Archives for October 2015

'For all of Taylor’s heroics, there is no denying that the Titans’ defensive strategists – Dick LeBeau and Ray Horton – mostly got the better of him. Taylor’s passing left plenty to be desired, especially through the first half when he seemed to constantly struggle to read coverages and find open targets. He often held the ball too long, didn’t always do a good job of feeling the rush, and was way off the mark on several throws.'

'Taylor set up his own TD run with a spectacular, 26-yard scramble up the middle to the Titans’ 26. Taylor should have been down at the line of scrimmage but somehow escaped the grasp of Cox, then he put a move on Sensabaugh at the 35 – whoop – that left the cornerback grasping at air.'

'Whisenhunt was at his worst when punting on fourth and 2 from the Bills’ 39-yard line with 3:01 remaining in the first half and his team leading, 3-0. A successful conversion in that situation, which happens 56 percent of the time, according to the Times, would have increased Tennessee’s chances of winning from 54 to 57 percent.'

'Ryan is 10-2 as a head coach versus rookie QBs. The two losses were to Russell Wilson and Seattle in 2012 and late last season against Minnesota’s Teddy Bridgewater ,when the Jets were walking dead.'

'“For us to come back against a really, really good team is huge,” Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton said after the win. The last time the Bengals started a season 5-0 was 1988, the year of their last Super Bowl appearance. They can match their best start in franchise history with a victory over the Bills in Week Six.'

'It was a minor miracle that the Bills trailed only 3-0 at the half after the way the offense played.'

'Taylor won it with his legs. He rushed for 76 yards, a new Bills record for a quarterback, and his 22-yard touchdown run, and his 24-yard scramble in a near impossible third-and-23 situation were the plays that gave the Bills a chance. That said, Taylor has to stop playing so awful in the first half of games.'

'It's a little unfair to get on Roman's case this week given the fact that he was minus McCoy, Williams, and Sammy Watkins. The Bills offense is in shambles right now, and Roman is scheming with one hand tied behind his back. What's disappointing is that wide receivers Percy Harvin and Robert Woods have been basically non-existent the last two weeks, which only further shines the light on how important Watkins' presence is on the field.'

'The Bills offense was headed for a Blutarsky special in this game, but Tyrod Taylor rescued an improbable victory with some huge plays, and the Bills survived a real scare against the Titans to win their first game in Tennessee. It was ugly, and there are still big issues to fix, but they are 3-2.'

'The Bills' offense is a mess. Their only possible salvation at this point will come in the form of Sammy Watkins and LeSean McCoy. Both missed their second-straight game Sunday, and the Bills desperately need them back in the lineup. Defenses are stacking the box against a group of running backs that isn't even remotely threatening. Tyrod Taylor has struggled to make defenses pay because nobody can get open and the offensive line isn't giving him much time. This offense simply can't function without its two best players.'

'"The difference was we knew we were going to get penalties so we just knew we had to stand up and play regardless," linebacker Nigel Bradham said. "If you get a penalty or not, either way, you have to get off the field no matter what. It doesn't matter what happens, you have to get off the field. That's how we felt and that's the attitude we took."'

'"Honestly, that's exactly what I envisioned," Dixon insisted. "A grind-type game with a 'W.' I told some of the guys earlier in the week, they was like, 'Boobie, what do you think? 100 yards? 200 yards?' I said, 'Whatever it takes, man, I just want to win. I just want to be able to step in there and say I got the job done and my team won.' That's what happened."'

'Our quarterback's got the biggest heart. Man, it was tough sledding, but man, he's got guts, he's got heart. He wasn't playing great, but at the end of the day, he's the reason we won the game.'

'"Rex Ryan has been trying everything, including wristbands that say 'Yes Sir,'" CBS announcer Andrew Catalon said. "It's the only thing Rex wants his players to say to a referee after a penalty. Every player received a wristband, Charles Clay told us last night. Just a reminder to move on after the whistle."'

'"The penalty thing," Ryan said. "I think our sideline was a lot better, but the first play and we're offside: I broke my little wristband on the first play, snapped it. I've got to a get a different one."'