‘“I appreciate Sean and his belief in me,” Babich said. “When someone shows confidence in you, it goes a long way. I’m very appreciative and very grateful. Now it’s my job to take advantage of the opportunity he’s given me.”’
Archives for September 6, 2024
PlayAction column: Arizona’s tight end sets will challenge the Bills’ run defense
‘Arizona used three tight ends on 11% of its plays – well over the NFL average of 3.4%. Look for the Cardinals to power up in two- and three-tight-end formations in Sunday’s season opener at Highmark Stadium.’
Inside the Bills: Power ranking the team’s 2024 road trips
‘Here, in order from least desirable to most desirable, are The Buffalo News’ power rankings of the Bills’ 2024 road trips…’.
As Bills contract winds down, Delaware North isn’t playing out the string
‘“Since the announcement of that contract, nothing has changed at Highmark Stadium,” he said. “We keep doing what we’re doing and what we’re known globally for doing. We want to show Buffalo everything we can do in this footprint, and it is challenging. But no time frame is going to change our mentality.”’
Josh Allen’s new chapter: In seventh season, even more pressure to carry Buffalo Bills
‘Diggs’ departure may be liberating for Allen, who admitted he emphasized getting Diggs targets early in a game. It has been on Allen since mid-April to on-board his new teammates to the Bills’ way and his way. Post-practice throwing sessions. Extra time in the meeting room. A throwing/bonding trip to Nashville, Tennessee. And during camp, Allen would often deliberate with skill-position players or McGovern in between periods.’
The Bills lost 6 of their 8 captains from last year. Where will the leadership come from?
‘“The first thing is credibility. If you’re not a credible person who is trying to lead, no one is going to follow you. I think we’re seeing leadership traits in a lot of guys that were probably there already, but we had a lot of guys who had kind of already established themselves in that role, right?”’
Is the Bills’ roster strong enough? Mark Gaughan breaks down the team, position by position
‘Is it asking too much for Coleman to match Davis’ 2023 numbers (45-746-7) as a rookie? Can Samuel be more than a possession receiver? (He was for Brady in Carolina in 2020). Expectations are low for MVS since he eked out 21 catches with Kansas City. Can anyone besides Shakir win against good man coverage? If any of the top three get hurt, are any of the others reliable?’
The Buffalo Bills’ offense is now Joe Brady’s offense. What will it look like? Here’s our analysis
‘“The No. 1 thing is, you want to have an efficient run game,” Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer said. “And we were the No. 1 efficient run game in the NFL. So you consistently can move the chains. That’s what we’re trying to do, consistently move the chains. If we make 10 yards, great, but we have to get 4. And with the combination of Josh’s ability to throw, run and control the offense, and James Cook and this offensive line and the receivers doing a good job blocking − that is the essence of winning consistently.”’
Can the Bills still go deep? We charted all their long (and short) passes. Here’s what it tells us
‘However, the overhaul of the Buffalo Bills’ receiving corps leaves it an open question. The Bills had 28 receptions last season on passes that traveled at least 20 yards past the line of scrimmage, 12th-most in the NFL. The Bills were ninth in yards on passes of 20-plus air yards and second in attempts. Thus, there was room for improvement. Allen had an NFL-best 34 deep completions in 2022. Furthermore, 19 of the Bills’ 28 deep completions went to players no longer on the roster.’
The story of Bills LB Dorian Williams: He steps in for Matt Milano, but he’s already ‘been through a lot’
‘“He’s ready. He’s ready, he’s ready,” said Williams’ mother, Angela Mintz. “He hates that Matt is out. That’s someone that he really looked up to, is Matt Milano. He respects him as football player, but (also) as a great person.’
Who will play safety? Where the Bills stand after Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde and a rough summer
‘“It’s been a challenge just because, first of all, if you strip the injuries away, we’ve got some new players in there, which is exciting,” McDermott said last month. “It’s an opportunity to continue to evolve as a defense, as a secondary. With that comes time on task, with not only in the system, but with one another.’
Ryan O’Halloran: Peek into the Bills crystal ball – game-by-game predictions for the 2024 season
‘Final Record: 11-6 (first, AFC East).’
The NFL season begins Thursday. Here’s a 5-minute primer on everything to watch for
‘Joe Burrow, Cincinnati: In his two full seasons (2021-22), he is 27-12 in the regular season and playoffs with 78 touchdowns.’
How will the Bills do this season? Buffalo News staff writers make their predictions on 2024
‘The schedule is tough. A 3-2 start would be pretty good (against the Cardinals, Dolphins, Jaguars, Ravens and Texans). Buffalo visits the Jets in the sixth game. I’ll be surprised if the Bills start 4-2. I’m thinking the Dolphins and Jets both will be formidable. That means a 10-7 record for Buffalo and a wild-card berth.’
Alan Pergament: A guide to what stations are carrying Bills games this season
‘The NFL sells the rights to local broadcast channels when the games are on their cable or streaming packages to allow all fans in the TV markets of the participating teams to be able to watch them. This usually upsets Bills fans in Rochester, since broadcast stations there don’t get the opportunity to carry streaming and cable games.’