Tag: bills raiders

Power rankings: Woah, the Bills in the top-3?

Buffalo Bills in top-three in some national power rankings heading into Week 4.

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It’s easy to wonder where the Buffalo Bills list in NFL power rankings after going 3-0… Especially with other top teams competing for the top spots. 

So how did this week’s standings look around national news outlets? Let’s say the Bills have continued to earn more attention.

It’s incredible to hear Buffalo mentioned among the league’s elite squads. The Bills and quarterback Josh Allen continue to be the talk of the NFL. Moving even further up from last week, the even has cracked the top-five of multiple lists.

Here’s this week’s power ranking poll roundup for the Bills as they head into Week 4:

USA TODAY

10. Bills (11)

QB Josh Allen’s growth has been impressive. But defense’s regression to date is startling. Buffalo didn’t beat Rams on Sunday, officials did.

Touchdown Wire

3. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 6)

Yes, Bills quarterback Josh Allen became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to rack up at least 700 passing yards, six touchdown passes, and zero interceptions in his team’s first two games of a season. And as the other guys to do that are Peyton Manning in 2013, Tom Brady in 2015, and Patrick Mahomes last season, that’s pretty impressive. But after two less than amazing seasons in 2018 and 2019, it’s fair to say that the world wanted to see something more from Allen — like, a comeback win against a defense that did not so much resemble 11 tomato cans.

Enter the Rams, the 28-3 lead the Bills opened up on the Rams, the Rams’ ability to come back and take a fourth-quarter lead (of course they did, down 28-3), and Allen’s subsequent ability to lead his team downfield under tremendous pressure )both literal and figurative) for the eventual win. Now, after that, Allen is the fourth quarterback with at least 1,000 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, and a rating of 120 or higher through his team’s first three games of a season in NFL history, along with Peyton Manning in 2013, Ryan Fitzpatrick (no, really) in 2018, and Patrick Mahomes last season.

Their quarterback is starting to look like a For Real guy, and if that’s the case, the Bills are going to be a very tough out all season long.

Sports Illustrated 

7. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

Last week: Win vs. Los Angeles Rams 35-32
Next week: at Las Vegas

Josh Allen has passed for more than 300 yards in each game, rattling off 10 TDs with only one interception. He’s sent a message to those skeptical of how big a leap forward he’d take in his third season—myself included—and the role Stefon Diggs has played in that leap has so far justified the draft capital Buffalo gave up to trade for an ace receiver.

NFL.com

6. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

It’s not often that a team gives up 29 unanswered points in a game and still wins, but this is 2020 and the Bills have a little bit of magic to them right now. Josh Allen played hero once again, accounting for five total TDs against the Rams, including the game-winner to Tyler Kroft with 15 seconds remaining on the clock. The Bills had watched a 28-3 lead turn into a 32-28 deficit by that point, but Buffalo avoided catastrophe with its 11-play, 75-yard drive aided by a bacon-saving fourth-down pass-interference call that directly preceded the Kroft score. The Bills are 3-0 and Allen has 12 total touchdowns (10 passing, two rushing) through three weeks, a team record.

Pro Football Talk

4. Bills (No. 5; 3-0)

They nearly fell victim to the most dangerous lead in football, in a stadium that knows a thing or two about the evaporation of a major second-half lead.

Sporting News

5. Buffalo Bills 3-0 (4)

Josh Allen wants in on the MVP conversation and proved to Jalen Ramsey and the Rams he’s far from “trash.” He should be more treasured as a clutch QB, locked with Stefon Diggs. A better traditional running game and closing defense would be nice, though.

Yahoo! Sports

3. Buffalo Bills (3-0, LW: 3)

The Packers almost grabbed the third spot. I still believe in the Bills, but nearly blowing a 28-3 lead in their first real test this season wasn’t a great sign (it’s also a reason they aren’t a spot higher this week). Still, Josh Allen continues to play well and even though they were lucky to get that pass interference call at the end, 3-0 is a great place to be.

CBS Sports

4. Bills (+1)

Josh Allen has the offense looking special, but the defense has had some issues. They have to play better on that side of the ball.

Bleacher Report

6. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

High: 4

Low: 7

Last Week: 6

Week 3 Result: Won vs. Los Angeles Rams 35-32

The Buffalo Bills are the real deal, y’all.

Now, if you’re the type who likes to rain on parades, the fact that Buffalo squandered a 28-3 lead Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams by allowing 29 unanswered points is cause for concern.

But the Bills also raced out to said 28-3 lead over a good Rams team in their first real test of the 2020 season. And when their backs were against the proverbial wall, the Bills answered the call, driving the length of the field for the game-winning score.

As he has all season long, Bills quarterback Josh Allen balled out against the Rams, topping 300 passing yards for the third time in as many games and throwing four more touchdowns. With rookie running back Zack Moss out, Devin Singletary racked up over 120 total yards.

All told, Gagnon was impressed the Bills gutted out a win in a game they would have lost in past years.

“The Bills generally cruised against inferior opponents in Weeks 1 and 2, and this was their first true challenge,” he said. “It’s discouraging that they blew a four-score lead, but it’s even more encouraging that they built that lead and that they responded to adversity with a game-winning touchdown drive. This was a character-building performance for an evolving team.”

ESPN

5. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

Week 3 ranking: 6

What we got wrong: Buffalo’s defense would lead the way again while its offense would be somewhere between good and competent.

Sound the buzzer; this take is dead wrong. Through three weeks, the Bills sport the fourth-best offense in the NFL and the second-best passing attack. Josh Allen has looked like an MVP candidate in his first three games, willing the Bills to victory with fourth-quarter comebacks in each of his past two. Conversely, Buffalo’s defense currently ranks 20th in yards allowed per game and 16th.

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Raiders might lose both first-round rookies ahead of Bills meeting

The Las Vegas Raiders might be without their first-round rookies, Henry Ruggs, Damon Arnette vs. Buffalo Bills.

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The Buffalo Bills make their first-ever trip to Las Vegas to face the Raiders in Week 4. But it sounds like they’ll have to wait to face both of the Raiders’ first-round rookies.

Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III and cornerback Damon Arnette, the No. 12 and 19 overall picks at the 2020 NFL Draft, respectively, are trending in the wrong direction as the 3-0 Bills are heading to town.

On Monday, Raiders (2-1) head coach Jon Gruden said Ruggs’ status is something he’s “concerned” about. Ruggs missed the Raiders’ Week 3 36-20 loss to the Patriots with a hamstring injury. In addition, Arnette, who entered the 2020 season with a thumb injured, re-aggravated it in Week 3, per Raiders Wire. Arnette could miss six weeks due to the injury.

Without Arnette, Nevin Lawson and Isaiah Johnson could get more looks on the outside opposite of Trayvon Mullen. Depth wide receiver who could see more playing time vs. the Bills include Hunter Renfrow and Nelson Agholor. There’s also former Bills wide receiver Zay Jones to consider.

In two games this season, Ruggs has four catches for 59 yards. Arnette has one pass breakup so far as a rookie.

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Bills at Raiders is lining up to be the ‘Zay Jones revenge game’

Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders could be the Zay Jones revenge game.

For the second-straight week, it’s a chance for a former second-round wide receiver drafted by the Buffalo Bills to get their revenge the team.

Well.. actually, it’s the second game that there’s probably not much bad blood between the two sides, but nonetheless, the situation is unfolding once again. This time we just needed some circumstances help us get there.

In Week 4, Robert Woods returned to Buffalo for the first time since he left in 2016. He had a good game against his former team as well, posting five catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. But we knew Woods would play, he’s one of the Rams’ top weapons.

This time it won’t be a receiver returning to Buffalo, but the stars are aligning in a particular way and when the Bills visit Las Vegas to face the Raiders for the first time, Zay Jones might have a chance to make a big impact in this one.  In Week 3, the Raiders were without first-round rookie Henry Ruggs III (hamstring) in their 36-20 loss to the Patriots.

During that outing, another rookie wideout in Bryan Edwards suffered an ankle injury making a catch. Speaking about those two combined, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden told reporters on Monday that he’s not exactly the most optimistic about either of them playing in Week 5 against Buffalo.

“We are concerned about both those guys, but I’ll remain confident until otherwise notified,” Gruden said.

Without Ruggs and Edwards in the lineup, receiver Nelson Agholor and Hunter Renfrow were Las Vegas’ top-two wideouts. Per Raiders Wire, those two played in 85 and 66 percent of snaps on offense, respectively.

While there’s also tight end Darren Waller factoring in here, who played in 95 percent of snaps in Week 3 and is quarterback Derek Carr‘s top target this year, Jones still crept his way into plenty of snaps against the Patriots himself. In a season-high, Jones played in 46 percent of snaps last weekend. Prior to the injuries to Ruggs and Edwards, Jones played in 14 and 23 percent of the Raiders’ snaps on offense in their first two games, respectively.

In those two, Jones was only targeted once by Carr in Week 2 against the Saints, but he did score with his catch. He also might have a chance to build a good rapport with Carr as well, because on his three targets this against the Patriots, Jones caught all three of them.

That’s right, Jones hasn’t dropped a single target yet with the Raiders in 2020 as the Bills are en route.

However, as mentioned, Jones didn’t appear to leave the Bills under bad terms. While, yes, he did underperform during his time in Buffalo, which also included some interesting twists off the field from social media messages by family members and a hotel fiasco during the offseason, Jones did leave a nice goodbye message to the Bills via social media:

Buffalo acquired a fifth-round pick in 2021 from the Raiders for Jones last October… which, ironically enough, took place on Oct. 7. The Bills-Raiders are scheduled for a 4:25 p.m. kickoff this Sunday… which will be Oct. 4. Nearly a year-to-date.

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Who the Bills protected on their practice squad for Week 4

Buffalo Bills Week 4 protected practice squad list.

The Bills announced their Week 4 players the team has placed on the protected portion of their practice squad via the NFL’s transaction wire on Tuesday. It’s the same set of players the team protected a week ago.

Those four players are:

  • OL Jordan Devey
  • CB Dane Jackson
  • DT Justin Zimmer
  • OL Jonotthan Harrison

.Prior to Week 3, here’s who the Bills have protected over the course of their first two games, respectively:

Week 2

  • OL Jordan Devey
  • CB Dane Jackson
  • LB Andre Swift
  • DT Justin Zimmer

Week 1

  • OL Evan Boehm
  • DT Justin Zimmer
  • CB Dane Jackson
  • CB Cam Lewis

Here’s our previous explanation on the “protected” practice squad situation, a new addition to the NFL this season, from our Week 1 coverage:

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the United States, the NFL’s owners and players came to an offseason agreement that we’ve seen the first installment of on Tuesday evening. Each team in the league can “protect” four players on their practice squad each week.

The idea is to provide some extra depth for teams in case of a COVID-19 outbreak in a locker room late in the week prior to a Sunday or Monday game. Those four can be called up to the active roster up until Sunday morning prior to kickoff every week.

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Report: Former Bills RB Frank Gore nearly joined Raiders

Former Buffalo Bills running back Frank Gore had offers from Raiders and Jets.

It was unlikely that the Buffalo Bills were going to re-sign running back Frank Gore. But it appears there was a 50/50 chance he would have left the AFC East.

Following the 2019 season, Gore said he was going to reassess whether he’d want to play again. Then he announced he wanted to. Gore likely told the Bills he was interested in returning before making that announcement. So it’s been unlikely since the start that he wouldn’t be coming back to Buffalo.

On Tuesday, Gore decided he would stay in the AFC East, though. Gore signed another one-year deal, his third-straight with an AFC East team. In 2018 he joined the Dolphins, then Bills last year, and now he’ll reunite with head coach Adam Gase with the Jets. 

Apparently that relationship with Gase meant something because he was considering heading to Las Vegas instead, according to Raiders Wire.

“I got an opportunity to get back with a good friend and a guy I respect, and I’m happy that he wanted me to be on his team,” Gore said. “And I’m happy to be around a guy who has done some great things in this league in Le’Veon Bell. That can motivate me. And I can help out the young kid that they just drafted, La’Mical Perine.”

Probably a smart decision by Gore. While he slowed down with the Bills late last season, he had much better numbers under Gase in 2018 with the Dolphins. Gore, who will turn 37 this month, averaged 4.6 yards per carry in 2018. Last year that dipped to 3.6, a career-low.

While with the Bills, Gore jumped to the third spot on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. He currently sits at 15,347 and it’s unlikely he’ll move up another spot. Above him are Walter Payton (16,726) and Emmitt Smith (18,355).

There’s likely no bad blood between the Bills and Gore, but hopefully he’s not using that to fuel him in two games against Buffalo in 2020. Had he joined the Raiders, Gore would have only faced the Bills once when the Bills visit the Raiders.

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