‘”I just want to be normal,” McKenzie said. “It’s barbecue and beer; you can’t beat it. Miami is great at Latin food, but not barbecue. Definitely not like Texas. Living here, I would go to Outback Steakhouse or Flanagan’s to get ribs — I thought that was barbecue. I didn’t know about brisket or pulled pork. But I know it well now.”‘
Archives for July 2021
Training camp question: Which players are ready to ’emerge’ for the Bills?
‘Edmunds has been good for the Bills, but he has the ability to be great. Statistics don’t do full justice in evaluating linebackers. However, just looking at measurable impact plays, Edmunds has room to grow. If you add all interceptions, sacks, tackles for loss, fumbles forced and recovered and passes defensed, Edmunds had 21.5 in his second season in 2019 and nine in 2020. Meanwhile, recently retired Carolina All-Pro Luke Kuechly had 26 of those plays in his third year, 23 in his fourth season. Pro Football Focus counts run stops, which are tackles that constitute a failure for the offense. Kuechly had 42 his third season and 33 his fourth, respectively. Edmunds had 33 in 2019 and 21 in 2020.’
Bills Mailbag: Talking stadium, Stefon Diggs’ numbers and Josh Allen’s contract
‘With substantial public money undoubtedly part of the equation, I’m thinking state and local government officials are going to have just a little something to say about what would easily be the most important construction project in the history of Western New York. When plans for something like that are formed to the extent of what has been reported, it would be hard to imagine political and business types staying all that quiet.’
AFC East QBs offer promise, but Buffalo Bills are clear 2021 favorite
‘It’s still the Bills’ division to lose. The Bills finished three games ahead of the Dolphins, the second-place team in the AFC East, and there was little done by any teams this offseason that should convince us they have closed the gap.’
Turf from Bills field house is being sold: proceeds go to Roswell Park
‘Now, through a partnership with the Courage of Carly Fund and Roswell Park, Lee is raising money for kids with cancer. His goal is to reach more than $100,000.’
Camp Countdown 2021 | 2 reasons why Buffalo’s pass rush should improve
‘Some new faces along Buffalo’s defensive line will also help the pass rush in 2021. The team brought in Efe Obada as a free agent from Carolina. Obada recorded a career high 5.5 sacks last season and will also be reunited with defensive line coach Eric Washington. The Bills also used the draft to bring in more players along the defensive line, drafting pass rushers Greg Rousseau and Boogie Basham in the first two rounds.’
Training camp question: How many defensive linemen make the Bills’ roster?
‘Ten figures to be the make-it number again this year. Barring injury, someone with good credentials is going to not make the team. Even if the number were 11, there would be a tough cut.’
Training camp question: Should Bills keep two or three quarterbacks on active roster?
‘Excluding last year’s special circumstances, that has not been coach Sean McDermott’s preferred method of roster construction. In McDermott’s first season on the job in 2017, the team kept three quarterbacks on the roster, although that comes with a bit of an asterisk. No. 3 quarterback Joe Webb also was a key contributor on special teams. As it turned out, Webb ended up being needed at quarterback after both Tyrod Taylor and Nathan Peterman were injured, and he helped lead the team to a critical, late-season win over Indianapolis in a blizzard – a game that went a long way toward ending the Bills’ playoff drought.’
Bills legend Darryl Talley to have number retired by West Virginia University
‘A consensus All-American, Talley was inducted in the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1996, the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Mountaineer Legends Society in 2016. Talley’s honor along with his undergraduate degree made him eligible to have his number retired.’
Buffalo Bills legend Darryl Talley to have collegiate number retired
‘Talley is the fourth player in the history of the university to have his number retired.’
Leslie Frazier sees one big change in Dane Jackson
‘”I can see how he’s handling himself in the meetings and the way he carries himself in practice,” Frazier said. “He’s not that shy rookie that I saw in camp a year ago, that guy who didn’t say two words. Now you get to know him a little bit. Now he’s out there high-fiving and talking with his teammates…He’s comfortable with his teammates and that should allow him to go out and play free and enjoy the experience.”’
Bills count on Stefon Diggs’ ‘dog mentality’ to meet challenge of strong encore
‘”Diggs has got that dog mentality. He’s not looking at what he did in the past year. He’s just looking to get better this year and try to live up to his own expectations. And that’s all that we can ask of any of the players and the coaches. We have expectations and standards here that we set within our walls and that’s what we’re going to try to achieve. Anything outside of that, that’s up for everybody else to look at.”‘
Bills ‘close to a deal’ for Zach Ertz, says Eagles play-by-play man
‘“The word today is that they are very close to a deal and I don’t have any inside information to substantiate this, but the word is that they’re close to a deal with Buffalo for Zach Ertz,” Reese told Sileo. “I believe you have as much chance of being on this roster as Zach Ertz in a few weeks.”’
Bills’ Dion Dawkins puts his star power behind criminal justice reform and shares his family’s story
‘“I have a brother who is incarcerated now, and also a brother who is a corrections officer,” Dawkins said. “And from seeing both sides of the fence and what inmates and what people go through the system go through, it’s a struggle.”’
Dion Dawkins: This season is going to be harder
‘”The good thing is, we all know what it takes,” Dawkins continued, “as long as we don’t think it’s going to be a cake walk, which nobody does…it’s not going to be easy, trust the process…”‘