Archives for August 2017

'Here’s the challenge: Peterman needs reps. But his availability for Week 1 is even more important due to Taylor being sidelined. McDermott said he’s unsure how long Taylor and Yates will be in the concussion protocol, so that means the rookie could get the start in Week 1.'

'“It is a challenge regardless if a guy has been in the system or not, it’s a huge challenge,” McDermott said of Wenning having to play just days after he was signed. “He’s up for it though, he’s bright-eyed, was here yesterday most of the day working with the coaches. The terminology I think is fairly familiar to him, so that’s a head start. Just off two, three days max, to go out there and play, it’s going to be a challenge, but he’s up for the challenge.”'

'It is an unusual home and an unusual transaction. Only one other home in Erie County has sold for more money over the last three years, a mansion in Aurora that went for $4.45 million in June 2016, according to the Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors.'

'Although the 6-foot-3, 251-pound Gilchrist only spent three seasons with the Bills, 1962-1964, he established himself as one of the most productive and impactful players in franchise history.'

'At 6-foot-2 and 248 pounds, Cookie was a physical freak of nature who would have been great in any era. He was greatest at running between the tackles. However, he had more speed to get around the corner than most big backs — better speed around the corner than Jerome Bettis, not as much as Earl Campbell. And Cookie ran like "a bad man."'

'Here’s the tricky part: With Taylor’s status for Week 1 yet unknown, the Bills may be forced to start the rookie against the division-rival Jets. That means, head coach Sean McDermott will have to monitor his backup quarterbacks on Thursday night with an eye on Sept. 10 too.'

'Diamond wondered if Beane could be too heavily influenced by coach Sean McDermott…'.

'“It’s a challenge,” admitted Bills coach Sean McDermott. “It’s a challenge regardless if a guy has been in the system or not, it’s a huge challenge. He’s bright-eyed, was here (Monday) most of the day working with the coaches. Just off two, three days max, to go out there and play, it’s tough, but he’s up for the challenge.”'

'While the AFL battled for respect in the early years, one area the league did not lack in was characters. Some of football’s wackiest men plied their craft in the AFL, and some would say the leader of the pack was Gilchrist.'

'That bring us to Holmes, who has spent most of the summer as a starting wide receiver for this team. With the departures of Sammy Watkins and Anquan Boldin, Holmes' spot got a bit safer. However, it's not out of the question that a comparable receiver will be released by another team over the weekend, and Holmes will be expendable. If this team is serious about building for the future, finding a way to get those extra compensatory picks should be a priority.'

'"You know the cool thing about the Gruden QB Camp show that we have is I get a chance to spend a whole day and sometimes two days with these guys," Gruden said Wednesday. "We've had almost 60 shows in the last several years. To make a long story short, I really felt that Nate Peterman was very similar to Andy Dalton coming out of TCU. Similar size, similar personalities. Athletic guys that can throw the ball. Team guys, leaders. There's a lot of intangibles I see in Peterman that I felt Dalton had. When I watch the tape in the preseason, I see a young Andy Dalton. He's making accurate throws. He has anticipation and touch. He can handle a lot of offense. He played in two colleges. We said that during the show. This man knows the game. He loves the game, and it shows in the way he performs."'

'Brandon Reilly is on the right side of the roster bubble entering the preseason finale, but the wide receiver can leave no doubt against the Lions. Reilly leads Buffalo in receptions (9) and receiving yards (112) this preseason so one more notable performance should put him over the top.'

'White shared on Instagram that bedgear gave his family a lifetime sponsorship for their products. A photo on Instagram shows White with a bedgear mattress, pillow and much more.'

'WR depth: Without Sammy Watkins and Anquan Boldin, spots are up for grabs. Locks who will likely see little playing time are rookie Zay Jones, Andre Holmes, and Jordan Matthews (sternum). Guys to watch in the passing game include undrafted rookies Brandon Reilly and Daikiel Shorts. Dez Lewis, Walt Powell, and Philly Brown are my other three guys to watch. None will have much chemistry with Wenning. So the roster spots could already be picked.'

'"I didn't even think this opportunity was ever going to come," Mudge said.'

'Gilchrist, who died at the age of 75 in January 2011, will become the 31st member added to the wall ringing New Era Field during Buffalo’s home against Oakland on Oct. 29.'

'It could very well come down to Brown or Reilly for one final receiver spot. And as Reilly’s stock continues to rise, it looks like Brown's continues to fall each week. He’s caught 6 passes for 66 yards in the preseason, but hasn’t really stood out in any games or even practices. Brown was penciled in as – or at least to compete for – the No. 3 wideout role when he signed with the Bills from Carolina, behind Sammy Watkins and Andre Holmes. Boy, how things have changed. But with all those changes Brown hasn’t taken enough advantage, even though he’s had chances. Now, he’s in a legitimate battle to save his roster spot.'

'Gilchrist passed away more than six years on January 10, 2011 at the age 75.'

'Gilchrist passed away from cancer in 2011 at the age of 75. He will be inducted to the Wall of Fame during halftime of the Bills’ October 29 matchup against the Oakland Raiders.'

'"We decided to kinda spice things up for the upcoming season," Thin Man Brewery owner Mike Shatzel tells 7 Eyewitness News. "My partner in the restaurant, Rocco Termini, came up with the idea to give a car away."'

'“Again, all the information I’m getting from the huddle was that he wasn’t flinching,” he continued. “To me, that’s the first step. It’s one thing to go out there, it’s another thing to go out there and carry yourself with that type of poise and composure to where the team is drawn to you and you can move the offense.”'

'New Era will have their Cap Cab, doing heat sealing for any fans that bring a New Era Bills cap. There is no cost to get your cap heat sealed with one of the New Era custom patches. Additionally, the New Era Pinstripe Bowl trophy will be on display for fans to take pictures with throughout the day.'

'“As long as I know the plays, I know how to run the offense, I’m comfortable,” Wenning said. “But as far as knowing the tendencies of the receivers and lineman, and the lineman hearing my cadence and stuff like that, that’s the tough part. Thursday I’ll have to do my best. I’m confident in these guys, seeing them one day they’re going to be fine, I’m going to be fine. I’m excited for it.”'

'To say that the fullback was dominant was an understatement. At 6-3 and 250 pounds, Gilchrist was a one-man wrecking crew. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry in his three seasons with the Bills rushing for just over 3,000 yards with 35 total touchdowns.'

'The biggest factor in her reasoning is the play of LeSean McCoy. The veteran running back ended last season with 1,267 rushing yards. This was in the Bills run-heavy offense, which boasted one of the best offensive lines in the league. Frelund said that McCoy averaged 1.44 yards per carry before a defensive player was within a yard of him. That led the NFL by far last season, and was one of the biggest reasons he could carve defenses for long runs.'

'"Vlad's obviously got a leg up on John, just knowing the system and being comfortable with it and knowing all of what Coach Castillo's techniques are," veteran left guard Richie Incognito said. "John's the young, hungry guy who's started since he's been here (arriving as a third-round pick from Louisville in 2015). So he's fighting for his life right now, and those two guys are still battling it out.'

'“We like it. … It allows teams one more week to evaluate guys,” he said. “Even guys that you know maybe are not good enough for the 53, but maybe I want this linebacker on the practice squad or this linebacker. It’s another week to see those guys. We all know the starters play very limited in the fourth game.”'

'Coach Sean McDermott said Tuesday the Bills are "still cautiously optimistic" that wide receiver Jordan Matthews, who hasn't played or fully practiced since suffering a chip fracture of his sternum in his first workout with the team on Aug. 13, will be ready to play in the opener.'

'Here's the reality: The Bills have almost no chance of making the playoffs any time soon. Virtually every sign points to them adding another chapter to their long and wretched history of the 21st century. The regular season could amount to an extension of the preseason, a 16-game exercise in evaluating players for next year and beyond.'

'While the Bills and Jets have been busy hitting the reset button (either by introducing a new regime, parting ways with high-priced veterans or swapping former high-round draft-picks for future picks), and the Dolphins have been getting acclimated to the Jay Cutler experience, the retooled Patriots are preparing for another run at the Super Bowl with Rob Gronkowski, ex-Bill Chris Hogan and former Saints receiver Brandin Cooks.'

'Well we brought in Keith Wenning and we have Nate [Peterman] as well, so we’re going to monitor that. A lot of it depends on how quickly Keith gets up to speed, which it’s a short week so there’s a challenge. But Keith’s been in the system before in Baltimore and that was the main attraction with Keith. He’s a good football player, so I look forward to seeing him in action Thursday night. How much remains to be seen. The balance of Nate and Keith is what we’re driving at right now for Thursday night.'

'"Very tough, just because I grew up from that area, that Sugar Land area that's really getting affected by the flood water," Hughes told reporters Tuesday. "So I understand what the people of Houston are actually going through at this time, and just to see them struggling, where people are actually writing Social Security numbers on their ID … they're trying to wait out the water, might not have boat access, some people might not be able to swim.'

'Bills great Thurman Thomas was born in Houston and has a lot of family there. Thomas and his wife, Patricia, have been tweeting since the hurricane began, asking for prayers for family and those in need. The Hall of Famer tweeted late Monday night that his family was safe.'

'Jack Eichel of the Sabres might go to the top of the mountain pretty soon, but to date, no one in the history of professional sports in Buffalo has signed a contract with more guaranteed money than the $60 million the Bills wired into Dareus’ bank account in September 2015. And because of that ridiculous contract (seriously, didn’t the Bills learn their lesson with Mario Williams in that you don’t pay defensive linemen like quarterbacks?), the Bills can’t do what they probably should have already done: Get rid of the guy.'

'"What innately comes with that position is leadership skills," McDermott said. "His character, he possesses the leadership skills to get us lined up, be the antenna, so to speak, of the defense. I'm not out there. Over the years, when you look at that position in this system, guys like Luke Kuechly, guys like Jeremiah Trotter that can check the defense, get us in and out of bad calls, bad defenses, set us up for success. That's an important part of that position, and Reggie, from what I've observed and what I've been told, he has that DNA."'

'The Bills were also without quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and T.J. Yates for the second straight day as both remain in concussion protocol. Wide receiver Rod Streater (toe), wide receiver Jeremy Butler (concussion), linebacker Tanner Vallejo (knee) and safety Shamiel Gary (undisclosed) all were not practicing.'

'Buffalo also released Jake Metz, Cedric O'Neal, Karim Barton, Jumal Rolle and Rashad Ross.'

'"Fellow Houstonians and Bills Mafia: What is happening in my home city of #Houston is completely devastating and heart-wrenching. Watching this crisis from so far away makes me feel helpless, so I want to do whatever I can to help the victims impacted by this tragedy. I will be donating $25,000 to Mayor Sylvester Turner's Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. Additionally, I will give $5,000 for each sack I record. I hope and pray my teammates, friends, and fans will join me in making a donation as well. Any amount matters in this time of need! All donations can be made to www.ghcf.org/hurricane-relief/. Thank you all for your support! #Houstonstrong #HurricaneHarvey #BillsMafia"'

'Brown said he’s glad to be back in the 4-3, saying the scheme switch has benefited him. “Definitely. Now I’m older, been through a couple of systems, and now we’re back to the 4-3. It’s fun to be back,” Brown said. “Just trying to get better each and every day.”'

'“I know with the storms like this it’s hard to get an update on what roads are drivable in these conditions. With sinkholes being the number one emergency. I’m trying to give them updates, with what I’m getting off the internet; just passing it around so that way can find safe ways to evacuate and get to higher and dryer land,” Hughes said.'