Olean Times Herald

‘The reality is, Wood made millions of dollars while enjoying nearly double the career length of the average NFL player. Best of all, he emerged with his health … at least as healthy as a pro football player can be at career’s end.’

‘His reaction was as close as he would come to criticism, but clearly he had reached the breaking point as Dennison was gone within five days after that playoff defeat … the first victim of what figures to be numerous off-season changes – both coaches and players – for Buffalo.’

‘Still only 28, and in his physical prime, some of the former Virginia Tech star’s numbers are compelling. In 45 games with Buffalo, he had an impressive 51-19 touchdown-to-interception ratio. But critics argue that his reluctance to throw over the middle, or down the field, mitigated those numbers. And, each season, his TD pass totals have dropped from 20, to 17, to 14 this year. Worse, Tyrod’s main weapon, his legs, were the least productive in his three seasons, 454 yards, compared to 568 and 580 his first two years.’

‘But Dennison put an exclamation on his dubious choice of plays with a totally botched series late in the second quarter of Sunday’s season-ending loss when Buffalo seemed set to take a 7-0 lead.’

‘Quarterback Tyrod Taylor, fresh from being outplayed by Blake Bortles in the loss to the Jags, seems to have written his ticket out of Buffalo. Selling an optimistic view of 2018 to Bills fans would be difficult, if not impossible, if Taylor returned as starting QB. And given that they can avoid an $18 million salary cap hit if he’s waived before mid-March, it’s likely he’s history with Buffalo.’

‘But it was his dubious play-calling when Buffalo had an ideal opportunity for the game’s first touchdown that left both first-year head coach Sean McDermott and several players flummoxed.’

‘Trouble is, Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor showcased his shortcomings, displaying his troubling inaccuracy (17-of-37 through the air with an interception, translating to an anemic 44.2 passer rating).’

‘The point is this … enjoy today’s game against the Jaguars, win or lose, for what it is, the end of an agonizing era, but not necessarily the beginning of a bright new future.’

‘“The good thing about adversity and this team is that we’ve proved to be able to stay focused through the midst of whatever happens,” Taylor said. “We want the best for Shady. If he’s healthy, we want him absolutely to be out there playing and giving us his all. He’s a special playmaker; you miss him if he’s not out there, but at the same time, we can’t use it as an excuse. We’ll pick him up if he’s not out there.’

‘So, on the day before the Bills return to the postseason against the Jaguars in Jacksonville, here are some memories from my Buffalo playoff Rolodex…’.

‘In any case, he was a different coach his second year with Buffalo, going from being a folksy, willing interviewee with a self-deprecating sense of humor, to a prickly, easily-irritated man who became confrontational with the media.’

‘“I felt really nervous at first that the Bills were going to blow it at the end. Then they came through and we were like, ‘OK.’ Then it was anxiety all over again because now we have to hope the other team does what they need to do,” said Anastasia, who watched the game with friends at Don’s Semi-Friendly Tavern, where she bartends in addition to her job at St. Bonaventure University. “We cried a little bit, not going to lie. It was a good feeling,”’

‘Only seven Bills on the active roster or injured reserve (60 players total) were coached by Marrone but you can bet the front-office survivors would like nothing better than to see the franchise’s current edition beat him in the playoffs … on his homefield.’

‘So here’s how the anxiety unfolded trying to keep track of the four teams bidding for two AFC wild-card playoffs spots all with 4:25 p.m. kickoffs…’.

‘He added, “(This organization) is in a position that we haven’t been in, this city hasn’t been in, for a number of years. To me, there’s an electricity about it this time of year to be in this type of situation. It’s a situation that our guys have earned and I’m proud of them for it.”‘