Tag: Buffalo Bills

Sean McDermot won’t compare Josh Allen, Tyrod Taylor, but we will

Comparing current Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen to Tyrod Taylor and what Sean McDermott said about it.

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As the story goes, the Bills replaced quarterback Tyrod Taylor with current second-year thrower Josh Allen.

Allen is now 20 starts into his NFL career, he’s 11-9 overall in those games. First compared by Jerry Sullivan from 1270: The Fan radio on Wednesday, the Bills have had strikingly similar numbers from one of their other most recent QBs.

That so happens to be Taylor.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott was asked to compare those two. He ushered in the exit of Taylor for Allen, after all.

McDermott declined to do so.

“I’m never going to compare or try to compare two players. I know they play the same position but both players are different players. A lot of respect for Tyrod. The player I’m most concerned with right now is Josh Allen, in terms of this question. Josh is focused on working and improving and it’s important that we keep improving around him as well. He takes great ownership and great accountability in that and as we go offensively, it’s important that we work on scoring points, that’s the name of the game. Score points and give yourself a chance to win,” McDermott said.

But here’s your big comparison. Both players have one excused outing in those last 20 games thanks to Nathan Peterman. He started the 2018 opener and then Allen jumped in. In 2017, he shockingly started over Taylor against the Chargers and Taylor replaced him. So in both of those outings, the outcome didn’t factor into the numbers for Allen and Taylor.

Having said that, Taylor was also 11-9 in his last 20 games as the Bills’ starting quarterback.

In addition, in that same time span, Allen has averaged 196 yards passing per game. Taylor lands at 195 in that same category.

 

Looking deeper, as dual-threat QBs, Allen has 34 total touchdowns in that time frame to 18 interceptions. Taylor is at a 34-8 ratio. Taylor has also thrown for 4,652 passing yards with a completion rate of 62 percent. Allen clocks in at 3,919 and 56 percent.

Breaking down this comparison, there’s still two sides of the coin to consider. First, the last 20 starts for Allen are the first 20 of his career. While there are skeptics, Allen is still young and hopefully there’s room for growth.

Having said that, Taylor wasn’t 22 like Allen, he spent a few years on the bench as a backup with the Ravens. But he wasn’t getting any playing time then, either. He was so basically a rookie as well.

Plenty of variables here to compare as well. Talent around the QBs, etc.

So, make what you will with the comparisons, but those are hard numbers.

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Sean McDermott shows frustration, abruptly leaves presser

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott displayed some rare frustrations in front of the camera on Wednesday.

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Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott displayed some rare frustration in front of the camera on Wednesday ahead of his team’s game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 11.

It’s no secret that the Bills have a better defense than offense. The defense is the NFL’s third-best, while the offense ranks No. 23 out of 32 teams.

The Bills’ bench boss was asked about any frustrations he may have with how the offense looks so far. After answering numerous questions about the unit, McDermott abruptly, for his standards, ended his press conference early.

“Am I concerned with… am I concerned with, the success of our offense?” McDermott responded when asked about his level of frustrations with the unit. “Move the ball, score points. If we don’t do that, I’m frustrated… Simply put.”

The press conference was then over at about nine minutes in length. McDermott walked away without fielding another question after this answer when such press conferences tend to last in the 15-20-minute range.

Here’s McDermott shutting things down via WKBW-TV:

While not quite a Herm Edwards’ “you play to win the game,” or Dennis Green’s “they are what we thought they were,” this isn’t usually the calm, cool, and collected public relations wizard the Bills have as their coach. A full video of the interview shows McDermott asking for the question to be more specific.

McDermott also was asked to compare Josh Allen and Tyrod Taylor, who McDermott decided to move on from. The coach wouldn’t do that, and it’s worth noting that Taylor was 11-9 in his last 20 starts with the Bills. Allen is 11-9 in his first 20.

Everyone can have their opinion on Allen or Taylor, but one thing seems for certain: McDermott wasn’t happy with the line of questioning.

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Bills playoff picture: Texans get two playmakers on offense back

Bills playoff picture 2019, the Houston Texans get Will Fuller, Jordan Thomas back from injury.

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The Texans currently sit in the top spot of the AFC South. But no division is tighter than theirs.

Behind the Texans (6-3), in order, are the Colts (5-4), Titans (5-5) and Jaguars (4-5).

That’s not AFC East with the Jets and Dolphins. Realistically, any of them can rip off a few wins and take the top spot from the Texans, who would then be a in wild card battle with the 6-3 Bills.

Regardless, the AFC South leaders who share the same record as the Bills are getting some reinforcements coming out of their Week 10 bye.

According to Texans Wire, receiver Will Fuller (hamstring) and tight end Jordan Thomas (ribs) returned to practice on Monday.

Fuller was hurt in Week 7 and nearly returned before the Texans’ bye. This season Fuller has 34 receptions for 450 yards and three touchdowns.

Thomas is an interesting case. He’s set to play already this week and the Texans have activated him from the injured reserve list. He’s yet to play this season, but Texans Wire called him the preseason “favorite” to be their No. 1 tight end this year. In 2018, Thomas notched four red zone touchdowns while racking up 20 receptions for 215 yards.

In terms of head-to-head meetings, the Bills won’t see the Texans this season, but quarterback Deshaun Watson will have these two playmakers at his disposal moving forward. Houston plays the Ravens in Week 11.

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6 storylines to watch for during Bills at Dolphins

Here are six storylines to follow entering this weekend’s divisional battle between Miami and Buffalo.

The Buffalo Bills are coming off a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 10. However, the team has a great chance to rebound against its divisional rival, the Miami Dolphins.

The Bills beat the Dolphins at New Era Field only four weeks ago, with Buffalo storming back to score 22 points in the fourth quarter in a come-from-behind victory.

Even though their games are only separated by just about a month, quite a bit has changed for both teams.

Here are six storylines to follow Week 11’s Bills-Dolphins matchup:

Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary. Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Can the Bills score points?

There was much to be frustrated about last week for Buffalo. Even with a struggling offense, the team still had the ball in their hands with an opportunity to tie (or even win) the game on their final drive.

There was ample criticism with how the offense has struggled to take a major step forward this season, often relying on the defense to keep them close. There’s only so long that this defense can carry the load.

Fans and analysts alike will watch closely to see if offensive coordinator Brian Daboll can put together a more imaginative plan of action for the offense. The Bills are 25th in the league in scoring offense, averaging 19.3 points per game. This slots them as the lowest-scoring offense among prospective playoff teams. That’s not a promising sign for the Bills.

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Bills-Patriots Week 16 clash flexed to Saturday

The Buffalo Bills will play another nationally televised game this season. The NFL has announced that Buffalo’s Week 16 contest at New England will be moved to Saturday afternoon.

The Buffalo Bills will play another nationally televised game this season. The NFL has announced that Buffalo’s Week 16 contest at New England will be moved to Saturday afternoon.

The move makes complete sense, as it puts two prospective playoff teams on display. New England is on its way to yet another AFC East crown and has first-round bye playoff implications for the six-time Super Bowl Champions. Meanwhile, this penultimate game for the Bills could go a long way at seeing Buffalo earn a Wild Card playoff berth.

Buffalo lost to New England during Week 4 action, as the Patriots won 16-10 at New Era Field. During that game, Bills quarterback Josh Allen received a vicious helmet-to-helmet, rendering him unavailable to finish the game.

 

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The Dolphins are touchdown underdogs in Week 11 versus Bills

The last time the Miami Dolphins played the Buffalo Bills, a close game ensued. The sports books are expecting another close game this time.

If you have been willing to go against the grain with the Miami Dolphins and the sports books in recent weeks, odds are you’ve made yourself a nice bit of coin! The Dolphins have won two consecutive games as betting underdogs and have now covered the spread in five consecutive contests. Miami has generally been considered double digit underdogs unless facing the absolute worst of the worst this season — and Miami has delivered surprises ever since the bye week.

The bad news is the party may be over — as the sports books seem to be catching on. The Dolphins currently sit at  6.5 point underdogs for Week 11 according to BetMGM. The last time the Dolphins played the Bills, the spread was larger than two touchdowns before Miami blew a second half lead and fell 31-21. With the Dolphins at home this week, the South Florida climate could potentially bog down the Bills’ team — giving Miami a chance to play spoiler again.

The Dolphins are definitely going to be looking forward to their second crack at the Bills, as the Dolphins missed the opportunity to pin Buffalo down late in the 3rd quarter and things went off the rails courtesy of a Ryan Fitzpatrick interception in the red zone. Miami pulling off a third straight win outright would be a surprise — and now, thanks to Miami’s recent tear against the spread, getting a cover is no sure thing, either.

[Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.]

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How many more games will Broncos win this season?

The Denver Broncos are sitting at 3-6 following their bye week. How many more games will they win?

The Denver Broncos are ready to return from their bye week and sit at 3-6 heading into the second half of their 2019 season. Fans are still riding high after a win over the Cleveland Browns, which featured a new quarterback in Brandon Allen.

Several questions remain for the rest of this season, including how many more games the team will win. But before we get into that part, let’s look at some of the other key questions.

How much longer should Allen hold onto the starting job? Much of that answer likely lies within what the team decides to do with Drew Lock. Will the second-round pick play at all this season?

Will the offensive line, specifically Garett Bolles, ever start to play at a consistent level, or will this unit again be one of the big question marks going into next season?

When are the quarterback and offensive line spots not going to be big question marks for this team? How many games can the team win with those question marks the rest of this season?

Going over the team’s remaining schedule, we attempt to answer that final question.

Week 11 at Minnesota Vikings

(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

Despite the Broncos being well-rested coming off the bye week, they have to travel to Minnesota to face a surging Vikings team.

Minnesota has a stout rushing attack and a good defense. This looks and feels like an unlikely win for the Broncos.

Prediction: Vikings 24, Broncos 13

Record: 3-7

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Former Longhorn Malik Jefferson waived by Cleveland Browns

Former Texas Longhorns linebacker Malik Jefferson was waived by the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday

On Tuesday, former Texas Longhorns linebacker Malik Jefferson was waived by the Cleveland Browns.

Jefferson is in just his second year as a pro. He was drafted in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

With the Browns in 2019, Jefferson only made an appearance in one game, and that game came in week one against the Titans. In that game, Jefferson recorded just one tackle.

Hopefully, we see Malik find a new home soon. After all, he was a third-round pick last year for a reason.

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NFL rooting guide: Who Jaguars fans should root for Week 11

As the No. 10 seed in the playoff picture, the Jags need some help to make the postseason and a loss for the Steelers would be a huge help.

With it being Week 11, the NFL playoffs will be here before fans know it. Of course, at 4-5 the Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the teams who are currently in the hunt, however, if they are to make the postseason they will need some help in addition to handling their own business. That said, here’s a recap on how the AFC playoff picture looks after Week 10 and a rooting guide on who Jags fans should watch on Week 11:

1. New England Patriots (8-1)
2. Baltimore Ravens (7-2)
3. Houston Texans (6-3)
4. Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)
5. Buffalo Bills (6-3)
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4)

7. Oakland Raiders (5-4)
8. Indianapolis Colts (5-4)
9. Tennessee Titans (5-5)
10. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5)

Rooting guide

(Thursday Night Football) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns – root for the Browns

Hardly ever will you catch Jags fans rooting for the Steelers and they will especially have a reason to root against them this week. After starting 1-3 during the first quarter of the season, Pittsburgh has clawed their way back to a 5-4 record by winning their last four games and have found themselves with the last wild-card spot. Needless to say, the Jags would gladly take some help from the Browns, who aren’t in the playoff picture currently but could spoil things for their divisional rival.

Sunday, 1 p.m. games

Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens – root for the Ravens

The Texans are the AFC South’s divisional leader with a 6-3 record and it would take a miracle for the Jags to catch them because they own the tiebreaker over them. However, Sunday’s game against the Ravens is the start of a tough stretch for Houston as they also play the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts afterward. That said, a skid can begin here for them as the Ravens are playing solid football as the No. 2 seed.

Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins – root for the Dolphins

The Jags have a rivalry with Buffalo (6-3) as it is, however, they will really have a reason to root against them Week 11 as the Bills have the first wild-card spot. That said, they would gladly take some help from their Florida rivals Sunday. With the Dolphins being a divisional rival of the Bills, this could be a close one as they are on a two-game win streak currently and have some momentum.

Sunday, 4 p.m. games

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Oakland Raiders – root for the Bengals

The Raiders (5-4) are knocking on the door of getting a wild-card seed as they are the No. 7 ranked team in the playoff race. However, with the Bengals (0-9) being the league’s only winless team, Jags fans would unfortunately be asking for a lot here. Still, as we witnessed Week 10, upsets can happen and teams need to bring it week in and week out.

WATCH: Quandre Diggs gets first interception with Seahawks

Watch as Seattle Seahawks defensive back Quandre Diggs gets his first interception with his new team

A few weeks ago, former Texas Longhorn defensive back Quandre Diggs was traded from the Detroit Lions to the Seattle Seahawks. Last night, Diggs saw his first action with Seattle in a clash between the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers went into this Monday Night Football matchup as the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL. The Seahawks were able to stun the 49ers in San Francisco, winning in overtime by a score of 27-24.

About midway through the 3rd quarter, Diggs was able to intercept 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo with the score being 10-7 in favor of San Francisco. This interception led to a Seahawks touchdown, giving them the lead.

On the night, Diggs was able to tally two tackles, one of which was solo, a pass defense, and this interception.

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