Archives for December 11, 2016

'And, they’ll try to to give CPR to their playoff hopes in a stadium that could well host as many as 30,000 Steelers fans, many of whom bought their tickets from disgruntled members of Buffalo nation who have already quit on the season.'

'In the easiest scenario, the Bills need to win out and hope Denver loses at least two of those games. Most specifically, New England and Oakland, as the Bills played both of those teams, so a common games tiebreaker would come into play. Because Buffalo beat New England, this tiebreaker wouldn’t be a factor. Both teams would be 7-5 in conference play, so that option gets skipped.'

'Can Tyrod Taylor rise to the occasion? The Bills' quarterback has come under the most intense scrutiny of his two-year career in Buffalo after a miserable performance against Oakland left the team's playoff hopes dangling by a thread. The excuses are all gone Sunday for Taylor. He's expected to have Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and Charles Clay in the lineup at the same time. The pressure will be on the Bills' quarterback to produce in a must-win game. If he can, it will go down as his best win since coming to Buffalo.'

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'Over the last two decades, bad things have occurred when the Bills and Steelers get together. It's been especially nightmarish for quarterbacks, who have suffered some defining negative moments against the Black and Gold defense.'

'"I did track in ninth and 10th grade. I tried wrestling, but didn’t like it. I tried basketball. I made the team, but it wasn’t for me. They begged me to play, so that’s the only reason I did it. Track I did shot put and discus, big-man relay …"'

'Since the end of the Oakland loss, I’ve made it perfectly clear how I feel about Tyrod Taylor: I’ve seen enough, and I don’t think he’s the answer to Buffalo’s never-ending quest to find a franchise QB. He has regressed from last year when he was raw but showed promise, and he has the same problems that I think will always be prevalent in his game.'

'Steelers 27, Bills 23.'

'Regardless of what Brown calls Buffalo's cornerbacks, they'll have their hands full on Sunday. Brown leads the league in touchdown receptions (11), is tied for first in receptions (88) and is fourth in receiving yards (1,052).'

'Steelers 20, Bills 17. I think this will be a game of running backs, and I think Le'Veon Bell will be just a little bit better than LeSean McCoy.'

'The prior two times the Bills had a three-game home stand in a season; they finished with a losing record.'

'It likely won’t be an easy task for the Bills’ offense, as the Steelers come into the game ranked seventh in points per game allowed at 19.7 and have allowed the sixth fewest yards per game rushing at 92, which could make things tough on McCoy and the Bills’ running game.'

'In the nearly eight full seasons since they last won the Super Bowl in 2008, the Steelers have had one general manager, one head coach and one starting quarterback. That trio, surrounded by many interchangeable parts, has since produced another Super Bowl appearance, four playoff berths, a 77-47 overall record and no losing seasons. Over the same span, the Bills have had three general managers, five head coaches, five starting quarterbacks, no playoff berths, a 51-73 overall record and seven losing seasons.'

'Albright has spent time on both the Bills' 53-man roster and practice squad this season.'

'Also, if Kyle Williams can’t play, I think that might just be the big matchup that finally swings the matchup into the favor of the Steelers. Eventually, I believe the offensive firepower of the Steelers will pull this one out, and in turn, spoiling any remaining hope for the Bills to make the playoffs in 2016.'