Archives for September 25, 2016

'However, this afternoon, Ryan and his Bills need to be careful what they wished for.'

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'The weather shouldn't be a factor Sunday in New Era Field, which means Dan Carpenter can handle kickoff duties. Scratching Gay would allow the Bills to activate rookie running back Jonathan Williams for the first time this season, which could provide a boost to the running game.'

'Ryan is clearly desperate for a win. Firing offensive coordinator Greg Roman after two games and replacing him with Anthony Lynn certainly looks like a panic move. If the losses continue to mount, the head coach might be the next position that gets changed. Players have said all the expected things about having Ryan's back, but the best way they can show that is with an inspired effort against a powerful Cardinals team.'

'Now Anthony Lynn gets his turn as coordinator, while saddled with Roman’s offensive system. Lynn will streamline the offense in an attempt to get more out of this wondrous collection of offensive talent. He said his head is spinning. It ought to be. Lynn has never been a coordinator in the NFL or called plays in a regular-season game.'

'Fitzgerald is playing far younger than 33 years old. He caught a career-high 109 passes last year, and entered Week Three third in the NFL with 14 catches for 162 yards. His three receiving touchdowns — 99th, 100th and 101st of his career — are tied for the league lead.'

'Yeah, they really do. Having dropped their first two games to the Ravens and the Jets, the Bills are already in emergency mode in the infancy of the 2016 season. Hard to believe that summer just officially ended a few days ago, and the Bills are on the brink of irrelevancy, though one can argue that over the past 16 years, irrelevancy is a perpetual state of being for this franchise.'

'All eyes will be on Lynn as he takes over the play-calling duties, and first and foremost on everyone’s mind is can he get the passing game working? Tyrod Taylor is still struggling with the same things he did last year, and most prominently, his continued inability to get Sammy Watkins consistently involved.'

'The purpose of the meaning has not revealed, but it's possible that Buffalo is looking at Coughlin as a potential consultant or football czar.'

'They are a team that thrives on momentum and playing from ahead, they struggle when they get themselves in an early hole and tend to press as a group trying to make plays.„ÄÄ If they get out fast and early, it could be a long day for the Buffalo Bills, but if the Arizona Cardinals come out and let the Bills get their offense going, it is going to be a dogfight for the Cardinals.'

'They say the NFL is 16 one-week seasons, so the Bills will have to try and put the previous two "seasons" behind them, in order to get on track to try and end the longest playoff drought in any of the four major professional sports, a drought that all Bills fans have had more than enough of.'

'The Ryans are football's Kardashians, and adding them to a volatile franchise such as the Bills carried obvious risk. Dating to Hall of Famer Mary Levy's departure after the 1997 season, none of Buffalo's next six head coaches — Wade Phillips, Gregg Williams, Mike Mularkey, Dick Jauron, Chan Gailey and Doug Marrone — lasted four seasons.'

'If the Pegulas end up firing Ryan, the coaching money they would have thrown away since the end of the 2014 season, when Marrone left with his buyout, would exceed a staggering $22 million (Marrone’s $4 million, the $16.5 million of the last three years of Ryan’s contract and the reported $2.4 million remaining on Roman’s contract, which runs though next season).'

'“I'm excited to have an opportunity to help contribute to this football team,” Ikard said. “I'm just going to do what I'm coached to do and take advantage of opportunities when I get them.”'

'He will be the "Leader of the Charge," carrying a Bills flag onto the field before the game.'