Archives for October 19, 2014

‘”Even when you win, you didn’t win right,” Hackett said. “When you lose, it’s how you lost. It’s part of this game. It’s what we signed up for. That’s why I love it. It’s about getting better every week, making the guys feel better and make plays.”‘

‘Bills 30, Vikings 16.’

‘But Brandon has been the architect of the Bills’ business platform, and the team just sold for a record-smashing $1.4 billion. He was involved in striking the stadium lease agreement with Erie County and has overseen two stadium renovations that came in on time and on budget. He was behind the successful move of training camp to St. John Fisher College, his alma mater.’

‘Since the start of the 21st century when the Bills slipped into the abyss that they have yet to escape from, they are a rather untidy 53-57 in Orchard Park (not counting a 1-4 mark in their “home” games at Toronto’s Rogers Centre). Under Doug Marrone, the Bills are 5-5 at the Ralph.’

‘This isn’t a must-win game in the context of the playoff picture because it’s a bit too early for that kind of talk, but it’s a game the Bills absolutely have to win, and should win. Therefore, I guess it really is a must win because a loss to the struggling Vikings would be devastating.’

‘”We want to try to simplify it down some and get back to some of the stuff that we did little bit more last year and try to take advantage of some things that our guys do well and keep on attacking those specific things, not getting bored with success, call the same thing a couple times in a row, stuff like that to get those guys a feel,” Hackett said. “That’s a little bit of what we did last year, so the guys got to get a feel for it. So I just have to do a better job of sticking with that kind of stuff.”[‘

‘”Just keep focusing on what we need to do,” Jackson said when asked what the Bills’ need to do to get the rushing attack back on track. “We have been inconsistent in all areas of the game. If we get longer drives, sustaining drives I think it will open up the running game so it’s on us as running backs, we’ve got to hit the holes.”‘

‘But today is different. Today brings the Vikings, as bad a team as will line up anywhere in the league today with an overwhelmed first-year head coach and an overwhelmed rookie quarterback who’s trying to win without Adrian Peterson and with no good receivers.’

Vikings’ safety Smith a smashing standout (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

A lot to like about Vikings’ RB McKinnon (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Four bold predictions for Sunday’s Vikings-Bills game (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

The Call: Vikings at Buffalo (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

When Vikings take on Bills, history generally follows (Saint Paul Pioneer Press)

Nearly 50 years later, Jim Marshall’s wrong-way run remains an NFL classic (Saint Paul Pioneer Press)

5 Things to Watch: Vikings at Bills (Fox Sports North)

Pregame primer: 5 things to focus on during Vikings vs. Bills (KSTP-AM)

‘This isn’t a game that the Bills should win, this is one that they need to win. The Vikings have endured injuries, suspensions and a rookie quarterback that has left them with a roster that is void of above average talent at most positions on the field. Buffalo has advantages over Minnesota all over the field – specifically at defensive line – and should be able to win this contest handily. If they can’t pull off a victory over this Vikings team as currently constructed at Ralph Wilson Stadium, they’re a lot farther away from being a playoff team than some may have initially thought.’

‘The Bills are wearing the crisp white-on-white jersey-pants combination on Sunday, and it’s a combination that’s gotten them far. The team is 2-0 in all white, and when they win this weekend, they might just have to go for the white-out all season.’

‘As the voice playing in your head when you reminisce about those memories, or the one you hear over and over again in TV and radio replays of old Bills highlights, it’s hard to believe his resonant tone has been off the air for eleven years now.’