Archives for September 2015

'Through Week Three, the Bills rank second in the NFL inside the red zone, scoring touchdowns on 83.33 percent of their trips thus far. Only the 3-0 Arizona Cardinals, at 91.67 percent, have been better.'

'“I’m running to the ball,” Rambo said. “I’m not thinking about looking to see who’s over there. If you feel like I’m coming, move out of the way. I don’t care. I’m not trying to hurt anyone or harm anyone but I’m trying to get the ball. I’m trying to make a turnover. I want the feel of the football in my hands.”'

'Sad but true, how the Bills perform on Sundays sets the tone on Mondays in Western New York. Blame them for pervasive mood swings every autumn, which explains the anger sweeping across town when Gregg Williams was coaching, for example, and indifference during forgettable seasons under Dick Jauron.'

'The Bills stole the show at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, scoring front-row tickets through a connection Mulligan has with the WWE. They also got plenty of face time on the nationally televised event.'

'“Tyrod can throw the ball,’’ said Hosley, a fourth-year cornerback and former college teammate of Taylor’s. “As much as people like to talk about how versatile he is as far as running the ball and being able to scramble and escape the pocket and make guys miss, he can throw that ball. He will put the ball on the money, he’s got a nice soft touch. He’s a complete quarterback. You can’t just look at him as a one-dimensional guy.’’'

'"He doesn't play like this is his first time being a full-time starter," Ayers said. "He's smart. He's not just running, he's not just doing one read, not seeing it and taking off running like a lot of mobile quarterbacks do. He's going through progressions and making smart decisions. He impressed me."'

'Williams has especially been a revelation after the team cut Fred Jackson in the preseason, as his emergence is allowing the Bills to potentially shut McCoy down until he is healthy. As for Darby, he will have a big test against the Giants, as he will likely be tasked with keeping Rueben Randle and Victor Cruz at bay while Stephon Gilmore locks up with Odell Beckham Jr.'

'The personnel may be different, but the overall defensive results have been strikingly similar. Both teams are exceptional against the run, but have been equally as poor against the pass. The Giants have allowed 1,231 yards, including a staggering 1,007 through the air. Bills have allowed 1,202 yards — 980 through the air.'

'"They have (Victor) Cruz, they have (Reuben) Randle, and they have Odell (Beckham) so, they have some great skill guys that we’ll have to really look at film and come up with a great game plan to slow those guys down,” said safety Bacarri Rambo, who started for an injured Aaron Williams last week. "Those guys can really change a game at any point."'

'Bills play-by-play man John Murphy has dubbed Karlos Williams "Special K". The name should stick as long as Williams keeps at it. Between Williams and McCoy, the Bills have a pair of very good running backs. Don't be fooled by the struggles of LeSean McCoy to this point. When given space, he's proven to be a dynamic runner this year. He's also proven to be quite valuable in the passing game, both as a receiver and a blocker.'

'"I think the guy that kind of floated under the radar was Percy Harvin. Oh by the way the Bills signed Percy Harvin, okay," Ryan joked with reporters. "Percy Harvin is a big time player, a big time player. And I think we are seeing that."'

So Buffalo is through one of the toughest part of the schedule – the first three games. At the start of the season I would have very happily taken a 2-1 record at this point, and I’m positively giddy that the two wins have been dominant performances.

'Sunday’s game is the first of three games the Bills will play against the teams that beat them in the Super Bowl more than 20-years ago. The Bills play at Washington on December 20th (Super Bowl XXVI) and the Cowboys come to Orchard Park on December 27th (Super Bowl XXVII and XXVIII).'

'The difference-maker is rookie fifth-round draft choice Karlos Williams who has provided a double dose of vindication for general manager Doug Whaley.'

'At the absolute height of domestic-abuse awareness in the NFL, the Buffalo Bills general manager drafted two players with baggage — cornerback Ronald Darby in the second round and running back Karlos Williams in the fifth.'