Archives for November 5, 2015

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'“We’re going to be healthy, and that’s what I think I’m most excited about,” Ryan said. “It’s hard to win in this league when you’re healthy. It’s really hard when you’re not. It’s not an excuse, but it’s a fact. Look around.”'

'“In my younger days, it was like, ‘Aw, you got to go practice.’ Now I’m excited to get out there. I missed it. I had something I love taken away from me. It’s given me a new appreciation for it.”'

'While the Bills still figure out what they are offensively — Ground and pound? Ten targets a game to Sammy Watkins? Will the line improve? — Taylor’s improvisation remains one element no team in the NFL has. On Wednesday, coach Rex Ryan referenced Taylor’s “4.4” speed and said he's “healthy as he’s been all season.”'

'"You're always constantly making adjustments on what you do and what you ask your players to do," Ryan said. "Getting familiar with your players. Sometimes you assume when you walk in, you're going to exactly what I did in Baltimore, I'm going to do here. This is a player-driven system. It's not a square-peg-in-a-round-hole system. Ours is very multiple. We'll take advantage of our personnel in trying to give our players the best chance to be successful and we'll always do that.'

'Bills 30, Dolphins 20.'

'According to NFL sources, the Bills do not want to place Harvin on their season-ending injured-reserve list because that would prevent them from recouping the $3 million signing bonus they paid him as part of the three-year, $6-million contract (which included a $100,000 workout bonus) to which they signed him last March. The deal effectively is for one year, because the Bills can void the final two seasons. However, if they were to place him on IR, they would owe him the balance of his guaranteed base pay of $1.9 million. The Bills, sources say, would prefer to reach an injury settlement with Harvin, would be much lower than the roughly $4 million he could collect for not playing, if it turns out that he believes he physically can no longer be effective.'

'Fans of the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles weighed in with 0.069. Trailing were fans of the Cleveland Browns, 0.064; Arizona Cardinals 0.062; and San Diego Chargers, 0.0618.'

'"In the second half of that game it was night and day compared to any game since he's been here; it was simple, man (coverage) on every play and just play ball," Graham said Wednesday.'

'Tyrod Taylor, running back Karlos Williams and offensive linemen John Miller and Seantrel Henderson were all full participants in practice Wednesday. And while wide receiver Percy Harvin did not work, and likely won't play when the Bills host Miami on Sunday, wide receiver Sammy Watkins practiced on a limited basis and could be available for the game if his ankle injury cooperates.'

'When a team unravels a giant American flag, shows troops on the jumbotron or does anything else to boost goodwill toward the military, those are paid for by the Department of Defense. Over the last four years, the Bills have received $650,000 for this paid patriotism, according to the study. Only two other teams in the NFL, the Falcons and the Patriots, earned more.'

'Is bread and meat enough to make a hot dog a sandwich or is there more to it? Bills players weighed in.'

'"I think we're going to take a whole bunch out and play fast," Brown said Monday. "That's what we want to do, just go out there and play fast and physical. We know we can be the best defense if we just go out there, we all know what we're doing and just play as fast as possible."'

'The steady stream of Vines and fan videos that seem to hit the internet on Mondays after Bills games may be enough to provide some backing to that claim.'

'“He’s certainly a guy that’s got a great reputation throughout the league,” Ryan said. “I wanted to bring that physical passion to my football team.”'