Archives for September 2008

‘Running back Fred Jackson, signed as a rookie free agent in 2006 to Buffalo’s practice squad, has pushed his way onto the field as a feared receiving threat and explosive complement to starter Marshawn Lynch.’

‘Said Youboty on Wednesday: “I don’t think it is specifically everything I did in this offseason. I think it’s just being here, my third year. You know some guys can make the transition to the NFL faster than others and you know being here three years and being comfortable here in the system, and it’s just sinking in and making plays.”‘

‘After spending the entire offseason and training camp telling reporters how 6-6 rookie wide receiver James Hardy was going to be a special weapon in the red zone, Trent Edwards sounded relieved to finally have thrown him a touchdown pass that counted. Hardy’s coffin-corner, tip-toe, seven-yard reception in Jacksonville was a nice piece of execution. “What makes it nicer is that you guys ask me all of these questions about James, and it’s like, ‘When are we going to see this happen? Why did we draft this kid?’ And that’s what is encouraging, that a young rookie makes a big-time play like that. That helps me, that helps James, that helps this organization, and that makes the guys that drafted him in April look a lot better, too.”‘

‘Even with Mathis’ initial reaction forward, a great throw from Edwards, and a phenomenal catch, the pass was still only a few blades of grass away from being incomplete. That’s how tough it is to score in the red zone — and it shows just what kind of difference a few inches can make.’

‘”We’re a lot closer. We have closed the gap,” said Evans, who’s entering the final year of his contract. “Hopefully, we can get it done sooner than later. But I’m not really worried.”‘

‘A win in Week 3 might be. The Bills haven’t won their first three games since a 4-0 start in 1992, en route to the third of four straight trips to the Super Bowl during the Jim Kelly-Thurman Thomas era.’

‘On Sunday, September 21, 2008, the Bills will honor Smith, an eleven-time Pro Bowler and former NFL MVP, by making him the newest member to the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame. Smith will become the 25th member of the elite group at an event during the Bills vs. Raiders game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park.’

‘Pregame activities include a pink ribbon distribution to fans at the entrance gates, breast cancer survivors on the field forming Stampede row, and the presentation of the game ball, which will be a special pink football. The Jills cheerleaders will also be using pink pom-poms during the game.’

‘”We love Terrence (McGee) on the kickoff return,” said head coach Dick Jauron. “He’s playing a lot of snaps defensively. He loves to return. We’d like to let him do that to some degree, but we’d also like to get Leodis more involved.”‘

‘Ellison along with teammates Brad Butler and C.J. Hawthorne emphasized the lasting impact youth football had on them to a group of area youths before taking in a pre-viewing of The Express, a movie about the former Syracuse University great and 1961 Cleveland Browns number one draft choice.’

‘Bills 17, Raiders 9.’

Raiders are a team in need of a bridge (Oakland Tribune)

It’s all quiet on the Kiffin front (Oakland Tribune)

Raiders, 49ers take care of on-field business (San Francisco Chronicle)

49ers, Raiders fans – your revolution starts in England (San Francisco Chronicle)

Raiders’ tackle arrested – DUI (San Francisco Chronicle)

Raiders’ Kelly is Arrested On Suspicion of DUI (Sacramento Bee)

Raiders’ Tommy Kelly arrested (AP)

2008 High School Coach of the Week (Raiders.com)

‘Last year’s offensive coordinator, Steve Fairchild, seemed to be confused by the title “running back” as if the player wasn’t allowed to do anything else, and this season is different in that Lynch’s turn will come when necessary under new play-caller Turk Schonert; that’s crucially unlike Fairchild forgetting to use the player in more than one way.’

‘”At the end of the day, it was just coming back to Buffalo, going into training camp, competing and making the team,” Youboty said this week. “I’m not saying I didn’t get bigger, faster or stronger. But it really was nothing dramatic. It’s just that you can’t make plays on the sideline.”‘

‘Keith A. Newman, 31, who played for the Bills from 1999 to 2002, was charged by Tampa police with one count of grand theft and four counts of deposit with fraud, according to a report in the St. Petersburg Times.