Archives for September 2011

‘The Buffalo Bills are getting significant national media attention after last week’s 41-7 pasting of the host Kansas City Chiefs:’

‘The victory was like dining on a steak dinner — or at least some tasty Buffalo wings — after eating gruel three times a day for the past 12 years.’

‘”The knock on him was he wasn’t fast enough, but he had a long stride and could break the cushion on a defensive back,” Chabot coach Danny Calcagno said. “He’d never played wide receiver before, but he was like a sponge, and he just got better and better.”‘

‘”I just ended up continually taking the right step, my parents put me in the right spot and I ended up going to Kentucky and taking it to the NFL,” Johnson said in a conference call Wednesday with beat writers in advance of Sunday’s game against the Raiders. “Now we’re facing the hometown team. Just blessed I guess.”‘

‘”But they say if you ball, if you play good, somebody will find you,” Johnson said in a media conference call Wednesday. “A few schools saw me (in high school), but they wanted me as a defensive back.”‘

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson makes noise nationally but not at home in Bay Area (Oakland Tribune)

Depleted wide receiver corps takes another hit with Darrius Heyward-Bey’s knee issue (Oakland Tribune)

Bills star has roots in S.F.’s Hunters Point (San Francisco Chronicle)

Raiders’ Giordano may go from waivers to starting (San Francisco Chronicle)

For Raiders kicker Janikowski, the sky’s the limit (Sacramento Bee)

Johnson emerges as Bills’ go-to receiver (Sacramento Bee)

McFadden picks up where he left off in 2010 (AP)

Pryor has hearing for suspension appeal (AP)

McFadden slowed by sore shoulder (CSN Bay Area)

Coach Saunders Media Session (Raiders.com)

Coach Jackson Thursday (Raiders.com)

‘Gaughan said he remembers Hansen as somebody who treated people right, whether it be teammates or fans. He was a true Buffalonian in part because he stayed there in the offseason.’

‘”Seeing the way we work and the talent of the guys on the team, it wasn’t a big surprise,” Hairston said. “It was amazing to see how things clicked and it was great for the first game to play like that. And the tribute for 9-11 before the game was really special.”‘

‘The Bills may emerge as one of this year’s surprise teams, but the reality is they really weren’t as far away from contention last year as their desultory record indicated. Playing the AFC’s toughest schedule, Buffalo lost six games by eight points or fewer, including five by five points or fewer.’

‘Coach Chan Gailey said Johnson was just given the day off, and fully anticipates Johnson to play Sunday when the Bills (1-0) play host to the Oakland Raiders (1-0).’

‘Bills 23, Raiders 17.’

‘Bills 17, Raiders 14.’

‘”You saw the Monday night game with Denver … they’re a disruptive bunch. They get a lot of pressure up the middle. They get a lot of pressure on the edges. It’s going to be a tough challenge for us.”‘

‘”I just think that you find that there are a lot of guys in this league that have to work real hard for what they get,” said Chandler. “Not all of us are first-round draft picks. Not that they don’t have to work, but nothing comes easy in this league. I think we all realize that and that gives us kind of a blue collar attitude.”‘

‘"(The Bills’ medical staff) told me it’s something that would keep me out for a few weeks," Eddins said. "They said they had to put me on IR because of a numbers thing. That’s how the business goes."’