With Panthers in, Taylor, Wood get Pro Bowl nods

Since the end of the regular season, Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood has been an avid Carolina Panthers fan.

As an alternate for the Pro Bowl, Wood needed Ryan Kalil and the cats to make it to the big game in order to have a shot at a roster spot for the Jan. 31 game.

Now, Wood and teammate Tyrod Taylor are headed to Hawaii.

"I’ve been rooting pretty hard for Carolina throughout the playoffs," Wood said via BuffaloBills.com. "So when they won I knew I was in and someone from the league contacted me about 11:30 last night.

"I'm on the way back from the University of Louisville now from a workout; I was trying to do a little crash course to get back in shape and get ready to play a game this weekend."
  

READ MORE >>

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Wood thinks Mills is up for handling Watt, Texans

With Seantrel Henderson missing yet another day of practice due to illness Thursday, the Buffalo Bills' chances of having their starting right tackle available against J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans this weekend are dwindling.

While that news may have Watt licking his chops, it's a task that veteran center Eric Wood thinks fill-in Jordan Mills will have no problem handling.

"He'll do fine," Wood said via BuffaloBills.com. "Jordan is a guy who has worked extremely hard since he got here. He has great technique. He's really smart. 

"[Neither] the moment nor the matchup will be too big for him."

READ MORE

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Eric Wood: OL coach situation won't have huge effect

The Buffalo Bills' offensive line enters training camp unsure whom will be its positional coach.

Current OL coach Aaron Kromer is on indefinite paid leave after his arrest, and his assistant Kurt Anderson, is set to temporarily take the reins--and possibly for the longer-term. Kromer's fate is still to be determined.

Regardless of what happens, center Eric Wood doesn't expect much difference.

"There wouldn’t be radical changes either way," Wood said Wednesday, via The Buffalo News. "I don’t think it’ll have a huge effect.

"... I'm sure a lot of what we’re taught is stuff that [offensive coordinator Greg] Roman puts into place," he added. "So ultimately it’s his say. Whoever’s the coach will be coaching a majority of the stuff he wants.”

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Wood 'wouldn't be super excited' if Bills moved abroad

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Speculation has been rampant this offseason when it comes to potential bidders for the Buffalo Bills; anyone with deep pockets and a Western New York connection seems to be in the mix.

The eventual owner of the team is only half the story though, and many are wondering if new management will yield a new location.

While many of the big-name suitors have claimed the Bills would stay put if they were to come out on top, other possible landing spots for the team have been scattered, with Los Angeles and Toronto certainly in the mix.

Wood 'all for' Bills going offensive line early in draft

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

It's speculation time around the NFL, and first-round prospects are bouncing up and down mock draft lists as analysts attempt to predict each team's top priority in the next month's draft.

For the Buffalo Bills, however, their top priority has been fairly static since the end of last year -- they need an offensive lineman.

Following the acquisition of Rams left guard Chris Williams early on this offseason, the next area the team is focusing on is right tackle, a position currently being held down by soon-to-be 32-year-old Erik Pears. Pears struggled in his run blocking duties last season, posting the fourth-worst performance among tackles in the league, according to ProFootballFocus.

Bills veterans call out teammates who aren't 'all in'

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The Buffalo Bills entered the 2013 season with new talent, an eager staff and heightened expectations.

But 14 weeks in, the Bills still lack accountability.

The word was used by a plethora of players in the days following their 27-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which dropped Buffalo to 4-9 and clinched yet another losing record for the maligned squad.

Marrone, Wood: E.J.'s struggles due to rust, wind

BY NICK ST. DENIS

E.J. Manuel is a raw, first-year quarterback coming off a month-long injury break. Sunday, Manuel looked like a raw, first-year quarterback coming off a month-long injury break.

In other words, he didn't look good.

The Buffalo Bills signal-caller was regularly off target in his team's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, completing well under half of his pass attempts until an end-of-game scoring drive against a prevent defense in garbage time.

Wood: 'If you dig a hole, that's the Jets' game'

BY NICK ST. DENIS

From one perspective, the New York Jets' approach on defense is simple: get the opposing offense to second- and third-and-long situations, then attack.

Gang Green did it time and time again against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, and it was effective. The Jets sacked quarterback E.J. Manuel eight times, hit him on 16 occasions and forced him into more incompletions than completions.

"You've got to stay ahead of the chains on them," Bills center Eric Wood told Tim Graham of The Buffalo News Monday.

Wood: Willful drop 'shows type of dude Fred is'

BY NICK ST. DENIS

E.J. Manuel completed a handful of critical passes in the Buffalo Bills' last-minute game-winning drive Sunday.

But a certain incomplete pass may have been the most critical of all.

Manuel connected with Stevie Johnson, C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson on his first three attempts of the final drive -- two of which moved the chains -- and he went to Jackson again on the fourth. Jackson could've made the catch, but he was in the middle of the field and would've gained, in his words, a yard at most.

Bills' key to third down is first and second

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The Buffalo Bills' offense converted on just three of its 13 third-down attempts in a season-opening loss to the New England Patriots.

Center Eric Wood already has the solution to solving the Bills' woes in that department.

"We have to execute on first and second down," Wood said Monday. "We had way too many times where we’d have third and long because of penalties and whatever else it may be that we kind of messed up on first and second down.

Wood likes that Manuel rarely repeats mistakes

BY NICK ST. DENIS

E.J. Manuel is a rookie. He's going to make some bad reads, he's going to throw interceptions and he's going to take plenty of the inevitable lumps first-year signal-callers do.

The key for Manuel will be to not let one hiccup snowball into three or four of them. At least one of his teammates doesn't think that will be an issue.

"He repeats mistakes very, very seldom. That’s been one thing that’s been super encouraging since the day he got drafted," Bills center Eric Wood told reporters Wednesday. "Even today, little things I’ll talk to him and within the next team drill it’s already fixed or he’s already working better with us as an offensive line or whatever it may be."

With new deal, Wood only focused on football

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Eric Wood could've gotten through the final year of his rookie contract with little trouble, but the 27-year-old center preferred to know where he'd be beyond the next seven months.

So did his team.

The Buffalo Bills announced Friday they gave Wood, a 2009 first-round draft pick, a multi-year contract extension. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, though they were obviously positive enough to have Wood resting easy a week before the start of the regular season.

Wood says Toronto Series is a 'joke' and it 'sucked'

BY NICK ST. DENIS

We all knew Buffalo Bills players were not fans of the five-year Toronto Series that saw them play one "home" game a season at Toronto's Rogers Centre.

Last season, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and safety George Wilson were extremely critical of the atmosphere and lack of home-field advantage, and receiver Stevie Johnson echoed those sentiments last week.

This week, one Bills player verbally laid the wood on the up-north campaign following their blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Buffalo is 1-4 in Toronto. (photo: Matt Britt, Flickr)

Wood: Bills trying to avoid 'here we go again' attitude

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Buffalo Bills fans are certainly thinking it, but the players are trying not to.

"I do not know if people are thinking about it and thinking 'here we go again,' but at some point you have to put your foot down and say enough is enough," Bills center Eric Wood told reporters Monday.

With big-contract signings and extensions to "franchise" players occupying Buffalo headlines over the last 12 months, the Bills entered the 2012 season with high hopes. But so far, they're looking like the same old Bills. They set multiple records last week for all the wrong reasons in surrendering 614 yards to the San Francisco 49ers in a 45-3 loss, which dropped them to 2-3 on the year.

Buffalo is giving up more than 35 points a game, including 48 in Week 1 against the New York Jets and 52 against the New England Patriots two weeks ago. With that, the Bills are also 0-2 in the division.

Bills' offensive line answering the call so far

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

The question coming into this season for the Buffalo Bills' offensive line was whether they'd be able to duplicate their success of a year ago despite the loss of left tackle Demetress Bell and the injury to right tackle Erik Pears.

The answer: Yes.

In 2011, Buffalo's line allowed only 23 sacks, a league best. The Bills' squad has kept its protection stout in its first two games this year as well, and against two strong defensive fronts in the Jets and the Chiefs.

Buffalo boasts the only offensive line that has yet to allow a sack, and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick expressed his appreciation Monday while addressing the media.

“They were nasty out there,” Fitzpatrick said. “They did a great job. It is really nice to see them getting some credit. The way C.J. (Spiller) is running the ball right now, no sacks in two games—the things you can look at stats-wise for an offensive line. They have done a pretty outstanding job the first two games.”

Bills' center on Jets' D: 3rd down will be a challenge

BY NICK ST. DENIS

If the Buffalo Bills want to beat the New York Jets Sunday for the first time in five meetings, they'll have to improve their chain-moving efficiency.

Buffalo was just 3-for-11 on third down in a home loss to the Jets last season, and the Bills weren't much better in the teams' second meeting, going 6-for-15 on third down in a defeat at the Meadowlands.

"This is going to be a good measuring stick for us," Bills center Eric Wood told the media Monday of the teams' upcoming Week 1 bout. "They kind of had our number in that first game last year and then I did not play in the second one. I know I am looking forward to this."

Buffalo faces the task of controlling a very stout Jets defensive front, both in personnel and scheme.

"They have a talented front," Wood said. "Their inside D-tackles are really good and they bring pressure from so many different angles. On third down it will be a challenge."

Bills center Wood likes rookie Glenn's demeanor

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood has "high expectations" for his team's offensive line this season.

And a lot of the weight regarding whether or not Buffalo will in fact be successful up front will ride on the shoulders of rookie tackle Cordy Glenn, who was recently named the team's starting left tackle.

Wood thinks Glenn will be just fine.

"Probably the best thing about him is he is a really even-keeled kid," Wood told reporters Thursday, according to the team's website. "I kind of ride with my emotions at times. I always mess with him and tell him I wish I had his demeanor at times. I am sure he wishes he had mine at times."

Glenn's steady demeanor during training camp is all fine and dandy, but he'll need to translate it to the field. Glenn got a taste of the big leagues the last two weeks facing Washington Redskins' Brian Orakpo and Minnesota Vikings' Jared Allen.

Glenn wasn't terrible or impressive against either of them, and coach Chan Gailey said earlier in the week that Glenn "needs as much playing time as he can get."

"It seems like every preseason game he has faced another great pass rusher," Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said Wednesday. "That is just how this league is. We are expecting him to step up and to play well. He still has a couple more weeks to get going, just in the preseason. Getting his feet wet and all that, but we are expecting big things from him this year."

'No-name' Bills battling through injuries

With the loss of center Eric Wood for the season, the Buffalo Bills' fraternity of experienced starters will move on without another member.

The three-year starter suffered a torn ACL in the loss to Dallas last week, forcing versatile lineman Andy Levitre to slide over and handle snapping responsibilities from here on out. The injury loss is nothing new for the banged-up Bills, who with the addition of Wood, have the fourth-most players on the injured reserve list in the league with 10. Only the Giants, Panthers and Jaguars have more.

Another injury forces Levitre to move, again

Buffalo Bills center Eric Wood tore a ligament in his right knee Sunday in a loss to the Cowboys and was placed on Injured Reserve.

With that, left guard Andy Levitre will again slide out of his position – this time to the right – to take over snapping duties. Levitre had been playing at left tackle the last three games, filling in for injured starter Demetrius Bell and backup Chris Hairston, though Hairston is expected to be ready to go this week.