Tag: tre white

Josh Allen finds John Brown, Stefon Diggs with deep balls in Bills win

Josh Allen finds John Brown, Stefon Diggs with deep balls in #Bills win:

The Buffalo Bills topped the New England Patriots 35-23 at home on Sunday in Orchard Park.

In a game that saw some electric scoring plays by the Bills in front of the Highmark Stadium crowd, several of those came by way of quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills receiving corps.

The longest of which was a 49-yard bomb to Stefon Diggs.

Diggs led all Bills receivers with seven receptions on ten targets and 104 total yards with the score, which was good for a third straight game against New England with at least 85 yards, seven catches, and a receiving touchdown.

The Patriots have simply not been able to stop him, and the Bills have too many weapons for New England to double-cover him with a safety.

In my Bills vs. Patriots: 5 things to watch for during Week 18’s game for BillsWire, I pointed out that Diggs was poised for another big performance against the Patriots’ secondary coverage and CB Jonathan Jones. Diggs has cooked Jones so often that he could have his own special on Food Network.

This after his lack of targets was questioned late in the regular season.

The wideout was involved in the offense early as the target of Allen’s first two passes. He played well against man coverage, and his TD catch was his 11th on the year, tying former Buffalo receiver Bill Brooks’s franchise record from the 1995 NFL season.

“We wanna throw to 14,” Allen said to the press postgame. “Teams do a really good job of taking that away, but at the end of the day they can’t do it every single play.”

Allen went 19-for-31 with 254 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception throwing with a 106.1 passer rating on the day.

“Just giving 14 a chance one-on-one and that’s something maybe I’ve gotten away from a little bit too much,” quarterback Josh Allen said. “The dinking and dunking is great, but sometimes you’ve got to let your dogs be dogs.”

Prior to the rocket to Diggs, TE Dawson Knox hauled in a four-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, and Allen found John “Smoke” Brown who laid out for a big 42-yard scoring catch on a third-quarter dime the QB threw running toward the sideline on a broken-up play.

It was Brown’s only target and catch in the contest, and he made it count.

The two deep-scoring tosses came at a good time for Buffalo, while WR2 Gabe Davis was third in receptions with 39 yards and has factored more into the offense in recent weeks, he’s struggled with reliable hands and consistency this season, and was three for ten on catches in the game.

Brown’s touchdown was his first since the 2020 season with Buffalo, in a January 3rd, 2021 game against Miami. He recently re-signed with the Bills’ practice squad and was elevated to the active roster for the game.

With the win, the Bills have secured the No. 2 spot in the AFC playoffs and will host none other than the Dolphins, who might wish it was colder, in Orchard Park next weekend with a day and time yet TBD.

“I’m not going to say other teams haven’t been through a lot but we faced a lot of adversity and obstacles this season,” Diggs said to NFL Network’s Mike Giardi after the game. “It showed that we can really weather the storm on the field, off the field, everything. That all the trials and tribulations, we’ve got a strong group, a real family over here. And that’s something we’re going to lean on going into this new journey. But the mission starts.”

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Bills’ Nyheim Hines: ‘Felt like Damar Hamlin was out there with us’

#Bills’ Nyheim Hines: ‘Felt like Damar Hamlin was out there with us’on kickoff touchdowns:

The Bills beat the Patriots in NFL Week 18  to secure the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture and did so in aerial fashion.

Buffalo got the scoring started right off the bat thanks to a trade deadline acquisition GM Brandon Beane brought in to stabilize the teams’ kick return duties while adding depth at the running back position.

On Sunday, RB Nyheim Hines made good on the returns on that deal.  Literally.

It started on the opening kickoff to the game, when Hines took it 96 yards to the house for a touchdown at a max speed of 21.25 mph which was good for a career-high carrying.

And it didn’t end there.

If you might be wondering how Hines could top a game-opening 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown? How about a 101-yard return to give the Bills another lead yet again in the third-quarter…

He became the first player in Bills franchise history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same game, while also becoming the first Bill to log 235 kick return yards in a single game as well. Hines also became the first NFL player in history to have a game with 2 punt-return TDs and a game with 2 kickoff-return TDs in his career.

Buffalo improved to 13-3 in the regular season, matching a franchise-best mark during an emotional week that culminated in an inspired performance in lieu of everything that had occurred with Bills safety Damar Hamlin.

“It was spiritual,” Hines said after the game. “I felt like he [Damar Hamlin] was out there with us.”

On the field, Hines became the 1st player since Leon Washington (2010) to have 2 kickoff-return TDs in the same game.

Quarterback Josh Allen added three additional passing touchdowns to the cause in the victory. After the game though, he opened up about Hines’s return and what he felt and experienced.

“Obviously, that first kickoff, and you couldn’t have scripted it any better man, that one was pretty emotional. Just the way it happened,” Allen said during his postgame press conference. “You want the truth? It was spiritual it really was. Bone-chilling like, it was special”

While sharing how he’d just been told it’d been 3 years and 3 months since the Bills last returned a kickoff for a TD, Allen became visibly emotional, per Hamlin’s jersey number three.

And when asked where the memory ranked in his memory of experiences, he opened up further, saying “I can’t remember a play like that touched me like that, I don’t think in my life. So it’s probably number one.”

Instead of Bills special teams coach Matthew Smiley or Hines himself, Allen pointed to something greater behind the experience.

“It was just spiritual,” Allen added after a week of prayers around the league and sports world. “I was going around my team saying ‘God’s real’. You can’t draw that one up, you can’t write that one up any better.”

With a win against the Jets on Sunday, low-temperature enthusiast and Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and his club will return to Highmark Stadium to face the Bills in the wild-card first round of the NFL playoffs next weekend, having lost to Buffalo during their most recent visit.

As seen today for the Bills, having an explosive and reliable return man can make a significant impact on the overall game, giving the team momentum they’ll need going into the playoffs.

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Bills vs. Patriots: 5 things to watch for during Week 18’s game

#Bills vs. #Patriots: 5 things to watch for during Week 18’s game:

The finale to the regular season has arrived, and for Buffalo, it features a familiar foe.

The New England Patriots travel to Orchard Park this week for a 1 pm EST game on Sunday.

The Pats will look to avenge an NFL week 13 loss to Sean McDermott’s club while the Bills will play for the first time since an unprecedented near-tragedy in a now-canceled game against the Bengals.

Here are five things to watch for during Thursday’s Bills-Patriots matchup:

Bills at Bengals: 5 things to watch for during Week 17’s game

#Bills at #Bengals: 5 things to watch for during Week 17’s game:

The Buffalo Bills (12-3) continue their regular season journey on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals (11-4) in Week 17.

Once the battle arrives, there will be a few particular things to keep in mind.

Here are seven things to watch for during Monday’s Bills-Bengals matchup:

USC offense comes to life in victory over Long Beach State

The #USC offense came to life in a double-digit victory over Long Beach State. Auburn is next on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. in Los Angeles.

The USC Trojans have just a few days before a massive showdown against Auburn, and Andy Enfield’s team wants to take advantage of an opportunity to get a signature victory.

Wednesday night was their final tune-up before facing Bruce Pearl’s squad, and the Trojans showed up with a 88-78 victory against Long Beach State at the Galen Center.

USC put up 43 points in the first half and finished with 88 on the game, well over the team average of 69.9 points per game coming into the contest.

Reese Dixon-Waters and Tre White both finished with 20 points each and combined to show 17-26 from the field. Drew Peterson chipped in 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Kobe Johnson added 14 points and seven boards.

The big question coming out of this game is if Long Beach State’s lack of defensive resistance made USC look better, or if the Trojans actually improved on offense and made themselves a noticeably better team in time for the Auburn game, which is a crucial moment for USC this season. The Trojans badly need a signature nonconference win to boost their portfolio before they get into the heart of Pac-12 competition.

Boogie Ellis once again struggled shooting from the field, finishing with 11 points on 3-13, including 3-9 shooting beyond the arc.

Both White and Dixon-Waters set career highs on the evening, which is an encouraging sign for a Trojan team desperate for some scoring. This is their first time scoring more than 70 points since November 23 against BYU, and they will need their offense to show up against a tough Auburn team.

Aboubacar Traore was excellent for Long Beach State, finishing with 16 points and 16 rebounds as he gave USC fits. Nonetheless, the Trojans got the win and have now won four straight heading into the game against Auburn, which begins just after 2:30 p.m. in Los Angeles on Sunday, Dec. 18.

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Trojans defeat Cal State Fullerton on the hardwood, move to 7-3 this season

The #USC Trojans found some help from their depth pieces in a double-digit victory over Cal State Fullerton, but their 3-point shooting remains poor.

The USC Trojans managed to win their third straight game on Wednesday night by defeating the Cal State Fullerton Titans, 64-50, at the Galen Center.

In a battle of 2022 NCAA Tournament teams, the Trojans led from start to finish despite a subpar outing from Boogie Ellis and Reese Dixon-Waters.

Nonetheless, Andy Enfield’s team got its seventh victory of the year to move to 7-3 with a massive game against Auburn looming on December 18.

Ellis scored just five points on 2-11 shooting from the field, including a disappointing 1-7 mark from downtown. Drew Peterson scored nine points on 3-8 shooting.

However, Kobe Johnson emerged again with 14 points, five boards and five assists, marking his second straight game finishing in double figures.

Even more noteworthy was a career-high 15 points from Tre White, who also chipped in six rebounds and finished as the Trojans’ leading scorer.

In the Trojans’ losses against Wisconsin and Tennessee last month, it was the lack of depth that was a major concern. However, the emergence of White and Johnson could be a step in the right direction.

Latrell Wrightsell Jr. led all scorers with 17 points, although he was the only Titan player to score in double figures.

USC finished with a 42.9-percent shooting clip from the field,  but one disappointing stat was a 4-20 (20%) mark from the 3-point line.

The Trojans have the weekend off before facing Long Beach State on Wednesday in their final tune-up before the Auburn game.

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Bills at Patriots: 5 things to watch for during Week 13’s game

#Bills at #Patriots: 5 things to watch for during Week 13’s game:

The Buffalo Bills will remain on the road this week, following consecutive wins in Detroit they will now face the New England Patriots in Week 13.

With an opportunity to gain ground in their division, there are certain things to keep an eye out for.

Here are five things to watch for during Thursday’s Bills-Patriots matchup:

Bills’ Kaiir Elam, Christian Benford generate buzz in preseason vs. Colts

#Bills’ Kaiir Elam, Christian Benford generate buzz in preseason vs. #Colts:

The cornerback position has been one of the most talked about topics in Buffalo this past offseason, and two of the newest additions to that group made an impact in the team’s victory over Indianapolis on Saturday.

Rookie CBs Kaiir Elam and Christian Benford made their presence felt early, as each corner made a play during the first quarter to end a Colts offensive drive.

And head coach Sean McDermott took notice.

“It looked like both of them battled out there,” McDermott said while speaking to the press. “They didn’t shy away from the competition.”

Those moments weren’t lost on either player either.

“It was something I can cherish for the rest of my life, something that I’ll never take for granted,” Elam said, as the 1st round selection out of Florida addressed the media following the game. “(I’ll) probably remember this game when I’m 90 years old.”

A sixth-round pick out of Villanova, Benford echoed a similar sentiment.

“It’s, obviously, a life-changing experience,” Benford said. “We prayed for stuff like this every day. I prayed for it every day since I was a kid. And I thought about it, and I lined up against their ones, and it’s a joyful feeling. (There was) no fear. … (There was) no scariness. It was straight joy and happiness.”

Newly added QB Matt Ryan lined up under center across from them, taking extended preseason snaps with fellow Indy starters as he adjusts to a new team and system, giving the two young defensemen more gameplay against veteran talent.

“It didn’t really matter who lined up out there, I was just so excited to be out there,” Elam added. “Matt Ryan is, obviously, he’s a good quarterback. He’s had a heck of a career. But I was just so excited to be out there and really just cherish the moment and also make sure I did my part.”

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Sean McDermott on Bills CB Dane Jackson: ‘Dane’s a winner’

Sean McDermott on #Bills CB Dane Jackson: ‘Dane’s a winner’

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There has been some buzz around the cornerback group for the Buffalo Bills this offseason. 

From the addition of CB Kair Elam from Florida in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft to the play of Dane Jackson in the absence of injured pro-bowler Tre White, the corner position has been one of interest.

While the team and fans await White’s return, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott threw his support behind the player filling in for him at OTA workouts this week.

That being Dane Jackson, of course.

“Dane’s a winner”, McDermott said while addressing the press.

“He is committed. He’s one of the first ones here every morning, one of the last to leave. Comes in on his own, even on the weekends at times, and he’s a true pro.”

Questions had surrounded the cornerback position since last season, from who would fill in during White’s recovery to who would replace former starter and departed free agent Levi Wallace.

The Bills have answered them, whether it’s been Jackson’s play on the field or the addition of Elam.

And while he’s expressed his confidence in him before, McDermott isn’t the only one commending Jackson for his play and work ethic.

DC Leslie Frazier sang his praises during OTA’s as well, calling the CB’s gameplay experience last season “tremendously valuable” during his latest press conference.

“He played a lot of snaps for us”, Frazier added. “Really held his own, the moments never seemed too big for him. One of the best tackling young corners that’s in the league”.

That is high praise from Jackson’s coaches, and affirmation of the young CB himself as well as to the fans who’ve wondered if the team would look to add talent to White’s position until he returns.

With Jackson performing well as the next-man-up, there is reason for optimism that he’ll be able to hold down the fort at the corner while White returns and continue to contribute in rotations with the position group.

That type of youth and depth is valuable, especially in providing the team with competition and performance on the field against opponents, and also in helping to not only fill in for White but to help share the workload as he eventually transitions back to gameplay.

Jackson held his own last season and is continuing to earn the praises of the Bills coaching staff, which is both a testament to the team’s scouting and player development as well as to his work ethic.

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What GM Brandon Beane said about Bills first-round pick Kaiir Elam

What GM Brandon Beane said about #Bills first-round pick Kaiir Elam:

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Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane and his front office team have become known for doing their pre-draft homework on NFL prospects.

Beane has also become known for his maneuvering on NFL Draft days.

Both elements came into play on the first day of the draft, with a move to leapfrog multiple corner-needy teams to get his man

As the Bills sat waiting at number 25 overall, a player whom he deemed as a not only a good fit for the team but also the last one for whom he had a first-round grade was still on the board. That player was Florida CB Kaiir Elam.

The GM decided they would wait no longer.

He swapped the first-round spot at 25th overall and the 130th overall pick the Bills had in the fourth round with the Baltimore Ravens for the 23rd pick to take the corner.

Why the move up?

“We had a good grade on Kaiir and we were down to one player in the first round on our board,” Beane said while addressing the media after the pick. “At that point it just made sense.”

Moving up to take players that fit has become somewhat of a regular part of Beane’s repertoire as Buffalo’s general manager.

“It just felt like it was within striking distance,” the GM added. “And obviously, I’ve been hearing it loud and clear ‘we don’t have corners’ from every single one of you, neighbors, kids, everyone. So we’ll all sleep good tonight that we added a corner.”

Elam’s experience at the collegiate level was also a factor in the GM’s evaluation of him.

“He plays in the SEC, which you know is the closest thing to our level,” Beane added. “He’s gone against some top-tier talent in his career, guys that have already been drafted a year ago. We think he’s got a high ceiling. He’s a younger player. So, we just feel like he’s got a lot of things that he does well. He’s a bigger, longer guy. He’s got speed to carry the vertical. Some guys that are running high 4-5s struggle – they’re good in the shorter area, but they struggle the more the receivers get downfield. We think he can do that.”

“His tackling at times was a little bit shaky. We talked to him about it, and part of it, he felt was the way they were asking him to do. So he’ll have to – there are some things technique-wise that we’ll have him work on and clean up. But he’s a great young man. I think he’ll fit our DNA, fit our culture.”

Beane also noted the impression that was made during Elam’s pre-draft visit to One Bills Drive as a top-30 draft prospect as an influential factor in the decision.

“He was impressive,” Beane said. “That really kind of sealed the fate of ‘this guy would fit us if it worked out.”

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