Archives for December 2005

‘That distinction goes to Ron Smith, a backup receiver for the San Diego Chargers who caught the winning 50-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to beat the Bills in the divisional playoffs in the 1980 season. Smith had caught only four passes all season and had only four TDs in an NFL career of five-plus seasons. The catch cost the Bills a trip to the AFC final against the Raiders, whom the Bills had waxed in the regular season. The Bills might have won the Super Bowl that year.’

‘Patriots over Bills, 27-16.’

‘”He was thrilled to death,” Lou Ann Daniels said. “He found out at 10 at night and I told him he had to go to bed. He was like ‘Huh?'”‘

‘”Mr. Wilson has been a class act to us since 1996,” said Moulds’ adviser, Greg Johnson. “We’ll respect the team’s decision and move forward.”‘

‘New England 28, Buffalo 10.’

‘At 4-8 and on the verge of missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season, the last thing the Bills need is a distraction. “It’s crazy, a lot of chaos, said Buffalo running back Willis McGahee. “You don’t know what to expect right now at this point.”‘

‘The Bills only hit on one long pass in the teams’ first meeting, a 55-yard TD. They were otherwise content to control the clock. A missed field goal, interception and lost fumble kept the Patriots in the game. “They did everything. Everything,” coach Bill Belichick said. “They killed us.”‘

‘”He’s one of the best receivers in the NFL,” defensive lineman Richard Seymour said. “He’s a guy, especially the last couple of times we’ve played them, who’s put up some pretty big numbers. We’re definitely not complaining about him not being in the lineup.”‘

‘”They feed off their crowd,” linebacker Mike Vrabel said. “They look ready to go. They’ve given up something like 10 points in the first quarter in six games. It will be important for us to start fast, match their intensity, and be ready to go.”‘

‘”I understood the situation. This team was not ready to sit and wait for a young quarterback to figure it all out,” Losman said. “That is what the coaches decided. The organization decided, ‘Let’s go with Kelly,’ but now that I have come back I realize that if you are not going to perform on the field, that’s the way this business is. When I was able to come back, I have been able to move the ball down the field and help the offense and it’s been good for us.”‘

Zero tolerance? Stats don’t tell Seymour’s tale (Boston Globe)

No knocking Hobbs’s passion (Boston Globe)

Tossing around bean bag options (Boston Globe)

Time of progression (Boston Herald)

Defense catches break (Boston Herald)

Home sweet for Buffalo (Boston Herald)

All’s well after all (Boston Herald)

Brady for president? (Metro West Daily News)

Seymour wants to remain in attack mode (Providence Journal)

Cranston’s Smith saved Flutie from scrap heap (Providence Journal)

Patriots face maturing Losman (Woonsocket Call)

Seymour sparks defense’s climb (Woonsocket Call)

Flutie mum on Heisman (Springfield Republican)

Hawkins loves to play (Springfield Republican)

Stats Don’t Tell Seymour’s Story (Hartford Courant)

Brady focused (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Ex-holdout, Seymour OK with calling out fans (New Bedford Standard Times)

Pats hurt a bit less (Manchester Union Leader)

Bills’ new quaterback could prove pesky for Patriots (Nashua Telegraph)

Hobbs grasps his chance (Brockton Enterprise)

Just win (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

Flutie was as popular in Buffalo as wings (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

Football is a snap for Paxton (Patriots.com)

Behind the Scenes with…Fullback Heath Evans (Patriots.com)

Belichick Press Conference (Patriots.com)

‘After last week’s media day interview with the Buffalo Bills’ coach, a print reporter delivered a line I wish that I had uncorked. “Mike Mularkey,” he said, “has morphed into Gregg Williams before our eyes.”‘

‘Moulds had a streak of 121 straight games with a reception come to an end on Sunday. A 10-year veteran and the longest-tenured Bills player, Moulds has 54 catches for 511 yards and three touchdowns this season.’

‘As for Mularkey, this week’s game will determine whether or not he has officially lost this football team. If they come out flat than its pretty obvious that he has. If Buffalo comes out ready to play as they did in their last meeting with the Patriots, maybe there’s still hope for the second-year head coach. However, all signs point to the former rather than the latter.’

‘”I said Eric, ‘I’m like Solomon, and I’m trying to cut the baby in half.’ So here is the agreement, instead of passing out a lot of press releases and so forth. Eric hasn’t practiced this week and he won’t be ready to play Sunday. He is suspended for one game and it will be this Sunday, without pay. From there on, he’s back and will play the final three games of the season, which I hope we do better than we have so far.”‘