Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills News, 10/25

by MattRichWarren on Oct 25, 2011 7:56 AM EDT in Buffalo Bills News

Levitre the likely left tackle - BuffaloBills.com
"Bills head coach Chan Gailey knew it was a possibility heading into the bye weekend. On Monday it became a likelihood. Starting left guard Andy Levitre was lined up at left tackle in practice Monday, and with Demetrius Bell still on the mend from a shoulder injury, Levitre is expected to start there Sunday against Washington."

Troup says back is not a chronic issue - Bills & NFL - The Buffalo News
"Torell Troup has heard the whispers and is determined to set the record straight. The back injury that has kept the Buffalo Bills' second-year nose tackle out of four of six games this season -- and severely limited him when he could play -- is not something he expects to trouble him the rest of the year. Or even worse, for his entire career."

Foot injury leaves DT Williams in limbo - BuffaloBills.com
"In typical Kyle Williams fashion he tried to play through it. Buffalo’s Pro Bowl defensive tackle just hoped his nagging foot injury that first cropped up in training camp would eventually subside and allow him to be the penetrating nose tackle that he’s always been. After five games his left foot has refused to cooperate forcing team doctors to put it in an immobilizer boot until further notice."

Bills add practice squad DT - BuffaloBills.com
"Ross (6’2" 302) was released by Green Bay prior to the regular season after joining the Packers’ practice squad on Oct. 20, 2010. The East Carolina product entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with New Orleans in 2010. Ross totaled 140 tackles with 18.5 stops for a loss and 8.5 sacks in 52 games with 42 starts for the Pirates."

Kyle Williams on His Injury Situation - BuffaloBills.com
The Bills DT talks about his foot injury.

Chan Gailey Monday Press Conference - BuffaloBills.com
Coach Gailey updates the injury situation and looks ahead to this week.

Week 7: Player Guest C.J. Spiller - BuffaloBills.com
Thurman Thomas talks with CJ Spiller about his increased role as a receiver.

Week 7: Double Coverage - BuffaloBills.com
"Steve Tasker and Chris Brown debate play calling and players who might step up for Buffalo in the second half of the season."

Inside The Bills | Spiller’s WR role evolving "
"Because we had a bye we’ll have a little more time and he’ll have more time to think about things and how to get him involved," said Ryan Fitzpatrick of Spiller. "I think just in general with the injuries and still not having guys back, his role is going to increase. I think that was inevitable with him being out there and having a little bit to build on with the catches and the routes that he ran. I think that was going to happen anyway."

Inside The Bills | LaCanfora says Stevie, Fred after Fitz "
"It’s pretty close," said LaCanfora on an extension deal for Fitzpatrick. "It could well be before he plays his next game. He’s going to make around $10 million a year. They’ve made a lot of progress on this the last two weeks and no surprise here, things really kicked into overdrive when he beat the Patriots. That kind of got negotiations going again and they’ve been on a steady upward slant since then."

Inside The Bills | Skins are beat up "
"The Bills needed a bye week to heal up and even with it won’t be completely healthy heading into Sunday’s game with Washington in Toronto. Neither will the Redskins after their loss Sunday to Carolina."

Inside The Bills | Limited progress for Merriman "
"He’s not making the progress we had hoped right now," said Gailey. "We’re going to try to work with him and see where it goes."

Fitz not available Monday - BillBoard - The Buffalo News
"Read into it what you will, but from here it seems an extension is imminent. The alternative, of course, would be that talks broke down over the weekend, but the former is much more likely."

Injuries piling up for Redskins - BillBoard - The Buffalo News
"Injuries are not exclusive to the Bills. Buffalo's next opponent, the Washington Redskins, have been hit hard in the last two weeks."

Buffalo Bills hurting, but they're back to work | Democrat and Chronicle
"The Bills may be without Shawne Merriman and Demetrius Bell for Sunday's game against the Redskins."

Bills' NT Williams In Walking Boot Full-Time - WGR 550 SportsRadio
"It's frustrating. Nobody's more upset or disappointed than I am," he said. "You guys have been around me long enough to know this isn't where I want to be. It's a bad thing because it's not anything I'm good at -- is being patient."

Bills catching Redskins at the right time - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Buffalo, coming off its bye, had two weeks to get healthy and is trying to rebound from a tough loss to the New York Giants. The Bills have a tough stretch of games upcoming. They could do themselves a big favor if they take advantage of a depleted Washington team and improve to 5-2."

NFL Power Rankings: AFC East preview - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"Buffalo also was inactive but may have a chance to move up. Top-10 teams like the Detroit Lions and Chargers suffered losses in Week 7."

New kickoff rule provides limited returns - buffalobills.com
"Of the 30 kickoffs the Bills have fielded this season 24 have gone for touchbacks, good for fourth most in the league. Buffalo’s 80 percent touchback percentage is the highest in football. More than even Denver’s 77 percent with the Broncos playing three of their first six games in the thin mile high air of their own stadium where the ball carries further."

Bills must reach deals with stars - Bucky Gleason - The Buffalo News
"I'm not suggesting Fitzpatrick is an elite quarterback by any means, but he's a very good one. He's certainly the best the Bills have had since Drew Bledsoe's first season in Buffalo. Add up everything Fitz has done for the Bills, compare him to other QBs, and $10 million-plus is well within reason."

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Albert Pujols too important to their teams | Democrat and Chronicle
"I believe the generally frugal Bills would be wise to sign Fitzpatrick to a deal worth $10 million per year, with potential bonuses for individual and team performances worth another $2 million per season. A four- or five-year deal would be good for the 28-year-old Fitzpatrick but may be too long for the Bills."

CONFER: Occupy Ralph Wilson Stadium " Opinion " Tonawanda News
" Someone please tell that to Ralph Wilson and his compatriots at One Bills Drive. And while you’re at it, share that with ardent Buffalo Bills backers, our elected officials and the other newspaper. Each one of those groups is guilty of abandoning common sense and common sentiment, thinking it’s prudent for state and local taxpayers to invest a staggering $100 million to $175 million in improvements for Ralph Wilson Stadium."

Bills’ home away from home - The Globe and Mail
"Buffalo players spend some time in Toronto in advance of neutral-site game"

Ryan Fitzpatrick garnering attention - The Globe and Mail
"Buffalo quarterback in spotlight as NFL team preps for game in Toronto"

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That article on Kyle Williams is less than encouraging.

But the big picture question some may be wondering, could the last we’ve seen of Williams be when he left the game in the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles? Might this be of the season-ending variety of injuries?

“Not right now, no,” Williams said. “I’ve seen a bunch of doctors. Some were encouraging, some weren’t. Everybody’s got a different opinion, but everybody was of the same opinion to put this boot on and to shut it down a little bit.”

Thank you thank you thank you thank you sireric for bringing the furious punching cat back into my life. - poz

by bluecollarbuffalo on Oct 25, 2011 8:19 AM EDT reply actions

I really hope Troup recovers completely, we kept hearing great things about him in training camp. I would love to see him in at NT, with Dareus and Williams at DE.

by BuffaloSpaniard on Oct 25, 2011 8:20 AM EDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs

good news that his back problem is not expected to be chronic

Don't fear the Reaper......fear The Beard

If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.

by Joe P. on Oct 25, 2011 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions

That Tonawanda News article is totally ridiculous. Yes, the Ralph is OK to watch a game…until you watch a game at any other stadium. Yes, you should have to spend your own money to make money, but the reality of that situation is that other NFL (and prospective NFL) cities get public money. And, if NY state helps the Jets/Giants, they better help the Bills. If that stadium isn’t improved or the state/county isn’t willing to help renovate/replace, the odds of the team leaving upon Ralph’s death increases exponentially. Again, in theory I agree, but we don’t live in a bubble or ideal world. Saying no has consequences. And he compliments the bathrooms? They serve their purpose and I don’t care, but there really is nothing nice to say about them other than “they have running water”

Thank you thank you thank you thank you sireric for bringing the furious punching cat back into my life. - poz

by bluecollarbuffalo on Oct 25, 2011 8:47 AM EDT reply actions

what????

that was the whole point of the article….

paying money to ralph for renovation is such a narrow thinking…. oh, we would lose the bills, we better pay up…. we need to compete with big cities….

let me tell u one thing… take soccer in europe… none of those big clubs take money from the local cities… if its your business, its your problem…

and if you are so concerned that you will lose the bills, then the city and the team doesnt deserve each other in the first place…

going on a tangent, if you remember 2008, the argument against bailouts was this… if the dam is about to burst, the solution is not to make the dam larger because when it eventually bursts, the damage is going to be that much severe…

by statcruncher on Oct 25, 2011 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions

and i was just going to post that article is excellent

by statcruncher on Oct 25, 2011 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions

and to add

i hate the whole concept of the local area funding the existence of a sports franchise in america… i dont know how it ever got to that… it doesnt happen anywhere else and it is a stupid thing… and the worst thing to do in that situation is to think, " if new york is paying the jets and giants, they better pay up buffalo"… the whole country should work to stop this system instead… this system is built out of fear of losing a team, however trivial and ridiculous that sounds if you think about it….

really, you would rather not pay school teachers so that you get to see your horrible team play on sundays at -20F

by statcruncher on Oct 25, 2011 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions

One solution could be....

…to take some, if not all, of the money rec’d from the next Rogers contract and use that to pay some, if not all, of the stadium upgrades. If I recall correctly, the last deal brought the Bills $70m, so the next deal could certainly bring in the $100m needed for upgrades.

by PineWoodsBillsFan on Oct 25, 2011 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions

I don’t disagree with the premise, but part of the point of my comment was that that isn’t the world we live in. It happens. So, we need to think about some unknown owner coming in to the situation and stadium.

Plus, I would way rather pay teachers, but the political climate calls them lazy, greedy and unconcerned about anything but themselves. Please note: I strongly disagree with those things, but my point is, Albany isn’t deciding “Hey do we want to spend money on the Bills or pay teachers”. They are deciding "Hey, do we want to spend this money on the Bills or not spend it, or spend it on the Jets, Giants, Rangers, Islanders, Knicks, etc. That was my point. To still be ~~outraged~~ shocked by how things work in professional sports is a little curious to me. I don’t like it, but that’s what happens now. I’d rather a stand be taken over someone else’s team, not mine. That was my point.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you sireric for bringing the furious punching cat back into my life. - poz

by bluecollarbuffalo on Oct 25, 2011 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions

One last thing

Perhaps the state/county (or whoever coughs up the dough) is allowed to sell the naming rights to the stadium as a condition to getting the money? I know it won’t be the tons of dough that other stadiums get, but if the Bills are indeed up and coming, I see some prime time games in their future and a few mentions of the stadium on national television. It won’t be 100 million, but I bet if it’s a 10 year deal, you could easily get 30 million of that back in that period of time.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you sireric for bringing the furious punching cat back into my life. - poz

by bluecollarbuffalo on Oct 25, 2011 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Just throwing this out there:

With the income tax revenue that the Bills provide NYS, they will more than make-up the difference in a few years.

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by MattRichWarren on Oct 25, 2011 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

i am for it

if there is some cost analysis freely available…

i think i read yesterday that the bills and their players together give about $20 million in taxes to NYS…. the last time there were renovations it was in 1998 or so… so in 13 years, you can estimate they got taxes of about 250 million… they want to renovate for about 150 million… so the government made 100 million on the bills, or about 7 million per year… but what about all other expenditures that the government has like police, etc… if buffalo is still making profit then i am up for it….

but i dont want to pay money just because the bills will leave the area

by statcruncher on Oct 25, 2011 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes, but then you also have to factor in the money generated in the economy that wouldn’t be there if the Bills don’t play on Sunday. For example, this past Sunday, I didn’t get together with people, didn’t buy food and drinks to watch the game. That creates $ also. Also, the revenue for local businesses, etc.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you sireric for bringing the furious punching cat back into my life. - poz

by bluecollarbuffalo on Oct 25, 2011 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

i think i read yesterday that the bills and their players together give about $20 million in taxes to NYS

I thought that was just income tax?

by J2 on Oct 25, 2011 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I think it is.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you sireric for bringing the furious punching cat back into my life. - poz

by bluecollarbuffalo on Oct 25, 2011 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

I am willing to say that perhaps I shouldn’t use the word ridiculous, but it was the third word I chose and the least harsh of the one’s I was considering and I decided I’d given enough time to that word.

Thank you thank you thank you thank you sireric for bringing the furious punching cat back into my life. - poz

by bluecollarbuffalo on Oct 25, 2011 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Quote of the Day

From the Globe and Mail piece:

"He really understands how to handle guys, and they have a much better communication system now than they did at any point last year," Gailey said. "This is as much freedom as I’ve ever given a quarterback, because I know he’s a lot smarter than I am."

Chan, leading by example, with humor and humility. Nice!

"Teams that don't deserve to win.... Usually don’t. Today is no exception." -- Mr Huge Pecs
"Nick Barnett is everywhere. He is behind you right now." -- Munchausen

by ChuckBuffInFlo on Oct 25, 2011 11:24 AM EDT reply actions