Archives for September 2004

‘”He was pretty impressive,” Head Coach Mike Mularkey said after the game. “I hope other quarterbacks don’t get that mind set that you can be home with your wife and kids and can miss training camp and 48 hours later you can come in an NFL game and move a team.”‘

‘”It’s obviously very good for us to come out and put together a nice drive,” Bledsoe said. “To finish up the preseason for the first offense to put the ball into the end zone, that’s what we’ve been needing to do. We finally put it together and avoided some of the mistakes and showed the kind of efficient offense we can be.”‘

‘”Our special teams are just not getting the point across. It’s not effort, but some of the decisions they are making out there. We as coaches have to make that point clearer.”‘

‘”The big thing for them is to get some time working together because they haven’t gotten many opportunities,” Bledsoe said. “Obviously in a perfect world you’d like to be able to rest everybody right now. But in that situation, you’re probably going to see a little more of them than you would have in a normal fourth preseason game.”‘

‘Through three preseason games, Bledsoe and the first-unit offense have produced four field goals in 15 possessions. The other 11 series ended with eight punts, one interception, one fumble and one missed field goal.’

‘”When Lawyer first came here, he took me under his wing and Lawyer and I have become the best of friends,” Wire said. “He told me when he first came here that he would make me a good strong safety.”‘

‘Needless to say, many of the key questions that hovered over the Buffalo Bills heading into training camp after last season’s 6-10 finish that cost Gregg Williams his job, were answered in a positive way over the past month. Unfortunately for the team and its die-hard fans, who haven’t cheered a playoff team since 1999, a rash of late-camp injuries, an offensive line still in a state of upheaval and a schedule that’s downright mean has tempered the enthusiasm just so heading into the regular season opener on Sept. 12 against Jacksonville.’

‘Vagabond southpaw Greg Zolman, who has had an erratic camp, is expected to be cut after Thursday’s final preseason game in Detroit.’

‘The Bills stole half of the University of Tennessee’s starting defensive backfield with the signing of safety Rashad Baker and cornerback Jabari Greer, two draft-rated players who for various reasons went un-selected. Both street free agents have been impressive in training camp and should make the final roster and play.’

‘”If it was a regular season game I would play,” Henry said. “Considering the starters aren’t going to be playing that much, my guess is I think they’ll hold me out.”‘

‘But Sunday’s reduction to 53 players might well be the toughest in team history. And the reason is injuries at quarterback.’

‘Henry might not be as charismatic as Michael Jordan, but he’s a fantastic, big-hearted, dedicated, and fearless player. It’s time to show him some love.’

‘Prediction: Buffalo looks like a .500 team, but if it can survive a November stretch against New England, St. Louis, Seattle and Miami in consecutive weeks, they could sneak into the playoffs.’

‘"We’ve obviously had a lot of injuries this past week to our quarterbacks so that has changed some things," Zolman said. "Regardless of where I am on the depth chart, my job is to go out there everyday and do the best I can to help this team. I know what I’m doing in this offense. I assume I’ll get a lot of snaps this Thursday."’

”’He’s a guy you hate to see go down because of the passion he has for the game and what he means to our team,” Wire said as the Bills prepare for their preseason finale at Detroit on Thursday. ”I’m taking this upon myself to not have a big drop-off from what we lost. I’m taking it very personally.”’