December 31
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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Fred Jackson thought back the other day to the first game of the 2010 season against Miami. "You mean (when) I didn't even have a role in the game plan, really?" he said. Yeah, that one, and, for that matter, the three that followed. The Bills' leading rusher in 2009 when he topped 1,000 yards, Jackson spent the first quarter of 2010 watching rookie C.J. Spiller and Marshawn Lynch unsuccessfully negotiate their way through defenses. "It was a crowded backfield at the beginning and that hindered all of us," Jackson said. "Anytime you're faced with that situation, you're not going to get as many carries or touches as you want to." True, but it bordered on ridiculous that in the first four"
December 29
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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Running back Fred Jackson, who is closing in on 1,000 rushing yards for the second consecutive season, was named the Buffalo Bills 2010 Walter Payton Man of the Year. The award honors the players throughout the NFL who demonstrate outstanding balance in their lives between civic and professional responsibilities. Started in 1970, the award was renamed in 1999 to honor Payton, the late Hall of Fame running back of the Chicago Bears. "Any time you can be named to that, it's a special feeling," said Jackson, who has rushed for 892 yards. Jackson participated in numerous community activities throughout the season, including the NFL's Play 60 campaign and Carly's Club (which supports kids and"
November 15
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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He scampered 16 yards around the corner and down the sideline for a third-quarter touchdown. He plowed across the goal line from a yard away for a second-quarter touchdown. He galloped 39 yards off right guard to give the Buffalo Bills prime field position to start the second half. But the play Fred Jackson liked the most on Sunday afternoon was one where he never touched the football. It was the kneel-down by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick that ended the Bills' 14-12 victory over the Detroit Lions at Ralph Wilson Stadium. When the defense forced a Shaun Hill incompletion on the 2-point conversion attempt to kill Detroit's chances of a comeback, the Bills simply needed to run one meaningless"
October 7
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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The 1970s rocker Meatloaf once sang that two out of three ain't bad, and in the case of the Buffalo Bills' running game, that may prove to be the case. In what could end up being a classic display of addition by subtraction, the Bills' running game will likely improve now that Marshawn Lynch is a Seattle Seahawk, Fred Jackson is the starter in Buffalo, and rookie C.J. Spiller will get more touches. Bills coach Chan Gailey has been saying all along that having three viable running backs on the roster was a good problem to have, but through four winless games, it was obvious the only thing good about it was that the Bills' were covered in case anybody got hurt. Clearly, Gailey wasn't able to"
September 8
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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Bills coach Chan Gailey said this afternoon that rookie C.J. Spiller will be the starting running back Sunday when the Bills host Miami in the NFL season opener for both teams. "The reason he's starting is because he's gotten more reps than anybody else in preseason at tailback and he's done a good job," Gailey said. "If he hadn't done a good job, then we might have to rethink it. But he's done a good job and he's earned the spot. So we're looking forward to him being out there." Spiller has also displayed big-play ability that the Bills' other top backs - Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch - have not."
August 17
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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Both C.J. Spiller and Joique Bell say that Fred Jackson has been a great mentor, like a big brother, thus far. Spiller and Bell, rookie running backs and roommates at Buffalo Bills Training Camp at St. John Fisher College, will see more of Jackson in a mentor role after Jackson confirmed Monday that he has a broken bone in his left hand that will keep him sidelined for 4-6 weeks. He says he hopes to be ready for the Bills season opener Sept. 12 against Miami. Bills coach Chan Gailey said Lynch's injury isn't serious and that he could return by the final preseason game. "It's a huge disappointment," Jackson said. "I want to be out here. It is training camp, but I want to be here and doing"
December 1
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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Perry Fewell has nothing against running back Marshawn Lynch; he just has nothing invested in him. So while Lynch was the 2007 first-round draft choice of deposed coach Dick Jauron, Fewell decided in the days leading up to Sunday's game against Miami that he ought to start the running back who has played better this year. That would be former undrafted free agent Fred Jackson. "I made that decision, really, during the course of the week, just watching us practice, watching our tempo and just gut instinct," Fewell said. "Fred has been very productive for us and it was just a gut, again, to help our football team." Based on what happened in the 31-14 victory over Miami, and what has happened"