Archives for December 14, 2016

'“You never want to have a 100-yard rusher, but now we’re giving up 200-yard rushers,” Brown said. “Every running back in the league is probably like, ‘can we play the Bills next?’ They’re like, ‘wow, everybody gets 200 yards against those guys.’ It’s going to be a tough challenge for us the next couple weeks. … We’ve got to find ways to get off the field and stop the run.”'

'Listenbee has spent the entire season on the non-football injury list after having surgery for a double sports hernia last March. The wide receiver ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine before having the injury fixed.'

'It is serving up the only victory to an opponent that is 0-13 and hasn't won a game in more than a year.'

'Something else is also bound to come up: No NFL coach can match the size of Ryan's staff of 27 assistant coaches. (There were actually 28 before Ryan fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman after the second game of the season and promoted Anthony Lynn to the spot; the Bills are on the hook for the balance of Roman's $2-million-per-year salary through 2017).'

'To be exact, they're $7.78 per ticket in the Rockpile, according to StubHub as of about 9:15 a.m.'

'"My classmates know I am passionate about the Bills and the City of Buffalo," Iacono wrote in an email. "They have never seen anyone so passionate about a sports team or a city before, and I told them, 'It’s just something no one else will understand, living in Buffalo, N.Y.' ”'

'The Bills allowed 236 rushing yards to Bell, and with his 298 yards, Bell became the first player in the league this season to outgain and opponent on his own. Bell's rushing total was the most ever by a Bills opponent and it was the second time the Bills have allowed a 200-yard rusher this season. They are only the sixth team in NFL history to allow two 200-yard rushers in a single season.'

'Considering that Buffalo is a longshot for the playoffs, it seems like a good time to open up the passing game to see what Taylor can do.'

'But I will share something I've observed from Ryan in recent weeks – a lack of fight, an absence of the fire in the belly that makes him who and what he is. He stood at the podium Sunday looking mostly bewildered by questions about his job status, not defiant.'

'Without revealing the severity of the injury, coach Rex Ryan said Ihedigbo hurt an ankle in a 27-20 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday. It was his fourth start after being signed by Buffalo last month.'

'So, what's the path to a Bills playoff appearance? Well, it starts with winning out, which would put the Bills at 9-7. According to the New York Times playoff simulator, that would give the Bills a 5% shot of making the playoffs.'

'ILB Preston Brown: Snaps on the Field: 75/75: Grade vs. Steelers: D-'minus

They say that the only certainties in life are death and taxes – as a Bills fan I’d like to dispute that. If there’s a topic on which Bills fans are versed its historical repetition – seeing the same thing over and over again. With a playoff drought that’s going to hit 17 years when the season finally ends, historical repetition has reached levels of certainty – we can be certain of more than just death and taxes. Here are the things of which I am also certain.

'Ola has already had one stint on the Bills active roster this season. He appeared in three straight games between Weeks 4 and 6 for Buffalo.'

'“We’ve got to keep fighting. We’ve got three more games,” he said. “I feel good. I’m trying to finish my season off to start next season on a good note.”'