Bills lose more than a game in Week 1

By Shawn Clarke Sep 11, 2007, 21:02 GMT

- Buffalo Bills head coach Dick Jauron has a lot of work to do for this weekend's showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But that will take a back seat for now after the devastating injury to reserve tight end Kevin Everett.

The Bills lost Everett to a catastrophic spinal injury in Sunday's 15-14 loss to Denver after he collided with Broncos return man Domenik Hixon to start the second half. Everett went down like a ton of bricks after he lowered his head into Hixon's shoulder to make a tackle.

Everett, a 2005 draft pick out of Miami, was then attended to by Buffalo's training staff before being placed on a backboard and lifted into an ambulance. He had emergency surgery on his neck and spine, but may never regain full motion in his body. Everett, whose career is most likely over, remains in the intensive care unit at Buffalo's Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital following a four-hour operation performed Sunday night.

'When we came in here after the game the first thing we thought of was Kevin,' said Bills wideout Lee Evans, who was held to five yards on two catches. 'There are some things that are a little bigger than the game and that's certainly one example. Our hearts and prayers go out to him and we'll certainly be checking on him as soon as we can.'

An examination performed about six hours after the surgery showed voluntary movement of Everett's legs, but such an injury can lead to respiratory collapse or other complications, including blood clots that can travel to the heart.

Everett had screws and plates inserted into his neck and spine, with small rods used to fixate the spine.

In related news, the Bills signed tight end Michael Gaines on Monday to solidify the position. Gaines is a four-year pro who spent his entire career with the Carolina Panthers, and his blocking presence is expected to help the Bills' ground game.

Buffalo was ahead the entire game on Sunday until blowing the lead in the final minutes, as the defense allowed a pair of fourth-down conversions that kept the Broncos alive.

The first fourth-down play should have never happened. Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler, who is not known for his mobility, was able to scramble for seven yards on 4th-and-2 from the Denver 42-yard line with 1:31 remaining. Buffalo later gave up another fourth-down conversion, as the Broncos' Javon Walker caught an eight-yard pass to help set up Jason Elam's game-winning 42-yard field goal as time expired.

Defense was the straw that broke Buffalo's back on Sunday, as coordinator Perry Fewell saw his unit surrender 470 yards of total offense.

'I can't remember a more disappointing loss in a long time,' defensive end Chris Kelsay said. 'There may have been one in college or something, but since I've been in the league this is tough because we had such high expectations going into the season.'

Those expectations will probably take a back seat for now after the Bills lost three starters on defense. Starting free safety Ko Simpson left the game in the first quarter with a fractured ankle, while linebacker Coy Wire tore the medial collateral ligament in his knee. To make matters worse, starting cornerback Jason Webster broke his forearm early in the second half. Defensive end Ryan Denney (broken foot) and linebacker Keith Ellison (ankle sprain) also did not suit up for the season opener.

It really makes the Bills miss Pro Bowl corner Nate Clements, who signed a mega-deal with San Francisco in the offseason.

Maybe the defections helped Denver move the ball with ease late in the game, although Bills linebacker Angelo Crowell feels otherwise.

'Those guys get paid, too,' Crowell said. 'They prepare themselves as starters and you never know when your opportunity is going to come. The opportunity came and those guys had to step up. Unfortunately we didn't get the job done.'

Fewell's defense better got the job next week, when they take a trip to face Ben Roethlisberger, Willie Parker and the rest of the Steelers at Heinz Field.

One bright spot for the Buffalo defense was rookie middle linebacker Paul Posluszny, who recorded nine tackles in his regular-season debut. The Penn State product, selected early in the second round in April, has fans dreaming of another Shane Conlan in the middle of the field.

'To have your first NFL game come down to the wire like that was a great experience,' Posluszny said. 'You can't substitute practice or two-minute drills for live action like that. Obviously we would have liked the outcome to be different, but this will only help us later in the season.'

Posluszny was the first rookie middle linebacker to start for the Bills since Conlan did it back in 1987.

ANOTHER ROOKIE SHINES FOR BILLS

The Bills knew they had to find a replacement after trading running back Willis McGahee this offseason. They landed their man with the 12th overall pick during the 2007 NFL Draft, running back Marshawn Lynch.

Lynch was good as advertised with 90 yards on 19 carries, including a 23-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. He brings a strong mix of speed and size to the Bills,

Although happy with his impressive debut, Lynch said afterward that ultimately a win is more important than personal performance.

'My mama always told me there would be days like this,' said Lynch. 'It's something I got to deal with. But next week's a new week, a new game plan.'

I'm sure somewhere a member of The Shirelles enjoyed that audio from the former California standout.

Lynch may be singing that song after next week's game against the Steelers. Pittsburgh's defense is a rough bunch coming off a big win over the inferior Cleveland Browns. The unit held running back Jamal Lewis to 35 yards on 11 carries Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

No matter what Lynch does next week in the Steel City, the Bills fell they have found their man to run the football.

UP NEXT: OFF TO THE STEEL CITY

The Bills will try to avoid losing their first two games of the season since dropping the first four contests of the 2004 campaign when they pay a visit to Pittsburgh on Sunday.

The Steelers opened the 2007 season with a big win at Cleveland and will have their home fans behind them at Heinz Field. It doesn't look good for the Bills, as Pittsburgh shut down Lewis and the Browns' running game with ease on Sunday.

Lynch will get a taste of one of the league's best linebacking corps in James Farrior, Clark Haggans, Larry Foote and James Harrison, while Buffalo's defense must tighten up in preparation for Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and Parker. Denver racked up almost 500 yards of offense, so it's important for Jauron's team to adjust.

The Steelers own a 10-8 edge in the all-time regular season series with Buffalo, including a 29-24 road win in Week 17 of the 2004 season. Pittsburgh has won the last five meetings played between the teams in the Steel City. That number will most likely be six, since the Bills are dealing with a myriad of injuries on defense right now.

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