Buffalo Connections to the Super Bowl

Not that many this year. Unlike last year, when there were two, there are no WNY natives on either the Giants or Patriots. NY coach Tom Coughlin is from Waterloo in Central New York. Patriots kicker Steven Gostkowski has family from Buffalo. The only former Bills player or coach in the Super Bowl is Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, who held the same job with the Bills from 2002-03. Giants DT Manny Wright was a Bill for about a week during the offseason. The most interesting connection to the Bills is DGiants WR Domenik Hixon. He's the player hit by Kevin Everett in the season opener, when Hixon played for the Broncos.

Williams Out in Washington

Former Bills head coach Gregg Williams was fired in Washington. He had been the team's defensive coordinator, and was thought to be the heir-apparent to Joe Gibbs.
But Williams didn't get that job, and, according to reports in Washington, the December 2 game against the Bills may have had something to do with that. That was the Skins first game after the death of Sean Taylor, and Williams defense started the game with just 10 men, in honor of Taylor. Problem was, Williams never told Gibbs that he was going to do that. That lack of communication was a big issue with Gibbs, and reflected poorly on Williams. Gregg won't be out of a job for long. St. Louis and Jacksonville are reportedly interested. (Although the Rams have a defensive coordinator-former Bills LB Jim Haslett).

Anthony Hargrove Suspended by the NFL

Not a big loss, but a loss for the Bills. Hargrove was due to be an unrestricted free agent in March, and there was no guarantee that the Bills would have re-signed him. But he does provide some depth at defensive end behind Schobel, Kelsay and Denney. Plus, he does play on special teams. That's a spot the Bills will have to fill, either through free agency but likely through the draft. With so much money tied up in Schobel and Kelsay, I doubt the Bills will spend big to bring someone else onto the team. I also doubt that they'd use a high draft pick on an end. Defensive tackle would seem to be a bigger need along the D-Line. The team likes to use at least 4 defensive ends to keep the starters fresh, so they will have to find a replacement for Hargrove.