Archives for November 14, 2004

‘As good as Travis Henry has been over the last couple of years, McGahee has been a better option over the past month. He’s bigger (6-foot, 228 pounds to Henry’s 5-9, 215) and has more speed to the outside. Henry is a very good straight-line runner with more power than you’d expect from somebody his size. But McGahee, still not fully recovered from the devastating knee injury he suffered at the University of Miami two years ago, also runs hard and has been very good at bouncing to the outside. With some overly aggressive defenses, that can be a problem, but both Mike Vrabel [news] and Willie McGinest [news] are confident the disciplined Patriots approach to defense will prevent the outside people from losing containment and opening up big plays for McGahee. ‘

‘The Bills can’t afford to put Bledsoe in a position where he has to win the game for them because — even against a raw secondary (the Pats will again be without Tyrone Poole and Ty Law) — the Patriots will collapse the middle of the Bills pocket and force harried throws from Bledsoe that will get picked off. It’s just what happens. So the Bills need to keep their offense balanced by keeping the game tight. They have a defense generally capable of doing that. The Bills front-seven is as potent as any team in the league. Buffalo hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher this season.’

‘The Bills often get good field position thanks to KR Terrence McGee, who returned a kickoff 98 yards for a TD in the Oct. 3 game against the Patriots. Drew Bledsoe has not been intercepted or sacked in his last two games, only the second time in 12 seasons he has avoided those problems in back-to-back games. RB Willis McGahee rushed for 137 yards last week against the Jets and has gained more than 100 yards in each of his three NFL starts. Will the 6-foot, 228-pound McGahee, who was on every 2003 draftnik’s Top 10 list until a knee injury in his last college game, have his way with a Patriots defense that has allowed more 100-yard rushers (two) in half a season than it did (one) in all of 2003? If he can’t, the Bills will be forced into obvious passing situations, and the Patriots will tee off on Bledsoe, who is immobile and whose porous O-line doesn’t figure to give him enough time if he holds the ball. If he does have time, he’ll be dangerous, because No.1 pick WR Lee Evans is explosive, a great complement to veteran WR Eric Moulds. With Law and Poole both out for the second straight week, can the Patriots’ patchwork secondary survive and thrive for another week?’

‘Control McGahee.’

‘The Patriots need to set up third-and-longs, and the key to doing that is making stops on first and second down. That will make it harder for Bledsoe to connect with his favorite target – wide receiver Eric Moulds, who will likely be guarded by Samuel. Moulds has 616 yards, almost twice as many as Lee Evans, who is second on the team with 321. “I think he is more confident in the pocket,” Bills head coach Mike Mularkey said. “When he is moving he is finding the check-downs quicker. I think he throws the deep ball great and we are opening it up a little more for him for that. Obviously the run game helps, but some of the things we have done scheme-wise, I think, has helped, too, in his confidence.”‘

‘"I don’t know what their philosophy was in the beginning," said inside linebacker Ted Johnson, "but obviously whatever they’re doing is now working."’

‘Considered a huge first-round gamble when the Bills drafted him torn-up knee and all out of UMiami last year, McGahee has run for more than 100 yards in each of his first three NFL starts. All three have been Bills victories. McGahee has put former Pro Bowler Travis Henry on the bench and restored Bledsoe as a winner while in the looming shadow of Losman.’

‘McGahee’s confident and powerful running has caused a ripple effect throughout the entire Buffalo offense, Belichick said. “That sets up their play-action passing game, so they are high percentage passes,” he said. “They’re staying out of third-and-long … no sacks, no interceptions. They’re not turning the ball over. That’s a formula to win games at any level.”’

Will Bills be more receptive? (Boston Globe)

Offense powers Patriots (Boston Herald)

Bills ready for battle (Boston Herald)

Strong presence (Boston Herald)

McGahee won’t trash talk opponent (Boston Herald)

A mighty tussle in store (Boston Herald)

Big rise in value for Bills (Boston Herald)

Players work together to secure future (Metro West Daily News)

Four downs (Metro West Daily News)

Givens sets sights on hauling in big catch (Providence Journal)

McGahee the key to Bills’ chances (Providence Journal)

Gorin in a comfortable place (Providence Journal)

You don’t say (Providence Journal)

Curran’s quiz (Providence Journal)

A String Of Successful Conversions (Hartford Courant)

Bills (3-5) At Patriots (7-1) (Hartford Courant)

Pats prepared for any obstacle (Springfield Republican)

Road only gets rougher (Woonsocket Call)

Questionable history, but now he has the answers (Portland Press Herald)

Improving Bills are next up on Patriots’ agenda (Brockton Enterprise)

Bills formula: Throw less, win more (Lowell Sun)

New England hosts resurgent Bills (Manchester Union Leader)

Patriots’ receivers taking different routes (New Bedford Standard Times)

Road to East title is well-paved (New Bedford Standard Times)

Pats, Bills in rematch tonight (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

‘A month under Jim McNally’s tutelage must have done wonders for Peters to be promoted.’