Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘When the final gun sounded on this momentous 17-7 victory, you would have thought the Bills had won the Super Bowl. Fans poured onto the field to celebrate and they tore down both goal posts which I’m almost certain was the first time that had ever happened in Week 1 of any NFL season.’

‘The $2.1 billion project included a record $850 million in public money, $600 million from New York State and $250 million from Erie County.’

‘However, he did reveal Friday morning during his weekly segment with WGR-550 radio in Buffalo that neither cornerback Tre’Davious White or kicker Tyler Bass will practice Friday, meaning they have missed the entire week and that obviously does not bode well for the availability.’

‘The first game I attended was on Oct. 4, 1970 at the old Rockpile downtown, War Memorial Stadium, a beautiful Sunday afternoon when the Bills were hosting Joe Namath and the Jets. If I wasn’t quite hooked before that day, I was by the time the Bills pulled off a thrilling 34-31 upset of the team that had shocked the world two seasons prior by winning the third Super Bowl, the first by an AFL team against the established NFL.’

‘Buffalo signed Prater to the practice squad Thursday as uncertainty lingered around starter Tyler Bass, who was placed on injured reserve with a hip/groin injury on Friday afternoon. The Bills could elevate Prater and hand him foot duties starting with Sunday Night Football.’

‘Bass had been a model of durability, playing in all 83 games since Buffalo drafted him in 2020. He has 657 career points and has made 131 of 155 field goal attempts (84.5%), with a franchise-record 16 of 50 yards or more.’

‘“I didn’t know what the mood of the fans and the city of Buffalo would be because I had said I wouldn’t be a Buffalo Bill,” Kelly said, “but the reception I had at the airport and coming down the Thruway with all the banners and the people lined up on the overpasses waving to me, it was very exciting, unbelievable. I never thought I’d get that kind of reception. It was nuts. I’d always heard Buffalo fans were crazy, but you can’t imagine what that day was like.”’

‘The festivities will kick off with DJ Naps from Breakthrough Entertainment at noon. At 1 p.m. fans can watch the Bills take on the New York Jets on two 144-square-foot outdoor digital screens with full sound. The 4 p.m. NFL games will be shown as well. East Avenue will be blocked off from Alexander to Lawrence Streets for the occasion.’

‘Over the past 50-plus years, Highmark Stadium, Rich Stadium, “The Ralph” — whatever you prefer to call it — has become a sanctuary for the millions of Bills fans that have walked through its gates.’

‘The team announced the signing of NFL veteran kicker Matt Prater to the practice squad, and that could be an indication that Tyler Bass’ ongoing pelvic area soreness is lingering. And sure enough, Bass was a non-participant in practice Thursday so that could mean that he’s not going to play Sunday when the Bills host the Ravens in the season opener at Highmark Stadium.’

‘Just nine months earlier the Bills had beaten Dan Marino and the Dolphins 44-34 in a divisional playoff game, but despite scoring nine fewer points, they were even more explosive in this game as they rang up a team-record 582 yards of total offense.’

‘After 18 consecutive losses to the Dolphins, victory was finally right there for the Bills on a rain-drenched opening day, and then it was gone. Dempsey, who had signed with Buffalo in 1978 and performed well so he was brought back in 1979, had an opportunity to forge his name into Bills’ lore by simply making a 34-yard kick on the final play of the game.’

‘Then there was the forever fight regarding location. A 1967 study proposed four alternatives: Building it right where The Rockpile stood on the East side; another downtown site at the foot of Main Street which is where Key Bank Arena now stands as the home of the Buffalo Sabres; a parcel at McKinley and Milestrip in Hamburg where the McKinley Mall was later built; and in Amherst near the new UB North Campus.’

‘There has never been a running back as big as Henry who is as fast as Henry, and what’s amazing about him as he goes into his second season with Baltimore and his 10th in the NFL is that he hasn’t diminished in any way. In fact, playing behind the Ravens’ outstanding offensive line, his 1,921 yards was his second-best year behind only the 2,027 yards he gained for Tennessee in 2020.’

‘When you think of the Baltimore Ravens’ offense, it’s hard to ignore a running game that led the NFL at 188 yards per game in 2024 with Derrick Henry crushing defenses for 1,921 yards, and Lamar Jackson dazzling them with 915 yards.’