24-year old undrafted rookie WR David Nelson out of Florida is stepping up.  Nelson has played in 11 games for the Bills so far this year and he has caught 23 passes for 247 yards (10.7 avg) but he has yet to catch his first NFL TD pass.  Nelson has been playing well since Roscoe Parrish’s injury as he is now the #3 WR for the Bills behind Steve Johnson & Lee Evans.  Look for Nelson to keep getting more looks the rest of this year.

The Bills have placed 26-year old linebackers Keith Ellison & Shawne Merriman on the Injured Reserve List.  Ellison played in 8 games for the Bills this season and he had 20 tackles and 1 pass defensed.  Merriman didn’t get into any games after coming over from the Chargers on a waiver claim.  Ellison is done because of a knee injury and Merriman because of a achilles injury.  Neither of these guys did much, if anything, this season for the Bills so they won’t miss them too much.

The Bills should have won this game.  Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a perfect bomb to Steve Johnson in O.T. and it hit both of his hands before he dropped it.  The Steelers went on to hit the game winning field goal with 2:17 left in O.T.  Ryan Fitzpatrick played a solid game yesterday in completing 23 of 45 passes for 265 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT.  Fred Jackson had a incredible game against the vaunted Steelers’ D as he carried the ball 12 times for 59 yards (4.9 ypc) and he also caught 5 passes for 104 yards (20.8 avg) with a TD grab.  Quinton Ganther pitched in with 3 carries for 11 yards (3.7 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 9 yards (4.5 avg).  WRs Steve Johnson (7 rec, 68 yards) and David Nelson (6 rec, 58 yards) led the way for the Bills as far as receivers go in the passing game.  The Bills finished up with 74 yards rushing on 17 carries (4.4 ypc) and they also completed 23 of 45 passes for 255 yards in this game despite only having the ball for 27:23 of this game (18 minutes less than the Steelers had it).

Safety Donte Whitner (18 tackles), LB Akin Ayodele (12 tackles), safety Jairus Byrd (11 tackles) and DT Kyle Williams (10 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 tackles for a loss and 3 QB hits) led the way for the Bills’ D in this game.  The Steelers finished up with 206 yards rushing on 45 carries (4.6 ypc) and they also completed 20 of 33 passes for 220 yards.  The Bills are now 2-9 on the year.

The Bills are running hot right now as they have won two games in a row (against the Lions & Bengals).  But beating the Steelers is a completely different animal.  The Steelers have alternated wins and losses the last four weeks which means they are due for a loss this Sunday.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Bills have the ball:  The Steelers are only allowing 63.0 yards rushing per game and 2.9 yards per carry so it might be smart to use Fred Jackson more out of the backfield in the passing game.  The Steelers have 30 sacks this year so it’s going to be up to the offensive line to give Ryan Fitzpatrick time to throw the ball.  If Fitzpatrick has time to throw the ball there are plays to be made against a Steelers’ D that is allowing 239.1 yards passing per game.  Don’t be surprised if Lee Evans or Steve Johnson have a big game this weekend.

When the Steelers have the ball:  The Bills’ D is likely in deep trouble this weekend as the Steelers have a solid running and passing game.  The Bills should be more concerned with Roethlisberger’s passing because if he has time to throw the ball the Steelers are going to light up the scoreboard.  Mike Wallace has turned into probably the best deep threat in the entire NFL so the Bills are going to have to give safety help to his side of the field.  That will likely open up things for Heath Miller and Hines Ward who should both have good games.  Rashard Mendenhall will be taking aim at a Bills’ run D that is allowing 163.5 yards rushing per game and 4.7 yards per carry.

PREDICTION:  STEELERS 34, BILLS 17

The Bills were down 31-14 at the half yesterday and things weren’t looking too good.  But Chan Gailey made some nice adjustments as the half and the Bills roared back to win this game by outscoring the Bengals 35-0 in the second half.  Ryan Fitzpatrick stuck it to his old team by completing 21 of 34 passes for 316 yards with 4 TD passes and 2 interceptions (one of which was returned 21 yards for a TD by Bengals’ CB Jonathan Joseph).  Fitzpatrick also carried the ball 1 time for 11 yards yesterday.  Fred Jackson had a outstanding game in adding ground support as he carried the ball 21 times for 116 yards (5.5 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  He also caught 3 passes for 13 yards (4.3 avg) in this game.  WRs Steve Johnson (8 rec, 137 yards, 3 TD grabs), Lee Evans (2 rec, 72 yards) and Donald Jones (5 rec, 70 yards, TD) led the way in the passing game for the Bills yesterday.  The Bills finished up with 141 yards rushing on 25 carries (5.6 ypc) and they also completed 21 of 34 passes for 308 yards.

The defense was pretty awful in the first half yesterday but they pitched a shutout in the second half.  LBs Paul Poslusny (10 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 pass defensed) and Akin Ayodele (8 tackles) led the way for the Bills’ D yesterday.  Safety George Wilson (3 tackles, 2 passes defensed and 1 interception) and CB Drayton Florence (3 tackles, 2 passes defensed, 1 interception and a fumble recovery (Cedric Benson) that he recovered and returned 27 yards for a TD) also were making huge plays.  The Bengals finished up with 133 yards rushing on 30 carries (4.4 ypc) and they have also completed 22 of 37 passes for 228 yards.  The Bills are now 2-8 on the year as they have now won two games in a row.

The Bills are playing much better football since the bye week.  They are 1-3 since the bye and they have been outscored only 84-77.  The Bengals have lost six games in a row and they are 1-3 at home this year where they have been outscored 83-71.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Bills have the ball:  The Bills would be smart to come out running the ball like they did last week as the Bengals are allowing 115.8 yards rushing per game and 4.3 yards per carry.  That means Fred Jackson is in line for a lot of work this Sunday.  The Bengals only have 9 sacks this year and they are giving up 213.6 yards passing per game so the Bills will likely be able to make some big plays in the passing game.  Ryan Fitzpatrick will be looking down the field for Steve Johnson & Lee Evans in this game.

When the Bengals have the ball:  This might be the game when the Bengals finally get it together on offense.  Cedric Benson will be taking aim at a Bills’ D that is allowing 166.9 yards rushing per game and 4.7 yards per carry.  Carson Palmer has a lot of weapons in the passing game with Terrell Owens, Chad Ocho Cinco, Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley going out for passes. 

PREDICTION:  BENGALS 24, BILLS 20

Sure, the Bills are 1-8 and there is no possible way to sugarcoat that fact.  But since the bye week, 58-year old head coach Chan Gailey has the Bills looking like a completely different (and better) team.  Since the bye week the Bills are 1-3 and they have been outscored only 84-77.  The Bills played tough against the Ravens, Chiefs and Bears who have a combined record of 18-10 this year before beating the Lions last weekend.  I think Gailey has the team going in the right direction but the rest of the of the Bills’ schedule is pretty daunting.

The Bills are finally going to put the ball in the hands of their best running back.  29-year old Fred Jackson is the best running back on the roster so it’s shocking that they waited this long to make him the featured back.  Jackson has played in 9 games for the Bills so far this year and he has carried the ball 108 times for 446 yards (4.1 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  He has also caught 18 passes for 65 yards (3.6 avg) with 1 TD grab so far this year.  Too bad the Bills didn’t come to their senses earlier this year as Jackson was clearly the best RB on the roster from Day #1 this year.

Rookie RB C.J. Spiller will be out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.  Spiller has played in all 9 games for the Bills so far this year and he has carried the ball 41 times for 164 yards (4.0 ypc).  He has also caught 18 passes for 81 yards (4.5 avg) with 1 TD grab this year.  Spiller was making his biggest mark on special teams so far this year.  Spiller has returned 30 kickoffs for 763 yards (25.4 avg) with 1 TD return and he has returned 3 punts for 44 yards (14.7 avg) so far this year.  On offense the Bills will just hand the rock to Fred Jackson more but they will have a  hard time replacing him on special teams.

The Bills stopped a two-point conversion with 14 seconds left in this game to pull out their first victory of the year.  Ryan Fitzpatrick was a game manager for the Bills in this game as he completed 12 of 24 passes for 146 yards with 1 TD pass and 0 INTs.  Fred Jackson was the focal point of the offense for the Bills yesterday.  He carried the ball 25 times for 133 yards (5.3 ypc) with a TD run and he also caught 6 passes for 37 yards (6.2 avg) with a TD grab.  WRs Lee Evans (2 rec, 52 yards) and Steve Johnson (3 rec, 37 yards) led the way in the passing  game for the Bills yesterday.  The Bills finished up with 151 yards rushing on 33 carries (4.6 ypc) and they also completed 12 of 24 passes for 139 yards. 

The defense was in a bend but don’t break mode for the Bills yesterday.  LB Paul Poslusny led the way for the Bills’ D in this game with 13 tackles and 1 tackle for a loss.  Safety Bryan Scott (8 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 sack, 1 pass defensed and 1 QB hit) and DT/DE Dwan Edwards (7 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1 interception) also helped out the cause on D for the Bills yesterday.  The Lions finished up with 76 yards rushing on 26 carries (2.9 ypc) and they also completed 29 of 50 passes for 314 yards.  The Bills are now 1-8 on the year.