Archives for November 16, 2012

‘"Missing third downs was the killer," said Gailey. "We’ve got to be more physical and be better, and in the second half I was conservative. I’ll be the first to admit that."’

‘But my beef with Chan Gailey continues. In the first half, the Bills had two 3rd-and-1 opportunities. They failed to convert both. Why? On one of the plays, Gailey decided to send out the wildcat offense with Tashard Choice running the ball up the middle for no gain. Why did he do that, with C.J. Spiller in the lineup? Who knows. But that wasn’t the worst play call. On 3rd-and-1 deep in Miami territory, Gailey went with an empty set. Again, they needed one yard. If you didn’t know any better, you would have thought the Bills needed 20 yards. They didn’t convert and ended up kicking a field goal.’

‘The Bills fan base has a long-established reputation around the league for straddling that fine line between passionate and rowdy.’

‘”That’s how it’s supposed to be week in and week out,” said defensive end Mario Williams. “As long as we go out and play fundamental football, gap sound football, that’ll be the result. It was gap football. Playing our assignments and being where we’re supposed to be.”‘

‘”I wouldn’t say a sigh or relief, I would say it’s what we’ve been expecting out of ourselves since the first day we all came together back at St. John Fisher,” said middle linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, who finished with six tackles. “Just coming off to the sideline looking at all the pictures and everything, I truly believe all 11 guys that were out there trusted each other 100 percent. Everybody was fundamentally sound, technique sound, and we played very aggressive. You saw guys hitting.”‘

‘Williams said one game could be a spark for a late-season run. There’s been good reason to question this team’s competitive character. But they used the night game and an electrified crowd as a spark, and got a desperately needed win. It felt like a start.’

‘”If you were late to the game, you missed it,” Leodis McKelvin said.’

‘Jairus Byrd’s diving interception with 1:54 left at the Buffalo 35 and another by Bryan Scott in the final minute stopped Miami’s last-chance drives.’

‘The crowd showered Gailey with boos for third-down and red-zone decisions.’

‘The damage is “not severe,” the county’s public works commissioner said Thursday, but close to a third of the concrete frames that hold up the upper deck have “minor to medium” deterioration from water and salt that have seeped in over time.’

‘A nation of football fans watching on NFL Network Thursday night got to see how frustrating the Bills can be, but they also got to see that the Dolphins aren’t any better, and Buffalo came away with a 19-14 victory in front of 69,118 enthusiastic and chilled spectators at Ralph Wilson Stadium.’

‘Whether it’s Jackson, Spiller, third-stringer Tashard Choice or a guy he pulls out of the Big Tree Inn down Abbott Road, he loves to spread the workload. To him, it’s at minimum a two-person job. Unfortunately during this maddening season, Gailey’s not-so-golden touch has turned Jackson and Spiller, his Batman and Robin, into a production too often suited for Beavis and Butt-head.’

‘It was maddening how Spiller would break off big runs, and then trot to the sideline and watch Choice take over at running back. Gailey said that was the plan, plus, Spiller gets winded and needs breaks. If you can’t hear me, I’m screaming.’

‘Kudos to Dave Wannstedt’s defense, which had one of its best games, pressuring Tannehill and coming up with not one, but two, game-saving interceptions at the end. Bills get their first division win.’

‘”I just think that everyone that comes here comes with a mission,” Jim Rozen said. “They know what the mission is and they’re going to have a good time at the game. The Bills are struggling this season, but it’s still a good time and what else would you rather be doing in Buffalo on a Thursday night.”‘