Archives for November 19, 2013

‘Doug Marrone has never bought into the idea of rebuilding and thinking about filling holes in April’s draft. The Bills’ first-year head coach had his eyes set on making the playoffs immediately. That’s arguably been his best attribute so far in his first season. The problem is, the Bills’ roster isn’t quite ready to be a playoff team yet.’

‘Over the years, Bills’ quarterbacks have said that it isn’t the snow or the rain that make it tough to play at Ralph Wilson Stadium … it’s the wind, uncontested. On Sunday, Manuel passed that test and did so impressively.’

‘”He’s a real pro. Nothing really gets to him, which is great as a kicker,” said long snapper Garrison Sanborn. “He’s got a great mindset – ‘I’m just going to go out there and kick it.’ He’s real relaxed, and he’s very talented.”‘

‘I’m convinced that Byrd would have been on the field in the opener if the Bills had given him a long-term contract, instead of a one-year franchise deal. You can vilify him for milking the plantar fasciitis, but Byrd wasn’t going to play hurt for a team that wouldn’t give him what he considered fair value. It was the only leverage he had.’

‘”We don’t think it was intentional,” said one source close to the case. “It was reckless what he did.”‘

‘”I’ve always known I can kick the ball,” Carpenter said. “I ended the year last year going 16 for 17, so it wasn’t any thought where, ‘Oh, I’m done, I can’t kick the ball anymore.’ “‘

‘Savidge said he was looking around and talking with other spectators when a man slid down a handrail and flipped backward, falling about 30 feet onto another fan. Savidge said he saw the falling spectator out of the corner of his eye as he crashed into the other fan’s neck and flipped again, landing a couple of rows in front of him.’

‘”Honestly, I’m over that,” Byrd said. “Like I said, I am who I am. You can’t change it now. We’ve got to win. I’ve been here for four years. I want to win games here.”‘

‘”I think it’s important for all of us to be able to get off our feet, heal as much as we can,” Williams said. “You’ve been going since training camp. So even if it’s just a few days, it’s time to decompress, get away from it, and then come back next week ready to go.”‘

‘Erie County sheriff’s spokeswoman Mary Murray says the fall is being investigated and charges may be filed. Police aren’t releasing the men’s names because of the investigation and aren’t commenting on their condition, citing privacy laws.’

‘”I’ve never experienced a bye this late,” head coach Doug Marrone said on Monday.’

‘Outside of Jackson’s knee injury, the Bills have only two other players that could have been in question for their next game against the Falcons. Starting wide receivers Stevie Johnson (groin) and Robert Woods (ankle) each sat out of the game against the Jets, but look poised to return in time for Buffalo’s next contest.’

‘”It’s hard to explain. It’s just a feel,” Byrd said of his propensity to log two interceptions in a game. “You just go out there, you study, you prepare. Coaches do a great job of getting us in position to make plays and you just go out there and make plays. That’s really what it is, just getting a feel back for the game.”‘

‘For me, I’m taking an approach that they kind of feel that way. They have not relayed that to me, but I’m just taking that approach of here it is right now, let’s just get ourselves healthy, let’s get ready to make a push and let’s go.’