Archives for November 4, 2008

‘When a team has not sniffed the playoffs this decade, there is – understandably – a tendency to overrate the team based on a small sample, just how it is easy to panic over a couple of bad games. Many, including this space, could be found guilty of jumping the gun on anointing the Bills a playoff team.’

‘The eight remaining opponents for Buffalo and Miami have the lowest winning percentage among the four AFC East clubs.’

‘Frank Payne, Iroquois High School head football coach has been named the Buffalo Bills High School Football Coach of the Week after the ninth weekend of the 2008 high school football season.’

‘Bills fans flocked the Verizon Wireless Store at McKinley Mall to support a great cause and meet their favorite Bills players. Hundreds of fans supported Kids Escaping Drugs and the Stand Strong campaign by making a monetary donation. In return, they received limited edition posters and obtained autographs from Bills quarterback Trent Edwards, cornerback Leodis McKelvin, offensive lineman Brad Butler, defensive end Chris Kelsay, defensive tackle John McCargo and defensive tackle Spencer Johnson.’

‘That’s because Schobel substitute Ryan Denney was noticeable against the New York Jets in the worst way, namely in how he kept making his way into the corner of the cameraman’s view. Buying reverses, letting running backs speed by, and generally engaging in unproductive behavior is how the BYU product spent most of his game, and it’s not chance that the Bills have suddenly forgotten how to get to the quarterback.’

‘”It goes for everybody,” left tackle Jason Peters said. “You have tight ends, we have running backs, the line, receivers, and everybody has to do their job for a play to work. If one guy breaks down, then the play doesn’t work. Everybody is accountable.”‘

‘In time, this draft class might be a good one. But the organization expected more. Maybe they’re a year away – like the team as a whole.’

‘A separated shoulder, depending on its severity, usually requires at least two to four weeks for it to heal. More serious cases would require surgery and a much longer recovery. “It’s not the best news we got,” Jauron said after Monday’s walkthrough practice.’

‘Drunken driving after the Buffalo Bills game Sunday took a heavy toll, leading to one accident that killed a 51-year-old Lancaster man and another that sent a 10-year-old Monroe County boy to a hospital, law enforcement officials said.’

‘A woman, law enforcement officials said Monday, was having sex with her boyfriend in a bathroom stall.’

‘Not since a 14-yard output in a December 2005 loss to New England had the Bills been so impotent on the ground. It was the 10th-lowest single-game total in team history.’

‘"It’s kind of the story of the league, injuries happen and when they do the next person has to be ready to go," Scott said. "I look forward to the challenge and hopefully we can turn things around this week."’

‘I don’t think the media or any fan has to apologize for believing this Bills team was for real. They’ve been rebuilding for eight years for heaven’s sake. This collapse is on Buffalo’s players, coaches and front office. They’ve embarrassed themselves and disappointed their fan base.’

‘Edwards appears to be in the majority, according to my totally unscientific, random poll of 15 Bills players. Obama received about 60 percent of the vote to 27 percent for Republican John McCain with 13 percent undecided. Our poll’s margin for error? Huge.’

‘”I’m glad I got the touchdown, it was great, but with the end result it really doesn’t matter,” Fine said. “It’d been a lot better if we could’ve been able to get the win, but without the win it’s just another touchdown.”‘