Archives for September 2006

Going old-school on GM (Boston Globe)

Within Reche? (Boston Globe)

Bruschi could be a dramatic player (Boston Globe)

Endangered Buffalo (Boston Globe)

New Bills hard to predict (Boston Herald)

15 years (and 99 wins) later Belichick recalls first loss (Boston Herald)

Bam! Smith out, Childress back in (Boston Herald)

Scouting Report: Buffalo vs. Patriots (Boston Herald)

McGahee vs. Pats’ run defense (Boston Herald)

Bills present a Tripplett threat (Boston Herald)

Checklist (Boston Herald)

It’s all fundamental (Metro West Daily News)

Five reasons for optimism (Metro West Daily News)

Five reasons for pessimism (Metro West Daily News)

Four Downs (Metro West Daily News)

Pats’ Dillon ready, willing (Providence Journal)

Pats’ Belichick has it all in perspective (Providence Journal)

SI prognosticators are like fish out of water (Providence Journal)

Texas A&M’s Warren and his wife generous with their time off field (Providence Journal)

When New England has the ball (Providence Journal)

When Buffalo has the ball (Providence Journal)

Special Teams (Providence Journal)

Coaching (Providence Journal)

Pats ready, waiting to resume (Woonsocket Call)

A Confidence Game (Hartford Courant)

Division Rivals Remain Far Behind Patriots (Hartford Courant)

All eyes on Watson (Springfield Republican)

TV lineup? Stay tuned (Springfield Republican)

Are Bills due? (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

New England won’t let focus Branch off (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

The big 3 (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

Patriots need ‘A’ from ‘D’ (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

As far as the Patriots are concerned, it’s still early (Nashua Telegraph)

Watson poised to fulfill potential (Portland Press Herald)

It’s the system, and Patriots’ remains sound (Portland Press Herald)

It could go right, or so very wrong (Portland Press Herald)

Patriots open today (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Get out the NFL crystal ball (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Belichick resting easy for opener (New Bedford Standard Times)

Owner still waiting for Super Bowl glory (New Bedford Standard Times)

Pats should be among NFL elite (New Bedford Standard Times)

Graham not concerned about threat (New Bedford Standard Times)

Rival Bills in for opening kickoff (Manchester Union Leader)

Season’s greetings in Foxboro as eager Pats kick things off (Brockton Enterprise)

Patriots looking to dial up the toughness for ’06 season (Lowell Sun)

Harrison:I’m clearly ready (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)

Tailgating with style (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)

‘It looks like the Bills won’t be facing Jonathan “Freddie” Smith on Sunday after all. The wide receiver and return specialist was waived by New England on Saturday, the last day that transactions can be done in a game week.’

‘If the Patriots are worried, they aren’t letting it show.’

‘"We love Freddy," Greer said. "He’s a great guy and he was one of the best personalities on the team. But when those bullets start flying somebody has to get hit, and we’re going for Freddy."’

‘Next year, Michael Gross told those gathered for a pep rally Friday to kick off the Bills season, there will be “no pavement visible” in the Pearl Street Grill and Brewery parking lot, where the rally was held. That was not the case this year. The third annual “Blue Friday” attracted a number of Bills and Sabres alumni, as well as current members of the teams, but only a few hundred fans attended.’

”’The atmosphere is totally different. Everybody has confidence in this coaching staff. There were mixed emotions going around last year, but that’s the past.”’

‘The “A” in Buffalo’s “A-game” stands for April.’

‘What Jauron saw in Fairchild – and has seen throughout the spring and summer as he has tailored this offense to fit Buffalo’s personnel – was a coach who understood the importance of balance without sacrificing creativity and common sense. “He knows we have to run the ball and he brings that to us, but he also brings the knowledge of pushing the ball down the field,” said Jauron. “I like the variety of ways he’s coached. I’m a big believer in the fact you’ve got to do it all to win in our league. You’ve got to be able to throw it creatively, but you’ve got to be able to run it. He’s had a background in both. He’s done a nice job.”‘

‘“We’re counting on him in the pass game,” Jauron said. “We want to give him more opportunity to excel there, to lead them on the field. We approach it as we have to give him rest at times. We have to watch that, he has to watch that and let us know, but otherwise we’d like to keep him on the field the majority of the time.”’

Patriots’ Dillon OK with sharing (Boston Globe)

Bruschi practices with Patriots for second straight day (Boston Globe)

Dillon running down dream (Boston Herald)

Belichick is good to open (Boston Herald)

Bill up to the challenge (Boston Herald)

Smith catches breaks (Boston Herald)

Brady’s record gives Pats the edge (Providence Journal)

Dillon looking forward, not back (Providence Journal)

Belichick never relaxed before games (Woonsocket Call)

Running game more than one-dimensional (Woonsocket Call)

Brady Getting His Fill-Ins (Hartford Courant)

McGahee feels like his old self (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Watson may be Brady’s new go-to receiver (New Bedford Standard Times)

Are Pats fans ready for some football? (Taunton Gazette)

Something very special about Bills (Brockton Enterprise)

It’s not the same old story for Bills (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

The time is now (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

Patriots keys to victory against the Bills (Patriots.com)

Bill Belichick Press Conference (Patriots.com)

Important Information for Fans Attending Sunday’s Patriots Game (Patriots.com)

‘If the Patriots do stop McGahee, that will force Losman to try and beat them through the air. Losman beat out Kelly Holcomb and Craig Nall for the starting spot, so he’ll want to prove he’s the right man for the job by improving on his overall completion average of 37 percent against the Patriots defense. He’s played in nine Sunday games and has been sacked 26 times in those games.’

‘"We’re most likely to see him as a returner and he’s a guy who doesn’t like to fair catch. We’re the best of friends, but this week he’s on the other side. If he doesn’t fair catch we’ll have to lay something on him." – Sam Aiken on facing friend and former teammate Jonathan Smith.’

‘”I’m pretty sure it will hit me the night and morning before we play the game,” said Spikes, who maintains a scrap book that contains before and after pictures of his surgically repaired Achilles. “I look forward to it. It’s something I’ve been waiting on.”‘

‘If Bowen can’t play, coach Dick Jauron said that both rookie Donte Whitner, the team’s first-round (eighth overall) draft pick, and Coy Wire will see action. Jauron didn’t say who would start in place of Bowen if the seven-year veteran is unavailable.’

‘"He’s only been there for 48 hours but the Buffalo Bills have offered him a three month contract with an affiliate club in Germany," Shannon Grant said, accepting an award on behalf of Rocca for his services to the Kangaroos.’