Archives for November 10, 2015

'The two big injuries the Dolphins had coming into the week were two costly ones on Sunday. First, Jason Fox struggled to protect Tannehill and was the one who got beat on the decisive Jerry Hughes strip sack late in the game. The Bills also rushed for more than 250 yards on Sunday, so Miami definitely felt the loss of Cameron Wake.'

'“If IK went out there by himself, maybe that would be a different statement,” Ryan said, referring to Enemkpali’s participating in the coin toss. “But that’s not what we do.”'

'“Typical Rex,” Brandon Marshall said. “That’s a Rex Ryan move. Are you guys surprised?'

'Rex Ryan is a master promoter, so his admission Monday that he plans to name jaw-breaking linebacker IK Enemkpali a Bills captain for Thursday’s primetime showdown against the Jets shouldn’t have been shocking. He should have received a thorough round of applause for the sheer brilliance.'

'Asked if it was disrespectful, Marshall said, “He has the balls to do it.”''

'He loved coaching here, loved coaching the Jets, his father’s team, loved the perks that came with being brash and outrageous and even quirky and freaky. He made himself the celebrity coach, landed a part in an Adam Sandler movie, and a book deal where he jabbed the Giants as Little Brothers, and somehow never stopped being Everyman. And when he was the talk of the town, tweaking and annoying and sometimes amusing the Giants along the way with his foibles, you could understand why so many Jets fans wanted to have a beer with him.'

'Marshall said he doesn't expect the Jets to seek retribution against Enemkpali. "You have to ask other guys, probably individually,'' he said. "Go to every locker and ask those guys. But for the most part, it's just football. It's not a soap opera, it's not TMZ. This is just football."'

'But Ryan's latest decision to appoint IK Enemkpali a team captain for Thursday night's game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium has crossed the line of decency, and the coach needs to grow up and change his mind.'

'That Ryan would do this should surprise exactly no one; he's the closest thing the NFL has to a pro wrestling heel, and he leads the league in recognizing the entertainment spectacle that's at the root of all sports. One gets the feeling that if it were up to Ryan, this game would be played in a steel cage and all players would brandish folding chairs with which to bash one another over the head. Let's hear it for chaos. Thank heavens for Rex Ryan.'

'"Man, that was so long ago," Marshall told a reporter. "You just reminded me that that happened. We're just focused on winning. You've got to understand, he was a teammate of a lot of guys in this [locker" target="_blank"> room, too. People make mistakes. Hopefully, he grew from that, and he's a better person for it."'

'Could there be retribution against Enemkpali? Marshall didn’t think so. “It’s not a soap opera,” Marshall said. “It’s not TMZ. This is just football.”'

'“He coaches his team,” Bowles said. “He can name whatever captain he wants. We just coach our guys.”'

'That was the case in both of Buffalo's games against Miami this season, when guard Richie Incognito was one of several former Dolphins players designated as captains. Incognito was suspended for his role in a bullying scandal while with the Dolphins.'

'Coach Rex Ryan said McCoy's condition will be monitored over the next two days. Ryan wouldn't rule out McCoy and noted the running back wanted to return to play after being hurt in the fourth quarter of a 33-17 win over Miami on Sunday.'

'"We got our guys back, obviously," said Ryan. "This just in – it kind of helps having Sammy back, and Karlos Williams back, and Tyrod back. We think we have a lot of talent and unfortunately we had so many injuries that we haven't necessarily seen that. When we're healthy we're gonna be pretty tough."'