Archives for October 2016

'If McCoy doesn’t play, Mike Gillislee will get the start at running back for the Bills. Reggie Bush and Jonathan Williams will serve as the backups, and Ryan said both would play.'

'Part of the reason the Bills are down to the bare bones on offense is because of all the injuries suffered to the wide receiver position. Having already detailed the Woods decision, the Bills also placed both Sammy Watkins and Greg Salas on injured reserve. Woods might not play, and now will have to operate potentially without a fourth wide receiver: Marquise Goodwin.'

'The Bills also announced that the team has released WR Ed Eagan and TE Manasseh Garner.'

'“It’s doubtful he plays,” said head coach Rex Ryan. “Obviously he never practiced so you can figure that out.”'

'The Bills are likely to be undermanned on offense at the skill positions with all their injuries (Goodwin, McCoy, Watkins, Woods) so they’re going to need extra possessions to keep pace with the Patriots attack. Buffalo has to win the turnover margin and be at least plus-two to have a chance to win the game. The Patriots have not thrown an interception in the first seven games. Hopefully the law of averages catches up to them.'

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'“That wasn’t the case at all,” he said. “I hadn’t even been thinking about marijuana until it was brought up to me by a doctor. Since I’ve been in the league, I’ve been in the program. I got drug tested three times a week. There’s no recreational use. There’s none of that.”'

'"I don’t think there’s any doubt there’s some long-term concerns there," Ryan said Thursday, though he added Williams has been taking part in meetings this week.'

'With the New England Patriots heading to Buffalo this weekend, former Bills wide receiver Chris Hogan offered Boston writers his advice on where to get chicken wings: Go to Anchor Bar, he said, not Duff's.'

'Only six NFL teams failed to place anyone on the NFLPA’s new list of the top 50 players in officially licensed merchandise sales. The Buffalo Bills are one of them.'

'That may sound odd for a team that's second in the NFL in rushing yards, but the Bills are averaging 3.63 adjusted line yards per carry, which Football Outsiders formulates by taking all running back carries and assigning responsibility to the offensive line based on the length of the run. The Bills rank 28th in "power success," at 47 percent. That's the percentage of runs on third or fourth down needing 2 yards or less to achieve a touchdown or first down. They are 27th in "stuffed" plays, at 22 percent, which is when the running back is tackled for no gain or a loss.'

'However, this rule change has backfired a bit. Some coaches — Rex Ryan and his special teams coordinator, Danny Crossman, among them — see it the other way. Why kick it into the end zone and give the opposition 25 free yards? Let’s kick it to the goal line or thereabouts, make them return it, and go down and tackle the ballcarrier inside the 25, or even inside the 20.'

'Several of Graham’s tackles came down the field because the Dolphins’ running back, Jay Ajayi, was breaking into the secondary far too often, leaving Graham to clean up the mess. But someone had to do it, or Ajayi may have gone for 300 yards. As it was, he rushed for 214, the second-highest total Buffalo has ever allowed.'

'After the game, Bills center Eric Wood said he would be curious to see what the fine would be and whether it would exceed the fine players have received for excessive celebration. Landry's $24,309 fine was equivalent to the fine Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown received for twerking in the end zone after a touchdown against the Chiefs.'

'This is not Williams' first neck injury. He had surgery last year after injuring his neck and missed 13 games.'