By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer
KIRKLAND – If the NFL postseason were to begin today, five of the 12 head coaches of playoff teams would be one-time Mike Holmgren assistants. Another, the New York Giants’ Jim Fassel, was a former teammate of Holmgren as USC.
Every coach who has come into contact with Holmgren, it seems, has gone on to find immediate success.
That kind of success has still eluded former Holmgren assistant Mike Sheppard thus far. Sheppard is in his first year as offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, who bring a 1-7 record into this weekend’s meeting with the Seattle Seahawks.
“I knew there was going to be an adjustment period,” said Sheppard, who spent two years as Holmgren’s quarterbacks coach in Seattle. “But that doesn’t make it any easier.”
Sheppard was with the Seahawks the past two years before new Bills coach Gregg Williams hired him to be the team’s offensive coordinator. Among the main duties that Sheppard has in Buffalo is to teach the offense a system that closely mirrors that of Holmgren.
It hasn’t been a smooth transition, as the Bills are off to their worst start in 16 years.
“I wouldn’t be truthful if I said the losses didn’t hurt,” Sheppard said. “You question yourself all the time, wonder what you could have done differently. But I’ve always been one of those people who see the glass as half full. You’ve just got to realize that sometimes it takes a little longer.”
Williams is also staying positive despite the early struggles. Things got even worse this week, when quarterback Rob Johnson was diagnosed with a broken clavicle that will keep him out for four weeks.
“I’ve hired Mike to run the offense and he’s battling though the injuries and through the lineup shuffles and now the quarterback problems,” Williams said. “He’s keeping things afloat and keeping things going.”
Sheppard will have a lot of hands to shake Sunday when the Bills host the Seahawks, and then he’ll turn his sights toward using Holmgren’s offense against his former boss.
“Everybody probably adds some things they like in there,” Sheppard said. “If Mike (Holmgren) were to throw (a videotape) on, he’d see what we basically did in Seattle, plus a few plays I was arguing for for two years.”
Poster boy: It’s been quite a week for running back Shaun Alexander following his 266-yard rushing performance Sunday night.
Alexander was on a local radio show Monday morning, then flew to Los Angeles to appear on “The Best Damn Sports Show, Period,” on Tuesday. Wednesday included an interview with Marcus Allen of CBS Sports, and he did an ESPN interview on Thursday.
Always low-key, Alexander said the highlight of his week didn’t have anything to do with the national media. It was a post-game phone call from his older brother, Durran.
“He never gets surprised. But I could tell from his voice on the phone that he was really, really proud,” Alexander said. “He really noticed something, so that means I must have really stepped my game up. Going to L.A. was fun. Then getting to meet Marcus. But No. 1 was my brother.”
Teammate Heath Evans, who is Alexander’s roommate on the road, said the media attention hasn’t changed Seattle’s star running back.
“It’s an experience for him, but I don’t think he ever doubted he’d be here,” Evans said. “He doesn’t look at it like, ‘Oh, I made it! Let me get it all in!’ He’s always steady.”
While the 266-yard performance ranks fourth in NFL history, it marks the fifth-best total of Alexander’s life. He ran for 291 yards in one game at the University of Alabama, and had three high school games in which he racked up 270 yards or more.
His best game? An 18-carry, 345-yard, seven-touchdown performance during the district championship game of his junior year at Boone County (Ky.) High School.
No snow in Buffalo: Weather forecasts in Buffalo this weekend call for showers and a high of 60 degrees, without the chance of snow.
The Western New York winter is supposed to hit later in the week, with snow in the forecast by Wednesday.
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