Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘McDermott admitted it afterward: Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin and his staff outcoached their Buffalo counterparts. It’s hard to argue.’

‘Bills 27, Steelers 23.’

‘One of McDermott’s greatest strengths will really come in handy this year, that being his ability to stick to his beloved process, which his players are fully invested in, and keep the team’s focus right where it needs to be.’

‘“It’s harder when you’re playing well and people know that you can play well,” Diggs said earlier this week. “And then you’ve got to live up to a standard of playing well each and every day, each and every game. Last year is over. We can’t translate those wins, but what we can do is take what we did from the good side of it and translate it to this year and the things that we didn’t do well. We didn’t do X-Y-Z well, let’s make sure that’s a point of emphasis going into the year.”’

‘“When we started OTAs and the offseason program, we put a heavy emphasis on tackling,” Frazier said Wednesday. “That was an area we really wanted to improve as a defense, which we thought would also help our run defense. There were some other things that we emphasized, but that was probably the one thing we really harped on, improving our tackling.”’

‘Wide receiver/kick returner Isaiah McKenize and nickel cornerback Taron Johnson both returned to practice and McDermott expects both to play Sunday, though Johnson will probably have to do so with his injured hand heavily taped.’

‘Ever since he arrived at One Bills Drive, Neal has been the epitome of the “jack of all trades, master of none” player for coach Sean McDermott.’

‘“These guys are so aware of media expectations and things … I don’t think that needs to be brought to someone’s attention,” he said. “If it does, that’s a question for Brandon on why we drafted the guy. These guys, they know that’s out there. I think the biggest thing is when you play that position, there’s a lot of unselfish traits that go with that position. You’re not always on the stat sheet, you’re not always noticed on television, on the news or on SportsCenter, but it’s what happens between the hedges, if you will, that really factors into a game.”’

‘The Otter Lodge’s owner Darren Cummings said that his bar opened in 1996 at 1776 Monroe Ave., several years before the alleged occurred at a bar at the same site operating by another name. The Otter Lodge closed in 2019, and a British pub, The Sheffield, opened in its place last year.’

‘“I’d say the first two times at this time of the year, we were watching tape all through the night, our scouts were paring it down,” Beane said. “Then the next morning when the coaches got back in, ‘Hey, what would be your preference? We like these guys, this is how we have them stacked, you see it the same?’’

‘“Gabe, he’s one of those guys that’s just learned from guys like Stef (Diggs) and Cole (Beasley) and John Brown,” Allen said. “He just does things the right way. He practices hard, and in the game, just so reliable. You know he’s going to be where he’s supposed to be. He makes plays on offense when he’s asked to make plays.”’

‘At the top of that list is Ferguson who will almost certainly be re-signed to the Bills active roster, similar to how kick returner Andre Roberts returned to the Bills in 2020.’

‘Remember, the injured reserve rules from 2020 are still in effect: Unlimited players are eligible to return to play after being out a minimum three weeks. If McKenzie isn’t healthy, the Bills can put him on IR and bring him back as soon as the Week 4 game against Houston. At that point, then they’ll have a tough call if they demote Stevenson to the practice squad and risk losing him.’

‘The only thing hotter than the blazing summer sun beating down at Highmark Stadium was the Buffalo Bills star quarterback. Making his preseason debut, Allen completed his first nine passes against the Green Bay Packers and ultimately finished 20 of 26 for 194 yards and two touchdowns in two quarters of work.’

‘As McDermott alluded to, how long the starters play will be a fluid situation, but while they’re out there, it would be nice to see Allen and the offense put together a drive or two that indicates they’re ready to pick up where they left off in 2020. They’ve certainly looked sharp going against their own defense in camp.’