‘We have been victimized by shortsighted site planners in the past. UB was built in Amherst. The Bills stadium was built in Orchard Park. I am sure the current consultants believe we don’t have the juice to get a new stadium done in downtown. They totally underestimate the combined power of our New York State governor, Kathy Hochul, our very senior state senator, Tim Kennedy, our State Assembly majority leader, Crystal Peoples-Stokes, and County Executive Mark Poloncarz. Together they add up to a powerhouse lineup we haven’t had in a century.’
Archives for December 2021
Maiorana: Bills rally to force OT was magnificent but Tom Brady tortures them again
‘But maybe, just maybe, they can build off what happened in the fourth quarter Sunday night and win three, maybe even all four, of their remaining games. Will that be good enough for a playoff berth? It’s awfully tough to know right now, but make no mistake, the Bills are not in a great spot at 7-6 in the jumbled AFC.’
Bills report card: Josh Allen nearly pulled off heroic win and season hinges on his injury
‘Brady toyed with the Bills in the first half as he was 19 of 26 for 211 yards and a TD, and then after a sluggish second half where he couldn’t get much of anything going, he stepped up in the biggest moment of the game and completed all four of his overtime passes, the last the 58-yard TD strike to Perriman.’
Bills’ 2nd half rally could be season-saver
‘Had Buffalo lost 38-10, the season, in effect, would be over. But that second half proved what this team can be and, despite the loss, Buffalo, is still hanging onto that seventh and last AFC wild card spot.’
Brady pads his record book against Buffalo
‘Tom Brady’s game-winning touchdown pass, a 58-yarder to Breshad Perriman, was the 700th of his illustrious career. It was also his 33rd victory over the Bills (32 of them with the Patriots), an NFL record against one team. He had already broken Drew Brees’ record for both career completions and passing yards.’
Bills’ Josh Allen in walking boot after Bucs game; How serious is it?
‘“Honestly, I’m not quite sure (how serious it is),” Allen said. “I guess we’ll do some more tests on it tomorrow. But I finished the game on it, so I don’t think it’s gonna be a big deal.”’
Bills’ Sean McDermott defends decision to punt down 14 in 3rd quarter vs. Bucs
‘“I liked how we were playing by that point,” he said. “Made some good adjustments at halftime, and the defense had two stops leading into there, three total if you go back to the end of the first half. So anyway, at the end of the day, I want to put them in position. And I think we were in position at the end there to win it.”’
Bucs coach critical of how Bills use Josh Allen as runner
‘“He’s more like Cam Newton, but with a bigger and stronger arm,” Arians said. “We talked about the designed quarterback runs are tough. I wouldn’t put my quarterback in that much of harm’s way because he did get nicked up a little bit. But they did a heck of a job with it.”’
Vet ref calls foul on Stefon Diggs no-call late in Bills and Buccaneers game
‘The officials missing the play was bad enough, but they would double-down on questionable decisions in overtime when Levi Wallace would get flagged for pass interference against Mike Evans.’
Bills’ second half vs. Buccaneers proves they can hang with anyone (Encouraged/worried)
‘If that second half unit shows up against the Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets, Buffalo has a great chance to end the season at 4-0 and enter the playoffs on a hot streak.’
Josh Allen leads Buffalo back in superhuman effort vs. Bucs; Bills fall short in OT (Week 14 report card)
‘Despite having Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison and drafting defensive ends high in the past two drafts, DT Eli Ankou was the only player who could take Brady down on Sunday from the defensive line. Let that sink in.’
Five takeaways: Bills comeback falls short in OT loss to Brady, Buccaneers
‘As they did in a loss to New England last week, the Bills lacked discipline and physicality in defeat, as a poor effort in the trenches, penalties, questionable coaching decisions and missed opportunities told the story in a second consecutive defeat. Allen was sacked three times in the loss, while Buffalo committed seven penalties and abandoned the running game entirely in the first half before igniting it during a more productive second half offensively.’
Sullivan: High marks for Bills’ Allen; McDermott, Beane not so much
‘That’s easy to say, but what about the guys who wandered around like drunken elves before halftime? Coming in, they led the league in total defense at 272 yards per game. The Bucs had 303 yards of offense in the first half alone. They had 18 first downs.’
Hobbling Allen leads Bills all the way back only to fall in OT to Brady’s Bucs
‘It was a story of three games, really. The first half, in which the Bucs rolled to a 24-3 lead over a Bills team that alternated between being overwhelmed and disorganized.’
Monday’s Tampa Bay Coverage
Bucs win in overtime on Tom Brady’s 58-yard TD pass (Tampa Bay Times)
Bucs made things interesting. They would have preferred convincing. (Tampa Bay Times)
After this game, the Super Bowl should be Tampa Bay’s to lose (Tampa Bay Times)
Tom Brady’s early mobility precedes his 11th-hour moxie (Tampa Bay Times)
Young Tom Brady vs. Old Tom Brady: Game 13 comparison (Tampa Bay Times)
Photo gallery (Tampa Bay Times)
Tom Brady breaks Drew Brees’ record for career completions (USA Today)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Tom Brady overtakes Drew Brees for NFL pass completions record, throws 700th touchdown (ESPN)
Buccaneers’ Tom Brady breaks Drew Brees’ NFL record for career completions (CBS Sports)
Tom Brady Passes Drew Brees for All-Time Completions Record (SI)
Bucs’ Tom Brady sets another NFL record vs. Bills (Fox News)
Bucs dramatic win over Buffalo Bills (WTVT-TV)
Bucs Stun Bills With Walk-Off Thriller (Buccaneers.com)
Rapid Reaction: Buccaneers 33, Bills 27 (Buccaneers.com)
Top Three Takeaways from Bills vs. Buccaneers (Buccaneers.com)
Tom Brady Collects Another All-Time NFL Record (Buccaneers.com)
What’s Next: Bucs Host Saints in Prime Time with Division Title on the Line (Buccaneers.com)
Photo gallery 1 (Buccaneers.com)
Photo gallery 2 (Buccaneers.com)
Photo gallery 1 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 2 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery (Buffalo News)
Photo gallery (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)