Archives for October 17, 2016

'For the last time the Bills and Sabres each scored that many points on the same day, you have to go all the way back to Nov. 23, 1975, per an analysis of data on the Pro Football Reference and Hockey Reference websites.'

'However, maybe this Buffalo team isn’t like most of those teams of the past 16 years, the teams that would have found a way to lose to such an inferior opponent.'

'Buffalo could not have found a more tailor-made opponent on this fine fall day had they shopped at JoS.A.Bank. In fact, if San Francisco was a suit ,the Bills would be on the cover of GQ.'

'When a team controls the clock for 35 minutes and scores on seven of 13 possessions while pitching a shutout in the second half on defense, the possibility of an upset is out the question.'

'The Bills put the game away with a three-touchdown eruption in a span of 5:13.'

'The only thing that keeps the plus off this A is the passing game, which continues to look like a high school attack in terms of its viability. Other than that, a superb all-around performance by the Bills in every phase. They had a lousy team in their building, and though it took awhile to get a firm grip on the game, they ended up beating the heck out of Colin Kaepernick and his 49ers.'

'"I'd rather not say," Ryan said when asked what was going through his head when McCoy went down. "I mean, I think I had the same concerns and everything else that every single Buffalo Bills fan had and everybody that lives here in Western New York. So obviously we had to hold our breath, but he's tough and he bounced back."'

'During their four game winning streak, Buffalo's point differential is +71 after outscoring the Cardinals, Patriots, Rams and 49ers 124-53.'

'"Yeah, I'd have to call it that," 49ers linebacker Michael Wilhoite said. "I mean, to be honest, I would think so, yeah. I would say that. As a man, that is embarrassing and I think everybody in here would feel that way and I think everybody in here does feel that way."'

'If they did, they don't have very good aim. [Laughter" target="_blank"> I had some Bills fans come up before the game to say they support me so I think it all depends on who the person is. But at the end of the day, I'm going to continue to fight for what I'm fighting for.'

'"Oh man, I call him the modern day Barry Sanders," defensive tackle Corbin Bryant said. "He's a top five back in the league, hands down. He's a great back. He has great vision, great speed. He's everything you want in a back. I was amazed."'

'"I didn't care who was playing," linebacker Preston Brown said. "If they had anybody playing, we had our attention. This is the NFL. You have to go out there each and every week, prepare each the same, go out there and play the game. It was fun playing against Kaepernick with all of the stuff he had going right now, wanted to see what he could do. Definitely a guy you kind of root for, so you see how it's doing."'

'Inside the stadium, Kaepernick took the field to plenty of fanfare. The 49ers fans in attendance got inside the stadium early and took pictures with the quarterback. He got the usual boos with the rest of his teammates when the 49ers were introduced closer to kickoff. As the teams got ready for the national anthem, Bills fans booed the quarterback one more time and started a "U-S-A" chant. Some in the stands attempted to sing along with the anthem, but the scene was tame otherwise. Just another game day.'

'Kaepernick's shirt on Sunday featured the late Muhammad Ali, a man known for standing up for what he believed was right. Although beloved later in life, there was a time where Ali also faced criticism for fighting for civil rights and refusing to serve in the army during Vietnam.'

'“We lined up to play this week. We put absolutely everything into winning this one, not thinking about anything else on the horizon,” Ryan said.'