Archives for September 8, 2013

‘Here’s my personal trip through the years with the Bills. They are all games I attended. These Sundays (and one Thursday night) stick out in my mind for various reasons.’

‘At last Saturday’s 53-man roster cutdown deadline, the Bills had the NFL’s third-youngest roster. The average Bills player was 25.3 years old, higher than only the Cleveland Browns and St. Louis Rams.’

‘”It’s not that I get a kick out of it,” Marrone said. “I wouldn’t use that phrase for me. I thrive sometimes on adversity. Because when adversity hits, in any part of your life, whether it’s on or off the field, that’s when character comes in, the true character of who you are and how you handle a situation.”‘

‘Patriots 37, Bills 20.’

‘Obviously, the Bills could strike a deal with safety Jairus Byrd after the season. But since the two sides had a full year to reach an agreement and couldn’t get one done, it’s hard to see how that stalemate is going to change.’

‘Manuel will become the fourth rookie quarterback to start the first game of the regular season in Bills’ history. Dan Darragh in 1968 and Jim Harris in 1969 were losers. Joe Ferguson was a winner in 1973.’

‘”You’re so busy, there’s so many things going through your mind that you never really take a step back and say, ‘Oh my gosh, here I am,’ ” Marrone said last week. “I know that sounds kind of lame on my part, but it’s really true.”‘

‘Final record: 7-9. Playoff drought stretches to 14 years but RebuildaBills can finally see water after Manuel is named NFL offensive rookie of the year. Prohibition declared over in Buffalo.’

‘Patriots 31, Bills 16.’

‘”But I told the players, we don’t need you to do anything differently. We need Stevie Johnson to be Stevie Johnson. We need our running backs to be our running backs and kind of down the line … that’s what we need. My expectation at the quarterback position really doesn’t change in any position. We’ve got to work our way through (mistakes) with any player.”‘

‘”Everybody knows this is kind of a set-the-tone-game,” Bills’ defensive tackle Marcell Dareus said. “See where we’re at. I look at the first five minutes of the game as a gut check, to see where we’re at, what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do this season. Just got to chop at the wood and try to finish creating our identity as a team and as a unit.”‘

‘Patriots 37, Bills 30.’

Shane Vereen enjoys multiple roles in Patriots’ offense (Boston Globe)

Aaron Dobson out for Patriots’ season opener (Boston Globe)

Rob Gronkowski not yet ready for regular-season action (Boston Globe)

Patriots’ keys to a victory against Buffalo (Boston Globe)

Old master has new canvas to work (Boston Herald)

Kraft has steadying hand at Pats’ helm (Boston Herald)

Gronkowski isn’t homeward bound (Boston Herald)

Quality ‘hang time’ didn’t spare Mesko (Boston Herald)

Five things to watch today (Boston Herald)

New England Patriots rule rookie Aaron Dobson out for Sunday (Springfield Republican)

Report: Rob Gronkowski did not travel to Buffalo for Sunday’s game against the Bills (Springfield Republican)

Patriots re-sign Leon Washington (Springfield Republican)

Patriots more than ready to put football first again (Providence Journal)

With Brady in command, Pats should win AFC East (Providence Journal)

Brady still has the fire to go all out (Providence Journal)

Keys to the game: Patriots vs. Bills (Providence Journal)

Pats looking to trip up Buffalo’s run game (Providence Journal)

Pats declare five out for Sunday, including Gronkowski (Providence Journal)

Patriots preparing to face the unknown at season’s start (Brockton Enterprise)

Pats have been Buffalo hunters (Metro West Daily News)

Tom Brady ‘like a coach’ for rookie receivers (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

Chandler Jones, Dont’a Hightower key to defense (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

Patriots open against traditional patsies (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

Patriots’ Shane Vereen may be ready for a starring role (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)

It’s go time (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Breaking down the roster (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)

Sizing ‘Em Up (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)

Pressure squarely on Amendola’s shoulders (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)

Pats know it’s up to their defense (Nashua Telegraph)

New group of Patriots receivers needs time to thrive (Portland Press Herald)

Bills’ Spiller must be stopped (Manchester Union Leader)

Patriots’ opener should provide them with a jump start (Lowell Sun)

With Rob Gronkowski out against the Bills, Tom Brady faces a historic receiver turnover (SI)

Leon Washington back with Patriots (AP)

Gronkowski misses trip to Buffalo (The Sports Xchange)

Source: Gronk likely out Week 2, too (ESPN)

Belichick, Patriots Ready To Start New Season (WBZ-TV)

10 Questions About The Patriots’ 2013 Season (WBZ-TV)

Patriots’ Ridley On GameDay: ‘Hold Myself To Very High Expectations’ (WBZ-TV)

What To Watch For: The New-Look Offense (WBZ-TV)

Report: Rob Gronkowski Officially Out for Week 1 After Not Making Trip With Team to Buffalo (NESN)

Report: Patriots Re-Sign Kick Returner Leon Washington (NESN)

Report: Patriots Work Out Former Steelers Running Back Jonathan Dwyer, Three Quarterbacks (NESN)

Report: Brandon Lloyd Doesn’t Intend to Play in NFL This Season, Seems Likely to Retire (NESN)

Time for Pats to start answering questions (CSN New England)

Patriots downgrade Gronk, five others (CSN New England)

Patriots re-sign Leon Washington (CSN New England)

Report: Former Patriots’ Lloyd may retire (CSN New England)

Patriots re-sign RB Leon Washington; Sign OL Josh Kline to 53-man roster (Patriots.com)

Opening Day Bills vs. Patriots Pregame Six-Pack (Patriots.com)

‘”I always knew my time would come,” said Ross, a former standout at New Hanover High School and East Carolina. “I never quit. I never gave up. I actually broke down and cried in my room a little bit ago. Just all the hard work I put into it. It’s just such a blessing.”‘