Tag: Buffalo Bills

Jerry Hughes, Dawson Knox pop up on Bills injury report

According to the team’s injury report, rookie tight end Dawson Knox and defensive end Jerry Hughes both appeared on team’s injury report.

The Bills have been extremely healthy for this time of year.

It’s 11 weeks into the regular season and they opened up their first injury report ahead of facing the Dolphins with nobody on it. That changed on Thursday.

According to the team’s injury report, rookie tight end Dawson Knox and defensive end Jerry Hughes both appeared on it. Both of those players were listed to have knee and groin injuries, respectively. Knox practiced in a limited capacity while Hughes did not practice at all.

Neither player appeared on the injury report a day prior, so one can assume the injuries took place in practice on Thursday.

While chatting with reporters following Thursday’s practice, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott said he’s expected Knox to practice on Friday.

“It’s nothing to be worried about,” the coach said. “Some knee soreness.”

There were no updates on Hughes’ status.

Both are worth monitoring on Friday.

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2019 Bills opponents: Jets’ Adam Gase will be back in 2020

Christopher Johnson said Adam Gase will return as the New York Jets head coach in 2020.

The New York media cycle has recently been tossing out the name of Christopher Johnson, the owner of the New York Jets.

He waited until this week to finally speak to reporters about the state of his 2-7 football team.

Based on what he said, that makes sense.

After a 1-7 start, the Jets beat the Giants 34-27 last week. With a few good vibes out there after the win, the owner assured fans of Gang Green that head coach Adam Gase would be back in 2020.

“I want to assure you there will be no changes in coaches here,” Johnson said via Jets Wire. “Adam has the trust of this team. He has the trust of Sam. He has Joe’s trust. He has my trust. He’s a good man. He’s a good coach.”

“There’s a lot of work to do,” Johnson added. “There’s a great deal of work to do. Everyone understands that and we’re just getting started. But I feel really good about this team moving forward.”

The Bills and the Jets will wrap their season series up in their finales, Week 17. That could be a big game for Buffalo, but it won’t be for the Jets, unless they win the rest of their games they’re already out of the postseason icutre. That seems unlikely considering their record.

But, there you have it. Buffalo’s AFC East foe won’t have a new head coach next season. That’s probably the right call, too. Even after such a poor season, most coaches deserve a at least two seasons to turn things around.

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Would it be fun to get a beer with Ryan Fitzpatrick? Micah Hyde thinks so

Buffalo Bills safety Micah Hyde on Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The last time the Bills and the Dolphins met in a game, Buffalo safety Micah Hyde met Miami quarterback and former Bill Ryan Fitzpatrick with a hit in the end zone when he scored on a late scamper.

Hyde would prefer to meet Fitz at the local watering hole next time.

On Wednesday while chatting with reporters, Hyde was discussing Fitzpatrick but more so talked about the man behind the mask instead of the warrior on the field. In fact, he said exactly that, Fitzpatrick would be a cool guy to get a beer with.

“I definitely respect him. I know that some guys here, that were here in the last couple of years actually had an opportunity to play with him, I think Lee (Smith) had an opportunity to play with him,” Hyde said. “He seems like one of those guys you can just go to the Big Tree Inn, have a beer with him him, shoot the [expletive] with him and have fun, that’s what he seems like, honestly.”

On the flip side, Fitzpatrick spoke to the Bills’ team radio show on Wednesday as well. Fitzpatrick reflected on playing for the Bills as he often does when facing his old team. It sounds like that would be a good topic of conversation Hyde and Fitzpatrick would have at the end corner of seat of an establishment.

“There are very few places where, during the football season, your mood every single day, is all based on what happened last Sunday and that’s what Buffalo is. It was such a special place to play and when you’re a player there you really do appreciate the fans and how much they’re into it,” Fitzpatrick said.

Beverages aside, Hyde also said he’s prepping to face a competitor in the Dolphins QB this week.

“You see him go out each and every week and he competes. He puts his body on the line and he gets hit a lot and he gets back up. In my eyes, I respect the guy a lot,” Hyde said.

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‘Wide Right’ becomes a ‘Jeopardy!’ clue

“Wide right” from Super Bowl XXV between the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills has become a new Jeopardy! clue, kind of.

There’s no question which Super Bowl was the most exciting — and deflating — in the history of the NFL.

It was Super Bowl XXV between the New York Giants and the Buffalo Bills. The game was played amid the backdrop of the impending first Gulf War. There was a lot of uncertainty and unity in the air that was galvanized by a great football game.

The night began with a soaring version of the national anthem by Whitney Houston and a sea of waving American flags. It ended with a missed 47-yard field goal by the Bills’ Scott Norwood that gave the Giants their second Super Bowl title. Buffalo fans have always held fast that the loss to the Giants is the one that hurt the most even though the Bills returned to the big game in each of the next three seasons — only to lose all three.

The game has been memorialized in American culture over the years, and this week Norwood’s miss was a clue on the popular game show “Jeopardy!”

https://youtu.be/RPFZCGgjDSg

The Bills would go on to lose the next three Super Bowls (twice to the Dallas Cowboys and once to the Washington Redskins), but none of those three games was as close as this one. The Bills have not been back to the Super Bowl since, and have qualified for the postseason only once since 1999.

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Josh Allen reveals what Sean McDermott told offense

The Bills offense hasn’t been great in 2019 or in recent years. 

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The Bills offense hasn’t been great in 2019 or in recent years.

Quarterback Josh Allen is the centerpiece of that unit, which is ranked 23rd in the NFL in yards per game and 25th in points per game.

Allen has made some strides in Year 2. He’s not throwing as many interceptions and his completion percent, while not great, is up from 52.8 to 59.9 percent.

But perhaps those trends are indicating Allen is playing it safe and as a result, the scoring is down because the offense isn’t taking many risks. According to the QB on Wednesday, Sean McDermott sent a message to the offense which indicates the head coach wants to perhaps start rolling the dice.

“At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t doing a good enough job of protecting the football. I’ve made that very important to me,” Allen said. “[This week], Coach sat us all down today and said ‘play fearless.’ To have that green light and that confidence from him still, that means a lot. Not saying I’m gonna go out there and be reckless, they’re two different terms for a reason. Just being very aware of what’s going on but not trying to be gun shy about anything.”

Earlier that same day, McDermott spoke to reporters prior to practice. After fielding numerous questions about the offense, the coach walked out of his press conference. It was not a famous, headline-grabbing, fist-slamming type of exit, but McDermott answered a question with 14 words and left in under 10 minutes of his presser. Usually his press conferences last double that.

But heck, maybe that’s a good sign. We don’t know when McDermott told his QB to “play fearless.” Was he pissed about the presser that just ensued and it lit a fire in him? Most observers of the Bills would be fine with that.

Had the coach already told that to him at press conference time? Well that probably explains some frustration. In McDermott’s mind, he was probably figuring, “Guys, I know.”

Now we wait to find out what playing fearless is.

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Stephen Hauschka says he didn’t feel ‘ideal’ vs. Browns

Stephen Hauschka has been a oft-reliable during his Bills career. Against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10, he was not. 

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Stephen Hauschka has been a oft-reliable during his Bills career. Against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10, he was not.

Hauschka missed from 34 yards and again from 53 yards, the second of which was a game-tying kick attempt with under a minute left. It missed.

On Wednesday, Hauschka told reporters going into the game he wasn’t feeling 100 percent.

“Physically I feel good… mentally, technically, this job is… you’ve got to be on his every single week. Sometimes you head into a game not feeling, for whatever reason, not feeling ideal, and most of the time you kind of get away with it. Sometimes you don’t… that’s kind of how I feel after last week, so this week I just have to do everything normal and get back into this game and the routine,” Hauschka said.

“If you kick long enough in this league, you’re going to have an off day, you’re going to have an off game,” Hauschka added.

But the 34-year-old hasn’t seemed himself for some time. He’s missed his last five-straight kicks from 50-plus yards.

Still, he insisted he’s still holding his head high.

“You can paint it however you want. They haven’t gone in recently, but I’ve still got plenty of confidence. I make them in practice all the time,” Hauschka said.

In practice is one thing, in a game is another. The Bills won’t potentially lose a spot in the postseason picture thanks to a missed kick at practice. There’s a decent chance the Bills will have to rely on Hauschka at some point down the stretch.

As now, he still have his head coach’s confidence if things come down to his foot.

“Got a lot of confidence in Stephen and obviously it didn’t work out but, we’ll remain confident in Stephen as we move forward here,” Sean McDermott said.

Hauschka is currently hitting 61.5% of his kicks, a career low. He’s missed all three of his attempts from over 50 yards this season.

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Did Baker Mayfield inadvertently compliment Bills Mafia?

The Bills fell 19-16 to the Browns in Week 10. It was a tough loss in the playoff picture, but also because plenty of fans from western New York made the trek to the game. 

The Bills fell 19-16 to the Browns in Week 10. It was a tough loss in the playoff picture, but also because plenty of fans from western New York made the trek to the game.

Not meaning to, Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield might have given a little tip of the cap to Bills Mafia earlier this week.

According to Browns Wire, Mayfield made a comment in his his postgame press conference that he believed right tackle Chris Hubbard couldn’t hear his snap count and that’s why he jumped early for a false start just before halftime.

Strange, considering the Browns were the home team.

Earlier this week, Mayfield once again made a comment about that same thing. Inadvertently not seemingly realizing Bills fans travel well.

“When we’re on offense on a critical down, we need to be able to have silence in our home stadium,” Mayfield explained. “It has to be an advantage for us, and then when they get the ball, it has to be really loud. It’s just football.”

Left guard Joel Bitonio seconded Mayfield’s sentiment. Bitonio as Browns Wire notes, “It was a little bit loud a couple times in the red zone there going into the far tunnel.”

Makes you wonder if these fellas didn’t look into the crowd to notice all the red, white and blue in the stands last week.

The Browns might be in trouble again this week, too. They play the Steelers at home, another short road trip for visiting fans, on Thursday Night Football.

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Bills playoff picture: Steelers’ James Conner returns to practice

The Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers are holding your first and second AFC wild card slots, respectively, heading into Week 11. 

The Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers are holding your first and second AFC wild card slots, respectively, heading into Week 11.

Running back James Conner is going to play a big part in that.

The Steelers and Cleveland Browns will open Week 11 on Thursday Night Football. It’s looking like Conner will return from a shoulder injury. He’s one of the primer rusher in the NFL.

Along with Conner, offensive lineman Ramon Foster (concussion) is also expected to return to the Steelers’ fold. He’s their starting guard.

With the Baltimore Ravens having a strangle hold on the AFC North at this time at 7-2, the Steelers and Bills, with the AFC East leading New England Patriots also in mind, are two teams that will be squarely facing off in the wild card battle.

The Bills and Steelers will also faceoff against one another in Week 15 in Pittsburgh.

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Bills at Dolphins: Wednesday injury reports

Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins Wednesday injury reports ahead of Week 11.

As the Bills and Dolphins get set to wrap their 2019 season series, only one team has any injuries to report of.

Here are the Wednesday injury reports for both the Bills and Dolphins ahead of Week 11:

Buffalo Bills (6-3)

Notes:

The Bills have a full 53-man roster healthy.

Miami Dolphins (2-7)

Did not practice

  • CB Ken Webster (ankle)

Limited

  • DE Taco Charlton (elbow)
  • DT Davon Godchaux (shoulder)
  • S Reshad Jones (chest)
  • LB Raekwon McMillan (knee)
  • DE Avery Moss (ankle)
  • TE Durham Smythe (knee/ elbow)

Notes:

Reshad Jones told reporters he “hopes” to play vs. Bills. … Jones, Ken Webster and Avery Moss missed Week 10. … Raekwon McMillan hasn’t missed a game since the start of the 2018 season.

Patriots’ Week 16 matchup vs. Bills flexed to Saturday afternoon

The Patriots will play on Saturday afternoon against the Bills in Week 16 at 4:30 p.m. ET. 

The New England Patriots will play on Saturday afternoon against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16 at 4:30 p.m. ET.

New England’s last regular season Saturday game was in 2016 and it resulted in a 41-3 victory over the New York Jets at home. The game will be in Gillette Stadium — it will be aired on NFL Network and CBS.

The Patriots barely slipped past the Bills during their 16-10 victory in Week 4 this year, but both teams will have much different looks in Week 16. The Patriots will likely have Isaiah Wynn, N’Keal Harry and Mohamed Sanu fully acclimated into the offense. The Bills lost Josh Allen due to injury in the first matchup and they’ll likely have their starting quarterback in this game.

If the Bills remain competitive this season, they could become an issue for the Patriots in Week 16.

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