Archives for October 2, 2011

‘Buffalo, despite being less wealthy, almost always sells out the games at its 73,000-capacity stadium, and garners impressive loyalty from its better-heeled fans. Last year, when the Bills failed to sell out their final home game, local restaurateur Russell Salvatore bought the remaining 7,000 tickets, gave them away to children and members of the military, and precluded a TV blackout of the game. It’s hard to imagine that happening in the NFL’s big-city markets.’

‘"I’m always going to be my biggest critic and I don’t think anyone can bring more pressure on me than I bring on myself in order to get back there and make some plays in the backfield," Merriman said.’

‘Bills 30, Bengals 21.’

‘They started 0-8 a year ago and never stopped competing. If Gailey didn’t lose them then, it’s hard to see him losing them now. They’re not good enough to look past anyone, least of all a hungry, desperate Bengals team whose coach, Marvin Lewis, basically guaranteed victory.’

‘The most interesting salute to the Bills after their stirring victory over the Patriots came from Merril Hoge, the old Pittsburgh Steeler who now toils for ESPN. “The Buffalo Bills,” he said, “do not have the best quarterback, nor the best receivers, nor the best running backs — but they do have the best team.”‘

‘The Bills are led by a quarterback (Ryan Fitzpatrick) who was a low-cost free-agent pickup, a running back (Fred Jackson) discovered in football’s backwoods, and a group of receivers who were afterthoughts entering the league. Buffalo has nine of its own draft choices starting.’

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“It’s a double-edged sword,” Gailey said of all the attention the Bills are receiving. “If you play great you get it, but you’ve got to learn how to handle it. If you can’t handle it, then it won’t be around long because you’ll not play the way you’re capable of playing. I’m talking a lot to these guys about handling all this stuff and making sure they don’t get away from what got us to where we are.”‘

‘In Perform: NFL Coach Trains with a Concert Pianist. A Journey for Athletes, Musicians, Coaches and Teachers, Alexander explores the revelation he came upon: that elite professional athletes and elite musicians share a lot in common, from the way they prepare to the way they handle pressure.’

‘”We’re just trying to make sure that everybody stays grounded, nobody buys into the hype that we’re getting all of a sudden, and that we continue to do our best to be as prepared as we can be and to stack the wins week in and week out,” Bills safety George Wilson said. “Right now, our focus is going 4-0.”‘

‘”If you play great, you get it, but you’ve got to learn how to handle it. If you can’t handle it, then it won’t be around long. I’m talking a lot to these guys, making sure they don’t get away from what got us to where we are.”‘

‘With Palmer not playing this season, saying he’d retire if not traded by the Bengals, some fans wonder if the Bengals could have kept Fitzpatrick. The fact is that wasn’t going to happen. Fitzpatrick wanted a place to compete for the starting spot, and Buffalo provided the best option.’

‘”I feel good. The lockout definitely helped because I was able to get back the strength in my leg,” Wood said. “Its been insane the attention we’ve received since beating New England (last week). But you want to be in the spotlight. We know what the opposite is like after we started 0-8 last year.”‘

‘Bills 28-17.’

‘Beating the Bills Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium won’t give the Bengals a third AFC championship but it would snap a 10-game losing streak against Buffalo that dates back to the 1989 regular season.’

Who’d pass on Ryan Fitzpatrick? (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Scouting report: Bengals vs. Bills (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Five keys for Bengals vs. Bills (Cincinnati Enquirer)

First down: Bengals vs. Bills (Cincinnati Enquirer)

Elder grad Wood at center of Bills’ resurgence (Cincinnati Enquirer)

10-game skid to Bills longest active streak (Cincinnati Enquirer)

I was there … Steve Kreider (Cincinnati Enquirer)