Archives for January 2009

‘Leonhard couldn’t have been expected to play a similar role for the Bills. Leonhard’s supporting cast in Baltimore includes such stars as Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Ed Reed, and there aren’t any players who resemble them in Buffalo. Leonhard would be the third-best punt returner for the Bills.’

‘Bills doctors performed the surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Hardy, the team’s second-round draft choice in 2008, will face six to nine months of rehabilitation in order to return to full action for the team. Hardy had nine catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie.’

‘”When you go down that list and you take the kick coverage or punt coverage teams because those are your core guys and they play on all the units, most of them were first year guys playing or were really young guys,” he said. “I don’t care if you’ve got a first or second-round draft pick linebacker playing, they usually don’t play that well on teams because it’s new. So we had a lot of guys that really had not played. But I thought the guys did a tremendous job.”‘

‘He said the Bills’ anniversary marketing plans are still in the planning stages, but will include events around the NFL draft, training camp and the team’s first home game next season, along with fan voting for an all-time Bills team.’

‘There’s nothing more frustrating than a team that can put up big gains without putting up big points, and that’s become a specialty for the Bills. For example, Buffalo came vaguely close to doubling the offensive output of the San Francisco 49ers, 350 yards to 195, and put up 276 yards against the New England Patriots in the Turbine Bowl compared to the 241 the visitors managed. And they walked away with nothing from each.’

‘"I’d say our run front is shored up to a degree," said defensive end Chris Kelsay. "Obviously one thing we need is to generate more pressure on the quarterback. I’m sure we’ll take steps this offseason to get that accomplished, whether it’s the draft or free agency, or with the guys we have here."’

‘Kelly for Kids Foundation, established by former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, will provide $185,000 in grants to 20 local organizations that benefit disadvantaged and disabled youth.’

‘But while some may lament a handful of plays that went wrong in the 7-9 season, the numbers show the Bills clearly do not have a winning offense.’

‘Owner Ralph Wilson. He’s had many chances and 2008 wasn’t a sterling year for him.’

‘”With me, I was just work, work, work and I wouldn’t enjoy anything,” Hardy said in a phone interview. “My family was the one who got to enjoy it, and I never talked about it. Since this (injury) happened, and I am at the highest level that I could possibly be, I am reflecting back on my childhood years, and how I actually got here. So I came back to town to see my son and talk to Thomas.”‘

‘Today, Kevin Everett walks. There’s still some tingling in his extremities. His feet grow numb if he’s stands for too long. But there are few, if any, visible clues to his injury. He’s traveling the country, helping raise money for the Kevin Everett Foundation, which helps low-income families cope with the vast expense incurred after serious spinal injuries.’

‘”Definitely,” Jackson said. “I have always wanted to spend my career with one team. I didn’t want to be one of those guys that travel from team to team. That would be something that I would definitely be open to. I want to finish my career in Buffalo and if they offer me a long term deal we’ll see where that goes. Hopefully that’s the case.”‘

‘Kemp is a decent man who has done so much more with his life than play football, although he was fine at that job, too.’

‘”We kind of said it was going to be a matter of time and that’s kind of how it went,” said Duke Preston. “All of a sudden it breaks, but we really committed to running the football more. And the more touches we got Marshawn the more comfortable he felt seeing the holes and Fred too and the more comfortable we felt with what we needed to do and where we need to move our guys to and we were moving guys off the ball and getting them covered up.”‘

‘”He’s a fighter,” Rutkowski said Wednesday, “and he’s never backed away from a challenge, whether on the football field or in the political arena.”‘