‘Kyle Allen, who was signed this offseason to be the No. 2 quarterback, had an uneven training camp, to put it kindly. His struggles continued against the Colts, as he finished the game 8 of 15 for 122 yards and one interception – which was returned for a 52-yard touchdown by Indianapolis cornerback Darius Rush. On the play, Allen attempted to throw a wide receiver screen to Tyrell Shavers, but the ball placement wasn’t great. Shavers probably could have done more with it, but the ball went through his hands to Rush, who was then off to the races.’
Archives for August 13, 2023
Ryan O’Halloran: Return of Micah Hyde could make Bills’ secondary first-rate unit
‘The next step? Being fine-tuned for the Sept. 11 opener at the New York Jets. The Bills need Hyde healthy to make a deep playoff run. He knows every coverage and pressure and every nuance and nook of coach Sean McDermott’s system.’
‘Remarkable’ Bills safety Damar Hamlin plays in first game since cardiac arrest
‘“I was feeling everything all at once,” Hamlin said afterward. “It was super fun. It was a great experience, just another milestone.”’
Bills ‘generally pleased’ with how traffic, parking went Saturday. But the real test comes next month
‘Many other early-arriving Bills fans shared similar experiences on Saturday morning, reporting typical delays before securing a spot in a stadium lot. That’s not to say there weren’t some bumps in the road, however. A few fans voiced frustration on social media around midday Saturday, saying they waited in line for an hour only to make it to a lot that was already full.’
Erik Brady: A ‘Go Bills’ from star Jennifer Garner surprises Wegmans shopper
‘Garner obliged. And that’s the two of them smiling in the picture at the top of this story. Wiser, as you can see, is wearing a Buffalo Bills T-shirt, which is apparently what prompted Garner’s friendly shout-out.’
Bills beat Colts in preseason opener: Here’s what we learned
‘However, let me just remind you that these preseason performances are extremely difficult to gauge because there is no game plan, no real prep for the opponent, and Allen was playing mostly with backups during the two quarters and one series he played during the Bills’ 23-19 victory.’
Hamlin’s return nothing short of ’remarkable’
‘His teammates went wild on the sideline. It was a strong reminder of why Hamlin decided to resume his football career after that traumatic, life-threatening night in Cincinnati.’
Notes on Bills’ backup QBs and first look at rookies
‘“I thought that we moved the ball at times, and then we stalled out or we weren’t, more than anything, probably, productive enough on early downs in the first half,” McDermott said. “And then in the second half, I felt a little bit better, moving the ball on a more consistent basis, Matt getting the ball out. I thought he got into a good rhythm, and my hat goes off to him.”’
Tyrell Shavers, Boogie Basham and more Bills who made strong impression in preseason win vs. Colts
‘Shavers had a strong training camp but the drops were concerning before he exploded for the touchdown. He almost had another big touchdown play but was interfered with on a deep pass later in the game. The best path to the Bills roster for Shavers is likely on the practice squad, but his quickness is intriguing.’
Buffalo Bills coach on how backup QBs played vs. Colts: Is it open competition?
‘McDermott was asked to assess the backup quarterbacks and said things changed when Matt Barkley took over in the third quarter. “I thought it was kind of hot and cold at times,” he said. “I thought that we moved the ball at times and then we stalled out or we weren’t — more than anything — productive enough on early downs in the first half. And then in the second half, I felt (was) a little bit better moving the ball on a more consistent basis (and) Matt getting the ball out. I thought he got into a good rhythm and my hat goes off to him.”’
Buffalo Bills stock up, stock down following preseason win over Colts: Josh Allen backup QB controversy?
‘O’Cyrus Torrence: Buffalo’s second round pick started at right guard against the Colts and held his own in limited action. Torrence was terrific as a run blocker and did a fine job in pass protection. This type of performance against a starting defense could go a long way in helping the Bills determine who will start next to Spencer Brown at the start of the year. After some ups and downs to end training camp, Torrence’s arrow is way up based on his performance against the Colts.’
Preseason Observations: Damar Hamlin sacks doubters in first game back with Bills after collapse
‘“I was just excited and I was ready to play,” Hamlin said. “I don’t feel like I have nothing to prove at all. I don’t. But in a way, you know, it’s kind of like proving it to myself and just accepting a challenge of just being able to go through something so tough and just to be able to come back and overcome that. And then just to prove to yourself that nothing can stop you, nothing can stop you from doing what you want to do and reaching the heights that you want to reach.”’
Sunday’s Indianapolis Coverage
Doyel: Team effort as Colts offense, defense, special teams let down QB Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Star)
Insider: 10 thoughts on Anthony Richardson’s debut in the Colts’ preseason opener (Indianapolis Star)
Photo gallery (Indianapolis Star)
Anthony Richardson throws interception on first NFL drive in up-and-down Colts debut (New York Post)
Colts let down QB Anthony Richardson in NFL preseason debut vs. Bills (USA Today)
Despite interception, Colts’ Richardson shows ‘great poise’ (ESPN)
Anthony Richardson debut: Colts QB flashes in preseason opener vs. Bills (The Sporting News)
Quarterback Anthony Richardson makes debut as Indianapolis Colts drop preseason opener to Buffalo Bills (WTTV-TV)
Forget Colts’ loss at Buffalo; remember Anthony Richardson’s first step into the NFL (WTTV-TV)
Up and Down day for Richardson as Colts lose preseason opener 23-19 to the Bills (WTHR-TV)
5 Things Learned: Anthony Richardson Shows Full Experience In Preseason Debut (WFNI-AM)
Anthony Richardson debuts as Colts fall to Bills in 2023 preseason opener (Colts.com)
In preseason debut, Anthony Richardson’s ‘real growth’ happens in real time (Colts.com)
Darius Rush’s pick-six against the Bills earns him high praise from his teammates (Colts.com)
Shaquille Leonard views playing time against the Bills as ‘the biggest step’ in his injury recovery (Colts.com)
Photo gallery 1 (Colts.com)
Photo gallery 2 (Colts.com)
Photo gallery 3 (Colts.com)
Photo gallery 1 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 2 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 3 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 4 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery (Buffalo News)
Photo gallery (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
Damar Hamlin plays in first NFL game since suffering cardiac arrest
‘Hamlin contributed early Saturday, crashing the line on his second defensive snap to tackle running back Evan Hull for no gain on fourth and one. He played on defense and in kickoff coverage, finishing with three tackles over two-plus defensive series in a 23-19 win.’
Damar Hamlin makes three tackles in first Bills game since cardiac arrest
‘But any return, any snaps during any game, would mark substantial progress for the 25-year-old, considering what happened when he attempted to tackle Tee Higgins on “Monday Night Football” in that game against the Bengals this past January.’