Archives for December 2014

‘The Bills are big favorites in this game for good reason: Oakland just does not have a very talented roster, and the play of rookie Derek Carr doesn’t inspire much confidence. Turnovers will be the key for any potential Raiders upset, but too much is working against Oakland in this game. Mario Williams and Sammy Watkins, two of the best on Buffalo’s roster, both have the potential to star in this game because of the players that they will line up against. Due to the nature of the Bills’ offense, the game may start off closer than some would hope, but eventually, the talent of Buffalo’s roster should win out.’

‘”I wasn’t into it as much as I am now, with being released and everything that happened to me, it was eye opening,” he said. “It was ‘Hey you have to put in more time and effort. Nobody is going to give you anything. You have to go out and work and you’re going to get what you deserve.'”‘

‘The head coach, in particular, was viewed as the biggest winner from the victory against the Packers. Many observers, locally and nationally, believe it assured him of a third season at the Bills’ helm. But all of that could quickly vanish if his team comes out flat after traveling across the country to face a club that is nothing but a spoiler.’

‘”The health is there,” Bills coach Doug Marrone said. “We’ll have to make a decision on whether he gives us the best chance to win when it comes to game day activation.”‘

‘The Bills’ offense has taken a step back in 2014, but maybe a trip to Oakland is just what Buffalo needs to get on track. The Raiders’ defense is the sixth-worst in the NFL against the pass, according to Pro Football Focus. Bills quarterback Kyle Orton is coming off back-to-back brutal games, so if he can’t get it going against Oakland the Bills could be in trouble.’

‘”In terms of being interested, it’s one of those deals of right now and I’ve said this to my son, T.J., the only thing you have to be interested in is the here (and) now,” Wheatley said. “If it was to come about, I would deal with it when it came about. Right now, nothing has come about. All I’m trying to do is be the first team in, what, 14 years to make the playoffs? That’s it. Then I want to be another part of something, not just AFC Championships, but to put a championship banner in here, an NFL championship. Right now, that’s where my focus is. That’s the honest-to-goodness truth. I really have not thought about the Michigan job or going back there.”‘

‘Bills coach Doug Marrone was aware of the buzz surrounding Mack in Buffalo last season. “Obviously I saw him on film when he was in college and heard a lot of great things about him,” Marrone said in a conference call. “He’s someone that’s getting better and better. From our standpoint, we’ve got to know where he is on that field. He’s that type of player.”‘

‘”A guy of his talent who has the talents of his magnitude, we expect him to come out and hit the ground running,” Jackson said. “That’s what we want him to do, that’s what he’s trying to do. He looked good out there at practice. So as long as he comes out and does what he does, he’ll be OK.”‘

Raiders, Bills happy with top picks (Oakland Tribune)

Raiders’ Tarell Brown won’t play against Buffalo (Oakland Tribune)

Raiders must deal with return of Bills’ Spiller (San Francisco Chronicle)

Raiders haven’t needed much from Janikowski (AP)

Raiders’ Carr learning to stay cool under fire (CSN Bay Area)

Raiders coverage unit must improve vs. Bills return game (CSN Bay Area)

Bills-Raiders Matchup No. 2: Williams vs. Barnes (CSN Bay Area)

Raiders injury report: CB Tarell Brown ruled out vs. Bills (CSN Bay Area)

Practice Recap – December 19 (Raiders.com)

Coach Sparano’s Final Thoughts on Buffalo (Raiders.com)

Thorpe: “Whenever my number is called, I’m ready” (Raiders.com)

Game Preview: Raiders vs. Bills (Raiders.com)

‘”What makes it so difficult to defend those players is that they have both strength and speed,” Bills Coach Doug Marrone said. “That’s the combination where they can beat you multiple ways – with power moves or speed moves. I think that when you have that capability and when you possess that talent, you can cause an opponent a problem, just like other people we’ve played have done that to us.”‘

‘”That’s the stigma with Buffalo,” Watkins said. “That’s all you hear. They never talk about the four Super Bowls that they went to. All you hear about is the 14 years that they didn’t go to the playoffs. It’s bad and we know that as a team and an organization. We’re going to fix it.”‘

‘”Obviously everybody knows he’s an explosive player, a dynamic player, good in the receiving game and in the running game, so we’re excited to have him back,” quarterback Kyle Orton said earlier in the week.’