Archives for November 2009

‘The Buffalo Bills may be a flop on the playing field, but an exhibition commemorating the team’s 50th anniversary has done wonders for the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society.’

‘The Bills are on pace for their second worst yardage total ever in a 16-game season.’

‘”The downfall started when John Butler left,” said Ruben Brown, who came to the Bills as a first-round draft choice in 1995 and played in Buffalo through 2003. “I don’t want to throw anybody under the bus, but maybe (Donahoe) just wasn’t the right guy in this place at that time. We had something going, a system, and to tear that up and start anew made no sense.”‘

‘They need a football man in charge. That should be priority one for this organization. I have an idea. The Bills need to be like Chief Brody in the famous movie from the 70’s, they need to go after Jaws.’

‘”Since coach Sanders arrived here that’s been our main focus, the pass rush,” said Ryan Denney, who led the team in sacks a season ago. “Everything we do, every drill we do in practice is designed to help us get back to the quarterback. I feel that has paid dividends for us and we’re able to give that full effort in getting to the quarterback.”‘

‘Byrd’s skills were on display here in 2003 and ’04, when he was an all-purpose star – quarterback, free safety, punter, punt returner, kick returner – at Clayton High.’

‘Activating Hardy would give the Bills seven healthy wide receivers. The team is having difficulty getting the ball enough to its top two wideouts, much less its reserves.’

‘Even if I’m right and Jauron would have kept Walker, it doesn’t take Jauron off the hook in any way. Jauron (and the entire football department) made the disastrous decision in March that Walker could handle the left tackle spot, and he was wrong. So he’s responsible for the tackle disaster.’

‘”I just couldn’t take it,” Talley said by phone from his home in Orlando, Fla. “When I got to Buffalo in the mid-80s the teams were not very good but I was there to build something to a level of respectability throughout the NFL. I was part of that. And then to sit back and see what’s going on now, it’s just so disheartening. I just couldn’t help it. It got to me.”‘

‘”I think it can probably feel that way,” Owens said. “I think with the expectations of the season, myself included by coming here, the bar was raised. And so, we’re nowhere near it. And I think that’s where the air’s kind of been let out a little bit.”‘

‘"Right now, before we talk about red zone and all that other stuff, it’s staying on the field and keeping our defense off the field and the third down stuff will be a big deal just because every time you convert a third down you get three more plays," said quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who went 2-1 starting in relief of Trent Edwards (concussion), who is expected to start at Tennessee on Nov. 15.’

‘With starter Keith Ellison hobbled by a sore quad, SS Bryan Scott took some practice snaps at outside linebacker this week. The Bills have been hit hard by injuries at linebacker. "I think it’s more just in case of emergency and make sure that I’m prepared," said Scott, who at 6-foot-1, 219 pounds has the size to fill in on a temporary basis if needed. "I probably won’t have to do it, but just in case, you want to be ready."’

‘"I’m feeling all right; I’ll be fine," Byrd said. "It’s been a couple weeks that it’s been nagging at me. The trainers have done a good job getting me through and prepared to go to games. I’m excited we have a bye week so I can try to get healthy and get back on track."’

‘”Third down was definitely the key,” said Lee Evans. “We left our defense out there for a lot of plays the last few weeks. If we can handle third down and we were in a lot of manageable situations last week, if we can handle third down we’ll be a little bit better offensively.”‘

‘If Edwards gets rid of his hesitation to throw downfield and shows dramatic improvement the rest of the way, he’d have a chance of starting for Buffalo again next season. However, if he continues to be "Captain Checkdown" and fails to move the team through the air, it’s very possible that the Bills could address the quarterback position early in next year’s draft. Add in the fact that one of Edwards’ main supporters, head coach Dick Jauron, is unlikely to be back next season, and the pressure is really on for the QB to come through in the final two months.’