Tag: joe brady

Bills’ Terrel Bernard breaks down matchup vs. Chiefs’ Travis Kelce

Bills’ Terrel Bernard breaks down matchup vs. Chiefs’ Travis Kelce

The Bills beat the Chiefs 30-21 at home on Sunday.

The contest that saw the teams’ final scores roughly on average for the season so far also had significant takeaways on and off the field.

But the biggest one belonged to Buffalo linebacker, Terrel Bernard.

With 1:07 left to play in the fourth quarter, the Bills’ defensive captain and play caller took away a Patrick Mahomes pass intended for Kansas City tight end and MGMT “Electric Feel” fan Travis Kelce for an end-game interception.


The entire Buffalo defense ran down to celebrate with him in the end zone after getting in front of Kelce to grab the ball out of the air.

“The main thing is just having awareness of him, “ Bernard said about covering the Chiefs TE to WIVB. “Pre, post-snap, trying to get guys around him as much as possible, playing within our scheme and our system still but understanding he’s going to be one of the first options every pass play.”

It was the second interception for KC’s Mahomes, whose first and last throws in Sunday’s game were caught by Buffalo.

Bernard, who was out during the last meeting between the clubs in January’s divisional round of the playoffs, also had eight tackles and a sack on the day to go with the big-time turnover.

“I think having that awareness, [defensive coordinator] Bobby [Babich] did a great job in the gameplan, all the coaches did, putting him in our minds all week and knowing where he was at and where he was going to be, what he likes to do in certain spots. I think that was a huge factor, and everybody playing to the details of the defense.”

Everything has changed for Kelce since his last matchups against the Bills in which he seemed unstoppable.

He may just want to shake it off, knowing all too well that Bernard and the Bills defense held him to only two catches for eight yards receiving.

But with the win the Bills now have a better shot at a No. 1 seed and a first-round bye, the Chiefs do as well although they are not out of the woods yet.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was complimentary of the Bills when asked what his takeaways off the field were from the loss.

“Things you can learn, the main thing is that they’re a good team and, if you have a few mistakes in there, they can capitalize on them,” Reid said.

The teams could face off again in the postseason, and time will tell which club will play host to the other if they do.

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Bills’ Josh Allen plays it cool after Chiefs: ‘It’s another Week 11 win’

Bills’ Josh Allen plays it cool after Chiefs: ‘It’s another Week 11 win’

Buffalo beat Kansas City in exciting fashion on Sunday.

The club topped the Chiefs 30-21 at home in Orchard Park in front of Bills Mafia on the same field where KC ended its postseason run last year.

Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen put his superhero cape on for the Bills offense when it mattered most, breaking tackles and shaking off defenders for a 26-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-2 with 2:17 left in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

After the game ended thanks to a win-sealing interception by Terrel Bernard on defense, Allen was asked about his scoring play by CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson.

“Yeah, appreciate Coach McDermott for trusting the offense going out there,” he said. “We had a man play, they dropped out to zone and they had something good for it. I was just trying to make a play and help our team win a football game. You know, some things we need to clean up, some throws I wish I had back, but we’re going into the bye week 9-2…we’ll take it.”

Allen was sacked zero times for the first time against Kansas City since the 2021 regular season, and the team put up their 30 points without key players on offense in receiver Keon Coleman, tight end Dalton Kincaid, and offensive tackle Spencer Brown.

He finished the day Sunday 27-for-40 with 262 yards, a touchdown, and an interception passing to go with another 55 ground yards with the TD.

The scoring rush was his latest in a career highlight reel of making little-to-no/probability plays.

In fact, per NFL Next Gen Stats, there was only a 1.2% chance of scoring a touchdown on the play once he tucked the ball to run.

The Bills hosted their AFC rivals for their fifth regular-season meeting with the QB under center.

The club is now 4-1 in those matchups, becoming the only team in the NFL to log four victories against Chiefs QB and State Farm insurance enthusiast, Patrick Mahomes.

The squad improves to 9-2 overall headed into their bye week. It’s the franchise’s first time at 9-2 since the 1992 NFL season.

The Bills have treated division games as “counting double” but had previously struggled to translate that in conference matchups that could have a bearing on No. 1 seeding and a first-round bye come playoff time.

But not this time.

The final points were roughly on average for what the two teams have put up throughout this season thus far, and it was the Chiefs’ first time giving up more than 28 points in 31 games and the first time allowing 30 points on offense since 2022.

And while Buffalo continues to have success against Kansas City during the regular season, Allen knows they need to beat them in the playoffs and spoke to that while answering whether it was just another Week 11 win for Buffalo.

“It is, it’s another Week 11 win,” he added. “Knowing how things usually play out we’ll probably see this team again at some point. We’ve got to get there first so like I said, we’ll enjoy this bye week and go into the next week after that and put together a good game plan and try to go 1-0.”

Darren Rizzi could be a full-time Saints head coach candidate

Darren Rizzi earning another year as the full-time head coach of the New Orleans Saints wouldn’t be the worst thing. He’s a legit candidate for the job:

It’s an overreaction to say Darren Rizzi should remain the New Orleans Saints’ head coach after this season just because he beat the Atlanta Falcons. But continued success should mean he gets a real look, and the Saints will have to hire someone for the job. Rizzi turning a lost season around and earning that opportunity wouldn’t be the worst thing.

For one thing, he’s already a popular locker room presence. Special teams coaches like Rizzi are the few coaches who interact with players in every phase of the game. Whether he’s taught quarterbacks to hold a snap, told linemen how deep to set up for a field goal, or instructed safeties on shedding blocks as gunners, he’s worked with everyone, and he commands a lot of respect inside the building and around the league. He interviewed for the job when it opened up last time, too.

For another, the Saints aren’t set up rebuild on the fly. Annual contract restructuring has made it tough to trade off a bunch of veteran players and sign replacements in free agency. They aren’t resting on a stockpile of draft picks, either. That could make it tough to lure a hot up-and-comer in demand like Ben Johnson to town, and veteran coaches who have seen a thing or two like Mike Vrabel may want more resources to work with.

If the Saints are going to be working under tight salary cap constraints in 2025 anyway, the best approach might be to stick with Rizzi. See if he can weather that storm and field a competitive team with the pieces already in the building. If he can, great — he’ll have a clean slate to work with in 2026 after hurdles like the dead money left over from Marshon Lattimore’s trade and Derek Carr’s contract guarantees have been paid out in 2025. If he flounders?

No harm, no foul. More aging players will have bowed out, the salary cap bookkeeping will be in order, and the next coaching cycle will present more options. Maybe someone already being linked to the Saints coaching search like Aaron Glenn or Joe Brady will be ready to take over with more experience, fresh eyes and plenty of tools, cap space, and draft picks to build their own team.

But we’re really putting the cart before the horse here. Rizzi passed his first test by beating the dirty birds. Now he needs to win back-to-back games and knock out the Cleveland Browns next Sunday. That would do a lot to keep the season alive in a still-weak NFC South. At this stage all we can do (and all Rizzi and the Saints can do) is take things one day and one week at a time.

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Bills’ Josh Allen says teammates ‘stepped up’ vs. Colts

Bills’ Josh Allen says teammates ‘stepped up’ vs. Colts

A win is a win.

It wasn’t pretty, but the Bills won in all three phases 30-20 on the road against the Colts in Indianapolis.

Buffalo got the job done despite turning the ball over multiple times, which left much to improve upon.

Few knew that better than quarterback Josh Allen.

“We’ve got to have a faster start. We didn’t play our best today, but we’ll take the win,” the QB said. “Four forced turnovers — we’ve got to hold onto the ball a little bit better. We’ll take them how we can get them, and we’ll turn the page tomorrow.”

Allen would go 23 of 37 for 280 yards in the air with 50 yards on the ground.

He also threw a pair of interceptions, putting him at four in the span of the last three games after a stellar start to the year in which he didn’t throw any at all in his first seven contests.

“Guys stepping up, knowing they’re knowing their job, knowing their assignment, and going out there and executing can be cleaner,” he added. “That’s that’s me. So again, just making sure we’re communicating well, and just try again, just trying to hold on to the football. And, you know, we got to play better on offense.”

Playing in front of so many Bills fans in attendance it was practically a home game in the stands, Buffalo was missing receivers Amari Cooper and Keon Coleman. Their scoring got done by way of kicker Tyler Bass’s field goals, along with rushing touchdowns by Allen and starting running back James Cook, and a pick-six interception by corner Taron Johnson.

 

“Just all hands on deck,” head coach Sean McDermott said to the press postgame. “I mean, what else can you say? I would say (offensive coordinator) Joe (Brady), the (offensive coaching) staff, they didn’t flinch. They just kept dialing it up, trying to adjust. I thought the communication at halftime was great by the entire staff.”

This ahead of one of their biggest tests of the season next Sunday, a home game hosting the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs in Orchard Park.

For four-straight games and in seven of their 10 games this season, the Bills have scored 30 points or more, which could matter next week against a Kansas City team that’s only scored that much once this season.

The win against the Colts was the Bills’ first in Indianapolis since 1998, their fifth consecutive win, and they improved to 8-2 overall, their best start since 1993.

And they might possibly have been at 9-1 if not for clock management and playcalling near the end of the club’s matchup against the Houston Texans.

Nonetheless, things remain in perspective for Allen.

“It’s awesome to get eight wins through 10 games. Still got a lot of season left, so we’re not really looking at it as that. It’s just really on to the next one.”

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Bills’ Taron Johnson credits studies for pick six: ‘I’ve seen that play before’

Bills’ Taron Johnson credits studies for pick six: ‘I’ve seen that play before’

The Bills beat the Colts 30-20 on Sunday, thanks in part to an early defensive takeaway by nickel Taron Johnson.

Buffalo had a strong day on defense, and the effort was highlighted by an early pick-six by the corner.

 

Johnson helped to set the tone for the game on the defensive side of the ball with the big play, but also in his overall performance.

He had three tackles, a sack, one tackle for loss, and two pass deflections as well.

“I’m not sure what he was seeing,” Johnson said of opposing QB Joe Flacco’s read on the pick. “But I’ve seen that play before . . . against a different team, and I played it differently. I mean, we [were] in a different call too. In the game I’ve seen it, I played it differently, and I feel like they were expecting me to play it a different way. And, I took the ball. After that, I scanned the field and took it to the house.

I’ve seen that play before… I feel like they were expecting me to play it a different way and took the ball.”

They were also without receivers Keon Coleman and Amari Cooper on offense, so the defense stepped up.

“I know we’re banged up on offense, but the defense came out, and especially in that second half, made a lot of plays, and I feel like that helped us win,” Johnson added.

On the day, the Bills offense had three interceptions total, along with four sacks and two forced fumbles.

Much to the approval of head coach Sean McDermott.

“I thought that the defense and the takeaways was a big time difference in the game, and then also getting momentum back after our turnovers with some key stops and fourth down stops”, McDermott said. “We were able to make them (Colts) one-dimensional, which was important for us. It was a resilient win overall. Very resilient win.”

With Tyler Bass going a perfect six for six, special teams and defense held up their end.

“I think they’re just a very competitive group,” McDermott added. “They take a lot of pride in not letting each other down.”

Dolphins’ Jordan Poyer calls hit on Bills’ Keon Coleman ‘clean’

Dolphins’ Jordan Poyer calls hit on Bills’ Keon Coleman ‘clean’

The Bills were charging downfield on offense in the final minutes of their matchup against the Dolphins Sunday, aiming to score the winning points to break a tie and win the game before the end of regulation.

Buffalo did just that, winning 30-27, and a former Bill even helped them get the opportunity for the victory, albeit at a cost.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen and the offense were making their way downfield in the final minutes of the contest after Miami tied the score at 27 when Allen threw a deep pass toward the left sideline targeting rookie receiver Keon Coleman.

While the pass was incomplete, Dolphins safety and former Bill Jordan Poyer, who returned to Orchard Park for the first time since his seven-year run with Buffalo ended, was whistled for a personal foul as he made helmet-to-helmet contact on the play. The flag kept the drive alive and led to Buffalo winning the game on a 61-yard field goal by kicker Tyler Bass.

Poyer’s helmet crown made contact with Coleman’s facemask, and his helmet also came into contact with the rookie’s right hand during the hit as well, and he appeared to motion toward his arm on his way to the sideline after the play.

Per Syracuse.com, Coleman had a brace on his right wrist and left the game late after the injury.

Poyer said postgame that he believed at the time that the play was clean.

“I’m just playing football. I thought it was a clean play, felt like I put my helmet right into his chest,” he said to the press. “I’m just playing football, it’s tough. … What can you do? I don’t know. I had a great post-break, he went up for the ball and I literally didn’t stop my feet. I felt like I hit him where I was supposed to hit him. Apparently, the ref didn’t think so.”

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel acknowledged that their goal is to play aggressively, though he did not disagree with the penalty call.

“It takes it out of everyone’s hands when you go helmet to helmet,” McDaniel said. “I didn’t see it live, but if there was helmet-to-helmet contact, it is what it is. You have to go strike zone, which is below the neck. So they’ll call that every time if that’s the case.”

Buffalo was down a receiver as recent trade acquisition Amari Cooper had been ruled out ahead of Sunday’s game with an arm injury of his own.

Coleman has been a top receiver for the Bills this season with 22 catches for 417 total yards and two touchdowns.

What Bills’ Josh Allen said after Tyler Bass hit 61-yard game-winner vs. Dolphins

What Bills’ Josh Allen said after Tyler Bass hit 61-yard game-winner vs. Dolphins

The Buffalo Bills sunk the Miami Dolphins in Orchard Park Sunday by a final score of 30-27.

The Bills won a close-fought battle in the final regular season meeting between the two clubs thanks to some late-game heroics by their offense and special teams.

That effort was headlined by kicker Tyler Bass, who delivered a game-winning kick for the ages and the longest in Buffalo Bills history at 61 yards.

 

Immediately after the win, quarterback Josh Allen became emotional during an on-field interview speaking about Bass: “I love that man.”

“So proud of him. So happy for him,” he added during his postgame press conference. “Got emotional in my little postgame speech out there – just the trials and tribulations that he’s been in throughout this year. … A 61-yard field goal to win a game against a division rival, it’s what stories are made of. I love him. I respect him so much. Everybody in that locker room’s so happy for him, and he’s our guy.”

Since the end of last season, Bass has experienced his ups and downs, including this game. He missed an extra point, hit an upright on an extra point, and then delivered the long knockout punch to get the victory.

“That’s why we all love sports, right?” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said to the press after the game.

Bass’s extra point miss came in the third quarter after the Bills took a 12-10 lead on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Allen to WR Mack Hollins on fourth-and-goal. And as it was his third missed PAT of the season, fans may have been concerned if the kicker with some clutch kicks in his career could deliver again.

The Dolphins perhaps knew better, as they’ve seen Bass beat them in the final seconds of a game before.

And in a site that’s become all too familiar, Bass did just that and Buffalo continued its dominance against Miami.

“What a story, man. What a story,” McDermott proudly declared. “I just think overall that here’s a young man that has been going through it and the journey that he’s been on week to week, the questions that have been asked of him, of me … it’s natural, it’s the business we’re in. It’s a great example of mental toughness. I think it’s a great example of perseverance, resilience for young kids out there. Here’s a player that was under the microscope pretty darn hard.”

Bass has endured a challenging season of misses, one in which the teams signed kicker Lucas Havrisik to their practice squad after an Oct. 14 win against the Jets in which Bass missed a field goal and an extra point. The Bills veteran kept the job and had a chance this week to show off the big leg that the club drafted him for in 2020.

“Just reminding myself that, you know, I love this, I love the sport,” Bass said about his mindset and approach. “This is what I’ve dreamed of and when I was out there, I honestly wasn’t thinking about anything. Just went through my process and trusted my preparation. That was it.”
That perspective paid off when it mattered, for the team and the player.
“It means everything,” Bass added about the kick. “Very emotional. Haven’t really processed it yet, but just putting in a lot of work, man, and was just focused on right here, right now, the present and being patient with everything, man. You’re going to go through ups and downs, but just continue to put your best foot forward. We did that today. So just very emotional, I would say.”

McDermott presented the game ball to Bass in the locker room afterward as well, deferring any credit when asked about standing by his kicker.

“He did it. I didn’t do it,” the coach said about the gesture. “I know why you’re asking, but he’s the one who did it. … The questions that were starting to pop up and more and more this year, and then we bring in a kicker to compete with him. He just stayed true to who he is and he stayed true to his process. Even today, (with the) early miss on the extra point. He stayed true to his process. I think that’s very powerful.”

Josh Allen calls Bills’ win over Seahawks best of 2024: ‘It’s up there’

Josh Allen calls Bills’ win over Seahawks best of 2024: ‘It’s up there’

The Bills traveled from Buffalo in the North East to Seattle in the North West to ground the Seahawks on their home turf by a final score of 31-10.

For quarterback Josh Allen, it also was one of his best overall games of the 2024 NFL Season.

“It’s up there,” The Bills QB said to the media after the game. “I think you look at it from all three phases, I think everybody went out there, knew their job, and executed at a high level — offense, defense, and special teams.”

With over half the offensive plays in motion, Allen is keeping it simple and seeing strong results.

“I wouldn’t say we’re too overcomplicated in what we’re doing,” he added. “I know we have some motions and shifts, but again, it takes guys learning it and understanding it but going out there and executing at a high level, everybody knows their spots, and when you got that, you got a dangerous team.”

He would finish the game 24 of 34 throwing for 283 yards with two passing touchdowns. The Buffalo offense was 8-of-15 on third downs and 4-of-6 in the red zone, scoring touchdowns in every quarter of the game.

Allen’s streak of passes without an interception did come to an end during a rainy and slippery day on the field, which also saw him fumble and recover the ball twice.

But that didn’t stop the most successful quarterback in NFL history from paying him some compliments.

“He has really lit the league on fire since he’s been in it,” said player-turned-analyst Tom Brady. “Sometimes, he played like a spaz. Like a grade-schooler on a sugar high. But now, he’s controlled the chaos. He’s like a storm coming into town. And you don’t want that storm coming into this town.”

The former AFC East foe and long-time UGG enthusiast awarded his “Player of the Game” to the Bills signal caller.

Playing against the Seahawks at home is famously a noisy affair due to their “12th Fan” base, though Allen pointed both to the impact that having a couple of 90-yard scoring drives in the first half as well as a big presence by the members of Bills Mafia in attendance made during the game.

“I think it takes the crowd out of it,” he said of the scores. “You stay out of third-and-longs like we did and be able to convert as well as we did. It quiets them down quite a bit which helps with communication. Helps really with just the whole vibe and momentum of the game. Crowds can be such a big part of it. I do want to shout out Bills Mafia. That was a crazy scene walking off the field to the thousands of fans still here. Appreciate them coming out. Hopefully, they enjoyed the game today.”

Keon Coleman ‘don’t think anybody’ can stop the Bills

Keon Coleman ‘don’t think anybody’ can stop the Bills

The Buffalo Bills clipped the wings of the Seattle Seahawks in all three phases of a 31-10 win that saw them improve to 6-2.

The Buffalo offense has continued to have a strong year, thanks in part to the addition of recent trade acquisition WR Amari Cooper, as well as the arrival of rookie pass catcher Keon Coleman.

During the Bills’ past two contests, Coleman has begun to show the type of high-level playmaking abilities and numbers he was drafted for.

“We feel like every play we come out there and execute at a high level, I don’t think anybody really can stop us but ourselves,” Coleman said after the game.

Among the things that have stood out during those recent game performances in terms of productivity is the first-year receiver’s efficiency numbers.

He went for 70 yards on five receptions Sunday with an impressive contested touchdown grab, and the previous week against the Tennessee Titans he put up 125 yards on four receptions during their NFL Week 7 win.

“When you’ve got an explosive offense, just specific to this game, you know you have to be efficient offensively and explosive at the same time,” head coach Sean McDermott said after the game. “I felt like we were both.”

The way the offense is taking shape stood out to him as well.

“Just growth, one week at a time, growth, development. Adam’s doing a really good job with him. Having Amari, I think, helps too because he’s another veteran in the room and, to me, a big-time established veteran that’s done great things in this league for a while. So that helps with the guys that are already in that room. We’ve got good guys in that room that help young players develop and teach them the right way, teaching them the right habits, the right routines, Monday through Saturday. That’s what leads to what you saw today.”

Bills quarterback Josh Allen also shared what he’s noticed about Coleman.

“Absolutely [playing more confident], and that’s something, our staff has got him rolling,” the QB said. “Knows what he’s doing, and when he knows what he’s doing and gets rolling, he’s a damn good football player. He’s continuing to make plays for us, and you love to see that from your young guy. He’s only going to get better.”

WR Khalil Shakir joined Coleman for their post-game media availability and talked about what he saw on Coleman’s touchdown in particular.

“That’s a big boy play right there. It comes from him and Josh [Allen] being on the same page. Josh trusting him, throwing it up there and him making a play. Anytime we score a touchdown, we’re lit. For it to be him, especially in our wide [receiver] room, for it to be anybody in our wide [receiver] room, I know we get really excited for each other. Just to see each other ball out. But as an offense, as long as we get in there, it can be anybody.”

Amari Cooper on experiencing Bills Mafia: ‘It was very impressive’

Amari Cooper on experiencing Bills Mafia: ‘It was very impressive’

The Bills’ newest wide receiver, Amari Cooper, drove to Buffalo from Cleveland upon being traded to the team on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, he began walkthroughs and got his first introduction to their playbook before his first practice on Thursday.

By Sunday, he was on the field at Highmark Stadium for his first game as a Bill, including his first touchdown catch from quarterback Josh Allen en route to a 34-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

“It was just another day at the office at the wide receiver position,” Cooper said postgame about his comfort level.

When the ball made its way into Cooper’s hands for the third-quarter score on a slant run route he ran in a self-described signature “atypical” style, and again later in the contest when he made a catch for a first down early in the fourth quarter, the home crowd loudly cheered “Coooooop” in response.

He would finish four-for-five on targets with 66 yards in a game he learned he’d be playing in on the same call that informed him of the trade.

And playing in front of Bills fans in Orchard Park made quite an impression on the star receiver.

“It was very impressive,” Cooper said to the media postgame. “The fans, it adds a good feel to the game. Like I said, it just felt different, the fans, for some reason. I kind of got the warning throughout the week that the fans are very passionate. I have been a part of a lot of very passionate fanbases. I played for the Raiders, the Cowboys, the Browns, Alabama—but this one, it seems a little bit more heightened. I guess that’s a good thing.”

High praise from the 10-year NFL veteran who’s played for passionate fan bases at the pro and collegiate level.

“It seems like a different ‘Coop’ chant every single time,” he added. “Just grateful, appreciative, there was something special about the one today though.”

His new coach was happy to have him in a Buffalo jersey as well.

“It’s good to have [Cooper] here. He made an impact just in four days, really, four teachable, learnable days,” head coach Sean McDermott noted to the press. “And then to come out on day five here and execute like he did was impressive.”

Cooper’s experience helped to streamline his transition to a new offense, as noted by his new quarterback as well.

“I think being seven years in the league now, just like understanding guys of [Cooper’s] caliber, they don’t need a lot,” Josh Allen said. “They go out there, give him a clear mind, let him go play. That’s what he did out there a couple times, just finding zones, finding windows. He made a really good catch on that slant. But, again, just the professionalism that he has, the ability that he has, just trusting what I see with him, and things will turn out pretty good.”