Archives for December 30, 2004

‘In fact, only two players, receiver Eric Moulds and defensive tackle Pat Williams, are left from the team Donahoe inherited.’

‘Without divulging the extent of the injury, Villarrial said he expects to play. Then, he added laughing that he’ll have to since he has about 50 family and friends that will be attending the game against the visiting Steelers on Sunday.’

‘The game is far more important to the Bills (9-6), who have won six in a row but must win to retain their playoff hopes. The Bills are loaded with former Steelers personnel, including general manager Tom Donahoe, coach Mike Mularkey and offensive coordinator Tom Clements. “They’re playing with a lot of confidence. And they’re on a roll, so teams that are peaking at the right time going into the playoffs are tough. So it would be nice to keep them out of the playoffs,” said quarterback Tommy Maddox, who will make his first start since Sept. 19.’

‘Pittsburgh will be playing to win the game and possibly eliminate Buffalo from playoff contention. The game has many subplots with so many connections between the two teams, but Mularkey said it’s just like any other game. "There’s not enough time to put the emotional part into it," Mularkey said, "maybe as we get closer but not right now. To me, it still feels the same. We’ve got another opponent we’re game planning for and practicing and meeting and focusing on."’

‘So as they enter their must-win regular-season finale against Pittsburgh on Sunday, it’s no wonder the Bills are thinking the no-huddle is a good idea.’

‘"Ben has had a very good supporting cast around him," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said Wednesday during a conference call with the Western New York media. "It’s really been a collective effort on everybody’s part, but Ben certainly has held up his end of it. He has performed very consistently and has performed at a very high level."’

‘The Cowher-Donahoe feud is one of many intriguing subplots to the season finale. Maybe Cowher has put it behind him. But it had to rankle him when, just three months ago, Donahoe said the Steelers had made a mistake in choosing Cowher over him – and that a lot of people in the Pittsburgh organization agreed with him.’

‘If the Jets lose and Denver wins, Denver is the No. 5 seed and the Bills are the sixth seed. If the Jets win and Denver loses, the Jets are the fifth seed and the Bills are sixth. If the Jets lose and Denver loses, the Bills are the fifth seed and the Jets are the sixth seed. In that case, the Bills would make their fourth West Coast trip of the season and go to San Diego.’

‘”The big thing that Tom has done — and it shouldn’t be something that’s hard for people to understand, but sometimes it gets overlooked — is that he has put together a team of good people, guys who understand playing within a team concept, guys who are unselfish and willing to put the team first,” said Bledsoe, who was with the Patriots until Donahoe acquired him in 2003. “When I was in New England, when they started to put together that team, which has become, really, a true dynasty, that is what happened there. They brought in guys of good character and put that above athletic ability and physical talent, in terms of evaluating guys.”‘

‘”I’m very appreciative of him,” Ward said. “He is the reason I’m here, playing with this team. I have to give him a lot of credit and thank him because there were a lot of teams that passed on me because I didn’t have an ACL. He took a chance on me and seven years later look at me.”‘

Nothing personal between Steelers and Bills (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

It’s official: Maddox to start (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

Farrior picked as team’s MVP (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

Roethlisberger’s jersey climbs to top of sales list (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

Farrior overwhelmingly picked as MVP (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)

Cowher names Maddox as the starter Sunday (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)

Roethlisberger doesn’t think Suggs deserves fine (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)

Donahoe earns players’ respect (Pittsburgh Tribune Review)

This Sunday a day of rest for Big Ben (Beaver County Times)

Steelers’ MVP? Farrior’s the pick (Beaver County Times)

Turnarounsd (Beaver County Times)

Maddox to start for Big Ben (Washington Observer Reporter)

Despite 13-game winning streak, Roethlisberger all but certain to rest (AP)

Steelers draw huge TV ratings in Pittsburgh (AP)

Inside slant (CBS Sportsline)

Strategy and personnel (CBS Sportsline)

Notes, quotes (CBS Sportsline)

Farrior Selected Steelers’ 2004 Most Valuable Player (Steelers.com)

James Farrior MVP Press Conference (Steelers.com)

Steelers will play to win (Steelers.com)

Giant Eagle Jerome Bettis Show Post-Season Taping Dates (Steelers.com)

Buffalo Bills Conference Calls (Steelers.com)

Steelers RB Duce Staley named this week’s Ameriquest Mortgage Neighborhood MVP (Steelers.com)

‘”That’s just the way it is. You’ve got to be smart about it because there are things in the future that you have to start looking for. I think that it’s a fine line that you’re on. But it will be hard to tell the 11 guys on the field that they’re trying not to win.”‘

‘Cowher has said the Steelers are coming to Buffalo to win and hints that most of his regulars will be in the lineup, but the wizards of odds in Las Vegas obviously don’t believe him.’

‘Regardless of where the rankings end up, Gray said it is LeBeau who can do the most crowing. His team is primed for a run at the Super Bowl after a Steelers’ record 13 consecutive wins, the Bills are still on the outside looking in, and the Redskins (5-10) are looking forward to the draft. “Dick’s been No. 1 most of the year,” Gray said. “You look at that team, sitting 14-1, it’s great. But all three of the guys who were here last year landed on their feet and we all showed we can handle our own business.”‘

‘For the Bills to be still in a position to make the NFL playoffs on the final day of the regular season, dozens upon dozens of factors had to fall perfectly for them over the past two months. More than anything, they had to get their own act together, then hope for some divine intervention.’