Archives for December 8, 2015

'"We knew the playoff ramifications of this one and we had to have it and I credit guys making plays down the stretch. Defense stepped up and played great, and we needed all phases." The players seem hungry. They've been around a few and many years without playoffs."'

'Pittsburgh is only 4-4 in the AFC and is on the road three of the last four games including at Cincinnati (10-2) with the lone home game against Denver (10-2).'

'Now, into December, Buffalo’s offensive identity is as clear as J.J. Watt is dumbfounded. This human wrecking ball of a defensive end held court in Houston’s locker room Sunday after Buffalo’s 30-21 win without answers.'

'The Bills are fourth in the NFL in rushing with 1,691 yards in 12 games. They’re fourth in average per rush at 4.7. They’re running 50.4 percent of the time. Only Carolina (52.5 percent run) and Seattle (51.2 percent run) have taken the ground more than Buffalo. The league average is 42 percent run, 58 percent pass.'

'Maybe he’s just visiting for the holidays. Or maybe Rex Ryan thinks his brother can add something to the Bills’ defensive coaching staff.'

'He's starting to win me over; now it's a matter of playing well consistently. He has the skill set to make all the throws necessary, not the least of which is accuracy and touch on the deep ball; his mobility is a huge part of his game and makes him a viable dual threat; and his teammates like him and play hard for him. If Taylor can just do everything he does well on a more consistent basis, maybe, just maybe, the Bills have found their man.'

'"Look, I feel great about Tyrod. I really do," Ryan said Monday. "I have for a long time. He is doing a great job. I love the fact he is taking it on. His teammates see him now as a leader. So I think you got to earn that. Every step he has done he is earning that. I think part of that is through preparation and everything else. It is to winning every single sprint in the conditioning things. It is all those type things and they are adding up and now when he talks they all listen."'

'"I face double-teams, triple-teams every single week, so it's nothing new," Watt said. "They didn't throw the ball a whole lot and did a great job running the ball. They had a good scheme coming in. Their right guard and right tackle are out. They're not just going to leave you go on those guys. I think they did a good job on that."'

'According to ESPN's FiveThirtyEight.com, the Bills have a 19 percent chance to make the playoffs. Coming into the week, the Bills had a 22 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to the FiveThirtyEight.com model.'

'"I know he's having a good year, but I haven't really broken down film or looked at anything like that," Kelly said. "I know he's the focal point of their offense and we have to do a good job of team tackling against him because, obviously, seeing him in person and knowing him, he's going to make the first guy miss, sometimes the second guy miss. But we've got to stop the run against Buffalo."'

'“Just him coming in and playing this week, that’s going to do something to us that’s going to be a huge, huge, huge juice for us like as far as getting amped up for the game,” Goode said. “If we shut him down after what he did with us, I mean he had 1,600 or 1,700 yards rushing and then last year he had 1,200 or 1,300 yards rushing. He’s going to be looking to feed off all the momentum coming back to Philly.”'

'“I know he’s the focal point of their offense, and we have to do a good job of team tackling against him because, obviously, seeing him in person and knowing him, he’s going to make the first guy miss, and sometimes the second guy miss,” Kelly said.'

'"Oh yeah, no question," Ryan said Monday. "I think this is what we talked about building a team where it's complementary football. And that's what you want."'

'Ryan called the chances of Gilmore playing "a stretch," but added it was premature to rule him out. Gilmore was hurt while tackling Houston running back Akeem Hunt in the third quarter of Buffalo's 30-21 win Sunday.'

'"Ty is just starting to trust us and put the ball in the air and let us make a play on it," said Watkins. "I just tell him, throw it as far as you can and I'm going to go get it. That's what he's been doing. He is the guy we are rolling with and he is just getting better every week with leading this team, being a leader. Doing meetings by himself, just being a great quarterback and a leader for this team."'