Archives for December 28, 2010

‘”I’m as close to 100 percent as I think I’ll be,” Easley said. “I feel real good now. I feel a whole lot stronger. I’m just trying to move forward mentally and finish out the season strong and wish the guys the best and hopefully have an even more productive offseason.”‘

‘The Bills were ill equipped for the switch this season but I like the 3-4 and I’m glad they persevered. Now they can acquire the personnel needed, namely studs at defensive end, middle and outside linebacker.’

‘Williams was the focus of the Patriots’ game plan. They felt if they could control him, it would allow offensive linemen a chance to get to the Bills’ linebackers at the second level of the defense. Mission accomplished.’

‘"I’m glad he’s feeling better, but I don’t think that status is going to change," Gailey said on Monday. "[The rib] isn’t broken, but it’s bad enough that he’ll have a hard time playing this week. It would take a true miracle for him to get out there this week."’

‘Spiller understands what has gone wrong this year, and most of it has to do with learning how to run the ball in the NFL. Unlike in college, when he could simply outrun everyone on the other team, that’s not possible now. He hasn’t quite grasped the concept of being patient and waiting for a block to develop, particularly on plays designed to hit between the tackles.’

‘Gailey getting away from the running game was an ill-fated decision. It likely wouldn’t have changed the outcome, but had the Bills stuck with the ground game longer, they probably would have been able to move the ball more effectively, turn it over less, and keep it away from Brady a bit longer. On defense, the Bills took another step back against the run after playing pretty well the previous few games. They had no answers for the Patriots’ running attack, and they couldn’t devise ways to get a pass rush on Brady.’

‘Buffalo’s run defense took a big step backward. For the seventh time this year, the Bills allowed at least 200 yards rushing, one shy of the franchise record, which was set in 1978, the year the Bills set the mark for all-time run defense futility by giving up 3,228 yards. New England topped 200 yards in both games against the Bills, finishing with a total of 417, with BenJarvus Green-Ellis gaining 202 yards.’

‘That’s not how Fitzpatrick and the Bills had expected to measure themselves against the NFL’s elite and show they might finally be on the right track in a season they opened with eight straight losses.’