Archives for September 10, 2001

‘The middle linebacker will not need surgery on his partially torn right Achilles’ tendon. But coach Gregg Williams said Monday he will miss “a significant amount of time” and it’s unclear if he will return before the end of the season.’

It is a partial achilles tear. GW just announced it at his press conference.

‘…the immediate question for Williams is which Bills are the real ones. Are they the team that held the Saints to 27 yards and no first downs on 16 plays before a 38-yard Hail Mary on the final play of the first half? Are they the team that rushed for 104 yards and enjoyed a nearly 14-minute edge in time of possession in the opening two periods? Or are they the team that mustered only 78 yards, turned the ball over twice and were pounded for 24 points over the final 30 minutes?’

‘Despite the paltry numbers, New Orleans’ players said that no one was angry or mad in the locker room during halftime. "We didn’t get too riled," Williams said. "We were just upset because we were playing so horrible."’

‘In assessing their performance, Bills’ defensive end Phil Hansen noted, "I thought they did a pretty good job. They didn’t contribute to our loss … we contributed to our loss."’

A good piece by Tim O’Shei on Jake Arians. He has received some coaching on Buffalo’s tricky autumn winds from former Bills punter Chris Mohr. With the Falcons this summer, Mohr and Arians were roommates. “We talked a lot about different stuff,” Arians said. “We actually talked a lot about Buffalo, the winds. Arians has known Mohr for several years.

Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback: "… you get into the game and see John Fina, supposedly the anchor of this group, playing like an Arena League cuttee and letting the Saints turnstile him on the way to Rob Johnson. Then there's the matter of adjusting to the West Coast offense, a Buffalo first, and switching from the 3-4 to the 4-3. I mean, who in their right mind could have predicted how the Bills would play in the opener, not to mention this season?"

‘After seven months of buildup, the Gregg Williams regime got under way Sunday – with disappointing results.’

‘Whenever they get first-and-goal on the 1-yard line, they had better score a touchdown. And whenever their quarterback throws three interceptions, they are virtually assured of losing. Those were the realities played out in the Bills’ 24-6 season-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.’

‘Henry ran for 58 yards on 22 carries in the Bills’ 24-6 loss to the New Orleans Saints, but his performance was better than the numbers might indicate.’

‘"I really didn’t run it in the first half," said the 5-foot-10, 240-pound Williams. "They came out in the Bears’ defense and we practiced all week for it, but I don’t think we really thought they were going to play it. We came out in the second half and gave them some different looks and we did a good job."’

‘He did not get knocked out of the game. That’s a positive. But the new offense was a huge disappointment. It’s supposed to put pressure on defenses by giving the QB multiple options, but that didn’t stop the Saints from taking Moulds out of the game.’

‘Circumstance says it’s too early to draw any firm conclusions on the Buffalo defense Gregg Williams and coordinator Jerry Gray have tinkered with without cease. Are the Bills as good as they looked in the first half? They played the final three quarters minus standout linebacker Sam Cowart. Might they thrive without him if his Achilles injury is serious?’

‘"I’m happy with my start," Arians said. "Obviously, it would be a lot sweeter if it had come in a victory. But I just went out there, tried to relax and hit the ball cleanly."’

‘Big Picture: This was the one the Bills needed to have, and now they’re in danger of getting the Gregg Williams era off to a slow start. Next up are the Miami Dolphins and then the Indianapolis Colts, both on the road, and early indications are both will again contend for the AFC East crown. There’s a very real possibility that Buffalo will be 0-3 heading into its next home game Sept. 30 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.’