Archives for November 20, 2016

'The Bengals, who have made the playoffs the last five seasons, have an even worse record than Buffalo but are still very much in the division race, chasing Baltimore (5-4) and Pittsburgh (4-5).'

'There are those who wonder how Marvin Lewis has stayed employed.'

'How does Ryan Groy hold up? The Bills' new starting center has a supreme challenge in front of him with Bengals All-Pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins. Groy, who is replacing Eric Wood, will make his first start for the Bills and first at center since his college days at Wisconsin. The Bills have to make sure he gets help in the middle against Atkins.'

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'"I want to say receiver, but if I’m being honest, I’m a return man first, and anything else after that is extra. The way the league works, the more you can do, the longer you stay around, so I’ll do whatever they want me to do."'

'For the first 22 years of his life, Patulski was sports perfection. Over the 44 years since, despite success in the business world and serving on the Syracuse school board and raising two daughters who've become social workers, he has been remembered as a titanic failure.'

'Taylor needs to win a big game, and soon. He needs to be the difference in a road game for the first time in more than a year. His supporters gushed about his performance in Seattle, which many called his finest game as a Bill. You would have thought they actually won the game.'

'Bills 23, Bengals 20.'

'Buffalo had until Monday to activate Listenbee to the roster, but head coach Rex Ryan told the media on Thursday that he didn't feel good about Listenbee or Marcus Easley playing for the team in 2016. On Saturday, Listenbee confirmed that he wouldn't be playing this season for Buffalo.'

'Buffalo's Massey-Peabody Super Bowl odds sit at 145-1 which is better than the odds given to the Bills by Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook (200-1). Peabody acknowledged that Buffalo is a long shot, but added that the team has been underrated in 2016.'

'"Well, it's hard," Ryan said. "You can get isolated if you just want to chuck it up there regardless of what you call. You can run blitz, you can run corners, you can run two – eventually, it's going to come. You can get what you want in a one-on-one matchup down the field. But your protection had better hold up and all of those things. That's part of it. We just have to do a better job and once we start making guys pay down the field, we'll get less of it."'

'I think it’s going to be a really high-scoring, entertaining game, but I think playing at home for just the second time in 53 days will be just the edge the Bengals need. They are 24-6-1 in their last 31 at home, and I think they get another one Sunday, 34-31.'

'QB ANDY DALTON has 100+ rating in 2 of past 3 at home. In past 2 vs. Buf., has 580 pass yards (290 per game) with 6 TDs vs. 1 INT for 111.7 rating.'

'This game is a true tossup. Both teams need this game in the worst way, considering the AFC Wild Card race, and the Bengals could certainly use it to get back in the discussion for the AFC North title, too. Really, this game comes down to a few key matchups — and the first of which is Geno Atkins against the middle of the Bills’ offensive line. If the Bills can contain this matchup, they stand a great chance to move the ball effectively both on the ground and through the air.'

'Rex Ryan just hasn’t been able to get the Bills’ defense playing well. Andy Dalton and A.J. Green should have a big day.'