WGR

‘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.’

‘”We were flowing, we were in the moment of the game, and other things,” head coach Sean McDermott said of his team’s reaction at his press conference this afternoon. “You don’t see that everyday around the NFL. You don’t see that everyday around professional sports. I go to my son’s game on the weekend, and you see some of that which is so authentic and pure and just raw. Just guys loving to play the game, that’s what’s right about sports, professional sports. There’s still heart, there’s still soul, there’s still spirit involved in it. I love that part.”‘

‘”I don’t know if we’ve ever had a coach that stresses the day to day improvement like he has. No coach has talked as much about the culture we’re trying to create. Guys just come in, recognize it, and adapt.’

‘”It was pretty special. Getting contributions from everyone on the roster. A total team effort. Trae Elston filling in for Poyer, Jordan Mills, Khari Lee, guys that aren’t even playing. Unselfish guys, not necessarily household names. What we’ve been able to do is take label off of players, they’re not backups, they are our players.”‘

‘”I think I’ve been doing a solid job so far,” Milano said. “There’s a lot of things I’ve got to correct, as we all do, but to come in and make some plays definitely felt good.’

‘I can be somewhat cynical about culture taking precedence over talent, but right now it is working for Sean McDermott and this Bills team.’

‘Throughout the season the Bills defense has continued to force turnovers, and that did not stop today. Leonard Johnson laid a big hit on DeAndre Washington with just over 30 seconds to go in the first half, the ball popped up into the air and Bills rookie linebacker Matt Milano took it to the house for the touchdown.’

‘The defense took the ball away three times, marking the fourth straight game Leslie Frazier’s crew has forced at least three turnovers. Buffalo now has 17 takeaways on the season, and just three giveaways, giving them an eye popping plus-14 differential in that category.’

‘If you’ve never been fortunate to be part of a team where a culture has helped make a team better, I can see why you wouldn’t know what it’s all about.’