‘“We have some good receivers, especially Cole, John Brown, but you’ve also got to look at a guy like Isaiah McKenzie, who stepped up big for us (against Miami) and made some plays and showed that he’s a guy that — he isn’t the starter, but he can go out there and play some good ball and step up if we need him to,” Diggs said. “Having that depth, having guys, in this playoff run, you don’t what’s going to happen. Guys can get hurt. Covid and all the stuff that’s going on. Having depth doesn’t hurt you. It kind of puts you in space where that next man up is really, really real. I say more so give all the credit being able to find the open man, deliver a strike and being able to have success offensively with the guys you haven’t typically had a lot of reps with.”’
Archives for January 8, 2021
Should Bills use Roethlisberger game plan vs. Colts’ Philip Rivers? (7 things to watch)
‘Don’t be surprised if Buffalo’s pass defense game plan is very similar to what the unit did a few weeks back on Sunday Night Football with cornerbacks playing tight coverage near the line to make those quick passes challenging.’
Buffalo Bills 2020 AFC East Champions gear: 10 essential buys for Bills Mafia fans
‘Right now, Fanatics.com has some essential commemorative gear for the Bills Mafia, so fans can always remember the 13-3 Bills led by star QB Josh Allen and head coach Sean McDermott that took the division.’
Before earning first playoff win in 25 years, Bills must go through future HOFer Rivers, Colts revamped offense
‘Last season, with QB Jacoby Brissett under center, the Colts finished 16th in the league in points scored (361) and 25th in total yards (5,238). This year, with Rivers, Indianapolis is inside the top-10 in the NFL in both categories, ranking ninth in points scored (451) behind the 10th most yards in the league (6,049). Rivers has completed 68% of his passes on his way to his eighth consecutive 4,000-yard season as the 17-year veteran has totaled 369 completions for 4,169 passing yards, with 24 touchdowns against 11 interceptions on the year. Last season, Colts quarterbacks threw for only 3,314 yards and 22 touchdowns.’
Allen, Bills hoping to use lessons learned from last season’s playoff failure
‘“I think the main thing is taking it one play at a time. Not getting too high, not getting too low,” said the Bills’ quarterback. “Whatever happens in the flow of the game that next play, you got to let it go. You got to focus at the task at hand and it’s always the next play.”‘
Golden ticket: Local Bills fans relish the opportunity to attend this week’s playoff game
‘Dickens — who is the head boys basketball coach and softball coach at Cal-Mum — has been a season-ticket holder since 1994 when he bought them for just $210 and he was able to secure a pair of tickets on New Year’s Day, after the allotment of four-person ‘pods’ were sold out. Dickens’ seats will be just across the aisle from his normal seats and this, by far, won’t be his first time at a Bills playoff game.’
Local art teacher works with Buffalo Bills on “My Cause, My Cleats”
‘“They will meet with me two to three days and we exchange ideas about what their cause is and I try to use my skills to give them what they want,” he said.’
This feeling of euphoria is unfamiliar to a whole generation of sports fans in Buffalo as Bills take 13-3 record into playoffs
‘“A lot of people expected this team to be good, but no one could have predicted this good. Josh Allen just flipped the switch. I’ve got people calling who are in their late 20s and were only two years old the last time this happened,” Graham says. “This reminds me of the (1996) Sabres who reached the conference finals. They were coming out of a year-long lockout, the team had been bankrupt, the owners were led away in handcuffs, and no one expected them to win.”’
Friday’s Indianapolis Coverage
Colts Rock Ya-Sin OUT vs. Bills; Khari Willis, DeForest Buckner will play (Indianapolis Star)
Colts players DT DeForest Buckner, RB Jonathan Taylor earn NFL Player of the Month awards (Indianapolis Star)
Insider: Why it will be more than just Indy rooting for Philip Rivers, Colts in playoffs (Indianapolis Star)
Colts Notebook: Taylor surging into playoff debut (Anderson Herald Bulletin)
Reich Remains Focused On Game With Return To Buffalo Looming (AP)
There’s a blueprint to upset Buffalo, and it includes Jonathan Taylor (WTTV-TV)
Strong finish to regular season nets monthly honors for Colts’ Taylor, Buckner (WTTV-TV)
Colts vs. Bills: a look at playoff stats past, plus weather predictions for the Wild Card game (WTTV-TV)
Colts players get player of the month honors (WTHR-TV)
Colts Thursday Notebook: Khari Willis Expected To Play Against Bills (WFNI-AM)
Seven Things To Watch For: Colts At Bills (WFNI-AM)
Will Holden, Rock Ya-Sin Ruled Out Saturday Against The Bills; DeForest Buckner Questionable (Colts.com)
Players Of The Month: DeForest Buckner, Jonathan Taylor Capture League Honors (Colts.com)
Darius Leonard Named Week 17 NFL Way To Play Recipient (Colts.com)
Josh Allen has totally eclipsed fellow Class of 2018 QB Sam Darnold
‘While the Jets have foundered during Darnold’s career — there have been two general managers, two coaches and three losing seasons — Allen is surrounded by a terrific cast of players who have fueled the team’s meteoric rise to the top of the division.’
Bills List Diggs, Beasley Questionable For Playoff Opener
‘For Beasley, who has missed one game, it marked the first time he’s practiced since hurting his knee in the fourth quarter of a 38-9 win at New England on Dec. 28. Diggs, meantime, returned after not practicing Wednesday because of an injury to his oblique muscle.’
Bills Face Reich-Coached Colts In 1st Home Playoff Since ’96
‘“He said, `We’re going to have a home playoff game. And we want to be walking into our stadium, going through the tunnel and listen to the salt crack underneath your shoes,‘” Hyde recalled this week. “So that vision that we had since ’17 has come true.”’
Bills Host Ex-AFC East Rival Colts For 1st Time In Playoffs
‘In its past 10 games, Buffalo’s defense has 19 takeaways (13 interceptions), forced 46 punts and limited opponents to convert just 38 of 120 third-down opportunities. That represents a big turnaround from Buffalo’s first six games in which the defense had seven takeaways (two interceptions), forced 17 punts and allowed opponents to convert 38 of 66 third-down opportunities.’
Bills fans undergo COVID-19 testing ahead of AFC wild-card game
‘”The state has said, ‘You can plan (for fans at a second playoff game), but there’s no guarantee,'” Pegula continued. “They want to see how this process goes, in terms of mask-wearing, ingress, egress, all of that. So a lot of our messaging to our fans is to just really follow the protocols that are in place.”‘
Buffalo Bills’ Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley questionable for playoff game vs. Indianapolis Colts
‘The NFL’s leader in receptions and receiving yards, Diggs was limited in the Bills’ walk-through Tuesday before missing practice Wednesday. Both he and Beasley participated in limited fashion for the team’s final practice of the week Thursday.’