Archives for November 2012

”’It’s not major, but I don’t know if he can get ready for this week,” Bills coach Chan Gailey said. ”We have to wait and see how the treatment goes.”’

‘Johnson was hurt during the first half of last Sunday’s 21-9 loss at Houston after taking a shot to his upper leg by a Texans defender. He did return to the game, however, and was able to put in limited practices on both Thursday and Friday.’

‘Wide receiver Stevie Johnson, right guard Kraig Urbik and defensive end Chris Kelsay all missed a varying amount of repetitions at practice throughout the week and are listed as questionable. The first two of that grouping fully intend on playing against the Patriots.’

‘”Let me be as honest as I can.” Nix said during his weekly segment on WGR. “I think we really need to address it this year. The thing we can’t do is you can’t create one. You can’t go out thinking I’ve got to make this guy a player. If you do then you’re going to be in a bigger mess. We don’t want to do that. We try to guard against that. But we do need another one and we need to do it this time.”‘

‘The 24-year old was originally signed to Buffalo’s practice squad on Oct. 2nd. Silva has appeared in five NFL games in his career, all with the Dallas Cowboys over the 2011 and 2012 seasons.’

‘If Kelsay can’t play it could prove to be a crucial absence for Buffalo’s run defense. New England rolled up 247 rushing yards in the first meeting with the Bills. Kyle Moore and Shawne Merriman would be the two primary replacements at end should Kelsay be unable to play.’

‘The Bills run defense was more fundamentally sound last week against Houston in terms of gap control and tackling. Buffalo’s worst tackling game this season was the Week 4 matchup with New England. With better tackling and some scheme changes for the Patriots’ run game against Buffalo’s nickel personnel the Bills need to solidify this area of their game to have a chance to win.’

‘New England’s offense ranks first in the NFL in both yards gained and points scored. The Bills’ defense ranks second last in both yards allowed and points allowed. The Pats are averaging 32.75 a game; the Bills are allowing 31 a game. New England scored 52 on the Bills six weeks ago.’

‘Anyone can twist the numbers, but there’s no disguising Buffalo’s 4-12 record in its last 16 games. Seven losses were by 20 points or more, five by 27 points or more. The Bills have a 5-16 road record under Chan Gailey, surrendering 34 points per game in the losses. They’ve allowed at least 35 points four times this year.’

‘”I’m very excited,” Easley said. “I knew going into this season it was going to be an uphill battle for me. And then to get cut and have to work myself up from the practice squad, but that was the situation at hand and I’m glad that this opportunity finally came.”‘

‘As for surrendering large chunks of yardage on so many plays, Fox Sports analyst and former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick says it’s a stat he likes to track and values almost as significantly as turnover ratio. With the Pats giving up 43 plays of 20 or more and getting just 36, it adds up to a potential liability.’

‘”This offense is a very explosive offense,” Wilfork said. “They can up put up points in a hurry on the ground and in the air. We’ve seen it and we’ve been on both sides where we came back and where we didn’t come back. So we understand how important it is for us, defensively, to start fast and make sure we don’t give up these big long plays.”’

‘This Bills offense struggles mightily when first down isn’t a positive play. With one of the best two-back tandems in the league in Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, Pats fans should cheer on the Bills recent trend of getting cute and forgetting about those two from a more traditional sense in critical moments.’

‘”They make plays when they need to, for the most part,” Johnson said of New England’s defensive backs. “They win games. We all know about the offense, but it still takes the defense to make plays and hold opponents off. They have done that.”‘

‘I felt the Bills were a team on the rise before the first meeting, but it seems like this team is a similar version of last year’s — minus-seven in turnover differential and one of the worst defenses in the league’