Football
Associated Press 17y

Bills' sack-happy Schobel bears rare grin

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Aaron Schobel's scowl is so familiar
to the Buffalo Bills that even team owner Ralph Wilson ribs him
about it: Wilson jokingly calls him "Smiley."

It must be tough for Schobel to keep his frown on this week.

He's suddenly tied with San Diego's Shawne Merriman atop the NFL
with a career-high 12½ sacks this season, and is coming off a
dominating game that earned him AFC defensive player of the week
honors.

Besides matching a career-high with three sacks in a 31-13 win
over the New York Jets last weekend, he was in on nine tackles,
forced a fumble and registered three quarterback hits.

Naturally, when it came time for reporters to ask him about his
performance, Schobel opened glumly. "I don't like this crap,"
referring to media attention.

Then he lightened up -- a little -- when told about his reputation
for being a curmudgeon.

"What are you talking about?" the defensive end said in mock
shock Wednesday. "I've got charisma. I ooze charisma."

"It just takes a while for you to find it, but I've got
charisma," Schobel said, with a wide grin.

Schobel's rough-edged personality, like his ever-present
5-o'clock shadow, is one that takes time to appreciate.

But he is doubtless well liked by his teammates and coaches.

"Actually, he's gotten so much better," first-year defensive
coordinator Perry Fewell said, when asked how long it took him to
break through Schobel's shell. "Oh geez, he even smiled today, so
we're moving in the right direction."

Schobel will acknowledge that his brooding demeanor might be a
reason why he's garnered little national attention.

"I'm sure it doesn't help. But that's my personality," he
said. "I don't know how people think of me. I think they just
think of me as a quiet guy who should make a lot of plays."

Buffalo's second round pick in the 2001 draft out of TCU,
Schobel has been among the team's most consistent defensive
performers.

With 59 career sacks, he's three short of passing Phil Hansen
for second on the Bills list. Since 2001, only five players -- led
by Miami's Jason Taylor's 72 -- have had more sacks than Schobel.

This year has been Schobel's best by far. After getting off to a
slow start, he's registered 9½ sacks and three forced fumbles in
his past six games, a stretch during which the Bills (6-7) have won
four.

His outing against the Jets was particularly significant.
Schobel's ability to apply pressure on Chad Pennington took the
pressure off an injury-depleted Bills defense that was minus three
starters, including cornerback Terrence McGee and safety Donte
Whitner.

Fewell was so impressed by Schobel's consistent ability to get
past rookie tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson that the Bills called only
one blitz all game. That allowed Buffalo to drop more defenders
into coverage, stunting the Jets' quick-passing attack.

Pennington finished with 22-of-35 for 182 yards and was
intercepted twice, including one which Nate Clements returned 58
yards for a touchdown.

Schobel's forced fumble, which came during an 8-yard sack of
Pennington in the third quarter, helped seal the victory. The Bills
scored on the ensuing drive to go ahead 28-13.

As with most things, Schobel takes praise with a grain of salt.

"I guess it's good that people recognize what you did," he
said of earning the AFC honor. "But it's just one game."

It might be enough to provide Schobel a late push in the Pro
Bowl balloting, which wraps up this week. The closest he's come to
making the AFC Pro Bowl team is last year when he was voted as an
alternate.

"Who knows. We're in Buffalo. It's a smaller market and our
season is still 6-7," he said.

"I've played well lately," Schobel added, almost grudgingly.
"Yeah, I'm happy."

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