Two Bills Drive

The AFC East is brutally tough. The Bills, Jets and Patriots have franchise quarterbacks, and the Dolphins have arguably the best running back in Ricky Williams. Tiebreakers will be the key, so they are toast if they go 2-4 in the division again.

‘It all added up to an 8-8 season, the club’s third in a row without a playoff berth. Although making the playoffs this year will be just as tough in the ultra-competitive AFC East, at the very least the Bills hope to be more than an easy parlay play.’

‘Tickets for the second session taking place on Monday, August 4 will be available next Monday, July 21st starting at 9:00 AM. Once again, tickets to the night practices are free and limited to six per person.’

‘Bill Conaty, whose six-year tenure with the Buffalo Bills officially ended when he signed with the Patriots July 3 as an unrestricted free agent, will always be grateful to have been a Bills center. He started his NFL career in Buffalo as an undrafted rookie out of Virginia Tech, where he got to play in the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl. Married and a father of two, he’s made a nice living in the NFL.’

Word coming out of Buffalo is that the team is altering the wide-open system it used last season with quarterback Drew Bledsoe. The Bills are showing signs of being more conservative, hoping to rely on an improved defense and turning to a solid running game and play-action passes to control the clock.

‘"It’s always a new season," Moorman said. "I feel like the Bills have done some good things. There’s a lot of excitement going on with our team right now. We don’t to expect anything less than the playoffs and beyond."’

According to Grant Irons parents, Grant was spending his off-time between the last mini-camp and training camp and they said he was in Phoenix, Arizona at a training facility getting one-on-one guidance. They also added that Big Sam Adams was out there with him trying to get some of that weight off in time for camp. Grant was really impressed with this facility how they prepared him for his first camp and he talked Sam into joining him for this years preparations.

The archived interview is here. The real thing is better than the notes. (Donahoe portion of interview is at approximently 1:20:00 mark).

‘On offense–Les Steckel has been working hard with Travis on Fumbling. Donahoe said the staff has probably overanalyzed what led to Travis’ issues and found that it was part technique so they have worked on that. Said obviously that teams will target Travis for stripping the ball…’

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, when asked which teams have the top offensive lines in football says "I would watch out for the Buffalo Bills’ line this season."

‘Hollings’ progress should give the Bills a clearer picture of what they can expect from Willis McGahee, their own wounded rookie star. McGahee is a better player than Hollings but his knee injury was more serious.’

‘A picnic recognizing Joe DeLamielleure for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame will be held from 2-5 p.m. next Sunday at Brierwood Country Club in Hamburg.’

Only single seats remain for the team’s 2003 home games vs. New England (9/7), Philadelphia (9/28) and Washington (10/19). The only way to guarantee tickets for all home games is by purchasing season tickets.

‘The workouts, July 28 and Aug. 4, will be on the grass practice fields at St. John Fisher College. Practices run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and will feature a team autograph session after the workout. Shuttle services will begin at 4:45 p.m. and gates open at 5.’

‘If you intend to buy early-season, single-game Bills’ tickets, be prepared to be disappointed.’