Archives for October 24, 2016

'That’s what the Bills needed against a Miami’s breakout runner, Jay Ajayi. The Bills needed the eight or nine disruptive plays in the backfield Dareus is supposed to be giving them.'

'When Tyrod Taylor hit Marquise Goodwin with a 67-yard bomb in the third quarter to give the Bills that 17-6 lead, I figured it was over. Turn out the lights, I tweeted at that point. No way Miami gets back in this one, the way the Bills' defense has been playing in the red zone.'

'Jay Ajayi showed what made LeSean McCoy so effective during the Bills’ four-game winning streak. He shredded the Bills for 214 yards rushing, giving him 200-plus yards on the ground in consecutive weeks. Miami’s offensive line wore down Buffalo, much the way Buffalo’s line did for McCoy during their turnaround.'

'Then there’s quarterback Tyrod Taylor. Yes, he was without his top two receivers in Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods. Yes, McCoy wasn’t right. Yes, the protection from his offensive line broke down far too often. But don’t franchise quarterbacks have to find a way? When the Bills got the ball back with 3:56 remaining in the fourth quarter trailing by four points, Taylor threw three straight incompletions. He just doesn't inspire much confidence in those situations.'

'Miami’s Jay Ajayi ran for 74 yards in the final quarter alone, giving him to 214 on the day – the second-most rushing yards the Bills had ever allowed (Ricky Williams had 228 yards in 2002). A late Bills touchdown made the 28-25 final score look closer than it was.'

'Running back Mike Gillislee made a great block on the play to give Tyrod Taylor time to throw, and he dropped a perfectly placed pass into Goodwin’s hands. To celebrate his touchdown, the former Olympian went to his favorite move: Reenacting a long jump.'

'Lerentee McCray got a hand on Matt Darr’s punt early in the second quarter that set up the drive. The Bills would’ve been backed up to their own 17 after Darr’s first punt, but a holding penalty forced the Dolphins to replay fourth down.'

'Miami took 7:28 off the clock on its 15-play, 79-yard opening drive but couldn’t punch it into the end zone as the Bills’ top-rated red zone defense held again, forcing a 36-yard Andrew Franks field goal. Running back Jay Ajayi had gains of 9, 10, 11 and 12 yards on the first drive.'

'Wide receiver Robert Woods is out for the Bills because of a foot injury. He was listed as doubtful. Defensive tackle Marcell Dareus is out with a hamstring injury, the third game he's missed because of that following a four-game NFL suspension. He has yet to make his 2016 debut.'

'Who knows what McCoy’s status will be moving forward, and if the Bills don’t have him available, or at least healthy, their three-game gauntlet that starts next week at home against New England, and continues with brutally tough road games at Seattle and Cincinnati becomes all the more daunting.'

'The Buffalo offensive line was manhandled by a Miami line that included Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake, and Bills castoff Mario Williams. The league’s No. 1 running team managed just 67 yards, and from the looks of things, it might not have mattered if LeSean McCoy was completely healthy because there was nowhere to run.'

'It seemed like the game changed right there, but incredibly, the Goodwin TD had the opposite effect it should have on the Bills. That play seemed to wake the Dolphins from a game-long slumber, and they drove downfield to an Ajayi touchdown that officially signified that indeed, the momentum had irreversibly switched.'

'This was a massive disappointment on so many levels, but what really struck home with me was how this looked so familiar to what we’ve all witnessed for so long with the Bills. How many times have we been here with this franchise? They get you to a certain point where you start feeling good about the team, and its future, and then they punch you in the gut and lose to a second-class citizen team like Miami. It gets old, it really does. I know it was a road division game, but if you claim to be a playoff contender, you have to win this one, and they didn’t. What’s new?'

'Rounding out the Bills' list of inactive players for Week 7 are quarterback Cardale Jones, offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson, center Patrick Lewis and running back Jonathan Williams and offensive tackle Michael Ola.'

'ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Robert Woods would miss today's Week 7 matchup with the Miami Dolphins.'