Players give good marks to Toronto
TORONTO — Great. Exciting. Awesome.
Those were some of the words used by Buffalo Bills players, and even some Pittsburgh Steelers, to describe Thursday night’s preseason game at the Rogers Centre.
The game was the first of eight the Bills will play in Toronto over the next five years. The team returns during the regular season to play the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 7.
Although there are a few kinks that need to be worked out before then, the Bills gave Toronto good reviews as the host city.
“I loved it,” quarterback Trent Edwards said after the Bills’ 24-21 victory. “I thought the pep rally [Wednesday night] was great to get the week started for us. There was a ton of support, a ton of media coverage for this game. The hospitality here was very, very well done and I
look forward to coming back up here in December.”
Everything did not go smoothly. Some players, including Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger weren’t happy with the FieldTurf, which looked well worn.
Bills wide receiver Lee Evans didn’t have many complaints, except for the pregame introductions.
“When they introduced me they said No. 83 from LSU,” he said. “I need to set the record straight with that, so that wasn’t good. It’s Wisconsin.
“Other than that, the atmosphere was great. I think they did a great job. The turf was OK. They certainly have some spots that you get clinked up a little bit, but things were fine and it was a very good atmosphere and the fans were great.”
The Bills may have been the “home” team Thursday, but the Rogers Centre was hardly the home-field advantage the team enjoys at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
The announced crowd of 48,434 seemed interested enough, but it lacked the energy of the raucous bunch that energizes The Ralph every Sunday.
“It wasn’t as loud as it is in Buffalo because this was our first time playing here,” safety Donte Whitner said. “The fans weren’t really used to how we like it. We like it to be loud on defense. But I’m sure next time it will be different because this was our first preseason game here. It wasn’t the real deal because the starters didn’t play the entire time. But when we come back and play the Miami Dolphins in December, I’m sure it will be a lot louder.”
It also figures to be a more partisan Bills audience than it was Thursday night.
While Bills fans were the clear majority inside the Rogers Centre, more than a third of the spectators were devoted Steelers followers. Jerseys of several other NFL teams were spotted in the stands as well.
“I knew this wasn’t a real home game when I heard more people cheering for [Pittsburgh safety] Troy Polamalu than for me,” Whitner said jokingly.
“It is a little different,” added Bills tight end Robert Royal, “because it is kind of a home game for us, but it is so close to Pittsburgh that a lot of the Pittsburgh fans drove to the game, or flew to the game. Overall, I think it is a pretty good atmosphere. It is a beautiful dome. I think it is going to do well for the NFL.”
Not everyone feels that way.
A number of Canadians have been very public in their objection to having NFL games north of the border. Some believe the games pose a serious threat to the Canadian Football League. There was one small group of protesters seen outside the Rogers Centre before Thursday’s game. Some wore T-shirts that said, “Keep the Bills in Buffalo.”
That same sentiment was expressed in the Steelers’ locker room by punter Mitch Berger. A native of Kamloops, British Columbia, Berger is concerned that the NFL’s venture into Canada might open the door for the Bills or some other team to move here.
“Being a Canadian, I hope not,” he said. “I don’t want to ruin the CFL. It’s a great league with a long tradition. The NFL is already super strong and powerful, and I would rather see them get a team in L. A. before they worry about getting a team in Canada.”
The Rogers Centre was about 5,000 shy of capacity, which was due in large part to the extraordinarily high ticket prices. The non-sellout and widespread rumors of tickets being given away no doubt provided ammunition for critics who say the NFL will never work here.
However, Thursday’s game may actually have helped bolster the case for the NFL to play in Canada. Most preseason contests become sloppy snooze fests once the starters come out. But fans were entertained by a well-played contest that wasn’t decided until the final play. Moreover, there were enough big plays on offense and special teams to appease most CFL fans.
“You really could not have scripted it any better,” said Bills Chief Operating Officer Russ Brandon. “I’d rather have seen three kneel-downs at the end of the game like all Buffalo fans would. But it was certainly exciting. Everyone did a wonderful job. The Steelers came in and played real hard. It’s great to get out with a win whenever you’re playing.”
Brandon acknowledged that it will take time to win over skeptics. But he is confident the Bills will attract new fans if Thursday’s entertaining performance is indicative of what we’ll see during the regular season.
“We’re trying to build something,” Brandon said. “You have a tremendous amount of hard-core NFL fans in this market. But you also have a lot of casual fans, and you’re trying to convert that fan into a season-long connection with our organization by playing winning, exciting football. That’s what we hope to do.”
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