Tag: Sean McDermott

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.”

Buffalo bested Tennessee at home in Orchard Park on Sunday by a final score of 34-10.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen and the offense started out a little stagnant in the first half, struggling to convert on third downs and put points on the board.

But that all changed in the second half.

While Buffalo’s defense and special teams continued to do their part to keep the Bills in the game, their offense started firing on all cylinders.

Allen, who finished his 100th career start 21 of 33 for 323 yards with two touchdowns, caught up with WIVB Sports Director Josh Reed on the field for a Reed Between The Lines interview.

“You know at halftime, not happy with what was going on,” he shared about the turning point in the game. “At the same time understanding what we are, and who we are. We got back to doing what we do- Making good decisions with the football and getting everybody involved. We found a way in the second half, and our defense played well, they played well in the first half to keep us in it when we were slacking, so we got to find a way to start quicker but happy for the result.”

The Buffalo offense continued their trend of second-half comebacks for wins this season, though this game featured something different that helped open up the passing game as it got going.

The Bills traded draft assets on Tuesday to acquire veteran multi-pro bowl receiver Amari Cooper.

Reed asked Allen about getting those different contributors on Buffalo’s offense involved, including Cooper, who caught a touchdown pass in the third quarter for his first reception as a Bill.

“Yeah it was a go-win route, they went blitz zero, you know he’s matched up there,” “Not a lot of time on task with routes and knowing where he’s going to be just trusting when he breaks the football is coming out, and he made a great play on the ball.”

In his postgame media availability, Cooper expounded on the play a bit as well.

“We had an alert on the play built-in, predicated on if we got a specific look,” He shared. “We got the look that we wanted, we checked to it, and it worked just like it did in practice.”

The receiver once again gives the team a WR1-level threat that opposing defenses now have to account for, which opened up the passing game for Allen and other targets in the Bills offensive attack.

Buffalo has lacked another top option alongside rookie wideout Keon Coleman, and the Bills receivers in general had been struggling to get separation from opposing defenders.

Suffice it to say Allen is pleased with the new addition to Buffalo’s passing game.

“Happy to have him.”