Archives for September 2011

‘”We started out 0-8 last year. We only won four games, and we know how hard wins are to come by,” said Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. “I think with that, I don’t think you’ll ever see us take a game for granted.”‘

‘In the case of why the Bills’ top wideout did not practice, it’s due to the same reasoning as the past couple of weeks. Johnson has been hampered with a groin injury suffered in training camp, and after practice confirmed that he was just getting a rest day to recuperate from the previous game. Last week, Johnson sat out Wednesday and participated in full on Thursday and Friday. He said he would indeed be back practicing on Thursday.’

‘”Still haven’t heard anything, so hopefully something gets done,” Jackson told News 4 Sports. “I’ll continue to show what I can do on the field, and hopefully get rewarded for it. So, we’ll see what happens.”‘

‘The Bills aren’t even a quarter of a way through their season, but with their undefeated record and amazing victory over the Patrioits this past weekend, they earned another spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated.’

‘The Buffalo Bills have a news conference set for Thursday at St. John Fisher where they will announce an extension to their agreement to keep training camp at the Pittsford college. Fisher became the summer home of the Bills back in 2000 and has remained a popular spot for both fans and their players in the past twelve years.’

‘Another aspect of Fitzpatrick’s success is harder to measure. He is a natural community builder, a connector, in ways that extend beyond neighborliness.’

‘”We’re encouraged,” said Wood. “We’ve got a lot of confidence right now. We’re going to try to keep it that way. Guys have done good things. Our tackles have played great.”‘

‘So, here it is: Sunday was the most thrilling day in Buffalo sports in years. We’ll leave it at that and see what next Sunday brings in Cincinnati. Based on what we’ve seen so far, though, there’s no reason to believe it won’t be another thriller.’

‘"The last half of the season he really came on," the coach said during training camp. "It looks like in practice that he picked up right where he left off. I think he’ll go back and have a good year."’

‘My intent here is not to kill the communal vibe but to convince myself that the Bills are for real. The easiest way to gain a clear, objective view is looking at the flip side. Even then, it’s hard to say whether the Bills are that good or their opponents were that bad.’

‘When reached this evening, Bills Chief Executive Officer Russ Brandon said he’s in “constant discussion” with Fisher President Dr. Donald Bain. “Talks are progressing in a positive manner and we hope to come to a conclusion in the very near future,” Brandon said.’

‘It’s just one game, the realists noted. There are 13 more regular-season contests to be played. The Bills have started well before. True, true, true. But my heart is with the kid yelling “Super Bowl, Super Bowl.” With Tom, I’ll linger in the moment. You gotta believe.’

‘”It definitely feels good to be able to silence the critics somewhat,” said Jones, who made just six catches for 27 yards in his previous two games. “The first two games I only had one touchdown. I didn’t have too many targets, so I was starting to get a lot of critics out there. To be able to go out yesterday in a big game and come up big for the team was big for me.”‘

‘What I hope for most is a return to those glory days and an excitement about Bills football renewed. The national recognition is kind of neat. Seeing Ryan Fitzpatrick on Sportscenter every night is cool. Listening to the national media heap praise on an underdog Buffalo team is music to my ears.’

‘The Bills need Fitzpatrick, and he needs them. It’s a perfect fit.’