SB Nation User Blog: MattRichWarren

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/21

MattRichWarren — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:17:13 -0000

1 day ago: New England Patriots running back Laurence Maroney (39) gets past Buffalo Bills cornerback Drayton Florence (29) during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009. The Patriots won 17-10. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

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Penalties, lack of offense lead to latest loss - BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills defense played valiantly holding Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to just 115 yards passing and giving up just 109 yards on the ground was an effective day for Buffalo. In the end there was just not enough support from the other side of the ball to stage an upset."

Bills' popgun offense produces dud : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"We were not converting on third downs," Fewell said in explaining the QB switch. "We needed something to give us some momentum so I made the decision. I thought Trent could come in and maybe give us a little spark, give us some momentum."

Bills' secondary contains Patriots' passing attack : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Maybe the Buffalo Bills' pass defense is for real after all. Led by tight coverage in the secondary, the Bills justified their No. 5 NFL ranking against the pass by slowing down the New England Patriots' vaunted attack. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who has been a Bills killer, was far from lethal Sunday. He completed only 11 of 23 passes for 115 yards — all season lows — with one touchdown and one interception. His passer rating was 59.1, which is far below the 102.6 rating he had in the previous 15 meetings with Buffalo."

Bills' aura of futility catches up with Fewell : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"Fewell has to know he's cooked. He was a long shot for the permanent job even if his team had won Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium. But it's looking grim now, after the Bills lost to the Patriots, 17-10, in a game that was all too reminiscent of the losses that came before it in this dying, dysfunctional decade. "

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Immediate Reactions, Wk15
Nick Mendola has cracked, guys. He gives his immediate reactions to the Bills game before predicting "Atlanta 735, Buffalo -4" for next week.

Patriots Extend Streak to 13 Over Bills - 13WHAM.com - Rochester News, Weather, and Sports
"No matter how inconsistently the Patriots have played -- particularly on the road -- or what distractions they've faced, one thing remains constant: They can always count on beating their perennial patsy, the Buffalo Bills."

Postgame injury update – Inside The Bills
Trent Edwards (ankle), Terrence McGee (Shoulder/arm), and Bryan Scott (head) all sustained injuries sever enough to keep them from returning.

It's tough to pay attention to the Bills these days : Bucky Gleason : The Buffalo News
Bucky Gleason was so bored and distracted during the game Sunday his mind kept wandering to Brittany Murphy's death.

BillBoard: Woe for the '00s
Comparing the Bills losing decades of the Dolphins in the 70s to the Patriots in the 00s. It's surprisingly close.

Bills-Patriots report card : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The Bills get better grades than you might expect from the Buffalo News.

Quarterly report: Bills-Patriots : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The News' Mark Gaughan breaks down the Bills' 17-10 loss to the Patriots quarter-by-quarter, analyzing statistics, key plays and more."

Miscues add up to 124 yards in penalties : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"The Bills had 11 penalties for 124 yards. They had more than 100 penalty yards in the first half alone."

Buffalo Bills: Two-Minute Read | Democrat and Chronicle
Breaking down the Buffalo Bills' Sunday loss to the New England Patriots.

Buffalo Bills' newest lineman states his case | Democrat and Chronicle
"Anytime you lose, you obviously didn't play well enough," said Richie Incognito when asked to analyze his game. "We'll watch the film and correct what went wrong and keep battling. But this group has a lot of fight in them and I like it. I'll fight with these guys any day of the week. We were close at the end, we just came up short."

Buffalo Bills' opening drive set bad tone | Democrat and Chronicle
"Nine minutes into the game, the Bills were ahead 3-0 and New England hadn't even touched the ball yet, and I knew Buffalo wasn't going to win. OK, I knew that all week, but this is what solidified my thought: Awesome opening drive, ruined by a false start penalty at the 2, and they settled for a Rian Lindell field goal. They needed a touchdown to start the game, and didn't get it. That set the tone for the rest of the day."

Buffalo Bills Report Card | Democrat and Chronicle
See what grades our experts give out and rate the Bills yourself. These grades make a lot more sense.

Buffalo Bills fall to New England Patriots | Democrat and Chronicle
"But when you factor in the litany of lousy plays the Bills offered up on a cold but mostly wind-free afternoon, the Bills have no chance against Bill Belichick's troops, not even when Tom Brady is looking merely mortal and the Patriots gain only 224 yards and score 17 points."

Quick Recap: Patriots defeat Bills, 17-10 - Pats Pulpit
Quick recap by the guys at Pats Pulpit.

Recap: Buffalo vs. New England
The Sports Network recap of the game.

Trent Edwards goes in, down and out - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham gives a good summary of Trent Edwards' day.

$50k to bolt St. Louis? Fine with Incognito - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"With the fine of 50 grand, I would have gladly paid more to get out of that situation in St. Louis," Incognito said Sunday after the New England Patriots beat the Bills 17-10 in Ralph Wilson Stadium. "So I chalk it up to that."

Rapid Reaction: Patriots 17, Bills 10 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tim Graham, who was in the press box at the Ralph, gives his game summary.

Fewell Deserves a Chance -- Somewhere Else | WGRZ.com
Ed Kilgore meanders around the roster, the front office, and Perry Fewell in his most recent post.

Take 13 | wgrz.com
"So that's it... 13-straight and little signs of progress. Owner Ralph Wilson wasn't talking when he left the locker room today. After he fired Dick Jauron he talked about the need for an overhaul. 13-straight losses to the team that's set the standard in the division should underscore that point."

Y’all’s forgiven in Patriot land - The Globe and Mail
"When they assemble next season, trying to avoid their 14th consecutive loss to New England, Buffalo will surely bear little resemblance to the team that walked off the field yesterday. "

Niagara Gazette - TIM'S TAKE: Bills wear stare of humility
"A blank look of humility, one that so many Bills players and coaches have brought to the Ralph Wilson Stadium podium over the past decade, was the common thread after yet another lackluster loss to the mighty New England Patriots on Sunday."

Niagara Gazette - BILLS NOTEBOOK: Edwards makes a cameo
"The sequence symbolized the demise of Edwards, who was still considered the future of the franchise the last time Buffalo met New England, in the season opener. Too many checkdowns, too many injuries, too many punts. "

Failure to lead - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow
"The first drive was the game plan, and then the next few series that we had, we got ourselves into some trouble," Ryan Fitzpatrick said. "When you’re going to play a game like that where you want to wear your opponent out, you have to play mistake free football."

Best and worst of yesterday’s game - BostonHerald.com
Ron Borges gives his thoughts on the game. Interesting bits I think.

Analysis/reaction: Pats 'good enough' in Buffalo - Patriots.com
Escaping Buffalo with a 17-10 victory, New England did what it needed to do, right when it needed to most.

Bills Daily Gameday Grades
Game grades from the Bills blog from the Pats game.

Bills Daily Gameday Review
The Bills blog recaps the game.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Bills Fall to Pats 17-10; Eliminated from Playoffs
"The Buffalo Bills were their own worst enemy in their 17-10 loss to the New England Patriots at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills gave the Patriots over 119 yards through penalties, which ended up being the difference in the game. "

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- Paul Posluszny is the first Bills LB to have an INT in back-to-back weeks since Bryce Paup, who accomplished the feat back in December 1995.
- Just when you think it couldn't get any worse, Bills WR Josh Reed drops a wide-open pass on a 4th-and-9 near the goal line on one of the few well-thrown passes by Buffalo today. Reed has had an awful day, with two muffed punts as well (which were recovered by Buffalo).

Bills Tweets
Twitter / Donte Whitner
In my post game interviews I was not saying I want to leave buffalo....I wanna stay here forever!

Twitter / Thurman Thomas
I have never met Randy Moss, he came up to me during warm-ups and said" what's up old school, you are the man" ... WOW, made me feel good..

Twitter / Donte Whitner
Hope I didn't see moss jump in the stands and bills fans enbrace him!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope not!

Terrell Owens
Sometimes things must come 2 an end, u hv 2 move on & accept wht life has 2 offer. So looking 4wd to 2010.

Mort reports no rookie wage scale until 2012

MattRichWarren — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:38:48 -0000

Mort reports no rookie wage scale until 2012

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that a rookie wage scale would not be implemented until 2012 at the earliest.

Inactive Thoughts: Week 15

MattRichWarren — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:54:35 -0000

This week the Bills claimed Richie Incognito off the waiver wire due to an injury to guard Kendall Simmons, which turned out to end the veteran's season. For the second time in a month the Bills will be starting a guy on the OL that wasn't even on the team for the previous game. The Bills are also just one player shy of their 2007 team record of 17 players on season-ending Injured Reserve. Let's hope we don't break that record.

The big name on this week's injury report is Terrell Owens who missed the last two days of practice with an undisclosed illness. He was able to attend the Toronto Raptors games against the New Jersey Nets on Friday night so I'll go out on a limb and say he's not all that sick.

Other players not practicing or limited this week were Jairus Byrd, Justin Jenkins, Joe Klopfenstein (who was also released and re-signed during the week), Jamon Meredith, Jonathan Scott and Simmons. After the jump I'll give who I think won't play, in the order of most likely to sit to least likely, and reasonings.

Joe Klopfenstein
He's obviously the 53rd man on the roster. He's been off and on the team and hasn't dressed for a game while he's been with the Bills.

Cary Harris
With the Bills secondary finally getting healthy Harris will be sitting as the bottom man on that scale.

Chris Ellis and John McCargo
Just don't have a shot with the guys in front of him being healthy.

James Hardy
The only way Hardy sees the active list is if Terrell Owens and Justin Jenkins aren't playing. It's the closest he's been but I don't think this is his week.

Justin Jenkins
When you're limited in practice because of a knee injury and your only use is running really fast to make tackles on special teams, you probably won't be active.

Todd Johnson
This Bills are relatively healthy this week which means a guy who has been traditionally active won't be this week. I picked Johnson because the Bills kept all their OL active last week and I would suspect they do the same this week. Johnson adds little value in the defensive secondary but does play the ST role given to him. With Ashton Youboty healthy I think Johnson is the most likely to sit.

Brian Brohm will be the emergency third QB.

If the Bills decide they need Johnson on special teams with Jenkins out other potential names on this list are Ellis Lankster or Aston Youboty.

Game Day Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/20

MattRichWarren — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:38:15 -0000

Buffalo Bills: Game Day | Democrat and Chronicle
Taking a closer look at today's Buffalo Bills game against the New England Patriots at Ralph Wilson Stadium with Sal Maiorana.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Bills-Patriots Primer
"Do the Bills have a chance? Let's break down the matchups."

Gameday Tipsheet - Week 15
Chris Brown provides his weekly analysis of the game with key matchups, Bills' advantages, and what to watch for.

Patriots downgrade six players | ProFootballTalk.com
"Defensive tackle Vince Wilfork and defensive end Ty Warren were among the six Patriots downgraded to out late Saturday. Running back Fred Taylor, guard Stephen Neal, tackle Nick Kaczur, and defensive tackle Myron Pryor were also downgraded to out."

Game Stories and Previews
Jerry Sullivan: Decade of futility yields many memorable losses to Pats : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"It would be short-sighted and silly to attach too much significance to one game. But it's understandable if people get giddy at the prospect of beating the Patriots. Fans can put aside the larger issues for three hours and contemplate the momentary joy of knocking the smug look off Bill Belichick's face."

Belichick, Shula: 'Men of Mastery' against Bills : The Buffalo News
"Don Shula's Dolphins ran the table against the Bills in the '70s, recording an NFL-record 20 straight victories. Now it's Bill Belichick and his Patriots teams doing a number on Buffalo. A win today would make the Pats 18-2 for the decade."

Bills-Patriots scouting report : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Allen Wilson breaks down key points of today's matchup.

Patriots feel `vulnerable' in preparing for Bills | BuffaloBills.com
"If the air of invincibility has fully seeped out of the ever-proud Patriots, the true litmus test comes on Sunday. That's when New England travels to face the Buffalo Bills (5-8), a division rival that's very much played the role of Patriots patsy in what's become a near-decade of futility."

New England Patriots have Buffalo Bills' number | Democrat and Chronicle
"The Bills' misery against New England in the 2000s mirrors their struggles against the Dolphins in the 1970s when they lost 20 straight games to Miami."

NFL Preview - New England (8-5) at Buffalo (5-8)
Game preview from the Sports Netowrk.

Buffalo Bills Game Day (Two Bills Drive)
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills Gameday Preview

Felser: Patriots' visit stirs memories : Larry Felser : The Buffalo News
"Having witnessed almost all the games played by the Patriots versus the Bills from the very first American Football League contest to their 50th anniversary meeting in Western New York today, I have no doubt that New England will find some way to qualify in style for the NFL's postseason tournament."

Paying Bills - The Boston Globe
Boston.com previews the game.

To Nick Aliotti, these Ducks unlimited - BostonHerald.com
Safeties Patrick Chung of the Patriots and Jairus Byrd of the Bills played in the same defensive backfield in Oregon. They both went in the second round of the 2009 draft and will be making key contributions to their teams today.

Patriots-Bills pregame analysis | New England Patriots | The Providence Journal
New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills coverage, blog reports and photos from projoSports.com

Patriots must cure their case of road block - BostonHerald.com
"The Patriots have lost five games this season. All five losses have come on the road. There’s no escaping the obvious conclusion: If the Pats expect to get into the playoffs, and do some damage once there, they have to prove they can win outside Gillette Stadium. They need to establish themselves as road warriors starting today."

The top five determining factors for Patriots-Bills today - BostonHerald.com
"Here are the five chief factors that will determine whether the Patriots will still be roadkill after this one."

Gameday Prep: Bills vs. Patriots | The Goose's Roost
Consider this your TGR gameday prep.

JoeFromNYC’s Bills vs Pats Preview : Buffalo Sports Daily
"The Bills have been bad against the Patriots this decade, but have been worse against the Pats the second time around in a season; being outscored 192-29 in their last six 2nd time around games. That’s what happens when Belichick has film to dissect the first outing and the rest of your games. Something tells me the Patriots will be ready for the Bills screen passes this time around."

Week 15 NFL game previews - USATODAY.com
USA TODAY previews the fifteenth weekend of the NFL season.

Bills won’t be thinking about streak – Inside The Bills
"The Bills losing streak to the Patriots is well documented. It’s at 12 games and counting and is the longest in Patriots franchise history over another opponent. But the players won’t be thinking about the streak at all when they take the field Sunday."

Milestone Watch

- Brian Moorman needs 220 punting yards for 30,000 in his career.
- Rian Lindell needs 14 points to pass the 1000 point marker for his career.
- Terrell Owens needs four receptions to become the sixth player in NFL history with 1,000 career catches.
- T.O. also needs 108 yards to pass Tim Brown for third place on the all-time receiving yardage list
- He can also become just the third players with 15,000 receiving yards by gaining 173.
- Randy Moss is one TD catch ahead of T.O. in second on the all-time list.
- Marcus Stroud needs eight tackles for 600 in his career.
- Jairus Byrd needs one interception to tie the franchise record for interceptions in a season.

Team in Transition

Bills still have offer on table for Shanahan | ProFootballTalk.com
"We're told that the Bills still have an offer on the table for Shanahan, even if he has no interest in accepting it. The Bills have been rebuffed by Mike Holmgren, Bill Cowher, and Jon Gruden. But that doesn't mean Shanahan was the fourth choice. Instead, the Bills apparently went after multiple coaches simultaneously in the hopes of generating serious interest from at least one of them."

What to watch in Week 15 - Peter King - SI.com
"Personally, I'd like John Fox or Mike Zimmer [as Buffalo's coach], with Fox bringing Charlie Weis to run the offense if it's him."

Other Bills News
Too soon to mock it out? No way - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Todd McShay has Buffalo taking Rutgers tackle Anthony Davis at number 10.

Calls and Effect: AFC East penalty tracker - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Since Perry Fewell took over the Bills have gone from 31st in the league in penalties to 13th. They committed 11 penalties in Jauron's last game and have 11 in the four games since. Demetrius Bell still leads the division with 10 flags, the amount of yardage marked off has been relatively minor in comparison to other AFCE players.

Inside the NFL: It's getting tough to find players for 3-4 : The Buffalo News
"If the Bills switch to a 3-4 next year, expect a rocky transition. Green Bay switched to the 3-4 this year and ranks No. 2 on defense. But the Packers already had a strong core of front-seven players. Kansas City switched to the 3-4 this year and ranks 30th overall. The Chiefs have Bills castoff Ron Edwards playing nose tackle, and it's not pretty."

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/19

MattRichWarren — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:45:15 -0000

More photos » by Winslow Townson - AP

3 months ago: Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, right, talks with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady before an NFL football game between the Bill and the Patriots on Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

Browse more photos »

Bills O-line a comedy of calamities - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Buffalo's football operations department left the line woefully inexperienced at the start of the year, and it deteriorated from there. It's the NFL's most-penalized unit. One of the five has started all 13 games at his position. Four who've started are on injured reserve. Kugler has patched together seven different starting combinations and could assemble an eighth Sunday against the New England Patriots in Ralph Wilson Stadium. "

Kelly's Call: Injuries Bills' biggest detriment - BuffaloBills.com
"The continuity of the offensive line has been a compromising factor in all of this and I feel bad for the offensive linemen trying to hold that thing together despite all the changes. As a quarterback I know it has been no picnic for them and for Ryan Fitzpatrick. When the quarterback is getting hit and sacked the first set of guys that are blamed are those linemen."

Buffalo Bills game sells out, TV blackout avoided | Democrat and Chronicle
"Sunday's AFC East game between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park is officially sold out and will be televised locally, the team announced this morning."

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Schopp + Bulldog's Bills 'Bad' Team of the Decade
The list includes captain Willis McGahee, Marshawn Lynch, Terrell Owens, Jason Peters, Antoine Winfield, Nate Clements, and an empty spot at punter. "They don't have to be the worst player in Bills' history, just a name that personifies what was wrong with the last 10 years of Bills' football."

Bills' secondary to face major exam : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Randy Moss and Wes Welker, not to mention the rest of the Patriots passing attack, may present challenges to the Bills pass defense that they haven't seen yet in their otherwise stellar season.

Final Word: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
- Terrell Owens and Lee Evans have to be amped to face the Patriots secondary.
- If the Bills defeat the Patriots on Sunday, then interim coach Perry Fewell gets the job

Fan Friday 12-18 – Inside The Bills
Chris Brown tackles questions on how the Bills are doing right now, switching to a 3-4, Eric Wood's recovery (he's still in a wheelchair), next year's opponents, and Tim Tebow.

NFL fines Incognito for on-field actions : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
The NFL fined the new Buffalo Bills guard $50,000 on Friday for committing two unnecessary roughness penalties during St. Louis' 47-7 loss at Tennessee last Sunday, according to several reports.

BillBoard: T.O. in TO
It looks like Terrell Owens' "illness'' didn't keep him from making a trip to Toronto Friday night. On his Twitter page, he talked about his autograph signing at Sears and attending a Toronto Raptors game (he was dogging the Nets, calling them a D-League team, which they are). But doesn't it strike you as odd that Owens was well enough to go to Toronto, but too sick to practice the last two days? Or is it just me?

Owens questionable for Sunday | BuffaloBills.com
"It wasn’t the cold that kept Terrell Owens off the practice field late this week, it was an illness. Owens missed practice on Thursday and Friday, and it’s left him questionable for Sunday’s game against New England."

Simmons to I-R; Klopfenstein re-signed | BuffaloBills.com
"The revolving door leading to Buffalo’s injured reserve list is spinning again and another Bills offensive lineman is walking through. Just a month after being signed by the club to fill a hole on the interior of Buffalo’s offensive line, veteran Kendall Simmons was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury."

Buffalo Bills' Bryan Scott finds success at linebacker | Democrat and Chronicle
"The second coming of Ray Lewis he is not. But as learning-on-the-fly linebackers go, Bryan Scott has filled in surprisingly well for the Buffalo Bills. So well that even one of the NFL's most respected coaches, Bill Belichick, was praising the move earlier this week."

Injury-prone Bills place T Simmons on IR - The Sports Network
"The Buffalo Bills placed offensive lineman Kendall Simmons on injured reserve Friday, marking the 16th player the team has placed in IR this season. The Bills' team record for players on IR is 17, set in 2007. Simmons became the sixth offensive lineman this year to be placed on the list."

Video: How do T.O. and Moss compare? - AFC East Blog - ESPN
ESPN analysts Mark Schlereth and Tedy Bruschi discuss how Buffalo Bills receiver Terrell Owens compares to New England Patriots receiver Randy Moss in advance of Sunday's game in Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Byrd expects Moss to be on a mission - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"He's going to come in here with a chip on his shoulder," Jairus Byrd said. "Everything that's in the media and what happened last week with Carolina. We know he's going to have a chip, try to prove something. That's the game of football."

Patriots may look more to the ground game against Buffalo | New England Patriots | projo.com | The Providence Journal
"Because of the problems against the run, Buffalo’s opponents have had the ball for 902 plays. No other team has had to play defense for that many plays. "

The New England Patriots need to come together as a team to beat the Buffalo Bills - ESPN Boston
Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston and former Pats linebacker Tedy Bruschi break down this weekend's matchup. It's rather in-depth but obviously from a New England perspective.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
"If the Bills find a way to upset the Patriots, it would be a huge feather in interim coach Perry Fewell's cap. "Without a doubt, it'd be huge ... we want to be part of that reason for him to be considered for the position of the head coach," RB Fred Jackson said."

Matching up against the Bills - the Patriots take on another divisional opponent - Pats Pulpit
"It's no secret the Patriots are an aerial team. But with a suspect Buffalo run defense and a very strong pair of Bills running backs, I think both teams will keep to the ground more often than not."

Poor writing mars good stories about Van Miller : The Buffalo News
"Heaven knows, the 81-year-old Miller deserves a book. "Fasten Your Seatbelts: The Van Miller Story" isn’t it."

Perfect gift for Bills’ fans | Olean Times Herald
Chuck Pollack reviews Jeff Miller and Marv Levy's book Game Changers about the best play s in Bills history.

BillBoard: Shanahan reportedly talks to Redskins
"The Post also said that, according to an NFL source, when Shanahan met with Bills COO/GM Russ Brandon about the team's coaching and front office opportunities last month Allen was supposed to be part of the package deal."

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/18

MattRichWarren — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:39:05 -0000

More photos » by Steven Senne - AP

3 months ago: Buffalo Bills defensive end Aaron Schobel (94) carries New England Patriots running back Sammy Morris (34) on the way to the goal line as he scores a touchdown after an interception in the second quarter during an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 14, 2009, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Browse more photos »

Incognito could start Sunday – Inside The Bills
"With Kendall Simmons nursing a shoulder injury and not practicing again on Thursday, Richie Incognito said he stepped right in with the first unit in Simmons’ place at right guard."

Owens is sick – Inside The Bills
Terrell Owens missed Thursday’s practice due to illness.

Phil Sheridan: One ex-player presses on for safer NFL helmets | Philadelphia Inquirer
"Mark Kelso, who now does radio commentary on Bills games, isn't remembered as well for his 30 career interceptions as he is for wearing the ProCap helmet pad - an extra layer of protection that made him look, in his own words, like the Great Gazoo from the old Flintstones show."

Dierdorf expecting competitive game – Inside The Bills
"There are some teams in this league that just aren’t competitive," said Dan Dierdorf, the CBS color analyst for this weekend's game. "Maybe once or twice a year they can muster it up, but the Bills certainly don’t fall into that category. The Bills are 5-8. This is a much better Buffalo team than some of the bottom dwellers. They only lost to Jacksonville, 18-15. They lost to the Jets, 19-13. This is not a bad football team. It’s a team with a losing record, but this team is far from being an embarrassment."

Question Mark: To get competitive, Bills need more elite players : The Buffalo News
The News' Mark Gaughan answers your questions about the Bills missing a home run in the draft, getting an eye on young players now that we're out of the playoffs, and line of scrimmage.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - The 2000s so far: Moment No. 9
Nick Mendola says the angriest he's ever been doing his job was covering the Bills announcement of the Toronto series. It's moment 9 on WGR's list of the top 10 Buffalo sports moments of the decade.

Bills eager to end Pats streak - BuffaloBills.com
"It’s the Patriots. They’ve beaten us 12 straight times now. We’re trying to get rid of that. We want to. I haven’t beaten them since I’ve been here," Fred Jackson said. "I want to get that first win and know what it feels like to beat the Patriots."

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Whitey's Bills-Pats preview: What they have, that we don't
Jeremy White visited Boston and took in a day at Patriots Place, the stadium for the hated rival. Well as White explains, you can do virtually anything and buy anything right at the stadium. Take a look.

Video: Bills given little chance versus Pats - AFC East Blog - ESPN
ESPN's Jenny Dell previews the New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills game with the AccuScore report. In one of the more lopsided forecasts of the season, the Patriots won 71 percent of the time in AccuScore's 10,000 simulations

Shawn Springs keeps eye on Terrell Owens - BostonHerald.com
If they both play this will be the 11th meeting between Shawn Springs and Terrell Owens this weekend.

Pats recall an eerie trip to the eastern end of (Lake) Erie - Brockton, MA - The Enterprise
The Patriots recall the weather conditions last December in Buffalo when wind gusts made kicking and throwing virtually impossible and the goal posts had to be realigned before each kick.

Return to Buffalo is special for Aiken - Patriots.com
Patriots special teams captain Sam Aiken discusses playing against his former teammates.

Evans and Draft fuel up - BuffaloBills.com
Bills wide receiver Lee Evans and linebacker Chris Draft spoke to the kids about the importance of nutrition and being active for 60 minutes a day. Students also participated in various physical fitness activities like jump roping, relay races and three-legged races and received a healthy lunch.

Schobel vs. Brady - Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
Aaron Schobel has sacked Tom Brady more times (12) than any other player. Obviously that's more an indictment of Matt Light than anything else.

Patriots Today - Brady, Buffalo, Wrap-A-Pat and more video
"The Patriots are naturally quite familiar with the Buffalo Bills, but it's been three months since the division rivals first faced off in 2009. Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and others chime in on Wednesday with thoughts on what's in store this Sunday in Buffalo."

Lightening the load - Press-Banner
Andy Levitre donated $5000 to his old high school football team to kick off their campaign to install lights on their football field. The NFL matched the donation.

Perfect Game - 12.21.09 - SI Vault
Sports Illustrated did a feature on punters this week and as part of that article showed how, in their words, "Browns punter Dave Zastudil almost single-handedly beat the Bills."

Si's Punter Ratings - 12.21.09 - SI Vault
Sports Illustrated ranked Bills punter Brian Moorman 24th on their list of NFL punters using this bizzare adapted QB rating system for punters. Shane Lechler, who is having an amazing season in Oakland, isn't even in the top 10.

Fitz on former teammate Chris Henry – Inside The Bills
"It was very sad," said former Bengal Ryan Fitzpatrick. "Tragic news. I think for the guys that know him, it’s very different than the public perception of him. The trouble that he got in the past and all that, everybody knows that he’s a great guy."

Former teammate's death throws Bills' Fitzpatrick for a loss : The Buffalo News
Fitzpatrick said, "I'm still trying to grasp what really happened because it's such tough news and a shock to hear."

Not so Incognito
Wilfork might meet his match – Inside The Bills
"It’s no secret that Vince Wilfork has had his share of cheap shots against the Bills over the years. Only difference between Richie Incognito and Wilfork is the Patriots DT rarely gets caught. For those that don’t know here’s the quick laundry list."

Bills claim OL Incognito - BuffaloBills.com
"The last three years we won five games total," said Incognito. "That’s a lot to lose and it takes its toll on you as an athlete more than I really imagined. And now it’s good to take a step back, get out of the situation and come here with a clean slate and play ball. I’m going to be a lot less selfish with the penalties and just the acting out." Incognito will wear jersey number 62.

New Bills lineman Incognito defends his play : The Buffalo News
The News profiles newest Buffalo Bill Richie Incognito and his reputation.

Team in Transition
Redskins hire Allen as GM | WIVB.com
"Bills sources told us weeks ago they had approached Bruce Allen to see if he was interested in coming to Buffalo. He was not."

Warming up the NFL coaching carousel | National Football Post
"Buffalo is a job for a retread without other options, a Charlie Weis (Wilson tried to hire him six years ago), Brian Billick or first-timer willing to work cheap. The retread is the statistically better option. "

Bills Tweets
Twitter / Fake Perry Fewell
,500 record = Bills Coach of the Decade.

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
Bills sold out Sunday' Pats game on time, but there are still 5,000 tix left for Colts. That might be 1st blackout of the year

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
CBS' Dan Dierdorf on Bills: "It’s a team with a losing record, but this team is far from being an embarrassment." Still, no playoffs 10 yrs

League, union bargaining again on Friday

MattRichWarren — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:17:53 -0000

League, union bargaining again on Friday

For the second consecutive Friday, the NFL and the players union will be conducting talks toward a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Daily. They had previously met once a month.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/17

MattRichWarren — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:42:01 -0000

More photos » by David Duprey - AP

Browse more photos »

Practice is inside and out – Inside The Bills
"In an effort to have the players ready for the elements interim head coach Perry Fewell has his players spending portions of practice inside the Fieldhouse with all the doors open to let in the freezing cold air, and outside on the team’s grass field."

Scott: safety by trade, LB by necessity - BuffaloBills.com
Lead editor Chris Brown talks with the Bills' defensive staff and LB Bryan Scott about his transition from safety to linebacker this year.

Buffalo Bills might face local TV blackout Sunday vs. New England Patriots | Democrat and Chronicle
"If the 2000 remaining tickets are not sold by 1 p.m. today, the home game will not be televised in the western New York market for the first time this season."

Buffalo Bills' defense to face test with Wes Welker | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
"On that opening night in New England, Tom Brady threw for 378 yards in his first game back after sitting out almost all of 2008 with a knee injury. He found Welker 12 times for 93 yards, and Moss caught 12 for 141 yards. Oh, and tight end Ben Watson caught two touchdown passes in the final four minutes to deliver a pulsating 25-24 Patriots victory, New England's 12th in a row over the Bills."

Bills Notebook: Terrell Owens does like the cold: Buffalo News
"Asked what he thought of the weather, he said: 'I can't remember. I'm still frozen. I'm trying to thaw out right about now. Brutal.' Was it good to get outside a little and get acclimated? 'Absolutely not,' joked Owens.

WGR 550 SportsRadio - Cold Snap
"Ryan Fitzpatrick is the exception. The Arizona native doesn't mind being outside, and noted that the Bengals didn't have an indoor practice facility. He said that helped the Bengals quarterbacks be better prepared for the cold, and thinks Fewell's decision to put the offense outside was a good one, though a stiff wind limited some of their drills."

Belichick on Bills screen game – Inside The Bills
"The screen game was its most effective in Week 1. The Patriots will undoubtedly be better prepared for it this time. It’s probably safe to assume the Bills will use it sparingly this week knowing the Pats will be looking for it."

Beating Pats could boost Fewell's stock with Bills -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY
"If Fewell, who's 2-2 after Dick Jauron was dismissed, is to solidify himself as a serious contender for the job beyond this season, there's no better opportunity than this. A win over the Patriots (8-5) would snap the Bills' 12-game losing streak against their AFC East rivals, a drought which began after Buffalo's 31-0 season-opening victory in 2004."

Stevie Johnson chops the dreds! – Inside The Bills
"Steve Johnson said equipment manager Dave Hojnowski had to tighten his helmet one head size now that the hair is gone." I don't even recognize him in the picture that's in the post.

Brady, Moss don’t practice – Inside The Bills
Tom Brady (finger), Randy Moss (rest), Ty Warren (ankle) and Vince Wilfork (foot) didn't practice for the Patriots yesterday.

Bills and Jills spread holiday cheer - BuffaloBills.com
"Ninety children and their families had a great time celebrating the holidays with the Bills players, Jills cheerleaders, Billy Buffalo and Santa Claus at the Buffalo Bills Toyota Rookie Club’s Annual Holiday Party held December 15th in the Jim Kelly Club at Ralph Wilson Stadium." Bryan Scott played Christmas carols and other Bills participating were Ryan Denney, Chris Draft, Jon Corto, Ellis Lankster, Jairus Byrd, Andy Levitre, Jamon Meredith, Andre Ramsey, Nick Hennessey, Jason Watkins, Garrison Sanborn, Cary Harris, Ashlee Palmer, Shawn Nelson, Rashaad Duncan and Lonnie Harvey.

Buffalo Bills NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com Rapid Reports
- It looked like a few Bills skill players were surprised to do some work outside in the cold. The rest of the team worked indoors. WR Steve Johnson was in shorts, and someone eventually gave him a sweatshirt. Quipped one equipment man: "It's like the pop quiz at school you didn't study for."
- Bills WR Terrell Owens believes playing well outside in cold weather has more to do with the mental aspect of the game than the physical aspect. "It's all about just being mentally prepared to catch the ball," he said. "The ball's going to be hard."

Video: AFC East Blogger's Blitz - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Tuesday night on ESPNEWS, anchor Ducis Rodgers and blogger Tim Graham discussed a variety of AFC East topics.

New-look Bills - BostonHerald.com
"I wouldn’t say it was our best night," Tom Brady said about opening night. "I don’t think any of us felt really great about the way we played and kind of escaped with a victory. I’m sure Buffalo was very disappointed with the outcome of the game just because they had us there for a long time."

Harvard kid answers NFL call - BostonHerald.com
Ian R. Rapoport of the Boston Herald interviews former Hardvard QB Ryan Fitzpatrick about his days playing for the Crimson and his new gig with the Bills.

Belichick recalls the night T.O. put on a show - Brockton, MA - The Enterprise
"Hauling in nine passes for 122 yards came up second best to game MVP Deion Branch (11 receptions for 133 yards) as the Eagles came up second best to the Patriots, 24-21, on that February night at Alltel Stadium [in Super Bowl XXXIX]."

New coach Fewell has had positive impact on Bills | New England Patriots | projo.com | The Providence Journal
"While head coach Bill Belichick acknowledged that under Jauron the Bills were always prepared for their meetings with the Patriots, he also gave a tip of the cap to Fewell, calling him an "excellent" defensive coach who has done a good job of getting Buffalo to play well in all three phases of the game."

Fitzpatrick takes NFL detour - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News
"At this point in his life, Ryan Fitzpatrick figured he'd be putting on a suit and tie every day in Manhattan rather than shoulder pads and cleats in an NFL locker room."

Patriots deal with banged-up defensive line - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
"It’s uncertain whether Wilfork will be ready for Sunday’s game at Buffalo. With three games left in the regular season, New England (8-5) leads the AFC East by one game over the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets and three over the Bills."

Wilson: Bills cut Klopfenstein | National Football Post
"In order to make room for newly-signed offensive guard Richie Incognito, the Buffalo Bills have released veteran tight end Joe Klopfenstein," reports Aaron Wilson.

AccuScore Report: Patriots-Bills - ESPN Video - ESPN
Jenny Dell tells you if the Patriots can get past the Randy Moss distractions and win against the Bills.

Oakland Raiders sign quarterback J.P. Losman | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle
The Oakland Raiders signed J.P. Losman, a former starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, to be it's No. 3 quarterback. Charlie Frye gets the nod over Jamarcus Russell.

Incognito claimed off waivers
Incognito claimed off waivers; Mitchell is no fan : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
"Incognito was rated by NFL players as the dirtiest player in the league in a poll conducted by the Sporting News recently. "

BillBoard: Bills claim 'dirtiest player'
"The Bills have claimed the player who could be the second coming of Conrad Dobler. Actually, comparing Incognito to Dobler is giving Incognito too much credit at this point of his career. Incognito is a three-year starter and has 44 career starts. Dobler, who played for the Bills in 1980 and '81, had a 10-year career in the NFL and was a three-time Pro Bowler."

Bills recognize Incognito - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Maybe Incognito and New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork will sit down for tea and crumpets Sunday. Incognito might just be passing through Buffalo. His contract expires after the season. "

Team in Transition
Candidates abound for Bills' personnel job : Buffalo Bills : The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan compiles a list of potential general manager candidates for the Bills.

Brian Brohm
Brohm: "I’ll be ready if called upon." – Inside The Bills
"The offensive system has steadily become more and more familiar to [new qyarterback Brian Brohm]. But getting an opportunity on the field before the 2009 season is over looks remote at best at this point in time. "

Fewell on Brohm prospects – Inside The Bills
"I don’t know how far he is along in the development of our offense because he doesn’t take the reps in our offense. He takes the reps with our scout team," said Fewell. "So to put him in that position might be a recipe for failure for him. But you never say never."

Sullivan: Why keep Brohm in closet? : Jerry Sullivan : The Buffalo News
"It seems the Bills lead the league in allowing people to figure things out on the fly. But suddenly, a month isn't enough time for Brohm to at least suit up as the No. 2 quarterback."

Bills fans shouldn't expect Brohm in '09 - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Eight seconds doesn't sound like a lot. But when a coach stands silent for that long in front of dozens of waiting reporters, it can feel like an eternity. Count out eight seconds in your head. That's how long a bull rider has to stay on a Brahmin's back, and it's how long it took Bills interim coach Perry Fewell to formulate a diplomatic response when asked if he'd consider putting quarterback Brian Brohm in."

Bills Tweets
Twitter / Steve Bradley
Still 2,000 tickets remain for Bills-Pats on Sunday. Could this be the first local television blackout of the season?

Twitter / Daniel Jeremiah
Incognito story: During OL drill at combine, he was so out of control, I said he was going to hurt himself, tore his acl 1 min later, no lie

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
Perry Fewell was asked if he would play QB Brian Brohm. He thinks it would put Brohm in a bad situation, but he also said "never say never.:

Twitter / Nicholas Mendola
Alex Van Pelt says the #Bills still have no plans to use Brian Brohm this year.

Twitter / Eric Stangel
NFL - Richie Incognito, waived by Rams, is claimed by Buffalo. Perfect fit. The Bills have been incognito all season

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
So the Bills signed OG RIchie Incognito. Labeled a dirty player. What I've heard, probably true. But he could now be best O-lineman team has

Twitter / Sal Maiorana
T.O. didn't like practicing outside: "I’m still frozen," he said w/ a laugh. "This is by far the coldest practice I’ve ever been a part of."

2010 NFL UFAs

MattRichWarren — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:11:24 -0000

2010 NFL UFAs

I like this because it shows a list of who will be a UFA with and without a cap. This is the AFC list and a link to the NFC list is in there.

Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/16

MattRichWarren — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:21:17 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

8 days ago: Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) is chased by Buffalo Bills defensive end Ryan Denney (92) and safety Donte Whitner (20) as he runs 76 yards for a touchdown during the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009 in Kansas City, Mo. The Bills won the game 16-10. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Browse more photos »

Bills' Byrd doesn't mind sharing the wealth : The Buffalo News
Rodney McKissic profiles the Bills' safety phenom Jairus Byrd and his 9 1/2 interceptions.

Video: Bills run D historically bad - AFC East Blog - ESPN
KC Joyner, aka the Football Scientist, highlights the biggest matchup in Sunday's game between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills in Ralph Wilson Stadium. Joyner notes the Bills could give up 3,000 yards on the ground this year, something that has been done only three times in NFL history. [Ed note: Bad like in the picture above, giving up a 76-yard TD run.]

How the Buffalo Bills can still win the division : Buffalo Sports Daily
"The following is what needs to occur for the Bills to be still playing football after January 3; The Buffalo Bills win out, while the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins lose out, and the New York Jets win no more than one of their last three games."

Bills Daily - "A Christmas Carol"
A Buffalo Bills Christmas Carol from Bills Daily. It's amusing.

Bills secondary a den of thieves - BuffaloBills.com
Despite being banged up all year, the Bills defense, the secondary in particular, leads the league in interceptions. "Their 25 picks have already matched their best total since the AFL-NFL merger as the 1975 Bills had 25 in a 14-game season."

Rival receivers have some catching up to do - The Boston Globe
"The Bills and their bombastic receiver, Terrell Owens, host the Patriots and Randy Moss in a matchup of AFC East rivals that features two go-to receivers who do not like each other."

Let’s see what Brohm brings to the table - Wellsville, NY - Wellsville Daily Reporter
Paul Jannace adds his voice to the litany of writers pining for Brian Brohm.

How I See It: AFC East Stock Watch - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Stock Rising - Marshawn Lynch "He has rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown and averaged 8.0 yards per carry the past two weeks."

Week 15 power rankings: AFC East - AFC East Blog - ESPN
The Bills move up one spot to 25 after defeating the Chiefs.

Where's AFC East in Pro Bowl balloting? - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"The Bills' Brian Moorman, one of the NFL's top three or four punters, isn't in the AFC's top five. "

AFC East: Patriots circling wagons around Moss - The Sports Netowrk
"But if there's one area that person is least likely to touch, it's a secondary that has ever-so-quietly been among the best in the league this year, and is unquestionably the single best piece to build around on this team."

McShay has OT going to Bills – Inside The Bills
"The Bills are projected to pick 10th overall in his mock draft where he has Buffalo taking Rutgers OT Anthony Davis. Mel Kiper says if he waits a year Davis will be a top 5 pick, otherwise he’ll go in the 10-15 range of round one this year. Kipier has him as his top rated junior tackle."

2009 NFL Redraft - Don Banks - SI.com
Don Banks does the draft over again and the Bills end up with Brian Orakpo with the top three OTs off the board.

Losman update – Inside The Bills
"With Bruce Gradkowski injured, JaMarcus Russell a mess and Charlie Frye an unrealistic option J.P. Losman heads to Oakland with an opportunity to be a long term answer at quarterback."

Raiders sign former Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman - Inside Bay Area
Jim Fassell coached J.P. in the UFL and his son is on the Raiders staff. Think that had anything to do with it?

Willy Living his Dream | WIVB.com
Former University of Buffalo QB Drew Willy was signed to the Colts practice squad a few weeks ago and could see time in the final game of the season in Buffalo.