Toronto Sun

‘Incognito was suspended for the final eight games of that 2013 season, and for a time was seen as so toxic a locker-room presence that no team signed him in 2014. The Bills finally did early in 2015. Up to now, there had been no reports nor indications Incognito – who is white – has been anything less than an exemplary teammate and performer.’

‘McDermott went out of his way to praise running back LeSean McCoy, who somehow played and played effectively on an ankle injury (presumably a bad sprain) so debilitating, he literally could barely walk from the shower to his locker-room stall to talk to reporters afterward.’

‘“(Incognito) said what he said yesterday. We had a great team win yesterday, and I said what I needed to say yesterday,” the second-year pro said. “I was just speaking on behalf of my ethnicity, man. I just feel like it’s a great place to be, in the league. You’ve got different cultures and different ethnicity groups. That’s what I was basically stating about (the 70% reference).”’

‘Ugly? Odoriferous?’

‘Sunday’s 10-3 AFC wild-card loss to the Jaguar clearly was still stinging strongest about 20 minutes after the final whistle, but couldn’t McDermott look back with pride and think, yeah, as coaches we wrung out about as much from these players as anybody could?’

‘Still, six former Bills coaches and three defenders, all of whom never reached the post-season while in Buffalo, are now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Similarly, four current Bills assistant coaches previously worked for the Jaguars, while three current Bills players previously played for the Jags.’

‘First, that if this team had finished with the worst record of any Bills team this century – rather than tied for the best, at 9-7 – few would have been surprised. Yet Buffalo’s first-year duo of head coach Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane had insisted all summer long, and well into the season, that despite getting rid of several key performers and recent face-of-the-franchise high draft picks – such as receiver Sammy Watkins, cornerback Ronald Darby and, in October, defensive tackle Marcell Dareus – they had no intention of tanking for a high 2018 draft pick. No matter how convinced fans and media had become.’

‘Bills head coach Sean McDermott on Monday confirmed a report the night before that tests on McCoy’s ankle proved negative, and that “he’s going to have a chance” to play this Sunday in Buffalo’s first playoff game in 18 years, at Jacksonville.’

‘If the Patriots beat the Bills this coming Sunday, however, as almost everyone will predict this week, then to make the playoffs as one of the two AFC wild cards, the Bills would have to defeat the Dolphins again, this time in Miami on New Year’s Eve in their regular-season finale, and hope other Week 16 and 17 AFC results go precisely their way. If not, the Bills’ dreaded drought would hit 18 years.’

‘In a game with precious little offence and one in which Bills third-string quarterback Joe Webb handling the snaps for most of the second half, the Bills needed their feature back more than ever.’

‘“I always have to keep my mind fresh at quarterback. Like they say, you are always one play away,” said Webb, who completed two of his six pass attempts with one interception. “That’s the way I always prepare, no matter if I’m playing special teams or receiving.”’

‘Gronk weighs 265 pounds and easily could have broken a back or neck vertebrae in White, the hit was so impactful.’

‘So with four weeks left in the NFL season, we find Belichick, Brady and New England atop the conference. And Buffalo’s hopes slipping away, no thanks to the unacceptably poor play from its doomed quarterback. Seriously, what else is new?’

‘“I felt like (White) kind of pushed me a little bit, and made the play. I just don’t understand why there wasn’t a flag. It was a couple of times in the game, and they’re calling me for the craziest stuff ever … and it’s crazy, like what am I supposed to do? And then they don’t call that. It was just frustration.”’

‘Three of the previous four times the Bills had a winning record after 11 games during their league-longest playoff drought of 17 years (in 2000, 2008 and 2016) they lost four of their last five games to convince no one they were playoff worthy in the first place. The other time, in 2014, the Bills won three of their last five but finished 9-7, which that season wasn’t good enough to qualify for the post-season either.’