Olean Times Herald

‘The Bills are scoring an impressive 31 points per game … but give up a way-too-generous 26. The last two games it’s even worse. In wins at Miami (31-28) and home with the Rams (35-32), Buffalo’s ‘D’ averaged surrendering 30 points and 444 yards in those games. The cliche is that “defense travels” so that isn’t good news for the Bills, who are at Las Vegas and Nashville the next two weeks.’

‘For the 10th time in 30 starts, he had fashioned the game-winning drive, eight of them fourth-quarter comebacks and that’s a statistic which can’t be dismissed as mere coincidence.’

‘The Bills have now started the season at least 3-0 for the 11th time in the franchise’s 61-year history. It’s the third time they’ve done it in consecutive years, as it also happened in 1964 and ‘65 and 1991 and ‘92.’

‘This is the stretch where we find out if the Bills are for real.’

‘But this will be L.A.’s first real test as Dallas is only 1-1 because of a miracle onside kick that sealed the Cowboys’ rally from 15 points down in the final five minutes against Atlanta. And Philadelphia is 0-2, the same record as Buffalo’s first two victims – the Jets and Dolphins – opened with.’

‘Sure enough, Buffalo is one of the NFL’s 11 remaining unbeatens courtesy of a 27-17 win over New York to begin the season and a 31-28 decision Sunday against the Dolphins in Florida. But, it’s worth noting that both games were closer than they should have been, the first due to turnovers and missed field goals, the second because of the absence of two critical starting linebackers.’

‘Best of all, Allen ran a modest four times for 18 yards and didn’t suffer any of the big hits he absorbed earlier.’

‘Then, of course, with the loss of power at Hard Rock Stadium, WGR engineers had to find a way to get Murphy and Tasker a video signal even though none was available from CBS. Of course, their broadcast was not only disrupted by the 20-plus minute power outage that knocked out the network telecast, but also the 36-minute lightning delay that necessitated the Bills’ broadcast crew unexpectedly having to fill that half hour.’

‘The only healthy starter is A.J. Klein, the free agent signee from New Orleans. Meanwhile, Tyrel Dodson, a practice squadder last season who was also injured in the opener (neck), will start for Edmunds. That leaves two linebackers, currently on the practice squad – former Bill Deon Lacey and trade acquisition Andre Smith, who was subsequently cut – vying for the other outside backer spot. Buffalo’s only other linebacker is kicking teams specialist Tyler Matakevich.’

‘“I’m excited to go against those guys,” he said. “I talk to (some of) those guys every week so I still keep a good relationship with (them). I’m looking forward to this game going against my former team, a place I’d been for four years and get the chance to play them.’

‘The Bills had only six linebackers active for the game and, at the end, that translated to only outside starter, A.J. Klein, the free agent from New Orleans, and former Steeler Tyler Matakevich, a kicking team specialist.’

‘Two of the Bills five-best defenders from its playoff-quality unit left the game with injuries and didn’t return. Tremaine Edmunds, one of the league’s elite middle linebackers, suffered a shoulder injury and big-play specialist, Matt Milano, an outside backer, endured a hamstring problem.’

‘Neither the Bills nor the Jets were on the field during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner or the video of the Black national anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Both teams decided, together, to remain in their respective locker rooms as a show of unity.’

‘Suddenly, New England’s situation didn’t seem so dire and it became clear the division will be decided by its QBs.’

‘Given that in 2019 Buffalo was second in the NFL in fewest points surrendered and third in least yards given up, it already had a playoff-quality defense in place.’