Archives for September 2006

‘At times, the Bills were playing with five rookies on defense. Most of the game, they had two rookies at safety. And still, the Pats’ air attack looked woeful. Defending a cast of wide receivers that didn’t include Branch was much too easy.’

‘Davis and the Pats’ defensive line had a hunch the ball would be placed into McGahee’s hands in order for the back to attempt to plow through the line for the possible first down. “It’s their bigs against our bigs,” said Davis. “Those guys up front did a great job, so all the credit goes to them.”‘

‘(On what happened on the safety play): Well, all of a sudden we got rushed a little bit … You would like to get rid of the ball in that situation if you can. But the game is on the line and you are trying to make a play. I felt that there was only one rusher that I could get away from, which I did, and then I didn’t see the other guy. But looking back at it, hopefully, the next time that comes up I can get rid of it.’

‘The Patriots outgained (204-5) and outscored (12-0) the Bills from that point on as they seized momentum.’

‘You can’t fault Dick Jauron for trying.’

‘But at some point, recognition should be forthcoming to Wilson, 87, one of the original “Foolish Club” founders of the American Football League, whose Bills appeared in four straight Super Bowls despite calling one of the smallest markets in the country their home base. There’s a move afoot to have Wilson enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the Bills’ new coach, Dick Jauron, endorses it wholeheartedly.’

‘(On how the Patriots were able to run the ball on the Bills): I think they are good. I think they are a really good football team, they have two really good backs, they have a terrific offensive line and they have a quarterback that you can’t just worry about the run clearly. They are a really good football team and we have a way to go. We will have to study the tape and get better off of it.’

Safety dance (Boston Globe)

Impressive stand turned the tide (Boston Globe)

Quarterback was receiver — of hits (Boston Globe)

Tandem provides 1-2 punch (Boston Globe)

Harrison return is low key (Boston Globe)

Finishing touch needed (Boston Globe)

Hobbs hobbles Evans (Boston Globe)

Pats follow safety rules (Boston Herald)

Rosie effort for defense (Boston Herald)

Beat-up Bills tell Pats what they’re missing (Boston Herald)

Like old times for Rodney, almost (Boston Herald)

The play of the game (Boston Herald)

The best & the worst (Boston Herald)

Davis dons label of hero (Boston Herald)

Patriots opener a big hit along Yawkey Way (Boston Herald)

Outlook still questionable (Boston Herald)

Keeping this Bill at bay (Boston Herald)

Nobody in back seat (Boston Herald)

Brady lost in translation (Boston Herald)

Trouble from the get-go (Boston Herald)

Bills say Smith signing a trick play (Boston Herald)

Talent too thin at wide receiver without Branch (Metro West Daily News)

Not pretty, but Pats get it done (Metro West Daily News)

Pats flirt with disaster, but pull off win in opener (Providence Journal)

Brady not thrilled with this one (Providence Journal)

Play of the game (Providence Journal)

Star of the game (Providence Journal)

Talking points (Providence Journal)

Game analysis (Providence Journal)

How the defense performed (Providence Journal)

Davis’ big hit changed course of game (Providence Journal)

Maroney leads potent rushing attack (Providence Journal)

What the Patriots said… (Providence Journal)

What the Bills said… (Providence Journal)

Bill Belichick press conference transcript (Providence Journal)

Tom Brady press conference transcript (Providence Journal)

Davis rouses Pats in time (Woonsocket Call)

Backs shoulder the load (Woonsocket Call)

Patriots Need Safety Margin (Hartford Courant)

Rookie Humble After Strong Debut (Hartford Courant)

Safety first day (Springfield Republican)

Davis served notice on power play (Springfield Republican)

For safety’s sake (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

Patriots’ old habits won’t die (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

Warren, defense refuse to rest (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

Buffalo comes up empty-handed (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

Second-half surge brings wacky win (Nashua Telegraph)

Pats should have been ready for opening jitters (Nashua Telegraph)

What rookie kicker? (Nashua Telegraph)

Safety in numbers (Portland Press Herald)

He’s fine letting his legs do the talking (Portland Press Herald)

Some you win, and some … (Portland Press Herald)

Pats open with win (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Defense delivers (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

NE offense stays grounded (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Bills can’t land knockout punch (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Wilson low-key (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Pats rally for season-opening win (New Bedford Standard Times)

Pats know they’re lucky they’ve got plenty of time (New Bedford Standard Times)

Defense does the dirty work in Week One (New Bedford Standard Times)

Patriots five keys revisited (New Bedford Standard Times)

Brady takes the fall for poor passing day (New Bedford Standard Times)

Offensive line’s problems only the beginning (New Bedford Standard Times)

Gostkowski feels the pressure (New Bedford Standard Times)

Pats’ defense delivers (Manchester Union Leader)

Jauron loses battle, but gains respect (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)

Pats rookie Maroney is the real deal (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)

Shaky Pats off, but running (Brockton Enterprise)

Given time, defense makes win possible (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

Turnaround (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

Pats show something special (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

Chalk talk (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

Win, but no passing grade in opener (Lowell Sun)

Patriots nearly ousted in victory over Bills (Patriots.com)

Game Notes (Patriots.com)

Patriots Postgame Quotes (Patriots.com)

Bills Postgame Quotes (Patriots.com)

Tom Brady Press Conference (Patriots.com)

Belichick Press Conference (Patriots.com)

Rosevelt Colvin Locker Room Interview (Patriots.com)

‘Though he really didn’t make any mistakes through the air and completed passes with accuracy, the 25-year-old still killed Buffalo in the fourth quarter by taking what proved to be the game-deciding safety in his own end zone. The Bills’ offensive line didn’t give Losman much of any time to find an open wideout, but he should have had the presence of mind to at least step away from the goal line.’

‘Dick Jauron had his team ready to play and made the one gutsy move that came back to haunt him. With the Bills up by 10 and moving the football to open the third quarter the fourth and one gamble did not pay off. It was the right call as the Bills went for the jugular but it was also the turning point in the game for the Pats.’

‘Brady finished 11-23 for 163 yards and two touchdowns, one interception. Losman completed 15-23 for 164 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.’

We all wanted the Bills to play well in this game and they did but a gutsy call may have cost them the game. With the Bills leading 17-7 and moving the football on the opening drive of the second half the game changed. On a fourth and one at the 6 they decided to go for a knockout blow and failed.

‘The fourth quarter was dominated by New England as Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 32-yard field goal to tie the game once again 17-17. Twenty seconds later, Losman was sacked by Ty Warren for a safety to take the lead and win, 19-17.’

‘The turning point in the game came with 9:24 left in the third quarter. Bills head coach Dick Jauron elected to go for it on a fourth-and-one from the Patriots seven-yard line. But Willis McGahee was stopped for no gain as the Bills turned it over on downs.’

‘Unfortunately for Spikes and the Bills, he left the game with an apparent hamstring pull during the next series.’