Mistakes by McGee lead to benching
By ALLEN WILSON
News Sports Reporter
10/23/2006
Cornerback Terrence McGee was asked two weeks ago if he felt his level of performance had dropped this season. "I've dropped down a couple levels," he answered. "I'm not playing with the consistency I would like to play."
McGee won't get an argument from the Buffalo Bills' coaching staff as defensive coordinator Perry Fewell benched the fourth-year veteran in the third quarter of Sunday's 28-6 loss to the New England Patriots.
McGee was replaced by Jabari Greer, though McGee returned when Greer got hurt.
Head coach **** Jauron said McGee was taken out because he "needed a break." But McGee admitted that he was benched.
"Yeah, it hurts when you've got to be pulled off the field," he said. "At the same time, I understood why he did it. It wasn't like I feel like I did something good and I should still be out there."
It's been a rough season for McGee, who has been beaten frequently by opposing receivers.
While he made nice open-field tackles on some quick passes Sunday, he also made mistakes that have been common this season.
McGee has been victimized repeatedly on receivers' double moves and he almost got burned again Sunday when he bit on a stop-and-go route by wide receiver Reche Caldwell on the Patriots' first possession. Fortunately for McGee, quarterback Tom Brady overthrew Caldwell, who was at least 10 yards behind the defense.
McGee wasn't so lucky when he blew a coverage assignment and gave up a 35-yard touchdown catch to Patriots rookie wide receiver Chad Jackson in the third quarter that led to his benching.
"[Jackson] was actually my man," McGee said. "That's why he was so open. Basically [the Patriots] were in a bunch set and they had ran two corner routes. At the time, I had jumped on the shorter of the two. By the time I had realized what I did it was too late and Brady had taken advantage of my mistake."
Since becoming a starter in his second season, McGee had become one of the rising young stars on the Bills' defense. That makes his regression this year all the more baffling.
Cornerbacks are supposed to have a short memory, but McGee's mounting mistakes are becoming harder to forget.
"You try to not remember everything that happened the week before," he said. "But then the next week you come up and give up another big play. I'm not doing my job like I'm supposed to. I've just been playing real bad."
McGee's performance typified the Bills' inconsistent pass defense on Sunday. Brady had been sacked just five times going into the game, but Buffalo dropped him four times and had numerous other pressures. In fact, the Bills have seven of the nine sacks New England has allowed this year.
However, the Bills could not get to Brady during critical times in the game, and he made them pay with several big plays. Besides his 35-yard strike to Jackson, Brady froze Greer with a great pump fake that allowed receiver Doug Gabriel to get open for a 31-yard catch. On a 20-yard connection to tight end Ben Watson, Brady stepped up in the pocket to avoid the Bills' outside rush.
"We made some plays on defense, but obviously not enough of them," defensive end Chris Kelsay said. "You go against a guy like Tom Brady you've got to be in his face and pressure him all day long. Otherwise he's going to make plays."
