Archives for December 2010

‘Thanks to a Buffalo defense that held the Browns without a touchdown for the second year in a row at the Ralph, the Bills pulled out a 13-6 victory, their third of the season and first over Cleveland since 2004.’

‘But with a combined seven fumbles – five by the Browns – four turnovers and eight punts, it definitely qualified for the archives of rotten football.’

‘Is the Bills’ slumping offense ready to break out? There were plenty of stretches where it wasn’t pretty, but when it was all said and done, it was a decent day. The rushing total was a season high, and Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for an effective 142 yards despite a patchwork offensive line in place.’

‘Chan Gailey and his staff made the right adjustments after some early protection problems and defending the run and for the most part executed a smart game plan for the wet, cold-weather conditions. A successful replay challenge earned a possession deep in Cleveland territory and led to a field goal that made it a seven-point game late. Ending the game with nine running calls doesn’t get better.’

‘”So the best thing we got out of this game is we stepped up to the challenge, and we were physical with a guy who wants to be physical,” Whitner said. “After awhile we started hitting him and he started putting the ball on the ground. He wasn’t really running the same way he was early in the game.”‘

‘”It was mostly a down day,” said Hillis, who couldn’t recall ever fumbling three times in a game at any level. “I wasn’t myself today. I let myself down in a lot of ways. It was totally on my shoulders. I messed it up and I take full responsibility.”‘

‘Still, I feel strangely unmoved by it all. Maybe it’s the long season, or the oppression of the holidays. This online shopping has my head all twisted around. But really, what does it mean? In the big picture, what is the long-term significance of the Bills beating another mediocre opponent and raising their record to 3-10?’

‘”He didn’t play much early in the season but lately he’s been getting the opportunity and now we can see what he can do,” said strong safety Donte Whitner. “Even coming out of college he was a defensive end, which means he naturally has pass-rush ability. He’s athletic and he can run. He’s on all the special teams. So if he continues to get better he’s one of those guys who can give you 10, 12, 13, 14 sacks a la James Harrison.”‘

‘There is a possibility Evans’ season could be over. High ankle sprains usually take 2-4 weeks to heal, but recovery time could be longer depending on the severity of the sprain.’

‘Nelson continued his consistent contribution to Buffalo’s offense with an 11-yard touchdown catch to give the Bills a 7-3 lead with 9:28 left in the quarter. Nelson has caught a pass in nine of 13 games. The TD was his 28th catch of the season. He should become the 12th Bills rookie receiver to reach the 30-catch mark.’

‘Gailey got them ready after stinker in Minnesota. Should have gone for TD at half-yard line. Edwards made right adjustments after opening drive.’

‘”I thought they did a phenomenal job controlling the line of scrimmage and that really showed up on that last drive,” quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said.’

‘Even a Bills victory is painful to watch this year.’

‘”It wasn’t an impossible day to throw the ball; the wind wasn’t bad at all,” he said. “The wetness was there all day, but it was not terrible. It wasn’t a case where it’s terrible weather and nobody can do anything. The conditions were OK.”‘