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Monday, October 26, 2009 6:16 PM EDT
POLLOCK: Bills find a ballhawk with Byrd
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| Buffalo Bills' Jairus Byrd (31) runs the ball after an interception with teammate George Wilson (37) against the Carolina Panthers in the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. AP Photo by Rick Havner |
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CHARLOTTE - It was hard not to conclude that circumstances would undermine Jairus Byrd’s rookie season.
Yeah, on draft day, we heard all about how the Bills’ first of two second-round draft picks was a ballhawk.
But we also knew that Buffalo projected the Oregon cornerback, with 17 interceptions in 37 starts over three seasons, as a free safety. And that the 5-10, 200-pound political science major, was the son of Gil, a 10-year veteran corner for the Chargers, who made two Pro Bowls.
Worse, because of Oregon’s academic calendar, National Football League rules dictated that Byrd would miss a couple of critical minicamps - rookies can’t participate until their collegiate academic year is complete - a less-than-ideal situation for a player not only changing positions and but also taking a major step up in quality of competition.
But, as it turned out, he was a quick study.
And after seeing limited action, in the first two games, he got a start in Buffalo’s defensive backfield. Then, when free safety Donte Whitner and strong safety Bryan Scott were injured, Byrd got four straight starts at free safety.
Indeed when Whitner returned last week, the former free safety returned to his natural strong safety spot, keeping the promising first-year player in his spot.
The reason, of course, was that Byrd had an interception the week before, and got two more against the Jets, when Whitner, previously out with a thumb injury, hurt his ankle.
And, on Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium, he made it clear that when Scott returns, he’ll likely be the odd man out, with Byrd remaining at the free spot and Whitner returning to the strong position.
IN THE Bills’ 20-9 win over the Panthers, Byrd got two more picks - giving him five in three games - and making it look as if he’d been a football centerfielder all his life.
Twice he picked off Carolina’s beleaguered quarterback Jake Delhomme, both interceptions setting up short Bills’ touchdown drives (seven and 27 yards) in an upset victory.
Byrd now has five interceptions in three games, leads the AFC in interceptions and has tied the Buffalo record for picks in consecutive games by a rookie.
Afterward, when kidded how easily he had made the transition from corner to safety, he maintained, “I wouldn’t say that ... there are a lot of things I need to improve on. I’m being coached in our meetings by the veterans ... they’re on me pretty tough.”
As for the missed time, Byrd added, “I always knew what I could do ... other people didn’t.
“I didn’t lack confidence ... I knew that everything was an act of timing ... that everything would come into place.”
And, of Sunday’s game he admitted, “It was real fun. The front seven did a great job of getting pressure and making plays. I had the easy part, I caught the ball.
“I want to be part of the solution to the problem.”
BOTH OF Byrd’s picks came on passes intended for Carolina’s star wideout, Steve Smith.
“On the first one,” he recalled, “the ball was just a little overthrown. (Smith) was kind of open. If (Delhomme) had just put it on (target) he would have completed it. But he put it behind him a little bit. I saw it sailing and I was right there.
“Whenever (Smith) is in the game, you always want to make sure you protect and lead to him because he’s their big-play threat.”
Byrd added, “The second one, he just did a dig route, (but) I saw it coming, I’d been practicing it all week (and) I just stayed back and made sure there weren’t any double moves. It hit his hand and bounced off (to me).”
And the Bills ended up with a second straight win and, in the process, seemingly have found their free safety of the future.
(Chuck Pollock, the Times Herald sports editor, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)
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