Tag: New England

Bills’ James Cook on milestone day: ‘Something I’ve been working for’

Bills’ James Cook on milestone day: ‘Something I’ve been working for’

The Buffalo Bills lost their final game of the 2024 NFL regular season against the Patriots in New England.

However, the game was played more like a preseason contest.

The Pats got a 23-16 win and lost the No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL Draft, while the Bills rested many of their starters and played backups, depth players, and rookies.

But they also took some opportunities to help some of their starters and vets reach incentives and milestones.

Two of which went to the team’s RB1 James Cook.

Cook tied the Buffalo franchise record with his 16th rushing TD of the season and finished the regular season campaign with over 1,000 yards rushing.

 

Midway through the third quarter Cook ran up the middle for 2 yards on first-and-goal from the 3-yard line. He followed that up with another carry for 1 yard out for the touchdown.

“It was big,” Cook said to the media in the postgame. “Just to have your name in the record book is great, man. First of all, I’ve gotta give thanks to my O-line, though. Without them, nothing would be possible. Just blessed.”

Going into the matchup the third-year pro needed just 19 rushing yards to surpass 1,000 on the season, and one more touchdown on the ground tie O.J. Simpson (16.)

“It was nice, it was just a good moment,” right guard O’Cyrus Torrence said via The Buffalo News. “Because we talked about it all week. We knew he needed 19 yards to get to 1,000. And we knew he needed at least one touchdown to tie the record. So, we (were) glad we were able to get both of those.”

Cook did just that on 10 carries finishing the regular season with 1,009 yards total to go with 32 receptions for 258 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Initially, he saw limited action but noted “We discussed it during the week, and it happened,” and how “that was always the plan” for him to reach the mark.

“It’s great,” he added. “That’s just something I’ve been working for and working hard throughout the year. I mean, to do that, and to go for 1,000 yards for my second year is a blessing.”

It took the RB 17 weeks to achieve the mark (as the Bills had a Week 12 bye) and it’s worth noting that there were only 14 games in 1975 when Simpson set the mark. Nonetheless, Cook’s matching the total could be a forecast of seasons to come.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott spoke after the game about helping Cook have a chance to gain over 1,000 yards while having a shot at the franchise rushing touchdown mark.

“No. 1, you’re trying to make sure you’re protecting (Cook) as much as you can and we’re smart with it,” McDermott said during his postgame press conference. “He’s worked all year. The offense has worked all year, the O-line and James, and so get a chance to get it on a short run was good to see.”

It was Cook’s second consecutive year with 1,000+ rushing yards becoming the first Bills RB since LeSean McCoy to do so in back-to-back campaigns (2016-17.)

His improvement of +14 in rushing TDs going from two in 2023 to 16 in 2024 is tied for the third-largest improvement all-time among players to play 16+ games in consecutive seasons in NFL history.

The running back plans to keep the ball from the touchdown and to get it painted as a keepsake.

“Just something that I can tell my kids, and their kids’ kids, something that had never been done in some years,” Cook shared. “So, just a blessing.”

Bills’ Sean McDermott focused on ‘ultimate goal’ post-Patriots loss

Bills’ Sean McDermott focused on ‘ultimate goal’ post-Patriots loss

The Bills lost to the Patriots 16-23 in both clubs’ final game of the 2024 NFL regular season.

On a chilly day in New England, Buffalo rested a number of their starters with others seeing marginal action as the game had no bearing on their playoff standings.

The Bills already clinched the No. 2 seed and it was time to give depth players and rookies more playing time.

Bills HC Sean McDermott made one thing clear during his postgame press conference as to how the team will measure success in the postseason: “The ultimate goal is to win the Super Bowl.”

The last contest of the regular season did have some meaning, however, as Buffalo became the first team in NFL history with 30 rushing and 30 passing touchdowns in a single season. They also tied the 2019 Saints for an NFL record for the fewest turnovers in a single season (8) since 1933 when turnovers were first tracked.

Multiple Bills players were also given the opportunity to reach contract incentives for bonuses in the game.

 

Von Miller was credited with his 6th sack of the season which netted the veteran linebacker $1.5 million while ending the Patriots’ opening drive of the game. WR Mack Hollins caught a $50,000 bonus with his second reception of the game which made for 30 on the season. P Sam Martin netted $100,000. for his 25th punt of the season inside the 20-yard line thanks to CB Ja’Marcus Ingram’s help keeping the ball from going into the endzone.

Speaking of bonuses, Buffalo didn’t have a single injury update reported.

“I’ll knock on wood because sometimes things show up the next day. I feel like [we did],” The coach also noted. “Let me just knock on wood to make sure. I’ll know a little more tomorrow.”

While the loss to New England broke the NFL’s longest active streak of eight straight wins against division opponents, it may have been strategic.

That win dropped the Patriots out of the No. 1 overall pick selection spot in the 2025 NFL Draft, a position they could have leveraged in multiple ways to help expedite their rebuild process and improve their team and payroll ahead of next season.

Last year New England tried to trade up with Buffalo from the second round so they could reportedly draft either now-Panthers WR Xavier Legette or now-Bills rookie WR Keon Coleman. Buffalo instead made the trade with Carolina to not allow a division opponent to get better (and since we play them twice a season) and took Coleman ahead of them at the top of the second round.

They can now add losing the No. 1 overall pick to any jaded feelings toward Buffalo.

As for the Bills, they’ll now turn their complete focus to the start of the playoffs.

Bills’ Sean McDermott raves about Cam Lewis’ efforts vs. Patriots

Bills’ Sean McDermott raves about Cam Lewis’ efforts vs. Patriots

The Buffalo Bills defense has had its ups and downs during the teams’ past few contests.

Despite back-to-back wins against Detroit and New England and a strong start and successful run to start the 2024 NFL season, they gave up consecutive 40+ point games to the Rams and Lions, then struggled to stop a first-half offensive attack by a 3-11 Patriots team on Sunday.

In their absence, other players had to step up, and in the third quarter, defensive back Cam Lewis did just that, hauling in his first career interception on an endzone pass from Pats QB Drake Maye.

Cam Lewis tallied his first career interception for Buffalo tonight,

Lewis saw playing time filling in as the Bills were without starters in safeties Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp, corner Rasul Douglas, and linebacker Baylon Spector who left the game, as well as nickel cornerback Taron Johnson who missed part of the second half.

Buffalo’s head coach spoke well of the 2020 undrafted free agent signing’s ability to play the safety position even though it’s not normally his role.

“He hadn’t played a lot of safety for us, even in practice,” Sean McDermott said. “With the injuries, you know, all of a sudden he’s starting at safety, as opposed to just, you know, Cam be ready to go as the backup safety, and also the backup nickel, starting dime, and then four core special teams player. He gets pushed into the starting role with safety the last two weeks, and I think he’s done a real nice job.”

After one of the longest, most successful runs in NFL history under former head coach Bill Belichick and longtime quarterback Tom Brady, New England finds themselves amidst a rebuilding process and their first season with a new head coach, Jerod Mayo, at the helm.

The Pats also have a new face under center as well, in the 2024 NFL Draft pick and Josh Allen fan, Maye.

While rolling the new-look Pats headlined by rookie Maye and Mayo, proved to be a challenge as Buffalo looked messy early in their first meeting as the Bills fell behind early on and had to fight their way back.

The Buffalo defense caused three turnovers total as they also recovered two New England fumbles.

Lewis missed a tackle on Rhamondre Stevenson’s touchdown run earlier in the game, adjusted to get in the right frame of mind moving forward.

“Yeah, just a little technique (mistake), especially on that tackle,” Lewis said. “I feel like I got good contact on him, gotta keep my head on the outside and just get a better rep … You just have to move on. You can’t dwell on the past. You do that and it’s going to affect your game moving forward.”

Lewis’s interception made an impact in shifting the momentum of the game, he slid in the endzone to stay in bounds and make the play, giving Buffalo a possession change when they only had a three-point lead.

Fellow Bills and University of Buffalo teammate Ja’Marcus Ingram, who along with Lewis received praise from McDermott for filling in for Johnson earlier in the season, celebrated the pick as well.

“Man it was live, shoot, I was turnt up,” Ingam said. “He is benefitting from the fruits of his labor.”

Cornerback Christian Benford joked with Lewis in the locker room as well, asking “Now that you got your first career interception, you paying for DB dinner now?” Lewis smiled and replied “100 percent, nah. I got two kids man, that’s expensive.”

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Injury update: Bills QB Josh Allen addresses knock vs. Patriots

Injury update: Bills QB Josh Allen addresses knock vs. Patriots

The Buffalo Bills beat the New England Patriots at home by a final score of 24-21.

On a frigid Sunday in Orchard Park, the Bills‘ welcome was anything but warm and fuzzy.

In fact the weather was cold and stingy as were the Patriots in the first half.

The Patriots came out swinging on both sides of the ball, but by the second half, Buffalo bit by bit began to remind their divisional foe which team wears the AFC East crown.

Still, the game was not without some nail-biting moments, and one came for Bills fans in the fourth quarter when quarterback Josh Allen appeared to hurt his right elbow/hand as a result of making contact with a defender’s helmet while being tackled on play.

After the game, Allen provided an update on the injury.

“Got a helmet to the funny bone. I went to throw the next one, and I had no feeling in the hand. Came out a little wobbly,” Allen said to CBS sideline reporter Evan Wasburn on the field following the win.

It was revealed this week that the Bills QB had played most of the season with a fractured left hand that has now healed up. It’s worth noting he still put up a campaign worthy of MVP consideration.

An injury to his throwing elbow and hand, however, is not anything coaches or fans take lightly.

Allen was seen shaking the hand on the sideline after the play and throwing to get it back feeling right. Backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky even started warming up in case Allen couldn’t go.

But he would re-enter the game, completing some passes as well as doing his part on a QB sneak in the final drive to help get the victory.

Next up the Bills will host the Jets at home and then travel to New England for a Patriots re-mach road game to end the regular season.

Josh Allen: Bills were not ‘ready to play’ vs. Patriots

Josh Allen: Bills were not ‘ready to play’ vs. Patriots

The Buffalo Bills beat the New England Patriots 24-21 at Highmark Stadium on a cold Sunday night.

It was the first of their two divisional matchups this season, hich will come only weeks apart as the regular season nears its end.

While Buffalo got the win at home and improved to 12-3 on the year, players and coaches saw room for improvement.

“Got to come out in the first half ready to play,” QB Josh Allen said after the game. “And I don’t think that’s something that we did great today. Missed some opportunities. Wish I had a few back. That’s every game, but glad our defense and our special teams can step up. They scored on defense, obviously, and we won the turnover battle again, and it’s complementary football, and our defense had our back today.”

The 2024 campaign for these two franchises has been a tale of two very different clubs in terms of where they are.

Going into the matchup, Buffalo was 11-3 and the Patriots were 3-11, yet the game proved to be a close one.

“Didn’t start the way we wanted to,” LB Terrel Bernard noted, as New England got an early 14-0 lead on its first two drives of the game. “We made some adjustments and then we were able to play more like ourselves down the stretch there. I think it’s a good learning opportunity for us.”

The Bills have locked up their fifth consecutive division crown and are competing for the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the AFC playoff picture. To do so they’ll need to win their remaining two games and the Chiefs would need to lose their last two matchups.

The Bills will face the Jets at home before traveling for a regular season finale rematch to New England, who got ahead early in their first meeting.

“Good to get a win, it’s hard to win. Don’t take those for granted. Number One. Two, we thought we played sloppy in the first half in particular, and overall,” HC Sean McDermott said about the game. “We’ve got to clean some things up. The second half was a lot better, controlling the line of scrimmage offensively, and defensively with the takeaways. But you can’t start a game the way we did with the kickoff return and just getting off to an overall bad start. So I applaud the guys for, you know, finding a way and the coaching staff as well. [We made] some good adjustments at halftime. But again, we’re planning on coming out of this game and we’ll look at the tape and make sure we continue to adjust.”

Despite coming in with only three wins on the season, the Pats gave the Bills a run for their money in a game that figured to be an easier win on paper for Buffalo.

“That’s a better team than their record shows and these division games are tough,” QB Josh Allen added. “It’s someone that we’re used to, and they’ve seen us quite a bit over the last few years, and they came out ready to play today.”

McDermott continued to focus on where his team could improve.

“We got to do a better job of just doing our jobs and playing good sound, fundamental football, and then getting off the field on third down,” McDermott pointed out. “We’ve got to come out with more discipline,” McDermott said. “Can’t beat yourself… The first half just beating ourselves and not getting into a rhythm on offense… There are some young players out there, too, who are going to learn from some of those situations and experiences.”

Causes for concern as the Bills take on the Patriots in Week 16

Causes for concern as the Bills take on the Patriots in Week 16

The Buffalo Bills will host the New England Patriots in Week 16 at Highmark Stadium.

The Bills (11-3) and Patriots (3-11) have trended in different directions this season. The Bills have won eight of their last nine games while the Patriots have lost five of their last six.

Even though Buffalo is favored to win the game, there are always a few things that make winning difficult each week. The Bills will need to be wary of them.

Here are three causes for concern for the Bills against the Patriots in Week 16:

Question marks in the secondary

Getty Images

What would make Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye’s day a bit easier on Sunday would be if the Bills are down members of their secondary. Safeties Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp, along with cornerback Rasul Douglas, all missed Week 15’s win over the Detroit Lions.

Although the Bills won last week, they allowed almost 494 passing yards from Lions QB Jared Goff to go along with five touchdowns.

Douglas, Hamlin, and Rapp all are listed as questionable heading into Week 16. Buffalo’s linebackers are banged up a bit, too. Matt Milano, Dorian Williams, and Baylon Spector all are carrying the same designation.

Containing QB Drake Maye

USA Today Sports

The Bills have yet to face the rookie quarterback out of the University of North Carolina. Maye has been a bright spot on an otherwise dim Patriots season. He has shown poise and instincts as a young signal caller and he can beat you with both his arm and legs.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott has had success going against rookie quarterbacks in his career with an 8-3 record. Maye is one of the more challenging ones. We’ll see how the Bills game plan for him.

Overlooking an opponent

Getty Images

The Bills are coming off a win over the Lions, whom many consider to be the best team in the NFL. Combine that with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this year and the Bills have proven they can beat anyone.

What’s difficult is bringing the same intensity for a Week 16 matchup with the Patriots as you did in a “Super Bowl preview” type of game. The Bills’ discipline and execution will be tested by a division rival looking to play spoiler.

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Notre Dame to play annual game vs. Navy at Gillette Stadium in 2026

Make your travel plans now.

Whenever Notre Dame goes on the road to play Navy, a large venue always is in order. There’s a great deal that goes into the history of this rivalry, so a stadium worthy of it is a must.

Halloween 2026 will be the next time the Midshipmen act as the home team in this game, and a stadium new to both the rivalry and the Irish will enter the fold. During that season, the teams will meet at Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots and Revolution in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

The Irish never have played at Gillette Stadium, and this rivalry never has had a game in the New England region. The Midshipmen made their first appearance at the stadium last year for the Army-Navy Game.

This is the second 2026 Irish road game to be scheduled at an NFL stadium. They will open the season against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The Irish and Badgers were to meet at the home of the Packers as part of the 2020 Shamrock Series, but COVID-19 squashed those plans. They ultimately met for that game in 2021 at Soldier Field in Chicago, the home of the Bears.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Bills’ Micah Hyde makes decision on Rasul Douglas: ‘We won the trade’

#Bills’ Micah Hyde makes decision on Rasul Douglas: ‘We won the trade’

The Bills defeated a chippy Patriots team 27-21 in Orchard Park on Sunday, extending their win streak to four straight contests.

Buffalo will head into next week’s regular-season finale against the Dolphins in Miami for the AFC Championship.

Sunday’s win could be the final AFC East meeting between defensive head coaches Sean McDermott and Bill Belichick, whose future with the Patriots organization is unclear.

And it was McDermott’s defense, for whom he is the primary play-caller, that shone, holding New England to only 294 total yards.

Buffalo caused four Patriots turnovers, including a pick-six by trade deadline acquisition CB Rasul Douglas.

Douglas tipped a pass by Patriots QB Bailey Zappe earlier in the game, which was then caught by teammate DT Ed Oliver for his first career interception, thanks to some single-handed acrobatics, before the cornerback reeled in two picks of his own.

All in the first half.

“That should have been another pick by me,” Douglas mused during his postgame media availability. “I should have had 3, honestly, cause I knew it was coming. I read it, but I was on the right side of the tight end and he kind of threw it to the left. So, I had to go around him and deflect it up and then I seen Ed diving for it, I was just happy that he caught it.”

Douglas has been a huge addition defensively in general, not to mention in the wake of another season-ending injury to CB Tre White.

“I don’t know what we gave up to get him… but we won the trade,” S Micah Hyde said about the Bills’ corner, per ABC 13 WHAM. 

Hyde’s comments were backed by their head coach, who noted the team’s resilience.

“They’ve been very resilient. And just the things that they’ve learned, I think, through the journey that have gotten us to here and then using them week to week to find a way to win games,” McDermott said to the press. “Today we knew wasn’t going to be easy and I thought that their resilient nature was on display in the second half.”

New England’s defense was still stingy despite their offense’s shortcomings, but it was Buffalo’s defensive group that won the day. The offense will look to bounce back and the team will aim to keep rolling into the win column next week in Miami.

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Bills’ Josh Allen on rocky Pats game: ‘One of the longest quarters I’ve ever been part of’

#Bills’ Josh Allen on rocky Pats game: ‘One of the longest quarters I’ve ever been part of’

The Bills beat the Patriots at home 27-21 on Sunday, as the team continues to win games, even when the win is an ugly one.

And it’s paid off.

The Bills’ overall offensive performance wasn’t the smoothest, however, as both OC Joe Brady and QB Josh Allen and his receiving targets, who struggled with completions and capitalizing on several Pats turnovers, expressed visible frustration at times.

Allen finished the day with two rushing TDs and 213 total yards of offense, though he struggled a bit in the passing game putting up only 45 total yards with an interception near the end of the first half.

“That was one of the longest quarters I’ve ever been a part of,” Allen said during his press conference. “Three possessions down there in the first quarter and we only scored one touchdown. That’s not good enough on our end. We got to be better prepared to go and get six and seven there. We lucked out. Our defense played a heck of a game and we got to just try to find a way to win.”

He quickly surpassed that first-half number on the first drive of the second half hitting  TE Dalton Kincaid for a 51-yard reception, a career-long for the Bills first-year tight end.

In the contest, Kincaid finished with 87 yards and set a new franchise record for receptions by a rookie with 62 catches on the season.

“We’re playing a pretty good team so just glad we came out with the win,” Kincaid said to the media.

“Each game’s been you know the most important game and now that this game passed you know next week’s the most important game for us, so looking forward to that.”

The Bills offense was a little bit of history repeating in some ways, as Kincaid led the way in receiving yards and Allen scored multiple TDs in their last meetup too.

What has been different about these past couple of matchups with New England has been the usage of WR1 Stefon Diggs, who was quiet these several games, even not taking any offensive snaps on Buffalo’s opening scoring drive at the start of the 2nd half.

Before this season, he had been the leading receiver in several matchups against New England, and while he had a TD in their last meeting and a shot at deep ball on Sunday night, his role has been different,

Diggs often commands double teams, and the coverage he and WR2 Gabe Davis require of opposing defenses creates openings for other targets like Kincaid, WR Khalil Shakir, and receiving RB James Cook.

In the quest for the Buffalo offense to become more multi-dimensional under new offensive coordinator Joe Brady, the captain has sacrificed to help his team win.

And win they have.

The Bills were at 6-6 and on the outside looking in at the playoffs, and have since rattled off four victories and a shot at their fourth straight AFC East crown in next week’s season finale against the Dolphins in Miami.

“I obviously would love to have a home game in the playoffs,” Allen added. “Would love to get in the playoffs, so that’s first and foremost. [We’re] just doing whatever we can do to give ourselves a chance of getting in.”

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Rowers flock to Boston for Head of the Charles Regatta

It’s a race across the water.

Since 1965, rowers have flocked to Boston’s Charles River for the annual Head of the Charles Regatta (HOCR). This year, the big event runs October 20-22. Boston is expecting peak fall color, 11,000 rowers from around the world, and 400,000 spectators. If you love rowing, you’ll want to be there.

Boston has long been associated with rowing, which is one of the oldest Olympic sports and also closely identified with academia. So, it makes sense that the HOCR is a big deal for the city. Rowers start the race at the Boston University Boathouse. They proceed under a railroad trestle and the BU Bridge, then navigate five more triple-arch bridges before reaching the finish line about three miles upstream.

The schedule is packed and timed down to the minute. It starts on Friday, October 20, at 7:45 a.m. with a men’s single race in the 70+ and 80+ age groups, followed by women of the same age at 8:05 a.m. It continues, race after race, for a total of 75 races over the three days.

Rowers on a river.
Community Rowing brings the sport to the masses. / Photo courtesy of Community Rowing, Inc.

Way more people want to row than can fit into the 75 races. Would-be competitors submit an online application, then cross their fingers that they’ll be accepted. In addition to the thrill of victory, top finishers in the men’s and women’s championship singles event will get $10,000. Second place brings $5,000, and third place earns $2,500.

Interested in rowing but not a contender? Community Rowing Inc., North America’s largest public-access rowing organization, is partnering with Hotel Commonwealth to let guests try out the sport. Hotel Commonwealth guests can take private indoor instruction, then try their skills out on the water with a Community Rowing coach. Community Rowing is dedicated to exposing people of all backgrounds to rowing. Its partnership with Hotel Commonwealth will support rowing programs for Boston Public School kids, veterans, active duty military, and para-athletes.