WGR

‘“I didn’t know a lot about it,” Benjamin said Monday after practice. “But as soon as I got traded, I hit Joe Webb up, and Joe Webb was like ‘man, you’re going to love it man, you’re going to love it, the people, the fans, the college-based atmosphere.’ You watch the games, don’t matter how cold it is or what their record was in the past. The stadium was packed. That has to tell you something. That history, that passion, and that’s what I am.”’

‘Typically when we go into the season we try and figure out how to get the Bills to 10 wins. Its a win total that can usually get you into the post season. Good news Bills fans, you might only have to get them to nine this season thanks to the less than spectacular AFC. According to the New York Times playoff machine, if the Bills beat the Chargers, Colts and sweep Miami and finish with a 9-7 record, they have a 75% chance of getting into the playoffs.’

‘Road games with the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs follow that, and then it’s the New England Patriots at home. If you want to get the Bills to 10 wins, I think you need to split these four games. That leaves you with the Colts at home, a road rematch with the Patriots and your two games with the Miami Dolphins. Obviously if nine wins does the trick for the playoffs, and it might, this isn’t quite as daunting.’

‘”I thought it was important for Kelvin to get in and have more than a day or to to learn some of the playbook. I knew Carolina did not have their bye yet, wanted a fresh Kelvin Benjamin moving forward. The guys on this team have gone out of their way to make Kelvin comfortable.”‘

‘”We missed an opportunity, we’re very upset, but we can’t let that hurt our direction, we’re still 5-3. The Jets beat us at our own game, they ran the ball well, we turned the ball over… this is how we beat people”‘

‘Moving on… Taylor is Taylor. This 2017 version is the same football-protecting, conservative-passing, occasional-jaw-dropping, playmaker the Bills have had for going on three seasons now.’

‘Cadet, 28, was with the New York Jets earlier this season, but was released on October 24th. Cadet is best known from his time in New Orleans, where he spent five seasons as a backup for the Saints. Cadet has prowess as a pass catcher and has more receptions (105) than carries (66) in his NFL career.’

‘I’m not going to single anyone out. The entire offensive line was bad pretty much all night long. It didn’t matter if it was in the run game or pass game. Both struggled to a level we hadn’t seen yet this season. The final totals – 63 yards on the ground and seven sacks allowed.’

‘Again, nothing from the Bills offense.’

‘At home, Jerry is a loving husband and father to his one-year old son. On the field, his job is to put quarterbacks into the ground. “Oh, I know I can’t do things at home that I have to do on the football field,” Jerry tells me while standing in front of his locker after a practice. “I have to be a different person.”’

‘”Not worried about Benjamin’s weight. He’s been playing at a good weight all season. His knee is fine as we know of. Shouldn’t be any issues going forward. He’ll have a physical this morning.”‘

‘The Panthers picked up Benjamin’s fifth-year option this past offseason. That means he’s under contract for the rest of this year and all of next season. Since he was taken 28th overall in 2014, the amount he’s guaranteed by the Bills next season is $8.459 million.’

‘What’s changed about Taylor? He’s most certainly changed the types of throws that he’s making. Rick Dennison’s offense doesn’t include nearly as much downfield as the offenses of both Greg Roman and Anthony Lynn. Taylor is throwing to the middle of the field a bit more, but throwing down the field a lot less. He’s proving to be an adaptable quarterback that can play at an average level for a few different coaches. His 2015 season included a healthy 1,000-yard , nine-touchdowns Sammy Watkins. That’s been Taylor’s most productive season from a stats standpoint. Now he’s doing less, but getting more out of it.’

‘“It’s part of our culture, who we are,” he told me while talking in front of his locker just three days after a 107-yard receiving performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to help the Bills go 4-2. Thompson recalled the very first time he ever ventured out to the fields to hunt and catch a rabbit with his bare hands.’

‘Looking to the future is something we’ve come accustomed to in Buffalo. And “win now” has been said by several who’ve come before this new regime. It all sounds great and gets fans fired up. Yet here we are, 18 years in, still waiting for now to arrive.’