Archives for October 5, 2015

'Penalties don't necessarily correlate to wins and losses. The Seattle Seahawks, 2013 Super Bowl champions and 2014 runner-up, led the league in penalties taken both those seasons. Still, Ryan's Buffalo Bullies clearly cost themselves a game Sunday, and that's not a luxury a franchise with a 15-year playoff drought can afford.'

'Over the last 10 games at The Ralph, Buffalo is 5-5. That is unacceptable. Playoff teams win the games they're supposed to, including games against teams under .500, games against divisional opponents and the majority of the eight games they get at their own place. Great teams find ways to win no matter where, or who, they are playing.'

'If Rex Ryan was "outcoached" against Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, he was outsmarted by Tom Coughlin and the New York Giants.'

'The same old Buffalo Bills.'

'They are on pace to be penalized 188 times. Since 2002, only one team — the 2011 Raiders with 163 penalties — has been flagged more than 147 times.'

'Then, in the fourth quarter, with the Giants up 24-10 with 6:22 to go, the Bills seemingly came unglued — helping the Giants eat the clock by committing three personal fouls — one unnecessary roughness penalty (linebacker Preston Brown) and two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties (Brown and Hughes).'

'Perhaps this all has something to do with Ryan’s future. For if the Bills continue down this path, Ryan could find himself in TV sooner than anyone thinks.'

'Ryan didn’t like this line of questioning one bit.'

'The Giants knew to expect that kind of Rexcitability from the Bills. But even they were taken aback by some of the things that went on, including linebacker Preston Brown drawing an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty in the fourth quarter for basically going berserk on the field.'

'"Oh, we're over [the line" target="_blank">," Bills safety Corey Graham said. "I mean, it's embarrassing. It is embarrassing to go out there and get all those penalties. I mean it is one after another. Dumb penalties, situations you just jave to shut up sometimes. So it's one of those situations we can't afford to do it, and we can't spot teams all those yards and we just have to be more disciplined. It's very disappointing."'

'They entered Sunday with an opportunity to show that they had taken the next step – that they could compile consecutive victories in impressive fashion. But they fell flat on their face. Until further notice, it’s the same old Bills.'

'The Giants limited Buffalo to a combined 77 yards and two first downs on its first nine possessions. And then the Bills came away with no points on two drives into the red zone.'

'It was the second straight dud of a performance at home for Buffalo — and both following convincing victories.'

'"We made too many mistakes to win," Ryan said. "We'll fix it."'

'The donation to the Roswell Park Cancer Center announced last week will establish the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Quality of Life Endowment at the hospital.'