Cv\/-» vi4-o Behrend Beacon IA I I I 1 I I September 11,2009 Y"* a* www.thebehrendbeacon.com I\J PRO FOOTBALL Bills and Browns aim to be contenders this season The Buffalo Bills open the 2009 season on Monday Night Football against their AFC East rival, the New England Patriots on Sept 14. The Bills finished with a discouraging 7-9 record last season, after shooting out of the gates to a 5-1 record. The biggest offseason news for the Bills would have to be the quisition of wide receiver Terrell Owens Owens departed the Dallas Cowboys, signing a one-year contract with the Bills, worth 6.5 mil lion dollars. Quarterback Trent Edwards should feel more confident in the pocket this year with the addi tion of Owens, who joins six-year veteran Lee Evans and eight-year veteran Josh Reed. Buffalo made a key decision in the firing of of fensive coordinator Turk Schonert, 10 days be fore the start of the regular season. Jauron relieved Schonert of his duties, due to the lack of offensive improvements. Bills’ quarterback coach Alex Van Pelt was se lected as the new offensive coordinator by head coach Dick Jauron. The Bills also made another big move by re leasing seven-year veteran and two-year starter Langston Walker. 2008 Statistics: Buffalo Offense Passing Cmp% Yds TD Int Trent Edwards 65.5 2,699 11 10 J.P. Losman 60.6 584 2 5 Rushing Yds Yds/Att TD Marshawn Lynch 1,036 4.1 8 Fred Jackson 571 4.4 3 Receiving Rec Yds Yds/Rec TD Lee Evans 63 1,017 16.1 8 Josh Reed 56 597 10.7 1 Marshawn Lynch 47 300 6.4 1 Robert Royal 33 351 10.6 1 Defense Tkl Solo Sk Int FF FR Paul Posluszny 110 87 0 111 Kawika Mitchell 82 57 4 2 2 0 Terrence McGee 66 61 0 3 0 0 Bryan Scott 64 51 1 0 1 1 Ryan Denney 61 50 4 0 1 0 Beat The Experts has now been changed to Beat the Editors. We have decided that since we are not quite experts, editors is a more fitting title. Nick and Shawn, though, still feel that they are better fans than the rest of Behrend; someone must knock them down a level. Play against us by e maiing your picks to Nick Blake (npbso4l@psu.edu) or Shawn Annarelli (smaslB9@psu.edu). Walker will be replaced on the Buffalo offen sive line by rookie Demetrius Bell. It is a risky move, but one Van Pelt is comfort able with. NICK BLAKE '.ports editor “He’s a great athlete, a great talent,” Van Pelt said. “The only thing he lacks right now is expe rience and he’ll get tons of that coming up real quick.” Penn State Alum and linebacker Paul Posluszny led the Buffalo defense last year with 110 tackles and will surly be one of the leaders for the Bills this season. The Bills have finished 7-9 in the past three seasons. They hope that with the addition of Owens and a new offensive coordinator they will be able to climb out of the AFC cellar and be come a playoff team once again. Jacksonville (« Indi Detroit (« N. Orleans Philly (<i Carolina Dallas (it Tampa Bay N.Y. Jets (ii Houston K.C. (a Baltimore Minn. (« Cleveland Wash, (u N.Y. Giants Miami (a Atlanta Buffalo (a N. England S. Diego ('it Oakland Tie Breaker Chicago (« Green Bay Syracuse @ #7 Penn St #3 USC @ # 8 OSU #lB N. Dame <& Mich Troy @ #1 Florida Terrell Owens at a press conference in Buffalo. NFL Connor N. Orleans Tampa Bay Houston Baltimore N.Y. Giants Atlanta N. England S. Diego + 7 Green Bay NCAA Penn St Michigan Florida The Cleveland Browns open the 2009 season at home on Sept. 13 against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. The main story going into the game is, who is going to start at quarterback. Derek Anderson was the number one guy for most of the season last year, but it looks like for mer first round pick Brady Quinn would get the nod. At practice on Sept. 9, Quinn took most of the snaps, so it would appear that he will lead the of fense onto the field on Sept. 13. Quinn had an impressive preseason, complet ing 67.7 percent of his passes and it seems time for the third-year quarterback to lead the of fense. A key move for the Browns this offseason was the trade of tight end Kellen Winslow. Winslow was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for two 2009 draft picks and one 2010 draft pick. The Browns will also be without wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth, who has been suspended by the league following a prison sentence for DUI manslaughter. Stallworth’s suspension will last the entire season. Cleveland also fired head coach Romeo Cren nel at the end of the 2008 season. Crennel was replaced by former New York Jets 2008 Statistics: Cleveland Offense Passing Cmp% Yds TD Int Derek Anderson 50.2 1,615 9 8 Brady Quinn 50.6 518 2 2 Rushing Yds Yds/Att TD Jamal Lewis 1,002 3.6 4 Jerome Harrison 246 7.2 1 Josh Cribbs 167 5.8 1 Receiving Rec Yds Yds/Rec TD Braylon Edwards 55 873 15.9 3 Steve Heiden 23 249 10.8 0 Jamal Lewis 23 178 7.7 0 Jason Wright 22 156 7.1 1 Defense Tkl Solo Sk Int FF FR D’Qwell Jackson 154 95 2 3 0 0 Shaun Rogers 76 61 4.5 0 0 0 Kam. Wimbley 64 50 4.0 1 0 0 Brodney Pool 64 59 1 3 0 1 Beat The Editors Nick N. Orleans Dallas Houston Baltimore N.Y. Giants Atlanta N. England S. Diego +3 Green Bay Penn St N. Dame Florida NICK BLAKE Shawn N. Orleans Carolina Dallas Houston Baltimore N.Y. Giants Miami N. England S. Diego +4 Green Bay Penn St N. Dame Florida head coach Eric Mangeni. The Browns’ defense will be led by defensive lineman Shaun Rogers. sports editor Rogers had 4.5 sacks last season and was the only Cleveland player to be selected for the Pro Bowl. The Browns finished at an abysmal 4-12 last year, good enough for last in the AFC North. They will try and improve upon that record this season, but it will be a difficult task. The Browns will have to play both the Pitts burgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens twice. They will also have to face the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and the San Diego Chargers. Cleveland, however, hopes to rebound with Quinn at the helm and become a contender in the powerful AFC North division. Contributed Photo Brady Quinn throws a pass against the Denver Broncos. Christine N. Orleans Dallas N.Y. Jets Baltimore N.Y. Giants Atlanta N. England S. Diego Chicago Penn St N. Dame Florida Mike N. Orleans Detroit Carolina Dallas Tampa Bay N.Y. Jets N.Y. Jets Baltimore Baltimore N.Y. Giants N.Y. Giants Atlanta Miami N. England N. England Oakland S. Diego + 10 Green Bay +5 Green Bay Penn St Penn St N. Dame N. Dame Florida Florida
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