gain.
12:40 – Posluszny drags down Peterson on a stretch play to the left side – 3rd and 4 upcoming for Minnesota.
11:50 – Posluszny shows blitz, then drops into coverage. Jackson’s throw over the middle is tipped into the air by Camarillo and picked off by Leodis McKelvin, who atones a little for his horrific first half. Buffalo takes over close to midfield.
11:52 – Buffalo gets a free five yards as Kevin Williams commits a neutral zone infraction. Demetrius Bell pointed vehemently at the half of the Williams Wall that swayed across the line. Fred Jackson slips past Hamza Abdullah – Andy Levitre is called for a 15 yard personal foul penalty. 2nd and 15, unnecessary penalty by one of the more experienced Bill o-linemen.
10:50 – Fitzpatrick whips a 23 yard pass over the middle to Lee Evans – that’s the former Wisconsin star’s first catch. The ball is turned back over to the Vikings, however, as Corey McIntyre fumbles a screen pass. Hits by Leber and Abdullah on the play. Minnesota starts at its own 27 after Buffalo’s third turnover of the day.
8:39 – After two Gerhart runs set up a 3rd and 2, Visanthe Shiancoe jumps offside. 3rd and 7 won’t be as easy for Jackson and co. DeGeare, the left guard taking Hutchinson’s place, is offside on the next play. 3rd and 12 after two bone-headed penalties.
7:45 – A very delayed draw play for Gerhart is good for nine yards, but Posluszny and Wilson stop the former Stanford Heisman runner up shy of the first down marker. Chris Kluwe was a speed-reader and a musician? What the heck? Kluwe was run into on the play – let’s see what the call is.
7:18 – Unnecessary roughness on Quinton Ganther, a player the Bills signed a couple weeks ago, who hit Kluwe late. The penalty extends the Minnesota offensive series.
7:18 – Chris Ivory adds a TD run of one yard after his earlier 55 yard jaunt for a score. New Orleans has opened up a two touchdown margin over Cincinnati, 20-6.
7:05 – Short pass to Spiller is good for three yards. C.J., thought to be the most elusive player in college football last year, hasn’t made anyone miss this year (aside from a few kick returns, I suppose). Jared Allen pulls down Fred Jackson in the backfield – not far from a horse collar tackle, though.
5:55 – Fitzpatrick escapes pressure and connects with David Nelson along the right hashmark. Comeback route in front of Lito Sheppard is good for first down yardage.
5:05 – Spiller finds daylight down the near sideline for 21. Excellent initial block by Levitre and an even better one downfield by McIntyre. Second longest play from scrimmage by Buffalo. Spiller hits the hole hard on second down but nets only two before Winfield brings him down.
3:29 - Big third and 3 for Buffalo here close to midfield – and flags fly at the snap. False start on Mansfield Wrotto. Another third and long situation, will trusty David Nelson be targeted again?
3:29 – Buffalo opts for a timeout. TDs from around the league – Ben Watson from Delhomme in Cleveland, Terrell Owens from Palmer in Cincinnati.
2:54 – Lito Sheppard looked like he was all over Evans, but after replays, there was rightly no pass interference called. Incomplete pass, Moorman on to punt again. Camarillo fair catches the ball at the 16. Heavy dose of Peterson/Gerhart on the ensuing drive, I bet.
2:40 – Tough solo tackle by Whitner on a sweep by Gerhart. Toby scoots off left guard for another four yards – it’s 3rd and 2 again. Frazier hopes that the Vikings won’t jump offside twice this time.
1:03 – Gerhart sheds Posluszny’s tackle and motors for a first down. Peterson re-enters the fray – no break for the Buffalo front seven. A lob to the near sideline by Jackson to Rice is good for another 9 yards.
:18 – Kicking problems galore in Cincinnati as the new kicker – whoever followed Nugent and Pettrey – botched an extra point after Owens’ TD.
:06 – Jackson tries another deep ball, but Donte Whitner makes a basket catch for Buffalo’s fourth interception of the day. The Bills only have seven points to show for their four picks, however.
:04 – There’s a review on the field regarding whether or not Whitner was down by contact. Whitner is not ruled down, so his return is validated. Wilcots and Harlan are perplexed.
:04 – The Bills begin at their own 46, trailing by 4 possessions. McIntyre blatantly drops an out pass to the near sideline. Kevin Harlan starts to talk about a Super Bowl song, then abruptly trails off. Good story, Kevin.
————————————-End of Third Quarter, 31-7 Minnesota—————————–
14:55 – The first play of the fourth quarter isn’t one to remember for Buffalo. Jared Allen sneaks around Demetrius Bell again – don’t expect a high Pro Football Focus rating for Bell today – and Allen pokes the ball loose from Fitzpatrick. Bryan Robison falls on the ball.
14:46 – Adrian Peterson just busted loose. Terrible angles taken by McKelvin and Byrd in their tackle attempts – 43 yard TD run by AP, who simply found a hole and outraced everyone. He’s making a case that he deserves the title of best back in the NFL over Chris Johnson – granted, the Bills’ run defense isn’t exactly a stiff test. 38-7, a blowout for Minnesota, and Leslie Frazier is 2-0 as a head coach.
14:46 – This edition of the Vikings is closer to what experts expected from the NFC North division co-favorites before the season. Peterson is dominating on the ground, and the defense is creating turnovers and fine field position for the offense. The offense certainly looks better with Jackson at the helm instead of Favre, but who knows how the gunslinger would have fared today if he wasn’t knocked out on the first passing play.
14:46 – It’s really frustrating, as a Bills supporter, to look at our starting linebackers. We’re missing bulky Andra Davis and Kawika Mitchell – they’re just so much tougher and more experienced against the run than expendable players like Ayodele, Coleman, and even Moats, who’s more of a pass rusher than a run stopper at this point in his career.
13:18 – Terrific throw down the left sideline by Ryan Fitzpatrick – he threaded the pass 20 yards downfield between the corner and the safety. On the first play, C.J. Spiller exploits a hole up the middle and accelerates for 11 yards. That’s the second nice block in the second half by Fred Jackson, who’s seeing time in the backfield next to Buffalo’s first round pick.
12:08 – On cue, Spiller loses four as he tries to turn the corner – there wasn’t much help from Wrotto and Howard on the right side, however.
11:21 – Fitzpatrick throws a wobbler over the middle – fortunately Lee Evans is wide open. Evans bobbles the ball at first but secures possession inside the Minnesota 10 yard line. Shovel pass for Donald Jones is good for a yard or two.
10:33 – Kraig Urbik is down on the turf after an awkward looking knee injury. Out comes the dreaded cart from the sideline – does Buffalo have any more healthy offensive linemen on the roster? WHERE IS KIRK CHAMBERS?
10:33 – Ed Wang sighting! Nice. The Bills took him late from Virgina Tech in the 2010 NFL Draft. On second and goal, Fitzpatrick throws a dart into the chest of David Nelson, who tries to reach over the goal line but cannot. 3rd and goal from the 1.
9:25 – Due to all the offensive line shuffling, the exchange between Levitre and Fitzpatrick isn’t clean. Fumble, Minnesota takes over at its own 1. Big stand for the Vikings, and CBS reports that it’s the first 3rd-and-1 that Minnesota has stopped all year. I have a feeling the rest of this live-blog will NOT be exciting.
9:05 – Albert Young now in the backfield for Minnesota – he’s a smaller, shifty type back compared to Peterson and Gerhart. Aaron Maybin’s seen a few more snaps than usual today – it’s a victory for him just to be active on game-days now.
6:55 – CBS is lauding Leslie Frazier’s job through two games. He’s certainly given the team stability, but it’s very difficult to be a worse/more polarizing coach than Chilly was. Bryan Scott stops Albert Young for no gain on 3rd down.
5:52 – Kluwe punts to Spiller, who bursts through a hole close to midfield. There’s a flag down, however, and it’s an ineligible downfield penalty on the Vikings’ Everson Griffen, a rookie from Florida State. I don’t think I spelled his name correctly, but you get the general idea. He was once touted as a first round pick before a college injury!
5:52 – It’s a little sad that I’ve sunk to joking about the spellings of obscure special teamers. This is one of those moments where you wish Kent Hull and Will Wolford and Carwell Gardner came out of the woodwork to help this depleted (and terrible) offensive line. Fitzpatrick overthrows Evans on a deep route down the right sideline that was a yard overthrown – good attempt that would have gone for six.
4:57 – Bryan Robison abuses Wrotto again at right tackle, hitting Fitzpatrick’s arm as he releases the football. Mercifully for Buffalo, the pass falls harmlessly to the turf.
4:46 – On fourth and 7, Fitzpatrick hooks up with Stevie Johnson for 28, and Stevie did a nice job picking up additional yardage after the catch – solid block by Ganther on the outside. Nice to see Johnson finally make a tough grab.
4:43 – Fitzpatrick links up with David Nelson for a 12 yard TD – Madieu Williams gave the undrafted rookie too much of a cushion, and Fitzpatrick threw a bulls-eye on the post route. 38-14 Minnesota, and that’s Nelson’s first NFL TD.
4:43 - Somehow, the unrelenting Bengals have tied New Orleans at 27 late in the fourth on a two point conversion pass from Palmer to the rookie Gresham. Cedric Benson has scored Cincinnati’s last two TDs on short runs.
4:43 – It’s tough to win when you turn the ball over five times as the Bills have, but Minnesota has done it four times – it’s a matter of capitalizing off giveaways, and if you give Adrian Peterson a short field, there’s little chance of stopping him. If you like the “second person,” that last sentence was for you. English joke!
3:00 – Bootleg and toss from Jackson to Kleinsasser results in just enough for a first down. Buffalo may not touch the football again this afternoon.
1:45 – Albert Young runs off right end and is tackled by Posluszny, who has 14 tackles and a sack today.
:45 - Minnesota’s recovered nicely from losing starting QB Brett Fravre on the first passing play of the game and rode workhorse back Adrian Peterson to a comfortable home victory over Buffalo. The Bills’ league-worst run defense surrendered another 200+ yard game to an opponent.
————————————-End of Game, 38-14 Minnesota———————————–
Post-game – Hopefully the press conference isn’t focused on Brett Favre’s injury. I feel bad for any media member who has to sit through that.
