Archives for October 2012

‘The inconsistency has been probably the most frustrating thing for us all. We came out of the, obviously, preseason feeling good. Solid, obviously. There was a transition with a new system and new players and everything. And then [we] got into the season and really felt good. After the Cleveland game and even as far as halftime of the New England game we felt like we were right on track and making progress. And then, you know, we’ve had a game and a half of disappointment to put it bluntly.’

‘”He’s an elite player, definitely one of the best wideouts in the game,” Bills safety George Wilson said. “He’s strong. He runs great routes, and he has soft hands. When I call him one of the best, let me rephrase. He’s one of the elite, the creme de la creme of wide receivers we have in this league. When you mention wide receivers in any conversation, Larry Fitzgerald’s name will be one of the first to come up.”’

‘Prediction: Bills 21, Cardinals 20.’

‘”It’s definitely something that we’re not proud of,” said running back Fred Jackson. “What we are putting out on the field is not something we want to be known for, so we have to have a gut check within ourselves. Each person on this team is looking at themselves individually and asking what they can do to help make this team better. That’s all I can ask of my teammates, and all I can do for myself is what I can do to help get this thing turned around and make plays for my team.”‘

‘No Bills team since the 1960s has faced the challenge of back-to-back games out west, so Gailey elected to spare his players the energy-zapping effect of repeated time zone changes.’

Arizona Cardinals look to fix offensive issues (Arizona Republic)

Crucial Matchup With Bills (AZCardinals.com)

‘Still, the secondary has been repeatedly burned, the linebackers are uninspiring, and new defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt has to be wondering how things have gotten so bad so quickly. In his years as a coordinator or head coach, he’s never had a defense finish with a ranking lower than 20th.’

‘Ross spent the first five weeks of the season on the Bills’ practice squad and 10 weeks on the practice squad last season. Snow has also been on the Bills’ practice squad the first five weeks of the season. He was signed by Buffalo as an undrafted free agent in April.’

‘Prediction: Bills over Cardinals.’

‘To make room on the roster for Ross and Snow the Bills released RB Johnny White and S Delano Howell.’

‘”When we started he probably didn’t figure into the 53 when he started out,” Nix said. “But he had some good preseason games and did a lot of good things in practice. He’s got ability. He’s a good pass rusher, that’s what he does best. The reason we kept is for this, in case he had to step in and play. We expect him to play good.”‘

‘”I went out there and grinded throughout that whole camp and during the offseason. It started in OTAs,” Moore said. “I had to get coach to trust me with the new defense and stuff like that. I had Bob [Sanders, as a position coach] last year, got Giff [Smith] this year. I went through a lot being the odd man out coming into camp with Shawne Merriman and some other guys.’

‘The Cardinals have also rushed the passer well, recording 17 sacks. They run a base 3-4 scheme under defensive coordinator Ray Horton, in which they send pressure from all different angles. Of those 17 sacks, just two have come from a lineman, defensive end Calais Campbell, and another two from blitzing safeties. Their play-making linebackers have the rest.’

‘”I hate to use a drastic word, but we’re depleted there. That was one of the strengths we felt like going into the season. … We’ll have to mix and match and do the best we can.”‘