Archives for August 2012

‘”I think today was his best day since he’s been here,” said Bills coach Chan Gailey. “We’re trying to do everything with him, we’re not holding anything back. … He’s got a better grasp of it than he did at any time during OTAs or minicamp, and I think he’s feeling a lot more comfortable.”‘

‘”Yeah, now I feel like I’m always in there,” said Wood. “I had never gotten hurt in my life before, so it’s been different.”‘

‘”Things are pretty good, I am just coming out here and trying to get better every day,” Gilmore said following Monday’s practice at Fisher. “I know where I started from and I know where I want to be at the end, so I am just trying to take it one day at a time.”‘

‘Troup acknowledged this week he’s had second thoughts about why he had the operation in which two discs were fused to repair a minor fracture in his spine. The trouble is, he’s still experiencing constant pain, and the rehabilitation process is going so slowly that Troup has had very limited practice time three weeks into training camp.’

‘Listed at 6-foot-4 and 375 pounds, Jasper spent much of his rookie season last year on the Bills practice squad before being activated for the final game. Jasper was regarded as a raw, untested talent, when the Bills took a slight gamble in drafting him out of Tennessee’s Bethel University with their second of two seventh-round picks.’

‘”From a competition standpoint, its very healthy” Hagan said during an interview on WGR. ” We got a bunch of guys that can pretty much do the same thing but we know deep down it’s a competition. Guys are trying to help each other but at the same time we know there are spots open and it pretty much comes down to who’s working hard, who’s doing the right thing, who’s catching the ball and who’s getting open. That’s who’s going to win the job.”‘

‘Morrison said, “It’s part of the game, but if it had to be anybody it had to be Tashard.” (for the trash talking) The linebacker added, “It’s just football, going against each other the last few weeks and going toward the end of camp right now, we’re just ready to hit another jersey. It’s just practice, Tashard knows I want to keep all our guys healthy ready for the season. Sometimes those plays just happen on the field and it kind of picked the defense up a little bit and we want to build off of it.”‘

‘”That’s the best he’s done since he’s been here,” said Gailey. “I think today was his best day since he’s been here. He’s got a better grasp of it at any time in the OTAs or minicamp and I think he’s feeling a lot more comfortable.”‘

‘On DE Shawne Merriman: It has been a culmination of bumps and bruises and stuff. We said, ‘hey, take a day off,’ and we will get him back out there tomorrow.’

‘”Michael is struggling,” said head coach Chan Gailey on the heels of the team’s first preseason game last week. “Michael has got to learn his assignments. He’s got to learn to play physical every snap. A big, strong guy that’s got a lot of talent as we all know, but he’s got to be more physical and he’s got to continue to push through on assignments.”‘

‘"You really do have to prove yourself. You have to make it worth their while to keep two kickers, because it’s definitely a big commitment on their part," Potter said. "I think if I’m able to consistently get touchbacks, keep the other team at the 20-yard line and preserve our players, it could be a good opportunity for our team."’

‘”I definitely think this passing game is pretty on point especially with the new editions like Derek Hagan,” said Stevie Johnson, Bills wide receiver. “He was here last year but he was not really as involved as much and I think he has been playing well.”‘

‘”That is where it is really going to help me is throughout the season once blitzes are coming and once you are speeding up your footwork a little bit and stuff you do not expect is happening,” Fitzpatrick said. “That is when the footwork is going to be something I have to rely on and that is what I am really looking forward to is (Lee) staying on me in those times.”‘

‘”He has done a very good job,” Bills coach Chan Gailey said. “He is kind of an underrated guy. He has a lot of ability. He just could not get on the field at LSU so people did not know a lot about him. He has some talent and I am anxious to see how he can progress. He could help us out a lot this year.”‘

‘”Every yard counts in field position,” Potter said after Sunday’s practice at St. John Fisher. “It definitely helps if you can put (the opposition) at the 20-yard line as opposed to letting them get out even to the 22 or 23. But one of the biggest things is having those touchbacks and allowing your players not to get injured.”‘