Archives for January 2009

‘Beast Mode is a state of being that Bills running back Marshawn Lynch takes on when he steps between the lines on Sundays. One of his biggest fans also took that approach when it came to playing the Buffalo Bills Season Ticket Holder Fantasy Challenge this season.’

‘"This is going to be my Super Bowl victory – when I’m able to see kids running around, talking, walking," Kelly, 48, of Orchard Park, Erie County, told about 25 local business people at the Clarion Riverside Hotel. Hunter died of Krabbe leukodystrophy, an inherited neurological disease, at age 8, in 2005.’

‘Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner chairman Chip Johnson has announced that Buffalo Bill play-by-play announcer John Murphy will be the emcee for the event on Feb. 16 at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club.’

‘Leonard finished fourth on the team during the regular season with 85 tackles. He had one sack and one interception. He also returned 30 punts for 232 yards and eight kickoffs for 163 yards. That’s not bad for a player who wasn’t re-signed by the Buffalo Bills after the 2008 season.’

‘It was a year of missed opportunity.’

‘Edwards will return as the entrenched starter, but he still has much to prove heading into this third NFL season. Injuries have hurt his development, and he enters the offseason with a suspect throwing shoulder. When healthy, he has performed brilliantly at times, but his 12-11 record reflects his growing pains. His 65.5 percent completion percentage in 2008 was second best in team history and sixth overall in the league. He improved his yards-per-attempt average from 6.06 to 7.22, a mark most playoff quarterbacks hit. Still, he struggled with his accuracy later in the year and really struggled facing 3-4 defenses, something he needs to improve on playing in the AFC East. Former first-round pick Losman failed to lead Buffalo to wins in four emergency relief appearances, struggling with taking sacks and committing turnovers. He’s a free agent and won’t be retained, putting Buffalo in the market for a veteran backup.’

‘"It seems like we got the raw end of so many deals," C Duke Preston said. "The only thing we can do is stay committed to our game because weird things are going to happen. The bottom line is that we needed to win. We (were) 7-9, and we left at least four games out there."’

‘Since we’re in Hall of Fame speculation season, and two players from those Buffalo teams are finalists on this year’s ballot, I began to wonder: What is a reasonable number of honorees from a team that didn’t win a league championship?’

‘The troubles started about a quarter of the way back: Trent Edwards was as reliable as a dice roll. Even when he wasn’t hurt, the Bills still weren’t sure Edwards was going to show up for games. While he frequently displayed the calm competence that’s made him this team’s presumed future starter, he also looked at times like he wasn’t expecting there to be defenders on the field.’

‘Much like he did on his 98-yard kick return for a touchdown in Week 11 against Cleveland, Leodis McKelvin pulled away from his three teammates to win Special Teams MVP honors for 2008.’

‘”I just wanted to get on the field and show what I could do,” he said. “It was unfortunate guys got hurt, but it gave me a chance to showcase our ability.”‘

‘To achieve this status, the Bills organization met rigorous guidelines, which include developing severe weather safety plans, actively promoting severe weather safety through awareness activities and conducting safety training.’

‘One thing we should remember about O.J.’s name on the Bills Wall of Fame. It isn’t there because O.J. wants it there. Nobody should care what he wants on the subject anyway. Taking the name down, would actually give O.J. Simpson more publicity than he deserves. We know why it’s there; for his marvelous achievements as a football player.’

‘Specifically, the defense’s biggest asset next season must be the offensive coordinator. Relying heavily on Lynch and Jackson could overpower foes while eating the clock, which would in turn allow a mediocre 2008 defense to play with more confidence and for less time in 2009. Whether it’s Turk Schonert or Schonert’s replacement, he has to know that his side of the ball is only one of two that’s relying on the offense turning to a power running game.’

‘April uses a complex grading system to measure the value of his players. Every man can earn points for doing his job on every special teams play. Players are awarded from three to 15 points for making a block. A solo tackle is 12. An assisted tackle is either five or eight. A touchdown return is 25. A game-winning field goal or a blocked kick is 30. A missed tackle is minus-5. And so on.’