Archives for October 2005

‘Buffalo Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr., former coach Chuck Know and former players Andre Reed, Steve Tasker, Thurman Thomas, Cornelius Bennett, Darryl Talley, Kent Hull and Fred Smerlas were on the "preliminary list" for consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.’

‘The extension, which runs through the ’09 season, is expected to be finalized later Friday, after remaining details are addressed. The deal, which culminates months of on-and-off discussions between Buffalo officials and agent Terry Bolar, will average more than $4 million per year in “new money” and includes a signing bonus believed to be in the $4.5 million range.’

‘Patriots 35, Bills 19.’

‘J.P. Losman? Now, I have no idea what team president and general manager Tom Donahoe and head coach Mike Mularkey saw in the five passes he threw as a rookie, but for some reason they were enough to convince the Buffalo braintrust that Losman was ready to seize the reins of this team. Unfortunately, in the four games he started, J.P. looked lost, man.’

‘”He’s a fine, fine football player,” Bills free safety Troy Vincent said of Brady, who takes a 7-1 record against the Bills into Sunday’s game at Gillette Stadium. “We talk about him being a future Hall of Famer, and rightfully so. Three championships; not easily done. But he’s efficient. He knows the offense, he knows what to expect, he knows how to distribute the ball and he knows how to get the players and his team in the best position to win that play. That’s what the great ones do.”‘

‘”I’m all for it as long as he’s comfortable with it,” linebacker London Fletcher said. “I’m sure he’s consulted with his family, his doctors, everybody. If he feels good enough to play, I’m sure he has to be 100 percent sure that he’s making the right decision for himself in terms of a life standpoint.”‘

‘There would be a black market of injury information, in which competing gambling businesses would advertise, “Get the inside information on who’s playing and who isn’t by calling our hotline.” Even worse, it would create a greater risk of players or team employees funneling injury information to gamblers. It would invite a scandal. Third, it’s beneficial to teams to have a general idea of the injury status of the opponent.’

‘”He’s moved the ball around a little bit more,” Belichick said of Holcomb. “He has a high completion percentage and is getting the ball to somebody in the passing game that is open.”‘

‘O. J. Simpson became famous as a Bill, notorious as a suspect in a double murder in the ’90s, and could soon be known as a Niagara County resident.’

‘As for Brady, all he does is win NFL championships, the ultimate “team” player leading the NFL team that has redefined the true meaning of “team.”‘

Bye week spent tackling Patriots’ defensive issues (Boston Globe)

They’ll sink or swim minus (Boston Globe)

Pats lay it on the line (Boston Herald)

Brown keeps head up (Boston Herald)

Poole’s season comes to an end (Boston Herald)

Signs good for Bruschi (Boston Herald)

Fresh start for champs (Boston Herald)

Pats’ offensive arsenal overflows (Providence Journal)

Poole on IR, opening a spot for Bruschi (Providence Journal)

Holcomb providing Buffalo ‘O’ with a spark (Woonsocket Call)

Poole’s Out For Patriots (Hartford Courant)

Dillon has keen humor (Springfield Republican)

Freeman next in line (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Pats finally get look at AFC East (Manchester Union Leader)

Dillon not bad for an ‘old guy’ (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

Patriots give thanks to schedule makers for what may be a moving November (Brockton Enterprise)

Play or not, it’s Bruschi’s choice (Orange County Register)

Bruschi just about ready to infuse N.E. defense with Patriotic spirit (USA Today)

CB on injured reserve for second consecutive season (AP)

Patriots place CB Poole on IR (Sportsticker)

Patriots place Poole on IR (The Sports Network)

Pats Place CB Tyrone Poole On Injured Reserve (Patriots.com)

Branch and Givens step up and deliver (Patriots.com)

“Where better to spend Halloween Eve than at Buffalo’s personal haunted house, Gillette Stadium? Nightmare at One Patriot Place, indeed. In the three games played there since the place opened for business in 2002, the Bills have yet to score in the first half, are a cumulative -12 in turnover margin, and have lost by an average of 21 points. With numbers like that, perhaps a nice horror movie might be a more palatable viewing choice for Bills fans Sunday night…”

‘"Things get a little bit more intricate at this level," says Wyche, a former NFL quarterback and head coach who guided Cincinnati to the Super Bowl after the 1988 season. "I can remember my first experience as a player. Everything was moving so fast, it almost looks gray to you. Nothing is actually in focus. Until you’ve done it over and over – and the key word is anticipation, where you know what is about to happen – that blur stays there.’

‘But that’s been the modus operandi of the Bills in the Tom Donahoe regime. Find somebody to blame, as long as it’s outside of the organization. It’s time the Bills took a serious look at themselves to see where the problems lie. It’s with a coaching staff that can’t decide on a starting quarterback. It’s with an offense that hasn’t had a 200-yard passer for 11 straight games. It’s with an offensive line that resembles a sieve. It’s with a defensive line that allows opponents to average 5.1 yards per carry.’

‘I’m not at all surprised that New England and Buffalo are squaring off with the division lead on the line. But this isn’t exactly a clash of the titans.’