Archives for December 2006

‘”If it’s universal across the league, that you have to sell out your stadium, then whether it’s distasteful or not, at least it’s consistent,” said Gerry Del Priore, a former Bills season-ticket holder from Clarence. “But if you allow someone to cover up almost 10,000 seats and say they have a sellout, that’s not fair.”‘

‘Winter at the Ralph has been known to take a notch out of many a big-time running back, however, and there’s a chance of snow and at least some cold weather today. On the other hand, even in their own two-game win streak, the Bills have surrendered an alarming 395 yards.’

‘”The economy is poor,” Coniglio said concerning the failure to sell out, “and there are two other reasons. The Bills haven’t been in the playoffs in seven or eight years and Buffalo has the best team in the NHL. It is fan-friendly, it plays in a new arena seating 18,000, and it is sold out for the remainder of its season. It has lost three of 25 games.” As Coniglio was talking, he said winds that had been caught at 60 mph were railing at Buffalo. Whitecaps were kicking up on Lake Erie. Football weather.’

‘Chargers 28, Bills 17…Chargers 24, Bills 14…Chargers 24, Bills 22…Chargers 27, Bills 17.’

‘The thing is, while Tomlinson is otherworldly – he leads the NFL in yards gained from scrimmage with 1,602 – the Chargers are far from a one-horse team, which is why they lead the league in scoring. “Each week it’s a big challenge, and because of the running back, he’s so versatile, this is a huge challenge for us,” Fewell said. “But they have it all. The quarterback (first-year starter Philip Rivers) is good, the wide receivers (Keenan McCardell and Eric Parker plus dynamic tight end Antonio Gates) are good, and the offensive line is good. This is a complete football team, so it’s going to be a hell of a deal for us. We have to keep them out of the end zone.”‘

‘”He may get 100 yards, he may get 125,” Fewell said. “We just can’t let him get in the end zone.”‘

‘Chargers have outscored their opponents 108-36 in the fourth quarter of their last eight games.’

‘”You can’t take a play off because he turns what’s looking like a little 3-yard gain into a 48-yard sprint into the end zone.”‘

‘You spent five seasons playing for Jacksonville and one for Miami. How did you wind up in Buffalo? “They called my agent and I knew Perry (defensive coordinator Perry Fewell) from my days in Jacksonville. They hadn’t seen me play in a while so they worked me out and it just went from there.”‘

‘Everyone knows the Bills picked the wrong week to skip the Lotto when they let Matt Leinart slip through their mitts. But that’s past tense. Now the biggest thing the franchise can do to cement its future – aside from finding an owner that will keep the team here, of course – is to start the search for the next quarterback. And to make sure J.P. Losman is not on that list.’

‘Since all the 2004 quarterbacks have started a different amount of games, certain stats are too difficult to read anything into. But it’s worth noting that Losman’s completion percentage is behind those of Rivers and Roethlisberger and ahead of Manning. His passer rating follows the same pattern. Only time will tell where Losman will finish on those lists.’

‘Bills quarterback J.P. Losman’s 103.4 passer rating in the fourth quarter of games this season ranks fourth in the NFL.’

‘Last week’s close call against the Raiders will keep the Chargers from looking past the Bills. The 21-14 come-from-behind win should have served as a reminder of the upset possibility that exists every week.’

‘Phillips paces the league with 9 1/2 sacks, 3 1/2 coming when Merriman was suspended four games for steroids.’

‘Chargers 27, Bills 16.’