Archives for December 8, 2016

'“I thought no one had tape on him. Unfortunately for us, Pittsburgh picked him up. He’s done a great job there and is playing really well for them.”'

'What stands out to Tomlin is McCoy's yards-per-carry average, “which is ridiculous in today's NFL. Our focus is on minimizing his impact on the game first and foremost.”'

'"Shady is one of my favorite runners in this league," Bell said. "Incredibly quick with the ball in his hands. … I run like how he runs. Real quick, short lateral quickness. He doesn’t really use power much, but he depends on his quickness and lateral movement.'

'On Tyrod Taylor: "Yeah, he helped me out a lot also. The way that the line's blocking and the way Tyrod is playing. He can run, adds another dimension to the running game, so he reminds me a lot of Mike, playing with Mike Vick. I remember playing with him in Philly and we would start doing the option reads in the backfield, guys would be a little late to tackles because they had to make sure he wouldn't run and Tyrod's the same. Tyrod's the same. So you get that same feeling with Tyrod in the backfield, kind of like that old Mike Vick."'

'After an impressive performance against the Giants, the Steelers have brought themselves back into the AFC playoff race and proved they are true contenders. They must keep winning and that starts with a victory over the Bills Sunday. The Steelers must prepare to face a desperate Bills team at their best in order to ensure a victory.'

'“We had a scrimmage and he got hurt,” Ryan remembered. “I think he might have played in one preseason game and I get the brilliant idea of, ‘Hey, maybe we should stash him on the practice squad.'

'The outburst happened off camera and followed a 10-minute session with reporters during which the second-year starter faced several questions about criticism he received following a 38-24 loss to Oakland on Sunday. The Bills squandered a 15-point second-half lead and dropped to 6-6 in moving to the fringes of playoff contention.'

'"There's a lot of guys who poured it all out, but the type of day he had, he'd be the AFC player of the week, many things that go with it," coach Rex Ryan said.'

'Buffalo's passing offense ranks last in the NFL and the Bills are 14-12 with Taylor under center over the past two seasons. Taylor's shortcomings have raised questions about whether the Bills should opt out of the lucrative contract extension they gave Taylor prior to the season.'

'"I've taken everything that y'all have stood up here and asked me, right in the chest," he said Wednesday. "It doesn't affect me emotionally or physically. I take that every week. Whoever y'all want to blame, I'll take that. Like I said, my job is to get the team into a position where we can win Sundays. Can I be better, yes? But it doesn't just take me; it's a collective effort out there on the field, each and every Sunday."'

'Here is the complete transcript of Taylor’s media day press conference. I’ve highlighted the questions and answers relating to Taylor’s contractual situation and overall performance.'

'Fellow wideout Sammy Watkins did not practice Wednesday, but Ryan said he “felt better physically” after Sunday’s game in Oakland than he did after the previous week’s contest against Jacksonville. The Jaguars game was the first action Watkins had seen after missing eight games recovering from a broken foot. Ryan indicated Watkins should be ready to play Sunday. '

'Wood has done work with many programs including the Bills Play 60 program, Billieve/A Crucial Catch outreach, Salute to Service initiatives, and many more. Eric is also an ambassador for the Teammates for Kids Foundation, he has taken part in several Bills Make-A-Wish visits, makes impromptu stops at local hospitals and schools, and he regularly participates in Bills Community initiatives. Wood has been involved with visiting the Community Hospitality Tent at Training Camp, providing Thanksgiving Meals for families at the Food Bank of Western New York and handing out gifts at the Bills holiday party for children.'

'Although the support is there, I still believe the Bills are trying to decide what to do with Tyrod Taylor at the end of the season — and the final four games, with Pittsburgh perhaps being the most important, are going to be vital to that.'

'The Steelers have a bona fide “Big Three” on offense, maybe the biggest three in the league. Veteran QB Ben Roethlisberger is 3-0 against the Bills in his career. Roethlisberger has 25 touchdowns this season, and he’s three away from 300 career TD tosses, which would tie John Elway for the ninth-most in NFL history.'