Archives for August 27, 2012

‘Instead, Buffalo laid the cliched egg – even the post-game fireworks didn’t keep the majority of fans in their seats – and gave us plenty to worry about.’

‘Being from Texas, you probably haven’t played in a lot of cold weather. What is the lowest temperature you have played in for a game? Around the 50s, nothing like what it gets down to around here.’

‘Jackson, 6-foot-2 and 226 pounds, entered the NFL as a second-round draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings in 2006 and is 17-17 in his career as a starter. It’s expected the Bills will give Seattle a late-round draft pick in return for Jackson.’

‘The preseason is the preseason, but the Bills have no reason to feel comfortable. Really, have they given any indication, with the opener approaching, that this season will be different than others in recent years? The 38-7 loss Saturday night ended with many more questions than answers. Their responses haven’t been very good, either. Several players rolled out tiresome “it’s just the preseason” rhetoric, which has become a blanket statement.’

‘The moves get the Bills down to the NFL’s 75-man roster limit for this week. All NFL teams must trim down from 75 to 53 players on the active roster by 9 p.m. Friday, a day after Buffalo’s exhibition finale in Detroit.’

‘”He deserves a chance to be playing so Buffalo came after him,” Carroll said of Jackson. “I hope it’s a good thing for him. He did a great job for us and he proved everything you’d ever want to see out of a competitor.”‘

‘In Buffalo, Jackson is expected to compete for the backup job behind Ryan Fitzpatrick. Vince Young and Tyler Thigpen also are part of that competition.’

‘Carroll confirmed the trade of Jackson to Buffalo for an undisclosed pick is in the works. The Bills reportedly are negotiating to restructure the final year of Jackson’s contract.’

”’It’s close,” the person said Sunday, speaking on the condition of anonymity because neither team has announced the trade. The Bills are in talks with Jackson’s agent to restructure the final year of the player’s contract. He’s scheduled to make $4 million this season.’

‘Buffalo also released defensive linemen Sean Ferguson and Jay Ross, defensive backs Prince Miller and Nick Sukay, tight end Fendi Onobun, receiver Derek Session and guard Jake Vermiglio.’

‘Jackson, a former second-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in the 2006 draft, was signed to a two-year deal by Seattle as a free agent prior to the start of last season.’

‘Clowney spent his first two-plus seasons with the New York Jets before spending the latter stages of 2010 with the Carolina Panthers.’

‘”I feel really confident,” Fitzpatrick said afterward. “I don’t think preseason games are an indication of where the team is. We’re 0-3 in the preseason but we’re 0-0 in the stuff that matters and we’re looking forward to going against the Jets.”‘

‘RT Erik Pears did not play against the Steelers after missing practice time during the week. Pears underwent sport hernia surgery during the offseason and had been making progress. His status for the regular-season opener is unclear.’

‘”We got a little rattled (after that),” coach Chan Gailey said. “We have to hold our composure better than we did. That is a great lesson right there.”‘