Archives for September 26, 2016

'With Lynn using a more streamlined playbook and running plays at a quicker tempo, the Bills got their running game going, piling up 200 rushing yards and three touchdowns against an Arizona team that had shut down the Buccaneer the week before.'

'The defense, playing without starting cornerback Ronald Darby, largely contained a potent Cardinals’ passing attack, with Stephon Gilmore recording two interceptions, and Corey White and Corey Graham adding one more each. The defense won’t come up with four interceptions every week, but it’s exactly what they needed for this one.'

'LeSean McCoy looked like his Pro Bowl self. With Lynn mixing the run and the pass to keep Arizona off balance, McCoy gashed a Cardinals defense that ranked sixth in the NFL against the run last season.'

'Buffalo's defense was wicked at times. Arizona didn't earn a first down on its first five possessions. By the time Buffalo scored 17 points (4:35 into the second quarter), Arizona's offense traveled 7 yards.'

'The offense made Rex Ryan look like a genius for replacing offensive coordinator Greg Roman with Anthony Lynn after only two games. The players who helped persuade ownership to get aboard with the idea, and the owners themselves, also come out of this looking good. The defense made Ryan's declaration earlier in this week about the coaching prowess of his twin brother, Rob, spot on.'

'The numbers are eye-popping – 32 carries, 208 yards, 6.5 yards per rush.'

'Stephon Gilmore had two picks while Corey Graham and Corey White had one while the Bills sacked Palmer four times in the game. Graham's interception put the Bills on their own 1-yard line, which led to a safety that made things interesting – especially after John Brown returned the free kick to the Bills' 14-yard line – but Gilmore came up with another interception to put the game away.'

'So Chandler Catanzaro went out for a field goal attempt, but a high snap went through holder Drew Butler’s hands. Aaron Williams recovered the ball and took it 53 yards for a touchdown to make it 30-7 Bills. It was the Cardinals’ first turnover of the season.'

'The Bills would've gotten the ball back with about 7 minutes left in the quarter. Instead, the Cardinals drove down and scored on a David Johnson run with only 1:05 remaining before halftime. That cut the Bills' lead to 17-7.'

'The Bills had fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with the score still 0-0. Fans booed as Rex Ryan sent out the field goal team, but Dan Carpenter’s 19-yarder gave the Bills the lead.'

'"I’d be ok with — ok, my feeling is, I think the National Football League gives you an incredible platform as it is," Ryan said. "And there’s guys in this room right now, if some of our players wanted to have a platform to speak with the media, then we’d allow that. There’s no doubt about it. I think, you know my personal opinion, I think the national anthem is an opportunity for us as a football team to show respect to the men and women that serve our country and have served our country. And I think that’s how I would approach it."'

'Cornerback Ronald Darby, who suffered a hamstring injury in Week Two against the Jets and was limited in practice during the week, will also sit out. Other inactives include: left tackle Cordy Glenn (ankle), safety Colt Anderson (foot), quarterback Cardale Jones and center Patrick Lewis.'

'We know we only have one win and obviously we’ve got a huge task in front of us but we’re going to enjoy this one because we’re going to enjoy the fact that we know what everybody thought of our football team and we knew that we were a better football team than that.'

'Rather than getting pummeled by the Arizona Cardinals as everyone expected, the exact opposite transpired as the Bills rolled to a stunning 33-18 victory in front of an electric, sun-drenched sellout crowd.'

'A fan was arrested on a larceny charge for trying to shoplift from the Bills Store, the Sheriff’s spokesman, Scott Zylka, said. He did not have details on what the fan had attempted to steal.'