Archives for December 21, 2018

Bills RB LeSean McCoy sees value in finishing strong

‘“I’ll be out there,” he said of playing the Patriots. “Any time you go out there and compete, you want to do your best. I think everything means a lot to me, my teammates.”‘

Mark Gaughan’s X’s and O’s: Pats leaning on Tom Brady more than ever

‘But Brady’s supporting cast is less special than it was in the Super Bowl runs of the past two years. The 41-year-old quarterback will have to be as great as ever in the playoffs to carry New England to a third straight Super Bowl.’

How we see it: Predictions for Bills-Patriots in Week 16

‘Tom Brady and Co. should make sure work of this one, clinching the AFC East championship for an NFL record 10th consecutive season.’

View from Vegas: Picking Bills-Pats game far from layup

‘Couple that with New England’s naughty 2-10 ATS mark as favorites in second-to-last home games of the season when hosting foes with losing records, along with Buffalo’s bawdy No. 2 overall ranked defense (83 ypg better than the Pats), and you have the makings of another possible eyebrow raiser in Foxborough.’

Are Josh Allen’s accuracy issues real?

‘“I think every game is such a unique situation,” said Daboll, who admitted he doesn’t pay much attention to completion percentage. “Everybody would like to be 80, 78, 75, 71 percent, but you kind of need to peel it back and figure out the reasons why. At the end of the day the quarterback really needs to be judged on leading his team down to score points and taking care of the football and giving us an opportunity for us to have success. The most important thing is that letter (W or L) at the end of the day.”’

Bills’ Tre’Davious White wants his haters to keep chirping

‘“They love you when you’re playing well but then you give up a few passes and you’re the worst in the league,” White said on Wednesday after practice. “I came into this profession knowing that if I make plays, I’m great. And if I don’t, I’ll be heavily scrutinized because of the position I play.”’

Bills’ Josh Allen: ‘It’s surreal to face off against Tom Brady’

‘”It’s kind of surreal that I get a chance to face off against him,” Allen said. “His game, he’s been on ever since he’s been on the field. The way he attacks the game, how smart he is football wise – situational football – is one of his key strengths. He’s just arguably one of the greatest to ever play.”‘

Patriots’ Josh Gordon stepping away from NFL to ‘focus on my mental health’

‘CBS reports the move may not be entirely voluntary, as the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said Gordon is facing another indefinite suspension for possible violation of the substance abuse policy. Gordon was suspended for substance abuse in 2013 and 2014, and did not play in 2015 or 2016. In 2017, he told GQ magazine he had drugs or alcohol in his system for “probably every game of my career.”’

Patriots need to stop the run this weekend vs. Buffalo

‘“We saw Ivory and McCoy the last time. We’ve seen plenty of those guys throughout the years,” Belichick said. “They’re both very good. They have different styles. You can put Ford in there. He’s a tough, hardworking kid that runs hard. We can’t control who’s in there. We have to defend our area, defeat our blockers and the tackling part of it is a little bit different from player to player. But again, fundamentally, if you tackle well then that’s the place to start. That’ll be our emphasis.”’

What They’re Saying: Buffalo Bills

‘”They’ve been the standard of our division for the last 15 years. For us to go up there and beat them would be huge obviously for the city, for our team and organization, because they are a team that has really had our number since I have been here. It would show a lot of growth for a young football team to be able to go into their place and find a way to win.”‘

Friday’s New England Coverage

Patriots chasing 10th straight AFC East crown vs. Bills

‘Brady owns a 29-3 record against Bills. His 29 wins against Buffalo are the most victories by a quarterback against a single opponent. Next is Brady’s 26 wins against Jets.’

Bills-Patriots Preview Capsule

‘Buffalo has topped 200 yards passing in its past three outings, its best run of season. Last time that happened was Tyrod Taylor’s five-game run from Nov. 23-Dec. 20, 2015.’

Clayton: The Bills are “starting to close the gap. Maybe New England’s days of lapping the field are done”

‘”They’re starting to close the gap. Maybe [New England’s] days of lapping the field are done.”‘

How LeSean McCoy helped put Robert Foster’s game on the right path

‘“I said, ‘Instead of complaining about this or that, get better. Show the coaches you should be playing,’” said McCoy. “I felt like he felt so entitled like he was on scholarship. I told him. ‘Hey man, you haven’t done s—t here and once you stop complaining, go out there on scout team and work hard and bust you’re a—in the weight room. Know the plays and be smarter.’”’

09/08	CARDINALS	1:00 PM
09/12	@ Dolphins	8:15 PM
09/23	JAGUARS	7:30 PM
09/29	@ Ravens	8:20 PM
10/06	@ Texans	1:00 PM
10/14	@ Jets	8:15 PM
10/20	TITANS	1:00 PM
10/27	@ Seahawks	4:05 PM
11/03	DOLPHINS	1:00 PM
11/10	@ Colts	1:00 PM
11/17	CHIEFS	4:25 PM
12/01	49ERS	8:20 PM
12/08	@ Rams	4:25 PM
12/15	@ Lions	4:25 PM
12/22	PATRIOTS	1:00 PM
12/29	JETS	1:00 PM
01/05	@ Patriots	TBD