Archives for December 2001

‘He believes the team has a good leader in first-year head coach Gregg Williams, but it just hasn’t come together yet.’

‘Tight end Wesley Walls, a four-time Pro Bowler, has 228,963 votes and is 22,000 ahead of Green Bay’s Bubba Franks. Doug Evans is the leader among cornerbacks with 89,925. Todd Sauerbrun is the leader among NFC punters with 142,697 votes and rookie Steve Smith is the leading return man with 70,516 votes.’

‘"We’re running a West Coast system here (on offense), but we’re not running it as efficiently as teams that have run it for years like a San Francisco or a Green Bay," Van Pelt said. "And we’re running a Tennessee-type defense here, but we’re not running it like the Titans ran it when they were in their prime defensively." Bingo. The Bills run all the right systems, but they run them like the Bad News Bears.’

‘"That’s the part I feel we lack right now. Jim Kelly would jump up and get in somebody’s face if they didn’t run the right route. He’d let them know it. Thurman would stare down the offensive linemen like he was getting ready to shoot them if they didn’t block the right guy or if they left a guy unblocked in practice. Those guys obviously had the right to do that because they were so successful. We have a lot of guys here that are young and haven’t made that move, that step into leadership yet."’

‘As bad as Carolina’s 1-11 season has been, it hasn’t been nearly as bad as Buffalo’s 1-10 campaign.’

‘Despite their 1-11 record, early returns indicate the Carolina Panthers stand a decent chance of placing four players in next February’s Pro Bowl.’

What a long, tumbling fall it’s been for a Bills franchise that has proudly earned its way to four Super Bowl games and has been one of the league’s true models for perennial success. Sure, the Bills faced a transition year in 2001 with an entirely-new front office and coaching staff and new systems on offense, defense and special teams. But 1-10? That’s a bit drastic.

Bills fullback Phil Crosby attended CJ’s press conference at the Wegmans on Niagara Falls Blvd. in Amherst while Kenyatta Wright represented the Bills at the Orchard Park Wegmans for the Potter Road Elementary class. Both winners asked the first question and were permitted to sit in the front row.

‘They have given the ball away 27 times (15 interceptions and 12 fumbles), resulting in 106 points by the opposition.’

‘Price partially tore the ACL late last season but didn’t have surgery.’

Bills’ center Craig Heimburger visited Buffalo City School #74 for the third time this season contributing to the Buffalo Bills-Target Art Program. Heimburger diligently assisted the students on their monoprints and calligraphs while completing a few art projects of his own.

‘Kasay has made 16 of 18 field-goal attempts, including a 51-yarder late in Sunday’s game at New Orleans.’

‘Carolina Panthers defensive end Jason Peter said Thursday that he won’t decide if he will retire until spring.’

‘San Francisco’s players and coaches vs. Buffalo’s players and coaches looked like a chess match between Bobby Fischer and those who play with Fisher-Price toys.’

‘Price will undergo surgery today or tomorrow to repair an anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the season’s final five games.’