Archives for August 2006

‘On if the team bounced back from a rough start last week: “I think it’s more of us just getting more and more comfortable in the system. You guys have to understand, it’s new for the coaches to coach the players that they now have, and a new system for a lot of the players. Though I’m familiar with it, it’s new for everybody else. So there’s going to be some growing pains, there’s going to be some times where we make mistakes. As long as we keep playing hard, that’s the great thing about this defense, if you play hard and you hustle, good things are going to happen.”‘

‘On what went well and what didn’t go well: We did a lot of good things but when you turn the ball over like that you don’t give yourself a chance to win. Aside from winning the game, we made some bad looks and reads that cost in a big way. It was good to see some resilience (from JP).’

‘On the overall performance of the offense: I think we took a step forward. It’s just an exhibition game, just a learning stage. In certain situations, everything went good, but the little things killed us as far as my fumble and we had a couple more fumbles during the game. But other than that, we did good, we executed some pass plays really good…I think it was a step forward.’

‘On the game: “There was some good, some bad. I think the bad is very, very easily correctible. It’s hard to simulate holding onto the ball in practice and those types of drills just because we have a red jersey on at practice. Every preseason that’s what it’s for. It reminds you how important it is to hold onto the ball and how critical it is. It’s a reminder of how tight you have to hold onto the ball. I can guarantee you next week it will all be about ball security.”‘

‘On JP Losman: He did some outstanding things and some things you just can’t have. We know that we’ve got to be a little bit patient with him, but we have to keep force feeding him. Let him know that’s its not OK and its hard to win when you do those things. The disappointing part of his game was laying it down on the ground twice. He’s going to make some errors. We’re going to be forcefully patient and see where it goes.’

‘It was a roller coaster ride for J.P. Losman in the first half. He got off to a rough start passing. He was 4-8 midway through the second quarter with a sack and an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Three of his incompletions were due to inaccurate passes that were thrown low to their intended targets.’

‘CB Jabari Greer is not a starter, but you would be hard-pressed to find a player in the team’s secondary who has performed better this summer.’

‘Losman will start and play the entire first half against the Bengals; a golden opportunity to shine against the league’s 28th ranked defense in 2005.’

‘”It’s part of my whole process,” Spikes said after practice at Fisher. “I know that, (and) I don’t get too high and I don’t get too low. It’s like I always say, keep the blinders on and realize that it is a process and just continue to move forward.”‘

‘”It’s critical,” he said. “Clearly we’re not going to win a lot of football games if we don’t score points. Any offense in this league has got to move the ball and get a number of “chunk’ plays a game, big plays. Runs over 10, passes 15-20 plus, so we need to see that, and the capability to do that.”‘

‘The seven-year-old heated seats, part of the frills luring fans into those pricier club seats in the late 1990s, are breaking down, and there’s no long-term cure for what ails them.’

‘”I would say sure, because I’m one of those people who thinks anything is possible and I’d feel I was lying to you if I said no,” said Jauron when asked if Losman could indeed wrap up the competition with a good showing tonight. “We’d love to see him do it. On the flip side, if one of those other two have an unbelievable game they could be right back in it. The pressure is still there and I think it’s a good thing that it is, to keep improving and fight for the job.”‘

‘Jauron suggested that Watson’s weight (he’s 6-foot-1, 246 pounds) and percentage of body fat aren’t at the levels the Bills want. They’re thinking lean and sleek for his spot at linebacker. “We want to play a little faster than he’s used to,” Jauron said. “He does have an upside, though.”‘

‘”I think it gives him a little confidence,” Kelly said of Losman. “If that’s what the coach decided, he’s the one in the meetings and watching the film. J.P. looked good today to me, he looked good when I was here last week. But they know more than I do, so if Dick felt this was the confidence boost that J.P. needed, more power to them, I hope it works out.”’

‘Once the Bills start taking the field on Sundays, Napoleon Crowell often can’t see his son play. That’s because for the past 34 years, the elder Crowell has been a preacher. Napoleon Crowell started the Burning Flame Christian Church and Living Center in June 1983 with just seven members. It’s grown to nearly 300 since. “He tries to make it to all the preseason games, because during the season he has to pick and choose what he can get to,” Angelo Crowell said. “Having my family there means a lot to me. They were always at all my college games and my high school games.”‘