Archives for September 22, 2015

'What did the Patriots do? In short, they respected him as runner and disrespected him as a passer. Belichick knew Taylor is arguably the most athletic quarterback in the league, but had thrown only 54 career passes. So he blitzed half the time. He neutralized Taylor’s mobility by playing his defensive ends wide and any rushing lanes closed quickly.'

'The division with the most Super Bowl titles is in disarray. The Giants and Eagles are winless and getting crushed by critical fans and media. The Cowboys are 2-0, but reeling from injuries to quarterback Tony Romo and star wideout Dez Bryant. Only the 1-1 Redskins are healthy and exceeding expectations.'

'Could we move the pocket, of course we could. We had some guys open. Sometimes, we have to step up in the pocket a little bit. Unless you correct it, you're going to get it over and over. We're going to get slant-flat until the cows come home until we fix it on defense. If you don't fix it, it'll happen over and over.'

'"The home team is permitted to play audio while the visiting team is on offense and the play clock is running. The audio must cease by the time the play clock reaches 20 seconds, or when the visiting team's offense reaches the line of scrimmage, whichever occurs first. Pursuant to this policy, the visiting team's offense is considered being at the line of scrimmage when the center touches the ball."'

'…Two recreational vehicles that hit houses…'.

'The difference? The Patriots’ false starts, holds and pass interference calls were not collectively as damaging as the Bills’ defensive holding, interference, and personal foul calls. The difference? The Patriots played with far more poise in a hostile environment than the Bills did playing at home.'

'"I am recognizing we have got to have that controlled emotion, and that aggression and things like that. The bigger the game, the more calm you have to be. I think we have to realize, hey let’s play the game. We want to be as physical a football team as there is in the league. We have always said that, but we want to do it with the confinements of the rules. And I think we have to learn from that and make it to where penalties are in our favor, not the other way. And right now it's hard to play against a good football team and you have to overcome penalties."'

'Really, it all comes down to this: Picking against Tom Brady when he plays the Bills is never a smart move.'

'According to Pro Football Focus, Tyrod Taylor was pressured on 50 percent of his dropbacks. The Patriots came away with eight sacks, three of which Pro Football Focus put on Taylor. It was obvious that Taylor wasn't all that comfortable when the pocket got messy, and Ryan mentioned wanting to see his quarterback step up in the pocket.'

'"It was embarrassing, but it doesn't mean it's going to be embarrassing for the rest of the season," Ryan said. "Because I can tell you this: It's not going to be."'

'"It really showed a reality check," linebacker Preston Brown said. "It showed that we're not the best. We act like we are but we aren't right now, so we have a lot to work on."'

'After Sunday's game, Bills fans are feeling like it'll be at least another 35 years before the Bills can beat the Patriots.'

'Maybe getting on the road will be a good thing for Buffalo. Trips have a way of bringing teams together more than anything else. Focus can be restored and there’s added incentive to win on the road and making the opponent’s stadium grow quiet. Just ask the Patriots how good that feels.'

'There is a reason why Belichick has won four Super Bowls. He's a football genius. Ryan always thinks he can outsmart Belichick. It hasn't happened yet, and it probably never will.'

'Kicking off from the 50-yard line (the result of a Patriots 15-yard penalty) while trailing, 21-13, with 5:13 left in the second quarter. Why not try an onside kick?'