‘He added, “(This organization) is in a position that we haven’t been in, this city hasn’t been in, for a number of years. To me, there’s an electricity about it this time of year to be in this type of situation. It’s a situation that our guys have earned and I’m proud of them for it.”‘
Archives for December 2017
NFL’s intricate tiebreaking system like ‘putting a puzzle together’
‘Four teams can finish 9-7, and that would be bad for Buffalo. You could take our word for it and stop reading here.’
Jerry Sullivan: Playoffs are part of the process, but challenge is building sustained success
‘I’m not saying the drought will last another decade, or another day. But regardless of what happens Sunday, there’s no guarantee that the Bills will maintain the modest level of success they achieved in the first year under McDermott and General Manager Brandon Beane.’
Jay Skurski’s Bills-Dolphins Scouting Report: Kenyan Drake a big challenge for Bills
‘Bills 25, Dolphins 18.’
Mark Gaughan’s Matchup Watch: Quarterbacks on the spot
‘Cutler is 74-78 in his career as a starter with 227 TDs, 160 interceptions and an 85.3 rating. He will be remembered as a great arm talent who never shed his undisciplined tendencies.’
Mark Gaughan’s Play to Watch: Dolphins 3-level flood
‘The safety needs to get a deep drop to make the throw difficult for Jay Cutler (6). Carolina often stays with three linebackers against three-receiver sets. Most teams, including the Bills, will bring on the nickel cornerback.’
Mark Gaughan’s Big-Play Breakdown: Bills FB lead zone run
‘Miami’s defensive tackles are stout but the linebackers can be attacked in the run game. This was a fullback lead zone run the Bills hit for 14 yards in the win two weeks ago.’
Pregame primer: 5 things to watch when Bills visit Dolphins
‘Announcers: Andrew Catalon (play by play), James Lofton (color analyst).’
Inside the Bills: Rex Ryan rooting for Buffalo on Sunday – with one exception
‘“To say do I wish that the Bills would make the playoffs; I hope that the Chargers make the playoffs,” he said with a laugh this week. “Anthony Lynn is obviously the head coach there and my son’s out there with him coaching. So to say I’d rather see the Bills in instead of the Chargers, no way! But if they’re not in, then absolutely.”’
Inside the NFL: In a close race for MVP, Brady gets the nod over Gurley
‘Hunt had a dynamic rookie season and Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell very much belongs in this conversation. However, no player matches Gurley’s overall offensive production.’
The Buffalo Bills vs. New Year’s Eve dinner
‘“They come in very casual, Bills jerseys on and everything else like that,” he said. “We will not allow that even in our restaurant on New Year’s Eve, to come in with Bills jerseys in the middle of a dinner hour.’
Bills Backers Club: Ready to party in Miami
‘This year, the group will host the Bills fan tailgate party in bus lot 7 of Hard Rock Stadium. “We’re renting a giant party bus and I’ll have a 20-foot flag pole with two big Bills flags waving,” Holler said. “I’ve got my brother-in-law bringing his DJ equipment and I told him to play the ‘Shout!’ song at least once every half hour.”’
Fans in Mexico put their deep love of Bills on display
‘A 2015 study from the Mexican football website Primero y Diez found the Bills to be the seventh most popular team in the country, with an almost 4 percent share of the country’s reported 28 million NFL fans. That same year a Harris Poll ranked Buffalo as America’s 19th favorite team.’
Bills were in a similar Week 17 scenario 13 years ago, and it went terribly wrong
‘We bring this all up because Sunday, for the first time since that Week 17 fiasco against the Steelers, the Bills are alive on the season’s final day, and they’re in a very similar situation. They need to beat the Dolphins, and then have one of two scenarios play out — the Bengals beating the Ravens, or the Chargers losing to the Raiders and the Titans losing to the Jaguars.’
If the Dolphins play with some pride, the Bills better be up to the task of winning
‘RB LeSean McCoy on the mood around the team this week: “Just everybody’s dialed in. This is a must-win situation. Everybody’s put everything on the line and everybody knows the situation. I think you’ll see a team come out playing fast (and) playing hard.”’
Bills vs. Dolphins: How to watch, listen, plus things to know before kickoff
‘Tyrod Taylor has played five games against Miami and he has 9 passing touchdowns, 0 interceptions and 2 rushing touchdowns.’
Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins 2017: Preview, odds and prediction for Week 17
‘The Bills should win this game without much trouble. Fans in Buffalo have come to expect the worst, but the Bills match up well against the Dolphins, who have little reason to be up for this game. Expect Tyrod Taylor to have another solid outing, while the Bills defense should harass Cutler throughout the afternoon.’
Four things to OBSERVE: Buffalo at Miami
‘Buffalo owns the title … the one it never wanted. Out of the four major sports, the Bills have the longest active drought, 17 years, of not making the playoffs. For 2017 to be the year that snaps the streak, Buffalo needs to defeat Miami on the road and get some help from other teams.’
Sunday’s Miami Coverage
Cut Andre Branch some slack. Events beyond his control have affected his play (Miami Herald)
Miami Dolphins personnel needs come into focus. One need is different than the others. (Miami Herald)
Dolphins’ defense has fallen short of expectations this season (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Preview: Dolphins vs. Bills, 4:25 p.m., Sunday (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Who has the Edge? Dolphins vs. Bills (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Five keys for the Miami Dolphins to defeat the Buffalo Bills (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Staff predictions: Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins: 3 Concerning position groups today vs. Bills (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins DE Cameron Wake has $1 million incentive at stake (Palm Beach Post)
Staff predictions: Which Dolphins will show up in season finale against Bills? (Palm Beach Post)
Dolphins EVP Mike Tannenbaum times it perfectly with WR Kenny Stills (Palm Beach Post)
5 things Dolphins coach Adam Gase should do in season finale vs. Bills (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins waste strong years by stars in disappointing 2017 season (Palm Beach Post)
2018 NFL Draft: Miami Dolphins prospects to watch in CFB Playoff (Palm Beach Post)
5 Miami Dolphins under intense scrutiny vs. Bills in season finale (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins: What they think of massive LT Zach Sterup (Palm Beach Post)
Dolphins Game Preview: Week 17 vs. Bills (WTVJ-TV)
Dolphins game preview: Week 17 vs. Bills (WPTV-TV)
Countdown To Kickoff: Dolphins – Bills (MiamiDolphins.com)
Experiencing Cirque du Soleil VOLTA (MiamiDolphins.com)
Bills-Dolphins preview: notes and stats
QB Tyrod Taylor has 9 pass TDs vs. 0 INTs for 115.6 rating & has 2 rush TDs in 5 career games vs. Mia. In past 7 on road vs. division, has 1,701 pass yards (243 per game) with 8 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 95.6 rating. Since 2015, is 1 of 3NFL QBs (Kirk Cousins & Cam Newton) with 50+ pass TDs (50) & 12+ rush TDs (14).’
Joe B: 5 things to watch for in Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins (12/30/17)
‘Between the hours of 4:25 and 8:00 pm, Bills fans are going to experience something they haven’t in a long, long time — the gripping pains of scoreboard watching in the final week of the season, with three likely-to-be-close games. However, I don’t think they’ll have to worry about the Bills being up for this game. They know the stakes, and I think we’re going to see a big effort from them on Sunday.’
Parents surprise kids with backyard Buffalo Bills field
‘And that he did. Madden spent 15 hours to create the backyard football field over a three day stretch. He and his wife had to be very clever in planning to ensure the kids did not see their work of art until Christmas morning. He said, “When Ethan got his helmet and they got some Bills gear, we said hey get your shoes on and lets go see how your football and helmet works, and that’s when we took them out front.”’
What they’re saying: Bills at Dolphins game predictions
‘Expect to see one more good game from Jay Cutler in Miami, and expect to see a Buffalo loss open the door for the Chargers in the postseason.’
How to watch Bills vs. Dolphins
‘Play-by-Play: Andrew Catalon. Color Analyst: James Lofton.’
Top 10 reasons why Buffalo’s Week 17 game could make history
‘The anticipation of a Buffalo playoff berth is enough to make the calmest Bills fans squirm with excitement. For those living in the area, there’s no better way to cheer on the team than with your closest friends at (716) Food and Sport. Starting at kickoff, at 4:25 p.m., fans can stop by to root for the Bills, capture the moment in a photo booth and get hyped with DJ Milk. During the game, prizes will be given away, including two Super Bowl tickets!* Oh, and did I mention there’s a 38-foot video screen?!’
Bills Today: Buffalo’s starting safety duo leads NFL in INTs
‘“We both feed off of each other’s energy levels. When one of us makes a play, the other one wants to make the next play. We’re almost competing with ourselves, we’re not looking at the rest of the league,” said Poyer. “We believe in our room that we are the best safety duo in the league. Everybody else is going to say otherwise, but between him and I, we believe that’s us.”’
Pollock: Sunday will be tense afternoon for Bills fans
‘“We have to handle our business and try to get a win in Miami. The city (of Buffalo), I’m sure, will be super excited to have this happen, especially where a lot of people aren’t sure if you can make it, what the scenario is, what can happen.”’
Rolling the dice on Richie Incognito has hit big for Bills
‘”My impression of a lot of guys has changed once you get to know someone, in terms of building a relationship,” the coach said. “Like I said, he’s one of the big leaders for our football team. It’s changed just because of getting to know him, but for really no other reason that that.”‘
Bills Notebook: Deonte Thompson a game-time decision, Kelvin Benjamin good to go against Miami
‘There is good news at receiver for the Bills, though. Kelvin Benjamin was not included on the team’s final injury report, meaning he’s good to face Miami. Benjamin practiced on a limited basis all week, but is coming off a game in which he played 52 snaps, his most since coming to Buffalo.’
Sean McDermott: ‘Sabres and Bills are a way of life here in Western New York’
‘The passion of the fan base, like I’ve mentioned numerous times before, the work ethic, the blue-collar approach I think goes hand-in-hand with those two sports in particular, as you mentioned, hockey in this case.’
What He Said: Dolphins coach Adam Gase on injuries, stopping McCoy, Jay Cutler
‘(How was it coaching QB Jay Cutler this year?) – “It was good. It was fun. It was fun to be back around him. There was a lot of good things.’
Vic Carucci’s Take Five: Bills must again take control early against Dolphins
‘Maybe their coach, Adam Gase, can sell his players on the idea of being a spoiler. He already has made it clear that they’re playing for their jobs. But expecting that to carry the Dolphins through an entire game against a team looking to end a 17-year playoff drought is probably expecting too much.’
Sully’s Mailbag: At year’s end, a lot of good questions
‘I’ve often wondered if Tom Donahoe would have kept Bledsoe if they had reached the playoffs. I suspect not. Donahoe was ready to turn the job over to J.P. Losman. A similar decision looms as Tyrod Taylor gets ready for the finale in Miami.’
To unlock door to future, Bills might need to part with a few key players
‘Here are some key players who may not be with the Bills next year.’
Buffalo Bills injury report: Updates on E.J. Gaines, Kelvin Benjamin for Week 17
‘Meanwhile, the Bills ruled out cornerback Shareece Wright, who suffered a concussion last week. Deonte Thompson, who suffered a shoulder injury in practice on Thursday, is listed as questionable and did not practice on Friday.’
8 reasons the 2017 season was a success for the Buffalo Bills
‘The Bills were accused of tanking based on some of the trades they made leading up to the season. Players were motivated by the talk and it’s clear that the team wasn’t tanking. With one game remaining, Buffalo has a shot to end their playoff drought.’
The lone Bengal: Ex-Cincy WR Brandon Tate says his former team is prepped to help Bills on Sunday
‘“Oh yeah, I’ve been talking to them,” Tate said. “They’re up for this game. You know, any given Sunday, anything can happen so hopefully they pull it off.”’
Football Friday: Bills – Dolphins injury report
‘Buffalo will have a game-time decision headline their injury report as wide receiver Deonte Thompson, who left Thursday’s practice with a shoulder injury, is officially questionable.’
Saturday’s Miami Coverage
The Dolphins’ Pouncey calls out doubters — and names names (or at least points fingers) (Miami Herald)
The Miami Dolphins may start their quarterback search with this move on Sunday (Miami Herald)
Dolphins’ Mike Pouncey wants to give doubters ‘a big middle finger’ on Sunday (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Dolphins offensive line has been surprisingly effective in one category this season (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Laremy Tunsil doubtful after ankle injury forces him from all week’s practices (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Dolphins place Michael Thomas on injured reserve, claim Bills safety (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Miami Dolphins’ Mike Pouncey just can’t part with beat-up Neon (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins sign safety Trae Elston; IR Michael Thomas (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins bust Dion Jordan rebounds from hard lessons of South Beach (Palm Beach Post)
How Mike Pouncey’s loyalty keeps him in touch with tainted coach Chris Foerster (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins’ Mike Pouncey: throwback jerseys ‘a meaner look’ (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins’ Mike Pouncey: Playing all 16 games is ‘big middle finger’ to all who doubted me (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins injury concerns: Cam Wake, Laremy Tunsil and Damien Williams (Palm Beach Post)
What Adam Gase said Friday before season finale (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins: Why Cordrea Tankersley plans to play Sunday (Palm Beach Post)
Dolphins vs. Bills: How do they match up in Week 17? (Palm Beach Post)
Dolphins’ Tunsil doubtful against Buffalo with ankle injury (AP)
Cameron Wake & Laremy Tunsil Highlight Dolphins Injury Report Heading Into NYE Showdown With Bills (WFOR-TV)
Dolphins Make Roster Moves (MiamiDolphins.com)
Bo Knows: Dolphins – Bills Rivalry (MiamiDolphins.com)
Friday’s Dolphins – Bills Injury Report (MiamiDolphins.com)
I Said It: Entering The Final Week Of the 2017 Season (MiamiDolphins.com)
Top News: Preparing For The Season Finale (MiamiDolphins.com)
AC in the AM: Dolphins Hope To End Bills’ Season (MiamiDolphins.com)
Scouting Report – Week 17 – Bills-Dolphins
‘The Dolphins have nothing to play for in this game, other than to be a spoiler for Buffalo’s playoff hopes. If the Bills can get up on the scoreboard early, much like they did in the first meeting, it could convince Miami to fold their tents and run for the bus sooner, rather than later.’