Archives for September 18, 2013

‘”We’ve got a group that’ll fight and will go out there and compete every single play,” said veteran safety Jim Leonhard, who joined the team just six days before the season opener against New England. “That’s good for your team. That’s going to allow you to have success.”‘

‘I think there was even a split second I was fearful Frank Wycheck was going to come out of retirement for that last play.’

‘”He’s gaining confidence,” linebacker David Harris said Tuesday at Shabazz High, where the Jets donated $40,000 worth of new helmets and shoulder pads to the Newark Pop Warner Football League. “He’s mobile, but he’d rather be a pocket passer first. But it all starts with C.J. Spiller. As we found out first-hand last year, he’s a pretty dangerous guy with the ball in his hands.”‘

‘The game very well could have ended if Manuel didn’t have the physical ability to escape a muddied pocket not once, but twice down the stretch. Defensive end Greg Hardy rushed up the interior of the line and got into the pocket quickly as the Bills had just entered Carolina territory. Manuel was in Hardy’s grasp and the rookie stumbled but escaped to extend the play, rolled to his right and found C.J. Spiller for a four-yard gain and a clock stoppage. Had he taken that sack, the probability of winning falls dramatically.’

‘Coach Doug Marrone deserves credit for his approach and attitude — it struck me how unimpressed he and key players sounded after Sunday’s thrilling comeback win — but I don’t trust him yet on game strategy. So far he’s too conservative for my taste, and he was fortunate that his adversary on Sunday was as conservative or more so. Carolina being as kick-happy as it was was a big reason the Bills won the game.’

‘”That’s one of our go to plays in a situation like that and the ball is low just for protection if a linebacker or safety is coming over,” Woods said. “Putting the ball low is protecting me from the hit.”‘

‘”We’re still trying to figure ourselves out,” Dareus said. “We still have 14 games to play. That’s where we’re at right now. We’re still building on it. We’ve got to build on that win and do better the rest of the season.”‘