Toronto Bills Blog

The Bills will reduce their roster to the 53 player maximum by 6 P.M. today. They will have to place 22 players on waivers. They then will add 8 of those players to the practice squad. The team will probably release one of the quarterbacks. Speculation is running high whether Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Brohm, or Levi Brown will be cut.

The Lions defeated the Bills 28 – 23 in the final preseason game. Trent Edwards completed 4 of 4 passes for 66 yards, including a 50 yarder to Lee Evans. Marshawn Lynch returned from an ankle injury, rushing 2 yards on 5 carries. C. J. Spiller had the night off. Buffalo returned a Matthew Stafford interception for a touchdown. The game was played before a disappointing crowd of 20,000. The Bills are 2 – 2 on the preseason.

Bills tickets are among the least expensive in the NFL. According to the Wall Street Journal, the average ticket price for a home Bills game is $85.01. The Giants lead the league with the highest average price of $265.29. Close behind are the defending Super Bowl champion Saints at $240.83. The Jets are next at $225.68. The Browns are lowest in the league at $41.87.

Detroit is listed as a 4 – 1/2 point favorite at home over Buffalo. The Lions are showing signs of life after going 2 – 14 last year under coach Jim Schwartz. Last week they beat the Browns 35 – 27. Quarterback Mathew Stafford was 13 of 17 for 141 yards. Trent Edwards is likely to solidify his position as starter for Buffalo. Following the game, the Bills will have to reduce their roster to the 53 player maximum by 6 P.M. on Saturday.

Buffalo running back Marshawn Lynch is questionable for Thursday’s final preseason game against Detroit. He practiced with the team yesterday. He has been nursing an ankle injury suffered in the Redskins game. Coach Chan Gailey said he will see how Lynch looks in practice before making a decision. In other developments, the Bills released seventh-round draft pick Kyle Calloway.

Quarterback Trent Edwards is likely to start for Buffalo. He is having a good preseason, going 18 of 25 in the last 2 games for 246 yards, 2 scores, and no interceptions. Coach Chan Gailey said that he has “earned the right to be in the position.” Edwards appears healthy after a series of injuries that sidelined him earlier in his career. Ryan Fitzpatrick is fighting for the backup job. He is 15 of 23 passes for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brian Brohm and Levi Brown are vying for the third spot.

The Bills defeated the Bengals 35 – 20 at home. Trent Edwards had a good night, going 13 of 17 for 153 yards and a touchdown pass to Roscoe Parrish. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a 20 yard touchdown pass to David Nelson. Rookie sensation C. J. Spiller had 2 touchdown runs. He had 52 rushing yards and 2 receptions for 33 yards. Terrell Owens had 3 catches for 35 yards for the Bengals. Buffalo plays Detroit Thursday in the final preseason game.

The Bills will play the Bengals this evening at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The third preseason game will feature the return of Terrell Owens to Buffalo. Rookie running back C. J. Spiller is expected to see action, with Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson out with injuries. Trent Edwards will start at quarterback. There is intense competition among Fitzpatrick, Brohm, and Brown to be the backup. The oddsmakers favor Cincinnati on the road.

The value of the Bills fell to $799 million in 2010 according to Forbes Magazine. This represents a 12% decrease from the 2009 valuation of $909 million. The club is valued 28th among the 32 NFL teams. The franchise’s operating income fell to $28.2 million from $39.5 million. Revenues increased slightly, from $222 million to $228 million. Ralph Wilson Stadium was valued at $93 million, among the lowest in the league. Forbes noted that the Bills “have deteriorated markedly since the glory years in the 1990s.”

The Bills have placed rookie linebacker Danny Batten and receiver Marcus Easley on injured reserve. Both are expected to miss the entire regular season. Batten injured his right shoulder in practice August 1. Easley had surgery on his left knee. Coach Chan Gailey said it wasn’t in their interests to try to make it back this year. In other developments, free safety Jairus Byrd is recovering from surgery. His return date is unknown.