Tag: Buffalo

PODCAST: Can Bills carry consistency vs. Broncos into Cowboys meeting?

Buffalo Bills podcast following Week 12 in over Denver Broncos, ahead of Thanksgiving meetings vs. Cowboys.

The Buffalo Bills won their second straight game to improve to 8-3 on the season for the first time since 1996. It was a remarkable game, with the team displaying proficiency in all three phases of football that put up points and yardage on a top defense, halting a strong run offense, and did it’s job on special teams.

Denver had played much better than it’s record until this point, and they hit an absolute brick wall at New Era Field. The Bills defense only allowed 167 yards of total offense in Week 12. Buffalo downed talented running backs Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman. In fact, it seemed that Broncos play calling didn’t aim to target Buffalo’s sketchy run defense in the second half, as they became very pass happy and one-dimensional.

In the Broncos closest venture towards the end zone, they could not get the job done as Tre’Davious White was essentially handed an interception and a broken route intended for Courtland Sutton, who was held for one catch in the outing.

The offense did well, aside from a bad Josh Allen interception that gave Denver some of the best field positioning that they had all day. 244 yards on the ground, again dominated by Devin Singletary.

However, the big news was that, Frank Gore, the journeyman running back, passed Barry Sanders to become third all-time in rushing yards. A tremendous accomplishment, and extra satisfying that it happened with him wearing a Bills jersey.

Buffalo prepares for Dallas on a short week for this Thursday, as the Bills play their first Thanksgiving game in several years. The quick turnaround has affected many teams this year, not being allowed to play to their full potential. Everyone is already hard at work at One Bills Drive to ensure the Bills are prepared for their latest National Spotlight opportunity.

Podcast Hosts Matt and Jeremy examine the win over Denver, and the road to Dallas:

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Bills opponent outlook: Broncos history, statistics and more

The 7-3 Buffalo Bills meet the 3-7 Denver Broncos this Sunday at New Era Field.

Denver Broncos quarterback Brandon Allen. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The 7-3 Buffalo Bills meet the 3-7 Denver Broncos this Sunday at New Era Field. Buffalo is riding high after it’s best offensive endeavor of the season against the Dolphins in Week 11. Denver is one of the better teams in the NFL with a sub .500 record, and will be a handful to compete against.

Here is everything that you need to know about the history between Denver and Buffalo:

  • Buffalo and Denver first met on September 18, 1960 in the inaugural season of the AFL. Denver won that game 27-21.
  • Buffalo won nine straight against Denver between 1962 and 1967.
  • Buffalo and Denver met in the 1991 AFC Championship Game. The Bills narrowly defeated the Broncos 10-7.
  • Their last meeting was on September 24, 2017. The Bills won 26-16.
  • The Bills have the all-time record lead, at 20-16-1 against Denver in the regular season.
  • The Bills also lead in scoring all-time versus Denver, outscoring them 891-818

2018 Season

Denver, much like this year, was a relatively competitive team in 2018, despite their record. Case Keenum was signed in the offseason, in hopes to solidify their quarterback woes since Peyton Manning retired. It wasn’t enough, as the Broncos offense didn’t have a lot of star power, and the defense, although very talented, gave up some losses for them.

Denver finished the season 6-10, missing the playoffs for the third-straight year. They earned wins over Seattle, Arizona, Oakland, Cincinnati, Los Angeles (Chargers), and Pittsburgh.

Another disappointing season for General Manager John Elway, who would look to bring about more change following the 2018 year.

Last season, Denver finished 19th in Total Offense, with 5,602 yards. 24th in scoring, with 329 points. 19th in passing yards with 3,695 and 12th in rushing with 1,907 yards.

Case Keenum, coming off of his miracle season with the Minnesota Vikings, actually threw for a few more yards with Denver. His touchdown to interception ratio is what hurt him and his tenure, as he was traded to Washington after his year with the Broncos was over.

Keenum was ranked 14th in passing yards in 2018, with 3,890 yards to his credit, along with 18 touchdowns to 15 interceptions.

Rushing was a strong point for Denver in 2018,. After losing C.J. Anderson, who had regressed, quarterback wasn’t the only hole that the Broncos faced. Led by drafted rookie Royce Freeman, and undrafted rookie Philip Lindsay. One of the more underrated one-two punches in the NFL, the pair finished very well, and helped carry struggling offense.

Lindsay finished the highest as far as yardage, ranking ninth in the NFL amongst rushers, with 1,037 yards. He also accrued nine rushing touchdowns. His backfield partner, Freeman, finished 38th in rushing yards, with 521 and five touchdowns.

Receiving hasn’t been one of Denver’s strong aspects either, as they have lost a few weapons over the years since Manning left. Emmanuel Sanders was their leading receiver in 2018, finishing 27th with 868 yards and four touchdowns.

Emerging receiver Courtland Sutton, was next in yardage totals at the receiver position, with 704. He came in at 51st in the NFL. No other Broncos receiver or tight end finished in the Top 100.

Defensively, the Broncos were 13th in total defense, allowing 5,842 yards, as well as in points allowed with 349 points scored on them. Their passing defense came in 20th, giving up 3,929 yards by air. The rush defense, 12th with 1,913 yards given up on the ground.

2019 So Far

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Broncos’ record masks tough defense and challenge for Bills offense

With a sizzling slate of games ahead for the Buffalo Bills, the Denver Broncos’ defense poses a challenge for Josh Allen and the Bills.

When the Denver Broncos take the field against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field this Sunday, Bills fans will expect a victory.

The team is beaming with confidence after their second-year quarterback, Josh Allen, earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his four-touchdown performance in a 37-20 victory in Miami in Week 11. The team is sitting at 7-3 and are on a trajectory towards postseason football for the second time in three seasons.

Any young western New Yorker is seeing what many Buffalo fans saw throughout the ’90s – consistent winning brought on by a quarterback with rare talent.

The Bills are undoubtedly entering the gauntlet of their schedule. Just two of the six opponents remaining on the team’s slate is below .500 in the standings with the three of the other four sitting in playoff spots. That fourth is the Pittsburgh Steelers who are currently “in the hunt.”

The remaining six games feature opponents who currently sit in the upper echelon of the NFL. The Bills go on the road to New England and Dallas, plus they will face a hot Baltimore team at home. This Sunday’s game versus the Denver Broncos is also nothing to sniff at.

Denver is currently 3-7 but their record is in no way indicative of the team they are. The Broncos have lost four very winnable games in the fourth quarter this season, each in a style that feels painfully familiar for Buffalo fans.

John Heath of Broncos Wire broke down each of the four plays that lead to Denver’s demise.

In Week 2 against the Chicago Bears, the Broncos lost 16-14 on a last-second field goal. Had that field goal been unsuccessful, Denver would have started the year 1-1. A few plays before the field goal attempt, Broncos outside linebacker Bradley Chubb was incorrectly penalized for roughing the passer.

In Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver lost 26-24 on a late field goal. Had that attempt been unsuccessful, the Broncos could have started the year 2-2. Denver outside linebacker Von Miller was questionably penalized for roughing the passer on Jacksonville’s game-winning drive.

In Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts, the Broncos lost 15-13 on yet another late field goal. Had those three late-game kicks been unsuccessful, Denver could have started the year 5-3.

In Week 11, the Broncos were in position to take a 30-27 lead over the Minnesota Vikings on the road but quarterback Brandon Allen was unable to connect with tight end Noah Fant in the end zone on the final play of the game. Denver lost 27-23. Had Fant caught that pass and had those three kicks mentioned earlier gone wide, the Broncos could have started the year 7-3.

What wasn’t mentioned about the team’s Week 8 loss to the Colts was the incredible play by Indianapolis quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, in the endzone to escape the gripe of a near Von Miller safety. He completed that pass near midfield to T.Y. Hilton and the drive lead to the game-winning 51-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri. I’d recommend checking that play out here.

The comparison to the Bills of old doesn’t end there. Denver’s poor record has largely overshadowed a stellar defense. The Broncos are top-10 in many defensive categories. They’re fourth in total yards per game allowed, fifth in passing yards per game, eighth in point per game, and 11th in rushing yards per game.

While Sunday seems like a calm before the storm for Buffalo regarding their upcoming schedule, Denver is a worthy opponent and could pose issues for the Bills if they’re caught thinking about Thanksgiving in Dallas next Thursday.

Sean McDermott and company will need to be mistake-free on Sunday and can increase their chances of making the playoff to 85percent with a win. If they lose, that number drops to 56 percent.
As McDermott or any head coach will quickly point out, every game matters.
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PODCAST: Has the Bills offense made a turnaround?

Bills Wire Buffalo Bills podcast recap of the team’s Week 11 win over the Miami Dolphins.

The Buffalo Bills went down to Miami and took care of the business, squishing the “fish”(mammals) in their second encounter of the season with a score of 37-20. It was the most points accrued by this Bills offense all season, and they shined in all aspects. Mustached Buffalo offense coordinator Brian Daboll got it done.

Despite what their record may say, Mimai was a valiant team, and had been riding high on a two-game win streak, but the Bills slowed them down. There were a few moments where the Dolphins had opportunities to take over the game, but they could not capitalize.

Miami only attempted to rush a mere 13 attempts for 23 yards, a questionable decision since rushing up the middle worked to their advantage in the first encounter.

The offense for Buffalo was essentially fan service against Miami, and the Bills social media crowd got their way. Devin Singletary was the primary running back, getting key downs and leading the rushing yardage. Quarterback Josh Allen heaved the ball around, hitting wideout John Brown for two touchdown passes, further cementing Brown’s roster spot for years to come. Brown, who many have only viewed as “just a deep ball guy” has shown that he can be the No. 1 receiver that the team has desperately needed for a long time.

Billswire Podcast Hosts Matt Johnson and Jeremy Juhasz explore the big win in Miami, and look ahead ahead toward Denver next week:

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Buffalo at Kent State odds: Bulls look to run amok in Kent

Previewing Thursday’s Buffalo Bulls at Kent State Golden Flashes college football matchup, with NCAA football betting odds, picks and best bets

The Buffalo Bulls (5-4, 3-2 Mid-American Conference East) travel to play the Kent State Golden Flashes (3-6, 2-3) Thursday night at Dix Stadium in Kent, Ohio. Kickoff is 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.

We analyze the Buffalo-Kent State odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Buffalo at Kent State: Three things you need to know

1. Buffalo is one of the top rushing teams in the country, posting 224.4 yards per game on the ground to rank 17th. On defense, the Bulls rank fifth against the run, allowing just 85.3 yards per game on the ground.

2. Kent State ranks just 128th in FBS, allowing 256.1 rushing yards per game. The Golden Flashes have also allowed 31.3 PPG, although those numbers are slightly skewed considering they lost to Power 5 teams at Arizona State, Auburn and Wisconsin.

3. The Bulls are 5-0-1 ATS in their past six trips to Kent, while the road team is 7-1-1 ATS in the previous nine meetings and the favorite 4-1 ATS in the past five in this series.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Buffalo at Kent State: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 7:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Buffalo 31, Kent State 21

Moneyline (ML)

Buffalo (-250) is going to win this game and attain bowl eligibility, but this is just too much to risk, especially on a road team. Kent State (+180) has too leaky of a run defense, and the Bulls are too powerful on the ground.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Buffalo returns a profit of $4 – every $1 wagered profits $0.40 (1 divided by 2.50) with a Buffalo straight-up win.

Against the Spread (ATS)

Take BUFFALO (-5.5, -115) laying the points. The Bull will get off to a strong start behind their powerful rushing attack, and Kent State (+5.5, -106) won’t be able to keep up.

As mentioned above, three of Kent State’s six losses were against Power 5 squads. However, its defense hasn’t been much better in the past three conference losses, allowing 45 to Ohio, 23 to Miami-Ohio and 35 to Toledo. The last time these teams met, Buffalo came away with a 48-14 win Nov. 6, 2018.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER (56.5, -110) is 5-1 in Buffalo’s past six appearances on Thursday night, and 6-1 in the past seven on the road against teams with a losing record. The under is also 7-2 in Kent State’s past nine showings on Thursday and 5-2 in the past seven at home.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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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Jags sign DE Chuck Harris to practice squad

The Jags filled out their practice squad with some help on the edge by adding DE Chuck Harris.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars filled their last practice squad spot by signing defensive end Chuck Harris to the unit. The team announced the move Monday though Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle previously announced it last week.

Harris, 21, played collegiately at the University of Buffalo where he accumulated 149 total tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks while participating in 40 games. Afterward, he went undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears. While there he played in all four preseason games and accumulated four tackles.

According to the Jags official page, he’ll wear the No. 96.

PODCAST: Did the Bills offense hand the Browns a win?

Buffalo Bills podcast following Week 10 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

The Buffalo Bills failed to defeat the Cleveland Browns, falling 19-16 in Cleveland to fall to 6-3 on the season. While at first glance, it’s easy to point the finger at kicker Stephen Haushcka for missing a game-tying field goal, the problem is much deeper, yet obvious.

For months, many of the Bills critics have questioned the Bills offense, with much push back from biased “Billievers” and Josh Allen apologists. If this game doesn’t change those opinions, nothing will. Poor clock management, conservative play-calling and key plays not extending drives were all a major part of this team’s misfortunes in Cleveland.
Daboll has been a figure who, if this Bills season goes south quick, could find himself as the scapegoat when it comes to appeasing the fan base at the end of the season. His play calling has seemingly limited this offenses potential, and does not look as explosive as it could. It has even led many to believe that Josh Allen isn’t the franchise quarterback that the team thought he was.
Fortunately for Buffalo, if there is anything positive to examine, the Bills are not down and out, and have the opportunity to build their cushion as the first Wild Card spot, although there are some teams beginning to catch up.
Billswire Podcast Hosts Matt and Jeremy discuss the Week 10 loss to the Cleveland Browns:

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