Archives for September 2006

‘The Bills gave up 183 rushing yards to New England in their season opener last week, and they are expected to be without star linebacker Takeo Spikes, who has a sore hamstring. That makes an already light Bills defensive front even smaller. Spikes’ replacement is rookie sixth-round draft pick Keith Ellison. He’s 228 pounds, 5 pounds lighter than Brown. The Bills say size isn’t the problem. They say they just need to be more disciplined in playing their defense.’

‘Which brings us to Spikes’ lament about free safety Troy Vincent likely having played his final game as a Bill. There should be sadness about Vincent’s end, since not only has he been a very good player but he’s lent a great deal of class to the organization. But let’s allow reality to enter into this: Vincent is in his 15th season at age 35. Young players get better, old players get older.’

‘It’s about time to find out, wouldn’t you say? Honestly, isn’t it time for McGahee to show us, once and for all, that he truly is a star?’

‘”It’s how you want to do it,” Whitner said. “You don’t want to wait until you’re 24 or 25 years old to start making plays on the football field, to start picking up the defense and start being a leader. You want to do it from Day One.”‘

‘Miami, 27-20.’

‘Spikes wouldn’t change his mind. He wanted out. He wasn’t convinced Lewis could wrestle enough authority from the Brown family owners. Spikes signed a big contract with Buffalo. But, at the dawn of the 2006 season, Spikes has yet to appear in a single playoff game. Old Bengals teammates Brian Simmons, Willie Anderson and Rudi Johnson got there with Lewis in 2005 and have a strong shot at repeating their postseason berth. As for Spikes and the Bills, they’re rebuilding this season.’

‘The Buffalo Bills have returned to the scene of the crime.’

‘What was the key to your decision to leave school early and enter the draft last April? “Having the opportunity to compete at this level and that has always been my dream. And we had a great season last year, so if I would have come back I wouldn’t have had a chance to improve my draft stock. All the guys I was used to playing with the last three years were leaving, so if I went back it would have been me and only me. It would have been good to be a leader on that team, be a captain, but I wanted to go out with the guys I came in with.”‘

‘”I always love to compete against the No. 1 guy,” he said. “To me, he (Chambers) is up there with the top receivers in this league. … He’s made plays his whole career.”‘

”’We’ll be forcefully patient and hope he learns from his mistakes,” Jauron said. “We need a fast learning curve from him if we plan to do what every other team in this league wants to do — and that’s make the playoffs.”’

‘”Buffalo’s a good city but it’s a small city,” said Dolphins guard Bennie Anderson, who started 15 games for Buffalo last season. “When your dad is coach of the Bills, it’s like he’s the president of the United States, and you know how much Pres. Bush’s kids get criticized. “It was a lose-lose situation for Coach Mularkey. If they started to win it was going to be Coach Levy who did it. If they started to lose, they would’ve wanted him out of there and Coach Levy in.”‘

‘”I wouldn’t say there’s something to prove on a personal level. We’re 0-1. We want to make a statement that we’re a good team,” Anderson said.’

‘Buffalo’s preparation for the Dolphins’ passing attack could be helped by first-year coach Dick Jauron’s familiarity with Culpepper. Jauron was a head coach or defensive coordinator in the NFC Central for all seven of Culpepper’s seasons in Minnesota. Conversely, Dolphins offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey has offered information on Bills players stemming from serving the previous two years as Buffalo’s head coach.’

Few receivers match Chambers’ streaks (Miami Herald)

Time arrives — finally — for Culpepper to get up (Miami Herald)

Q&A with Keith Traylor (Miami Herald)

Bills pleased with QB Losman’s progress (Miami Herald)

Anderson looks forward to facing former team (Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel)

Two-minute drill with Dolphins RG Bennie Anderson (Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel)

It’s time Briscoe got his due (Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel)

Many questions remain regarding ex-Bill’s departure (Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel)

Breakdown: Dolphins vs. Bills (Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel)

Women applaud new lines of team apparel (Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel)

Are Dolphins fans in panic mode? (Palm Beach Post)

Dolphins want Chambers more involved against Bills (Florida Today)

Tough loss, long wait have Fins raring to go (Naples Daily News)

Dolphins expect victory (Fort Myers News Press)

Dolphin defensive line tricky (Fort Myers News Press)

Saban, Fins only have one option – win (Fort Myers News Press)

Coach Saban Post-Practice Press Briefing (MiamiDolphins.com)

Dolphins Sign Rader From Practice Squad; Waive Massaquoi (MiamiDolphins.com)

‘Last Dec. 4, in Buffalo’s last visit to Miami, the Bills went up 21-0 in the first quarter on the strength of three touchdown catches by Lee Evans. “It was a great quarter,” Evans said, “but that was a tough game.”‘