Archives for August 20, 2014

‘”I’ve definitely got all the abilities,” Dixon said. “I’m just getting everything right mentally, so I’m not making mental errors. I’m getting in my playbook and executing when my number is called. Once I get that part down, the sky’s the limit.”‘

‘”The hardest thing, and I speak from experience, you go into the locker room on the day of the final cut and you don’t know whether you’re going to make the team or not. Your life’s going to go one of two different ways. Either you’re going to be an NFL football player … everyone in your family, everyone that’s followed you your whole career is going to be congratulating you, thanking you and it’s just going to be a great experience for everyone. Or you find yourself saying, “What’s next? What do I do? Do I continue to play? Do I move on with my life?'”‘

‘”If I do, or when I do, that’ll be something I have to take up with them,” he said. “I’m not really discussing that. … When we get to that point, we’ll get there. When I talk with them and I hear from them, that’s when I’ll have a better understanding of what’s going on.”‘

‘”I would say today was an in-season Wednesday practice for us,” quarterback EJ Manuel said. “It went great going against a scout team. We did a great job. I don’t think we had the ball on the ground at all throughout the team period and the 7-on-7s. We had all completions, so I’m very excited about that, obviously want to keep that going.”‘

‘Jim Kelly is battling cancer that spread to his maxillary sinus cavity and adjacent tissues. He’s received treatments to fight countless microscopic tumors that spread up the infraorbital nerve in his head and are close to the carotid artery. He was at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan for an MRI, the results of which were not immediately available late Tuesday.’

‘”He’s been around a lot,” coach Doug Marrone said of Cohen, who is now playing for his sixth team in the NFL since coming out of Ohio University as a seventh-round draft pick of the Lions in 2008. “He’s made some plays for us. He just needs to continue to show that he can make more plays and he’ll have an opportunity to make this team.”‘

‘”I’m just trying to stay focused,” Dareus said during a six-minute exchange. “A lot of issues come from other people and they distract you from what you’re main focus and goal is, so I’ve been keeping my eyes on the prize and doing the best I can. Mentally I’m in a good state and I’m just happy to be back out here.”‘

‘Well on Tuesday, they were hand-delivered to training camp at St. John Fisher College in 20 sacks emblazoned with the “No Bon Jovi” logo. The mailmen included one guy from Bedrock who was dressed as “Fred Billstone.” Another in costume featuring ape-like extremities called himself “Jake Billsfoot.” Another, real name Frank Barber, wore a mask last used by Hannibal Lecter and had his head painted blue.’

‘”Every single one those letters says the same thing: We will not support the Bills if Bon Jovi buys the team because we know he’s going to move it to Toronto,” Bills Fan Thunder founder Charles Pellien said.’

‘”It’s basically like you’re back to being a freshman again,” MacPherson said. “You have a lot of stuff that you need to learn. There’s a lot of unspoken rules that you need to adhere to and follow.”‘

‘The challenge was probably refreshing as the temperatures climbed over 80 degrees at practice on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the Bills have completed the challenge that was passed on to them by the New England Patriots last week.’

‘Those are his answers with a crowd of cameras around him, but Dareus’ actions will determine his future. It’s been easy to stay focused on football the last month. He’s been isolated at St. John Fisher College with few distractions. His teammates, and especially coach Doug Marrone, have all been supportive, he says.’

‘Safe is the right word to describe it. Bills coach Doug Marrone didn’t want to elaborate on the status of his star rookie receiver other than to say that the team is monitoring his status closely throughout the week and that he respects Watkins saying he would play through the injury if needed.’

‘A reporter’s cell phone, doubling as a recording device, was sitting on the podium, ringing during Marrone’s press conference. So what did the Bills’ coach do? He answered it, of course.’

‘”I’m 100 percent sure that everything is just fine, and we’re just going to keep moving forward,” Dareus said. “I’m a grown man and I have my responsibilities and I’m going to do the best I can to straighten my own things out. I am a man. I am human and I’m going to do the best I can to move forward and stay positive from here on out.”‘