NFL: Buffalo Bills Blogger

$100 ticket giveaway!

2009-04-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

Hey - so Coast to Coast Tickets has a Facebook page now, and they're trying to raise awareness for it, so they're giving away a $100 gift card in a random drawing of their Facebook fans on May 4th.

Looking right now, there's only 81 fans total, making that a 1 in 81 shot if the drawing happened today (sure there'll be more when the drawing happens, but still those are pretty good odds)!

Their Facebook page is here:

Coast to Coast Tickets on Facebook

and they're posting bonus entry codes on their Twitter too here:

Coast to Coast Tickets on Twitter

2008-11-25T10:46:00.000-08:00

In case you missed it, get your game day recap here: http://www.buffalobills.com/schedules/game/2008/regular12/. Long story short, Bills 54, Chiefs 31. Enough said!

Why Being a Buffalo Fan Sucks - funny video

2008-11-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

He forgot to mention the one good thing - that it's easy to find Buffalo event tickets anytime. So there, Yankees and Patriots and Red Sox and Cubs fans! Take that.

Another Favorite

2008-11-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

This is my family every fall.

2008-10-30T06:49:00.001-07:00

Express your political views at the voting booth next Tuesday, 11/4!

Budweiser Loves the Bills

2008-10-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

I love this ad.

2008-07-07T18:42:00.000-07:00

Here's some more info on the Bills' financial troubles and possible move. It says the article was updated in May. Also says it's the 1st of 3 articles, but there are no links to the other two. Oh well, still interesting stuff.

Can we share with the neighbors?

2008-02-14T09:30:00.000-08:00

Rogers Centre, eh? It's hard to imagine the Bills playing a series in another country, but I have friends in Toronto that are excited about it. And frankly, if it gets our team more fans and more support, how can that be a bad thing? I don't think I'd be happy if they changed the name to the Toronto Bills, but I can handle sharing if it means more good for us - and with 5 million potential new fans in Toronto, that can't help but be good for us.

My opinion, at least.

You'd think they'd have done some research first...?

2007-07-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

An interesting fact, from Wikipedia's Buffalo Bills Stadium entry:

"Buffalo is one of the nation's windiest cities, and as a result, Ralph Wilson Stadium often is a difficult stadium for kickers to play in, with swirling winds that change direction rapidly. This is exacerbated by the design of the stadium. The main bowl of the stadium is fifty feet under ground level, while the upper deck stands above ground. The open end lies parallel to the direction of the prevailing winds, so that when the winds come in, they immediately drop down into the bowl, causing the stadium's signature wind patterns."

Jim Kelly Camp

2007-05-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

For all the young Bills fans out there, the Jim Kelly Football camp will be held June 27-30 and July 16-19. Each session includes three days of instruction and a number of other goodies. Sign 'em up quick, and get the kids out of the house this summer!

A-Team Thomas

2007-03-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

Sign him up! Anthony Thomas is staying on board with the Bills. He's got 6 years under his belt but he's not the rocket rookie running back of 2001. I wonder what the Bears rushing numbers will look like if Thomas stays in the driver's seat.

2007-01-16T12:50:00.000-08:00

Two more Bills players named as finalists for consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Thurman Thomas (up for consideration again!) and Andre Reed. Good luck to them both!

Bills Playoff Hopes are Dim

2006-12-18T09:31:00.000-08:00

The Buffalo Bills went out and blanked the Miami Dolphins 21-0 for their second straight win and fifth in 7 games. But this surge by the Bills maybe too little too late. It looks like they will probably need to win out and get some help if they're playoff hopes are to stay alive in the playoff race. Their last two games will be pretty tough hosting the streaking Tennessee Titans and visiting the dominant Baltimore Ravens. The Bills have the talent and they know how to win, now it's just a matter of putting it all together when it matters most.

Bills Make Quick Work of Jets

2006-12-11T08:52:00.000-08:00

The Buffalo Bills made sure to dampen the New York Jets playoff hopes yesterday by winning a tough away game, 31-13. The game was all about the big plays for the Bills, 3 touchdowns came off of plays of 50 yards or more, a 57-yard touchdown run by Willis MacGahee, a 77-yard touchdown catch by Lee Evans, and a 58-yard interception return by Nate Clements. Bills are keeping hopes alive, and doing all that they can do to give them a chance to play in the postseason.

Reed well enough to play

2006-12-02T13:34:00.000-08:00

Reed has had to watch from the sidelines lately due to a bruised kidney. However he will be rejoining his team mates soon. He should be showing up to the game on Sunday.

We Can Ignore Last Week

2006-11-16T11:24:00.000-08:00

Buffalo had a loss and Houston is coming off a win. But when we head off to play the Texans on Sunday, we need to keep a couple of things in mind. Houston got their win over the one team they seem to be able to beat consistently. The Bills lost -- by one point -- to the Indianapolis Colts, the team than everybody loses to, at least so far this year (as well as almost all of last year).

It is hard to lose by one point, especially by what has been reported endlessly as "a rare miss by field goal kicker Rian Lindell." Rian, the key word there isn't "miss" or "Lindell." It's "rare." Buffalo fans know you're good. Keep that in mind when we go and restart a win streak against the Texans.

Bills’ Jason Peters Moves Left

2006-11-03T10:28:00.000-08:00

Buffalo’s coach Dick Juaron has announced that Jason Peters will be starting against the Green Bay Packers in the new role of left tackle. At 6’4” and 328 pounds, Peters hopes to be more successful at protecting our QB J. P. Losman, who has already been sacked 21 times this season.

Green Bay has a guy who can put Jason Peters to the test in Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, who has chalked up over 60 sacks in his 7-year NFL career. But Jason seems excited about the challenge, and Juaron has a lot of confidence in his talent.

Buffalo Not the Only Victims of NE Patriots

2006-10-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

The AFC-leading New England Patriots have bumped off everybody they've encountered this year except the Denver Broncos. The Pats have five wins in a row on the road, and their cumulative scoring currently adds up to 156-64.

Sunday was still pretty embarrasing for the Bills, but I think we'll have a better shot against the Green Bay Packers, after we have a week off to regroup.

Shoveling Off to Buffalo

2006-10-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

Here's the big news for this Friday the 13th in Buffalo Bills land: we are totally buried under snow. I know that sounds like a "dog bites man" kind of story around here -- we get snow up to our eyeballs and then some every winter. But this isn't December 13th--it's freakin' October 13th! I always loved a snow day, but before Halloween??

Some people

2006-10-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

You know, I had a guy ask me why I bother following the Bills when there are other teams that are more worth watching, I just shook my head. I guess transplants from other cities just won't get it. I'm really pulling for the Bills this weekend against Chicago. They're going to have to push pretty hard with Chicago's defense, but I have every confidence that we'll win.

Things Break Buffalo’s Way This Time

2006-10-02T13:48:00.000-07:00

Amazing what a difference turnovers can make! Last week when the New York Jets came to Ralph Wilson Stadium it felt like we were graciously offering them the ball every couple of plays. Yesterday, our Buffalo Bills were not so generous with the Minnesota Vikings – no turnovers for J.P. Losman or anybody else on our side and a couple of sweet interceptions for them! That game was a pleasure to watch, and I wish I would have had tickets to see it live from the stands.

Next week may be another story. The Chicago Bears did a number on the Seattle Seahawks and continued their win streak (4 and 0). But we’ll be cheering for ya, Buffalo, when you enter their den at Soldier Field.

Not Too Old To Remember Four Super Bowls

2006-06-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

He calls himself a "rookie," and he is--at the job of General Manager. But Buffalo Bills fans remember Marv Levy as the coach who got the team into four consecutive Super Bowls. Can he help Dick Jauron pull off one of those? Realistically, probably not this season. But both those guys can be a steadying influence to pull the team together. Plus, even if we need some rebuilding this year, Marv Levy is not going to want to wait forever--after all, he is 81 years old! Welcome back, Marv!

If it were me, she’d have a boat too.

2006-05-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

There are a few sappy Mother’s Day articles on the Buffalo Bills official web site today that go me thinking. It must be hard to be the mother of an athlete. Think of all the practices and games they have had to attend over the years. Young athletes are only involved in sports if their parents are willing to shell out the cash for uniforms and drive them to events and practices. I suppose that is why you always hear about rookies buying their moms nice houses as soon as they go pro.

The Little Guy Gets Stepped On

2006-04-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

Ralph Wilson, owner of the Buffalo Bills, has come forward stating that the NFL’s new collective bargaining agreement is detrimental to the health of the ball clubs in smaller markets like the Bills. Mike Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals came out against those who criticized Wilson’s vote saying he didn’t understand the agreement implying his age was affecting his mental agility. I think that those people need to take a long hard look at why they would so blindly vote for this agreement when there are those speaking out to show the negative repercussions this will have on the smaller clubs.

Denney weighs his options.

2006-03-27T18:01:00.000-08:00

Ryan Denney has officially re-signed with the Buffalo Bills. He took some time to investigate his options and finally settled on staying with the Bills. Denney has been with us since 2002 when we chose him in the draft. I am glad to hear he felt Buffalo was the best place to continue his career.

The Phoenix Suns are looking really good this season!

2006-02-27T11:36:00.000-08:00

The Buffalo Bills will be watching the NFL Scouting Combine for signs of talent. I however will be watching the Phoenix Suns. I have been a Suns fan for years and I’m a total Steve Nash groupie. You can’t blame me; the New York Knicks aren’t doing anything spectacular this season.

From New York to Dallas

2006-02-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

Now that the Super Bowl hype is over, this Buffalo Bills fan has turned to basketball for sports entertainment. I am sorry to see the New York Knicks in the state they are in and have been rooting for the Dallas Mavericks instead. They have a great team this year with Dirk, Terry, Diop and Howard on the floor.

Rumors Abound but Hope is Found

2006-01-21T21:52:00.000-08:00

Surfing around the internet I have found many rumors concerning who will fill our vacant head coach position. The only reliable news I have found is the fact that the Buffalo Bills are interviewing Jim Caldwell, former assistant head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.

Buffalo Bills Lose Mike Mularkey

2006-01-14T17:09:00.000-08:00

The Buffalo Bills owner, Ralph Wilson, announced this week that Head Coach Mike Mularkey has decided to resign. He has only been with the Bills for two seasons and in that time the team did not make any significant improvements. I don’t feel very confident that Mularkey could have taken us to a winning season, so I am not very sorry to see him go. We haven’t made the playoffs in six years and have not seen a winning season in that many years. This is the longest the Bills have gone without a victorious regular season and their record for 2005 was 5-11. Let’s hope our next coach is a good one.

Donahoe Jumps Ship – Mularkey to Captain

2006-01-07T17:04:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday the Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson revealed that GM Tom Donahoe will be leaving Bills and Mike Mularkey will be taking the head coach position. A replacement for Donahoe will be announced at a later date. Donahoe expressed that he feels the Bills have made little progress in the past few years and so it was time for him to move on. The Bills are restructuring in hopes of turning this team into a winner. Many believe that these changes will make a big difference and that we will see the change immediately. I’m keeping my fingers crossed but won’t hold my breath.

McGee’s Spectacular Play Shocks Bengals

2005-12-29T15:49:00.000-08:00

We beat the Cincinnati Bengals 37-27 on the road last weekend and showed we have the strength to beat a top rated team. This was our fifth win of the season and Kelly Holcomb passed with great accuracy for 308 yards and the victory. Terrence McGee returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and became the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. With under a minute left in the fourth quarter, McGee showed his worth again with a 46-yard interception for a touchdown. He became the first player ever to perform both of those feats in a single game and deserves recognition.

Holcomb, Losman and the Great Moorman

2005-12-21T15:39:00.000-08:00

Out of all the players on the Buffalo Bills squad punter Brian Moorman was chosen to go to the Pro Bowl. He is the only Bills player selected and this is his first time to go to the all-star game. Kelly Holcomb will be making his second start in our game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday. Hopefully this will be his best start because the Bengals are a tough team to beat. Losman is still walking with a limp but is probable for the game on Saturday. It appears he has no trouble passing from his performance at practice yet he will not be able to start.

Great Moments but No Win for the Bills

2005-12-15T16:43:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately our schedule got pretty impossible four weeks ago and we haven’t pulled out a win since. The Buffalo Bills have had to face the unstoppable Carolina Panthers, the offensive masters of the New England Patriots, and on Saturday we play the Denver Broncos who are said to have the best defense in the league. Individual players did pretty well in the game against the Patriots. Aaron Schobel got his tenth sack for the season in the New England game. However, the few accomplishments of the game included only one touchdown and you can’t win a game against a former Super Bowl champ with one touchdown.

Moulds Knocks Team Leadership

2005-12-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

Eric Moulds has been punished for an argument on the sidelines with an assistant coach. They have suspended him without pay and he will not be playing in the game against the New England Patriots on Sunday. He will be back after that and will play the last games of the season. Moulds has been excluded from practice this week as well. The actual disagreement was over Moulds leaving the field due to pain in his Achilles tendon. The trainer asked him to get back on the field and Moulds refused. The trainer says that he never heard Moulds mention he was hurt. ESPN claims when the trainer came to tell Moulds to get back on the field::

“Tyke Tolbert…said that Moulds responded by saying he didn't have to listen to what the head coach said.”

Panthers Beat Bills, Barely.

2005-11-30T17:08:00.000-08:00

Against the Carolina Panthers the Bills linebacker, London Fletcher, got 17 tackles but we did not pull out the win. Panther quarterback Jake Delhomme passed for a lot of yards and our QB J.P. Losman passed for a career-high 197 yards, so we can’t say all the big plays were on the other side of the ball. They just had the better defense and kept us out of the end zone. It was not a high-scoring game on either side of the ball yet I believe it is a game we should have won. The statistics don’t lie and they really make us look like a winning team. This was a home game loss but how can we turn this season into something when we can’t win on the road?

Losman Gets Hit, a Lot.

2005-11-22T16:35:00.000-08:00

Number two in the AFC East with a 4-6 record is where our Buffalo Bills are at right now. Our loss to the San Diego Chargers was not really as bad as the score makes it look. The Chargers are a good team, they have a 6-4 record and this was their third consecutive win. It would have been nice if our defense had stopped them from scoring so many points, but we haven’t been winning on the road all season. There are a lot of things to work on and our running game is a big one. Willis McGahee hasn’t been producing like the NFL’s best running back, a moniker he gave himself. The Chargers got six sacks on J.P. Losman for the game.

We need to put this hard loss behind us and focus on the rest of the season with the Carolina Panthers coming up. That is going to be one important home game.

Get the Tiiming Down

2005-06-13T18:06:00.000-07:00

QB J.P. Losman and WR Lee Evans are spending quite a bit of extra time at the practice facility working on their timing. Just like any QB and WR combination the youngsters need time to develop and gain a feel for each other. And when they do, the two will be making a number of big plays for seasons to come.

Oh Henry

2005-06-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

The interest on behalf of the Titans for Travis Henry continues to grow. The Bills have long lost the need for Travis Henry, who is still a good commodity to have around. But the Bills have McGahee and plan to build the future run game around him. The Titans have only offered a 4th round pick for Henry, but the Bills are looking for at a 3rd round pick.

Confidence

2005-05-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

It has been nothing but praise around the locker room for young gun, J.P. Losman. The praise is mostly coming from veterans. They have been noticing Losman's maturity on and off the field.

It is the way Losman carries himself that the team likes the most. He has confidence in his athletic ability and his cannon like arm. Losman has the confidence to lead this team and the players are eager to follow.

Drawing Interest

2005-05-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

There are three teams right now that are interested in Bills running back Travis Henry. The Eagles carried interest in Henry ever since Terrell Owens hold out began, and would like to have a back field with as many swing pass catching running backs as possible.

Another team that has interest is the Titans. I don’t really understand the Titans purpose for Henry since they already have Brown. Lastly the Jags are looking into Henry incase Fred Taylor’s knee does not recover.

The Protoype

2005-05-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

As wide receiver Eric Moulds enters into his 11th season as loyal Buffalo Bill, the man still remains one of the most talented players in the league at his respective position. He has excellent size and all-around athleticism. Although he's he has lost a step over the years, Moulds still has above average speed.

Mould’s also has great upper body strength that will help him to beat jams at the line of scrimmage. Let us not forget about his route running capability that he uses to create separation. Mould’s in my eyes is an all around prototype receiver that will make J.P Losman look like a star.

The Replacements

2005-05-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

from Foxsports.com

QB Kelly Holcomb looks like he'll be a solid backup and mentor to first-year starter J.P. Losman. Holcomb threw the ball well and showed a good command of the offense during the team's recent minicamp.

He doesn't have a gun like Losman, but Holcomb gets the ball where it needs to be and makes sound decisions.

Holcomb poses no threat to Losman's hold on the starting job, but the team says having a backup with Holcomb's experience, knowledge and professional approach to the game will assist in Losman's development as a player and leader.

Impressive

2005-05-09T17:03:00.000-07:00

from Foxsports.com

Rookie WR Roscoe Parrish made a very good impression on teammates and the coaching staff. He showed off his great speed and playmaking skills. Despite his size, the 5-9, 170-pound Parrish is a tough guy and is not afraid to go over the middle. He also raised eyebrows by fighting for jump balls and making catches over taller cornerbacks. So far, Parrish has been everything the team envisioned when it drafted him in the second round. He still has a lot to learn as far as reading coverages and beating jams off the line of scrimmage, but he is such an explosive vertical threat that he will create matchup problems as a slot receiver.

Draft Dish

2005-04-25T15:05:00.000-07:00

The Bills believe they are very close to being an elite team, so they sought immediate help in this draft. They added speed at several skill positions and depth on the interior of the offensive line. Conventional wisdom said that offensive line and defensive line were the club's top draft priorities, but Buffalo used its first two picks on WR Roscoe Parrish and TE Kevin Everett, and took offensive linemen later. Parrish is a deep threat, and Everett provides insurance behind TEs Mark Campbell and Tim Euhus, who are coming off major knee surgeries. . . .

The decision not to draft defensive tackles is a ringing endorsement of Tim Anderson, who is the favorite to replace Pat Williams (Vikings), and top backup Ron Edwards.

Drafting a Plan

2005-04-12T17:42:00.000-07:00

from Foxsports.com

The Bills' first choice will be the 55th selection -- they traded their 2005 first-round pick last year to get in position to draft QB J.P. Losman -- so they would like to move up. The possible trade of disgruntled RB Travis Henry will have some effect on the team's strategy. The Bills would love to get another second-round pick for Henry. There also is a chance the stalled trade talks regarding Cardinals OT L.J. Shelton could be revived. Acquiring Shelton would make drafting an offensive tackle in the early rounds less of a priority. The Bills don't have many glaring needs -- they already have filled some holes with free agents -- so they primarily will look for depth and future starters in the draft.

Only getting Better...

2005-04-04T13:32:00.000-07:00

Most people expect a rookie to put out rookie numbers. Most rookies do put out rookie numbers as they use that first year to learn the play black and find chemistry with their fellow team mates. Some people even say it takes a while for rookies to adjust from the College level speed of the game to NFL.

But that was not the case for Bills rookie receiver, Lee Evans…

Evans now entering his second year is projected to do be even better than when he was a rookie. Evans caught 48 passes for 843 and 9 touchdowns this past season, which is impressive as is.

Evans gave the Bills the quick strike capability that they needed vertically in passing game. Evans was such a quick learner and with his speed to match he will be a vital tool to the Bills offensive.

O yeah, the kid has really good hands too. Hands and speed is something that can not be taught. And what could be taught was picked up very well by Evans. As the season progressed he started running routes like a veteran and his work ethic speaks for it self. It seems that Evans has a very bright future ahead of him.

Postion Change

2005-03-20T10:54:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

Starting C Trey Teague may get a look at left tackle during the spring minicamps. The Bills had plans to use him at that position when signing him as a free agent out of Denver in 2002, but ultimately decided he was a better fit at center.

Teague started 20 games at left tackle in four years for Denver, including all 16 regular-season contests in 2001. Teague may be the Bills' most athletic offensive lineman. He is a technically sound blocker, and he has the quickness and mobility to play in space. While not a dominant run blocker, he works hard at getting good position and redirecting defenders.

Cap Status

2005-02-27T11:42:00.000-08:00

from Foxsports.com

With WR Eric Moulds' contract extension and QB Drew Bledsoe's release, the Bills are roughly $14 million under the projected 2005 salary cap. This puts the team in position to re-sign its key free agents and pursue other veterans on the open market.

Vincent to stay Safety

2005-02-07T15:41:00.000-08:00

If Troy Vincent wanted to play cornerback on my football I would let him, but I am not a coach nor am I his coach.

Vincent would like to play cornerback and would still be at least in the tops 5 if did play corner for the Bills. That is not where he will play next season though, and is prepared to become the Bills free safety permanently.

Vincent is as smart as they come in the NFL if not smarter. He adapted quickly to the position and with his uncanny instinct to be were the ball is, him and Lawyer Milloy will be a force to be reckoned with.

One more to the pro-bowl

2005-01-30T13:14:00.000-08:00

The man of the hour in Buffalo right now is cornerback Nate Clements. Clements found out recently that he would be making a trip to the pro-bowl.

"My dad called and told me that I had made it to the Pro Bowl and I was just like, 'get outta here' and I started laughing," Clements said. "I was so loud in the grocery store people were looking at me like I was crazy."

Clements had 78 tackles, with 5 forced fumbles, and lead his team with 6 interceptions, and now joins defensive starters Sam Adams and Takeo Spikes in Hawaii.

Here is an Idea

2005-01-19T13:33:00.000-08:00

Even though the Buffalo Bills had a spot in the top ten NFL's scoring offense, the Bills still lacked to be a red zone threat enough in the red zone. The Bills only converted 28 of their 62 red zone attempts. That is 45.2 percentage rate of scoring in the red zone.

There were just three teams left after the Bills with a less percentage of producing TD's in the red zone, teams in which names will not be mentioned.

It just doesn't make sense with a young running back like Willis McGahee and receiver like Eric Moulds and Lee Evans. The talent is there, but for the Bills to make their presence known in the next post-season it would be important to run the ball more at first to open up slants in the middle of the field.

Why not have crossing slants? If the Bills can sell the run and get the defensive to but 7 or 8 in the "box" then those crossing slants would hurt in the red zone against opposing defenses.

Here come the Bills

2004-12-30T11:37:00.000-08:00

Funny thing about sports, is the so called Guru's. Guys from ESPN exc. who get to predict how one season is going to be.

Truth is that stats don't mean crap. It is about the team. It has always been about the team. Eric Moulds knows that.

"It doesn't matter who is getting the ball or who is getting the stats, just as long as we're winning," said wide receiver Eric Moulds. "There is a big difference since I've been here. Guys are unselfish and want to win games."

The Bills started the season at 0-4. Then critics of course criticized Coach Mike Mularkey about the lack of scoring, scoring just 51 points in their 0-4 start. Then road wins became a problem but Mularkey seems to be getting his team overcome the mental mistakes and not listen to what other sports writers had to say.

The Bills would need a win to help send them to the playoffs. And win against the Steelers. It will be tough, but the fact the Bills haven't been to the playoffs since 1999 might motivate them enough to out score the Steelers.

FYI - If the Bills make the playoffs, they will be the second team in NFL history to reach the playoff with a 0-4 start.

All Business for Bills Fullback Shelton

2004-12-22T13:37:00.000-08:00

by Gregg Pastore, buffalobills.com

Bills fullback Daimon Shelton may not show up on the stat sheet on Sundays, and he's perfectly fine with that. But the seven-year veteran takes pride in knowing that opposing teams won't miss his numbers when they review the film on Mondays.

After a season away from football, Buffalo's 6-foot, 262-pound fullback is having a Pro Bowl year. Shelton is the ideal lead blocker, mixing power and leverage along with his size to help him blow up defenders at the point of attack.

"As long as I'm doing my job and opening holes for the running back that's my reward," said Shelton.

Shelton has helped pave the way for 100-yard rushing games in six of Willis McGahee's first nine NFL starts and Offensive Coordinator Tom Clements credits a large part of the team's success running the ball this season to the former Sacramento State tailback.

"He's probably the best blocking fullback I've been around," said Clements. "A smart and physical player, he never makes a mistake and when you ask him to do something he'll do it to the best of his ability. He's certainly having a great year and it would be nice to see him get some recognition."

Shelton was out of football in 2003 after being released by the Chicago Bears at the end of training camp last summer. Buffalo was only team to contact him.

"I came out and worked out for the Bills and shortly after that I signed," said Shelton. "I'm happy to be here and hoping that it's all worked out for the good."

Bills guard Chris Villarrial played with Shelton for two seasons in Chicago and he describes him as a hard nosed player that is all business.

"He's very quiet but he is a guy that brings his lunch pale to work every day," said Villarrial. "He comes to work, does his job, and goes home. You never hear him complaining."

I'm glad to see him doing so well this year. He really deserves it. In the off-season he works as hard as he can and he never gripes."

Earlier this season, Head Coach Mike Mularkey called Shelton the team's most consistent player on offense.

"I'd like to know if there's a fullback playing better in the league," Mularkey said. "I mean that. Daimon has been a great addition to this team. He's a very solid football player."

Ironically, Shelton signed with Bills prior to the team hiring Mularkey but when the two sat down to talk for the first time, Shelton was convinced he would fit right in.

"He talked how he wanted to establish the run and be a physical team and that was right up my alley," Shelton said.

For Shelton, becoming a successful fullback requires more than film study.

Earlier this season Shelton told Bills Digest, the team's official publication, that he feels it's important to establish a relationship with the back he's blocking for.

"I try to establish a relationship right away with the running backs I'm blocking for, so maybe we'll watch film together or we'll talk about different looks and different adjustments we both can make to be successful. It's definitely an on and off the field relationship."

After scoring his first career NFL touchdown, running back Willis McGahee handed the ball to Shelton as a reward for providing a key block that sprung McGahee for the 5-yard TD run.

After a spectacular first season the question remains will Shelton be elected to his first Pro Bowl this week?

"It comes to mind and sometimes the coaches say stuff about going to the Pro Bowl after the year off and how exciting that would be," Shelton last week. "I try not to focus on that too much because if it happens then it's going to happen. I just try to keep my focus on a weekly schedule and concentrate on the team that we play that week."

Pro Bowl or not, Shelton has made his presence felt this year for the Bills.

Tight End Campbell Out; Trafford In

2004-12-09T11:28:00.000-08:00

Gregg Pastore, buffalobills.com

Sunday's win over the AFC East rival Miami Dolphins came at a cost for the Bills.

Starting tight end Mark Campbell injured his ACL on his right knee and has been placed on Injured Reserve. Head Coach Mike Mularkey said the six-year veteran has not had surgery.

Campbell is third among Buffalo receivers with 17 catches for 203 yards and five touchdowns.

To make matters worse, backup tight end Tim Euhus has been listed as doubtful to play this week against the Browns. Euhus injured his right knee against Miami and his status is still being evaluated.

To fill the void at tight end, the Bills signed Rod Trafford on Wednesday. Trafford had been part of the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad since Week 2.

The former NFL Europe standout is familiar with Buffalo's offense, having spent part the entire 2004 preseason with the team before being released a week before the regular season began.

"Rod has been out of the system for four months and we'll get him caught up as much as we can with out overloading him and expecting him to do too much," Mularkey said on Wednesday.

The Bills also have tight end Ryan Neufeld on the roster and Mularkey has confidence in Neufeld's ability should he be pressed into extended duty.

"Obviously Ryan Neufeld played a lot in the game this past week and I thought he played extremely well," said Mularkey.

Neufeld is an athletic tight end that catches the ball well and has shown versatility as part of the special teams unit.

"You've got to have guys that can step in and play for you," said quarterback Drew Bledsoe. "We'll address it in the best way that we can. As with any position you have to have somebody to step in and play at a high level so that you can stay on track."

Mularkey said that tight end/offensive tackle Jason Peters will also have a limited role at tight end behind Neufeld.

"We have enough personnel groupings scheme wise to get it done," said Mularkey.

Meanwhile, veteran cornerback Troy Vincent is listed as questionable for the Browns game with a lingering knee injury that has kept him sidelined for the past nine games. Vincent did practice fully with the team on Wednesday.

Campbell Catches Three TD's

2004-11-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

by Eric Allen, from ESPN.com

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -- With a little help from Buffalo's special teams, Drew Bledsoe answered his critics.

Bledsoe hit tight end Mark Campbell for three touchdowns and Nate Clements returned a punt 86 yards for a score, helping the Bills to a 37-17 win over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

It was a dominating effort by a Buffalo team (4-6) that has won four straight at home, but was coming off its worst outing of the season, a 29-6 loss at New England.

Allen's Analysis

Why are the veteran-laden Rams so up and down? For some reason this team won't listen to the stats despite their obvious relevance. The stats prove that if RB Marshall Faulk gets a certain number of carries this team is darn hard to beat. But for some reason they will get enamored with the pass and completely ignore him and drop a game like this one to a team that has inferior personnel. It's also becoming obvious that the defense misses former coordinator Lovie Smith who seemed to have this team playing spirited football. He put an emphasis on team morale that now seems to be lacking in St. Louis.

Eric Allen played cornerback for 14 NFL seasons with the Eagles, Saints and Raiders. He's a regular contributor to Insider.

Bledsoe answered those calling for rookie J.P. Losman to take over as starter, going 15-of-24 for 185 yards. His only blemish was an interception off Lee Evans' hand in the first quarter.

The three touchdowns were the most Bledsoe's thrown since he had three in Buffalo's 38-21 win over Miami on Dec. 1, 2002.

Bledsoe was so good his 160 yards passing in the first half were more than he had in 10 of his previous 23 games. And he got his 213th career touchdown pass, moving into 19th place ahead of Terry Bradshaw and Y.A. Tittle.

After spotting the Rams a 10-0 first-quarter lead on their first two possessions, the Bills held St. Louis to 98 yards and no points in the second half, and intercepted Marc Bulger three times.

And Buffalo's special teams continued to shine. Clements' score was Buffalo's fourth touchdown return of the season, and second in consecutive games after Jonathan Smith returned a punt 70 yards for a score against the Patriots.

This was not the effort the Rams were expecting after taking the NFC West lead with last weekend's 23-12 win over Seattle.

St. Louis (5-5) has now lost three of its last four, all three losses against AFC East opponents.

This performance might have been worse than their loss to Miami, and could lead to another public outburst from coach Mike Martz, who chewed out his team following a 40-22 loss to New England on Nov. 7.

Marc Bulger went 27-of-45 for 287 yards, including touchdowns to Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce.

The Rams unraveled completely at the start of the third quarter with the game tied at 17. The Bills scored 20 points in the quarter, 17 in a 5:40 span.

After the Rams went three and out on their first possession of the half, Smith returned a punt 53 yards to the St. Louis 5. Bledsoe hit Campbell over the middle for a touchdown on the next play.

After another three and out, Clements caught the punt at the right hash and burst untouched up the right sideline, somersaulting into the end zone from the 1.

The Rams' Erik Flowers then muffed Buffalo's short kickoff, which the Bills recovered at the St. Louis 31, leading to Rian Lindell's 35-yard field goal.

Any chances of a Rams comeback ended when Bulger marched St. Louis 65 yards to the Bills 2 early in the fourth quarter. But defensive tackle Sam Adams batted a pass at the line of scrimmage and then caught it in a crowd.

Campbell also caught TD passes of 19 and 10 yards for the first three-TD game of his career, and finished with four catches for 37 yards.

Willis McGahee rushed for 100 yards on 20 carries, the fourth 100-yard game of his career -- all coming in Bills victories this season.

The Rams' already young and troubled secondary was depleted further by injuries. Starting cornerback Travis Fisher and backup DeJuan Groce did not return after sustaining knee injuries in the first quarter. And fourth cornerback Kevin Garrett did not return after taking a blow to the head in the third quarter.

Bills RT Williams Driven off Field in Ambulance

2004-11-08T09:26:00.000-08:00

by Associated Press, From Espn.com

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Bills right tackle Mike Williams suffered a neck injury and was driven off the field in an ambulance during the third quarter of Buffalo's 22-17 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.

Williams was walking around with a neck brace following the game. He also had X-rays taken that were negative, but the Bills remained cautious.

"He'll be looked at again after 24 hours," coach Mike Mularkey said.

Williams appeared to be knocked cold when he and left tackle Jonas Jennings were protecting quarterback Drew Bledsoe, double-teaming Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis. As Bledsoe released the pass, Ellis bowled over Jennings, knocking him into Williams, who awkwardly fell backward.

Williams lay face down and motionless at the Bills 10 as team trainers and emergency officials tended to him. He was lifted onto a stretcher and had his helmet strapped in place. The Bills announced that trainers were taking precautionary measures to protect Williams' neck.

Williams raised his right thumb just he was being placed into the ambulance.

"He's a guy I have a lot of respect for, and is an important member of our team," Bledsoe said.

Bills players knelt together in a circle while Williams was being treated on the field.

Marcus Price took over for Williams, Buffalo's first-round pick in the 2002 draft.

Defense Pressure Creates Turnover, Bills Win

2004-10-18T07:44:00.000-07:00

Gregg Pastore, buffalobills.com

Why is history important - or even significant? It's been said that those who ignore history, are condemned to repeat it.

The Bills have played the Dolphins at least twice every season since 1966. The home team has now won 12 of the past 17 games and the team winning the turnover battle has taken 15 of the past 16.

Sunday's meeting between the two teams, before a crowd of 72,714 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, NY, offered proof of that old axiom.

The Bills defense did in fact win the battle, 1-0, and the lone turnover proved to be the difference as the Bills etched their first victory of the season, 20-13.

On Miami's second possession, Bills linebacker Takeo Spikes stepped in front of a Jay Fielder screen pass intended for fullback Ron Konrad and returned it 11 yards untouched for the game's first points.

"It was basically a man-to-man play, and I knew the guy had to account for the blitzer coming from the outside," said Spikes. "Once I saw him faking like he was going to block, I knew he was going to run the screen, so instead I just ran in the gap where he had to throw it, and Fiedler threw it and I knew I had to make the play"

Although the Bills defense didn't force another turnover the rest of the way, they were disruptive throughout the remainder of the game. Defensive end Aaron Schobel had 2 ½ sacks, for his seventh multi-sack game of his career, and defensive tackle Ron Edwards added a pair sacks as the Bills limited Miami to 212 yards of net offense.

On several occasions, Fielder was forced to rush his throws by blitzing Bills players.

The Bills also did a good job of making adjustments.

After former Bills running back Sammy Morris rushed for 81 yards on 12 carries in the first half, the defense put eight guys in the box and contained Miami in the second half, holding him to 10 yards on six rushes.

Buffalo has not given up a 100-yard individual rushing performance this season and dating back to the beginning of 2003, the Bills defense has yielded only three individual rushing performances in the last 21 games.

With the first win of the season behind them, the Bills are now focusing on another streak.

"It's been a long time since we've gotten a win," said Fletcher. "A lot of people in Western New York can go have a good week at work now. A lot of guys sleep easier tonight. But, we still have a long to go to be the type of football team we want to be."

Monday Update

2004-09-27T13:06:00.000-07:00

From the offical site of the Buffalo Bills

On what would normally be just a day of film session and recovery, the Bills are taking advantage of the week off by practicing on Monday. The team will workout from 12:35 – 2:00 p.m.

At conclusion of practice Buffalobills.com will be in the locker room to talk to players about their weekend off and the upcoming matchup with the New England Patriots. Shortly afterward, Buffalobills.com will have complete audio posted on the site.

Confidence not Shaken

2004-09-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

You won't see new head coach Mike Mularkey hang his head nor will you see his team hang their heads after Sunday's match up against the Jacksonville Jaguars. For bout 56-58 minuntes it seemed to be a Bills win. After holding Jacksonville to 145 yards all game, there was a debacle in the closing minutes, the Bills allowed Jacksonville to drive all most the full length of the field for a game winning T.D.

Post game remark

"I felt like we had a number of opportunities. One play here or there in all the phases could have been the difference in the game. I don't feel like we lost the game on the last play of the game. I felt like there were opportunities, many of them, and one of them could have been the difference in the game."
-Mularkey

Monday morning remark

"It was pretty upbeat. I think they know it's just one football game that we came up on the short end and we can make up for it this week."
-Mularkey

Matthews Joins the Bills

2004-09-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

from buffalobills.com:

The Bills signed Matthews late Monday afternoon to fill a void in the roster after quarterbacks Travis Brown and J.P. Losman went down with injuries last week, leaving starter Drew Bledsoe and the inexperienced Greg Zolman as the remaining healthy quarterbacks on the roster.

With Brown expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a knee sprain and Losman anticipated to be sidelined for 8-12 weeks with a broken leg, President and General Manager Tom Donahoe felt it was necessary to land a veteran to backup Bledsoe.

Let's go Bills!! Hope Matthews has a good season!

Bills vs. Colts

2004-08-27T15:51:00.000-07:00

from buffalobills.com:

The Buffalo Bills travel to Indianapolis this weekend to take on the Colts in their third preseason contest. The Bills are currently 1-1 in preseason play and look to add to their win column at the RCA Dome.

The Bills defense has been impressive both in camp and during their two previous games. They have only allowed one touchdown and an average of only 11 points per game. The Colts explosive offense should be a great test for this defense.

Peyton Manning, the NFL's 2003 co-MVP, presents a difficult challenge. He can beat defenses single-handedly with his arm, especially throwing to Pro Bowl wide receiver, Marvin Harrison. But that's not all the Bills have to contain. Throw in running back Edgerrin James and the Colts have the triple threat.

Be sure and watch the game! GO BILLS!!!

Losman Breaks Leg

2004-08-25T15:04:00.000-07:00

from buffalobills.com:

Rookie quarterback J.P. Losman has suffered a broken leg and will be out indefinitely. Such injuries typically require a recovery time of 8-12 weeks.

Losman went down during 11-on-11 action with 25 minutes left in practice and was helped into a cart and driven off to the locker room.

The first-round draft pick was injured when he made contact with cornerback Troy Vincent while he was finishing up a run to the right side during a two-minute drill. He got up immediately and started limping before falling back to the ground, where team trainers attended to him for about five minutes before he was carted off the field.

Hopefully Losman feels better sooner than expected!

We All Scream for Ice Cream

2004-08-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

from buffalobills.com

With football season kicking off next month, Turkey Hill is looking to score a touchdown in the frozen food aisles of Western New York with its new Bills Stampede Sundae Ice Cream.

For the extra point, area sports fans can help Turkey Hill raise money for the Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo (WCHOB).

The first ever Bills themed ice cream flavor, Stampede Sundae, features vanilla flavored ice cream spiked with tasty Gertrude Hawk chocolate peanut butter footballs. Smooth swirls of peanut butter and chocolate fudge enhance the premium ice cream taste.

Hehe... sounds good.

Bills Begin Training

2004-08-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

From NFL.com

The Buffalo Bills have begun their training camp. As all eyes are on the field, here's a look at what the team is shaping up to be:

The Bills opened camp with 85 players on their roster. NFL rules limit teams to 80 players unless a player has been granted an exemption from the League. The Bills have received a roster exemption until Sunday, September 5 for offensive tackle Jasen Esposito, linebacker Asa Francis, kicker Mike Shafer, and quarterback Greg Zolman due to their participation in the NFL Europe League this past spring.

And, as training camps opens across the league, a scan of all 32 NFL rosters shows that only eight quarterbacks have more NFL experience than Bills starter Drew Bledsoe.

Also, the Bills have released defensive back Kahlil Carter, who spent the spring playing for the Scottish Claymores in the NFL Europe League. Carter was originally signed by the team on January 29, 2004.

More info as it comes...

Welcome Anderson!

2004-07-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

From BuffaloBills.com:

The Bills have agreed to terms with defensive tackle Tim Anderson, the team's third round selection in the 2004 NFL Draft and the 74th player taken overall. A three-year starter at Ohio State, Anderson established himself as the team's inside anchor, starting 36 of 44 games in his career, totaling 125 tackles (65 solos) with 11 sacks for minus 61 yards. Anderson becomes the fourth of the Bills six 2004 draft picks to agree on a contract with the team, joining TE Tim Euhus, OT Dylan McFarland, and Jonathan Smith as the others.

Welome to all new members of the Bills!!!

Hopes for the New Season

2004-07-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

One of the main changes this season is Jim McNally's return as a line coach for The Bills. Here's what The Bills official website said about him:

Jim McNally has returned to his roots in Western New York and enters training camp working to turn around an offensive line that gave up 49 sacks last season. He also faces the challenge of molding together a new group of men after the departure of guard Ruben Brown to the Chicago Bears.
He will have the task of helping to select a starting left guard between candidates Ross Tucker, Mike Pucillo, and Marques Sullivan, but McNally's track record proves he's up to the task. He has had success every place he has coached from college to the NFL.

Lets hope that his experience makes this season the best ever!!

Brand New Bills Blog

2004-07-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by my new Bills site. It's not quite up and running yet, but come back soon!!!