Two Bills Drive

'This year the Bills are running a one gap scheme. Each member of the front 7 is responsible for a gap. This frees the defensive lineman to attack their gap and try to get up field to make a big play.'

'We asked him about being drafted and having his son born within a two day period, whether or not he has purchased the home he promised for his mom yet, and why he puts ice cubes in his cereal with the milk.'

'The Bills waived a couple of players most thought would stick on the 53-man roster Saturday parting ways with RB Jonathan Williams, WR Philly Brown and LB Gerald Hodges to make room for their three waiver claim players.'

'All seven players came from Buffalo’s previous training camp roster. Wide receivers Brandon Reilly and Daikiel Shorts headlined the list on the offensive side of the ball. Many thought Reilly had a shot at making the 53-man roster, but he and Shorts, who both had pretty consistent preseasons, will develop on the practice squad.'

'Matthews is the unquestioned number one option based on his production in the league, and figures to work mainly out of the slot. Jones and Holmes will be the primary outside receivers with Tate and Clay helping as deep threats and as special teamers.'

'“I can never feel comfortable,” said Alexander. “I was undrafted. I’ve been cut a couple times. I’ve been a bubble guy. So, I’ll always carry that with me. No matter how good my situation may seem, in this league you can never get complacent.”'

'Of the 68 players who were part of the 53-man squad at some time last season, only 27 remain, a mere 14 of them starters, plus punter Colton Schmidt.'

'The Bills’ roster cuts, which were officially announced 10 minutes before the 4 p.m. league-mandated deadline, weren’t all that surprising considering their depth at various positions, including receiver, offensive line and running back.'

'Meanwhile, the speedy Clay could potentially be a downfield threat now that he’s healthy. The 25-year-old, who signed with Carolina in April, caught six passes for 127 yards for the Panthers this preseason. But he has yet to catch a pass in a regular-season game. A 2015 sixth-round pick of Tampa Bay, Clay briefly spent time with Detroit and Baltimore. He averaged 10.6 yards on 23 punts and 24.5 yards on 14 kick returns for the Ravens.'

'At a time when expectations for the team are as low as at any time during the 17-year playoff drought, Reilly was a genuine feel-good story. He also showed, in various summer snapshots, the capacity to make a meaningful contribution.'

'Johnson had a two-yard touchdown run in last Thursday night's preseason-finale against the Detroit Lions.'

'Three of their first five games are on the road, and they all figure to be tough: the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, and Cincinnati Bengals.'

'They completed menial tasks like washing uniforms and changing an executive's flat tire. They emerged from doe-eyed obscurity to be fought over by different departments inside their organizations, to earn sudden, prominent interim roles, to get teased and passed over, to prove all over again they're going nowhere but to the tops of their professions.'

'Beane isn’t tanking it, but his actions bespeak a man who is cleaning up after is predecessors and looking to the future. Sure, he and Sean McDermott would love to compete for a playoff spot, but they know they’ve inherited a weak roster, a difficult situation.'

'The Bills were still my team and remain a scrapbook of my youth. I dodged potholes while delivering newspapers the way O.J. danced around tacklers. I toed imaginary sidelines the way Bobby Chandler did. You have no idea how much I wanted to step on Terry Bradshaw's head the way Jim Haslett did.'