Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘Danny Kellington is now the vice president of player health and performance for the Carolina Panthers, and on Sunday, he’ll be on the opposite sideline as the Buffalo Bills visit Carolina on Sunday.’

‘In a game where the Bills were down just 21-14 with nearly 25 minutes left to play, James Cook had five touches the rest of the way, a big reason why Buffalo’s last four possessions ended with a turnover on downs, two punts, and an interception producing no points, a mere 83 yards and six first downs.’

‘Between coaching hires, executives, free-agent signings and trades — remember Kelvin Benjamin? — the two franchises have shared dozens of personnel since 2017. What began as a front-office connection eight years ago has turned into one of the NFL’s most consistent pipelines.’

‘“I was screaming at the TV sometimes,” Hoecht said. “Honestly, it’s tough to do when you don’t exactly know what the play call is and what’s going on. You’re just trying to – everything’s new. It’s so different because most of the football I watch (on film), I kind of know the play call and there’s so many times I was watching the game and I just wanted to skip to the next play because I’m doing it how I usually watch film. You just don’t get to do that. I got to enjoy being a football fan for a couple times and then the second that the film got pushed to our iPads, I was there the next morning trying to figure out what happened.”’

‘Coach Sean McDermott said Wednesday that the Bills’ two starting linebackers, Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano, would only be limited participants as the team returned to work following its bye week to begin preparing for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.’

‘On the final play — which the Bills nicknamed “Big Ben,” one that had also worked for a touchdown back in a 1979 game I attended against the Jets — Hooks, Jerry Butler and Frank Lewis lined up on the right side of the formation. They all ran to the end zone and Ferguson threw it up for grabs. There were six Patriots defending, and linebacker Mike Hawkins got a hand on the ball, but it caromed right to Hooks who hauled it in.’

‘Now riding a two-game losing streak, the Bills’ five-year reign atop the AFC East suddenly looks tenuous because the Patriots are a vastly improved team, and they have one of the easiest remaining schedules. Meanwhile the Bills, who certainly had it easy early, now enter the teeth of their slate and yes, that includes Sunday’s game against the Panthers, a team that has won three in a row for the first time since 2021.’

‘However, it was the Bills who did the bullying. They nearly ran the Patriots out of Rich Stadium during a 20-point first-quarter scoring binge that proved just enough in Buffalo’s 30-28 victory as the Bills moved into a first-place tie with New England at 5-1.’

‘While it was true the Bills were far from perfect as the offense committed four turnovers, they did outgain Minnesota 373-276, and Orton orchestrated a 15-play, 80-yard drive in the final three minutes to pull out the victory, which was a breakout game for Watkins.’

‘“We had a ‘check with me play’ and Thurman thought I called the other play,” Flutie said. “It was a busted play, it wasn’t a naked bootleg. I basically ran the play for Thurman, but the blocks were made, the play was there and I walked into the end zone.”’

‘Others around me did the same. As the game warmed up, so did we. We were all packed in like sardines and buzzing off the energy of each touchdown and field goal scored by our Buffalo Bills.’

‘Todd Schlopy grew up in Orchard Park and after a career as a World Cup skier didn’t pan out, he went to the University of Michigan and while earning a degree in film study, he was a kickoff specialist for two seasons playing for legendary Wolverines coach Bo Schembechler in the early 1980s.’

‘Frank Reich brought the Bills back from 35-3 down to a 41-38 overtime victory over the Houston Oilers in the 1992 AFC wild-card playoff round, and it was the even more unlikely Todd Collins who rallied the Bills from a 26-0 deficit on this day in 1997 to defeat the Indianapolis Colts 37-35.’

‘But in 1976 when they went 2-12, and then in 1977 when they went 3-11 the Bills were the dregs of the NFL. Even their wins were ugly, such as this one which ranks as one of the ugliest of them all.’

‘It’s difficult for salary cap-strained teams to make game-changing additions at the deadline because the caliber of player needed is going to be costly. The Bills have only around $2.5 million available, second-fewest ahead of only the Giants, so general manager Brandon Beane – whose roster construction of the 2025 team is coming under big-time fire – will have to be willing to move a very good player from his roster to acquire another very good player.’