‘It’s good because the Bills did not pull the trigger on a guy who’s a better version of Tyrod Taylor but who clearly is not “The Answer.”‘
Archives for February 1, 2018
Former Bills safety Aaron Williams retires; apologizes to Buffalo
‘”I came into this league with two things on my mind: money and fame. The way I saw it, I balled out at Texas, so it was a given that I was gonna ball out in the NFL, too,” he wrote. “Easy money, right? So when I first came in, I didn’t work very hard. I didn’t watch film. I didn’t study. I pretty much made it through my first two seasons on straight athletic ability. Football wasn’t a priority. I was more concerned with what kind of car this guy was driving or what club that guy was posting up at. I was trying to live the NFL lifestyle you see on TV and in the movies – that baller life, where everything’s wavy and you’re the man.”‘
Analysis: Bills might soon face big leadership void
‘With Wood’s retirement, however, the Bills are staring at the possibility of losing at least three of their captains. The expectation is that the team will move on from Taylor at quarterback, while Williams’ contract is up and the 34-year-old defensive tackle has to decide if he wants to keep playing.’
How the Bills surged in annual special teams rankings
‘Gosselin pointed to the addition of kicker Stephen Hauschka as being one of the main reasons for Buffalo’s rise. Hauschka went 29 of 33 on field goals, including an NFL-leading seven makes from 50-plus yards. He also hit every one of his 29 extra points, helping the Bills finish as one of six teams with a 100 percent conversion rate.’
Corey Graham’s Super Bowl reality far exceeds childhood dreams in Buffalo
‘Graham’s decision to sign with the Eagles was heavily influenced by the fact Jim Schwartz was their defensive coordinator. Graham enjoyed playing for him in ’14, Schwartz’s only year with the Bills.’
Former Bills cornerback duo reach Super Bowl stage
‘”It says a lot,” Darby said. “It says we work hard. We were blessed to be on the teams to make it this far. The Patriots are always here. But we couldn’t just sit there and just guess and be like, ‘OK, Philly’s making it to the Super Bowl.’ “‘
The ever-polarizing Alex Smith is no longer a QB option for the Bills
‘In other words, Bills fans should be saying good riddance because if the $70 million in guaranteed money turns out to be accurate, that seems absurdly high for a quarterback who will be 34 years old in May and has a 2-5 record in playoff games.’
Former Buffalo Bills safety Aaron Williams thanks Bills fans in retirement message
‘Williams announced his retirement in an eloquent letter via the Players Tribune. He started by apologizing to the city of Buffalo and Bills fans for the way he acted during his first two seasons with the team. He also thanked the Bills, team trainers, ownership, coaches and all of his teammates for their support while going into detail on his injuries and his reasons for retiring.’
Bleacher Report gives spotty grades to Bills front-seven in 2017
‘Within the 4-3 defensive, front-seven grades, the Buffalo Bills were given spotty grades from Bleacher Report. Buffalo’s defense line graded the worst of the bunch. Without Kyle Williams, which is a real possibility as soon as next season, things could have been a whole lot worse there.’
Bleacher Report added to list of national outlets praising Bills secondary
‘The accolades continue for the Buffalo Bills secondary in 2017.’
Don Beebe’s never-say-die play is still super 25 years later
‘Don Beebe flips open the mailbox at the end of his suburban Chicago driveway. There, amid the bills, magazines and circulars, is another batch of letters from strangers thanking him for an indelible moment from a quarter century ago. Not a day goes by when the former Buffalo Bills wide receiver isn’t reminded of the play he made that had no bearing whatsoever on the outcome of a blow-out loss but still resonates with people. And this time of year, when another Super Bowl is about to be played, the requests for autographs and media interviews tend to spike.’
This Jarvis Landry cheap shot ended an NFL career
‘Williams hasn’t played since Oct. 23, 2016, when the star receiver targeted him on a rushing play. Williams was in pursuit, his head watching the ball, when Landry launched into his helmet. Williams went down and stayed down and left Hard Rock Stadium in an ambulance with a neck injury. He never made it back on the field after the crack-back block, which was penalized and drew a $24,000 fine but did not result in a suspension.’
Bills safety retires, addresses ‘unnecessary’ hit from Landry that ended career
‘Williams would not play again in 2016 and no team picked him up in 2017. On Wednesday, he acknowledged the obvious — that his NFL career was over — but not before addressing the ugly hit, which earned Landry a $24,000 fine and fueled the most heated rivalry going right now in the AFC East. (Landry was also an instigator of the teams’ massive brawl in the 2017 finale; Dolphins coach Adam Gase later called Landry’s out-of-control behavior “as embarrassing as I’ve seen in a long time.”’
Ex-Penn State defensive coordinator John Butler, fired by O’Brien in Houston, joins Philly pal McDermott in Buffalo
‘January began badly for onetime Penn State defensive coordinator John Butler and is ending on a much more optimistic note.’
Former Penn State assistant lands job in Buffalo
‘Though O’Brien fired Butler in January, he was very protective of the assistant coach. In 2013, O’Brien defended Butler from anonymous social-media criticism, calling it “crap.”’