‘It isn’t only that they’ve won six games in a row. It’s that all the victories, including a 56-26 pounding of the Miami Dolphins in Sunday’s regular-season finale at Bills Stadium, have been by double digits. The last playoff-bound team to finish their schedule that way was the Seattle Seahawks in 2004.’
Archives for January 4, 2021
Jason Wolf: Stefon Diggs leads NFL in catches, receiving yards, and values clean teeth, too
‘“The thing about (Diggs’ success) is it didn’t happen by accident,” Allen said. “This is a guy that works extremely hard, probably more so than anybody that I’ve ever seen. He takes care of his body like nobody I’ve ever seen. And it all pays dividends to what he does on the field.”‘
Analysis: Josh Allen puts his Dolphin-killing talent on display
‘Allen posted his fifth straight victory over Miami Sunday, and he only needed one half of football to put up big numbers on a team that entered the game ranked No. 1 in the NFL in scoring defense.’
10 observations: Isaiah McKenzie sparks scoring explosion in rout of Dolphins
‘In doing so, he became the first player in the NFL to have at least two receiving touchdowns and a punt return for a touchdown in a game since Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill on Sept. 9, 2018 against the Chargers.’
Quarter by quarter: Bills put exclamation point on regular season
‘For the season, the Bills outscored foes 90-49 in the first quarter. It was the third most in team history behind only 1975 (97 points) and 1964 (95 points). Both of those were in 14-game seasons. Buffalo allowed the fewest points in the first quarter in the NFL.’
Report Card: Bills earn straight ‘As’ after embarrassing Dolphins
‘This was just an absolute pantsing by Sean McDermott and Co. against a Miami team that needed a win to make the postseason. McDermott sent a message in sweeping the AFC East for the first time in franchise history – the division belongs to Buffalo now.’
Citing fans at Bills game, group wants more nursing home visitation
‘“If the stadium is opened, then why can’t the state open up elder care facilities,” said Pete Harding. “We’ll be here again next week protesting.”’
Record-breaking day as Bills destroy Dolphins 56-26, secure No. 2 seed and date with Colts
‘“It just shows that this is a different Buffalo Bills football team,” left tackle Dion Dawkins said. “We don’t have to get in on anybody’s back, on anybody’s pigtail, or anybody’s blessing. This is all our doing.”’
Report card: Josh Allen revolutionized himself to have greatest season in Bills history
‘Just another incredible performance for Daboll’s troops, and this time it wasn’t just Allen getting to enjoy the day. Allen started slowly and threw for only 32 yards on Buffalo’s first three scoreless possessions, one ending with an interception. But once he found his groove it was some kind of show.’
An overdue apology to Buffalo fans
‘It started with my September prediction that Buffalo, though it figured to be a better team than 2019’s 10-6 wild-card playoff squad, seemed destined to finish 9-7 due to a decidedly more difficult schedule.’
Bills close out in record-setting fashion
‘Buffalo’s 56 points scored are the most since it beat Miami, 58-24, at War Memorial Stadium in 1966. The victory also marked the first time the Bills have gone unbeaten in the division (6-0) in franchise history and their 13-win season is only the third time they have reached that total as the 1990 and ‘91 squads also went 13-3.’
Bills blow out Dolphins; no playoff dream too big for Bills Mafia: Instant Observations
‘Miami has held teams to just 18.8 points per game this season, but didn’t have a single answer for Josh Allen and the Bills offense once they started to attack.’
Buffalo Bills ‘play to kill,’ unapologetic after dropping 56 points on top scoring defense
‘“Guys make mistakes and then we just brush it off and keep pushing,” Dawkins said. “It’s like, `all right man, let’s gut it out.’ Guys are happy for one another for scoring and breaking records and making plays.”’
Who is Antonio Williams? Bills UDFA RB scores twice in Buffalo’s Week 17 win
‘Buffalo signed Williams as an UDFA following the 2020 NFL Draft. His stint to play in the Bills’ regular season finale, however, was not an easy one. The Bills released and re-signed Williams a handful of times in 2020. His perseverance and hard work paid off on Sunday with an impressive outing.’
Bills’ Isaiah McKenzie predicted punt return TD to Josh Allen in breakout game
‘“He was like, well go ahead then. I’m like, ‘all right, cool,’” McKenzie said. “I thought I was just going to get a big gain or maybe just a fair catch. I had to make the gunner miss, and then I seen the hole, so I just hit it as fast as I could.”’
Bills sweep AFC East for first time in team history
‘Buffalo’s games in-division pre-bye week were pretty closely contested. The matchups post-bye, however, were both convincing victories for the Bills as they head into Wild Card weekend.’
Kenny Stills blown away with Bills’ performance against Dolphins
‘To say that Stills was impressed would be an understatement. During the game, the receiver had one word to describe the Buffalo Bills’ 56-point outing against the Miami Dolphins.’
Bills maul Miami in finale ahead of Wild Card weekend (14 reasons to be encouraged)
‘All season long, Brandon and Hayley Beane have been covering the adaption costs for animals at the SPCA based on how many touchdowns the Bills have scored at home. In a season finale where Buffalo rested key starters and sat Josh Allen after halftime, the Bills found a way to score eight touchdowns. That means eight animals will find forever homes with the Beane family paying all adaption fees.’
Isaiah McKenzie, Bills destroy Dolphins to end their season in 56-26 blowout (Report card)
‘Allen set a single-season record for passing yards in the win, but it may just be a matter of time before he breaks his own record.’
Bills to host Colts on Wild Card weekend
‘Reich’s Indianapolis Colts will head to Orchard Park as the AFC’s No. 7 seed to take on Buffalo after defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars 28-14.’
Bills-Colts Wild Card weekend date/time set
‘The time and date should not come as a massive surprise as Buffalo and Indianapolis are two of the smaller markets in the league and the NFL will be looking for bigger matchups in primetime.’
Buffalo Bills open as 7-point favorite vs. Colts in Wild Card matchup
‘According to Betonline.ag, the Bills opened as a 7-point favorite against the Colt, who earned the no. 7 seed after losing out on the AFC North title with a Tennessee Titans win on Sunday over the Houston Texans.’
Bills vs. Dolphins inactives: Tre’Davious White, Jerry Hughes & Mario Addison headline list, John Brown active
‘Without White playing, Buffalo will likely start Josh Norman and Levi Wallace at cornerback. The team elevated Dane Jackson from their practice squad for the matchup as well. Don’t be surprised if the rookie gets some extended playing time after faring well in earlier appearances this season.’
Bills’ Tyler Kroft had false-positive for COVID-19 according to spouse
‘According to Lexi Kroft, Tyler appears to have had a false positive test. Since that initial positive diagnosis, the Bills tight end has had five negative tests.’
Five takeaways: Bills run away from Dolphins behind explosive first half propelled by Allen, McKenzie
‘After a slow start to the first quarter, it was amazing to watch what the Bills were able to do against what had been one of the better defenses in the NFL this season.’
Sullivan: Merciless Bills primed for playoff run
‘But when an offense is rolling the way the Bills have been over the last 10 weeks, it must be hard to shut it down. For much of the season, it seemed no one could stop this offense, which had the fewest punts in the NFL and shattered the team scoring record with 501 points, becoming the 24th team in NFL history to reach 500.’
American Heritage grad Isaiah McKenzie’s career day helps crush Dolphins’ playoff dreams
‘Each time he crossed the plane, he smiled a massive smile and danced the salsa in the end zone at Bills Stadium. It’s what he does after every touchdown — not that there have been many in his four-year career — and this week he did it while stunning his hometown team.’
Buffalo Bills in ‘play to kill’ mode in win against Miami Dolphins
‘“It just shows this is a different Buffalo Bills football team [from the past],” Dawkins added. “We don’t have to get in [to the playoffs] on anybody’s back, on anybody’s pigtails or anyone’s blessing. This is all our doing. And it feels good to kick that front door down and sweep the [AFC] East.”’
Monday’s Miami Coverage
Stampede! Miami Dolphins awful, Tagovailoa shaky in season-ending loss to Bills (Miami Herald)
Miami Dolphins’ supposedly elite defense collapses against Bills with season on the line (Miami Herald)
Promising season for Dolphins, Tua ends in crushing collapse with embarrassment in Buffalo | Opinion (Miami Herald)
Dolphins have bigger issues than blowout loss. They must recall they’ve been here before | Opinion (Miami Herald)
American Heritage grad Isaiah McKenzie’s career day helps crush Dolphins’ playoff dreams (Miami Herald)
Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard joins rare company with 10-interception season (Miami Herald)
Tua, Dolphins trounced by Bills 56-26 in must-win game as Miami fails to make the playoffs (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Hyde: A bad Dolphins day, an ugly finish — and now an offseason riddle about Tua’s future at QB | Commentary (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Kelly: Blowout loss to Bills clarifies Dolphins’ offseason to-do list | Commentary (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Ryan Tannehill, Titans help Dolphins secure No. 3 pick in 2021 draft; Howard rebounds from significant injury to lead NFL in INTs (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
20 things we learned in the Miami Dolphins’ 56-26 loss to the Buffalo Bills (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Hyde10: Ten thoughts on Dolphins’ 56-26 debacle in Buffalo (South Florida Sun Sentinel)
5 Instant Takeaways: Miami Dolphins blasted at Buffalo Bills with playoffs on the line (Palm Beach Post)
Habib: How close are Miami Dolphins? How far? Impossible to say after this debacle (Palm Beach Post)
Schad: Don’t draft Tua Tagovailoa’s replacement, Dolphins, build around him (Palm Beach Post)
Miami Dolphins: On a day when Brian Flores said the entire team didn’t play well, the defense was particularly disappointing (Palm Beach Post)
Buffalo Bills in ‘play to kill’ mode in win against Miami Dolphins (Palm Beach Post)
It’s official: Miami Dolphins own No. 3 and No. 18 picks in 2021 NFL draft (Palm Beach Post)
Photo gallery (Palm Beach Post)
Fitzmagia was needed in New York. Dolphins drown on the edge of the playoffs (El Nuevo Herald)
Tua Tagovailoa: ‘It’s a bitter taste in our mouths’ (Birmingham News)
Dolphins Demolished in Finale by Buffalo, Eliminated From Playoff Contention (WTVJ-TV)
Dolphins Fall in Finale, 56-26 (MiamiDolphins.com)
Xavien Howard Becomes First NFL Player with 10 Interceptions Since 2007 (MiamiDolphins.com)
Dolphins-Bills Week 17 Inactives and Pregame Notes (MiamiDolphins.com)
Photo gallery 2 (MiamiDolphins.com)
Photo gallery 3 (MiamiDolphins.com)
Photo gallery 4 (MiamiDolphins.com)
Photo gallery 1 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery 2 (BuffaloBills.com)
Photo gallery (Buffalo News)
Photo gallery (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
What you need to know about the Colts’ playoff opponent: Buffalo Bills
‘Buffalo has a lower-third rushing defense, allowing 4.7 yards per carry and 26 rushing TDs. Opponents score on 65% of their red-zone possessions.’
How can Colts fans thank the Bills for their playoff hopes? Donate to Josh Allen’s charity
‘Allen, in partnership with John R. Oishei children’s hospital, has raised money in memory of Patricia Allen, the Bills quarterback’s grandmother who died in November. Donations “will directly support the hospital’s pediatric critical care team, which provides life-saving care to pediatric patients,” according to a news release by the Bills in December.’
Bills Eliminate Dolphins With 56-26 Rout; Set To Host Colts
‘In a season-ending game in which the Dolphins had far more riding on the outcome, the Bills put an empathic stamp on their breakthrough year with a 56-26 rout on Sunday. In clinching the AFC’s second seed, Buffalo will host its first playoff game in 24 years by facing the the Frank Reich-coached Indianapolis Colts next Saturday at 1 :05 p.m. EST.’
Bills close with 56-26 win over Miami, set to face Colts
‘Buffalo (13-3) finished with a season-best 501 points scored, matched a franchise record for victories set in 1990 and ’91, and looked nothing like the inconsistent team that finished last season by squandering a 16-0 second-half lead in a 22-19 overtime loss at the Houston Texans in an AFC wild-card game.’
Isaiah McKenzie’s monster first half gives Bills big lead against Dolphins
‘Less than two minutes after reeling in a touchdown pass from Josh Allen, McKenzie fielded the punt at the Bills’ 16-yard line and weaved through the Dolphins’ coverage team for his third touchdown of the first half.’
Dolphins at Bills score: Buffalo secures the No. 2 seed in the AFC in blowout win over Miami
‘In one half of action, Allen completed 18 of his 25 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns while also throwing an interception. Two of those passing touchdowns fell into the arms of receiver Isaiah McKenzie, who had three total scores on the day and in the opening half. The other came courtesy of an 84-yard punt return that helped put Buffalo up by 18 points with just over five minutes to go prior to the half. Matt Barkley ended up relieving Allen in the second half, but Buffalo’s B Team continued to pour it on the Dolphins, outscoring them 28-20 over the final two quarters.’
The Bills are the team no one, including the Chiefs wants to see in the playoffs, plus Week 17 insider notes
‘The Bills crushed the Dolphins 56-26 in a game Miami needed for their playoff hopes. And maybe we didn’t see a 30-point win coming, but it’s in line with what the Bills have been doing to teams in recent weeks.’
Bills’ Stefon Diggs literally flossing on sideline gives us great Kevin Harlan broadcast call
‘At least Diggs should count as a great role model for youngsters who don’t like to floss. He entered Week 17 leading the NFL with 120 catches and 1,459 yards. His offseason acquisition via trade from Minnesota has provided Allen with a true No. 1 receiver in a breakout year for Allen and the Buffalo offense.’
Bills blow past Dolphins in regular season finale
‘The Isaiah McKenzie show wasn’t over with just the pair of receiving scores. The receiver added to his already impressive performance with an 84-yard punt return touchdown, the first by a Bills player since 2014, stretching the lead to 21-3 with 5:22 remaining until halftime. McKenzie finished the game with six catches for 65 yards to go along with his two scores.’
Josh Allen sets franchise record for passing yards in a season
‘While many believe this year’s MVP race is between Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes, Allen has certainly put himself into the conversation with the season he has had. He also has Bills fans beaming with optimism as the playoffs approach.’
Bills to face Colts in AFC Wild Card Round
‘The Colts (11-5) were able to earn the seventh seed in the AFC Playoffs on Sunday with a 28-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. They earned the final seed in the AFC after getting some help from the Bills earlier in the day, who beat the Dolphins, 56-26 to drop Miami to 10-6 and out of the playoffs.’