‘Quarterback Tyrod Taylor, fresh from being outplayed by Blake Bortles in the loss to the Jags, seems to have written his ticket out of Buffalo. Selling an optimistic view of 2018 to Bills fans would be difficult, if not impossible, if Taylor returned as starting QB. And given that they can avoid an $18 million salary cap hit if he’s waived before mid-March, it’s likely he’s history with Buffalo.’
Archives for January 9, 2018
Draft, free agency or trade? Breaking down the Bills’ options at QB
‘The Bills hold the 21st and 22nd picks in the first round, as well as two picks in the second round, giving them ammunition to move up for a quarterback they fall in love with. There is no guarantee that the teams at the very top of the draft would be willing to move down, though, because both Cleveland and the New York Giants have a need for a quarterback. That means the Bills would look to teams like Indianapolis with the third pick or the Browns, who also have the fourth pick, to make a deal with.’
Kelvin Benjamin acknowledges ‘there probably will be changes’ to Bills’ offense
‘Coming back healthy for Benjamin means having surgery to trim a torn meniscus in his right knee. He said he hopes to schedule the procedure for later this week. After that, he’ll have a recovery period of about 4-6 weeks, “then I’m back running, I’m back lifting, back strong,” he said.’
The five biggest questions facing the Bills in the offseason
‘If the team doesn’t want to bring Taylor back — some felt benching Taylor for Nathan Peterman earlier this year was a sure sign he wouldn’t return — the options would be drafting a rookie or going after a veteran. Cutting Taylor would result in $8.64 million of dead cap space, but he may have some value in the trade market.’
Lorenzo Alexander hopes Bills will have him back at age 35
‘”Retirement’s not on my radar quite yet,” said Alexander. “I definitely want to get one more in. I really love this organization, really love what they’ve been able to build here. And I definitely want to continue to be a part of helping this organization take this next step – that’s winning a playoff game and winning a championship.”‘
Bucky Gleason: Look for McDermott to temper excitement over Bills’ success
‘”Sometimes, the second year is harder than the first year because people are now going to try to put us up here,” McDermott said, raising his hand to eye level, the day after the Bills clinched a playoff berth. “We have so many warts, and the margin of winning is so tight. There’s so much work to be done.”‘
Bills Notebook: Players look to the future with optimism
‘”To end the drought is special,” Wood said. “It’s great to get that monkey off our back. Last week, that celebration, coming back to Buffalo and the fans at the airport and our locker room scene, that was about as much fun as any moment in my life, especially playing football.”‘
What They Said: Bills players reflect on season, look to future on clean-out day
‘I loved it man. It was a good – I mean, I don’t think I did a lot on the field because I got the injury. But it was an adjustment and I like it. I like it here in Buffalo. I got one more season here next year so I’m going to prepare in the offseason and get my body back right, come back and focus and get ready for OTA’s.’
Jags’ Ngakoue stands behind claim of slurs by Richie Incognito
‘”He said what he said, he knows what he said. I don’t gotta repeat it.”
Bills Day After: Tim Graham’s ‘unofficialest’ 2017 awards
‘LeSean McCoy was Buffalo’s most irreplaceable player. Without him, the Bills didn’t stand a chance.’
Romo and Nantz have ‘remarkable’ game as Bills are relevant again
‘Romo did his homework and was on top of almost every situation.’
Bills-Jaguars playoff game makes local TV history
‘That’s because there are no comparisons of past Bills playoff games because Sunday’s game was the first here since meters started measuring the audience in 2000. The Bills’ four Super Bowls losses in the 1990s were played before meters and outside the sweeps periods when diaries measured the audience.’
Losing is never good, but Buffalo Bills’ drought is over and that makes 2017 a success
‘They were the team that shed that ugly gorilla from their backs, and the backs of every former Bills player who was part of the drought. Yes, they needed a miracle in Baltimore to make it happen, but it happened, and this was an accomplishment they could revel in.’
Buffalo’s LeSean McCoy’s effort admirable, but Jags’ QB Blake Bortles ran for more yards
‘You have to give McCoy credit because he’s a gamer. His ankle had to be killing him, yet he played 57 snaps, which tied his season-high workload. He ran 19 times for 75 yards and caught six passes for 44 yards and, as usual, was the Bills’ best player on offense. I’d love to see what McCoy could do in Buffalo if the Bills ever put together a semi-decent passing game, rather than the mess he’s had to deal with all three years he’s been here.’
Jaguars’ Yannick Ngakoue claims Richie Incognito used racial slur during game Sunday
‘On Monday, Ngakoue did not back down on what he tweeted, telling reporters in Jacksonville, “I’ve been playing this game for 12 or 13 years and have never heard anything like that. When somebody says something about your ethnicity, that’s taking it too far. … You can’t say certain things.”’
‘Tyrod Taylor is the worst passer I’ve ever seen in the NFL,’ says Tony Kornheiser
‘”I will confess to people that I called you during this game a number of times,” Kornheiser told Wilbon. “And two things I remember saying are, ‘This game has set football back for 20 years. This is torture to watch.’ And then I also said, ‘I know Blake Bortles is bad. He’s really bad. Tyrod Taylor is the worst passer I’ve ever seen in the NFL. He cannot hit open people. Bortles at least on a 4th-and-2, on a 4th-and-2, he made the one pass for the one score that they had.'”‘
ESPN Insiders predict Buffalo Bills’ primary starting QB in 2018
‘Following Buffalo’s loss to the Jaguars, ESPN asked six of their NFL Insiders who they believe would be the Bills’ primary starter in 2018. Nathan Peterman ended up being the leading vote-getter. Matt Bowen, Mike Sando and Field Yates all selected Buffalo’s fifth-round pick.’
NFL free-agent quarterbacks 2018: Who could be available for Buffalo Bills?
‘Both Jimmy Garoppolo and Drew Brees are scheduled to become free agents, but it seems unlikely that either one will hit the open market at this point. The 49ers are going to find a way to keep Garoppolo, and Brees has said he wants to stay in New Orleans.’
‘Not the worst way to end a tank season’ (Buffalo Bills fans react to season-ending loss)
‘Here’s a look at some of the best fan reactions following Buffalo’s season ending loss.’
Scheer: Those Bills, gotta love ‘em
‘Would the successful New England Patriots throw on first and goal from the 1 or would they do what anyone sitting in the stands would do — run it at least a couple of times hoping to gain a single yard? These are the things Bills fans have come to ask themselves for years.’
Buffalo Bills defend Incognito following accusations
‘During Monday’s locker cleanout day, Dawkins furthered his defense of Incognito, saying “I played next to Richie the entire game and from what I heard, Richie did not say one thing out of line and if he did, I would have been the first person to say so, to Richie.”’
Bills coach vows ‘there’s a lot we can build on’ – and will
‘McDermott went out of his way to praise running back LeSean McCoy, who somehow played and played effectively on an ankle injury (presumably a bad sprain) so debilitating, he literally could barely walk from the shower to his locker-room stall to talk to reporters afterward.’
Jaguars defender insists Bills’ Incognito used ‘weak racist slurs’
‘“(Incognito) said what he said yesterday. We had a great team win yesterday, and I said what I needed to say yesterday,” the second-year pro said. “I was just speaking on behalf of my ethnicity, man. I just feel like it’s a great place to be, in the league. You’ve got different cultures and different ethnicity groups. That’s what I was basically stating about (the 70% reference).”’
Yannick Ngakoue stands by claim Bills’ Richie Incognito directed a racial slur at him
‘“He knows what he said, I don’t have to repeat it,’’ Ngakoue said. “I’ve been playing this game since I was a little kid, you hear all type of stuff, stuff is not going to bother you. But if somebody says something about your ethnicity that’s really kind of taking it a little bit too far. I’m all with trash talking, it’s part of the game. But you can’t say certain things.’’’
Richie Incognito Accused of Using Racial Slurs in Game
‘Incognito’s checkered career includes fights with teammates and opponents at Nebraska and accusations of dirty play in the pros. He was accused of using racial and anti-gay slurs during the bullying of Martin, who is black.’
‘Weak racial slurs’: Richie Incognito in another NFL controversy
‘“Just for the world to know, everyone always tryna put some bad thing on [Incognito] i was next to my guy the entire game and the entire season and believe me, if he was saying some racist stuff I would have been the first to let him know that was out of line,” left tackle Dion Dawkins tweeted Sunday night. “Cut The BS.”’
Bills’ Richie Incognito accused of making ‘racist slurs’ by Jaguars player
‘Incognito, who already had a reputation as one of the NFL’s dirtiest players, was eventually released by the Dolphins and went unsigned for the entire 2014 season. After the Bills picked him up in 2015, he explained how he had “learned from the whole situation” involving Martin and was a “better person” for it.’
NFL is looking into accusation that Bills’ Richie Incognito used racial slurs during game against Jaguars
‘Incognito has yet to respond to Ngakoue’s accusation. But Bills lineman Dion Dawkins tweeted in support of his teammate: “i was next to my guy the entire game and the entire season and believe me, if he was saying some racist stuff I would have been the first to let him know that was out of line. Cut The BS.”’
Bills playoff drought over; rebuilding plan to continue
‘”I’m just so glad I won’t have to answer: ‘How are we going to end the drought this year?'” Wood said Monday, a day after a 10-3 loss in an AFC wild-card playoff at Jacksonville. “Now it’s, we’ve got a foundation to build on. Let’s keep improving and let’s go try and win a Super Bowl.”‘
Bills coaches, Triplette’s crew weren’t primed for playoffs
‘The Buffalo Bills’ long-awaited playoff appearance might not have been so short-lived had their coaching staff played the percentages and not a hunch in their 10-3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.’
Ngakoue stands by tweet, says Incognito ‘knows what he said’
‘”I’ve been playing this game for what, 12, 13 years now,” Ngakoue said. “I’ve never encountered nothing like that.”‘
Poor passing offense hampers Bills again
‘”Obviously we need to score more points,” said head coach Sean McDermott.’
Jaguars’ Ngakoue: Bills’ Incognito used ‘racist slurs’
‘The NFL said that it is “looking into” the accusations levied by Ngakoue.’
Jaguars DE Yannick Ngakoue stands by Richie Incognito slur accusation
‘Ngakoue said on Monday that it happened after a running play in the Jaguars’ 10-3 AFC wild-card victory at EverBank Field, but he could not recall whether Incognito used the N-word.’
Jaguars DL accuses Bills’ Richie Incognito of using ‘weak racial slurs’ during game
‘Obviously it’s not OK for Incognito to use any sort of racial slurs, but with Dawkins coming out publicly and getting his back, it is certainly a he-said, he-said situation unfolding.’
NFL Investigating Yannick Ngakoue’s Claims Against Richie Incognito
‘Jaguars DE Calais Campbell initially said that no slurs were directed towards him, but changed his tune slightly.’
Beer, Wings, Zubaz and Nerves: A Playoff (!) Sunday With Bills Fans
‘“If we win, I’m going to drink,” announces Big Tree general manager Chris Stone, who is wearing a loud Bills blazer that he once purchased for a friend’s wedding. “If we lose, I’m going to drink. Not a lot of wiggle room there.”’
The Bills clean out their lockers
‘Sunday was the first playoff game of Williams’ career. He said nothing needs to be said to the younger players, because they now know what it takes, “They realize it’s not easy, they see how the season can ebb and flow. We go through a hot start, we hit the bottom, we work our way out of it, so that’s what the NFL season looks like, so guys got a pretty good view of what this league is about and what success in this league takes.”’
Eric Wood: “We have to be better next year on offense”
‘”We gotta be better next year on offense, we know that. Gotta win individual battles more, play better as a group, and when you get in the redzone against good teams, you gotta score touchdowns.”‘
From the locker room: What Bills’ players had to say on locker cleanout day
‘Well, that’s what he’s done so far so I don’t see why they would stray away from their plan. You look at guys like Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer and just the draft class that they brought in last year. I think, when you think about high-character people, you think that you’re sacrificing talent but in those cases, I think that they got the best of both worlds. If you want to build a great team, a sustainable team and definitely a team that hasn’t won in a long time like we did this year, that’s the type of people you have to bring in here, that love the work, that overachieve, and inspire others to be great as well.’