Archives for September 13, 2004

‘But here’s what resonates: The Bills, by choice, put the ball in Bledsoe’s hands on third and goal from the Jacksonville 1 with just more than 10 minutes remaining. He froze, surrendering a sack, taking a fourth-down touchdown try out of the equation. Jacksonville, out of necessity, put its trust in Leftwich on the final drive and came away with a victory, a vital victory considering the next three weeks on the schedule read: Denver, Tennessee, Indianapolis.’

‘”I felt good about it,” said running back Travis Henry. “We had been playing good in the preseason. Everybody wants to run the ball. We ran it good sometimes, but there were sometimes where we got negative plays. But for the most part, I though we stuck with it and did a good job.”‘

‘Team isn’t good enough to overcome missed FG by Lindell.’

‘Zebra Report: The men in black and white were rather busy in this one, calling 16 penalties for 128 yards.’

‘There have been some gut-wrenching defeats in the 45-year history of the Bills franchise, but this 13-10 loss to the Jaguars zoomed right into top-10 territory.’

‘But if you’re going to play your cards close to the vest, you’d better employ players who don’t swallow hard at gut-check time.’

‘”We had guys in position, but he wound up making a big play and we didn’t,” said Reese, who ended a 43-game interception drought by Bills safeties with a fourth-quarter pick that set up a 25-yard field goal by Rian Lindell. “They had tried that play earlier in the game, and although it didn’t work, we thought it was a possibility they would come back to it again.”‘

‘This was a game the Bills expected to win. It was a game they should have won. Yet they lost, and the reason was simple: While Mularkey has a talented bunch to work with, they don’t know how to win, and that’s an intangible that is paramount to success in a league where the majority of games are decided by a touchdown or less.’

‘How Wilford was able to make the catch with three Bills surrounding him is a nightmare the Bills won’t easily forget, but they have to, and fast.’

‘Coaching, D+: The effort was there, but Mike Mularkey’s regular-season debut was marred by the turnovers and penalties that plagued his team during the preseason.’

‘Linebacker Takeo Spikes, who was among the defenders draped all over Wilford: “It was a helluva catch. (Pause.) A helluva catch. … I didn’t believe he caught it. Then, more so, I didn’t believe he’d stayed in bounds.”‘

‘How unlikely? A Jaguars team that was unable to move the ball most of the afternoon had suddenly found life. Leftwich, who had thrown for just 75 yards previously, amassed 72 on that 122-second drive.’

‘”That was an act of God,” said Darius, the one-time Syracuse University Orangeman who now punishes people out of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ secondary. “That’s what that was. It was divine intervention.”‘

Opening thriller (Florida Times Union)

Wilford wins jump ball — and game (Florida Times Union)

Smith kept it alive (Florida Times Union)

Defense grasps role against Bills (Florida Times Union)

Get ready for a season of drama (Florida Times Union)

Impressive debut for Scobee (Florida Times Union)

Grading the Jaguars (Florida Times Union)

Monday Morning Quarterback (Florida Times Union)

Game photos (Florida Times Union)

Good to the last catch (Orlando Sentinel)

Rookie receiver takes hit to get drive started (Orlando Sentinel)

`Project’ Wilford continues to flash his potential at wide receiver (Orlando Sentinel)

High time for Jaguars (Jaguars.com)

Leftwich quiets wolves (Jaguars.com)

‘The Bills offense failed to produce for most of the game. Buffalo was in the red zone three times and came away with one Eric Moulds touchdown and one Rian Lidell field goal.’