Archives for September 5, 2008

‘Seattle has 136 sacks over the last three years, including a league-high 50 during its 2005 Super Bowl campaign. Only San Diego has more sacks (149) since 2005.’

‘Schonert has to prove himself as coordinator. But good coaching – with some semblance of talent and quarterbacking – can make a difference and lift an offense up from the bottom. In fact, I think good coaching is more important to offense than defense. You need stud athletes to win on defense. You need stud athletes on the defensive line to win at the point of attack against the run and to get to the passer. Of course, good coaching helps the defense, too.’

‘So here, for the 16 games the Bills will play in the regular season, are suggestions for specific things you can enjoy instead.’

‘Who’s your favorite superhero? Probably Batman, because he’s so focused, so dedicated. He’s human, but he’s unshaken by what anyone does. He’s got a one-track mind. He’s almost a bad guy in a lot of ways, but he’s still good like a lawful tough guy.’

‘It is not clear why the Bills decided to put Crowell on IR, especially given the fact that they have only five other linebackers – starters Paul Posluszny and Kawika Mitchell, and backups Ellison, John DiGiorgio and Jon Corto. There is speculation, though, that the team’s officials were not happy with Crowell’s decision to have surgery, especially three days before the first game.’

‘It’s not enough for Brandon to shrug his shoulders. It’s his responsibility to put the best product on the field. Otherwise, patting 56,000 season ticket holders on the back for their uncanny support of a losing team while not paying Peters is totally disingenuous and greedy in its own way.’

‘”I think we have to expect a lot out of him,” Jauron said. “He won’t have the whole playbook. You know, he missed significant time in training camp and it was a nagging injury, and what it did to him was put him in a position … where he couldn’t do what he needed and what we needed, which was play faster. … He wasn’t at a point where he was thinking about what he was supposed to do, he was just reacting with that size and that ability, and that’s where we need him. We’ve got to expect him to do that. If he’s going to be active, and we anticipate he will be, we’re going to get him on the field.”‘

‘If Whitner’s Bills defeat the Seahawks, it will make his July promise perhaps a little easier to keep. If the Bills lose, well, Whitner will look more like another boastful player from a losing team who could be embarrassingly wrong about his team’s fortunes.’

Mare gives Hawks a leg up (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

Seahawks’ rookie tight end put to the test early (Seattle Times)

Buffalo safety now has chance to back playoff boast (Seattle Times)

Starter already? Hawks feel rookie Carlson ready (Tacoma News Tribune)

Realistic Super Bowl dreams (Everett Herald)

Run D concerns Seahawks (Everett Herald)

Morris to start in Buffalo (AP)

‘Think betrayal is too strong a word? Pick one you like better then, that can explain how his teammates must feel now that he isn’t even returning THEIR phone calls. Even his most sympathetic teammates must be mystified at his bizarre behavior.’

‘”It’s a big difference between the left and the right side,” Walker said. “Not only with the guys that you go against, but just switching things around in your head. I’m getting my sea legs, if you want to say it. It doesn’t bother me.”‘

‘Everett, who has since made a remarkable recovery, is scheduled to be present to receive the Professional Football Writers of America’s Halas Award, which goes to the individual in the NFL who overcame the most adversity to succeed last season.’

‘”It’s a different mindset, a different philosophy this year with Turk calling the plays,” he said. “It might be his first time as a coordinator, but he’s played the game and he knows the game. Just by going through the practices, the way he installed and even called plays throughout the preseason you can tell he knows the game.”‘