Buffalo Bills news, 8/13: Bills-Steelers joint practices begin today

(WGR 550) CAPACCIO: When Is The QB Staring Down A WR?
Read this and learn things from Coach Sal.

(NFL.com) Big nickel package emerging as NFL's hottest defensive trend
This is a few days old, but it's a quality read on a defensive personnel package that the Bills have used to feature guys like Bryan Scott and Da'Norris Searcy in years past.

(The Buffalo News) Projecting the Bills' 53-man roster
Jay Skurski has the Bills rolling with just eight offensive linemen and five linebackers (plus the suspended Nigel Bradham) in Week 1.

(NFL.com) Ten NFL rookies who will exceed expectations in 2014
This is also a few days old, but Daniel Jeremiah is liking what he's seeing from Seantrel Henderson.

(ESPN.com) Breaking down Buffalo Bills' offensive snaps
(ESPN.com) Breaking down Buffalo Bills' defensive snaps
Mike Rodak runs through the Bills' preseason snap counts against Carolina, while noting which players rotated through and when.

(The Buffalo News) Linebacker candidate Sylvester can help himself against Steelers
Stevenson Sylvester, who is attempting to sneak onto the Bills' final roster, will practice against his former team this week.

(Syracuse.com) Bills-Steelers joint practices: Sammy Watkins gets a new test, and 5 other matchups to watch
Among the five matchups that Matthew Fairburn writes about, I'm especially interested in Stephon Gilmore versus Antonio Brown.

(BuffaloBills.com) Joint Practices will be "Pretty Intense" – JMS
Eric Wood was the headline guest on The John Murphy Show on Tuesday. Also, Scott Pitoniak has a new radio program starting up in Rochester, which is pretty cool.

(WGR 550) Bills Hit The Road For Joint Practices With Steelers
Joe Buscaglia includes the Fred Jackson quote that has a few Bills fans upset with the offense's elder statesman.

(Steelers.com) Steelers find a practice partner in Bills
"It’s going to be a normal Steelers practice, except it’s going to be on two fields because we’re inserting another team. So we’ll do team-run, pass-under-pressure, special-cat, seven-on-seven, O-line vs. D-line, team. It’ll just be happening on two fields, because we’ll be doing it against someone else. We’re going to do what we normally do, but we’re going to infuse some unfamiliar bodies and some unfamiliar schemes in an effort to help us grow." - Mike Tomlin

(BuffaloBills.com) Bills energized to practice with Steelers
EJ Manuel on what Tomlin told him before training camp: "He told me whatever look I need on defense, he'll give it to us."

(BuffaloBills.com) Bills to use Steelers as measuring stick
Here's another Jackson quote on the joint practices: "We know it's going to be a good opportunity for us to go out there and see where we stand. When you get the chance to do it, you're going to go out and prove yourself."

(Pittsburgh Tribune Review) Starkey: Roethlisberger rooting for 'bud' Jim Kelly
Ben Roethlisberger and Jim Kelly are fast friends. Big Ben talks about Kelly's fight with cancer.

(The Buffalo News) Show me the books, Poloncarz says to NFL’s demand that Bills get a new stadium
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz channels his inner DeMaurice Smith in discussing justification for a new stadium in Buffalo.

(The Buffalo News) FCC commisioner urges end to blackouts
That would be nice. Same thing with seeing a unicorn.

(BuffaloBills.com) M&T Bank adds new Family Zone to Ralph Wilson Stadium
The Bills may have the drunkest fans in the NFL, but they won't be showing up in Section 105 on Sundays, say the Bills.