‘Clearly, Buffalo’s ‘D’ has picked it up down the stretch, but it’s the performance of third-year quarterback Josh Allen which is most responsible for the team’s first division crown in a quarter century.’
Archives for December 22, 2020
Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs among 5 Bills named to NFL Pro Bowl
‘It’s also an accolade for the scouting and player development of the organization. The Pro Bowlers represent three of the Bills’ last four first-round draft picks (White, Allen and Edmunds). The Bills spent their 2020 first-round pick to acquire Diggs in the blockbuster trade with Minnesota.’
Five takeaways from Monday’s Bills press conferences
‘“It’s always important to get as high a seed as you can,” McDermott said. “That’s my firm belief, we want to get as high a seed as we can and play as well as you can and win the games moving forward that you can control. I just think we want to play our best football. I really believe that. We’ve got a competitive locker room, competitive coaching staff and we want to continue to do our best to grow as a football team at the same time and I think the guys would say the same thing, when you go out there, you want to win.”’
Bills’ roundtable: What’s the best first-round matchup for Buffalo?
‘It’s Miami – and not just for the nostalgia. While the Dolphins coming to Buffalo in January just sounds right, the matchup would be a good one for the Bills. Quarterback Josh Allen has absolutely dominated the Dolphins in his career, going 4-1 in five starts and throwing for 1,328 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s also run for 337 yards and three touchdowns.’
The Editorial Board: Let’s do our part to put Bills fans in the stands
‘The last thing we need is for safety protocols around a Bills game to turn into a political football. Want the state Health Department to sign off on the Bills’ plan to have fans at the stadium? Western New Yorkers must help make it happen.’
Buffalo Bills fans celebrating their first division title in 25 years. Do they deserve to gloat?
‘“It’s hard to remain humble when the team hasn’t been good since I was 11,” he said. “What’s the saying — act like you’ve been there before? Pretty hard to do when you haven’t been there in a generation.”’
Five Bills named to Pro Bowl, but safety Jordan Poyer was snubbed in the voting
‘Poyer lost out to Pittsburgh’s Minkah Fitzpatrick and Denver’s Justin Simmons, both fine players, though it would seem interceptions are the primary reason. Fitzpatrick and Simmons each have four, Poyer has two.’
Bills take over AFC’s No. 2 seed following Steelers’ MNF loss to Bengals
‘Why does that matter? Simply put, if the Bills can take care of business in the first round of the playoffs, it guarantees that Buffalo will host a second playoff game at Bills Stadium. If also ensures that the Bills would not see the Kansas City Chiefs, the AFC Super Bowl favorite and No. 1 seed, until the championship game.’
Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs among 5 Bills named to Pro Bowl
‘This is the first time that Allen and Diggs have been named to the Pro Bowl in their respective careers. Edmunds and White have been named to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive year while Roberts was named to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl.’
Bills’ Jordan Poyer snubbed in Pro Bowl vote, and it’s a downright shame
‘“We had a guy today who found out that he wasn’t selected to the Pro Bowl,” Frazier said. “I wanted him to know how valuable he is to our defense and what he’s meant to our team in 2020 and not to get caught up in some of those other things that are going on when it comes to Pro Bowl balloting.”’
Keenan McCardell’s advice helped mold Stefon Diggs, who’s rewriting Bills history books
‘NFL receiving great Keenan McCardell took over as wide receivers coach at Maryland right before Diggs’ final season in College Park in 2014. McCardell brought credentials with him. He played 16 seasons in the NFL split between Cleveland, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, San Diego and Washington, and retired in 2007. He ranks 35th all time in receiving yards (11,373) and 23rd all time in receptions (883).’
Bills’ Cole Beasley, Stefon Diggs continue career years vs. Broncos (10 reasons to be encouraged, 2 reasons to worry)
‘It’s amazing how far he’s come in year three. Back in Week 1, fans and media members were ecstatic to see the quarterback throw for 300 yards in Buffalo’s win over the Jets. It was a benchmark that the QB had not crossed up until that point. Now, Allen is doing it so frequently that it’s almost being ho-hum. Saturday was the seventh time that Allen had thrown for 300-plus yards.’
Why not us: ‘Bills Mafia’ clamors for entry to Bills Stadium, Cuomo extends waiting game
‘“We’re a community team. We’re one big family. That’s the cool part about coaching for a team that there’s a partnership between the fans and the team. I think that’s what makes it special,” said Bills head coach Sean McDermott after Saturday’s win. “It’s just such a cool place to be a part of because of the work ethic of the people around Western New York. I love seeing Bills’ flags waving out in people’s yards, and I’m hoping there are a lot more people buying Bills flags tonight. I’m humbled just to be a part of it.”’
Buffalo 2020: This is not your older brother’s team
‘I was just 7 months old in 1995 when the Bills last clinched the AFC East. I was only 5 years old for the Music City Miracle. For the vast majority of my life, all I knew was the playoff drought.’
Kryk slants: Bills-Patriots seesaw finally swings back
‘Unlike, say, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens — who most years this century have annually battled tooth-and-nail atop the AFC North — the Bills and Patriots have been locked in a one-but-not-the-other dynamic since both finally rose to become viable on-field threats in the NFL in the mid to late 1980s.’