26CornerBlitz

Kyle Williams to Retire After the 2018 Season Finale Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams took a few months last offseason before deciding to return to play in 2018. Making a similar decision about his playing future this time around took considerably less time. The five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle has decided that his 13th NFL season will be his last. In an open letter to Bills fans, Williams explained why now is the time for him to call it a career. There’s no perfect time to retire from a game, a franchise, and a city that mean so much to me and my family. But it’s time to hang up my cleats. A singular word sticks out when I look back on my NFL career. Grateful. To have spent this much time with one team. To have had the opportunity to get to know this organization, this community, and more importantly, the people. To have raised my family here. To have made countless memories and friendships, on and off the field. Thank you to the Pegulas, to the Wilson family, to my teammates, to Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane, to my family, and to the fans. I’ve been at this a really long time but it doesn’t feel like it, and that’s a testament to your unwavering support. I could not be more grateful to retire as a lifelong Buffalo Bill.

Kyle Williams to Retire with Sunday as his Final Game!

WR Corps > WR Core. At any rate, I believe the Bills need a legit #1 WR that will command the attention of opposing defenses on every play. They may have the makings of that guy in Robert Foster, but if not they should acquire one.

Subscription required for full access: ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Before Robert Foster burst onto the scene with 490 yards in a six-game stretch for the Bills, the undrafted rookie receiver was terrorizing Alabama defensive backs in practice. Ben Setas is now Foster’s agent, but from 2011 to 2015 he worked with Alabama’s football program in a variety of areas, including recruiting. He remembers Alabama going up to Pennsylvania to lure Foster, one of the nation’s top receiver prospects in the country, down to the SEC. He also remembers the way Alabama’s laundry list of future NFL cornerbacks reacted when they had to line up across from Foster in practice. “They couldn’t cover the guy,” Setas said. “I remember (Bears defensive back) Eddie Jackson saying, ‘I would rather cover Amari (Cooper) or somebody than Robert Foster.’ Coach Saban used to say it all the time in staff meetings: ‘I’ve never seen somebody hurt our defense on scout team like this guy has. We have to find a way to play this guy.’ You could see it in practice.” The puzzling part for NFL teams is that you rarely saw the same production in games. Foster finished his college career with 35 catches for 389 yards and three touchdowns. He already has more yards in the NFL. “When we watched the film on Robert, the two things that stand out are his size and the vertical speed,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said. “Now you have to do some digging. What’s going on? Why is he not one of these big-time productive receivers?”

This play is an example of how much Milano and Taron Johnson were missed.

The idea of the Bears as the model for the Bills to follow with a strong defense and a young QB to support with a good supporting cast has been widely discussed here on TSW.

Bills Today: This Veteran Says Something Special is Brewing at One Bills Drive

O'Reilly Scores to Help Blues Defeat Sabres FINAL: Sabres 1 - Blues 4 Buffalo falls to St. Louis in the first game back from the holiday break. LEXUS POSTGAME REPORT From the Locker Room: Sabres-Blues The Sabres fell to the Blues 4-1 on Thursday night in St. Louis. Jack Eichel scored the lone goal in the second period on the power play and Carter Hutton stopped 28 of 32 shots faced. The Blues' second and third goals came just 54 seconds apart midway through the second period, putting the Sabres in a 3-0 hole. Eichel's goal made the score 3-1 but that was as close as Buffalo would get to a comeback. Former Sabre Ryan O'Reilly scored the Blues' fourth goal of the game to seal the win. Let's go inside the Sabres locker room to hear from Eichel, Hutton, Marco Scandella and head coach Phil Housley following the Sabres' loss to St. Louis:

Doubtful. The picks will be used to fortify the roster as will the available cap space to sign UFAs. There may be a trade or two, but that won't be the focus of the offseason.

Earlier this month, the Bills suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Dolphins 21-17 when tight end Charles Clay dropped a pass in the end zone which would have won the game. Bills quarterback Josh Allen hasn’t forgotten how he and his teammates felt after the game and he is looking to rewrite his wrong this Sunday in the rematch against the Dolphins at New Era Field. When asked about the game on Dec. 2, Allen says it still stings a bit. “I relived it a few times,” Allen said according to the Bills official website. “It’s one of those plays where it (stinks),” Allen said. Allen’s game against the Dolphins was arguably his best as a professional. He completed 18 of 33 for 231 yards and two touchdowns, along with rushing for 135 yards. However, Allen made a few critical mistakes that included two interceptions in the loss.

Down 3-1 after 2 periods. Another comeback win?

While not expected to be a Kyle Williams-type pass-rusher, Star Lotulelei has performed much better in all aspects for the Buffalo Bills over the last half of the regular season than he did in the first half of it. After registering a pressure of Tom Brady in Week 16's loss to the New England Patriots, the free-agent acquisition has three consecutive games with at least one quarterback pressure. He's created a pressure on three of his last 37 pass-rush attempts, good for a 8.1 percent pressure rate. In his first three contests as a member of the Bills, Lotulelei recorded two pressures on 58 pass-rush snaps, which equates to a 3.4 percent pressure rate. at New England Star Lotulelei Trent Murphy Harrison Phillips Jordan Phillips Pressures/Pass-rush snaps 1/13 0/12 0/8 1/5 Impact tackles 0 0 0 1 Missed tackles 0 0 0 1 All-22 Analysis: Where Was Star Lotulelei? The Buffalo Bills lost to the New England Patriots this past Sunday, which isn’t exactly anything new. And just like he always does, Tom Brady tore apart the Bills with his arm going 12-for-24, for 126 yards. He had one touchdown through the air and two interceptions. Brady’s 48.3 passer rating was light years ahead of Brian Hoyer’s 39.6. Hoyer attempted one pass in garbage time when Brady was pulled for his safety. If you’re curious, the pass was incomplete. Yep. Good Ol’ Touchdown Tom did it again. I doubt the 273 rushing yards the Patriots had were a major factor. Let’s um, check in on our run-stopping defensive tackle Star Lotulelei. For no particular reason at all. WARNING: Since many people are on vacation, I assumed you all have plenty of time for extra studying this week.

Rochester NY: CIN-PIT to CLE-BAL

Jerry Hughes: Flip the Switch (7:16) On Sundays, Jerry Hughes is known as a fiery pass rusher. The rest of the time he's known as Dad. Hughes describes the balance between football and family on this episode of Beyond Blue and Red.

Some of you need this help.

UPDATES: Norfolk VA; Raleigh NC; Harrisburg PA; Charleston and Beckley WV: JAX-HOU to NYJ-NE Erie PA: JAX-HOU to MIA-BUF