Inside The Bills

Practice update

Here are the non-participants for Wednesday’s practice.

C.J. Spiller
Corey McIntyre
Shawne Merriman
Cordaro Howard
Eric Wood
Demetrius Bell
Spencer Johnson

C.J. on his hamstring

Bills RB C.J. Spiller has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game by head coach Chan Gailey, but it doesn’t mean he’s not working every day to get his hamstring right as soon as possible.

“I feel fine and I’m feeling better every day,” said Spiller. ”It’s just a slow process, just taking it every day, getting as much treatment as I can to get back. So the main thing with these type of injuries that I experienced is it has to be 100 percent before you get back out there and further damage. Of course I want to be out there for my team, but you have to look at the long haul. I’d rather miss one, rather than miss the rest of the season. So I’ve put my pride aside and do what my trainer tells me to do and get ready to go.”

Spiller confirmed that he strained the hamstring on the first half punt return, but he’s glad he and the training staff chose to shut him down for the rest of the game knowing the injury could have wound up being far more severe.

“As soon as I turned the corner going up the field, I felt it, but I didn’t pay it any mind,” he said. ”I thought it was just a cramp or whatever. Once I made the punter miss and cut back inside I felt it even more and I still didn’t kind of pay it any attention. But once I started walking back to the sideline I kind of felt it. I knew right away that it wasn’t right. We used good judgment by not finishing the game. I truly believe I would’ve damaged it more than what it was. It was a good call on both ends by me and the trainers.”

3 Bills out for Sunday

As expected head coach Chan Gailey ruled out three of his injured players for Sunday’s game in Cincinnati.

C.J. Spiller, Spencer Johnson and Shawne Merriman will not play against the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium this weekend.

“I think we have a chance to have everybody back for the game this week except C.J. and Spence,” said Gailey.

When asked if Merriman would also be unavailable Gailey said that the linebacker would not play this Sunday either.

Spiller and Johnson both have hamstring injuries, while Merriman is working his way back from a strained Achilles.

Wood heading home Sunday

RG Eric Wood will be heading to his hometown of Cincinnati this weekend with his Bills teammates as they face the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Wood is naturally looking forward to his first opportunity to play in his hometown as a professional.

“I’m excited to go home,” Wood told Buffalobills.com. ”I’m happy that I’ve been able to progress this year. Going home is going to be fun because Cincinnati has a pretty sound defense. I’m not sure how they rank numbers-wise, but they’re very physical in the front seven, so we’ll have our work cut out for us just like we did last week. It’ll be fun though because I’m going to have a lot of friends and family there and it’ll be a nice homecoming.”

Wood isn’t sure just how big the support contingent will be, but he is sure they’ll all be wearing Bills colors Sunday.

Rock out hunger

The fifth annual “Rock Out Hunger” begins Wednesday, November 17th, at 3:00 p.m. as 97 Rock’s “DJ Jickster” will camp out in the parking lot located on 6727 Transit Road (near Wehrle Drive) in Williamsville to raise food and funds for the Food Bank of Western New York.

Jickster will live in a collection truck located in the parking lot, until the goal for the Food Bank of Western New York is reached.  Throughout his stay, Jickster will be joined by the Jills and celebrities including Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. 

Jickster encourages Western New Yorkers to stop by, give a donation of perishable or non-perishable food or money, and Rock Out Hunger with 97 Rock.

Bengals sign kicker

The Bengals replaced injured K Mike Nugent Tuesday signing Aaron Pettrey.

Pettrey was with the Lions for part of their training camp kicking in just one preseason game. According to Cincinnati Enquirer Bengals beat reporter Joe Reedy, Pettrey is good on kickoffs, but inconsistent on field goals.

Advantage Bills if it’s another close one Sunday, though Leodis may not have as many kick return opportunities as hoped if this guy is kicking them through the back of the end zone.

The Bengals also signed OL Andrew Gardner and OL Kirk Chambers after losing RT Andre Smith to a broken foot last week.

Vote for Fred

Bills RB Fred Jackson is up for NFL FedEx Ground Player of the Week.

Jackson rushed for a season-high 133 yards and had both of Buffalo’s touchdowns in their first victory of the season over Detroit (14-12). You can vote as many times as you want for Fred and you should because he’s up against some stiff competition which includes Chris Johnson and Maurice Jones-Drew.

Bengals could have Odom back

The Cincinnati Bengals despite putting three players on injured reserve Monday, could have their best pass rusher back on the field Sunday against the Bills.

Antwan Odom has just completed serving four games for violation of the league’s substance abuse policy. He sustained a knee injury heading into the suspension that was to keep him out 2-3 weeks. The Bengals, much like the Bills did with Shawn Nelson, got a one week roster exemption for Odom, but they could activate him at any time.

Cincinnati likely wants to see how Odom looks in practice, which he can do with teammates this week. They’ll have until Saturday at 4 pm to add him to their 53-man roster for Sunday’s game.

Whether Odom is truly back to the form that saw him rack up 8 sacks in just six games last season remains to be seen. A ruptured Achilles cost him the last 10 games of the season in 2009, and it’s difficult for speed players to regain their burst after an injury like that.

Fitz on facing former team

Ryan Fitzpatrick will be squaring off against one of his former NFL clubs, the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Fitz didn’t deny that the game will carry a little more incentive for him having played for the Bengals in 2007-2008. He appeared in 14 games for Cincinnati making 12 starts and compiling a record of 4-3-1 in the last eight games of the 2008 campaign.

“I’ve got a lot of close friends still on the team over there,” said Fitzpatrick who is tight with Bengals QB Carson Palmer. ”I’m looking forward to getting out there and playing against those guys. It’ll probably a little more special than a normal game because of that and the relationships that I have over there. Other than that I’ve just been getting asked for restaurant recommendations.”

Player radio appearances

Here’s the rundown of player appearances on the radio airwaves for Tuesday.

George Wilson – Kiss 98.5 @ 8:45 AM

Eric Wood – Norton in the Morning; 97 Rock @ 8:50 AM

Andy Levitre – Morning Bull; 103.3 The Edge @ 9:40 AM

Fred gets some credit

Bills RB Fred Jackson who totaled 170 yards of offense and both touchdowns in Buffalo’s first win of the season finally got some credit from the national media.

Jackson was given a game ball on ESPN’s NFL Primetime by Merrill Hoge. Trent Dilfer selected Dallas interim head coach Jason Garrett and Trey Wingo picked San Francisco QB Troy Smith.

Spencer likely out Sun.

Head coach Chan Gailey wasn’t optimistic about having Spencer Johnson available for Sunday’s game in Cincinnati.

“I probably don’t see that happening,” said Gailey of Johnson’s chances for playing Sunday. ”I think he’s out at least one game and maybe two.”

Johnson pulled his hamstring in Sunday’s game against Detroit. No word on whether it’s the same hamstring that sidelined him for half of training camp this past summer.

The injury means that rookie Alex Carrington should be active this week against the Bengals.

Changes to run game

Head coach Chan Gailey made no secret that with C.J. Spiller likely on the shelf this week, that Buffalo play calling choices in the run game will have to change.

“We have a lot of work there because we’re pretty multiple with what we do with that position,” said Gailey. ”We’ll change a little bit without C.J.. It’ll change what we do and some of our thought processes.”

Jackson will still be the lead back obviously, but Gailey is not shy about making use of recent free agent signee Quinton Ganther. Ganther had four carries Sunday and figures to see more with a full week of preparation in the practice setting for Cincinnati.

“‘Q’ is a little different kind of back so we’ll use him the way that he needs to be used and adjust some things toward that,” Gailey said. ”But we’ve got to make sure that we don’t lose all that (we had gained in the run game) because C.J. will be back. It’s not like he’s gone for the year and we have to totally adjust. He’ll be back.”

Merriman update

Shawne Merriman did not practice late last week after sustaining a strained Achilles in his first practice with the Bills last Wednesday. Head coach Chan Gailey had an update on Merriman’s outlook this week.

“I probably don’t think he’ll get out there this week,” said Gailey. “But I think there’s a real good chance for next week.”

Merriman strained the same Achilles that he initially aggravated at the tail end of the preseason while he was still with San Diego.

C.J. injury update

Bills RB C.J. Spiller left Sunday’s game in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. Head coach Chan Gailey provided a tentative prognosis.

“If you talk to C.J., C.J. thinks he’s going to be hoping to practice this week,” said Gailey. “The realistic thing is he’ll miss one (game) and then we’ll see from there. It depends on how quickly it comes back.”

Spiller was injured on a long kick return in the first half against the Lions.

Fitz’s throwing hand wrapped

Ryan Fitzpatrick strolled into the locker room Monday with a heavy wrap on his throwing hand.

When asked about the wrap, Fitzpatrick explained what happened to his hand in Sunday’s win over Detroit.

“I just got it stepped on during the game,” he said. ’It was actually on one of the plays they jumped offsides on and Andy (Levitre) shoved the guy coming across and he ended up landing on me and stepping on my hand. But there’s just some swelling nothing too big.”

When asked if he thinks it will affect his ability to throw Fitzpatrick indicated that it wouldn’t.

“No, I’ll be fine,” he said.

Win a Bills prize pack!

Hey Bills fans! Now is the time for a chance to win an exclusive Bills prize pack from D’Youville College! 

The prize pack includes a customized, authentic Bills jersey and an autographed football!  Enter now!

K Nugent out for Bengals

The Bills will be facing an opponent in search of a replacement kicker for the second straight week this Sunday.

Cincinnati kicker Mike Nugent sustained an injury to his kicking leg Sunday as he attempted an onsides kick. Reports out of Cincinnati are that Nugent could miss the rest of the season.

“It doesn’t look good,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis after the game.. “I’ll reserve judgment until we know for sure.”

UPDATE: ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Nugent is indeed out for the season. It’s reportedly a torn ACL and sprained MCL.

Initially it was thought that Nugent was injured in the pileup to recover the onsides kick, but Nugent turned awkwardly to fake kicking left before kicking the onsides attempt to the right. He said that’s when the injury occurred.

Nugent beat out Dave Rayner for the Bengals kicking job this past summer. Rayner was the fill in kicker for the Lions yesterday and missed a 49-yard attempt in a two-point Bills victory, their first of the season.

No word yet on who the Bengals may sign as a replacement for Sunday’s game against the Bills.

Best sees a Bills identity

Lions RB Jahvid Best found very little room to run against the Bills defense Sunday and believes Buffalo has found an answer to their run defense issues this season.

“I think they definitely found their identity for this week,” said Best of the Bills. ”They’ve been playing different kinds of defenses throughout the season but I think they found what they like to do now.”

Buffalo held the Lions to just 76 yards rushing on 26 carries (2.9 avg.) which is a season low for the Bills defense. They employed a mixture of a 4-3 and 3-4 front throughout the game, but the 4-3 look was more prominent on run downs.

Spiller Tops appearance

Bills RB C.J. Spiller will be appearing at the Tops Friendly Markets at 355 Orchard Park Road in West Seneca on Tuesday, Nov. 16 from 3:15—5 PM.

Spiller is teaming up with zero calorie Pepsi MAX and Tops to celebrate the new Pepsi MAX NFL Rookie cans. Spiller joins 13 other NFL rookies from across the league who will be featured on their own Pepsi MAX can. The NFL Rookie edition of Pepsi MAX will be available for a limited time at participating retailers.

Spiller will be signing autographs at this appearance.

The Pepsi MAX Rookie can series is part of the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week/Year program, which allows fans to vote each week and at the end of the season for the best rookie in the league at www.pepsimax.com/facebook or www.NFL.com/rookie.

As the official soft drink of the NFL and as part of the program, Pepsi MAX is not only honoring 14 different NFL rookies on the cans, but is giving fans the chance to win a trip to North Texas to attend Super Bowl XLV and all the festivities leading up to it, where they will announce the 2010 Rookie of the Year.