Stranded in Boston

Mosley is a very good linebacker, but let's not overdo it. First, Mosley WAS on the field for Singletary's first long run, during which he took an initial bad angle, was bullied by a pulling Mitch Morse and got away with a late hit out of bounds (I don't imagine Jerry Hughes would have dodged that!). Also, Mosley had his fair share of fortuitous bounces during the game. His pick-6 was a physics-defying gift -- and on the play he deflected the ball away from John Brown in the end zone, the ball somewhat miraculously hit his outstretched left hand (he never looked back on that play). So sure, Mosley played well, but it's a game of inches. Tre Edmunds had at least as good a game, but the talking heads ignore anybody whose name doesn't appear on the score sheet ...

You da man, Timekills! ? I was flying Thursday night and missed the game. ... BTW -- not to over-excuse Zay's drop at the goal line -- but it was striking to see that low-angle replay with the setting sun directly in his eyes. WRs rarely have to deal with that (although he still has to reel those in!). OTOH, hell of a throw by Josh! Also, I didn't hear much about Tremaine Edmunds after the game, but it sure was nice to see him slice through and get the TFL on the first play from scrimmage (with help from Shaq, who looked really great while he was out there).

Hmm, my view is that Hyde does not move forward more than one yard from the (dug-out) goal line. Ball is snapped at the 2; ergo Aiken's contact is >1 yard from LOS. But I could imagine somebody seeing it differently. Just good thing for us you weren't ref'ing that day, Cripple! Also, I never understood the "blocked into the endzone" bit. Seems irrelevant to the rule at hand.

Agreed, Doc -- and I never understood the debate on this call. Aiken takes a good 2-1/2 steps/hops forward before he makes contact with Hyde. That's gotta be >1 yard beyond LOS. A receiver (or lineman) can legally block beyond one yard from LOS as long as continuing contact that initiated within one yard, but Aiken's initial contact looked pretty clearly beyond 1 yard; close, but clearly over. Hell, you can even measure the distance from the tracks in the snow. OTOH, if the Patriots had been running that play, I can imagine the outcome ... ?

Right on, Arcane! Actually, I usually start the semester by asking my students, "Anybody from Buffalo?". I usually get one or two hands up -- and then the rest of the term we'll be talking Bills & Sabres (all too often commiserating on Monday mornings ...). At some point some johnny-come-lately Pats fan in the class will complain to the administration that I'm favoring my homeboys/girls -- but LOL, I have tenure, so come at me!! ? But seriously, I'm proud that WNY is well-represented in the high-octane Boston academic community, and it's really great to add a guy like John Urschel!

Thanks Lime, fantastic story! I wonder if he is aware that his Mathematics department chair at MIT (Tom Mrowka, Kenmore East 1979) is also from Buffalo.

Wow, I was just thinking, "can't be THAT Ben Watson" ...

About time that some real mathematicians look into the Bills getting screwed on the schedule year after year! And as with any good scientific process, the results should be peer-reviewed. I would suggest that the chair of mathematics at MIT, Tom Mrowka, should be the lead reviewer (Buffalo native, LOL ? ).

I think signing that British rugby dude makes us the frontrunner ...

1974 MNF vs. Raiders. Bills lose lead on Jim Braxton fumble with only 1:15 left, but Joe Ferguson caps last-minute comeback drive with TD pass to Ahmad Rashad with only 26 seconds left. What a game ...

Most won''t remember him, but Lydell Mitchell was a beast for the Colts in the 1970s. Great shifty runner and prolific receiver out of the backfield (before it became fashionable). Another great back of the 70s-80s was Chuck Muncie, incredible combination of size, power and speed. The guy had stretches when he was damn near unstoppable. He scored 19 rushing TDs in 1981, I believe a record at the time. Muncie could have been the next Jim Brown -- if not for his cocaine habit.

You gotta love Tre White: "Kyle at fullback, what the hell?". Is that kid ever not smiling?

Hell yeah Pete! ? I've lived in Boston 34 years and always wear my Bills and Sabres gear proudly. I get a few sneers here and there from locals, but mostly Buffalo sports gear is a great way to attract fellow WNY transplants. We always stop and chat a few minutes; it drives my non-Buffalonian wife nuts! Last week we were heading out to Wegman's (we have one in Boston now -- but bummer, no Sahlen's hot dogs), and she said, "Do you really have to wear that hat?"

Well, you know, I've lived in Boston for 34 years, and you know, with time your feelings soften, blah blah, blah ... BS. I &^%$# HATE THE PATRIOTS WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING. And so do my kids. And so will their kids, so help me God. Amen. ?

RIP, big guy. I don't get to the Harp as often as I used to, but Charles was super friendly and always had something funny to say to my twin boys.

Wait a second -- the REAL Jimmy S always ends his posts with the "psst ... J-E-T-S" thing. I smell a rat.

Awesome story, OP, thanks. Ironically, given your moniker, I used to see Thurman's mom occasionally in Houston during the Bills glory years, where she worked at my local post office. We'd always chat about the Bills; super nice lady (although she also looked like wouldn't take any guff from a young Thurman!). Also, I remember Robb Riddick well. He toiled on some pretty crappy Bills teams in the mid-80s -- but the guy was absolute money from short yardage, goal line, etc. He got some serious air on those dive plays. Now we have big Josh for that!

yeah baby! I'll be there with my twin boys! Don't you love observing the few baffled Pats "fans" at the Harp, staring as us (200+ crazed Bills fans) with dazed looks on their faces, sipping their foofy craft beers at the bar ... ? for statistics aficionados: 2007-2014, bootstrap test, p < 0.00000000001 ...

Take it easy, dude; there's good and bad people everywhere (although I'll always maintain that WNYers are particularly friendly ). But before you buzz-saw off Mass, be aware that it has a lot of good things going for it -- super high employment/work opportunity, great public education systems and world-class universities, universal statewide health care, great public transportation, etc. Plus thousands of smart, selfless people working insane hours on really important stuff for all of us -- like medical research -- when they could be making a lot more money in finance or whatever. So ... sorry you didn't enjoy visiting Mass in your teens, but I'll bet you'll appreciate it as you get older -- and wiser. (That all said, I still can't stand these New England SOBs two weekends every fall, plus assorted Sabres-Bruins games -- not to mention that BS series-ending foul call on Bob McAdoo in the 1974 Braves-Celtics playoffs series ... )

Hi Punt, I don't post here often, but thought I'd add my two cents to your comment ... I moved from Buffalo to Boston 33 years ago. No doubt New England sports fans can be smug homers -- which is especially annoying given how many of them are band-wagon transplants to the area! But in the end, spectator sports are just entertainment, and the give-and-take between fan bases is all in good fun. For example, I always enjoy sparring with my students here before Bills-Pats games (and then usually lying low for a few days after!). However, it's a bit over the top to claim that "the Boston area is full of people that [sic] feel superior to others". There are lots of good folks here, just like back home in dear old WNY. I'll assume that was a typo, and you meant "sports fans" when you wrote "people". Have a good day -- and let's go Bills!

... and we'll of course have to play New England the week after both those moon games.

heck yes, K-9! My thoughts exactly ...

Jeff Glor, from Kenmore East, baby!!

Good stuff, guys. I've lived in Boston for 32 years. Luckily my wife is from Italy and doesn't give two ***** about the Pats (except that "Jimmy Garoppolo ees very cute!"). It was also a good thing that she married me before she observed me watching a Bills game. But I have to keep an eye on my kids, especially my twin boys. So far my propaganda efforts have been successful (maybe a little too much -- one time they stomped on the Pats logo at Foxboro, which forced us to run for our lives). But if those little bastards ever come home wearing any Pats gear ... ...

Awesome, Ocemur! It's all in good fun, but I've lived in Boston for 32 years now and enjoy the yearly sparring with my (bandwagon) Pats-fans medical students. This year I threatened to fail any of them who show up to my class wearing Pats gear. They all chuckled, so I followed it with a stone-cold rejoinder: "I have tenure, so there is nothing they could do to me if I fail you." That wiped the smile off their smug little faces -- except for one kid, who I found out after class is from WNY! Anyhow, we better beat those bastards this year or I'll never hear the end of it!!!