Archives for November 2011

‘”It’s a perfect system for him,” Leonhard said. “Not only is he good in space, but when you get one-on-one with him, you see how many guys he’s making miss. If there are unblocked guys – defensive linemen, linebackers, secondary, whatever – it doesn’t matter. He runs right by them.”‘

‘Wilson likes to poke fun at himself and his age. “I’m doing alright. Right now, I’m talking to you. A half hour from now, I may not be doing okay,” he said laughing. “Anybody who tells you you are lucky to be old, you can tell them they are full of it.”‘

‘A leg injury sidelined Nelson for most of the Bills’ training camp. He wasn’t coming off a good second season, in which he sat out the first four games for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and played in five games, catching three passes for 25 yards.’

Big Yardage Out of Nowhere for the Bills (New York Times)

NY Jets face first road test after bye week vs. Buffalo Bills (New York Daily News)

NY Jets’ Mark Sanchez needs to transcend from ‘Game Manger’ to manager of great expectations (New York Daily News)

Buffalo Bills owner & Pro Football Hall of Famer Ralph Wilson enjoying rebirth of his team (New York Daily News)

Playoff atmosphere for divisional clash (New York Post)

Feels like season is on line today (New York Post)

Jets need to find happiness on the road (New York Newsday)

Shawn Nelson trying to find home with Jets (New York Newsday)

Jets’ Matt Slauson prepares for big game against Buffalo Bills, having put his doubts, critics to rest (Newark Star Ledger)

Jets Gameday: Buffalo Bills host Jets (Newark Star Ledger)

Jets executive to run New York City Marathon, inspired by daughter’s autism (Newark Star Ledger)

Jets still have AFC East on radar (Bergen Record)

Matchup: Jets at Bills (Bergen Record)

‘”I don’t want to say they’re too much of a hype, because they’ve gotten it done,” Johnson said, referring to the Jets’ bigger-than-Broadway reputation. “I think it’s our turn now. It’s our turn to show that we’re going to come in and try to take over this division and make this run be for real.”‘

‘Bills 20, Jets 17.’

‘”My dad, my sister, all of my uncles, my grandfather and I’ve got cousins that are active,” said Florence. “Most of it is just that commitment of being away from your family, time, risk, everything that goes into it. That’s what they sign up for and I don’t think we give those people enough credit with what they deal with each and every day. The mental stress that they have to deal with, it’s a tough situation because they’re on edge all the time and have to be on alert. There are things that they can’t really talk about when they come back and there are things that they see that they try to forget, but it’s still there.”‘

‘"When you’re going up against two of the best guys who have been in the league the past couple of years — this is what you’ve always wanted," said Jones a native of Plainfield, N.J., who played collegiately at Youngstown State. "Growing up and in college I’ve been watching these guys. In college I’d watch them and say, ‘Man, those guys are good.’ Now to be able to go up against those guys is something I look forward to. It’s like when we played the Eagles, those guys were supposed to be the best corners in the league and it’s something you get excited about."’

‘”I’ve been waiting a long time for this, and it feels great,” Kelsay yelled into my ear over the din of the loud music playing in the background. And my response was: “I know you have. And so have we.”‘

‘”You’ve got so many negatives bearing down on us right now, and negatives build up a pent-up demand for goods and services,” said George Cook, a professor of psychology and marketing at University of Rochester. “If things get better – and that can be a sports team – it releases that pent-up demand.”‘

‘”He does all three things a back needs to do. He does all three extremely well, whether it’s running with the ball, pass protection and catching the football,” Ryan said . “He’s making big plays. He’s always been an excellent back, but this year he’s made some absolutely huge plays for them.”’

‘”He’s an unbelievable athlete and incredibly strong,” Jets linebacker and former teammate Aaron Maybin said. “He’s also a determined guy. You look at his story and where he’s come and how much he’s been able to accomplish, he’s a fighter. He’s someone as a defense you have to make sure you always know where he is on the football field. He’s a major weapon for them.”‘

‘”It’s not just them being aggressive … so much as being in the right place and running their scheme so well and hustling to the football,” Sanchez said. “It’s not as much just taking a gamble and taking one to the house, they’ve made good plays on tipping the pass or really playing their scheme so well.”‘

‘”He’s making big plays,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “He’s always been an excellent back, but I think this year he’s made some absolutely huge plays for them.”‘

‘”It didn’t work out,” Bills center Eric Wood said. “I know a lot of people have dogged him, but there’s one thing he did: He worked hard. I guess it’s paying off for him now.”‘