Archives for September 2006

‘Best case: 8-8 and a third-place finish if everything comes together. Worst case: 5-11 again – or worse – if the Bills take Jauron’s experience for granted and turn in another horrid defensive performance.’

‘The Bills, coming off a 5-11 season and returning most of their starters, are the biggest underdogs of the NFL’s opening week. And they can’t argue about it. New England has won 10 of the last 11 meetings in the series and Buffalo has been one of the NFL’s worst road teams of the new millennium, going 1-7 last year away from Orchard Park.’

‘Buffalo will have no shot at upsetting the Patriots in Foxborough if it can’t get RB Willis McGahee on track. He was held to three yards on eight carries (not a misprint) when the teams last met in Buffalo last December, a 35-7 New England laugher. Buffalo has to establish the run to take pressure off of QB J.P. Losman, who will be making just his fourth career road start. He was 0-3 last season, but should’ve won at Miami (a 24-23 loss) when he tossed three TD passes. Losman should be able to exploit New England’s aging linebacker corps with passes to McGahee and his tight ends.’

‘OG Chris Villarrial on Buffalo’s underdog status entering the season: "That’s just greater for us to sneak up on people. Nobody expects anything out of us. If we just concentrate game by game, we can sneak up people. We can go out there and put some doubt in people’s minds and have them say, ‘Oh, here come the Buffalo Bills.’ "’

Age-defying makeup (Boston Globe)

Watson’s a go-to guy in tight spot (Boston Globe)

Strides in the foot game (Boston Globe)

From head to toe (Boston Globe)

He’s got a leg to stand on (Boston Globe)

Scarnecchia sets bar high (Boston Herald)

The defensive trenches have never looked so good (Boston Herald)

Where are they now? (Boston Herald)

For veteran Dillon, time out of mind (Boston Herald)

Air’s been let out of passing attack (Boston Herald)

The three wise men (Boston Herald)

Maroney just ‘fine’ (Boston Herald)

Follow the leaders (Boston Herald)

Hungry as ever (Boston Herald)

The biggest difference (Boston Herald)

Surprise (Boston Herald)

McDaniels, Pees appear well coordinated (Boston Herald)

Spikes no big deal for Graham (Boston Herald)

Brady Kool with receiving corps (Boston Herald)

Watson leads offense’s four-headed monster (Boston Herald)

Maroney ready to burst on scene (Boston Herald)

Belichick halts the coaching carousel (Boston Herald)

Pats are new, but are they improved? (Boston Herald)

Harrison restores fear factor (Boston Herald)

Flutie to appear on Wheaties box (Metro West Daily News)

Bills’ coach Jauron: Home is where the heart is (Lynn Daily Item)

Training wheels off, Pats prep for big race (Providence Journal)

It’s presumed that Watson will be a larger presence (Providence Journal)

It could be a special season for Watson (Woonsocket Call)

Another twist in Branch case (Woonsocket Call)

He’s Right In Line To Start (Hartford Courant)

Patriots Lead League (Hartford Courant)

Brady is out on a limb (Springfield Republican)

Brady’s targets are catching on (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

Players will be put to test (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

Patriots’ strength starts up front (Manchester Union Leader)

Brady missing Branch (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Gabriel moves in (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Harrison’s out to prove his point (Portland Press Herald)

Harrison rarin’ to go (Nashua Telegraph)

Belichick: From special teams to top job (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

Pats will have eye on NFL opener tonight (Quincy Patriot Ledger)

A slight catch for Tom Brady? (Brockton Enterprise)

Watson may be Tom Brady’s new go-to receiver (AP)

Inside slant (The Sports Xchange)

Strategy and personnel (The Sports Xchange)

Notes, quotes (The Sports Xchange)

Pats fundamentally prepared for early divisional games (Patriots.com)

Willis McGahee Conference Call (Patriots.com)

Dick Jauron Conference Call (Patriots.com)

Tom Brady Conference Call (Patriots.com)

Belichick Press Conference (Patriots.com)

‘”I was given a boatload of money but I was never given an opportunity,” Price said, reflecting on his two frustrating years in Atlanta when the Falcons’ attack revolved around the running of quarterback Michael Vick and a short passing game that featured tight end Alge Crumpler.’

‘It means that while a lot of Bills are itching for some success against Brady and the Patriots, Schobel is dealing with a rash made worse by five consecutive years of missing the playoffs with Buffalo. “Shoot, one out of 10,” Schobel said after practice on Wednesday. “It’s irritating. At least once a year we’ll play them well but they always come out on top. It’s why they’ve won three Super Bowls in five years. I think once you win, it’s an attitude; a feeling you get where you just can’t lose. Everywhere besides here I’ve won; hopefully we’ll feel that for the last half of my career. We’ll see.”‘

‘It’s pure conjecture right now, but the slimmest of possibilities exists that the next team to relocate might wind up in Toronto.’

‘Because Spikes implied he would seek revenge, Graham was asked if he worried about being the victim of a cheap shot. He shook his head. “I could get hurt every day walking down the street,” he said. “I’m not worried about taking any cheap shots. This is a physical sport. People can say whatever they want about me. I go out every week and play hard. If you can’t play a physical sport, you shouldn’t be out there.”‘

‘In 2005, Jackson rushed for 1,770 yards and scored 53 touchdowns for a Bandit squad that had a 15-3 record. As a senior in 2003 at Coe College, Jackson rushed for over 1,700 yards and was named to a number of NCAA Division III All-American teams.’

‘Buffalo is a nine point underdog in its NFL opener at New England Sunday. That’s the largest line in week one.’

‘After taking yesterday’s offensive preview and today’s defensive preview into account, yours truly has come to the conclusion that the Bills will finish the season 7-9, good enough for third place in the AFC East.’

‘Bills tickets average $41.29 while the survey found the average NFL ticket will cost $62.38, an increase of more than $3 over last year.’

‘In Losman’s defense, he is not the only Bills quarterback to have struggled against New England. Losman and his most recent predecessors — a group made up of Kelly Holcomb, Drew Bledsoe, Alex Van Pelt and Rob Johnson — have combined for 20 interceptions and nine touchdowns against the Pats since 2001.’