‘The idea doesn’t feel far-fetched these days in New England, where the hottest topic is a rift between men each considered the best of all-time at what he does.’
Archives for December 22, 2017
Bills safety Micah Hyde gets $400K bonus for making Pro Bowl
‘Hyde confirmed he has a $400,000 bonus in his contract for being named to the Pro Bowl, which was initially noted in March by Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. ESPN’s Field Yates added that it is one of the larger Pro Bowl bonuses in the league. Some players reportedly earned as much as half a million dollars for being selected.’
Bills CB E.J. Gaines returns to practice on a limited basis
‘Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who is nursing a right knee injury that will require surgery after the season to repair a torn meniscus, also practiced on a limited basis Thursday after sitting out Wednesday.’
Mark Gaughan’s X’s and O’s: Brady’s strong back carries Pats D
‘The Patriots are 29th in yards allowed, yielding 377 a game. The worst yardage total allowed by any Super Bowl winner ever was 376 by the 2011 New York Giants.’
Tyrod Taylor, Eric Wood among the many Bills giving back this holiday season
‘“To whom much is given, much is required,” he said. “I love doing it. It’s not for any fame or anything. I don’t want to wear my jersey or anything there, I just want to see smiles on people’s faces, because you never know what people are going through.”‘
Bills Fans Near and Far: Former major leaguer Eric Byrnes among the long-suffering
‘“I’ve never actually been to Buffalo, which is crazy, right?” he said. “I almost think that I like the city the way I envision it in my mind. Because I’ve had opportunities to go. But I’ve let life get in the way or made excuses because, if I’m being honest, I don’t want to ruin my vision. I’m enamored with the community itself and the loyalty of Bills fans is unreal. I think that’s why I love the team so much. To see how much passion the fans have has impacted me in such a way that I am a fan for life.”’
Here are the teams Buffalo Bills fans should root for to improve their NFL playoffs chances
‘If the Bills lose to the Patriots, their chances dwindle a bit, but they will still be alive in South Florida on New Year’s Eve. At the risk of making your head explode, here’s a breakdown of what Bills fans should be rooting for in Week 16.’
Buffalo Bills injury report: Updates on Kelvin Benjamin, E.J. Gaines and others
‘Wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin, who has been playing through a torn meniscus, was upgraded to limited participation on Thursday after not practicing on Wednesday. The same can be said for cornerback E.J. Gaines, who participated on a limited basis Thursday after getting held out on Wednesday with a knee injury.’
Did Buffalo Bills learn from first matchup, and 7 more things to watch vs. Patriots
‘Rob Gronkowski caught nine passes for 147 yards in his first matchup against Buffalo. Following a one-game suspension for his cheap shot on Tre’Davious White, Gronkowski returned in Week 15 to catch nine passes for 168 yards against the Dolphins. No one should expect the Bills to stop Gronkowski, but they cannot let him take over Sunday’s game.’
Patriots’ defense has big challenge in Bills’ Tyrod Taylor and LeSean McCoy
‘They allowed 183 yards on the ground to the Bills three weeks ago, and 120 yards to the Dolphins and 143 to the Steelers in the games since.’
Patriots aim to force Tyrod Taylor out of his comfort zone
‘But what has remained consistent throughout his days as a starter is that Taylor is not a gunslinger. In many ways, Taylor, who has thrown just 16 interceptions over the last three seasons, has the same reputation as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith for always wanting to play it safe. The difference, of course, is that Smith has weapons like wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who can leave just about any defender in the dust for a big play.’
Patriots’ foe has been on historic run
‘McCoy, who will enter Sunday’s game with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium with 10,011 yards rushing, has reached that number over nine seasons with two teams, totaling 6,792 yards over his first six years in the league with Philadelphia, 3,219 over the last three with the Bills. Making the feat even more impressive, McCoy reached the 10,000-yard plateau on the 2,145th carry of his career, the fifth fewest carries needed to reach the milestone behind only Jim Brown (1,936), Adrian Peterson (2,004), Barry Sanders (2,020) and O.J. Simpson (2,085).’
Patriots: Buffalo running back LeSean McCoy still ‘a very dangerous player’
‘“He’s really good — great feet, great vision, extremely hard to tackle in the open field,” Patriots safety Devin McCourty said. “A lot times it’s hard to get two hands on him in the open field. I think in their offense they do a good job of if you just open a small crack he’ll see it.”’
What They’re Saying: Buffalo Bills
‘”It’s so important that we focus on the task at hand. That’s to go on the road and get a win against a very, very good offense. We can’t get caught up in all the extracurricular stuff. We really have to focus on the task at hand and that’s playing good, clean football. We’ll have our hands full as is. We don’t want to create issues for our team or defense by getting caught up in anything other than playing hard football.”‘
Friday’s New England Coverage
Patriots’ defense has big challenge in Bills’ Tyrod Taylor and LeSean McCoy (Boston Globe)
Loyalties form a dividing line in Patriots-Alex Guerrero situation (Boston Globe)
Branch, Burkhead absent from Patriots practice (Boston Globe)
Patriots are prepared for the unpredictable (Boston Globe)
Patriots aim to force Tyrod Taylor out of his comfort zone (Boston Herald)
David Andrews is the leader of the young Patriots (Boston Herald)
Patriots notebook: Running back Dion Lewis may finally get his chance at goal line with Rex Burkhead battling injury (Boston Herald)
Mailbag: Predicting a Patriots-Rams Super Bowl rematch (Boston Herald)
Duron Harmon: New England Patriots’ long stretch on the road ‘will suit us well in future’ (Springfield Republican)
New England Patriots injury report: Alan Branch, Rex Burkhead absent Thursday (Springfield Republican)
The most egregious miscues made vs. the New England Patriots in 2017 (Springfield Republican)
New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills: Scouting the edge at each position, predicted score (Week 16) (Springfield Republican)
After setting up game-winning interception vs. Steelers, Eric Rowe has been focused on his nearly costly mistake (Springfield Republican)
Tom Brady’s body coach on outs with Bill Belichick (Providence Journal)
Matthew Slater humbled by Pro Bowl bid during challenging year (Providence Journal)
Rex Burkhead and Alan Branch absent from Patriots practice (Providence Journal)
Patriots’ foe has been on historic run (Brockton Enterprise)
Patriots notebook: Man in the middle sees room for improvement in offensive line (Brockton Enterprise)
Patriots: Buffalo running back LeSean McCoy still ‘a very dangerous player’ (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)
Patriots notes: New England happy to be home for the holidays (Worcester Telegram and Gazette)
Patriots’ Harmon touts team’s situational practices (Attleboro Sun Chronicle)
Big boys – Belichick and Brady – can handle it (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)
Patriots fan Mark Wahlberg changes his story about why he left Super Bowl LI early (CBS Sports)
Did Bill Belichick Boot Tom Brady’s Guru to Regain Total Control of Patriots? (SI)
Patriots Notes: David Andrews Reacts To Being Hit With Drink In Pittsburgh (NESN)
Colin Cowherd Offers Wild Theory On Possible Bill Belichick-Robert Kraft ‘Grudge’ (NESN)
Steelers’ Late-Game Confusion Made Duron Harmon Appreciate Patriots’ Coaching (NESN)
Patriots Injury Report: Running Backs Banged Up Before Matchup With Bills (NESN)
Steelers Fan Drilled David Andrews With Drink After Patriots’ Win At Heinz Field (NESN)
Patriots Coordinators Included In List Of Recommended NFL Head Coaches (NESN)
Patriots Practice Report: Rex Burkhead, Alan Branch Absent Ahead Of Bills Game (NESN)
NFL Rumors: Could Bill Belichick-Alex Guerrero Feud Break Up Patriots? (NESN)
How Patriots Can Clinch Home-Field Advantage In Playoffs This Weekend (NESN)
How Will Rex Burkhead’s Injury Change Patriots’ Running Back Usage? (NESN)
Patriots-Bills injury report: Looking like Patriots will be without Branch (NBC Sports Boston)
Chris Hogan among 8 Patriots limited Thursday (WEEI-FM)
Mark Wahlberg admits why he left Super Bowl early (WEEI-FM)
Kenny Britt: Time with Patriots has blown away my expectations (WEEI-FM)
Hannable: No matter what Bills are saying this week, Patriots should be aware of potential chippy play (WEEI-FM)
Patriots’ David Andrews Pelted With Drink By Fan In Pittsburgh After Win Over Steelers (WBZ-FM)
Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia Reportedly On List Of NFL Head Coaching Candidates (WBZ-FM)
Hurley’s Picks: Steelers’ Finger-Pointing, Excuse-Making Doesn’t Bode Well For Super Bowl Dreams (WBZ-FM)
The Patriots Cheerleaders Spread Joy and Cheer this Holiday Season (Patriots.com)
Patriots – Bills Injury Report: Week 16 (Patriots.com)
Transcript: Duron Harmon and David Andrews Press Conferences 12/21 (Patriots.com)
What They’re Saying: Buffalo Bills (Patriots.com)
Scouting the Matchup: Patriots look to avoid trap (Patriots.com)
Broadcast Information: Bills vs. Patriots (Patriots.com)
Patriots turn into personal shoppers at annual Gifts from the Gridiron (Patriots.com)
Playoffs, Gronk hit backdrop matchup between Bills, Patriots
‘”Of course, the big picture’s there, but you can’t move too far ahead,” said Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who was Joe Flacco’s backup for the Baltimore Ravens’ 2013 Super Bowl win. “It’s definitely tough, but one thing about it is you can’t necessarily worry about what other teams are doing.”‘
Bills-Patriots Capsule
‘In NFL terms, Bills are tied for having fifth-longest drought, and longest since NFL merger in 1970.’
Bills WR Benajmin (knee) back at practice
‘The 26-year-old took part in positional drills as the Bills (8-6) began practice on Thursday, per reports.’
Week 16 Game Scout: Bills at Patriots
‘Patriots, 30-16.’
Week 16: Bills vs. Patriots
‘The Bills usually battle the Patriots tough once a year. They didn’t put up a big fight earlier this month in Orchard Park. They are playing with confidence and I think they will give New England a bit of a scare but not enough to pull out the victory: Patriots 21, Bills 16 .’
Bills Life: Taylor’s TD kicks off week of giving
‘Presenting Williams with a game ball was just the first of many things quarterback Tyrod Taylor has done to give back this season. On Tuesday, Taylor presented a family with their holiday wish list items and much more.’
Remarkable results for Bills brand new secondary
‘Outside expectations were low. Poyer was an unknown from the Browns. Hyde had been unable to earn a full-time starting role in Green Bay. Johnson was a role player in Carolina. Gaines had just arrived via trade and White was a first-round talent, but a rookie.’
Bills Today: Groundswell of Pro Bowl support for Poyer
‘“I’m happy for Micah. It’s been a blessing to play alongside him,” said Poyer. “He fires me up day in and day out. He wants me to be a better football player day in and day out. I just told him, ‘You better have my plane ticket ready, first class.’ I’ll have my suites ready. I’m going to go to Orlando.”’