Archives for October 24, 2006

‘Let me be the first to call for Craig Nall. The Bills obviously signed him because they thought he could play. Losman was not Marv Levy’s guy or Dick Jauron’s guy. It was Tom Donahoe who gave up the farm to move up and get Losman in the first round. They do not have to stick with the kid until the ship sinks to the bottom. They originally brought Nall in because they were unsure of J.P., and they remained unsure of Losman, well into the start of training camp. That speaks volumes.’

‘Jauron noted that weak blocking, particularly from the quarterback’s left, or blind side, has led to some of Losman’s fumbling problems. "Any quarterback is going to fumble if they get hit from the back side," he said.’

‘On what is realistic to expect – We have to grow up fast and learn fast. We have to learn on the run. That team across from us is coming every week. This is not a situation where we can sit back and say ‘there goes the season.’ It’s a situation where we have to prove we can win and look forward. These young guys, the challenge is on them to make this team better in the future.’

‘On what this says to the team – I don’t know at this point. They just said there were going to be some changes made and this is one of them. We just have to go out next game and get us a win. I don’t know what it means putting me at left tackle, moving Gandy to guard. Tutan (Reyes) is still banged up, so when he gets healthy, he’ll be back. We’ll see what happens.’

‘New England had a 21-3 lead entering the fourth quarter, and it was obvious by the looks of the Buffalo bench, players were out of it.’

‘So the question has become: Do the Bills have enough talent to win? Jauron and his players will never concede that they don’t. But you wonder.’

‘On Peters practicing at left tackle previously in his career – Yes he did. Not this year. My understanding is that he was a left tackle all of training camp two years ago. It’s not unfamiliar to him, but it will take some time. We have a little more time this week, but clearly it will take some playing time too.’

‘Coach Frank Payne of Iroquois High School and Coach Angelo Sciandra of Cardinal O’Hara High School have been named the Buffalo Bills High School football “Coaches of the Week” for the eighth weekend of the 2006 season (October 21-22). Two coaches have been selected as the “Coaches of the Week” since no coach was selected in week seven due to the storm.’

‘Left tackle Mike Gandy, who has not built on a solid 2005 season was moved inside to left guard where he’ll replace Tutan Reyes. Filling the void at left tackle is Jason Peters who moves to J.P. Losman’s blind side. Taking Peters old position of right tackle will be rookie seventh round pick Terrance Pennington.’

‘Here are six problems that need fixing after the bye week…’.

‘McGee has become the target of every opponent’s offensive game plan. Things got so bad, he was benched in the third quarter Sunday. As McGee continues to struggle, the prospect of losing Nate Clements to free agency after the season becomes more and more alarming.’

‘”We believe if we play at a high level and play a smart football game that we can play teams into the fourth quarter and then find a way to win them,” he said Monday. “And that’s what we’ve got to do to become a good team and be a consistent team. But we’ve got a ways to go and we all recognize it. I’ve got to do a better job of getting them ready, and that’s what we intend to do. We intend to go back to work and get some things done.”‘

‘That’s right, it has come to this: Craig Nall, picked up off the scrap heap from Green Bay where he served as Brett Favre’s inactive backup the previous four years, is who some Bills fans are pinning their hopes on.’

‘That optimism we shared after the Bills’ 2-2 start is long gone and I realize now that we’re in for another long, miserable year of covering this team.’