Archives for December 2017

‘The numbers are deceiving. Tyrod Taylor had 281 passing yards against the Patriots. But he missed some throws and was sacked six times. The lack of receiving depth hurts him. He had a good rapport with Kelvin Benjamin and Deonte Thompson against the Patriots, but that’s not nearly enough. Zay Jones, a rookie, has been a nonfactor, and tight end Charles Clay has been inconsistent. It’s tough to blame those players for the weak passing attack when Taylor misses as many throws as he does. The fact the Bills didn’t score an offensive touchdown in this game is on Taylor. He is the leader of this offense. The passing attack needs to do more.’

‘It looked as if Benjamin made an incredible catch in the back of the end zone with Stephon Gilmore in tight coverage. The wide receicer stretched out to grab the ball and appeared to drag his toes inbounds.’

‘Overturning Kelvin Benjamin’s touchdown just before halftime Sunday was not the right call. Not because Benjamin definitively caught the ball and tapped two feet down, but because no one really knows what happened.’

‘Game referee Craig Wrolstad’s crew signaled touchdown. No one complained but Riveron and York decided if the Bills had the lead there had to be something fishy so they stopped the game and began searching for video evidence to overturn the call. It took about a day and a half to find it but as the Bills’ waited, 11-year veteran Richie Incognito knew what was coming. “You can tell,” Incognito said. “They start looking at the left foot and the right hand and his fingernails and you know it’s not going to go your way.”’

‘”Oh, definitely, because the ref said touchdown, so they have to have hard, concrete evidence to overturn it. I didn’t think that was enough. But, like I said, we can’t do anything about it. We’re just players.”‘

‘”It was a good play by him the way he extended,” Gronkowski said. “I saw it. What was the ruling and why wasn’t it a catch? I didn’t get that. … He was juggling? I guess if he was juggling, then yeah. He made a nice play.”‘

‘The controversial call (and lack of explanation) has Bills fans up in arms, and in conspiracy mode…’.

‘“It looked like his foot just didn’t drag,” safety Devin McCourty said. “I think the thing on the turf is always when the foot drags you can see pebbles. So I’m probably a little bit biased, but they weren’t too happy. We had a conversation (with some Bills) before they made that call, but it turned out for the best — right?”’

‘Then, the inexplicable; facing fourth-and-1 at the Patriots’ 32 four plays into the fourth quarter, McDermott opted to attempt a 50-yard field goal than to send McCoy through the Patriots’ shorthanded defensive line for the first down.’

‘Players on both sides appeared visibly distraught by Cadet’s injury. Flowers put his hands on his helmet and was seen shaking his head, while Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor immediately signaled for the training staff to attend to the 28-year-old running back. Several players took a knee around Cadet and began praying as trainers came out onto the field.’

‘It looks like they may have lucked out again. Late in the second quarter of the Patriots’ game against the Bills at Gillette Stadium, Buffalo wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin appeared to make a highlight-reel touchdown catch with just two seconds remaining in the first half.’

‘Let’s be clear, the Bills ended up losing by 21 not seven, so the call didn’t have a huge impact on the outcome of the game. And as for Hughes’ proclamation about the Patriots not winning, they did and they will continue to win. Sorry, Jerry.’

‘“I even asked the refs after those plays, and they agreed with me, they agreed with our team,” Hyde said. “That’s why they made those calls, because that’s what they felt was the vantage of those calls. It is what it is.”’

‘But blaming the officials for gaming it for New England is absurd. The catch rules and the replay rules are — as written — very good. But they are only useful if they’re correctly applied. Incompetence should not be interpreted as bias.’

‘”Somebody in Boston got the refs on the payroll,” he yelled. “Y’all paying them big money out here. Still ain’t gonna win, though.”‘