‘“Yeah that doesn’t matter,” Tremaine Edmunds said. “It’s a new year with new goals. We want to be the number one defense. We just have to come out every day and get better. Nothing that we did last year will carry over so it’s going about us going to work this year and being the best we can be.”’
Archives for July 2019
Bills on the hot seat
‘LeSean McCoy, RB: This one is as obvious as any given the abundance of running backs on the roster, the fact McCoy had a career-worst season in 2018 and that he turned 31 earlier this month. Although General Manager Brandon Beane is on the record as saying McCoy isn’t going anywhere, speculation persists that he could end up being traded by the end of summer.’
Buffalo Bills training camp preview: Can new coach, players upgrade special teams
‘Last season provided some fodder regarding the overall importance of special teams. Longtime NFL writer Rick Gosselin, who has been ranking special teams units for more than two decades with his own widely respected system, ranked the Jets No. 1 in overall special teams plays last season, with the Dolphins fourth and the Cardinals fifth. None of those teams came close to making the playoffs.’
How can Buffalo Bills’ defense improve? McDermott says by getting ‘more physical, nasty’
‘Specifically, the Bills need to be better against the run (16th) and in points allowed (18th), but taking it a step further, Pro Football Focus sees loads of room for improvement. In their advanced metrics, PFF graded the Bills as the 13th-best overall defense in the league (a far cry from second based on yards only), but had them 23rd against the run and 29th in tackling. Against the pass, PFF ranked Buffalo 10th in pass rush efficiency and ninth in coverage efficiency.’
QB guru reveals No. 1 thing Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen worked on this offseason
‘Allen’s arm strength allows him to take some chances throwing passes into tight windows, but his game would go to another level if he can show consistency throwing with timing and anticipation to the likes of Cole Beasley, Zay Jones, John Brown and Robert Foster in 2019.’
Buffalo Bills training camp 2019: These 40 players are on the roster bubble
‘Derek Anderson’s retirement this offseason opened the door for undrafted free agent Tyree Jackson to make the team. That said, Jackson needs to make believers out of the Bills coaching staff and brass at training camp and the preseason if he hopes to make the final-53 man roster.’
Don’t sleep on playoff-bound Buffalo Bills, says Adam Schein
‘“The Buffalo Bills are going to make the playoffs. My entire goal, we’ll see about injuries, is to pick Josh Allen and the Bills to make the playoffs. Josh Allen is going to be great. He is going to be Carson Wentz. And I’m telling you something right now, the Bills offseason was tremendous. They got better at wide receiver, they got better on defense, better on the offensive line. I still can’t believe that Ed Oliver was there. When you take a look at how he fell in the first round, Brandon Beane, their outstanding GM, just scooped him up. Perfect fit in Sean McDermott’s defense. And they got Cody Ford who should have been drafted in the first round. He’s going to play on the offensive line right away. They improved in every single phase.’
ESPN+’s sneaky breakout stars: How many Buffalo Bills made 2019 list?
‘With the following criteria in place, two Bills, Levi Wallace and Taron Johnson, found their way onto the list.’
McDermott looking for Bills’ defense to be more-physical, nastier unit this season
‘According to the Bills’ third-year head coach, a major element that will allow McDermott’s defense to perform at the level he’d like, is increasing its number of takeaways. Last season the Bills ranked eighth in the NFL in total takeaways (27), but it seems as if McDermott is looking for this year’s group to crack the top-five.’
Preview: Buffalo Bills Training Camp kicks off today at St. John Fisher College
‘Whether that step will be taken forward or backward remains to be seen.’
Bills offense front and center as camp opens Thursday
‘It all starts with Allen, who, in theory, has been surrounded by better personnel as he embarks on Year 2 as a Bill. Allen will look to build on what he was able to do in the second half of last season after returning from an elbow injury. It remains to be seen if 11 starts, in addition to the free agent signings and draft picks, will all add up to a better looking Allen. Hopefully, the Bills will have a better running game beyond their quarterback, who ended up leading the team in rushing in 2018. Having the same offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, back for a second season should be a boost.’
Let the picking begin
‘In his first installment of Howard Picks the Bills on Wednesday, Howard ended up having the Bills going 9-7.’
Training Camp Preview: Quarterback
‘The Bills poured a lot of resources into the offensive line and the wide receiver positions this offseason. Allen’s supporting cast is much improved this season so the expectations should increase entering his second season. He threw over 2,000 yards last season in 12 games. It’s hard to imagine him making the leap to 4,000 passing yards but I fully expect him to be around 3,500. Allen threw 10 touchdowns against 12 interceptions and those numbers will need to be much better if the Bills offense is going to take the next step.’
Humility and competitive fire make Josh Allen Buffalo’s unquestioned leader
‘“I would say it comes easily,” Allen told Buffalobills.com. “Off the field I’m representing not just myself, I’m representing my family, my football family here with the Buffalo Bills, the entire organization and I’d like to be a good look for Buffalo. I’d like people to look at me and be like, ‘Okay we understand what kind of person he is and those are the type of players they want in that organization.’”’
Camp Countdown: No. 1 – Will the Bills return to the playoffs?
‘Though there is no guarantee that a top five finish on defense will get you to the postseason, it is certainly an asset that can help get you there if there’s a balance of productivity on the other side of the ball.’