Archives for September 30, 2019

‘There’s an argument to be made that Jones’ penalty should not have been a penalty at all — never mind ejection-worthy. As our Tom E. Curran points out in his Takeaways from the game, lowering your helmet to initiate contact is illegal. But Jones, who at 5-foot-9 is eight inches shorter than Allen, didn’t appear to lower his helmet while making helmet-to-helmet contact with the Bills quarterback who was starting to go down as he was being wrapped up by Duron Harmon.’

‘”We definitely heard it,” Duron Harmon said of Dawkins’ comments. “The media gonna make sure we hear it, too. But Dawkins is a good football player. Plays hard for his team. He wanted to talk a little bit, but the winners get the last laugh.”‘

‘He added: “I asked for an explanation. I thought he should have been thrown out. Other than that, I am not going to get into that at all. That is for the league to get into.”’

‘“Just wanted to make sure Dawkins knew who we were,” he said.’

‘Bills coach Sean McDermott was seen yelling at two Patriots staffers, including Brian Belichick, as they were watching the end of the Bills warmups. The Patriots had already finished theirs and were in the process of going up the tunnel to the locker room.’

‘Harmon stood Allen up as he tried to bring down the 6-foot-5 QB, which is when Jones came in to finish the play. While Jones didn’t lunge toward Allen or dip his helmet, and it looks like he wanted to hit him with his shoulder, it was their helmets that collided in violent fashion.’

‘“Just wanted to make sure Dawkins knew who we were,” Van Noy said with a smile. “If someone said they didn’t know who you are after what we’ve been doing, would you be like, ‘What have you been watching?’”’

‘McDermott had some words for the staffers as he shooed them off the field:’

‘But others in the Buffalo room were quick to point out what they believed to be a double standard.’

‘You can see in the below camera angle that Jones tries to establish shoulder contact at the last second and, due to Allen’s posture, helmet contact was unavoidable. The clear helmet-to-helmet contact warranted the flag in real time, but it’s a stretch to determine any kind of malicious intent or avoidable contact. Unfortunately for Allen, who was running forward with his helmet down, part of the responsibility for the helmet contact falls on him.’

‘Yeah, we didn’t, he didn’t take what the defense was giving him. And he’s got to learn from that. So, we’re going to continue to drill that home and I think you saw some of that when we came out. When we did move the ball in the first drive of the second half you saw some of that, to your point. So, he’s got to learn from that.’

Patriots win despite one of worst performances by offense in Belichick era (Boston Globe)
After hit from Jonathan Jones sends Josh Allen to concussion protocol, Bills take issue (Boston Globe)
After 12 years, Patriots’ Matthew Slater scores his first touchdown (Boston Globe)
J.C. Jackson has day to remember with blocked punt, two picks (Boston Globe)
Tom Brady didn’t throw a touchdown pass, but he scored points for resilience (Boston Globe)
Just thinking: A bad day for most teams is a loss, but not for the Patriots (Boston Globe)
Patriots sure could have used a playmaker — like Antonio Brown (Boston Globe)
Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski misses another extra point (Boston Globe)
Patriots breakdown: Defense too much for Bills quarterbacks (Boston Globe)
Photo gallery (Boston Globe)
Patriots hold off Bills, win battle of unbeatens (Boston Herald)
Patriots defense once again rises to the occasion (Boston Herald)
Patriots CB J.C. Jackson blocks punt, picks off two passes (Boston Herald)
Patriots CB Jonathan Jones escapes ejection after big hit (Boston Herald)
Patriots offense flunks first test against quality defense (Boston Herald)
Patriots intercept four passes, survive Tom Brady’s struggles to beat Bills, 16-10 (Springfield Republican)
Patriots defense bails out Tom Brady, offense after bumbling performance in Buffalo (10 things we learned) (Springfield Republican)
QB Josh Allen never returns vs. Patriots after helmet-to-helmet hit (video) (Springfield Republican)
Patriots’ Jonathan Jones on Josh Allen hit: ’No intent to ever hurt anyone’ (Springfield Republican)
Why was Patriots’ Jonathan Jones not ejected for hit on Bills’ Josh Allen? NFL’s head ref explains (Springfield Republican)
Josh Allen hit: Bills player says he would have been ejected if he hit Tom Brady like that in the head (Springfield Republican)
Patriots, Matthew Slater savoring the touchdown moment he’d stopped believing would ever come | Matt Vautour (Springfield Republican)
Patriots’ J.C. Jackson has two interceptions and a blocked punt in Patriots win (Springfield Republican)
Patriots’ Kyle Van Noy on Bills QB Josh Allen: ‘He didn’t know what we were doing’ (Springfield Republican)
Patriots, Kyle Van Noy motivated by Bills’ pregame trash talk ’I just wanted to make sure Dawkins knew who we were’ (Springfield Republican)
Tom Brady jokes about ‘riveting’ offensive performance after win over Buffalo (Springfield Republican)
Patriots-Bills report cards: What grade does Tom Brady get one of his worst career games? (Springfield Republican)
What did Bill Belichick have to say after Patriots barely escape with win over Bills? (Belichick-isms) (Springfield Republican)
Dont’a Hightower inactive for Patriots, Julian Edelman, Rex Burkhead, Michael Bennett all active for Sunday vs. Bills (Springfield Republican)
Patriots 16, Bills 10: Defense delivers another New England win (Providence Journal)
Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson has big day in Buffalo (Providence Journal)
TD a dream come true for Patriots’ Matthew Slater (Providence Journal)
League saw no reason to eject Jones after hit of Bills QB (Providence Journal)
Live: Julian Edelman active; Dont’a Hightower inactive for Patriots (Providence Journal)
Photo gallery (Providence Journal)
McGuire: Patriots’ defense doesn’t need it’s offense like it once did (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)
Put a Belichick bow on a strong defensive win (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)
Pats Five Takes: Jackson, Collins highlight gritty Patriots win (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)
Photo gallery (AP)
Patriots start fast against Bills, return blocked punt for TD (ESPN)
Patriots move to 4-0, but it’s the defense that deserves the credit for domination of Bills (CBS Sports)
Patriots-Bills Takeaways, Metrics: John Simon Among Hidden Stars In Win (NESN)
How Patriots Turned Clock Back To 2003 In Gritty Victory Over Bills (NESN)
Patriots’ Stephen Gostkowski’s Struggles Continue In Week 4 Vs. Bills (NESN)
Patriots Notes: Jonathan Jones’ Teammates Disagree With Flag On Josh Allen Hit (NESN)
Tom Brady Won’t Make Excuses For Patriots’ Offensive Struggles Vs. Bills (NESN)
Devin McCourty Wants New Award For J.C. Jackson After Big Day Vs. Bills (NESN)
‘Emotional’ Kyle Van Noy Sounds Off On Patriots Defensive Performance (NESN)
Matthew Slater’s Long-Awaited TD Serves As Game-Winner In Patriots-Bills (NESN)
Bills Safety Suggests Double Standard After Josh Allen Takes Hit To Head (NESN)
Bills, Patriots, Officials Have Differing Opinions On Josh Allen Hit (NESN)
NFL Analyst Stands By Lofty Prediction After Patriots Beat Bills (NESN)
Julian Edelman Celebrates Patriots’ Win Over Bills With Awesome Instagram (NESN)
Who Helped Patriots Most In 16-10 Week 4 Nail-Biter Win Over Bills? (NESN)
Patriots Vs. Bills Live: New England Wins Ugly, Tops Buffalo 16-10 To Stay Unbeaten (NESN)
Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott Shoos Away Patriots Assistants During Warmups (NESN)
Patriots-Bills Inactives Reaction: Dont’a Hightower Out, Julian Edelman Active (NESN)
Patriots 16, Bills 10: 10 quick thoughts from ugly win (WEEI-FM)
Matthew Slater waited a long time for first career touchdown (WEEI-FM)
Devin McCourty: J.C. Jackson deserves ‘some type of award’ (WEEI-FM)
Kyle Van Noy acknowledges Patriots heard Bills trash talk heading into Week 4 meeting (WEEI-FM)
After struggles in Buffalo, Tom Brady sidesteps Antonio Brown question (WEEI-FM)
Sean McDermott upset over Jonathan Jones hit on Josh Allen: I thought he should have been thrown out (WEEI-FM)
Patriots at Bills thumbs up, thumbs down: James White, J.C. Jackson key nail-biter win (WEEI-FM)
Patriots didn’t deserve to win Sunday vs. Bills, but victory shows how good team really is (WEEI-FM)
Video: Sean McDermott yells at 2 Patriots staffers pregame, including Brian Belichick (WEEI-FM)
Julian Edelman active, Dont’a Hightower out vs. Bills (WEEI-FM)
Photo gallery (WEEI-FM)
Patriots-Bills What To Watch For: Is Buffalo Legit? (WBZ-TV)
Patriots Win Ugly One In Buffalo, Improve To 4-0 (WBZ-TV)
Patriots Defense Used Some Buffalo Trash Talk As Motivation (WBZ-TV)
Devin McCourty Comes Down With Interception For Fourth Straight Game (WBZ-TV)
Matthew Slater Scores First Career Touchdown Off Patriots Blocked Punt Vs. Bills (WBZ-TV)
Sean McDermott Upset That Jonathan Jones Wasn’t Ejected For Helmet-To-Helmet Hit (WBZ-TV)
Ups & Downs: Patriots Defense Was Great In Buffalo — Offense Not So Much (WBZ-TV)
Pats Staffers Shooed Away By Sean McDermott; Bills Fans Accuse Patriots Of Cheating (WBZ-TV)
Julian Edelman Good To Go Vs. Bills, But Dont’a Hightower Inactive For Patriots (WBZ-TV)
Patriots defense, special teams make difference in one of Tom Brady’s worst games, defeat Bills 16-10 (WBZ-FM)
Bills have issues with Jonathan Jones hit that knocked Josh Allen out of game (WBZ-FM)
Will Patriots CB Jonathan Jones face discipline for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Bills QB Josh Allen? (WBZ-FM)
Patriots Rise & Fall: The biggest ‘ups’ and ‘downs’ from a 16-10 win over the Bills (WBZ-FM)
WR Julian Edelman officially active for Patriots against Bills; LB Dont’a Hightower among inactives (WBZ-FM)
Game Observations: Takeaways save Patriots from Bills (Patriots.com)
Fight to the finish: Defense, special teams preserve gritty win (Patriots.com)
Stock Watch: McCourty, Jackson come up big in Patriots win (Patriots.com)
Game Notes: Patriots off to 4-0 record for ninth time in team history and fifth time under Belichick (Patriots.com)
New England Patriots Postgame Quotes 9/29 (Patriots.com)
Buffalo Bills Postgame Quotes 9/29 (Patriots.com)
Inactives: Patriots at Bills | Week 4 (Patriots.com)
Inactive Analysis: Hightower will sit, Edelman to dress versus Bills (Patriots.com)
Photo gallery (Patriots.com)
Photo gallery 1 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 2 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 3 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 1 (Buffalo News)
Photo gallery 2 (Buffalo News)
Photo gallery 3 (Buffalo News)
Photo gallery (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)

‘The Bills were still warming up at the time of the bizarre scene, which saw McDermott waiving the two Patriot staffers off the field.’

‘“We’re planning a wedding with 70,000 people attending and the logistics of getting everything and the timing perfected has been really difficult,” said Shaena Kershner, vice president of marketing for the Buffalo Bills. “We still wanted to provide a full wedding experience. So they’re going to have hair and make up before the wedding starts. They’ll have cake cutting and a first dance after.”‘