Archives for October 2012

‘These aren’t matchups as much as they’re mismatches, and as long as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are on the other sideline, nothing is changing, no matter what the Bills do to their own roster.’

‘If anyone dares to say the Bills have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL right now, rethink your position. It appears this line may be a tad overrated, and you immediately start with the $100 million man, Mario Williams. Casper the Ghost would have been more visible Sunday.’

‘Ryan Fitzpatrick overcame two early interceptions to stake the Bills a 21-7 lead with three touchdown passes covering 24, 20 and 68 yards. But he was not up to matching Tom Brady’s six-consecutive-possession touchdown assault that blew the game open and he assisted New England’s cause with two more picks in the fourth quarter that led to 10 Patriots points. Mr. Average meets Tom Terrific and as usual, it’s no contest.’

‘”Obviously, it showed us that we are not there yet,” said Fitzpatrick. “We have got a lot of pride in this locker room and right now we have our tails between our legs in terms of we got our butts kicked.”‘

‘”I don’t know what was going on,” Bills’ defensive end Mario Williams said. “I don’t know which way (New England’s running back) was hitting (the hole), I just know … Like I said, I just felt like it was methodical. It was the same block and the same play.”‘

‘It was concerning how the Bills abandoned the run. Fred Jackson had 13 carries for 29 yards and C.J. Spiller had eight carries for 33 yards. Running the ball keeps the Patriots off the field and eats clock. I know they lost Kraig Urbik and Cordy Glenn, but the running game was the strength of this team until this week. I would like to see them run the ball out of a formation other than the spread. The Patriots had no issue stopping it today.’

‘This performance was as bad as it gets.’

‘Just why the Patriots were suddenly able to run at will in the second half – the two backs between them had just 88 yards in the first half – seemed to be a mystery to some Bills and rather apparent to others.’

‘”Of course I’m not 100% healthy but I felt like I could go today,” Spiller said Sunday. “The main thing that I said was if I could get out there and be effective I am going to get out there. I am not going to get out there if I felt that I could not be effective or contribute in some type of way for our team.”‘

‘They had plenty of help from a Bills offense that turned it over six times, including four Ryan Fitzpatrick interceptions.’

‘After gaining 11 yards on his first carry, Jackson managed only 18 yards on his next 12 attempts.’

‘”Oh, that was crucial,” said Spiller, whose miscue at the Patriots’ 1-yard line with 1:19 remaining in the first half turned the tide, as the Bills could have gone ahead by two touchdowns at the break. “Totally crucial. That was the turning point of the game. And that’s totally on me. Nobody else. That was me. I’ve just got to do a better job of securing the ball. Especially down at the goal line.”‘

‘I do not like to play like that. I do not think that is who we are, but that is who we were today. You cannot sugar coat it anyway, but we are 2-2. That is who we are today. We are 2-2. You kicked dirt on us almost after the first game, everybody was getting high after two and everybody will kick dirt on us after this week. That is just the way it is. I understand that. We have a tough road ahead of us. We understand that. Nobody understands that more than me.’

Spikes’s stuff powers Patriots past the Bills (Boston Globe)

Two 100-yard rushers pace Patriots (Boston Globe)

C.J. Spiller takes blame for Bills’ loss to Patriots (Boston Globe)

Patriots’ offense clicks after getting back to basics (Boston Globe)

Stephen Gostkowski misses two field goals in Patriots’ win (Boston Globe)

Photo gallery (Boston Globe)

Pats explode in second half for 52-28 win (Boston Herald)

Patriots rally to redefine their hopes (Boston Herald)

On second thought (Boston Herald)

McCourty picks it up (Boston Herald)

A run for their money (Boston Herald)

Spikes, defense drop hammer (Boston Herald)

Gronk’s tale: Do the job (Boston Herald)

Brady calming influence (Boston Herald)

Best & Worst in Pats-Bills game (Boston Herald)

Photo gallery (Boston Herald)

What a rush! (Providence Journal)

Bolden steps out of the shadows with a spectacular Sunday show (Providence Journal)

Gronkowski rebounds from early mistakes to put up big numbers (Providence Journal)

A game the Patriots might look back on as a turning point (Providence Journal)

Spikes, defense take credit for turning the tide (Providence Journal)

Photo gallery (Providence Journal)

Not half bad (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Ninkovich contributes to comeback (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

One-two backfield punch leads way (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Forward momentum (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Patriots notebook (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Brandon Bolden, Stevan Ridley carry New England Patriots to huge victory over Buffalo Bills (Springfield Republican)

Patriots begin to find themselves in win over Bills (Springfield Republican)

Rob Gronkowski bounces back with big game against Buffalo (Springfield Republican)

New England Patriots defense shows up in win over Bills (Springfield Republican)

Devin Mcourty flying high, Patrick Chung in the doghouse following win over Buffalo (Springfield Republican)

New England comeback was like flipping a switch (Manchester Union Leader)

5 Things We Learned from Sunday’s Game (New Bedford Standard Times)

Thank goodness for the AFC East (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)

Patriots carry on, get big payoff (ESPN)

Brandon Spikes gives Patriots edge (ESPN)

Photo gallery (ESPN)

Vince Wilfork Continues to Demonstrate Importance on Patriots Defense in Critical Moments (NESN)

Brandon Bolden’s Emergence Provides Patriots With Long Desired Running Game (NESN)

Patriots roar back from 14-point deficit, stun Bills, 52-28 (CSN New England)

Effort from Bolden, Ridley a vote for offensive balance (NESN)

Resiliency? That’s just The Patriot Way (CSN New England)

No doubting Thomas’ solid fill-in job (CSN New England)

Patriots-Bills postgame sound (CSN New England)

Photo gallery (CSN New England)

Tom Brady: ‘That’s What This Team’s Made Of’ (WBZ-TV)

Four Ups, Four Downs From Patriots’ 52-28 Win Over Bills (WBZ-TV)

With season in doubt, defense didn’t rest (WEEI-AM)

The Redemption of Josh McDaniels (WEEI-AM)

Analysis/reaction: Patriots-Bills (Patriots.com)

Game Notes: Patriots vs. Bills (Patriots.com)

Bill Belichick Postgame Press Conference Transcript (Patriots.com)

Tom Brady Postgame Press Conference Transcript (Patriots.com)

Patriots Postgame Quotes (Patriots.com)

Bills Postgame Quotes (Patriots.com)

Photo gallery (Patriots.com)

Photo gallery (BuffaloBills.com)

Photo gallery (Rochester D&C)

Photo gallery (WGRZ-TV)

Photo gallery (WIVB-TV)