FanShot

Bell Played Well (?)

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According to BB.com (Chris Brown): Though the offensive line had its share of problems with penetration by Miami’s front, which stymied the run game and at times compromised pass protection, Demetrius Bell, who is coming off a long offseason rehabilitation fared well in his first regular season action since his knee injury late last season. By all accounts of the people that know at One Bills Drive, Demetrius Bell was relatively consistent with his play Sunday. Bell got 41 plays, which was more than even Chan Gailey anticipated going in, knowing his previous high came in the Cincinnati preseason game when he got 21. "He’s taken every challenge that we’ve thrown at him starting in the offseason with the rehab work," said Gailey. "He came through (the game) pretty good. He made some mistakes, but he did some really good things in the ball game. Overall his pass protection was pretty good during the ball game so I think he can handle the position. There’s no question in my mind he can handle the position. He has the athletic talent and he has the ‘want to’ and those are the two biggest things you have to have in this business." The Bills left tackle wanted to go the whole game, but knew the coaching staff had a plan in place to spell him for a series or two as he played all but 13 of the 54 offensive plays in the game. "I came out right at the time when he said he wanted to rest me," said Bell. "I didn’t feel I needed a break, but it was just something he talked about and something he wanted to do for me. So he stuck to the plan. It felt great to get back in a rhythm. I’ve still got a ways to go, but it’s coming to me slowly but surely." "He played good," said Bills GM Buddy Nix. "He played 41 snaps yesterday and he played good, but we have to rest him because he’s coming off that surgery." As for when Bell will be able to go every snap in a game is still an unknown, but Bell is playing with improved confidence even though he realizes he’s still a young player with less than a full season’s worth of starting experience. "I wouldn’t say I’m a veteran at all," Bell said. "I’ve still got a ways to go before I consider myself a veteran. I’ve just got to get my stamina back up to where I was before I was injured last year. Just get my legs totally back up under me 110 percent."