Archives for October 2011

‘”I think the eyes are open,” said cornerback Drayton Florence, who made a key pass break-up that led to Nick Barnett’s game-saving interception with less than two minutes to play against the Eagles.’

‘Jackson has been great, but he’s getting some help from the offensive line. The move of Eric Wood from guard to center seemingly has given this unit its own quarterback. He’s doing a nice job keeping things together through some injuries. Last year, the line yielded an average of 2.125 sacks per game but that’s dropped to under 1.0.’

‘Head Coach Chan Gailey told reporters Monday that Jones would be out 4-to-6 weeks with a high ankle sprain, but that the injury is not of the season-ending variety. In the tunnel after the game, the Bills’ starting wide receiver was seen on crutches with a boot on his ankle.’

‘”We’ve got to put him out there right now,” he said. “We gotta leave him out there, especially while Chris [Kelsay] is out.”‘

‘Oliverio said, “I’m confident that leadership locally and at the state level can get this done and they’re such an asset to our community that there’s no reason not to.”‘

‘”I know I can play in this league,” Spiller said. “I’m not letting my confidence shoot down because I’m not getting the touches. I know what I’m capable of doing, what type of player I am. I’m not for one second thinking that I can’t play running back in the NFL, so whenever I get my opportunity I’m going to take advantage of it.”‘

‘Defensive coordinator George Edwards dialed up the pressure, a departure for him. He sent several packages at Vick, some that included linebackers, others that included defensive backs. He still had to find a way to stop the run, though. Chan Gailey did a nice job of attacking Philadelphia’s weaknesses on defense, using the run up the middle with Fred Jackson, and he also employed a short passing game that minimized the effect that Philly’s star cornerbacks could have on the game.’

‘Two years ago, the Bills tied for the league lead in interceptions as Jairus Byrd, then a rookie, tied for the individual high with nine. Buffalo is back on that pace again in 2011, as it leads the league with 12 picks through five weeks. Nick Barnett made two, and he became the third Bill in as many weeks to return an interception for a touchdown. It’s just the second time in team history the Bills have had a streak like that. In 1960, their first year of existence, they returned a pick for a TD in four straight games.’

‘A playoff contender, not a pretender. And it’s about time we all start acknowledging that.’

‘Fred Jackson: In my opinion he is the NFL’s most valuable player to this point in the season.’

‘”If we keep getting four and five turnovers a week, you can discount a few of those yards,” Gailey said, Monday. “It would be lovely to have both, but you don’t get that all the time. You need to have one or the other.”‘

‘”I’m not sure we need to have any kind of knee-jerk reaction to try to find somebody (right away), but if somebody comes along that looks like he might fit we’re always trying to upgrade our football team,” Gailey said.’

‘Buffalo Bills receiver Donald Jones will miss between four and six weeks with a sprained left ankle, and starting defensive tackle Kyle Williams’ status is uncertain for the team’s game at the New York Giants this weekend.’

‘”We were a 3-1 team and a home dog against a 1-3 team, “an incredulous center Eric Wood said of Sunday’s game. “It’s not something you put a lot of stock into, but you talk about it and it ticks you off. Keep picking us to lose … that keeps the chip on our shoulder. We don’t need to be the media darling that we were two weeks ago before we lost.”‘