Archives for December 2015

'He showed the way during the week in the meeting rooms and on the practice field. Ryan said Taylor’s practice on Thursday might have been the best he had ever witnessed by a quarterback.'

'“Ty is starting to trust in us,” Watkins said, “building chemistry with the wideouts and he’s just starting to throw us the ball. That is what we need to do the rest of the season – just be aggressive.”'

'Buffalo likely is stuck with Carpenter. This has been a bad kicking year for several NFL teams because of inconsistencies and injuries. There simply aren’t any better options than Carpenter on the free-agent market.'

'Although he had two near pick-sixes, Taylor was every bit as efficient as he needed to be in such a close game. He completed 11 of 21 passes for 211 yards, with no turnovers, for a passer rating of 127.2. He also ran seven times for 28 yards, including his 9-yard score, and did a good job of avoiding pressure from J.J. Watt and the rest of the Texans’ strong defensive front.'

'There’s no substitute for elite talent, as LeSean McCoy showed on two of the biggest runs in the Buffalo Bills’ 30-21 victory over the Houston Texans.'

'Nobody said these calls are easy. Punting gave the Texans the opportunity to drive for the go-ahead points. Going for it and failing, however, would have meant Houston needed only about 15 yards to get into field-goal range. With conversions being successful only 40 percent of the time, punting here put the game in the hands of the Buffalo defense. It turned out to be a good decision.'

'Sunday could have — really should have — been total disaster for the Bills’ offense. No starting right guard. No starting right tackle. Against the J.J. Watt-powered Texans? The medics were probably on edge, waiting to pounce. And yet, Roman crafted a perfect game plan.'

'Despite a 5-7 record, the Eagles could be tied for the NFC East lead if Dallas beats Washington on Monday Night Football.'

'Heavily-armed members of the Sheriff’s SWAT team, K9 unit and bomb squad all had a presence outside Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park. There were also additional uniformed and plain clothes deputies in the stadium and parking lots.'

'And then, after milking the clock down to 37 seconds, Carpenter was summoned for a 36-yard field goal, and this time he nailed it to put the game safely out of reach.'

'Rex Ryan said the Bills committed about 20 guys to him, and while that would be highly illegal, it did seem like at times Watt was overwhelmed by Buffalo blockers. He was credited with four tackles, one for a loss, and he did have a sack wiped out by an offsetting penalty. But overall, Watt did not look anything like the runaway NFL defensive player of the year.'

'Because if you told me Watt, the NFL leader in sacks and quarterback hits, would be held to zero in both categories, that the Bills would score touchdowns on three of their first four drives against the hottest defense in the NFL, and that quarterback Tyrod Taylor would throw for three touchdowns, run for another and finish with 127.2 rating, I’d have said “keep praying.’’'

'Most encouraging was that with the game tied 21-21, Buffalo made the plays to win down the stretch, overcoming a few bad mistakes in the second half, while Houston was the team that beat itself with penalties, dropped passes and conservative play calls. That’s a recipe for defeat the Bills have cooked up plenty of times, but not this day.'

'This was a big, big win for the Bills. They had to have it, and they got contributions from several areas to pull this one out. It certainly wasn't perfect, but the Bills made just enough key plays, and Houston wasn't able to match those. What I liked best was how the Bills closed it out.'

'It seemed like every Taylor completion was notable. He started with a perfect fade to Sammy Watkins in the end zone early before hitting the second-year wide receiver with two huge deep throws that tilted the game. He also threw a dart to Robert Woods in the end zone and ran in a score of his own.'