Archives for July 2005

‘Holcomb hasn’t gone far enough, which is why he picked the Bills over a variety of free-agency suitors. All of Buffalo’s working parts seem to be in place for a playoff run. "It’s important for me in my career to win a championship." he says. "That’s why I am at the place I am right now."’

‘When Vincent was set to return, coordinator Jerry Gray was ready to insert Vincent back at left cornerback, but with second-year pro Terrence McGee playing well and the Bills making a strong playoff push, Vincent felt it was in the club’s best interest not to rock the boat. His long-range career plan was to shift to free safety eventually, only now the timetable was pushed up.’

‘Veteran backup QB Kelly Holcomb showed during spring drills why the Bills went hard after signing him. In one word: poise. "In the huddle, the scheme, with everything new to him, he doesn’t flinch," coach Mike Mularkey said. "The speed of the rush is pretty heavy and he’s standing in there and making some throws."’

‘Drinking too much cold medicine or taking a dietary supplement that’s not on a league-approved list can get a player in trouble. “It’s that tight,” said Troy Vincent, the Buffalo Bills veteran defensive back who is president of the players union. “We know our system works.”‘

‘”I just got tested,” Villarrial said. “Shirt off, pants down the knees, and he’s standing over the stall watching you pee into a cup. That would be hard for that device to work.”‘

‘ won’t be shocked if the Bills finish slightly above .500 in J.P. Losman’s first season as starting QB, but 8-8 is a more reasonable projection.’

‘”We’re not going to budge. We feel we’ve already lessened the asking price. We don’t think we could go below that. We think we’re giving away for a three,” Donahoe said. “We think that a three is pretty fair for a starting caliber running back, somebody who’s been to the Pro Bowl. It’s been perplexing to us why we haven’t been able to get it done.”’

‘Joe Burns continues to win on the football field – only this time he won the hearts of area children.’

‘Kelly tells me family is his priority right now, especially his son Hunter who suffers from Krabbe’s disease. Still, he’s left the door open. Robert Davis: “He didn’t rule it out, and i’m going to pursue it.”‘

‘”In a month it certainly could impact things,” Titans General Manager Floyd Reese said. “It sounds like (Taylor) just started (testing his knee) and they are going to wait and see where he ends up. “I think in Buffalo’s situation, they can certainly wait and see what happens there, too. They have a fall back, which would be us, and now it is a matter of getting something else.”‘

‘To make the playoffs this season, Greer said the Bills will have to ”improve upon the minor parts of the game, like third downs and getting takeaways.” Second-year quarterback J.P. Losman – groomed to be the starter after the Bills released Drew Bledsoe earlier this year – is ”a young Steve Young because of his mobility,” Greer said.’

‘Baker was signed out of Southern Oregon by Oakland. He was waived in training camp, but re-signed with the Raiders in January. He was cut in March.’

‘He has experience at place-kicking and punting, leading the NAIA in averaging 43.8 yards per punt in 2003. The Bills have two kickers on their roster, and Baker is expected to provide relief in training camp for Buffalo’s incumbent punter Brian Moorman.’