Two Bills Drive

'Remember, the Bills' opening-day roster was the second-oldest in the NFL. That means they're loaded with veterans who don't necessarily see themselves as having long-term futures with a team that has stocked up on all those extra draft picks for next year. That means they have a bunch of guys whose pride and self interests are absolutely attached to Sunday's game and the 14 that follow it — and nothing more.'

'Olsen ranked No. 2 in the NFL in receiving yards last season with 1,073 and fourth in catches with 80. He was a home-run acquisition when the Panthers traded to get him from Chicago in 2011. Now in his 11th season, Olsen has 7,383 receiving yards, eighth all time among NFL tight ends. He should move up to No. 5 by the end of this season. The Panthers attack defenses with Olsen up the seams, and they use him on corner patterns as a Cover 2 beater. Bills safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer will have their hands full keeping him from making a big play.'

'Seattle was in a Cover 3 zone. Cam Newton (1) froze All-Pro free safety Earl Thomas (29) after taking the shotgun snap by looking right. Then he threw a bullet to Olsen in the end zone. Cornerback Jeremy Lane (20) was covering the deep third of the field and stayed directly on Olsen's hip. But despite Lane's good position, the 6-foot-5 Olsen leaped over him for the catch. Look for Carolina to test the Bills' new defensive secondary with Olsen down the seam.'

'"When you say that I've deteriorated, I'll prove to you that I'm not. At that time, I was 263, 264 pounds. I'm 247 now. I'm ready to run. I'm ready to play. I'm obviously doing a good job here. They like it. I'm going to show you and the rest of the league I haven't deteriorated."'

'Sully: I guess there's a question in there somewhere. Yes, the Bills' offensive line is better than average. They're one of the best run-blocking teams in the league. They've led the NFL in rushing yards and average per carry two years straight, so it's hard to argue with the evidence.'

'Kuechly is the clear anchor of Carolina's defensive efforts, and it's been that way since he first stepped on the field in 2012. That year, he was PFF's No. 7 inside linebacker. His grade in 2013 led to a No. 8 ranking. The following season, he jumped to first place where he stayed until he was unseated in 2016, but only fell to the No. 2 spot. He's everywhere. His linebacker mate Thomas Davis is a smart, fluid, impact player, too. He was PFF's No. 12 4-3 outside linebacker last season and No. 8 the year before.'

'Game temperature: 83-86.'

'The new look made its first on-field appearance July 27, 1974, at Canton, Ohio, against the St. Louis Cardinals at the annual Hall of Fame Game. Its debut was overshadowed by the lack of, well, any established member of the Buffalo Bills actually suiting up for the game.'

'The poll asked respondents who identified as NFL fans to rank their three favorite and least favorite teams. While the Patriots scored highly in each metric – ranking as the third most-liked team, with 16.4 percent of respondents putting them in their top three, and also the second least-liked team, with 26.2 percent listing them in their bottom three – the breakdown by fanbase was certainly interesting.'

'"But I'm going to give you a break, a warning," Rivera remembers the officer saying. "I saw the Bills frame on your license plate."'

'But that’s exactly what we expect from McDermott because that’s who he is in public. He’s going to stick to his script, answer questions as coach-speaky as possible, keep his personal feelings in the background, and do the job he came to Buffalo to do: Guide the Bills to victory over whoever they’re playing, whether it’s the Jets or his former team the Panthers.'

'“I was bummed when he left, I miss having him around,’’ said Kuechly, who will be certain to shake McDermott’s hand and give him a hug following Sunday’s Bills-Panthers clash at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. “He’s a great coach and a great person – that’s the thing you miss the most. But we’re all excited for him that he has this opportunity, working from the ground floor to get to where he is now. He really deserves it.’’'

'In addition to the large contingent of traveling fans, the Bills will also be well represented by Buffalonians that currently live in North Carolina. The team currently has 17 Bills Backer Bars in the state.'

'Meanwhile, the Bills are the type of team that like to use tight ends and running backs. Charles Clay and LeSean McCoy were the focal points of the offense in a win against the Jets. It would be tempting to overthink things and get away from your strengths, but the Bills need to feed McCoy. Yes, he's dealing with wrist and groin soreness, but if they have any chance of winning this game, the Bills need to let McCoy get rolling and try to wear down the front seven. It won't be as easy as it was against the Jets, but McCoy is matchup-proof.'

'Jackson tore through Purdue and North Carolina in consecutive weeks to start the season. He now faces his toughest test as he and Louisville get set to host Clemson in a game all college football fans will be glued to.'