Archives for November 2013

‘The Bills sealed their fate early in the final frame, as Ryan Clark picked off EJ Manuel, the turnover results in a field goal, making it 20-3 Pittsburgh. Buffalo’s offense is stifled again on the following possession, Manuel is sacked on two consecutive plays, and another big punt return gave the Steelers another field goal.’

‘The offense could do next to nothing throughout the entirety of the game, outside of a garbage-time touchdown drive that only masked how terribly they played. This isn’t necessarily a predictor of future outcomes, but the Bills have their work cut out for them over the next few days to solve some of their offensive issues with a talented defense on their way to Orchard Park next week.’

‘That game was awful in so many different ways.’

‘Now I’m thinking to myself, with five losses in six games am I wrong? Has this team really found its next quarterback?’

‘I was as confident as I had been all season that the Bills were in line for a victory on Sunday. Boy was I wrong.’

‘Hopefully, this game was just an anomaly. Hopefully, Manuel can bounce back and show some significant progress down the stretch. And, hopefully, Marrone and his staff can find a way to keep his team playing competitively, the way it had been every game until this one.’

‘Are you wondering how the Bills could neither run nor pass against a miserable Steelers defense that had allowed 55 points to New England just one week ago? Or are you just momentarily bummed out that the first fun season of Bills football in a good while has reverted into familiar full-fledged football fudgery from your favorite faction? Kinda stinks, right?’

‘Lots of people thought the Bills would go down to Pittsburgh and get a win against a 2-6 team. The problem with changing the losing culture of this team is it comes very slowly. The Bills have only won twice ever in the Steel City so no matter how bad the Steelers have played this year you knew it would be tough to win there. Lost in the excitement of the return of Manuel was how rusty he would be. The troubling thing about it though is he never seemed to shake it off as he struggled throwing all day long. The coaches didn’t help him by calling pass plays that weren’t designed for him to succeed but nevertheless he was downright awful. The Bills rebuilding project took a step back as for the first time in the Doug Marrone era they looked sluggish and disinterested in playing football. A total flop.’

‘Quarterback: Grade F: His stats were inflated by garbage time TD drive.’

‘It was a game that pitted what looked to be an aging perennial playoff contender against a young AFC upstart. A lot of the ills that had sunk the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 2-6 record appeared to play to the strengths of the Bills, who had their top draft choice back in the lineup at quarterback. All of the statistics went out the window on Sunday at Heinz Field as the Steelers beat the Bills for the seventh straight time in Pittsburgh 23-10.’

‘Offensively, I thought we could have run the ball better at times. That’s what we needed to do.’

‘We didn’t capitalize on everything that we thought we could have. Obviously it wasn’t the way I wanted to come back and have my game off of the injury. I think there’s a lot things we can learn from. It’s tough right now.’

‘It doesn’t matter who is at the helm. We have got to be able to come together as a team. It’s not on one person or a couple players. This is a team game. We need to figure it out.’

‘”That’s what I’ve been saying since day one. I’ve had an opportunity to come out here and play and so I’m finally doing what I’m capable of doing,” Hughes told Buffalobills.com. “Just playing hard and playing fast and giving it my all.”‘

‘The stress isn’t restricted to NFL coaches. University of Michigan legend Bo Schembechler was 40 and about to coach in the Rose Bowl when he had his first heart attack. Former Bills coaches Lou Saban and Chan Gailey suffered heart attacks while coaching in college at 55 and 53.’