Archives for December 2003

‘Wilson’s generosity beats the NFL’s Blackout deadline of 4:15 p.m. today, enabling local CBS affiliates in Western New York to broadcast the game. All seven Bills regular season home games have been televised locally this year with sellouts prior to the deadline for each game.’

‘”Mentally, I think we’re a little bit stronger for winning that game,” said New York head coach Herman Edwards. “Now we have to prepare ourselves this week going into a hostile place. They have the same record we have. They’re fighting like we’re fighting.”‘

‘Wright’s story takes on an added dimension Sunday because he’ll be going against Buffalo, his team for his first two pro seasons before the Bills waived him after the 2001 season. But it’s hard to hear a vengeful tone in his upbeat Oklahoma twang. “I still have a few friends on the Bills, and Sammy Morris and I talk every week,” he said of Buffalo’s third-down back and special-teamer. “Really, we don’t trash-talk each other. He’s not one of those guys. But I’ll tell him we’re going to beat them, just to raise conversation.”‘

‘The Jets probably would prefer to face Bledsoe than backup Alex Van Pelt. Bledsoe has lost nine of his last 10 starts against the Jets and was sacked seven times in the 30-3 rout in October for their first win of the season.’

‘”I’m calling it a good hit to the head,” Bledsoe said. “The dilemma comes in that did I get hit in the head hard? Yeah. Did I close my eyes for a couple seconds? Yeah. When I got up everything looked yellow. But when you come to the sidelines they have a series of questions they ask you to find out how you’re functioning, and I was able to answer all the questions about where I was and what I was doing. . . . It was a hit to the head that knocked me out a little bit. As far as defining whether it’s a concussion or not, the tests they do to determine whether you’re concussed, I passed those.”‘

‘There still were about 3,000 tickets left for Sunday’s game, which starts at 4:15 p.m. The tickets must be sold by 4:15 p.m. today for the local blackout to be lifted. The parking lots at Ralph Wilson Stadium will be open four hours before the game at 12:15 p.m. Fans can enter the stadium 90 minutes before kickoff.’

‘The most productive rookie taken after McGahee in the first round was Nick Barnett (No. 29), who has excelled as Green Bay’s middle linebacker. Guard Eric Steinbach, taken by Cincinnati at the top of the second round, has been good for the Bengals. His mobility has helped spring some of Rudi Johnson’s runs. The steal of the second round so far was receiver Anquan Boldin to Arizona at No. 54.’

‘Crafts, arrested Aug. 29 and currently in the Erie County Holding Center, faces a possible 15-year term, but as a first-time offender could be placed on probation, court officials said.’

‘”I have to practice this week in order to see how things go before I go into the game,” Bledsoe said. “I would say (today or Friday) I’ll practice and based on how I feel then, we’ll determine what to do for the game. I have confidence our (training and medical) staff is going to do the right thing and analyze my situation the right way, and if it’s not safe to play I won’t play.”‘

‘Coach Gregg Williams said that Jennings won’t need surgery, but the injury is “something he won’t be able to play with, so we put him on injured reserve.” Marcus Price, a valuable backup who has stepped in to start for Jennings and for Mike Williams (who missed the Houston game because of a car accident) will get the call for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. “He’s a smart guy and has the ability to play on both sides,” said Williams. “What we’ve got to have is some guys step up.”‘

‘In five games against the Herman Edwards’s Jets, Bledsoe has thrown 1 touchdown pass and 7 interceptions.’

‘A loss to the 5-7 Bills at this point in the season – just when the Jets are truly starting to believe they’re a pretty good team – would be a major setback, not to mention certain elimination from the playoff contention.’

‘If Bledsoe is unable to play, Alex Van Pelt, who’s thrown 12 passes this season and has a 14.2 rating, would step in.’

‘Edwards, who revealed Tuesday that he has compiled a list of areas in which he must improve, said yesterday he may assign a member of the coaching staff the responsibility of clock-management issues during games next season. That is something he will consider during the offseason. It’s not uncommon for a head coach to delegate that job to an assistant. In Bill Parcells’ days with the Giants, he used running backs coach Ray Handley, a quick-thinking math whiz, as his clock expert.’