‘“We’re building something special here,” fullback Patrick DiMarco said. “Watching Josh do what he did is super encouraging, and I think there’s great things ahead for this organization.”’
Archives for December 2018
Bills’ LeSean McCoy vows he’ll be back with a ‘chip on my shoulder’
‘“This is not the type of production that I’m used to,” McCoy said. “But it is what it is. I’m tough. I’ll bounce back. I think they’ll make the right moves this offseason and get the right pieces. I’ll be back. This is good for me. This is good for a lot of reasons, one of them is that it puts a chip on my shoulder. I always try to have different goals. I think one of them is to prove myself that I still am who I am.”’
Bills will have top-10 draft pick, but exact spot is still unclear
‘The issue there is that opponents of both the Bills and Broncos went 133-121-2, an identical strength of schedule of .523 (this assumes the Sunday night game between Tennessee and Indianapolis did not end in a tie).’
Jason Wolf: Kyle Williams retires with emotional victory, calls Bills fans ‘kindred spirits’
‘“Kyle is just one of those guys that everybody loves him,” Allen said, “so for us to go out and know what’s at stake, put forth our best effort, really play our best game all year, and it happened to be this game, I’m sure it’s pretty special for him. And it’s special for this team and this city to see how we played and how we wanted to play for him and to send him out the way that we did.”‘
Jay Skurski’s 10 observations: Josh Allen runs wild in Bills’ season finale
‘“It just kind of unfolded,” Allen said of the scoring run. “Kind of got forced out of the pocket, had a decision to throw it or run it, and decided to keep it and got some blocks down field, made the guy miss and ended up in the end zone.”’
Plays that Shaped the Game: Dolphins learn danger of blitzing Josh Allen
‘Allen gives Bills fans hope that maybe the team has found that guy.’
Quarterly Report: Josh Allen looks dynamic; Ryan Tannehill does not
‘The Bills allowed 40 third-quarter points, fewest in the NFL.’
Bills-Dolphins Report Card: Rare ‘A’ grade for Buffalo’s passing game
‘Wide receiver Zay Jones had six catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns. He’d be a first-team All-Pro if he could play all his games against Miami. In two games against the Dolphins this year, Jones had 10 catches for 160 yards and four touchdowns. Rookie Robert Foster had four catches for 21 yards, and also scored a touchdown. McCoy added 18 yards on two catches. He looked like he had a spring in his step when he got in the open field. Ivory’s only catch went for 46 yards, most of it after the catch. Oh, and Kyle Williams got the first catch of his career. Awesome. The big slip up was Allen’s pick-six in the first half.’
Kyle Williams catches a pass and Bills send him into retirement a winner
‘Since he joined the Bills as a fifth-round draft choice in 2006, the team compiled a gruesome record of 76-120 and appeared in just one postseason game, which it lost last January in Jacksonville. Through all the losing, Williams just plugged away on every snap he played, always doing his job no matter what the scoreboard said.’
Maiorana: Josh Allen saves his best for last with 5 touchdowns to finish rookie season
‘In other words, he played the way most rookie quarterbacks play, especially those who wind up on sub-par teams that lack enough talent to enable the player to succeed. After all, not everyone gets to be Russell Wilson landing with the Seahawks, or Ben Roethlisberger going to the Steelers, and enjoying immediate individual and team success as rookies.’
Who are the players who may be playing their final games for the Bills Sunday?
‘Clay, who has one year left on his contract, has endured a miserable season and he finished with just 21 catches for 184 yards and no touchdowns. In his first three years with the Bills, Clay averaged 52 receptions with a high of 57 in 2016, and his best yardage season was 558 yards in 2017, even though he missed three games due to injury.’
Roth: Kyle Williams’ farewell lap was perfect tribute to football love affair in Buffalo
‘Williams’ years in Buffalo weren’t so much a career as a beautiful marriage between a hard-working, humble, tough-as-boot-leather kid from Louisiana and a blue-collar city in western New York.’
Report card
‘It was a great way for the Bills to end their season. They scored a season-high 42 points, thanks in large part to a perfect 4-for-4 success rate in the red zone. On offense the Bills rolled up 381 yards while the defense held the listless Dolphins to 225 despite the time of possession being almost dead even. On an emotional day with Kyle Williams playing his last game of his 13-year career, the Bills could have stumbled in this one. Instead, other than a brief lapse in the second quarter, the Bills dominated the underachieving Dolphins across the board.’
Fish squished in emotional Bills season finale
‘The win made Allen 5-6 as a starter and the factor that stood out in the 12 games he played is his mobility, a weapon displayed again yesterday. He rushed 95 yards on nine carries and two of those were 1-yard-loss kneel-downs. Thus, he just missed logging a third 100-yard rushing game this season and had four starts in which he totaled at least 95.’
Pollock: Touching finale sent Williams into retirement
‘Afterward, McDermott said of his orchestrated effort to bring Williams out of the game, “I just thought you don’t have those opportunities a lot to be able to do that. It’s more of a basketball-type deal. But to be able to put the defense out there one more time … it was more important to me to honor Kyle’s career than it was potentially to score one more touchdown.’
Bills vs. Dolphins: Buffalo sends off Kyle Williams with a win (12 observations)
‘As the game progressed, Allen’s accuracy faltered at times. He made a few of the head-scratching throws that his critics have been harping on all season. Then late in the second quarter, Allen unleashed an awful throw into double coverage. The defensive back intercepted it and took it 29 yards for the touchdown. You hope it’s a play Allen can learn from, but as the years go on, these are the types of throws that can be killers and lose your team a game.’
Bills blowout Miami Dolphins: 7 reasons to be encouraged, 2 reasons to worry
‘There is plenty of work to be done, but Allen showed a lot of growth as a rookie.’
Bills’ LeSean McCoy: ‘Put the right pieces around Josh Allen and it’s going to be dangerous’
‘“That’s my boy right there, and we have a really good relationship,” Allen said. “I’m not going to speculate on what’s going on or how we’re going to perform next season, but I have a lot of trust in him and coach has a lot of trust in him. This team’s got a lot of trust in him, and he’s got a lot of good football left in him.”’
Bills’ Kyle Williams on what made decision to retire so difficult
‘“They ask the right questions (and) … they care about their teammates,” Williams said. “We have so many young guys, first-year players, second-year to third-year players that play on this football team that I can’t wait to watch. I can’t wait to be around as much as they’ll have me and see what this football team will do.”’
Bills’ Jordan Phillips: ‘Kiko (Alonso) don’t mean no harm’
‘“I know Kiko. Kiko don’t mean no harm, he’s just out there flying around playing football,” Phillips said. “He gives it everything he’s got. He’s a great player and he tries his hardest. I’m not gonna say anything bad about Kiko. He’s a great guy.”’
Bills’ Wyatt Teller: Logan Thomas hit wasn’t dirty; neither was Kiko Alonso’s
‘“I think it was a bang-bang hit,” Teller said. “He was going sideline to sideline, so the guy did have a chance to see him. It wasn’t like he flipped around and did a crack block, so it is what it is. I thought it was a hell of a hit for a quarterback — well, tight end now.”‘
Report card: Allenmania? Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen runs wild on Miami Dolphins
‘His performance wasn’t perfect, but the quarterback was responsible for five of the Bills’ touchdowns on Sunday.’
Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds and 8 Bills that showed future is bright in finale
‘Jones more than doubled his output from his rookie season in year two and finished with 663 yards and seven touchdowns in a quietly productive 2018.’
Buffalo Bills 2019 schedule: Opponents, locations finalized; dates to be determined
‘Next year, Buffalo will take on the AFC North and NFC East, while the Bills’ other games were determined by their divisional standing. This means Josh Allen will get to take on fellow 2018 first-round quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson.’
2019 NFL Draft: Where are the Bills picking in Round 1? (Full first-round order)
‘9. Buffalo Bills.’
Kyle Williams and rookie record-holder Josh Allen help the Buffalo Bills spike Miami, 42-17
‘The youth will allow General Manager Brandon Beane to draft, sign and maybe trade for the players needed to plug holes. The Bills won’t be drafting players with their fingers crossed these players are impact players right off the bat. The Bills need solid role players now to get the team back to the playoffs.’
Bills show fight in season finale
‘The other notable point from Sunday’s game is how the team responded to a dirty play by the Miami defense. As Allen was sliding down after scrambling for a first down, former Buffalo Bills linebacker Kiko Alonso lined up a cheap shot on a defenseless Allen. It was the third time in the past two seasons that Alonso has attempted a cheap shot to the head of a defenseless, sliding quarterback.’
Buffalo Bills Week 17 Report Card: Kyle Williams caps off career, Bills beat Dolphins 42-17
‘Allen has a lot of promise. He showed why against the Dolphins. He was consistent with his arm and picked up big gains with his legs. If the Bills can bolster their offensive line heading into 2019, the offense could be dangerous with Allen at the helm.’
Dolphins strife, Allen’s 3 TDs don’t overshadow Kyle Williams’ swan song
‘How many chances does a quarterback get? Tannehill still has two years and some $50 million left on a four-year, $77-million second contract. No way is he worth it.’
Monday’s Miami Coverage
Season ends with one more embarrassment, as Bills skunk Dolphins 42-17 (Miami Herald)
What’s next for Ryan Tannehill after terrible finish to 2018 season? (Miami Herald)
Hair-pulling, late-hitting melee costs the Dolphins three starters (one to injury) (Miami Herald)
Howard ‘definitely’ wants to sign long-term with Miami. But his asking price is huge. (Miami Herald)
Cameron Wake won’t say if Adam Gase should return for a fourth year as Dolphins coach (Miami Herald)
See you in 2019, Xavien Howard (Miami Herald)
Stephen Ross mum about his mess while prominent coach preps for run at Dolphins’ job (Miami Herald)
Photo gallery (Miami Herald)
Miami Dolphins’ season ends and uncertainty begins following blowout loss to Bills (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Kelly: Losing season for Dolphins was predictable — and that’s the problem | Commentary (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Dolphins’ Adam Gase, Ryan Tannehill could face uncertain futures following season finale (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Things we learned in the Miami Dolphins’ 42-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Hyde10: Ross’ move, draft order, awful offense — 10 thoughts on Dolphins’ loss to Bills (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Dolphins’ Xavien Howard hopes to get contract extension after standout season (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Dolphins’ Ja’Wuan James enters free agency creating a memory with Laremy Tunsil (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Dolphins set to select 13th in NFL draft for fourth time (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
5 Instant Takeaways: Miami Dolphins smashed at Buffalo Bills (Palm Beach Post)
Habib: Miami Dolphins should make Adam Gase interview to keep job (Palm Beach Post)
Ryan Tannehill concedes ‘the possibility’ he’s finished with Miami Dolphins (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins: Why does Danny Amendola think this team lost so much? (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins: Does Xavien Howard believe he’s about to get a new contract? (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins: Does OT Ja’Wuan James want to return in 2019? (Palm Beach Post)
The Dolphins fall into dogfight and end a season of ups and downs (El Nuevo Herald)
Dolphins unlikely to make coaching change, but ownership remains very high on Jim Harbaugh (CBS Sports)
Rex Ryan reportedly interested in Dolphins job if Adam Gase fired (CBS Sports)
Miami Dolphins end their losing season with embarrassing 42-17 defeat in Buffalo (WPEC-TV)
Dolphins Drop Season Finale In Buffalo (MiamiDolphins.com)
Three Takeaways From Dolphins-Bills (MiamiDolphins.com)
AC In The AM: Tough Ending To Tough Season (MiamiDolphins.com)
I Said It: Dolphins-Bills Postgame Quotes (MiamiDolphins.com)
Photo gallery 1 (MiamiDolphins.com)
Photo gallery 2 (MiamiDolphins.com)
Photo gallery 1 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 2 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 3 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 1 (Buffalo News)
Photo gallery 2 (Buffalo News)
Photo gallery 1 (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
Photo gallery 2 (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
Former LSU defensive tackle Kyle Williams catches pass in final NFL game
‘While at LSU, Williams played on the 2003 national championship team. With the Bills, he became a starter six games into his rookie season and has started each of the 178 games he’s played since then. A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Williams ends his career 48-1/2 career sacks and 610 total tackles.’
Bills rout Dolphins 42-17 in Kyle Williams’ final game
‘The 35-year-old Williams has been the team’s unquestioned leader and was honored before the game by being the last player out of the tunnel and then was greeted on the field by his wife, Jill, and their five children. Williams announced on Friday that he was retiring.’
Kyle Williams bids farewell with tears, high-fives and a win
‘”I didn’t know that was going to happen,” Williams said. “I get past the goalposts and I see my family and I lost it. I’m fairly certain that that’s the first time I’ve openly boo-hooed inside the cage of a football helmet. And it will be the last, so first and last happened today. Just grateful, grateful for everything.”‘
Allen, Williams highlight Bills rout of Dolphins
‘He finished the season with eight rushing touchdowns, the second-most by a quarterback in the Super Bowl era. He also finished with 630 rushing yards in 11 games, breaking the single-season mark for rushing yards by a Buffalo quarterback set by Tyrod Taylor two years ago.’
Kiko Alonso ejected following scrum set off by hit on sliding Josh Allen
‘”[The scuffle] speaks a lot about who we got and the toughness of the guys in this locker room,” Allen said. “… I probably have to get Jordan a little gift or something for that one.”‘
Dolphins’ Kiko Alonso ejected after hit on Bills’ Josh Allen leads to scuffle
‘In addition to Alonso, Dolphins defensive end Robert Quinn and Bills offensive tackle Jordan Mills also were ejected for their roles in the altercation after the play was over, and they were penalized for unnecessary roughness.’
The Bills send off Kyle Williams on a high note, blast Miami 42-17
‘There were also some ejections in the third quarter of this game, when Allen took a late hit from Miami linebacker and former Bill Kiko Alonso. Alonso’s hit sparked a scuffle, which led to the ejections of Bills tackle Jordan Mills and defensive end Robert Quinn and Alonso for Miami.’
One of the finest men to ever wear the Bills uniform played his final game
‘Williams is what Buffalo is all about. He is loved in this town because he’s blue collar. Whether he was on the field, in the meeting room, in the weight room or in the community this man never gave less than 100 percent. You always knew what you were getting from him in every single minute of every single day.’
Thank You Kyle!
‘I give full marks to head coach Sean McDermott and the organization for sending out one of the most beloved players in the history of the franchise the proper way. It all started with the pre game introductions. The Bills entire team came out on the field but Williams stayed back so he could be introduced to his adoring fans. Unbeknownst to Williams, McDermott had arranged for Kyle’s wife and kids to be waiting with his teammates around midfield. After the game Williams admitted he began to cry once he noticed his family was on the field.’
Capaccio: Step-back in 2018 wasn’t unexpected, but now it’s time for Bills to start winning
‘But now it’s time to take that step forward. Maybe even a giant leap. They have roughly $85 million in salary cap space available to them this off-season, a top-10 first round pick and some extra draft picks on top of that. They’ll have an ability to use plenty of assets to improve the roster and, mostly, give Allen protection and weapons. But they can’t be foolish about it. Beane still has to spend his money and draft picks wisely to really take the next step.’