Archives for October 2017

‘Cookie’s name should have been on the Wall a long time ago.’

‘Here’s why I’ll pick the Hughes deal as being the better trade. Everyone knew McCoy was a great player. He has lived up to expectations in Buffalo. Hughes, on the other hand, has blown them away. Before he came to the Bills, he was on the verge of being a bust as a first-round draft pick. Stuck behind Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney with the Colts, he had just seven starts over his first three seasons. Credit the Bills’ former front office for making both deals, but particularly seeing something in Hughes that perhaps few others did at the time.’

‘“Everybody has this vision of what an NFL career could and should look like. Mine doesn’t look like what I dreamed up,” Kelley said. “But I think I went through all this to be able to serve guys down the road. The doors have opened up to allow me to be in the position to help guys.”’

‘The season is nearing its midpoint and there doesn’t appear to be a dominant force anywhere. Sure, the New England Patriots still have Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. But predictions of their going 19-0 on the way to back-to-back Super Bowl victories died quickly, along with the notion no one need even bother trying to knock them from their perch because it won’t happen.’

‘“I like what I’m seeing from Tyrod Taylor. I think people forget that Tyrod Taylor is a good passer, in addition to being a really good runner. We go overboard on Cam Newton and Russell Wilson, well he’s rushed for more yards the last three seasons than those two guys have. Most people forgot that, they think, well, it’s just Tyrod Taylor. But when you watch him play when you have to play against him, you realize that you have to account for him.”’

‘Banyard, who was signed in March and made the team out of training camp, was released Oct. 18 when the Bills signed wide receiver Deonte Thompson.’

‘• TV: CBS. Announcers: Andrew Catalon (play by play), James Lofton (color analyst).’

‘Interestingly, Hochuli’s crew is among the tops in the NFL in penalties called per game heading into Week 8 at 16.8. The league average is 13.8.’

‘GAME TEMPERATURE: 45-48.’

‘What probably stands out – and should – is how few passes Taylor has made outside the pocket through six games. He’s been utilized on a variety of play-action bootlegs – designed out-of-pocket throws – and only a handful of his passes outside the pocket have come after scrambling improvisation behind the line of scrimmage.’