Archives for October 2004

‘Henry has been Buffalo’s starting running back since 2001 and back-to-back seasons of more than 1,300 yards rushing proves he has been a reliable player for the Bills. However, McGahee is obviously a multi-talented and explosive player who needs to be on the field.’

‘And now that he’s proven beyond a doubt that he’s recovered from major knee surgery, now that we’ve seen sharing the football doesn’t work (the Bills rank 28th in rushing and have zero rushing touchdowns), now that the floundering Bills are in desperate need of an offensive spark, McGahee should be the permanent starter, getting 25-plus carries a game.’

‘Read between the lines. Unless McGahee blows out his surgically-repaired knee, it appears obvious that he has overtaken Henry as the back who will lug the majority of the load for the struggling Bills from here on in. Wouldn’t it be much simpler for the Bills to just come out and say that? Not a chance.’

‘Cardinals, 23-17.’

‘The Bills haven’t scored a rushing touchdown in their past nine games, and the Cardinals are the only team in the NFL that hasn’t allowed one this season.’

‘”It doesn’t matter who starts,” defensive tackle Russell Davis said. “They’ll both play. Travis Henry is a power runner. He’s not going to go down easily. He will square his shoulders and try to get as many yards as he can. McGahee is more of a slasher, a guy who will make you miss. We have to prepare for both guys and be ready for both styles of running.”‘

‘”His last game at Florida State, he put his offensive team on his back,” recalled Spikes. “He was a one-man show. That let me knew right there the type of player he was and I knew he was going to be special when he got in the league and he did that.”‘

Hopes soar: Boldin’s back (Arizona Republic)

Bills call on McGahee to find missing ‘spark’ (Arizona Republic)

Cards prepare for Bills’ backs (East Valley Tribune)

Receiver’s return could make Cards difficult to defend (East Valley Tribune)

Pro Bowl receiver says there’s no doubt he’ll play (AP)

Inside slant (CBS Sportsline)

Strategy and personnel (CBS Sportsline)

Notes, quotes (CBS Sportsline)

Bills Expecting Improved Offense with Boldin’s Return (AZCardinals.com)

Rackers Earns NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (AZCardinals.com)

‘”He’s influenced me on my style of coaching,” said Beebe of Levy. “But now that I’m talking about it, he might have had an indirect impact on why I got into it. I saw how much fun he had. And, even though the level he was at was more of a business, he was always able to form relationships.”‘

‘The Bills have just eight rushing TDs in their past 20 games; the Kansas City Chiefs had that many last Sunday against Atlanta.’

‘Offensively, Buffalo’s last-ranked red zone offense has to find a way crack Arizona’s No. 1-ranked red zone defense. A heavy dose of RB Willis McGahee may do the trick. The Cardinals are ranked just 24th in total defense but they do the important things well: NFL-most 18 takeaways and they get off the field on third down. Buffalo needs to control the ball and keep it simple, avoiding difficult third-down situations.’

‘The Bills talk about how their offensive line is improving, but the Baltimore Ravens, like the Oakland Raiders earlier this year, talked plenty of smack after their victory last Sunday. “We knew their offensive line was suspect to allowing sacks,” said Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs, who had two of his team’s four sacks. “We just decided to get after them and we did.”‘

‘"Based on Willis’ performance the last couple of weeks with the run game, I felt like he has given us a spark moving the ball when there have been holes and when there haven’t been holes," Mularkey said. "We’re going to see if that can be a difference in this game."’

‘"We want to be a running team. Willis (McGahee) and Travis (Henry) have to run up the middle," Moulds said in the wake of Sunday’s miserable 20-6 loss at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium. "If we don’t have success, let’s get a field goal at least. But it seems we’re trying to throw the ball in those situations when we got in the red zone and we got interceptions. Let’s just pound the ball in there and if we get one-on-one coverage outside, let’s throw it up and make a play, but we’re doing it totally the opposite."’

‘The Bills announced today that the team has signed OT Rodney Reed to its practice squad. Reed, a four-time academic All-American out of LSU, started all 14 games at right tackle during his senior season for the Tigers in 2003.’