Inside The Bills

Brady practicing Thursday

Patriots QB Tom Brady was practicing with his teammates today after missing practice Wednesday. That according to ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss.

Brady has been battling both throwing shoulder, ring finger and rib injuries of late, but was participating Thursday. Later today the team will release the extent to which Brady practiced, which will either be fully or on a limited basis.

Randy Moss was also practicing per the Boston Globe.

Incognito could start Sunday

Bills newly signed guard Richie Incognito has a chance to start on Sunday.

With Kendall Simmons nursing a shoulder injury and not practicing again on Thursday, Incognito said he stepped right in with the first unit in Simmons’ place at right guard.

Interim head coach Perry Fewell hasn’t committed to starting Incognito yet, but didn’t rule it out either.

“We’re just going to evaluate that day to day and look at that from a standpoint of will he be able to play or will he not be able to play? We’re glad that we got Richie in to see him practice and we’ll get another practice in with him tomorrow and we’ll just see,” said Fewell. “The terminology is different and the scheme is different, but he is an aggressive football player. He doesn’t lack for aggression. He’s a solid offensive lineman. He’s a big guy. There are guys out there helping him with calls and etcetera. So he had a good first day. We’ll see what it looks like tomorrow.”

Though Incognito is still translating a lot of the Bills terminology, which is new to him, he believes he could be ready by Sunday with the two men lined up on either side of him.

“Geoff (Hangartner) is a real good communicator and the right tackle Chambers is really smart,” Incognito told Buffalobills.com. “I’m excited to play. I heard it’s a good fan base to play in front of so I’m pumped up about that.”

A month ago when Kendall Simmons signed with Buffalo he successfully practiced a couple of days and started at right guard that same week against Miami. There’s no reason to think that another veteran lineman like Incognito could not do the same. It all depends on the availability of Simmons.

One last note. I mentioned to Incognito that Wilfork has a bit of a cheap shot history against the Bills. His response was the following.

“I protect against stuff like that.”

Hard not to like this guy already.

Fitz on former teammate Chris Henry

At the close of practice Thursday, the Bills huddled up and took a knee and said a prayer for Chris Henry and his family after his tragic passing this morning. Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is a former teammate of Henry’s and spoke about Henry’s untimely death.

“It was very sad,” said Fitzpatrick. ”Tragic news. I think for the guys that know him, it’s very different than the public perception of him. The trouble that he got in the past and all that, everybody knows that he’s a great guy. He really had his share of problems but really got his life on track. Obviously, everybody’s hearts and thought and prayers go out to his family, his fiancée, his kids. It was really tough news. “

Fitzpatrick believes it will be very difficult for his former Bengals teammates to move forward and play games after this.

“I can tell you that everybody loved him in the locker room. He was a great teammate,” said Fitzpatrick. ”It’s going to be really hard for those guys because of how much they really cared for him.”

Fitzpatrick in reflecting on the immense talent that Henry had mentioned that people had yet to even see his best, due in part to his off the field problems earlier in his career.

“Carson used to call him ‘the next Randy Moss,’” said Fitzpatrick.

Injury update

Three Bills players were limited in practice, while three others did not participate. Here’s the rundown.

Did not practice
OT Jonathan Scott (eye)
G Kendall Simmons (shoulder)
WR Terrell Owens (illness)

Limited in practice
FS Jairus Byrd (groin)
WR Justin Jenkins (knee)
OT Jamon Meredith (ankle) 

Owens is sick

Terrell Owens missed Thursday’s practice due to illness. Interim head coach Perry Fewell confirmed that following Thursday’s practice.

Fewell did not describe exactly what type of illness Owens is battling, and said he is unsure as to whether Owens will practice on Friday.

As for his status for the game Sunday, that will be revealed Friday afternoon when teams have to put a status on players that miss practice time.

Owens absent

Bills WR Terrell Owens was not at practice Thursday during the media viewing portion of the workout.

Interim head coach Perry Fewell is expected to address Owens’ absence after practice is over.

In attendance, but not practicing were G Kendall Simmons and OT Jonathan Scott. WR Justin Jenkins appeared to be limited.

Bruce Allen to run Redskins

With the Washington Post reporting that former Tampa GM Bruce Allen will take over the post vacated by Vinny Cerrato with the Redskins, it actually damages the chances that the Redskins hire Mike Shanahan to coach the club.

The general belief is that Shanahan is the top candidate to be named next head coach under Allen in Washington.

Allen is the son of former Redskins head coach George Allen. Bruce Allen also is a former front office chief of the Oakland Raiders.

Wilfork might meet his match

If the recently acquired Richie Incognito happens to be thrust into the lineup Sunday against the Patriots because Kendall Simmons shoulder injury sidelines him, Vince Wilfork may very well have met his match.

It’s no secret that Wilfork has had his share of cheap shots against the Bills over the years. For those that don’t know here’s the quick laundry list.

1. Kicked Bills G Chris Villarrial in the back when he was on the ground after a field goal attempt.
2. Buried the crown of his helmet into the side of Jonas Jennings’ helmet while Jennings was engaged with another defensive linemen at the tail end of a pass play. Jennings suffered a concussion.
3. Flying elbow at the left knee of J.P. Losman, caving it in and forcing Losman to miss the next three games with a sprained MCL and ultimately lose his starting job. (Wilfork actually fined for this).
4. Cold cocked Duke Preston behind a downfield pass play delivering a forearm to the back of his neck almost knocking him over.

Incognito has had his share of on field flare ups including this past week when he was involved in a head butting incident with a Titans player that drew a pair of personal foul penalties. He also was assessed two personal fouls in Week 1 while with the Rams.

Only difference between Incognito and Wilfork is the Patriots DT rarely gets caught.

Shanahan to Redskins?

With the resignation of Redskins front office czar Vinny Cerrato there is rampant speculation that his stepping down clears the way for Mike Shanahan.

ProFootballTalk is citing a league source as saying that Shanahan, who has met more than once with Washington owner Daniel Snyder, does not care for Cerrato, so Cerrato resigned.

There are sure to be further developments on this in the not too distant future.

Bills-Pats sold out but…

The Bills announced Thursday morning just a few hours before the blackout deadline that their game Sunday against the Patriots has sold out. However, there are still tickets available because the Pats have returned some tickets from their assigned allotment.

Fans may purchase tickets by going online at buffalobills.com or ticketmaster.com, by visiting Western New York Ticketmaster outlets or the Ralph Wilson Stadium ticket office, or by calling 1-877-BB-TICKS and 716-649-0015.

There are also premium seats available which do not count toward the sold out status per NFL policy.

At the beginning of the week there were still 2,000 unsold tickets for the game.

Report: Bills claim Incognito

According to Pro Football Talk, the Bills claimed OL Richie Incognito off waivers Wednesday.

Incognitowas claimed by the Bills and the Dolphins, but the Bills were awarded Incognito due to a worse won-loss record. He was just released by the Rams this week after he committed two personal fouls last Sunday against Tennessee and then got in a shouting match with head coach Steve Spagnuolo.

The Bills have been thin on the interior ever since losing rookie Eric Wood to a broken leg in Week 11. They signed veteran free agent Kendall Simmons, who has started the last three games in Wood’s place, but he missed practice Wednesday with a shoulder injury.

Incognito is a guard by trade and has spent his entire five-year career with the Rams.

Thurs. player radio appearances

Just one Bills player is scheduled to appear on the local airwaves Thursday morning.

Fred Jackson- Kiss 98.5, Janet and Nick in the Morning @ 7:15 am

Brady, Moss don’t practice

Patriots QB Tom Brady did not practice on Wednesday and neither did Randy Moss. Moss’ absence from practice however, was not injury related.

Brady didn’t practice because of his right ring finger ailment and his right shoulder according to the Patriots injury report. Moss’ absence however, appears to be a veteran rest day.

There’s no way to confirm it, but there is speculation that Moss might be getting coddled after he reacted so negatively with his performance on the field last week.

Both Brady and Bill Belichick have come to Moss’ defense this week after the widespread report of Moss and three of his teammates being sent home last week after being late for a team meeting. Belichick reiterated his stance on Moss in a conference call with Buffalo media Wednesday.

“I think Randy Moss’s situation pretty much speaks for itself. I mean, over the last three years with the New England Patriots and throughout his career, he’s produced probably more than most every other player in the league at his position, or even in the history of the game for that matter. His teammates elected him captain the last two years, so I think that speaks to his leadership and the respect that he has off the field.”

Other starters not practicing Wednesday for the Patriots were DE Ty Warren (ankle) and DT Vince Wilfork (foot).

Injury report

Here is the list of non-participants and limited participants in practice Wednesday.

Not practicing
OT Jonathan Scott (eye)
G Kendall Simmons (shoulder)

Limited in practice
FS Jairus Byrd (groin)
TE Joe Klopfenstein (ankle)
WR Justin Jenkins (knee)
OT Jamon Meredith (ankle)

Interim head coach Perry Fewell said he is “optimistic” that Scott will be able to start on Sunday despite the eye injury.

Fewell on Brohm prospects

Interim head coach Perry Fewell was asked if there would be an opportunity for Brian Brohm to see time on the field, if there is another passing performance on Sunday that fails to have the desired production as has been the case the past two games.

“I don’t know how far he is along in the development of our offense because he doesn’t take the reps in our offense. He takes the reps with our scout team,” said Fewell. ”So to put him in that position might be a recipe for failure for him. It might not give him the best opportunity. It might not show us what he really can do. But you never say never. You approach each day and situation as it comes and you never rule out a possibility.”

At this point it’s doubtful that Brohm takes the field, but should the pass game continue to struggle as it has the past two games, Fewell does not want to rule it out as a possible option. Whether it actually happens is another story.

Here are Brohm’s thoughts on how he’s absorbing the offense.

Stevie Johnson chops the dreds!

Bills WR Steve Johnson has made a bold decision concerning his hair. The dreadlocks that he has been growing for years have been shaved off his head.

“I was contemplating about it for two weeks,” said Johnson. “I’ve had braids and I’ve had dreds and I wanted my hair to come out the back of my helmet in high school. But I thought it was time to go back to my short hair and my waves now.”

Johnson said equipment manager Dave Hojnowski had to tighten his helmet one head size now that the hair is gone. He’s now the second “long hair” to chop his locks joining Kawika Mitchell. Here is a shot of the clean cut dome of Steve Johnson.

Brohm: “I’ll be ready if called upon.”

It’s been about a month that Brian Brohm has been on Buffalo’s roster since he was signed off of Green Bay’s practice squad. The offensive system has steadily become more and more familiar to him. But getting an opportunity on the field before the 2009 season is over looks remote at best at this point in time. Still it hasn’t discouraged Brohm from being ready if he gets the call.

“Anybody that plays in this league wants to be on the field and I’m no different,” said Brohm. “For now I’m just working hard to get better. I’ll be ready if called upon.”

Brohm chose to sign with the Bills despite the fact that the Packers were willing to match Buffalo’s offer to keep him in Green Bay. But it wasn’t because of any assurance of time on the field.

“They didn’t promise me anything,” said Brohm. “They just wanted to bring me in, see what I had and told me the situation. I really had no expectations other than to come in here and work hard and get better and that I’ll be part of things moving forward to next season.”

With respect to the offense Brohm feels he has a decent handle on it, but not getting reps in practice makes it difficult to shorten the learning curve.

“I feel pretty comfortable with it, but obviously not out there running it and not getting reps… it’s definitely an advantage to get the reps,” said Brohm. “I’m just going off watching Ryan out there and just learning in practice.

“I’m learning as I go. Obviously if they made that decision I’d get those reps that week before I went into the game. And I’d feel more comfortable if I got those.”

Brohm admitted when he arrived in Buffalo that he battled some confidence issues initially in Green Bay, but felt he moved past those this past summer. That’s why even though playing time might not be in the cards this season he has a strong belief that when given an opportunity he’ll be able to the best of what he has to offer on display.

“I’m confident in my abilities. I just continue to push forward and I still have an opportunity next year if it comes to that where I don’t get in this year to still show them what I have. So I’m going to go out there and work hard every day to show everybody upstairs the talent that I have.”   

When asked if he’s been told anything specific about playing at the end of this year or next year he explained it’s hard for the organization to do that with the coaching situation tenuous beyond this season among other things.

“I haven’t been promised anything,” said Brohm. “Obviously there are a lot of things up in the air with this organization right now. Looking forward to next year nobody really knows what’s going to happen.”

Pats squarely focused on Bills

Despite the media’s efforts to stir up turmoil in the Patriots camp with Randy Moss giving up on routes, or four players including Moss being sent home last week after showing up late for a meeting, Bill Belichick is not about to let his team lose focus on their next opponent.

I asked him if all of the questions about stuff away from the field is easy to ignore. Here was his response.

“There’s something every week that doesn’t really have anything to do with the current game, and we try to block that out,” Belichick said. ”We’ve won big games, we’ve lost tough ones and we’ve been in between. Right now, it doesn’t matter what happened last week. Right now, we’re on to Buffalo, and that’s where our focus is.”

Belichick on Bills screen game

The screen passing game by the Bills in their Week 1 matchup against the Patriots worked very, very well for Buffalo, but since then the Bills haven’t used it all that much. Knowing Bill Belichick has watched every play of Bills football since then on tape, I asked him if that surprised him that it’s been used sparingly since Week 1.

“Well, I think they’ve had their share of plays on it, but it’s like anything else, if you’ve successful with it, other teams in the league see that and set their defenses and keys to try to to take some of those plays away. But I think Buffalo’s been successful doing a lot of different things this year. and that’s what makes them hard to defend.”

Belichick as is his M.O. was building the Buffalo offense up a bit, but the screen game was its most effective in Week 1. The Patriots will undeoubtedly be better prepared for it this time. It’s probably safe to assume the Bills will use it sparingly this week knowing the Pats will be looking for it.

Practice is inside and out

In an effort to have the players ready for the elements interim head coach Perry Fewell has his players spending portions of practice inside the Fieldhouse with all the doors open to let in the freezing cold air, and outside on the team’s grass field.

The players spending time outside were the receivers, backs, tight ends and quarterbacks, the players who will be most affected by the weather in terms of executing plays on Sunday. It’s a windy day here in Buffalo with a forecast high of 20. The real feel is about 10.

It’s good to see the players having to adjust to the elements. Hopefully it pays off on Sunday when the forecast high is 27 with 12-15 mph winds and a 40 percent chance of snow.