Archives for September 2006

Branch, Patriots scrimmage over jurisdiction (Boston Globe)

Not the same old Pats (Boston Herald)

NFL looks to combine Branch’s grievances (Boston Herald)

Secondary issues (Boston Herald)

Results the only criteria (Metro West Daily News)

Pats won’t recognize these Bills (Woonsocket Call)

Outsider In Pats’ Middle (Hartford Courant)

Chalk talk (Hartford Courant)

Pats sign another QB (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Patriots Sign QB J.T. O’Sullivan to Practice Squad (Patriots.com)

Belichick Press Conference (Patriots.com)

‘Buffalo third-year quarterback J.P. Losman, who early in camp jumped out to a large lead over Kelly Holcomb in the competition for the starting job, registered a league-high 124 snaps in four preseason contests working with a new offense installed by first-year coordinator Steve Fairchild. Philip Rivers, the first-year starter in San Diego as he steps in for the departed Drew Brees, got 104 plays, one of six starting quarterbacks to get into triple-digit snaps. Another 100-plus snap quarterback was Brett Favre, who was working in a new offense under first-year coach Mike McCarthy, and who acknowledged in minicamps that he would need a lot of preseason repetitions just to get a handle on the nomenclature.’

‘To understand where the Bills are in preparing for their opener at New England on Sunday, it’s important to put into context what they were last year. They were a team in “chaos,” as running back Willis McGahee put it, or as guard Chris Villarrial said: “We were coming apart at the seams.”‘

‘Few are willing to believe the Bills’ offense will be anything but terrible this season, but not so fast. McGahee and Evans are two pro blue-chippers, while there’s a chance Losman could become one over time. Whether or not Buffalo has a true set of young “Triplets” will begin to take shape this Sunday when it visits the division-rival New England Patriots. And as for the Bills’ offensive line, it isn’t going to be great, but the jelling unit won’t kill the offense like it has in the past.’

‘Meadows played his college ball at Washington. He spent the preseason with the Baltimore Ravens. Meadows is 6’5" and considered a very athletic lineman. He’s seen time at both tackle spots and can also play guard.’

‘The Bills named their eighth and final player to the practice squad Tuesday, signing offensive lineman Robin Meadow. The former rookie free agent had been with Baltimore through the preseason.’

‘Coach Rich Gray of Frontier High School has been named the Buffalo Bills high school football “Coach of the Week” for the first weekend of the 2006 season (September 2-3).’

‘"We’re a team that wants to play as hard as we can as long as we can," said Jauron. "And when you weigh 300 pounds and you have other 300-pounders pushing on you it doesn’t take long. You get tired fast if you’re playing as hard as you can and that’s what we want. They’ll be on and off the field."’

‘Patriots 27, Bills 20.’

‘It’s been quite a while since the Bills went into a season with a settled offensive line. Injuries or free agency has prevented them from sending the same five starters on the field in consecutive years since the 1995 and 1996 seasons.’

‘April has more organizational clout than your typical assistant coach, and his fingerprints are all over the Bills’ final roster. When you’re the best in the sport, your special teamers deserve to get special treatment.’

‘”We decided that he was worth the risk because we liked him as an athlete in the workout,” coach Dick Jauron said. “[Offensive coordinator] Steve [Fairchild] agreed, [tight ends coach] Charlie [Coiner] liked him and [pro personnel director] John Guy liked him. We’ve got a practice squad for a reason. We’ll take an athlete and see how he works the next week or so and go from there.”‘

‘”I really thought I was finished playing,” Leak said. “In the spring, we were in the elevator and coach (Urban) Meyer asked me how big I was. I was 255 pounds. He said I should try to go back to it. So I made some calls to see if there was any interest. I’m real excited by it. I’ll still get to as many Florida games as possible. It’s my brother’s last year and I don’t want to miss it.”‘

‘”I’d like more of a chance to show what I can do on offense,” said Parrish, who caught just 15 passes last fall in 10 games. “I just want to contribute on offense and on special teams.”‘

‘McGahee is enthusiastic about what Jauron can bring. “I love it. He’s a good coach. He knows how to treat his players, and that’s what counts,” he said. “If players have trust in the coach, then everything is going to fall into place. We can turn it around.”‘