‘“I did look forward to it — an opportunity to get more reps,” Murphy said. “I knew there would be an opportunity. I always love being able to piece series together and get some reps. I love Shaq. He’s a great tool for us and a hell of a player, but I knew they’d rest some guys and knew I would have a chance to set some moves up and do some different things. That’s kind of what I did in college, so I always enjoy that opportunity.”’
Archives for December 2019
Shift in atmosphere noticeable as Bills start playoff preparations
‘Sean McDermott sounded like he would have rather read off his four-digit ATM password than the Buffalo Bills’ injury report Monday.’
Duke Williams, T.J. Yeldon show juice, but face roster logjam for playoffs
‘So how could the Bills find a game-day spot for either Williams or Yeldon? The three most little-used, active offensive players are Patrick DiMarco, Senorise Perry and Lee Smith. Perry and DiMarco both are core special teams players. It’s hard to see the Bills sacrificing on punt protection or kick coverage. Smith has played 30% of the offensive snaps. That’s the most likely spot to trim, which would require going with just two active tight ends instead of three on game day.’
Josh Allen among NFL’s most improved talents with Year 2 jump
‘He has had 20 weeks of game plans and the valuable experience that goes with playing against different opponents that have tried different ways to stop him. His growth has been impressive. He has improved his completion percentage from 52.8% to 58.8% and trimmed down on his interceptions from 12 to 9 in 102 more attempts. Allen has thrown 20 touchdowns compared to his 10 from last season. He has become the team leader making better decisions with the football, and is comfortable utilizing his powerful running ability on quarterback sweeps and game-changing quarterback sneaks.’
‘MNF’s’ Tessitore, McFarland to call Bills-Texans game on ESPN and WKBW
‘McFarland was the solo analyst this season after Jason Witten, who also was heavily criticized, left the “MNF” booth to come back and play for the Dallas Cowboys.’
CBS’ Feely has many opinions, but some undoubtedly had Bills fans scratching their heads
‘Feely also seemed to feel the Bills’ confidence might have been shaken because they lost three of their last four games. He didn’t mention two losses were against two of the AFC’s top teams, Baltimore and New England, and the third came Sunday when winning was secondary to staying healthy.’
Dion Dawkins on playoff-bound Bills: ‘We’re not anybody’s little brother’
‘“I’d say the biggest thing is that when you get to the playoffs is not trying to be something you’re not,’’ Morse said of the advice he can give. “You change things, you tighten up, and forget what got you there. You want to be on your P’s and Q’s, but if you change your identity completely, that’s when you get in trouble. The best teams I’ve been on stick to the script, they know what works.’’’
Bills’ Sean McDermott on changing signage in team facility from ‘Playoff Caliber’ to this
‘“To give yourself a chance (to win the Super Bowl), that’s where playoff caliber comes in and that’s a day to day standard,” McDermott said. “A day to day barometer of the standard, and now that we’re in, as of a week or so ago, we changed it to championship caliber. And we know that we respect the challenge that’s in front of us too and that’s what we’re trying to go through as an organization. It’s going to take all of us and we’re going to have a really good week, a focused week here as we move forward.”’
NFL Playoffs: Buffalo Bills CB Levi Wallace day-to-day with ankle sprain (report)
‘Wallace, 24, intercepted Sam Darnold early in the contest, but immediately fell to the ground without making contact with any opposing players. He was helped off the field and eventually carted to the locker room. After Buffalo’s 13-6 loss, Wallace was spotted in the Bills locker room wearing a walking boot. It appeared that Wallace’s injury would keep him from seeing any playing time for Buffalo in the playoffs.’
Buffalo Bills coaches on how to stop Deshaun Watson, 7-sack game in 2018
‘“He’s a playmaker. He generates a lot of plays,” McDermott said. “He’s extremely accurate with the football. He’s a big part of their offense. They’ve got a lot of weapons, him being one of them. I think (Texans coach) Bill (O’Brien) has done a really good job using those weapons and spreading the ball around and using Deshaun. He’s tough to stop. Their offense is tough to stop.”’
NFL coaching rumors: Buffalo Bills OC Brian Daboll to interview for Cleveland Browns HC vacancy
‘Daboll, 44, has some previous history with the Browns. He served as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator from 2009-2010.’
Buffalo Bills vs. Houston Texans: 5 keys to victory for Bills in AFC Wild Card game
‘Pressure Deshaun Watson. Watson was sacked a league-high 62 times a season ago and, in 2019, he was brought down 44 times. The Bills’ pass rushers need to get to him. He’s an athletic quarterback who can make plays with his arm and legs, so they need to bring him down when possible. In five of the six Texans losses Watson played in, he was sacked at least three times. In three of those games, he was sacked six times. The more sacks, the better.’
Buffalo Bills 2019 Awards: MVP, biggest surprise and more
‘There are a few strong candidates for this award. Jordan Phillips led the Bills with 9.5 sacks. Tremaine Edmunds was the team’s leading tackler. But the one player who spearheaded this top-notch defensive attack was Tre’Davious White. White will finish the regular season tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions. He has 17 passes defensed, a sack, 4.5 tackles for a loss and 58 total tackles (48 solo). He has established himself as one of the elite corners in the NFL. He didn’t give up a touchdown this season.’
Houston can’t escape ‘The Choke’ when it comes to Buffalo
‘If you’re haunted by the memories of the Oilers’ 35-3, third-quarter lead and 41-38 overtime loss and don’t want to relive the details, then stop reading. It may be too painful.’
Solomon: Why Texans fans should have reason to believe this week
‘But the Bills’ offense is pedestrian, at best. They don’t even average 20 points a game. Despite their weak schedule, the Bills scored 30 points only twice this season. Both against the Dolphins, who allowed a league-worst 31 points a game. The Texans’ defense can be had, but it shouldn’t be by this team.’
Bills CB Tre’Davious White ‘One of Best’ Texans Will Face
‘“He can press, he can play off, very physical, very smart. Great player for them,” O’Brien said.’
Tuesday’s Houston Coverage
Houston can’t escape ‘The Choke’ when it comes to Buffalo (Houston Chronicle)
Solomon: Why Texans fans should have reason to believe this week (Houston Chronicle)
No respect? Texans keep getting overlooked by NFL in playoffs (Houston Chronicle)
Texans-Bills playoff notebook: Will Fuller’s status undetermined (Houston Chronicle)
Texans Rested And Ready To Start Playoffs Against Bills (AP)
Bills CB Tre’Davious White ‘One of Best’ Texans Will Face (KILT-AM)
AFC Wild Card: Bills Bring Stingy Defense To NRG Stadium (KILT-AM)
Bill O’Brien Says J.J. Watt Continues To Progress (KILT-AM)
Daily Brew: Buffalo Bills “make you earn every blade of grass” (HoustonTexans.com)
Tuesday’s Cleveland Coverage
Browns request permission to interview Brian Daboll, current Bills and former Browns OC (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Browns coaching search: Interviews requested with Josh McDaniels, Greg Roman, Robert Saleh, Kevin Stefanski, Brian Daboll; Mike McCarthy expected to be asked (Akron Beacon Journal)
Browns request permission to interview Josh McDaniels, Brian Daboll, Greg Roman, Robert Saleh and Kevin Stefanski, have interest in Mike McCarthy (Elyria Chronicle Telegram)
Report: Browns will interview Brian Daboll for head coach job (WKYC-TV)
Bills Believe They’re Better Prepared For Playoffs Than 2017
‘”We’re not scared to compete or see anybody in the playoffs,” he said.’
Leslie Frazier on the playoffs: “Everything shrinks”
‘“It’s just an entirely different atmosphere around the building. The fact that everything shrinks. You’re the big fish in the pond now. When we play this Saturday, we’re going to be the only game that’s going to be shown. That’s not the case during the first 17 weeks of the season. So, it’s unique in that way. All eyes are on you and people that haven’t had a chance to watch you during the course of the year, get a chance to finally see what your team is all about. It’s just completely different and what you’re playing for this time of year is kind of really crystallized now. You’re in the tournament for the world championship, and that means a lot. So, the emotions and all the things you maybe dreamed about as a young kid growing up, to be in this position, and as we all know in this room, there are a lot of guys that play for a long time and never get to this position. So, to get to the playoffs and have this opportunity, it kind of reshapes things in a lot of ways. Really an exciting time for our players.”’
Houston Bills Backers Bar ships in Sahlen’s hot dogs and Labatt for playoff game
‘”Another option could be to fly to Dallas, fly to San Antonio, fly to Austin or New Orleans. They’re all 3 to 4 hours away from Houston. You rent a car. That might be an alternative as well,” said Teal.’
Fan who was granted final wish of speaking to the Buffalo Bills, dies
‘That’s when defensive end Eddie Yarborough and offensive tackle Dion Dawkins, fulfilled his final wish by speaking to Covington and his family and friends via FaceTime.’
Report: Brian Daboll expected to interview for Browns job
‘Daboll is a five-time Super Bowl champion during his time with the New England Patriots. Before joining the Bills staff, Daboll was the co-offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Alabama.’
Report: Bills OC Brian Daboll to Interview With Browns
‘Daboll played a crucial role in the development of Bills quarterback Josh Allen in his sophomore season, along with helping the Bills to a 10-6 record, and their second playoff appearance in three years.’
Bills vs. Texans: How to be at the game this weekend
‘If you are flexible with leaving early and/or staying late that will save money. You could always drive. It is about 1,500 miles. That is about 24 hours without breaks. Depending on your car this would run around $300 in gas.’
Quick Hits | How Sean McDermott applies lessons from past playoff experiences
‘“I just think it’s important that you stay consistent from a leadership standpoint, from a from a routine standpoint for coaches and players, quite honestly,” he said. “Then we double down on the philosophy of what wins. I’ve been fortunate to have these 26 games and use all that experience and the knowledge and intelligence that I’ve gleaned from it to help us as we continue to move forward as an organization. That’s probably the biggest thing that we’ll try and put into place this week.”’
9 noteworthy numbers to know about the Bills 2019 playoff debut and final NFL rankings
‘A total of 25 of the 53 players on the active roster have appeared in at least one playoff game in their career. That’s better than 47 percent of the squad.’
These NFL analysts have believed in the playoff-bound Bills since the start of the year
‘“It’s the culture of Sean McDermott,” said Schein. “He is getting my vote for NFL Coach of the Year. I’m one of the 50 voters for all the awards and what Sean does is amazing. The accountability, the discipline. I think that his way of coaching, his attitude, it permeates through that entire organization. You see it on game day, they play their best when it matters the most. They’re smart. They’re tough. They don’t beat themselves.”’
Eric Wood | Looking ahead to the playoffs and how the Bills can advance
‘There’s a ton of younger players on this team who are playing a lot of snaps and haven’t been in a playoff environment yet. Someone like Josh Allen needs to stick to his process and do what he’s always done to prepare for a game, don’t make it bigger than it should be. Allen has played a lot of quality games in his two years, including some big primetime games this season. A Sunday night football game like the Bills played in against the Steelers, with what Pittsburgh had on the line, is a pretty similar atmosphere to the first round of the playoffs.’
Bills Today | Will Tre’Davious White match up exclusively with DeAndre Hopkins?
‘“Well, Deandre is a tremendous receiver. He’s an all-pro player and he’s capable of having one of those explosive gains. We’re very fortunate to have a guy like Tre’Davious, who can match up with a lot of receivers, I’m not sure we’ll do that this week,” Frazier said. “But we have a lot of respect for what DeAndre has done in our league and what he’s continued to do, even this season. So, we’ll try to put together a good plan to contain him and then we’ll go from there.”’
‘Different’ Bills team poised for longer playoff run than in 2017
‘”It feels a lot more special this time just because we controlled our destiny,” defensive end Jerry Hughes said. “Whenever you control your destiny and you don’t have to depend on other people to get you into the dance, it’s a lot sweeter feeling. So we come in with that mentality of, ‘We’re supposed to be here, we belong here. Now, we’re ready to go out there and show the league.'”‘
Sean McDermott tries to play it safe, but injuries still mar Bills’ regular-season finale
‘Once the game started, it became clear why McDermott wanted to dress more players.’
Bills CB Kevin Johnson gears up for key role in playoff game vs. old team
‘“I know a lot of the guys there,” Johnson said of the Texans, “but the main focus is getting a win, and that’s all that matters.”’
Bills hold down Le’Veon Bell in possible Jets swan song
‘The Jets entered the game leading the league with 109 tackles for no gain or negative yardage on runs, not counting kneel-downs. The Jets had eight more, for a total of 117 no-gains or tackles for loss on run plays in the game. Two came on bad snap exchanges with Matt Barkley.’
If this was Lorenzo Alexander’s last home game, Bills send him out in style
‘”I thought she did a great job. Very confident, but if you know my daughter at all or have been around her, that’s right up her alley and something she loves to do. She’s 11, and to be able to sing in front of 50,000 people like that with confidence, it was cool. As a dad, I was like, ‘Don’t forget the words, don’t forget the words,’ but she did an excellent job today.”’
Backups on defense give an inspired effort in defeat
‘Sean McDermott made the wise decision to play it safe with his starters. What happened to Wallace was out of the coach’s control. The Bills have just three outside cornerbacks, so Wallace needed to play.’
Bills empty their bench and fall short, losing 13-6 to the Jets in meaningless finale
‘Coach Sean McDermott sat out seven regulars including both starting receivers, Cole Beasley and John Brown, running back Devin Singletary, and cornerback Tre’Davious White. He also played front-line starters for only a couple series, and then spent the rest of the afternoon hoping the clock would run quickly so the Bills could get out of the game healthy and ready to roll for the AFC wild-card playoff game next weekend.’
Maiorana: Bills are dangerous road warriors in playoffs against vulnerable Texans’ defense
‘Houston entered Week 17 ranked 28th in yards allowed, 30th in passing yards, 31st in preventing third-down conversions, 20th in rushing and 18th in points. It’s a game where, if the Bills take care of the ball and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll comes up with a diverse game plan, they could certainly score enough to outlast the Texans who will be facing the stout Buffalo defense.’
Roth: Bills are confident heading into playoffs and can certainly take down Houston Texans
‘“Obviously it’s one of the proudest moments as a father that I’ve had, it was really emotional,’’ said Alexander, 36, who confirmed his intention to retire, only this wasn’t the time or place to detract from the team’s playoff week. “I was surprised, I didn’t know she was singing it, so it was a really cool experience. I thought she did a great job, just very confident, but if you know my daughter, that’s right up her alley.’’’
Bills report card: Buffalo backups almost good enough to beat Sam Darnold, Jets starters’
‘Without Singletary, the Bills weren’t going to have much success on the ground against a stout Jets defense that entered the game ranked second in the NFL against the run. Frank Gore carried the early load and gained 26 yards, and then T.J. Yeldon — active with Singletary down — tacked on 18 yards in the second half. Yeldon showed some flash as a receiver, and it just remains a mystery why he was so underused in that role this year. The Bills averaged just 3.7 yards per attempt, and that was with 30 yards on two jet sweeps by Isaiah McKenzie. Had the Bills been able to establish any type of ground game it would have been interesting to see how the offense would have functioned. Then again, with a line that included T Ryan Bates, C Ike Boettger and G Spencer Long for much of the way, it simply wasn’t possible.’