of the blocks. His .177 reaction time was the slowest of the eight r

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- When explaining how well the Buffalo Bills handled a string of adversity this offseason, coach Rex Ryan couldnt resist acknowledging how much went wrong.We dont want to major in putting hurdles out there, Ryan said during training camp. But we seem to be doing a pretty good job of it right now.Troubles, the Bills encountered more than a few.Injuries thinned Buffalos already young group of linebackers when rookie second-round pick Reggie Ragland and backup IK Enemkpali sustained season-ending knee injuries over an eight-day stretch.Suspensions became an issue.Starting defensive tackle Marcell Dareus checked into a rehab facility, and will miss the first four games for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. Second-year running back Karlos Williams, who reported to camp out of shape, faced the same suspension before he was cut three weeks ago.Then, there was the surprise move made last Friday, when Buffalo released veteran linebacker Manny Lawson, who was initially pegged to start in place of injured rookie first-round pick Shaq Lawson. That job now goes to 10-year journeyman Lorenzo Alexander, who was signed to fill a special teams role in April.It didnt help that Manny Lawson missed the first two weeks of training camp with a partially torn pectoral muscle, or that the league was investigating whether he violated the personal conduct policy.This wasnt the type of news Ryan had in mind in June, when he suggested the Bills won the offseason.Winning the regular season wont be easy, either, for a team seeking to snap a 16-year playoff drought. Its the NFLs longest active streak, and sixth-longest in league history.Not all the news was bad. Receiver Sammy Watkins is confident his left foot is fully healed after having surgery in April to repair a stress fracture.The most positive development occurred on Aug. 12, when quarterback Tyrod Taylor signed a six-year contract extension that included a $6 million raise negotiated into the final year of his contract this season.Here are some things to look out for as the Bills open the season at Baltimore on Sept. 11:TAYLOR MADE: Taylor has been more assertive on and off the field in accepting more of a leadership role a year after establishing himself as a first-time starter. He has also spent time working on making throws over the middle, something the 6-foot-1 player was hesitant to do last year.Taylor has plenty to prove to earn his new contract. Buffalo has an opt-out clause in each of the first two years of the extension.ON THE DEFENSIVE: Despite injuries and Dareus suspension, Ryan insists his defense will be improved from last year, when it finished 19th in yards allowed and managed just 21 sacks -- a franchise low for a 16-game season.Ryan said on-field communication issues have been resolved, and players better understand their roles.Ryan also shuffled his defensive staff by hiring twin brother, Rob (assistant head coach/defense), John Blake (defensive line) and former NFL star safety Ed Reed (assistant defensive backs).MR. OCTOBERS?: The Bills will have to wait until at least October before their projected starting defense takes shape. Dareus wont be eligible to return until Oct. 9, when Buffalo travels to play at Los Angeles.And then theres Shaq Lawson, who had surgery in May to repair a shoulder injury that nagged him at Clemson. He began working out individually two weeks ago. He opens the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and wont be eligible to begin practicing until after Week 6.GROUND GAME: A year after being nagged by knee and hamstring injuries, LeSean McCoy is healthy and the offensive line returns intact. Thats the good news for a running game that produced an NFL-leading 2,432 yards last season. Whats missing is primary backup Williams, who had 517 yards rushing and scored nine TDs, including two receiving as a rookie.The Bills signed veteran Reggie Bush who, as a result of injuries, has been limited to playing 29 games over the past three seasons. Mike Gillislee, a late-season addition last year, and rookie fifth-round pick Jonathan Williams round out the depth chart.NEEDED REST: Ryan took a cautious approach in limiting practice and playing time of numerous starters to have them rested entering the season. Taylor was limited to playing just 35 snaps in three preseason games, and went 11 of 18 for 150 yards and a touchdown. 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Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. Percy Miller Hornets Jersey . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Usain Bolt glanced to his right once, twice, three times. No surprise: Nobody was there.Thats how the quest began for his final individual sprint gold at the Olympics -- a jog through the sunshine in the opening round of the 200 meters and a stress-free victory in the ninth heat of Tuesdays qualifying.He finished in 20.28 seconds, a time that means nothing. More importantly, he coasted into the finish line after triple-checking on Nigerias Ejowvokoghene Oduduru simply to make sure nothing crazy was happening.I know how to run the 200, Bolt said. Its all about just reminding myself. Tomorrow, Ill show up with much better progress. I have to run fast, and so Im looking forward to that.Everyone is.If Wednesdays semifinals go as expected, hell be lining up for gold medal No. 8 on Thursday night, where the biggest drama may not be whether he wins, but whether he cracks the once-thought-untouchable 19-second barrier. He already owns both the world record at 19.19, and Olympic record at 19.30.Among those who will challenge him include American Justin Gatlin and Canadian Andre De Grasse, who finished 2/3 to Bolt in the 100, along with LaShawn Merritt of the U.S. They all won their heats on a muggy, sun-splashed day in a stadium with huge swaths of empty blue seats.Most fans who did show were crowded along the opening curve, and they made plenty of noise when Bolt came onto the track. He flashed a big smile into the TV cameras and windmilled his arms, then raised them overhead to clap a couple of times. At one point, he looked toward the scoreboard, covered his eyes and squinted into the bright sunshine.Im not an early-morrning person, said Bolt, whose race began at 12:45 p.dddddddddddd. local time.The fans went silent before the start. No, there would be no fireworks in an opening heat with no medal at stake and nobody lining up who could even give him a race. Only one other sprinter in his heat, Norways Jaysuma Saidy Ndure, had ever broken 20 seconds and he finished tied for last.Still, this was Bolt -- as big a star as there is at these Olympics -- so the silence made sense.He lumbered out of the blocks. His .177 reaction time was the slowest of the eight runners. That has turned every 100-meter sprint hes run into a come-from-behind affair, where his pure speed takes the day.He considers the 100 his hobby, and the 200 his real job. And as he starts working his way through the curve, its easy to see that his long-legged, 6-foot-5 frame was built for the longer race.In this case, it was over before Bolt even got to the straightaway. All those looks to his right werent so much taunting -- no sign of that smile seen around the world in his 100-meter semifinal -- but more a way of ensuring he doesnt waste a lick of energy.I came out here to qualify, Bolt said, and thats what I did.When it was over, Bolt walked over and hugged his closest pursuer, Oduduru, who finished only .06 seconds behind.By the time the 10th and final heat ended, Bolt had only recorded the 15th-fastest time of 77 sprinters who lined up. No matter. The Worlds Fastest Man is moving on, another gold and -- who knows? -- maybe another record in his sights. ' ' '