Archives for December 20, 2004

‘Buffalo’s No. 2 back, Travis Henry, has been sideline for the past two weeks with a leg injury and it’s unknown whether or not he’ll be available to play this weekend in San Francisco if McGahee is sidelined. "He’s running more and more as we go and will probably get more work (Tuesday) than he has the last couple of weeks," said Mularkey. "We’ll evaluate him after he gets some more work done."’

‘It’s really not as easy as the Buffalo Bills are making it look.’

‘With a 33-point performance at Cincinnati, the Bills have scored 30+ points in five straight games for the first time in team history, and the 187 points over the last five games are also a new club record.’

‘”It was just all about determination and getting through there and trying to make a big play and I did,” said Peters. “The first punt we rushed them they were kind of soft so I told Bobby the next time we should blitz them and he called the play and I got the block.”‘

‘As a safety, Vincent has an interception, a sack and a fumble recovery, and his pass rush also forced another interception that was returned for a touchdown by Bills linebacker Takeo Spikes in a 33-17 win over Cincinnati last Sunday. "It has almost rejuvenated me," Vincent says. "It’s a brand new challenge, trying to find my way at a position I think I can excel at."’

‘Coordinator Jerry Gray’s blitzes help give the team one of the NFL’s most disruptive pass rushes, and they involve everyone. LBs London Fletcher and Takeo Spikes use their instincts and timing to find open lanes up the middle. Ss Lawyer Milloy and Troy Vincent are effective off the edges or up the middle. Gray also sends cornerbacks, depending on the down and distance.’

‘Spikes said don’t count this team out if it does get into the playoffs. "We think we can take it all the way," he said. "When we get there, all of the stats are thrown out. I don’t care if you’ve been scoring 40 points a game. I don’t care how good your defense is. I think we can beat anybody."’

‘Buffalo held Chad Johnson, Cincinnati’s top receiver and biggest mouth, to 10 yards on two receptions. Bills came up with four turnovers, highlighted by Takeo Spikes’ 62-yard interception return for a TD. Bills never let Kitna feel comfortable.’

‘””We had some struggles on offense,” admitted rookie wide receiver Lee Evans, whose fumble helped the Bengals to a 7-0 lead before his 5-yard touchdown reception, tied the game. “My teammates stood behind me through the whole thing … they just said (after the fumble), ‘Keep going, keep going, you’re all right,” he recalled. "One thing I learned, it’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond and I was able to respond in a good way.”‘

‘”We think we could go all the way,” said Spikes. “Everything is thrown out (In the post-season). God willing, we want to make the playoffs … and when we get there, all the stats – I don’t care if you’ve been putting up 40 points a game or if your defense has been doing this or that. If we show up in the playoffs, we don’t care about that. (Other teams) put their pants on one leg at a time, just like we do and we’re coming to get it. We feel like this is our fate. We hated that we had to go through what we went through the first four games, but it was all part of the plan to get where we are right now.”‘

‘Of the 22-year-old, 6-foot-4, 328-pound Peters, special teams coach Bobby April noted, “He could be a heckuva a tight end and he could be a heckuva tackle in this league … and we got him as a free agent."’

‘After the demolishing in New England, which brought Buffalo’s record to 3-6, I said that, barring the Bills running the table, the season was officially over. Well, look at where we stand today.’

‘The good news is the injury is not to McGahee’s left knee, the one he tore up in his final college outing for Miami in the Hurricanes’ loss to Ohio State in the 2003 national championship game. That injury forced the first-round pick to miss his entire rookie season last year.’

‘”In order for us to have a chance we have to go out and handle our business this week,” Bledsoe said. “We have to be focused and step up to the challenge of going across the country. We’re going to spend time with our families this week, but we have to keep our minds on football.”‘

‘"I was thinking, ‘Get up, Willis,’" Bledsoe said. "He’s been so pivotal in us turning this thing around, and it’s a testament to him to get to where he is, with what he’s gone through. Hopefully he’ll be all right."’