Archives for November 12, 2017

‘There have been longer journeys, to be sure. But a look back at Alexander’s rosters shows he has played with a Pro Bowler at all but two of the 27 different positions, including six special-teams spots. All that’s missing is a second guard and a punter.’

‘Last season, the Bills led the NFL with 5.3 yards per rush. They had 27 runs of 20 yards or more. Halfway through this season, they have only six such “big runs.” After the Jets debacle, they’re down to 3.7 yards a carry, which ranks 24th in the league.’

‘Saints 28, Bills 26.’

‘It’s unrealistic to think the Bills’ defense is going to shut down the Saints’ attack. Taylor and the passing game must be productive. No. 2 cornerback Devin Breaux is out for the year. Ken Crawley, undrafted in 2016, is a big athlete who has played well in his place. But he’s still young. The Saints have relied on safety Kenny Vaccaro to play slot corner, but he’s hurt (groin), too, and could be out. Can the Bills make the Saints pay for their blitzing tactics? With backup secondary men on the field, look for the Bills to try some stack releases to create confusion.’

‘Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is aggressive. He blitzed the most in the NFL in 2016, and he often sends defensive backs at the quarterback to replace rushing linebackers or defensive linemen. Against New Orleans on Sunday, the Bills need to avoid third-and-long situations, when Allen gets exotic with his blitz package.’

‘The Saints’ pass offense has been ranked in the top four in the NFL 11 straight years. One of its many strengths is beating zone coverage with three-level stretch plays in which quarterback Drew Brees has options deep, middle and underneath.’

‘Can the red-zone defense stand tall? Saints quarterback Drew Brees is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. It’s not realistic to say the Bills need to shut him down. The key for the Bills will be to limit the number of big plays against them, and also keep the Saints out of the end zone when they reach the end zone. Buffalo’s red-zone defense is 10th in the NFL, allowing touchdowns 50 percent of the time. The Saints, meanwhile, rank seventh in red-zone offense, scoring TDs 60 percent of the time.’

‘No. 1: Quarterback. This is why I’m not convinced the Bills will make all five picks. They have the ammunition to package some of them in a trade to move up if there is a quarterback they are convinced can be the future of the franchise. The class still needs to sort itself out in terms of which underclassmen declare for the draft, but this remains Buffalo’s biggest need, and in my mind that’s a major reason why General Manager Brandon Beane has amassed as much draft capital as he has.’

‘“I’m a big stats guy,” Munson said, a declaration he would prove to be undoubtedly true during a 20-minute conversation about his recent retirement. “I’m really blessed and thankful. I’ve respected and admired everybody in this business, from coaches, to players, front office and NFL personnel. Specifically our fans, who spent and really continue to spend every hard-earned dollar that they had to cheer us on through the good and bad years.”’

‘I think the Saints game will tell us much more — they have successfully shut down quarterbacks during their recent winning streak, so the running game is going to have to do a lot better than it did against the Jets. One caveat to my prediction — they’re going to have to win a game on the road in the second half of the season. At the Chargers and at Miami (season finale) would seem to be the most likely candidates.’

‘”It kind of gives you a little juice,” said Bills reserve offensive guard/center Ryan Groy, who also gets his smelling-salts fix just before kickoff and right after intermission. “I’m sure there are guys who use them every series before they go out. At random times, you’ll see guys go up and grab one. It’s kind of one of those times like, ‘Alright, I need a wake-up here, I need to focus.'”‘

‘Gray has a been a Bills fan for most of her life. She grew up in Binghamton and says her uncle “indoctrinated” her into Bills fandom at an early age. “People don’t normally choose to be a Bills fan. You’re born into it. Especially with the last decade or so of futility. And that is my story. It’s been great bonding for my uncle and I, for my whole family. We’re so wrapped up in it.”’