Buffalo Bills defensive end Chris Kelsay did not practice on Wednesday as his team prepares for a critical Week 8 tilt with the Houston Texans. Kelsay’s back locked up, according to BuffaloBills.com, and considering the soreness of the injury, it’s very much up in the air if Kelsay will participate in this weekend’s game.
For the first time in recent memory, Kelsay’s potential absence might be considered a huge blow to the team by the Bills’ fan base. One of the most maligned Bills players in recent memory, Kelsay’s head has been on the chopping block in the court of public opinion since the 2007 season. After picking up 12.5 sacks from ‘04 to ‘06 - including a career-high 5.5 in ‘06 - the Bills rewarded Kelsay with a four-year, $23 million deal that included an $8 million signing bonus. Kelsay did not live up to the deal in ‘07 or ‘08, however, picking up just 4.5 sacks in the 30 games he played two full years after signing his extension.
Continue reading ‘Bills DE Kelsay embarking on career season’
It’s not hard to define what Thomas Vanek brings to the Buffalo Sabres. The Austrian winger was in the top five in the league for goals last year before his injury, and already has four goals in the seven games he’s played this season.
There’s nothing ambiguous about Ryan Miller’s contribution, either. He’s a top tier goalie who’s leading the league in both the Goals Against and Save Percentage category right now.
But this league is not, as this team has found out in recent years, only about flashy goal scorers and great net minding. Certainly those parts are necessary for a great team, but without a solid backbone, any team will fall apart. This year, it seems, the Sabres have grown back their spine.
Continue reading ‘Growing Back the Backbone’

There’s no mistaking when the Toronto Maple Leafs come to HSBC Arena tonight to take on the Buffalo Sabres, they’ll be doing so as the inferior team. They’re off to another miserable start, wining only 1 of their first 10 games. That’s not good news facing a Buffalo team that’s hotter than the Florida sun they recently visited.
The Sabres are ready to get cozy at home after successfully winning all three games on their road trip. They did on both ends of the spectrum, dominating Florida and New Jersey early en route to easy wins, and coming back for two points after trailing Tampa Bay in the waning seconds.
Buffalo owned Toronto in 2008-09, winning five of the six times the teams locked horns and none of the results being within a single goal. If the Leafs have something to hold their hat on, besides the usual plethora of fans that venture from Canada to invade the arena, it’s that their lone win in last year’s series came on Sabres’ ice (a 2-1 win on December 12, 2008).
Continue reading ‘Maple Leafs at Sabres Game-Night Preview’