Archives for December 2006

‘Twenty years removed from Brighton High School, Lewin is in his second year calling the play by play for the NFL San Diego Chargers.’

‘”It seemed like I spent a good team of time talking to Ed (Sunday),” said Jauron after his team saw its two-game winning streak snapped and its wild-card playoff hopes all but dashed. “When you’re on the losing end of it, it’s hard to keep perspective. You always feel like you’re getting the wrong end of the call. My experience has generally been that when you take time and review it, like most games, some of them went your way and some of them didn’t. It was a long day.”‘

‘Knowing they didn’t match up with the star-studded Chargers, Dick Jauron and his staff needed to find ways to at least slow down San Diego’s key personnel. That didn’t happen. Compounding matters was poor clock and timeout management.’

‘QB J.P. Losman on the loss that snapped Buffalo’s two-game win streak: “The coaches, the players, this organization, we think we’re headed in the right direction. It’s up to us. The players are the ones who are going to have to tweak it a little bit on the field. Things aren’t going to be black and white like we draw it up, so we’re working on all of those little things right now. We’re moving in that direction, but there are still a lot of things we need to do.”‘

‘Perhaps Phillips was a little too odd for Buffalo, a little too countrified. What he is, though, above all, is a winner, one of the best defensive minds in football. The 59-year-old’s proven it time and again. The Bills and their city took him for granted, however.’

‘As impressive as Tomlinson’s performance was on the field, he was equally impressive off of it – a consummate professional and genuine human being at the same time.’

‘I want to see Losman and the Bills’ offense make big strides against teams they have already faced. They may be out of the playoff race, but that shouldn’t matter. They can certainly spoil the Jets playoff hopes next week, and they shouldn’t need any motivation against Miami the following week. If this team is where many think they are, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be talking about them at 7-7, two weeks from now.’

‘”We dug ourselves a hole in that first half,” Buffalo coach Dick Jauron lamented.’

‘With Merriman bearing down on him most times, Losman threw a pair of interceptions and three other passes that should have been intercepted by San Diego defensive backs.’

‘”My experience has generally been that when you take time and review it – like most games – some of (the calls) went your way and some didn’t.”

But he did concede, “It was a long day.” And one that cost the Bills there slim playoff hopes.’

‘The 24-21 final made bettors who had taken the Bills, a six-point underdog, very happy. But it also squelched Buffalo’s long-shot playoff hopes and demonstrated, quite clearly, how silly such thoughts really were.’

‘The Bills have announced that Crowell will be out for the rest of the season and he will likely be placed on injured reserve.’

‘Jauron said Crowell is not expected to have surgery.’

‘Defensive end Aaron Schobel for the second time this season has a three-game sack streak. It’s the fourth straight season in which Schobel has had two three-game sack streaks. The Bills top pass rusher also has a sack streak going at Ralph Wilson Stadium. He has 5.5 sacks in his past four games at home. His second quarter sack of Phillip Rivers Sunday now gives him 9.5 on the season.’

‘"It gives somebody else an opportunity to step up and have a chance to show us what they can do," he said.’