Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills Links, 12/24

Inside The Bills | Hangartner update
"Geoff did a little work in the first part of practice to get back into the swing of things," said Gailey. "We’ll see toward the end of the week and maybe (he’ll dress), maybe not."

Bills have little hope against Patriots - AFC East Blog - ESPN
"AccuScore has determined the New England Patriots are whopping 83 percent road favorites to beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday by an average of 11.5 points."

Cheering for Two Teams - DallasCowboysCheerleaders.com
Kelsi Reich, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader and girlfriend to Bills WR David Nelson, discusses what it's like to cheer for two teams and stay close while they are so far away from each other. That's her in the picture.

Bell back to form - BuffaloBills.com
"I felt like it would be a 50-50 chance I’d be back or a 50-50 chance I was done, so I was kind of worried," Bell said. "Coming off surgery, I think this year’s been better than I expected. (With) the progress I’ve made, it doesn’t seem like (it’s been) a year."

Bills-Patriots game sold out - BuffaloBills.com
"I bought the remaining tickets so the Bills could be televised locally for our community, and so that some of the less fortunate could enjoy going to the game," said Salvatore. "This is a Christmas present to the community, and I wish everyone in Buffalo a Happy Holidays! It feels good to do it, I love doing it and this comes from the heart."

Kelly's Call: Riding some momentum - BuffaloBills.com
"I realize the Patriots still have home field advantage in the AFC playoffs to play for and have won 13 in a row against the Bills, but I just have a gut feeling that the Bills have a good opportunity here. It would be one heck of a Christmas present if Chan Gailey and his team could hand Mr. Wilson back-to-back wins over the Dolphins and Patriots and end that awful streak."

Bills Focus: Rookie Tight Ends Making a Name (2:38) - BuffaloBills.com
The young tights ends for the New England Patriots are proving to be difficult to defend.

Inside The Bills | Monday QB Club player awards
"The Monday QB Club will be holding their annual end of season Player Awards banquet on Monday Jan. 3rd. The awards luncheon will take place at the Millenium hotel and will feature the Club’s player selections for several awards, including Man of the Year, Special Teams Awards, Unsung Hero, and Rookie of the Year. The Buffalo Bills will also announce the recipient of this year’s Walter Payton Community Service Award."

Inside The Bills | Brady vs. Bills blitz
"In figures compiled by StatsPass, in Brady’s 17 career games against the Bills he has faced what is considered blitz pressure (five rushers or more) 156 times. In those instances the Patriots QB has completed 62.2 percent of his passes for 1,205 yards with eight TDs and two interceptions. He’s also been sacked 11 times leading to a passer rating of 97.8."

Wilfork will be tough test for Bills' interior offensive linemen - The Buffalo News
"He's a heck of a player," Wood said. "Vince is extremely stout and in pass-rush situations he can be really effective. A man of that size and strength, you really have to hone in on your techniques so you don't get out of position."

Quality of play hasn't played much in the past decade - The Buffalo News
Mark Gaughan answers two big questions this week. One on a perceived decline in pro football and the other on the Bills in Toronto.

Salvatore saves Bills fans from TV blackout - Bills & NFL - The Buffalo News
"When the 77-year-old Salvatore learned that the football team's final home game of the season might not be televised Sunday because the Thursday afternoon ticket sellout deadline would be missed, he made a last-minute purchase of 7,000 to 8,000 tickets."

Buffalo Bills aren't the only team losing to the Patriots | Democrat and Chronicle
"Tom Brady has owned the Bills, but he's also owned the league for much of his NFL career."

David Nelson belongs in NFL -- final answer - AFC East Blog - ESPN
Some bad advice from Regis Philbin has sparked Nelson on his path to the NFL. Nelson is happy with his decisions.

CLAYTON: Fitz Should Start Next Year, But... - WGR 550 SportsRadio
" He thinks Fitz has earned the right to be the starter in 2011. However, in the long run, Clayton views Fitzpatrick as a great backup. He says the Bills need to monitor Cam Newton, Ryan Mallett and Jake Locker very closely and take one of them in this year's draft so he could learn behind Fitzpatrick and eventually take the team to the next level."

Hangartner Practicing Thursday - WGR 550 SportsRadio
"This is the first time he's practiced since his injury."

Bills fans left naked by Pats’ winning run - BostonHerald.com
A look at what makes fans hate other teams.

As always, Pats and Belichick won’t look past Bills | The Providence Journal
"It doesn’t matter if that team is 16-0 or 0-16, or if the Patriots are two-touchdown favorites or double-digit underdogs (which hasn’t happened in a while). The Patriots talk about their opponents as if they pose a monumental challenge."

Fitzpatrick providing a little pop in Buffalo offense - Brockton, MA - The Enterprise
"There may be more squirt gun than "K-Gun" in this Buffalo Bills offense, but Ryan Fitzpatrick is keeping company with Jim Kelly in one respect. With a touchdown pass in 15 consecutive games, Fitzpatrick boasts the second-longest streak in Bills’ history, three shy of the Pro Football Hall of Famer’s franchise-record 18-game stretch in 1986-1987."

Repeat after me: Bills are tough, Bills are tough, Bills are tough... - Lowell Sun Online
"They should have beaten Pittsburgh," said Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo yesterday, reciting a chorus composed by Maestro Belichick.

Merry Christmas, Bills fans. I'm taking tomorrow off as I'll be at my in-laws. I will be back Sunday.