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The Grand Poobah
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Ex-Frog puts fear in QBs
By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
Star-Telegram staff writer
Getty Images / Rick Stewart
Aaron Schobel is second in sacks in Buffalo Bills history.
The [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Buffalo [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Bills[/FONT][/FONT] Fieldhouse is lined with huge photos of the team's all-time standout players.
The 26 Ralph C. Wilson Distinguished Service Award winners are represented, as are the 74 Pro Bowlers in Bills' history. Defensive end Aaron Schobel's picture went up last season when he made his first trip to Hawaii.
The defensive linemen hold their position drills in the shadow of the framed action shot of Schobel going against the [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Miami[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] Dolphins[/FONT][/FONT] last season.
During practice earlier this week, Schobel jokingly pointed to his photo as defensive line coach Bill Kollar was giving him a hard time.
"[Kollar's] comment was: That's what you've done, not what you're doing right now," Schobel said. "I've definitely got to continue doing what I've done, or that's in my past."
Schobel's future is as bright as his past. He has a Pro Bowl berth, a new contract and new-found respect. The only thing missing is a playoff berth.
The Bills are 38-62 since making Schobel, a former TCU player, a second-round choice in 2001. Their only winning season in Schobel's first six seasons came in 2004 when they went 9-7 but missed the playoffs. Buffalo is 1-3 this season.
Schobel's cousin, Bo, who now is out of a job, won a Super Bowl ring last season with the [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Indianapolis [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Colts[/FONT][/FONT] in only this third NFL season. Aaron's brother, Matt, twice has played in the postseason, in 2005 with Cincinnati and last year with Philadelphia.
Aaron still is waiting to play a meaningful game in January.
"I like it here," said Aaron Schobel, who grew up in Columbus, Texas. "I'm from a small town, and it's a small-town environment. I've been here a long time. I want to be here. If I don't ever have a playoff run, well then, it's not anybody else's fault. I have no one to blame. That's just the way it goes."
The Bills have committed to building around Schobel, having recently extended his contract through 2013. Buffalo gave him $50.5 million, including $21 million in guarantees over the next four years, in a seven-year deal Schobel signed in August.
Schobel's contract averages $7.2 million per season. The Colts signed [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Dwight [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Freeney[/FONT][/FONT] to a six-year, $72 million deal earlier this year, and former Texas A&M standout Ty Warren recently signed a five-year, $36 million deal with the New England Patriots.
Schobel is that good.
Only Miami defensive end Jason Taylor, the league MVP last season, has more sacks than Schobel since the start of the 2003 season. Schobel's 61.5 career sacks rank second in team history to future Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, who had 171 in his 15-year Bills career.
"Aaron is just a [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]football[/FONT][/FONT] player," Bills coach Dick Jauron said. "He likes to play the game, and he plays hard all the time. ...We feel really lucky to have him."
The Patriots still are trying to figure out how to block Schobel. He has 11 sacks in 13 games against Tom Brady, the most of any defender on Brady. Patriots coach Bill Belichick was effusive in his praise of Schobel before Schobel had a half sack in New England's 38-7 victory Sept. 23.
"Even though he's not the biggest guy, he has explosive power," Belichick said.
"He's hard to block. He's hard for everybody to block. His speed is a problem. His quickness and change of direction are a problem. His explosive power is a problem. His motor is a problem. ... He's tough. He's killed us."
With the Bills rarely having had a lead this season, and offenses paying him more attention, Schobel has found sacks hard to come by. He has only one sack in four games, but as he points out, he had only one this time last year, too, and he finished with 14.
"When they come, they come, and they usually come in bunches," Schobel said. "... I'd like to have more, but I'm not really stressed out about it at this point. If it's Week 15 and I've got one sack, then I'll be a little irritated."
Paper or plastic?
Bills defensive end Aaron Schobel has the second-most sacks in the [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]NFL[/FONT][/FONT] since the start of the 2003 season. The sack leaders from 2003 to the present:
Rank, Player Team(s) Sacks
1. Jason Taylor Miami 49
2. Aaron Schobel Buffalo 46.5
3. Dwight Freeney Indianapolis 44.5
4. Simeon Rice Tampa Bay/Denver 43
5. Leonard Little St. Louis 42
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com
Charean Williams, 817-390-7760
By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
Star-Telegram staff writer
Getty Images / Rick Stewart
Aaron Schobel is second in sacks in Buffalo Bills history.
The [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Buffalo [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Bills[/FONT][/FONT] Fieldhouse is lined with huge photos of the team's all-time standout players.
The 26 Ralph C. Wilson Distinguished Service Award winners are represented, as are the 74 Pro Bowlers in Bills' history. Defensive end Aaron Schobel's picture went up last season when he made his first trip to Hawaii.
The defensive linemen hold their position drills in the shadow of the framed action shot of Schobel going against the [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Miami[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] Dolphins[/FONT][/FONT] last season.
During practice earlier this week, Schobel jokingly pointed to his photo as defensive line coach Bill Kollar was giving him a hard time.
"[Kollar's] comment was: That's what you've done, not what you're doing right now," Schobel said. "I've definitely got to continue doing what I've done, or that's in my past."
Schobel's future is as bright as his past. He has a Pro Bowl berth, a new contract and new-found respect. The only thing missing is a playoff berth.
The Bills are 38-62 since making Schobel, a former TCU player, a second-round choice in 2001. Their only winning season in Schobel's first six seasons came in 2004 when they went 9-7 but missed the playoffs. Buffalo is 1-3 this season.
Schobel's cousin, Bo, who now is out of a job, won a Super Bowl ring last season with the [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Indianapolis [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Colts[/FONT][/FONT] in only this third NFL season. Aaron's brother, Matt, twice has played in the postseason, in 2005 with Cincinnati and last year with Philadelphia.
Aaron still is waiting to play a meaningful game in January.
"I like it here," said Aaron Schobel, who grew up in Columbus, Texas. "I'm from a small town, and it's a small-town environment. I've been here a long time. I want to be here. If I don't ever have a playoff run, well then, it's not anybody else's fault. I have no one to blame. That's just the way it goes."
The Bills have committed to building around Schobel, having recently extended his contract through 2013. Buffalo gave him $50.5 million, including $21 million in guarantees over the next four years, in a seven-year deal Schobel signed in August.
Schobel's contract averages $7.2 million per season. The Colts signed [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Dwight [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Freeney[/FONT][/FONT] to a six-year, $72 million deal earlier this year, and former Texas A&M standout Ty Warren recently signed a five-year, $36 million deal with the New England Patriots.
Schobel is that good.
Only Miami defensive end Jason Taylor, the league MVP last season, has more sacks than Schobel since the start of the 2003 season. Schobel's 61.5 career sacks rank second in team history to future Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, who had 171 in his 15-year Bills career.
"Aaron is just a [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]football[/FONT][/FONT] player," Bills coach Dick Jauron said. "He likes to play the game, and he plays hard all the time. ...We feel really lucky to have him."
The Patriots still are trying to figure out how to block Schobel. He has 11 sacks in 13 games against Tom Brady, the most of any defender on Brady. Patriots coach Bill Belichick was effusive in his praise of Schobel before Schobel had a half sack in New England's 38-7 victory Sept. 23.
"Even though he's not the biggest guy, he has explosive power," Belichick said.
"He's hard to block. He's hard for everybody to block. His speed is a problem. His quickness and change of direction are a problem. His explosive power is a problem. His motor is a problem. ... He's tough. He's killed us."
With the Bills rarely having had a lead this season, and offenses paying him more attention, Schobel has found sacks hard to come by. He has only one sack in four games, but as he points out, he had only one this time last year, too, and he finished with 14.
"When they come, they come, and they usually come in bunches," Schobel said. "... I'd like to have more, but I'm not really stressed out about it at this point. If it's Week 15 and I've got one sack, then I'll be a little irritated."
Paper or plastic?
Bills defensive end Aaron Schobel has the second-most sacks in the [FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]NFL[/FONT][/FONT] since the start of the 2003 season. The sack leaders from 2003 to the present:
Rank, Player Team(s) Sacks
1. Jason Taylor Miami 49
2. Aaron Schobel Buffalo 46.5
3. Dwight Freeney Indianapolis 44.5
4. Simeon Rice Tampa Bay/Denver 43
5. Leonard Little St. Louis 42
cjwilliams@star-telegram.com
Charean Williams, 817-390-7760