Web Rumblings: Buffalo Bills News, 8/22

McGee might play this weekend - BuffaloBills.com
"I’m feeling a little bit better," McGee told Buffalobills.com. "It’s one of those things where you feel better once every two weeks. You make progress like that. Now I’m feeling a little bit of progress out here. It’s not where I want it to be, but it’s way better than when I first got to camp so I’m happy about that."

Wannstedt not alarmed over hefty gains - The Buffalo News
"I was pleased when you look at the running game," Wannstedt told reporters today after practice. "I was telling Chan, 'Quarterbacks are not going to scramble like that kid did.' So I put that to rest. I take fault for that. I underestimated what a great athlete that kid Webb was. The minute that we adjusted our rush and said 'We're going to go back to a specific deal to contain him,' we sacked him once. So we're going to rush the passer good."

Bills-Titans October 21 game sells out - BuffaloBills.com
"The Buffalo Bills announced that tickets for the Sunday, October 21 home game vs. the Tennessee Titans are sold out. With this announcement the first three regular season home games are now sold out. Tickets still remain for the prime time Thursday night game vs. Miami, as well as Jacksonville, St. Louis, and the New York Jets. Club seats are available for all remaining home games."

Tues. Practice Notes - Game prep - BuffaloBills.com
"We told them we were going to practice just like a game week this week," said head coach Chan Gailey. "We go (shells) on Wednesday, pads on Thursday and then (shells) back again on Friday, so we're doing it the same way this week. We're trying to learn our tempo in (shells). Without pads on you've got to have great tempo and we've got to learn that."

Transcript: Chan Gailey & Dave Wannstedt - BuffaloBills.com
The Bills' play-callers discuss this week's preparations, while Wannstedt talks about the Vikings game a touch.

Matt Bowen: Bills Fans Set Playoff Tone - BuffaloBills.com
"Bowen, now a writer for the National Football Post, could tell from his one year here that if the Bills make the playoffs the fan atmosphere will be like none other. He also had some open and honest comments about playing for Gregg Williams, as well as the stories of Fred Jackson and George Wilson."

Season Ticket Holder Exclusive Practice - BuffaloBills.com
"Bills season ticket Holders were invited to Ralph Wilson Stadium to watch an exclusive team practice. See what fans have to say about the benefits of being a Bills season ticket holder."

Chan Gailey Tuesday Press Conference - BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills head coach talks about wanting consistency in the next preseason game, the progression of Troup and McGee, and the importance of Bryan Scott."

Terrence McGee on Working His Way Back - BuffaloBills.com
"The Bills cornerback talks about the progress he has made in his recovery from being injured, and how he's feeling right now."

Inside The Bills | Don’t sleep on Eddins
"Robert Eddins has been running mostly with the third team defense in camp and the preseason, but Buffalo’s coaching staff thought enough of him that he made the opening day 53-man roster in 2011."

Inside The Bills | Safeties won’t be play callers
"We didn’t like that very much I don’t think," said Gailey. "We’re going to go back to the linebackers. The safeties did a good job of calling it, but they’ve just got too far to go after they call it. We’re going to let the linebackers do it."

Inside The Bills | Tues non-participants
"There is a new non-participant in practice Tuesday. Here’s the rundown." The new guy was Zebrie Sanders.

Inside The Bills | Bills going heavy on game prep
"In every team period of practice today the first team offense and first team defense have run plays against scout team defense and offense respectively."

Inside The Bills | D’Alessandris on Wood’s progress
"I think really good," said D’Alessandris. "I mean, from the type of surgery he had, where he’s come, the reps he’s taking and he got to play about eight snaps last week, so we’ll see. We’ll continue to progress with him. He’s a good leader up front."

Inside The Bills | McGee’s lengthy routine
"Some days are better than other days, but I’ve got to get out here 30 to 45 minutes before practice just to warm it up just to be able to practice," McGee told Buffalobills.com after practice Tuesday.

AccuScore projects Bills as playoff team -- barely - The Buffalo News
"The Bills averaged 8.3 victories in AccuScore's simulations, won the AFC East 8.7 percent of the time and made the playoffs 31.2 percent of the time. The playoff percentage might not sound all that wonderful, but it's the sixth-highest in the conference; six teams make the postseason."

Warren Sapp on Rob Johnson-Doug Flutie - The Buffalo News
Replied Sapp: "No. We were playing the Buffalo Bills one time and it was Rob Johnson and the backup was Doug Flutie. We sacked Rob about three times in the first quarter. Rod Marinelli [the Bucs' defensive line coach] came over to me on the sideline he looked at me and said, 'Do not knock that man out of this game. Do not knock that man out of this game, Warren!' I said, 'Yes, sir.' ... Hey, when the backup is faster ... We didn’t want to chase that guy ... "

Poll: Was Merriman worth the try for Buffalo? - The Buffalo News
Tim Graham asks the question. With how bad the pass rush has been, there is no other answer than yes, in my opinion.

Bills expect Terrence McGee will play Saturday - The Buffalo News
"We're optimistic that he's going to play this week," Bills defensive coordinator Dave Wannstedt told me today after practice at One Bills Drive. "He was practicing about 25 plays a day last week. I think in everybody's mind the next step is him playing live this week, and we expect him to do that."

Bills' Byrd, Levitre play for high stakes - The Buffalo News
"Andy Levitre and Jairus Byrd are in position to earn big paydays this season. They are the two top Buffalo Bills players whose contracts are up at the end of the year, and both could move up to the top three or four on the team's salary ranking if the Bills can reach deals to keep them in the fold."

Bills' season-ticket sales rise - The Buffalo News
"The Buffalo Bills have sold 43,267 season tickets for 2012, an increase of 15.8 percent over last season. The total is up 5,912 over last season, when the team's season sales dropped to a 10-year low of 37,355."

This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Paul Maguire - The Buffalo News
Check out his profile here.

Bills avoided $4 million by cutting Merriman | ProFootballTalk
"It’s hard to say where he’ll go next; we discussed some possibilities during Monday’s PFT Live. There’s a chance that, like the name-changing receiver with whom Shawne once used to feud and who was cut eight days ago by the Dolphins, it could be over for Merriman."

WGR 550 - Bills Simulating Regular Season Game Week Preparations
"We need to practice that," Gailey said of the game plan install on Tuesday afternoon. "We've got some new staff members, we've got a new defense. We've got a whole new system of things we're trying to get done so we're practicing game week just like we practice everything else."

WGR 550 - John Murphy Show - 8/21/12
Former Bills and Redskins safety Matt Bowen says Gregg Williams is the best coach he's ever played for.

Wing Fest jumps to jumbo - The Buffalo News
"Joining the festival this year will be Buffalo Bills players Eric Wood and Andy Levitre, participating in the Pro Football Eating Challenge on the first day of the festival. The seven-minute wing eating contest will be held on the main stage to raise money for charities. Levitre will eat for the Food Bank of Western New York. Wood is in the process of selecting a charity, Cerza said."

Bills Looking for Progress against Steelers | wgrz.com
"I was looking for it last week and the week before, too. You would like to have it happen this week and if it does not happen this week, you would like it to happen next week. If it does not, you hope it happens the opening game. Sometimes it does not happen exactly like you plan it. Hopefully we will improve this week. That is what I want to see is improvement."

Nix missed on that gamble with Merriman - Olean Times Herald
"And so, the grand experiment ends." See Chuck Pollack's reaction here.