Archives for September 6, 2014

‘A Bills source told The News that Marrone never dared management to fire him during the argument, although he did make a similar statement over drinks later that night with Brandon, Whaley and Monos, but the group was laughing about it within minutes.’

‘”He’s done a very, very good job,” Marrone said. “He’s been very, very good for this football team. He works extremely hard in practice, which helps. He’s a willing blocker, which you’re looking for.’

‘The next question is what Buffalo will have to cheer about on Sunday and in subsequent weeks leading up to the Feb. 1 Super Bowl in Phoenix. The Bills’ record has been dispiriting for years and few people seem to be holding out a lot of hope for this season.’

‘The accomplishment of reaching four straight Super Bowls has grown over the years, although losing them all has put those teams into a strange niche in NFL history. It’s tough to say if “Second to None” will find an audience outside of this region. But those outside of Western New York who do read it will learn how this group of individuals came together for a memorable run of success. Those inside the region simply will have a smile on their faces for most of the 224 pages.’

‘”It was very frustrating,” Spiller said the other day following a practice in which he was operating 100 percent pain-free, just as he has all summer. “I’m a very competitive person and I want to be able to be out there to help my team win. After I got hurt, I was anywhere from 50 to 60 percent. I was never myself.”‘

‘”Hey, did we have a discussion? Absolutely, I confirm that absolutely,” Marrone said following the Bills final full practice before departing Saturday for Chicago where they open the season Sunday against the Bears. “Are we great? We talk every day, three times a day. We talk about a lot of things. We’re competitive and I couldn’t be happier with those guys, I really couldn’t. And then the thing about Jim is great, too, because I was one of the ones that recommended Jim to come here. So there’s a lot of things in that that I think I’ll probably catch a lot of heat on from my friends because it’s just not true.”‘

‘The optimist in me says this team is capable of 10 wins. The pessimist in me sees as few as four or five victories. The Bills’ time has to be now. If it isn’t, it’s going to be another newsy offseason at 1 Bills Drive.’

‘”Sometimes when you look at stats and not really understand the game, you tend to over-talk yourself,” Hughes said. “I kind of felt like they might have jumped to conclusions, but they’re entitled to their own opinions. I don’t worry myself with it. I just go out there and take care of business the way I see fit.”‘

‘”The thing about Jim (Monos) is great, too, because I was one of the ones that recommended Jim to come here,” Marrone said. “There’s a of things in that that I’m going to catch a lot of heat on from my friends, because it’s just not true.”

‘Tight end Lee Smith (toe) and safety Jonathan Meeks (neck) are listed as doubtful for Sunday, and running back Anthony Dixon is considered questionable with a hamstring injury this week at practice. Dixon was not participating in practice this week. He spent some time on the exercise bike in the portion of practice open to the media. Smith also didn’t participate in practice Friday. Meeks was a limited participant, but everyone else practiced in full.’

‘The fact that Schwartz and the Lions were 2-0 against the Bears last season is a good sign as well, but keep in mind the Bears will also be familiar with Schwartz’s scheme. The Lions forced five Bears turnovers in two games a year ago but also let the Bears go over 400 yards of offense in one of those contests.’

‘”Are we great? We talk every day, three times a day. We talk about a lot of things, so we’re competitive and I couldn’t be happier with those guys.”‘

‘”We’re confident he can do it,” Whaley said, “because look at what he did as a rookie in the two games we came back in the fourth quarter to win (against Carolina and Jacksonville). And even in the Atlanta game (an overtime loss in Toronto) he put us in position to win. So we feel that he has that in him.’

‘”They’ve kind of hit rough waters. … We’ve got a lot of confidence in Terry Pegula and his ability to buy the Bills but we’re still not relaxing. We’re still on edge here in Buffalo. We know it’s not over with and anything could happen. We don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes.”‘

‘”If they are going to beat the Bears he is going to have to make plays. They are going to try to get him the ball and one of the reasons they moved up for him, in my mind, is they are easy throws for EJ Manuel. Slants, bubble screens, short stuff.”‘