Buffalo Bills Notes, Quotes
by Sports Xchange
The Bills refuse to confirm reports that they have given Jauron a three-year contract extension.
--The Bills went from scoring 54 points against Kansas City to three against San Francisco and players are still at a loss to explain why. The Chiefs defense is ranked 32nd in the NFL -- last -- but the 49ers is a less-than daunting 23rd and it ranks 27th in points allowed. "We had plenty of opportunities to score a lot of points, but we just didn't do it and as close as we were to the goal line, the opportunities were right there, but plays just didn't get made," WR Lee Evans said. "I don't know exactly, it wasn't all one thing or another, but bottom line, being able to run it down in the red zone really helps your passing game."
--DT Marcus Stroud, talking about NFL players fearing for their personal safety in public in the wake of incidents involving other players and Giants WR Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the thigh with his own handgun he carried: "The way the times are now, you can't be sure. That's true for anybody. But the thing is, with us being NFL players, we have more of a spotlight on us and we could be more of a bigger target. I wouldn't necessarily say we were targeted, but we could be more of a bigger target than someone else."
--Sunday's game in Toronto will be played in the memory of Ted Rogers, CEO of Rogers Communication Inc., whose media conglomerate owns the Toronto Blue Jays, the Canadian Football League's Argos and which brokered the near $80 million deal to bring Bills games to his Rogers Centre. Rogers, 75, died of heart failure on Tuesday. Bills owner Ralph Wilson released this statement: "I was deeply saddened this morning when I heard the news of the passing of Ted Rogers. Ted was a true visionary and a giant in the communications field. Obviously, he played an integral part in the Bills Toronto Series and it makes me very sad that he won't be here to share in the historic game with us this weekend in the building that bears his name. He will be missed by many, many people for a very long time." Many close to the Rogers Group believe Rogers' passing won't impact the Bills Toronto Series deal. Phil Lind, vice chairman and a bigger NFL fan, was more the driving force behind the deal. Many believe he'd swing the $1 billion it would take to buy the Bills and relocate them to Toronto when they come for sale upon Wilson's death.
BY THE NUMBERS: 2 -- Left uprights PK Rian Lindell hit during last week's loss to San Francisco.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't really think that it's valid. I think, especially within this organization, and us as players, we have a tremendous amount of respect for him and we respect him, we can communicate with him, and we love him as a coach. I guess criticism comes all of the time, but it's nothing that's taken seriously here." -- WR Lee Evans, on fan and media criticism of coach Dick Jauron.
advertisement
