Olean Times Herald

‘By tonight, it’s probable New England will be 2-0, the same as either Miami or the Jets, with the other being 1-1. If the Bills start 0-2, and get hammered at home by the Chargers, the Bills’ hierarchy will definitely be in panic mode.’

‘“The hardest part is just how we lost the game, coming home (thinking), ‘Damn, we just got our butts kicked.’ I was trying to remind guys that we lost like that last year (47-10 to New Orleans and 54-24 at Los Angeles to the Chargers), but put it together, and became a playoff team,” McCoy said. “No matter how you look at it … it may be embarrassing how we lost, but it’s just one loss. We’re not 0-5, 0-6; it’s 0-1, and the way you respond to a loss like that is with a win.’

‘But it wouldn’t take a panning from Rotten Tomatoes to tell the Bills’ second-year coach that he couldn’t sell Buffalo fans on a starting QB who just scored a zero passer rating in the home opener.’

‘But Sunday’s performance was abysmal in all three phases, and no unbiased observer would conclude the Bills were playing hard from the opening kickoff to the final gun.’

‘Buffalo’s offense had no first downs in the opening half and, with eight minutes to play in the third period, the Bills had netted a microscopic 20 yards total offense … 13 FEWER than at intermission.’

‘In the first half, Buffalo had no first downs. There were seven full possessions, five of them three-and-outs and two others that were extended a snap by Bills penalties.’

‘The game’s ONLY — and we mean ONLY — bright spot for Buffalo was the play of middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, the Bills second of of two first-round draft picks last April.’

‘Quick quiz … how many players remain on the Buffalo Bills roster from when coach Sean McDermott was hired in January of 2017? If you guessed 12, your name will be added to a drawing for an autographed Kyle Orton bobblehead.’

‘Clearly, the uncertainty at quarterback – especially with veteran free agent A.J. McCarron having been traded to Oakland – is no small concern. And the substandard performance of the starting offensive line during the preseason certainly raised major questions. Then, too, the situation at wide receiver is hardly encouraging with former Panther Kelvin Benjamin the only legitimate starter, surrounded only by journeymen and projects.’

‘Allen, of course, is a rookie without experience and there is no third QB, meaning Buffalo is one injury from complete disaster.’

‘“He’s done a great job coming in here and really challenging us,” Peterman said. “Back in OTAs, we were challenged a lot with how much he put in. (But) it’s paying dividends right now because I think guys feel very comfortable with what we’re doing. You’ve seen it in preseason; it’s successful when we run it right and we just need to focus on executing.’

‘Clearly, McCarron, slowed by a shoulder injury suffered against Cleveland, wasn’t going to win the starting job … a job now reserved for either Peterman (the most likely) or Allen. Trading the veteran free agent from Cincinnati while he had some immediate value wasn’t a bad move … unless, of course, the Bills don’t sign another warm-body QB before the season opener seven days from now in Baltimore.’

‘In a game where he was set up to succeed, McCarron was nothing short of awful until the game seemed well lost.’

‘Oh, it wasn’t just Allen who was lousy in the first half of yesterday afternoon’s 26-13 preseason defeat by the Bengals at New Era Field … this was a “team effort” in every sense of the word.’

‘When Dalton and company emerge from the tunnel and onto the sideline, and approach midfield for the coin toss, it’s a safe bet that they will be cheered heavily. Replays of the touchdown may be shown on the scoreboard and most assuredly will be featured on the nationally-televised FOX broadcast. It’s a certainty that Bills fans will show their deep gratitude and appreciation for both Dalton and Boyd.’