Archives for October 2016

'Brady has made the return from his four-game “Deflategate” suspension look as easy as climbing back on a bicycle. He is completing 73 percent of his passes and is averaging 330 yards and three touchdowns per game since being reinstated four games ago. Oh, yeah, and he’s also failed to throw an interception for the Patriots, who head into their bye week at 7-1.'

It was the same story we have seen for years as Brady just picked apart the Bills throwing 53 yard touchdown passes to Chris Hogan and Rob Gronkowski. Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman also caught touchdown passes. LeGarrette Blount also scored a touchdown for New England as they put up the most points of the season against the Bills defense. Tyrod Taylor, Jonathan Williams, and Mike Gillislee each had touchdown runs for the Bills. Dan Carpenter hit his 100th career field goal as a Bill but also missed one.

Quarterback: Tyrod Taylor had two overthrows on the opening field goal drive including a third down pass to Bush in the end zone. He had several other overthrows including a fourth down end zone pass to Clay. He finished completing 50% of his passes for just 183 yards and added 48 yards on the ground. Grade D: Had no weapons but his accuracy issues are a growing concern.'

'Buffalo had a couple of chances early to stay in the game in the first half, but couldn’t execute and match the consistency of the Patriots. The Bills had a dropped pass in the end zone, forced a fumble on a kick return that they couldn’t recover and Dan Carpentermissed a 49-yard field goal.'

'With LeSean McCoy out with a hamstring injury, Gillislee stepped up and provided a spark from the backfield. He finished with 85 yards on 12 carries. Gillislee’s biggest play was a three-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to bring the Bills within four of the Patriots. He now has six touchdowns in 13 games with the Bills.'

'Yeah. We definitely didn’t do a good job with extending drives. I think we left some plays out there on the field definitely early on in the game to get ourselves into a groove and that’s definitely something we have to be better at moving forward.'

'“If you’re trying to chase (a title), then you’ve got to beat them,” he said. “It’s as simple as that. If you don’t, then you can think, ‘Well, we’ve still got a chance at the division.’ You really don’t. That team is pretty darn talented. It doesn’t mean you won’t make the playoffs, but the likelihood of catching them is probably not very high.”'

'The last time these two teams got together, a scuffle broke out before the game when a pair of Patriots ran through the Bills' defensive backs' drill. Safety Robert Blanton shoved Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett, setting off a pushing match. Members of the Bills' secondary have said this week that the same thing will happen if any of the Patriots try the same thing. In the grand scheme of things, the first incident between the teams really wasn't that big of a deal, but it will be interesting to see if there is a sequel.'

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'"I'm married to an NFL player who used to knock people out," Perez-Smith said.'

'The Bills haven't been above .500 after 10 games since the 2000 season, which doesn't lend itself to monumental matchups.'

'"The beauty of Jim is, things like his golf tournament that raises money, and other events, through the years after football, he has kept those Bills together," Berman said. "Jim and Bruce are just a little younger than me … we were friends back when they were in their 20s and I was in my young 30s, and it's a friendship that stayed from the late '80s and now we're here, almost 30 years later."'

'"I didn’t really get into hockey until high school, but I enjoy it. I’m a Wild fan, Twins fan, TimberwolvesWolves fan. Not a Vikings fan, though.'

'Then again, sometimes that’s not enough either, not against this guy who has spent his entire career torturing NFL defenses, none more so than Buffalo’s, regardless of what iteration he has faced. Sometimes no matter what you do, and no matter how well you do it, Brady can still carve you up, and boy, do the Bills ever have a reservoir of evidence to that point.'

'Patriots 34, Bills 13.'