Archives for September 16, 2017

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'McDermott doesn't have to walk very far for that interaction. In the normal layout of an NFL team's headquarters, the coach's office and the locker room are usually on separate floors, and the setup at One Bills Drive is no exception. However, soon after he arrived, McDermott had a secondary office built right next to the dressing room so he can be "more readily accessible, bringing in a player, having a coach in, and those are good dynamic-type meetings that I like to have in there."'

'"That’s the wrong approach, that is 100-percent the wrong approach," McDermott said. "They don’t need to win anything for me. … that’s fair and reasonable to think (that players would want to win the game for him), but I would never want them to win one for the coach. Let’s just go out and do what we do and embrace who we are, and continue to get better.'

'McDermott said he was "very confident" McCoy not only would start Sunday, but also would be able to handle a full workload. McCoy had 27 touches in last Sunday's season-opening victory against the New York Jets, but did temporarily leave the game with what he described as numbness in his wrist.'

'Taylor wasn't awful on the road last season. He had a higher completion percentage (62.2 to 61.2 at home). But his yards per attempt was more than a yard lower and he threw only five TDs away from home – as opposed to 12 at home. He needs to be more dynamic on Sunday and at least hold his own with Cam Newton for the Bills to pull off the upset.'

'They don’t need to win anything for me, I get where you’re coming from, that’s fair and reasonable to think. I would never want them to win one for the coach, let’s just go out and do what we do, and embrace who we are, and continue to get better. That’s really the process that I want us focused on.'

'Remember, the Bills' opening-day roster was the second-oldest in the NFL. That means they're loaded with veterans who don't necessarily see themselves as having long-term futures with a team that has stocked up on all those extra draft picks for next year. That means they have a bunch of guys whose pride and self interests are absolutely attached to Sunday's game and the 14 that follow it — and nothing more.'

'Olsen ranked No. 2 in the NFL in receiving yards last season with 1,073 and fourth in catches with 80. He was a home-run acquisition when the Panthers traded to get him from Chicago in 2011. Now in his 11th season, Olsen has 7,383 receiving yards, eighth all time among NFL tight ends. He should move up to No. 5 by the end of this season. The Panthers attack defenses with Olsen up the seams, and they use him on corner patterns as a Cover 2 beater. Bills safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer will have their hands full keeping him from making a big play.'

'Seattle was in a Cover 3 zone. Cam Newton (1) froze All-Pro free safety Earl Thomas (29) after taking the shotgun snap by looking right. Then he threw a bullet to Olsen in the end zone. Cornerback Jeremy Lane (20) was covering the deep third of the field and stayed directly on Olsen's hip. But despite Lane's good position, the 6-foot-5 Olsen leaped over him for the catch. Look for Carolina to test the Bills' new defensive secondary with Olsen down the seam.'

'"When you say that I've deteriorated, I'll prove to you that I'm not. At that time, I was 263, 264 pounds. I'm 247 now. I'm ready to run. I'm ready to play. I'm obviously doing a good job here. They like it. I'm going to show you and the rest of the league I haven't deteriorated."'

'Sully: I guess there's a question in there somewhere. Yes, the Bills' offensive line is better than average. They're one of the best run-blocking teams in the league. They've led the NFL in rushing yards and average per carry two years straight, so it's hard to argue with the evidence.'

'Kuechly is the clear anchor of Carolina's defensive efforts, and it's been that way since he first stepped on the field in 2012. That year, he was PFF's No. 7 inside linebacker. His grade in 2013 led to a No. 8 ranking. The following season, he jumped to first place where he stayed until he was unseated in 2016, but only fell to the No. 2 spot. He's everywhere. His linebacker mate Thomas Davis is a smart, fluid, impact player, too. He was PFF's No. 12 4-3 outside linebacker last season and No. 8 the year before.'

'Game temperature: 83-86.'

'The new look made its first on-field appearance July 27, 1974, at Canton, Ohio, against the St. Louis Cardinals at the annual Hall of Fame Game. Its debut was overshadowed by the lack of, well, any established member of the Buffalo Bills actually suiting up for the game.'

'The poll asked respondents who identified as NFL fans to rank their three favorite and least favorite teams. While the Patriots scored highly in each metric – ranking as the third most-liked team, with 16.4 percent of respondents putting them in their top three, and also the second least-liked team, with 26.2 percent listing them in their bottom three – the breakdown by fanbase was certainly interesting.'