‘“There’s narratives every week. One week you’re on top of the mountain and the next you’re down in the valley … there’s ebbs and flows. That’s taking it one week at a time and teaching those guys how important it is to have that mindset of not to get too low when things aren’t going great and not to get too high when they’re going fairly well.”’
Archives for December 30, 2021
‘He’s very resilient’: Bills LT Dion Dawkins comes back from second bout with Covid-19
‘“This time, it was more so cut and dry. Like, ‘Look, I don’t want you to come near me at all. I don’t want you to see me,’ ” he said. “It was more so like playing the keep-away game with my family. … I didn’t want them to get Covid helping me. I just tried to stay away, because the first time I did it wrong, and everybody got sick, and it was scary.”‘
Mark Gaughan: Stefon Diggs compares self to superhero, but he’s no diva
‘The point is Diggs is tougher than he looks. You might expect some highly paid superstar receivers to show a little softness, avoid contact. Not Diggs. He doesn’t play like a diva receiver, and he doesn’t carry himself like a stereotypical diva. Me, me, me.’
Bills activate Beasley, Davis, Feliciano and Epenesa off reserve/Covid-19 list
‘The change comes in accordance with new CDC guidance, the league said. Regardless of vaccination status, players, essential football personnel and essential football support can return in five days if they meet certain requirements, including 24 hours passing since the person has had a fever without the use of fever-reducing medicine; other symptoms have resolved or improved; team medical staff consults and determines the person can return; and local requirements are met.’
Erik Brady: Why the ‘No Punt Game’ was one of the best games ever played
‘Jim Kelly and Steve Young did: Both passed for more than 400 yards. That kind of thing would be noteworthy even in today’s pass-happy NFL, but was a double rarity then. In fact, Kelly’s 406 yards made him the first Bills quarterback to break the 400-yard barrier. The teams combined for 1,086 yards of offense – and Bills General Manager Bill Polian joked about how it all seemed less like football and more like a track meet.’
Alan Pergament: Bills-Pats game gets Super Bowl-like rating; Ch. 7 adds reporter to ‘Problem Solvers’ team
‘Sunday’s game hit a high rating of 58.0 at 4 p.m. during the Bills clinching drive in the final 15 minutes of the game. The share hit 84, which means 84% of WNY households with their TVs were watching, meaning only 16% were watching something else.’
Change to CDC quarantine guidelines helps Bills get key players back on field
‘In the case of Feliciano, his 10-day quarantine period was already up, but the other three were all still inside that window and it appears the Tuesday decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the quarantine period for asymptomatic people who tested positive from 10 days to five enabled them to get back on the field.’
Buffalo Bills vs. Atlanta Falcons: Here’s what McDermott, players are saying
‘Perhaps the most dangerous weapon for the Atlanta offense is triple threat runner/receiver/returner Cordarelle Patterson, and Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs knows more about him than any other member on the team.’
Bills activate Cole Beasley, Gabriel Davis off Covid list early, one day after NFL updates protocols
‘With Beasley and Davis back in the mix, the Bills have a lot of mouths to feed all of a sudden in their offense. Backup slot receiver Isaiah McKenzie had another big-time performance subbing in for Beasley. McKenzie caught a game-high 11 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. Last season he had two touchdowns against the Miami Dolphins in the season finale with Beasley out with a leg injury.’
Bills’ Sean McDermott on the Falcons: ‘This is a good football team coming in here’
‘On the Buffalo fans: “We love playing at home. We love playing in front of our fans. We get greeted at the airport probably unlike any other team that I’ve been around. It’s pretty special to see that outpouring of love and appreciation for the way the players played. I really appreciated that. It’s always special for us to play here in Buffalo.”’
Thursday’s Atlanta Coverage
Falcons’ Foye Oluokun settling in at middle linebacker (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Falcons’ outbreak up to 12 players on reserve/COVID-19 list (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Oluokun named NFC defensive player of the week (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Falcons’ Arthur Smith on Kitchings: ‘We’ll talk about that at the end of the season’ (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Bills’ Sean McDermott on the Falcons: ‘This is a good football team coming in here’ (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
Falcons make a flurry of reserve/COVID-19 moves (AtlantaFalcons.com)
Examining the effects of COVID-19 spike for the Falcons (AtlantaFalcons.com)
Falcons injury report: Updating status Fabian Moreau of as Bills practice week begins (AtlantaFalcons.com)
The Falcons claim QB Matt Barkley off waivers (AtlantaFalcons.com)
Falcons LB Foye Oluokun named NFC defensive player of the week (AtlantaFalcons.com)
Bair Mail: On Kyle Pitts in the red zone, Matt Ryan and Arthur Smith partnership, Falcons role players and more (AtlantaFalcons.com)
McKenzie’s Unwavering Self-Confidence Provides Bills A Boost
‘“He’s scrappy. He’s hungry,” Allen said. “He’s competitive as heck, and that’s what makes him who he is.”’
Cole Beasley, Jon Feliciano among four Buffalo Bills players off reserve/COVID-19 list
‘The Bills were able to bring back those four players in part due to the new isolation time for players with COVID-19 agreed to by the NFL and NFL Players Association on Tuesday. Isolation time has now been set at five days for all players — vaccinated or unvaccinated — who test positive for COVID-19, so long as the player is asymptomatic or can demonstrate that his symptoms are resolving. This is in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.’
New COVID-19 protocols allow Bills to activate Cole Beasley, Gabriel Davis, others prior to Week 17
‘That change has a direct impact on players like Beasley and Davis, who were initially expected to miss the full 10 days due to their unvaccinated status and positive tests that forced them to miss last week’s win in New England.’
Bills activate four players from Reserve/COVID-19 list
‘Feliciano has missed the past two games for Buffalo after being placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list just before kickoff in Week 15 against the Carolina Panthers. He will be a welcomed addition back to the offensive line, especially after Ike Boettger was lost for the season this past week due to an Achilles injury.’
Cole Beasley, Gabriel Davis among Buffalo Bills players activated off Reserve/COVID-19 list
‘All four missed last Sunday’s game against New England. Feliciano and Feliciano missed the game against Carolina as well.’
Bills get Cole Beasley, Gabriel Davis back from Covid list
‘It will be interesting to see how the Bills split up play time this week at wide receiver. Isaiah McKenzie had a career day last week against the Patriots while Davis and Beasley were out, catching 11 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.’
How the Bills can clinch a playoff spot this week
‘If the Bills beat the Falcons and the Ravens lose to the Rams (11-4), that locks the Bills into a playoff spot.’
Buffalo Bills activate 4 players from COVID-19 list
‘In addition, McDermott says defensive tackle Star Lotulelei also returned to practice on Wednesday. However, McDermott did not specify whether Lotulelei would be playing this weekend against the Atlanta Falcons, saying they’re going to take it “one day at a time.”‘
Bills get Beasley, 3 others back from COVID list
‘For Feliciano, the previous rule of 10 days is now finished. But for Epenesa, Beasley, and Davis, the new five-day rule allows Buffalo to activate them.’
Madden’s influence on the Bills + other things we learned from the locker room
‘”Everyone’s talking about the Madden game,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said. “That’s how I learned football, playing that game as a kid, learning the rules, learning the penalties. So that game has had a huge impact on me. And my heart goes out to his family because he affected so many people throughout his life for the better and he was one of the good ones.”‘
Bills activate Cole Beasley, Gabriel Davis, Jon Feliciano and A.J. Epenesa from reserve/COVID-19 list
‘Cam Lewis and Cody Ford remain on the reserve/COVID-19 list and tight end Quintin Morris is on the practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list.’
How the Bills can clinch a 2021 AFC playoff spot | Week 17
‘The NFL announced the following scenario for the Buffalo Bills to clinch their fourth playoff berth in five seasons. Here’s what needs to happen.’