Archives for March 2011

‘We’ll start with Gailey and how the beginning of the football season went. The head coach said, “It was a challenging year. There were a lot of things that were unexpected, caught us off guard a little bit. I know that’s our job not to be caught off guard, but it did. We were trying to do some things with some people that they couldn’t do. We think we figured it out about halfway through and it started to go the direction we wanted to go.”‘

‘Coach Chan Gailey confirmed the player will spend Tuesday at the team’s facility in what will be Newton’s fourth-and longest-visit with the Bills.’

‘”Coming off a season like that where we had so many close games, I think all the guys are mentally ready to put forth the effort to finish those games,” Johnson said. “That all comes from practicing with each other and just getting that mindset right. That’s probably the only thing that we were missing, but Coach Gailey did a great job of instilling that into us – that we can win those games, that we can play well against those elite teams. We’re just ready to get back out there.”‘

‘Buffalo extended its series of payments by one pay period and adjusted payment terms so that 50 percent of the account balance is not due until the league announces games will be played. Fans then have a two-month period to make the remaining payments.’

‘The Bills were awarded the 10th-last selection, 244th overall, the league announced Friday. That gives Buffalo eight picks in the three-day draft, which opens April 28.’

‘Said Gailey, while again acknowledging his feelings about Fitzpatrick, "We look at everything. We’re not good enough that we can bypass any scenario. We look at any and all situations that are available. We are very pleased with our quarterback. If you are not trying to get better at every position on your team, you’re wrong. You’re always trying to get better. You just have to say, ‘How much is it going to cost us to upgrade your team at that position compared to what is it going to cost to upgrade our team at another position.’ You’re always doing that."’

‘Injuries wreaked havoc with six players winding up on injured reserve, veteran Shawn Merriman among them. Merriman regaining his All-Pro form in San Diego is a longshot, 2009 first-round pick Aaron Maybin has yet to record a sack, and Paul Posluszny could be declared a free agent. This position needs a fresh face, someone like Texas A&M’s Von Miller.’

‘"You’re only antsy when somebody else is doing something to get ahead of you. If nobody else is doing anything to get ahead of you, then you’re not antsy. I don’t worry about it if there is no one getting ahead of me. – Coach Chan Gailey, asked if he is getting antsy with offseason workouts not allowed to start.’

‘Flutie didn’t even complete his one USFL season with the New Jersey Generals. His year ended 15 games in when he broke his collarbone after being sacked by Reggie White. Then again, Flutie’s throwing arm was already feeling shot by then.’

‘Why not the Buffalo Bills? Have any fans suffered more hard knocks over the past decade than Buffalo’s? The Bills might not merit the exposure, but the team’s fans surely do.’

‘"We spend the morning on football and then we spend the afternoon getting our college stuff ready for the draft," Gailey said Tuesday during the NFL coaches breakfast at the Roosevelt Hotel. "That stuff will be ready by April 7. We have a lot of little projects. We look at the best third-down teams, what they do. We look at our division opponents, what they do. Who is the best rushing team, the best red-zone team. You just go through and evaluate that."’

‘The way Bills coach Chan Gailey gushed over them both Tuesday, I would bet that one of them might be headed to upstate New York. “I can tell you right now there is no question they have outstanding skill sets — both of them,” Gailey said Tuesday here at the league meetings. “Not average, not above average, outstanding — to play early and long.”‘

‘Maybin knows what’s expected of him, Gailey insisted. The kid just hasn’t done it.’

‘Buffalo’s Ryan Fitzpatrick isn’t my idea of a "franchise quarterback," but I’d prefer him over any of the NFL quarterbacks likely to be free agents or trade bait this offseason.’

‘Fairley has been our choice for the Browns at No. 6 through three mock drafts. But if the Bills don’t take a quarterback, we now believe they will favor the last highly rated defensive lineman over any other defensive player. Their run defense is awful.’