Archives for September 14, 2015

'A win over the New England Patriots next Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium won't be enough to thrust the Bills into the ranks of Super Bowl contenders, but it should push this season's expectations to the point where missing the playoffs would be a big disappointment.'

'The Bills were efficient on offense, and Roman is the reason why. He went with a balanced attack to beat the Colts — and it worked.'

'With Dixon, the Bills have a guy who can move the ball forward in short-yardage situations. He can also play on special teams, which is an asset in today's NFL.'

'Everyone said if the Buffalo Bills could just get good play from a quarterback, they’d look like a Super Bowl contender. Well they did. And they did.'

'A team with swagger.'

'"We said all along you can ignore practices and you can ignore film if you want, but we know who he is," Ryan said. "We felt great about it."'

'“The message was clear what I feel about this football team, the personnel we have here, the organization. We feel great about this team. We also feel a responsibility not to let our fans down. That’s the way it is.”'

'“But, man, am I proud to be the coach of the Bills.”'

'Say what you will about Rex, but he is no dummy. He knows that if you’re going to try to take down an elite quarterback, you need a quarterback-swallowing defense. Last season, Buffalo ranked in the top five in total defense and pass defense and led the league in sacks per game. The Bills beat Aaron Rodgers in 2014 and opened the season by beating Luck.'

'“I don’t think there’s ever been anything negative about Taylor,” Belichick said during a conference call yesterday. “There’s always been a lot of respect for his skillset and athleticism and playmaking ability at the position. He just played behind Flacco. He just didn’t have many opportunities to do it.”'

'The Bills built a 24-0 lead by scoring on four consecutive possessions into the third quarter. And Buffalo's defense did the rest.'

'Rex Ryan had the Buffalo Bills' defense so fired up before the season opener against Indianapolis that linebacker Nigel Bradham was ready to run through a wall for his new coach. "I sure tried," Bradham said.'

'"They threw everything but the kitchen sink at us," said Colts coach Chuck Pagano. "We knew it was coming."'

'Graham was wobbly as he attempted to get up, and then nearly collapsed.'

'The team kept the honor a secret from Saban's four children, who were visibly emotional in celebrating their father's honor during a halftime ceremony.'