Archives for August 31, 2014

‘Graham’s involvement waned last year with new coach Doug Marrone. The Bills drafted another speedster, Marquise Goodwin, and Graham started only six games. He had 23 receptions for 361 yards and two touchdowns.’

‘”You hope that your quarterback is good enough to put your confidence in him. When you put all your trust in him, the team feels that. The defense obviously knows it. There’s a certain amount of security. It does affect the whole team.”‘

‘But will Buffalo’s defense attain such prominence that it gives the offense room for error? Can the defense mitigate a bad turnover or come up with enough game-changing plays? Will it become the kind of unit to bail out the entire team in clutch situations?’

‘Manuel “has not looked good this preseason at all,” Esiason said. “When I look out there and see the players he’s out there on the field with, Chandler, Watkins, you name it, these are all top-quality players. You look at C.J. Spiller, Freddy Jackson and all the weapons they’ve got there, a solid offensive line, a solid defensive line. It really comes down to what it comes down to for all these teams, that’s who’s playing under center.’

‘His results determined the Bills have the fourth-fastest roster in the NFL, with a combined time of 45.56 seconds. The Tennessee Titans, at 45.33 seconds, were the fastest team in Barnwell’s study, followed by Washington (45.44) and the New York Jets (45.48).’

‘Nine years later, the Bills are going all-in on a shaky young quarterback. Jobs and reputations are at stake. There’s a fragile, uneasy feeling around the team, a sense that the whole thing could crash.’

‘Manuel is far from a proven commodity, and after missing six games in his rookie season with knee injuries, he hasn’t proven to be durable. Also, despite his own claims that he’s been doing great, Manuel hasn’t looked great at all. He directed only two touchdown drives in 23 possessions during the preseason, he struggled with his accuracy and his decision-making, and he hasn’t really gotten into a consistent rhythm with any of his receivers.’

‘T.J. Graham was the biggest name among the cuts on Saturday. The former North Carolina State wide receiver was the Bills’ third-round pick back in 2012. He caught a total of 53 passes for 683 yards and three touchdowns in his two seasons in Buffalo.’

‘The Bills will be Orton’s fifth NFL teams since he was drafted in the fourth round by the Chicago Bears in 2005.’

‘”I feel like I had an average performance on Thursday, because they brought me in as a kickoff specialist and when that one didn’t get a touchback, in my mind I thought, ‘Shoot, I didn’t do what I needed to,'” he said. “And then they gave me an opportunity to punt. I didn’t even get to practice with the team all week, I just kind of got off the plane and they said, ‘Go punt,’ and I handled the situation the best I could.’

‘”Heartache,” Kelly called it. “All the hard work we put in,” he remembered thinking right then in the aftermath. “All the people, my family, my mom and dad and all my brothers who had supported me all the way through high school and college and my NFL career. I felt for them and the city of Buffalo. All our great fans.”‘

‘Orton’s addition was the biggest move made the Bills, who finally ended a lengthy search for an established veteran to play behind second-year starter EJ Manuel. Orton is a nine-year veteran who spent the past two seasons with Dallas.’

‘Orton, an eight-year veteran, has compiled a record of 35-35 as a starter and has thrown for 15,019 yards with 83 touchdowns and 59 interceptions in 75 games overall with Chicago, Denver, Kansas City and Dallas.’

‘Final pitches are due next week.’