Archives for November 27, 2014

‘The question is how much emotional energy the Bills have left. They haven’t played a good game at The Ralph since the second week of the season, after the news broke that Terry Pegula had won the bid for the franchise. It’s about time they played their best game in their actual home.’

‘He’s 54, but his body is a wreck and continues to crumble. He suspects collisions from playing linebacker for 14 NFL seasons, a dozen with the Buffalo Bills, have damaged his brain. He’s often depressed beyond the point of tears.’

‘”That’s just him being him; Donte is a guy that likes to ruffle feathers,” Jackson said. “He found any way he could to try and ruffle Buffalo’s feathers, knowing he had to come up to us. That’s just him doing what he does, but at the same time, I mean, it’s annoying. It’s just dumb for him to do, and talk about people like that, and talk about the city of Buffalo like that. But at the same time, you’ve just got to take it with a grain of salt and say it’s just some dude that’s being an idiot about some stuff.”‘

‘Three Bills did not practice Wednesday and two of them may not be available for the game. Defensive end Jarius Wynn and tight end Chris Gragg both sat out with knee injuries. Tight end Lee Smith was sick, but he is expected back to practice Thursday. Two key defensive players for the Browns will miss the game – linebacker Karlos Dansby and defensive back Tashaun Gipson, both with knee injuries.’

‘”I thought he and (Bills president) Russ (Brandon) and (general manager) Doug Whaley were so supportive when the process was kind of dragging on, there were a couple times where I considered pulling my name out, just because I didn’t want to put the Bills in a lurch, knowing that if I left that now they were going to have to scramble to maybe fill some jobs on the defensive side. But they were great, and again I can’t be thankful enough.”‘

‘”I’m not going to get into that,” Browns coach and former Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said. “I’ve had situations in games where players have had back and forth. I really can’t speak on Donte’s time in Buffalo because I wasn’t a part of it. I just know for us, he’s been great. He’s been a great leader. He’s a fierce competitor. He’s a big part of why we’ve had the success that he’s had.”‘

‘”(The Toronto Bills comment) wasn’t excessive,” Whitner added. “It wasn’t a joke. I knew that it would get to them. I knew it would ruffle a feather. If they’re over there talking about this, maybe we are in their heads. Maybe I’m in their heads. Maybe. We don’t know, but the goal is to go 1-0, the goal is to get them talking about things other than football, and I guess that’s what they’re doing.”‘

‘The more noteworthy item on the injury report, however, was wide receiver Robert Woods being listed as limited with an ankle injury. Coach Doug Marrone insisted that Woods would be find to play in the game on Sunday after having his first career 100-yard receiving game on Monday against the Jets.’

‘Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyler Thigpen was arrested for allegedly driving drunk over the weekend, according to multiple reports.’

‘”I didn’t say anything really too disrespectful,” Whitner said. “Anybody else that I was talking to, they were cursing and going back and forth. Maybe you should take that up with them.”‘

‘Whitner might want to confer with retired NFL linebacker Bryan Cox, who had two run-ins with Bills’ fans while playing for the Miami Dolphins. Cox was fined $10,000 for making an obscene gesture at fans he said threw batteries at him and shouted racial slurs.’

‘”I think they might greet Donte maybe a little bit worse than me, kind of knowing the history there,” Pettine said. “That’s a great crowd. It’ll be hostile.”‘

‘Haden said Wednesday he thought Watkins would end up a Brown. Coach Mike Pettine has said that if the Browns hadn’t made the trade with the Bills, they would have selected Watkins. Watkins said at the NFL rookie symposium that Browns General Manager Ray Farmer flew to Clemson to meet with him just before he left for the draft in New York.’