Archives for September 2017

'The Bills marched down the field on the opening drive but failed to punch it in from the 2-yard line. Mike Tolbert lost 6 yards back to the 8, Tyrod Taylor had a pass batted down, and then Taylor threw behind Charles Clay – getting the tight end hammered – and had his tipped pass intercepted.'

'What in the name of Doug Marrone is going on here? Down 9 with 4 minutes to go, Todd Bowles inexplicably decided to punt. Why, I can’t even begin to know. Bowles said something about playing field position, but what a ridiculous decision. Bilal Powell, possibly the team’s best offensive player, didn’t get his first touch until there was a little more than 3 minutes left in the first half. Yikes.'

'I feel good. I feel good. Very thankful, very thankful. Thank God for the win. Praise God. That was a great team victory. Thank Terry and Kim [Pegula for" target="_blank"> giving us the resources that they give us. Just like I said, it was an entire building win. Good to win as a team and extremely proud of the players the way they played. It’s never easy to win in this league and they played hard for four quarters. I certainly appreciate that. I also appreciate the fans. Four quarters, hanging in there with us. The intensity, the energy in this building was outstanding. Outstanding. To carry that for four quarters, I can’t thank them enough. It’s great to play at home, and we look forward to seeing them in a couple weeks here.'

'The Bills welcomed 23 players from the 1992 roster plus Kent Hull's widow to celebrate old memories that would be easy for the Patriots to pretend never existed had NFL Films, the NFL Network and ESPN not repeatedly stamped "The Comeback" as Buffalo's.'

'Spikeball, a once-obscure game dating back to the 1980s that has gained newfound popularity in recent years after a 2015 appearance on the ABC show “Shark Tank,” involves a small ball and a circular net that is positioned parallel to the ground, and only a few inches above it. The rules are similar to volleyball, but Spikeball is otherwise unique.'

'With Mabin and Clay inactive, the Bills will have just four cornerbacks and four wide receivers against New York.'

'As a pass-rusher, the top-five pick didn't have a spectacular campaign in 2016. In Rex Ryan's defense, he was asked to read, then react more often than simply attack up field, and he was the target of consistent double teams.'

'However, we can all agree that the Bills have a lot of work to do if they hope to beat just about everyone else (except the Jets later) on their schedule because in many ways, they were fortunate it was the Jets on the other sideline Sunday.'

'McCoy is getting better with age and Sunday raised his career yards from scrimmage to 12,043, starting the day 64th on the NFL’s career list before passing Don Maynard, Michael Irvin and Clinton Portis. He’s a long way from the Top 10, which includes Bills great Thurman Thomas (16,532) but McCoy has the type of running style and inner drive that makes longevity possible. And longevity, he noted, equals moving up the ranks as he moves the chains.'

'Here’s what I liked, though. He utilized the middle of the field more than he usually does, and he got Clay involved the way an NFL tight end in 2017 should be utilized. Also, he remains a dynamic runner and one play in particular comes to mind.'

'The unit was especially effective in the fourth quarter and Buffalo protecting its nine-point lead. Poyer picked off a McCown pass to Robby Anderson, making an aggressive move on the ball at the Buffalo 23-yard line. For a moment, it appeared Anderson had control but the interception awarded the Bills was upheld by replay.'

'“We knew we could go up and down the field on them and in a situation like that where the game is close, that’s where the offense has to step up and score points,” said guard Richie Incognito. “That was guys going out there and making plays, and believing that we could do it.”'

'McCoy was inspired. He made some great runs from scrimmage, and a few after catching passes. He finished with 110 rushing yards and 159 yards from scrimmage. It goes without saying, he must stay healthy for this offense to operate with any efficiency. Mike Tolbert, at least for one week, looked pretty good as the backup. He gained 42 yards, caught a pass, and scored a TD. Mike Gillislee, who? Nice job up front by the line against a solid Jets defensive line as the Bills ran for 190 yards.'

'A penalty magnet in preseason, the Bills committed only six for 50 yards.'

'McCown saved his turnovers for the fourth quarter when he threw a pair of interceptions to safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. Sean McDermott managed to get a victory in his first game as a head coach, but the fans that filled New Era Field on Sunday afternoon will want to see more than a win against the lowly Jets before they buy into the Bills as a 2017 contender.'