Archives for December 2015

'“They’re just like Oregon,” Bills cornerback Ronald Darby said. “I’ve played Oregon before” while at Florida State. “The pace is going to be fast, but the key thing is just getting lined up. If you can get lined up and step in front of them and just play, just do your job, they’ll have trouble. But they like to catch you when you’re not lined up, like what happened to us last week,” against Houston “when they threw it out there and got that easy touchdown. You’ve just got to be lined up.”'

'McCoy, who has hit the 112-yard rushing mark in three of his last five games, should feast on one of the NFL’s worst defenses against the run. He is the healthiest he has been all season, which isn’t typical for any player entering Week 14. But the main problem that was slowing McCoy earlier in the year, a significantly pulled hamstring he suffered in August, has healed and he’s running and cutting without even the slightest hesitation. One of the bigger shortcomings of the Eagles’ defense is eliminating cutback lanes.'

'Bills 27, Eagles 17.'

'If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be and what would you guys talk about? Michael Jordan. Just his work ethic. Obviously, a lot of people envy him. I grew up a big fan of him. Reading his books and how he had to work to where he's at, his work ethic was second to none. That's something that I tried to always emulate growing up.'

'I was proud to have been able to contribute to the piece as a close observer who covered all four of those seasons, and what occurred to me when the final credits were rolling on the screen inside the beautiful North Park Theatre was that "Four Falls of Buffalo" should be required viewing for every current player and coach on the Bills. It's a must-see history lesson to remind them of who they're playing for.'

'"I think this film will allow sports fans around America to not only reassess the Bills, but reassess their own viewpoint on winning and losing," said Ken Rodgers, the director of Four Falls of Buffalo, which debuts on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. Saturday. "We say we care about trying hard and perseverance and all the things the Bills represented, and if we really do, we should celebrate this team on an annual basis because what they did epitomizes everything we claim to love about sport in America."'

'I think people want to see him get 100 yards and three touchdowns … and lose. There’s no question he’ll be cheered and jeered. Cheered, because DeMarco Murray, his replacement, has been a bust and jeered because he trashed Chip Kelly on the way out.'

'“In college Tyrod was one of a kind,” Eagles pass rusher Vinny Curry, who matriculated at Marshall, said of Taylor. “He was like the second coming of (Michael) Vick. When I played against him he was a true sophomore down at Virginia Tech. You couldn’t catch that dude, man. And now he knows how to manage a football game. He’s good at what he does whether it’s the deep ball or he stands in and plays with his legs. Getting ready to play him now he’s a little banged up, but he’s playing at a high level.”'

'It’s not Alonso’s fault he’s been deluged during this, McCoy’s return to Philly week, with what’s it like to be part of the trade questions. “I could care less,” Alonso said. “It’s not one-on-one, it’s 11-on-11.”'

'"It's a different dynamic, and it's similar to playing — not that he's the same player as Cam [Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton" target="_blank"> because Cam is obviously a different body type and whatever, but when that quarterback has the ability to run, it's different," Kelly said. "It's different in how you cover because now if he's — if you play a lot of man under, two-deep man under where the defensive backs have their back turned to the quarterback and it's third-and-10, if they're all covered, he can tuck the ball and run for the first down."'

'"Coach Roman was my tight ends coach my first two years at Stanford," Ertz told The Press last season. "His schemes were very successful in college, and they've also been very successful on the pro level. I learned a lot from him, and I think he's a heck of a coach."'

'“Tyrod does a really good job of throwing the deep ball,” added interior linebacker DeMeco Ryans. “I was really impressed with the way he throws the ball downfield. He does a really good job. He has a lot of speed on the outside, guys going up making plays.”'

'Eagles 23, Bills 20.'

'The talk this week has been centered on the return of LeSean McCoy to Philadelphia, but the running back is just one piece of a Buffalo offense that has proven quite dangerous this season. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor has played efficient football, throwing 17 touchdowns with just four interceptions. Wide receiver Sammy Watkins missed three games earlier in the season with an injury, but he has 34 catches for 635 yards and six touchdowns. He’s been exceptional the last two weeks, catching nine passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns.'

'Eagles fans are familiar with Shady’s strengths. He’s got a burst in the open field. He’s incredibly quick and agile, with the wiggle to make multiple defenders miss consecutively because of his ability to string moves together with the ball in his hands. With McCoy, you have a scoring threat every time he touches the football, and they make it a point to get him out in space in the run game.'