Billszone: January 2008 Archives

January 31, 2008

Bills Honored With Corporate Service Award

The Buffalo Bills were honored last weekend with a Corporate Service award at the USTA Eastern Section Annual Conference and Awards Dinner. USTA Eastern, one of 17 sections of the United States Tennis Association, is dedicated to promoting and developing tennis throughout New York, northern New Jersey and part of Connecticut.

Report: Bills' Toronto tix will be pricey

The Buffalo Bills have received approval to move a series of regular season and preseason games to Toronto over the next five years.

NFL Commissioner invites Everett

Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett will attend Super Bowl XLII on Sunday, NFL sources confirmed Wednesday.

Ticats, Argos fans to get top priority for Bills tickets

Season-ticket holders of the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats will get first priority to buy tickets for eight Buffalo Bills games that will be played at Rogers Centre in Toronto over the next five years.

Buffalo Bills finalize deal to play one game a year in Toronto

The Buffalo Bills have finalized a deal to play one regular-season football game in Toronto over each of the next five seasons, league sources have told The Buffalo News.

Bills Promote Overdorf to VP Position

Jim Overdorf was promoted to Buffalo Bills senior vice president of football administration, giving him control over contract negotiations and salary cap decisions.

January 30, 2008

Thurman Thomas All About Fitness

Thurman Thomas spent 12 years living in Buffalo as a member of the Bills. He left for Florida and now he is back in Western New York.

Bills have deal in place for Toronto games

The Buffalo Bills have finalized a deal to play one regular-season football game in Toronto over each of the next five seasons, league sources have told The News.

January 29, 2008

Bigger Need in Buffalo: WR or TE?

Part of the reason that we're creating a community needs list for the Buffalo Bills is to bring up questions like this. As an off-shoot of the current skill position discussion we've been having, a question has popped up that Bills fans (not necessarily this community) are split on: is finding a big-time wide receiver or a big-time tight end more important to the future viability of Buffalo's offense?

Buffalo ought to pony up for underrated LB Crowell

By this time next year, the Buffalo Bills could be poised to lose arguably their best defensive player, strongside linebacker Angelo Crowell. The five-year veteran, whom the Bills drafted in the third round in 2003, has just one season left on his deal.

Bills sign TE Teyo Johnson

(January 29, 2008) — ORCHARD PARK — Tight end Teyo Johnson signed with the Buffalo Bills today, attempting a comeback after missing all of last season with an injury.

January 28, 2008

Bills Hire Hackett As Offensive Assistant

The Bills have filled the position formerly held by Alex Van Pelt as Nathaniel Hackett has been named offensive quality control coach.

Pats arrive, Brady says he’s fine

Relax, Patriots fans. A smiling Tom Brady says not to worry about his much publicized and photographed ankle. It won’t keep him out of Sunday’s Super Bowl.

NY Could Use A Giants' Parade

As my plane landed in Phoenix on Sunday night, I tried to remember all the Super Bowls I had been to. All the Super Bowls the New York Giants made for sure. I was at the win over the Denver Broncos in Pasadena, the "wide right" victory over the Buffalo Bills in Tampa Bay, and the wipeout against the Baltimore Ravens in 2000. However, this could be the most memorable one yet.

Williams out, Mularkey in, and how long for Wade?

The NFL's version of musical chairs supplies plenty of interesting notes. For example, check out the three Buffalo Bills head coaches before Dick Jauron:

January 27, 2008

Bowlen hints that labor fight may be around corner

Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen let loose with a rant on the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement last week. It didn’t get a lot of attention nationally, but it raised eyebrows in league circles.

It's Going To Be Huge

It will be all about history this week at Super Bowl XLII.

Reed should join the ranks in Canton

Saturday morning in Phoenix, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s board of electors will convene in a private breakfast room to debate, cajole, argue with passion, cite statistics, cite past performances and occasionally slam their fists on the table in frustration at the reluctance of their fellow members to follow their thinking about what candidates should be voted into the Hall’s Class of 2007.

Buffalo and Bills get spook-proofed

Attention Buffalo: Any gray clouds today are only meteorological, not metaphysical. The curse has been lifted.

January 26, 2008

Redskins fire Williams, Saunders; Blache promoted

The Washington Redskins fired assistants Gregg Williams and Al Saunders on Saturday, promoted Greg Blache to lead the team's defense and announced that a head coach would likely not be in place for at least another week.

Parrish Awarded Special Teams MVP

By no means was it an easy category to win in the Mobile iNzone Fan Awards powered by Verizon Wireless as the nominees for Special Teams Most Valuable Player were all strong candidates. But after leading the league in punt return average Roscoe Parrish was voted by the fans as the team's best specialist.

Everett’s Inspiring Story In New Book

Kevin Everett's amazing recovery from a severe cervical spine injury has become a national story the past few months. A lot of those days and weeks and months of fear, tears, hope and strength took place behind closed doors and out of the public eye. But now Everett's journey back up on to his own two feet will be available to everyone in a book titled "Standing Tall" written by Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist Sam Carchidi.

Falcons hire ex-Bills head coach Mularkey as offensive coordinator

First-year Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith on Friday evening made the second major addition to his fledgling staff in two days, securing the services of former Buffalo Bills head coach Mike Mularkey as his offensive coordinator.

January 25, 2008

Jauron Knows Playoffs Need To Happen

As Dick Jauron made the promotions of four of his assistants official, the Bills head coach outlined his reasons for the move. But he didn't just list the qualifications of his assistants. The internal promotions went beyond that. Jauron was also looking at the bigger picture, and in it was a mandate for the postseason.

Schobel heads to Pro Bowl

Aaron Schobel took satisfaction in getting respect from his peers Thursday after being picked to go to the NFL Pro Bowl.

Kevin Everett slated for 'Oprah' and 'Good Morning America' to promote his new book

Everyone has been amazed by Kevin Everett’s remarkable recovery from a serious spinal cord injury. Now he is ready to share his story about that experience and a lot more.

Bills' Everett, Wilson to be honored

Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett will receive the Maxwell Football Club’s Spirit Award for his remarkable recovery from a severe spinal cord injury.

January 24, 2008

Bills should focus on defensive line this offseason

At this time one year ago, the usually frugal Buffalo Bills were bracing themselves for a busy offseason that was characterized by their surprising willingness to throw big money at a glaring weakness. That problem area, the offensive line, had previously been the bane of Buffalo's existence for roughly a decade, and then-general manager Marv Levy was determined to make repairs.

Buffalo should be able to deal Losman for decent value

The National Football League draws closer to its offseason, which begins in earnest after the Super Bowl's culmination in early February, with each passing day. For the Buffalo Bills, one of the league's 32 franchises, their time off is going to be defined by how they handle a number of different positions. One of the key elements of the Bills' offseason will be how they deal with unhappy quarterback J.P. Losman, who requested a trade earlier this month.

January 23, 2008

Hargrove Takes Hardest Hit

There may have been some that came close, but Anthony Hargrove's body slam of Miami's Cleo Lemon in Week 14 was the most dramatic takedown of the season and Bills fans agreed as the defensive end took Hardest Hit honors in the Mobile iNzone Fan Awards powered by Verizon Wireless.

Fans Award Greer Most Improved Player

The 2007 season proved to be the one where Jabari Greer turned a corner. The former undrafted free agent had been an all-training camp performer the past couple of years, but this past season he carried that play into the regular season and the fans noticed as he won Most Improved Player honors in the Mobile iNzone Fan Awards.

January 22, 2008

Can Bills' Schonert Show the Way?

You certainly don't have to remind newly appointed Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Turk Schonert that patience is a virtue. He has been waiting 12 years for his chance to run an offense.

Bills need to lock up Evans long term

After he caught 82 passes for nearly 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns in 2006, it seemed Buffalo Bills wide receiver Lee Evans was on the cusp of NFL stardom.

State of the Roster: Bills Cornerbacks

Let the debate rage on: with the Buffalo Bills running a Cover-2 defense - a zone-based scheme that requires a specific type of cornerback - how high is this position on Buffalo's off-season list of needs?

Bills' Hargrove hit with yearlong suspension

Defensive end Anthony Hargrove won’t be playing for the Buffalo Bills, or anyone else, next season.

Bills fans spotlighted in Bryant Gumbel's HBO story on drinking at NFL stadiums

The game-day experience at Ralph Wilson Stadium gets national television attention again tonight, but this time it’s a far cry from the raves the Winter Classic drew a few weeks ago.

January 21, 2008

Losing Hargrove will hurt Bills

The Buffalo Bills have a number of reserves scheduled to hit free agency this March, one of whom is defensive end Anthony Hargrove. Before this past weekend, it would have seemed wise for Buffalo to retain Hargrove, who has been a versatile backup on the Bills' defensive line during the past two seasons.

January 20, 2008

Source: Bills likely to get OK to play game in Toronto

The Buffalo Bills almost certainly will get a regular-season game approved for Toronto and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head a list of four teams under consideration to play in the NFL's 2008 game in the United Kingdom, a league source said Sunday.

Nall's bizarre '07 journey leads 'home' to Lambeau

Green Bay Packers reserve quarterback Craig Nall must have to pinch himself at times to make sure he's not dreaming. His NFL season, at an enjoyable stage now, has been anything but stable. Cut by the Buffalo Bills at the end of training camp, the former LSU and Northwestern State quarterback from Alexandria is capping a disjointed journey through his sixth NFL season.

Local team qualifies for NFL playoff spot

The Buffalo Bills didn’t make the playoffs this year, but their unflappable timekeeping crew did.

January 19, 2008

POLLOCK: Schonert has earned this chance

A good friend of mine, who loves the Bills, called me after every game this season.

Invariably, win or lose, at some point in the conversation, he would interject, "...and Steve Fairchild should be fired."

Hargrove Suspended Through 2008 Season

Bills defensive end Anthony Hargrove may miss the entire 2008 season because of a failed drug test. Howard Balzer of Sirius NFL Radio is reporting tonight that Hargrove recently failed a drug test, and will be required to sit out all of next season as a result.

Lynch Runs Away With Rookie of Year

The race for Bills Rookie of the Year really wasn't a race at all after all the ballots were cast as fans voted overwhelmingly for Marshawn Lynch in the first category of the Mobile iNzone Fan Awards powered by Verizon Wireless.

Jackson Surges To Take Unsung Hero Honors

Much like his situation earlier this season, it didn't look like Fred Jackson had much of a chance, but a groundswell of fan support came out of nowhere in the final 24 hours of voting and Jackson took home Bills Unsung Hero honors in one of the closer category vote counts ever in the Mobile iNzone Fan Awards powered by Verizon Wireless.

Promotion Nets $4,800 For Ronald McDonald House

A joint Buffalo Bills and McDonald's promotion helped provide a financial boost to the Ronald McDonald House of Buffalo this past season. Area McDonald's franchisees have donated $4800 to the Buffalo Ronald McDonald House as a result of a promotion they conducted with the Bills during the 2007-08 season.

State of the Roster: Bills Outside Linebackers

It's a position that wasn't overly productive for the Buffalo Bills in 2007, yet is one of the more important positions in head coach Dick Jauron's Cover-2 defense.

Evans named Bills’ Walter Payton Man of the Year

Lee Evans, Buffalo’s leading receiver the last two years, has been named the Bills’ Walter Payton Man of the Year winner as voted on by selected members of the Western New York community.

HBO examines drinking at stadiums, including Ralph Wilson

HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" has interviewed two members of Erie County law enforcement for a piece on excessive drinking at NFL stadiums.

Rams owner Frontiere dies

Georgia Frontiere, the St. Louis native who became a hometown hero when she brought the NFL’s Rams from Los Angeles in 1995, died Friday. She was 80.

January 18, 2008

QB coach Van Pelt on a fast track with Bills

Wouldn't it be nice if we could all be on a career track like Buffalo's new quarterbacks coach, Alex Van Pelt?

After retiring as a Bills player in 2003, Van Pelt has been climbing the ladder at One Bills Drive faster than a firefighter.

January 17, 2008

Bills Sign Fullback Barnes

One of the changes to Buffalo's offense in 2008 has already become apparent as veteran fullback Darian Barnes was signed by the Bills Thursday. Buffalo did not have a true fullback on their roster this past season choosing to use tight ends to fill the fullback role. But new offensive coordinator Turk Schonert indicated Wednesday he wanted to get back to a true two back system.

Van Pelt To Coach Quarterbacks

For Buffalo's new quarterbacks coach, what seemed like a dream job just a few years ago has become reality. In the wake of Turk Schonert's promotion to offensive coordinator, Bills head coach Dick Jauron also promoted Alex Van Pelt to quarterbacks coach on Wednesday.

Studesville To Oversee Run Game

When other opportunities knocked for Eric Studesville during his time as an offensive quality control coach under Dick Jauron in Chicago back in 1999, he elected to stay with the coach that gave him an opportunity. That loyalty was returned in kind by Jauron to Studesville as Buffalo's running backs coach was given the additional title of running game coordinator Wednesday.

Kugler Named Offensive Line Coach

It seemed more a matter of formality than anything else, but Bills assistant offensive line coach and Lockport native Sean Kugler was promoted to offensive line coach Wednesday. He replaces the recently retired Jim McNally.

Peters requires surgery

Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters heads a long list of Buffalo Bills players who will have or already have had offseason surgeries.

Schonert is ready for his close-up

Turk Schonert said he almost floated out of the house Sunday night when he got the phone call from Dick Jauron. After 12 years as a quarterbacks coach, Schonert was finally getting his chance to run an NFL offense.

Old faces to give Bills new look

Turk Schonert vowed Wednesday that the Buffalo Bills’ offense will be different in 2008.

Schonert likely to be improvement for Bills

The best thing new Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Turk Schonert has going for him is that he's not Steve Fairchild.

Schonert promoted to head the Bills' offense

Coaching in the National Football League comes down to results: If you get them, you keep your job, and if you don't, you're unemployed.

January 16, 2008

Bills to name Schonert offensive coordinator

The Buffalo Bills are expected to make their latest coaching staff move official within the next day or two: Turk Schonert will be elevated to the offensive coordinator.

Bills' Reed among 17 hall finalists

Retired Buffalo Bills receiver Andre Reed has made the list of finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the second straight year.

Reed is one of 17 men who will be considered for induction to the hall when the voting is conducted Feb. 2 in Phoenix, Ariz.

Season For Merz Starting Now

For Bills offensive lineman Aaron Merz the 2007 season was over before it started. Sharp pain in his shoulder during the early days of training camp quickly sidelined him. When it was discovered he had a torn labrum, he opted for surgery meaning his 2007 season would be spent on injured reserve.

Fast forward four and a half months and the sweat is rolling off Merz as he grinds out a workout on the stairmaster in the Bills weight room. For Merz his season started the day it ended for all the healthy players in Buffalo's locker room.http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=5806

January 15, 2008

Former Buffalo Bill Reed among Hall of Fame finalists

Andre Reed, the Buffalo Bills all-time leading receiver, is one of 17 finalists for selection into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

2008 should be make-or-break year for Jauron

When the Buffalo Bills' offseason began after their Week 17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 30, general manager Marv Levy stepped down, thus leaving uncertainty within the organization at several key positions.

Title talk is cheap for Bills

On a big weekend of NFL playoff games, the biggest winner of all was A.J. Smith, general manager of the San Diego Chargers.

Smith took a lot of heat for firing Marty Schottenheimer as coach and hiring Norv Turner. A year earlier, he had been vilified for letting Drew Brees walk and handing the quarterback job to Philip Rivers. Smith, the one-time Buffalo Bills pro personnel director, never wavered. His team rewarded him Sunday with a gutsy 28-24 road victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Colts.

January 14, 2008

Parrish Watching and Waiting

For Roscoe Parrish the 2007 season had its pluses and minuses. On the plus side Parrish did contribute more on the offensive side of the ball than he ever had before and got security in the form of a multi-year contract extension late in the season.

Curse of Doug Flutie is alive and well

The only flakes floating around football today are the folks who no longer believe in the Curse of Doug Flutie.

Modrak, Guy given vice president titles

The Buffalo Bills confirmed the promotions of both John Guy and Tom Modrak within their front office.

Giants beat Cowboys, head to Green Bay

Tony Romo can go wherever he wants with Jessica Simpson now. Eli Manning and the New York Giants knocked him and the Dallas Cowboys into the offseason Sunday.

Chargers stun Colts, make date with Pats

Gone - Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Adam Vinatieri and the rest of the Colts. By stunning Indianapolis, the San Diego Chargers just knocked off New England's biggest road block to the Super Bowl. Now San Diego must avoid a repeat of its last performance at New England.

January 13, 2008

Bills Moves - Matter of Trust

You don't have to think too far back to remember the Bills front office upheaval. From the hirings and firings of Gregg Williams, Mike Mularkey, and presiding over all of it - Tom Donahoe.

Bills promote Brandon to COO

The Buffalo Bills have elevated Russ Brandon from executive vice president to chief operating officer, filling a front office vacancy created by the departure of General Manager Marv Levy.

The announcement concludes a short search for a replacement from outside the organization and will likely lead to additional advancement among the current hierarchy.

Bills promote Brandon to GM-like job

It’s official: The Buffalo Bills are staying in-house.

Russ Brandon, the sales and marketing wizard who has helped put the Bills on sound financial footing over the past 11 years, has been promoted to chief operating officer, the team announced Saturday.

Guy And Modrak Promoted To Vice Presidents

The organization has relied on their two main personnel evaluators heavily the past two seasons and they were rewarded Saturday as the realignment of Buffalo's front office continued Saturday. Director of Pro Personnel John Guy has been promoted to Vice President of Pro Personnel while Director of College Scouting Tom Modrak has been promoted to Vice President of College Scouting.

Highlights From the 2007 Buffalo Bills Season

The 2007 Buffalo Bills season might very well be remembered for the many shortcomings and failures that seem to be plaguing the organization in the first decade of the two thousands. Whether it's the laundry list of injuries - seventeen players on injured reserve by the end of the season? - including the life-threatening, paralyzing injury to TE Kevin Everett, or the many gaffes by the Bills coaching staff - there is plenty to forget from the Bills ninth straight season without a trip to the post season. However, this season had it's share of memorable moments as well.

NFL ROUNDUP: Pats pelt Jags, win No. 17; Brady sets record for pass accuracy

Tom Brady was almost perfect. The Patriots still are. Their poised and prolific quarterback knocked another mark out of the books in their record-breaking season, completing all but two of his 28 passes to lead New England to a 31-20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night.

Statistics break down how often Bills broke down

News flash from the Department of Confirming Your Suspicions: The Buffalo Bills led the NFL in injuries this year, no matter how you slice it. The Bills had the most players on the injured reserve list — 17. They also lost the most games to injury by starters. If you count players who started the season opener and how many games they lost to injury, the number for the Bills is 89 games lost by 12 different players.

Three’s a charm for Giants?

Usually during college basketball’s March Madness, it’s mentioned how difficult it is to defeat a team three times in the same season. The subject comes up this week in pro football because the Dallas Cowboys will attempt to defeat the New York Giants for the third time this season in their NFC divisional round game today in Irving, Texas. San Diego will play at Indianapolis in the AFC game. Facing an opponent for the third time in the postseason after having won two regular-season meetings is rare in pro football. It’s a scenario that has occurred only 17 times since 1970, according to Stats Inc.

Favre, Packers too much for Seahawks in the snow

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Brett Favre spotted his favorite target all alone and let fly. He hit Donald Driver, all right — with a snowball. Favre frolicked in the flurries the entire afternoon, throwing three touchdown passes as the Green Bay Packers beat the Seattle Seahawks, 42-20, Saturday to reach the NFC championship game.

January 12, 2008

Sources: Bills' top candidate to replace Levy has business, marketing strengths

Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson will stay in-house to fill its top front-office vacancy, ESPN.com has learned through multiple league and team sources, and Bills executive vice president of business operations Russ Brandon has emerged as the frontrunner.

Bills Search Delayed by Design?

It's been nearly two weeks since the end of the season and Marv Levy's decision to step down as General Manager. To this point, there's been very little activity in terms of finding a replacement.

EDWARDS, LYNCH MAKE ROOKIE TEAM

Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch both made the Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team.

Edwards Leaves Impression On NFL Coaches

The numbers statistically at season's end certainly don't pop off the page for Trent Edwards with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions and a passer rating a shade of 70 this past season. But there were signs in every game that he played that Edwards can be a very effective quarterback at the NFL level.

Bills still without decision on GM

The waiting continues at One Bills Drive. The Buffalo Bills had no news Friday on their evaluation of their front office. It has been 13 days since the Bills announced that General Manager Marv Levy was stepping down from his post as the head of the Bills’ football department. Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. still was evaluating the front office this week and deciding what direction he wanted to take it.

Pack hopes youth is served

GREEN BAY, Wis. — It was the kind of question Al Harris probably was supposed to answer no to, even if he didn’t really believe it. Instead, the Green Bay Packers cornerback chose to acknowledge the obvious: Yes, the Seattle Seahawks’ postseason experience gives them an advantage in today’s divisional playoff game at Lambeau Field (4:30 p.m., Chs. 9, 29, Radio 930 AM).

Pats push for perfection, Favre for immortality

Two of the major stories of the National Football League season will add another chapter with today’s divisional round games.

Pats, Jags set to go distance

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The clock ticks down and the pressure builds. Often, the final minutes of a game are the most important. The Patriots stayed undefeated with a touchdown with 44 seconds left in their 12th game. The Jaguars won their playoff game last weekend on a field goal with 37 seconds remaining.

NFL notebook

TRAINER AWARD: The Buffalo Bills training staff was chosen the NFL's best Friday, following the quick treatment of the spinal cord injury to Kevin Everett. The staff, led by Bud Carpenter, was selected by the Pro Football Athletic Trainers Society.

January 11, 2008

Bills' offense subject to review

It was an even bet back in August that 82-year-old Marv Levy might not be with the Buffalo Bills beyond the end of December.What's somewhat more stunning is that two men who figured prominently in the Bills' future - quarterback J.P. Losman and offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild - would be gone, too.

Bills Trainers Named NFL Staff of the Year

They've been bestowed honors before for their tireless work on the sidelines and in the training room, but Buffalo's trainers have now been honored by their colleagues as the Pro Football Athletic Trainers Society in conjunction with Ed Block Courage Award Foundation named them the NFL Athletic Training Staff of the Year.

January 10, 2008

Finding Talent Minus NFL Europe

For the past 16 years this was about the time when NFL teams would designate a handful of players for NFL Europe. The young players would be allocated to an overseas team and develop their individual games, while gaining valuable playing experience and exposure to the talent evaluators in the NFL back home.

Martz likely too daring for the Bills

I was sorry to see the San Francisco 49ers hire Mike Martz as offensive coordinator because I thought he'd be a good remedy for what ails the Buffalo Bills — one of the NFL's most innovative offensive coordinators for one of the NFL's least productive and most conservative offenses. Maybe Martz was too expensive for the Bills. More likely, he's too daring.

Bills take it slowly in filling three positions

The necessity for a new front office executive, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach has set up a busy off-season for the Buffalo Bills.

But the decision-making process to fill those jobs has settled into a slow-and-easy snail's pace with no candidates lined up for interviews as of Wednesday. It's normal for NFL teams looking for executives and coaches not to develop a sense or urgency until after the playoffs and college all-star games.

January 09, 2008

Peters Skipping Pro Bowl

The Bills one representative for the Pro Bowl will not be participating come February 10. Peters' groin injury suffered in week 16 against the Giants was severe enough to keep him from wanting to risk making it worse by playing for the AFC in Honolulu

Kugler Has McNally’s Endorsement

With Jim McNally bringing an end to a noteworthy 28-year NFL coaching career, there's now a second void on the offensive staff in addition to offensive coordinator. But Buffalo's outgoing line coach believes his best replacement is already on the staff.

Linemen Surprised By McNally Retirement

Bills outgoing offensive line coach Jim McNally began making phone calls to all of his offensive linemen Tuesday night when the news became official that he was retiring. Knowing the passion that McNally has for the game several of his players were shocked by his decision.

Everett wins Bills’ courage award

Tight end Kevin Everett was a pretty obvious selection by the Buffalo Bills today as their Ed Block Courage Award winner.

Paint by numbers

Fewest catches by a No.'1 WR

Line coach McNally retires

Buffalo Bills offensive line coach Jim McNally called it quits Tuesday after 28 years in the NFL and 43 years in the coaching business.

Bills' offense had little margin for air

Predictable. Ill-equipped. Conservative. Unexplosive. Consider those the four deadly sins of an NFL pass offense.

January 08, 2008

Don't remind Buffalo Bills fans of their sad anniversary today.

Fair to assume no one who cares about the Buffalo Bills will find cause to celebrate this anniversary. But it was eight years ago today in Nashville at what was then known as Adelphia Coliseum that the Bills most recently contested a playoff game.

Brown's Best - Part II

Here is a week by week review of some of the more interesting moments of the Brown's Best rundown from the 2007 season.

McNally Calling It A Career

For a career that came full circle, it's only fitting that Western New York native Jim McNally wrap up his time in coaching where it started, in Buffalo. The Bills offensive line coach has chosen to retire after 43 years of schooling offensive linemen in college and the pro ranks on the finer points of blocking.

Bills' previous two drafts have brought mixed results

A lot has been made about the supposed success of Buffalo's past two drafts, both of which came under now-gone general manager Marv Levy's supervision, but when one looks at the all the picks together, it is debatable how well the Bills have done during the past pair of years.

Bills are ready to start searches for two vacancies

The Buffalo Bills are expected to begin interviewing candidates this week for their vacant front-office and offensive coordinator positions.

The Bills will be talking to candidates outside the organization, a team source told The Buffalo News, although that does not rule out candidates within the organization.

Exactly what title the team will give to its new front-office hire was not known, but there is talk within the organization it may not be general manager.

January 07, 2008

BILLS BETTER THAN BEFORE LEVY, BUT STILL FAR FROM NFL'S ELITE

Two years ago Marv Levy returned to the Buffalo Bills with a dual purpose -- restore some cohesion to a franchise that had disintegrated into chaos under the malevolent rule of Tom Donahoe and get the Buffalo Bills back to the playoffs.

Bills Punt Coverage No. 1

Despite weekly lineup juggling due to injury, weather conditions that at times bordered on the ridiculous and a healthy amount of inexperienced players, Buffalo's punt team earned the Bills the number one ranking in punt coverage for the first time in 16 seasons.

Bills Record Breakers 2007

Though the Bills missed out on the NFL's postseason party the team made many strides over the course of the season. Some of their accomplishments were more recognized than others as there were some franchise records broken in 2007 by the team and by individual players. Special thanks to head statistician Mike Haim.

Bills: The Year of the Rookie

The Buffalo Bills treaded water in 2007, equaling their 7-9 record of the previous year in a season plagued by injuries.

Here's a capsule review of the season.

Bills Major Step From Playoffs

I watched at least part of all four games this weekend. I came away feeling the Bills are still a major step away from being a playoff team. I am not talking about the Patriots stratosphere. I am just talking about the Titans, Buccaneers bottom of the post season barrel.

The Bills have reached a talent level that allows them to compete and beat the poor teams in the NFL. But when it comes time to step up and beat a winner, they just do not have the talent and the play makers to get it done. There were certain players on the field that I will compare to current Bills and show you why I have doubts heading into 2008.

2007 Was A Year Of Adversity

The Bills came into 2007 with some hope but after losing three players to injuries on opening day, including the devastating injury to Kevin Everett, the team was on the way to a season filled of adversity. They would shatter a club record with 17 players on injured reserve. Through all of this, and the 0-3 start, the Bills got rolling thanks to playing opportunistic football they stayed in the playoff race until week 14. They would end up finishing with an identical 7-9 record to the previous season. Now for the eighth year in a row we do our position by position final exam grades as well as individual player grades for key players at each position. We also will take a look ahead at one might happen with next season's roster.

Despite Levy's best efforts, Bills still far from contention

During the final two seasons of Tom Donahoe's five-year stint as the Buffalo Bills' general manager, the team went 14-18 and didn't make the playoffs in either campaign.

Levy handled RB position perfectly in Buffalo

When Marv Levy became the Buffalo Bills' general manager in January 2006, the running back position didn't really seem like a big area of concern.

January 06, 2008

Sneak preview

Trent Edwards’ welcome-tothe- NFL moment came 20 minutes into his first regularseason game for the Buffalo Bills, at New England in the third week of the season.

An unhappy J.P. is not what Bills need

J .P. Losman's days in Buffalo were numbered Nov. 26, the day he was benched for good in favor of rookie Trent Edwards.

Playoff time without the Bills becoming routine

I’m sure a lot of Buffalo fans had the same empty, familiar feeling Saturday afternoon. You know what I’m talking about.

Levy put team on solid ground

Like a good carpenter who levels a shaky structure and repairs cracks and holes, Marv Levy put the Buffalo Bills back on a solid foundation.

Bills have the talent, but need the attitude

The difference between playoff teams and mediocre teams in the NFL often comes down to mind-set. Playoff teams play to win and mediocre teams play not to lose.

January 05, 2008

11th pick should get Bills a good player

The biggest plus in the season-ending three-game losing streak by the Buffalo Bills is that it significantly improved the team's spot in the 2008 NFL Draft. The Bills finished 7-9 and will have the No. 11 overall pick for the first time in team history.

J.P. Asks Out

So how about the possibility of the Buffalo Bills keeping both quarterbacks Trent Edwards and J.P. Losman next season. Well, one doesn't see that happening. Guess which.

'Poz' eager for 2008

One of the most disappointing things in the Bills' eighth straight non-playoff season was the lost opportunity for rookie Paul Posluszny to learn in the heat of the battle.

Losman prefers to be traded, rather than return for 1 more year

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -Bills quarterback J.P Losman wants out of Buffalo, unhappy with how he lost his starting job to rookie Trent Edwards this past season.

January 04, 2008

Bills Fan Base Polarized over Jauron

Less than a week after the Buffalo Bills ended their 2007 season, the team is once again attempting to answer difficult questions.

Candidates Abound

They're all technically offensive coordinator candidates for the Buffalo Bills until they say they're not.

'Significant Change’ Likely With New Coordinator

Toward the end of the 2007 campaign knowing that offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild was headed to Colorado State at the end of the year, Bills players were hopeful the offensive system could remain the same.

Corto returns to Bills

Orchard Park native Jon Corto was among six free-agent players who signed contracts with the Buffalo Bills on Thursday.

Bills sign six players

The Buffalo Bills signed six players Thursday, including five who finished the season on the team’s practice squad.

Edwards looks to improve this year

Assuming Trent Edwards was able to get a better read on his exit meeting with Dick Jauron than he did on some of the opposing defenses he faced this season, he will go into the 2008 season as the starting quarterback of the Buffalo Bills.

January 03, 2008

Bills should follow rival Miami's lead

Buffalo has won four straight games over AFC East rival Miami during the last two seasons, but it appears as if the Dolphins are finally taking steps to get by the Bills and eventually challenge New England, the foremost team in both the division and entire NFL.

The Dolphins, a squad that finished the 2007 season a brutally inept 1-15, have already revamped their front office this offseason with Hall of Famer Bill Parcells, now the executive vice president of football operations, as well as new general manager Jeff Ireland, a former front-office guru in Dallas.

Marv clears the air about retirement

Marv Levy says two years as a general manager was long enough.

He was happy to serve the Buffalo Bills. He feels good about where the organization is headed. But he does not love the job of general manager enough to stick around.

That’s the short, simple answer on why he is leaving his GM post.

Levy wants to do radio, TV

Marv Levy's second retirement from the National Football League includes plans to do radio and television work.

The 82-year-old Pro Football Hall of Famer might even write another book or two, perhaps a novel, following his acclaimed autobiography, Marv Levy: Where Else Would You Rather Be? released in 2004.

Bears draft guru could get a shot in Buffalo

When Buffalo Bills front office executives meet Thursday morning to discuss how to replace retiring general manager Marv Levy, Bears scouting director Greg Gabriel's name figures to generate some lively discussion.

January 02, 2008

2007 Buffalo Bills: Season Lowlights

Are you an optimist? Welcome to the club; I'd much rather treat you to stories like this than the one you're about to read. But when the Buffalo Bills finished with a losing record for the third straight year - and missed the playoffs for an eighth - you knew we'd have to talk about them. The lowlights of the Bills' 2007 season.

Bills must tighten up offense for 2008

(Sports Network) - With all their big offensive weapons under contract for the 2008 NFL season, the Buffalo Bills can only get better after battling through another mediocre season.

Levy eager to move on

Marv Levy's first love has always been coaching. And if he couldn't do that in Buffalo, Levy wasn't going to spend any more time as the Bills general manager once his two-year contract expired.

Penguins Win Historic Outdoor Contest

It was a dramatic conclusion to the first-ever outdoor NHL game in the U.S. Sidney Crosby's shootout goal gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres before a league-record 71,217 fans in the Bills' Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Levy to do radio, TV, may write books

Marv Levy plans to do radio and television work and may even write more books during his second retirement from the National Football League.

Bills new offensive coordinator could start over

When the Bills hire their new offensive coordinator in the next few days or weeks, the first thing he should do is destroy all game film from the 2007 season.

Bills new offensive coordinator could start over

When the Bills hire their new offensive coordinator in the next few days or weeks, the first thing he should do is destroy all game film from the 2007 season.

January 01, 2008

Marv Levy Steps Down As Bills General Manager

Bills General Manager Marv Levy announced Monday that he is stepping down from his position, 10 years to the day that he announced his retirement as the team's head coach.

Whitner’s Sinus Condition Improving

It takes a lot to keep Donte Whitner out of a game. After all he had not missed a defensive play all season until Sunday's season finale at Philadelphia when a sinus infection kept him from flying with the team.

Evans Interested In Long Term Deal

For all intents and purposes there's just a year left on Lee Evans' rookie contract. He's signed through the 2009 season, but that last year is voidable in 2008. In all likelihood the Bills will work this offseason to sign their top wideout long term, but how receptive is Evans to such overtures?

Orpik expects thrills and chills in homecoming

Buffalo was undisputed Bills country when Brooks Orpik was growing up around here. The Bills went to their first Super Bowl when Orpik was 10 years old, and they went to their last one when he was a teenager.

A weak GM would limit the Bills

Two years ago, when he was introduced as the Bills’ general manager, Marv Levy said he was “old enough to know my limitations, and young enough to exceed them.”

No shake-up in the works

The Buffalo Bills embarked Monday on another offseason of change.

Offense came up short

It was the offense that made the Buffalo Bills’ season such a journey in conjecture, with its multitude of starts and stalls, its near misses and flashes of hope.

Thanks go to Levy for a Marv-elous job

Marv Levy made the Pro Football Hall of Fame for coaching the Buffalo Bills to four straight Super Bowls, but the Bills aren't close to going to their fifth Super Bowl and that could be a reason why he stepped down Monday as general manager after two years on the job.