Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills, Cole Beasley talk about Sunday trickery

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Beasley’s touchdown toss against Los Angeles is the Buffalo Bills’ second scoring pass from a non-QB this season.

Kelly, Kemp, Ferguson, Flutie, Bledsoe…Beasley??? 

It’s not likely that Cole Beasley will go down amongst the great passers in Buffalo Bills history, even if his official passer rating sticks at 158.3. Beasley joined fellow non-quarterbacks John Brown and Preston Ridlehuber as the only players in Bills history to earn a perfect mark in the category on Sunday. Buffalo trickery led to the receiver tossing a 20-yard touchdown pass to Gabriel Davis during a tilt against the Los Angeles Chargers at Bills Stadium en route to a 27-17 victory. It was similar antics that allowed the rusher Ridlehuber and the receiver Brown to likewise earn passing scores in 1969 and 2019 respectively (Beasley’s current teammate Brown also had a scoring throw in last year’s playoff cameo in Houston). 

The Bills (8-3) were able to pass the play off as a bubble screen, with Beasley taking a pass behind the line of scrimmage from regular quarterback Josh Allen. Davis faked a block before heading downfield, drawing the Chargers’ attention to Beasley. With the ruse in full swing, Beasley lobbed the ball to a wide open Davis, helping the rookie catcher earn his fourth touchdown pass of the season and to give Buffalo a 14-6 lead in the second quarter.

According to Davis, the gridiron sorcery was several weeks in the making, giving him full confidence that the deception would work. 

“I knew it was going to work,” Davis said, per Jourdan LaBarbour of BuffaloBills.com. “We run a lot of those bubble screens, so as soon as I saw (Chargers cornerback Chris Harris) shoot, I just knew the ball was coming to me and Cole was able to, you know, put a dart. He said he threw it kind of hard to get it in there but…it was a softball. It was an easy catch and I’m glad we could make that connection.”

Mandatory Credit: Jamie Germano-USA TODAY NETWORK

Beasley became the second Bills receiver to flip the narrative of a touchdown pass this season, joining Isaiah McKenzie. The latter threw a four-yard pass to Allen in the infamous loss to Arizona earlier this month. Alas for McKenzie, the passer rating formula left him just short of a perfect mark at 156.2. Since 2018, Buffalo is tied with division rival Miami for the most touchdown passes thrown by a non-quarterback (4, including postseason). 

“My feet weren’t set right, it was really ugly, but it got there. I’ll take it,” Beasley analyzed in LaBarbour’s report. “I was trying to get them to come up and think it was a bubble screen. I just had to have eyes on the safety, make sure he’s not coming over back there. The guys were guarding the guys going deep, so I had a chance to throw it.”

If anyone on the Bills was ready for aerial duplicity, it was likely going to be Beasley. The 31-year-old previously served as an option quarterback at Little Elm (TX) High School, earning 5,071 yards and 40 touchdowns through the air and on the ground combined over two varsity seasons. He did not attempt any passes during his college years at Southern Methodist but got two chances during his seven-year tenure with the Dallas Cowboys, both falling incomplete. 

In addition to his self-deprecation, Beasley was happy to chalk the highlight up to a team effort, complimenting both his blockers and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

“(The blockers) sell it more than I do,” Beasley said, per Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News. “They sell it with the blocks. They give like a three count and then they go. I was trying to get them to come up and thinking it was a bubble screen. I just had to have eyes on the safety, make sure he’s not coming over back there.”

“(Daboll) has done a good job of mixing it up,” he continued in another report from David De Cristofaro of Bills Wire. “He does a good job of keeping them off-balanced and that was one of those times right there.”

Before anyone tells Beasley to stick to his day job, they should be advised that he’s been posting strong numbers on the receiving ledgers as well. He’s currently on pace to set career-highs in nearly every major statistical category, standing at 667 yards on 57 receptions, three of which have gone for touchdowns. 

Allen has praised Beasley for stepping up in recent weeks, particularly with Brown forced out due to an ankle sprain. 

“Cole is very instinctive. He’s a very smart player,” Allen said prior to the Chargers’ visit, per AJ Feldman of RochesterFirst.com. “He knows what windows to kind of throttle down into and get out of and it’s just something we’ve talked about an extreme amount. We’ve watched a lot of film together.”

“I trust him implicitly whenever he breaks in or breaks out. I trust that he did his due diligence of peaking where the defense was. The majority of the time he’s 100 percent correct.”

Beasley and the Bills return to action on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers in a game moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

 

Buffalo Bills: The best moments in the throwback uniforms

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The Buffalo Bills’ beloved throwback uniforms returned on Sunday against Los Angeles. ESM looks back on their finest hours.

With championship dreams approaching this winter, the Buffalo Bills and their fans are ready to party like it’s 1965…the last year the team won an official league championship.

It turns out, the Bills are happy to dress for the occasion as well.

For their Week 12 home tilt against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Bills opted to break out their classic throwback uniforms, an aesthetic more or less defined by the simplified buffalo logo on their helmets. This blast from the past is meant to replicate the team’s look worn from 1962 through 1973, when the “streaking” buffalo was introduced. The Bills’ modern full-time uniforms strongly resemble their throwbacks, but Buffalo completed the look on Sunday with the adjusted helmets.

The gambit paid off. Josh Allen scored through both the air and ground, while Cole Beasley trickery led to a touchdown toss to Gabriel Davis. Buffalo (8-3) took the game by a 27-17 final, allowing them to keep a one-game lead over Miami for the AFC East division lead.

In honor of the Bills’ trip down memory lane, ESM looks to do the same, looking back on when relics from the past previously led to good times in the present…

9/11/05: Carr Wreck

The Bills broke out the throwbacks for the first during the 2005 season opener against the Houston Texans. In a performance that would make Tom Sestak, Mike Stratton, Booker Edgerson, and Georga Saimes proud, the Buffalo defense dominated the day, allowing only 120 yards and earning five sacks and turnovers each. Troy Vincent intercepted Texas quarterback David Carr twice, while Aaron Schobel had two sacks. Chris Kelsay and Takeo Spikes each forced a fumble in the effort as well. On the scoreboard, Rian Lindell booted five field goals to slowly break the Texans’ will, while the lone Buffalo touchdown of the afternoon came on J.P. Losman’s one-yard pass to a then-second-year blocker Jason Peters. The Bills earned a 22-7 victory to kick off the second year of the Mike Mularkey era.

Buffalo wore the throwbacks on the road a week later in Tampa Bay, but the good vibes didn’t come with them in a 19-3 defeat en route to a 5-11 seaso and Mularkey’s eventual resignation.

12/9/07: Royal Entrance

In the midst of a playoff push, the Bills put away notions of a trap game against the 0-12 Miami Dolphins away in the early going. A pair of Robert Royal touchdown receptions from Trent Edwards kickstarted a 24-point first quarter for the Bills, who also enjoyed a separate pair of scoring grabs from Lee Evans. The rookie Edwards completed only 11 passes on the afternoon, but his four touchdown passes were a career-high. Elsewhere, Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch each reached triple digits in rushing yards (uniting for 222 on the ground) while Donte Whitner and Terrence McGee each earned interceptions in the 38-17 win.

Alas for the Bills, that would be their final win of the 2007 season, losing their final three games to drop out of the postseason race.

9/21/08: Edge of 17

The Bills got off to a 4-0 start in 2008, an opening kept alive through a gutsy effort in the throwback against the artists formerly known as the Oakland Raiders. Buffalo’s defense was mostly taking care of business, limiting Oakland to 10 first downs, but turnovers and short drives forced the Bills to face a 23-14 deficit past the halfway mark of the final frame. Through big-gain collaborations with Evans and Josh Reed, Edwards narrowed the gap with a 14-yard scoring pass to Roscoe Parrish, capping off a drive that took just over two minutes. The defense then forced a three-and-out, leading to two more big gains from Parrish and Evans. Lynch would tick off the final yards, situating Lindell from 38 yards out to boot the game winning field goal in a 24-23 triumph.

11/29/09: Defeat Occurs in Real Time

Buffalo introduced the contemporary white version of their throwback during their 50th anniversary season in 2009, coinciding with the American Football League’s 50th anniversary. Matchups with former AFL brethren were marked with special throwback schemes, though the Bills lost these matchups to New England and Tennessee. They broke out the blue version for a visit from the Dolphins, reeling after the firing of head coach Dick Jauron. Happy times briefly returned to The Ralph, however, as the Bills once again used a 24-point quarter to their advantage. Miami led 14-7 entering the final 15 minutes, but Jackson opened the closer with a three-run scoring run to tie it. Most of the tally came over the final 3:35 of game time. Lindell’s 56-yard boot, a career-long, gave Buffalo the lead for good before Drayton Florence’s interception got them the ball back. Terrell Owens cashed in on the very next play with a 51-yard scoring grab from Ryan Fitzpatrick. Another turnover, this one being a Whitner interception, allowed Jackson to add some final insurance, a seven-yard run by Jackson that gave interim head coach Perry Fewell the first of three victories.

9/15/13: He’s the Manuel

Bills fans may well be somewhat spoiled with Josh Allen in town, as some may have already forgotten the failed franchise quarterbacks that preceded his arrivals. Florida State’s EJ Manuel was one of those final attempts. For a brief moment, clad in the white throwback, it truly felt like Manuel was going to be the man to lead the franchise into the future.

Engaged in a back-and-forth thriller with the Carolina Panthers, the Bills trailed 23-17 with 98 seconds remaining. Manuel’s arm accounted for every single yard of the ensuing 80-yard drive that led to victory, capping things off with a two-yard touchdown pass to Steve Johnson…ironcially caught with two seconds remaining in the fourth quarter…that sent Western New York into hysterics over a 24-23 victory. Alas for Manuel, longevity was not to be. He suffered an LCL injury less than three weeks later during a Thursday night game and was never the same upon his return.

9/14/14: Carpe 3’em

The Bills got off to a strong start in 2014, topping the Bears in overtime before opening their Orchard Park slate with a visit from the Dolphins. It turned out to literally be a special victory, as Dan Carpenter booted five field goals and C.J. Spiller brought a kick back 102 yards. On defense, Leodis McKelvin also had an interception, while Jerry Hughes, Kyle Williams, Stefan Charles, and Mario Williams each had a sack in the 29-10 final.

9/13/15: Lucky 27

2015 was the introduction of the Bills’ trippy “Color Rush” uniforms, but the throwbacks kept their early season slot. The aesthetic allowed Buffalo to start the Rex Ryan era off on the right note, scoring the first 24 points in what became a 27-14 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Tyrod Taylor likewise enjoyed a strong debut in Western New York, tallying 195 yards through the air and 41 on the ground. His first Buffalo touchdown was a 51-yard toss to Percy Harvin on the final play of the first quarter. Karlos Williams and Anthony Dixon scored on the ground, complementing a defensive performance that saw interceptions from Ronald Darby and Aaron Williams.

12/31/17: Miami Nice

The Bills’ first playoff appearance in nearly two decades is unusual in that everyone seems to remember the finishing touch: Andy Dalton’s comeback against Baltimore that fulfilled the postseason caveat. But Dalton’s shining moment wouldn’t have meant anything if the Bills didn’t take care of business during their Week 17 visit to Miami. Each team ended the year in a time machine, with the Dolphins likewise clad in their 1970s-inspired throwbacks.

Buffalo responded in perfect fashion, building a 19-0 lead through a strong game from every side of the ball. Taylor kicked off scoring with a 26-yard touchdown toss to Nick O’Leary before allowing Steven Hauschka to take over with three field goals in the onslaught. In the interim, six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kyle Williams lined up as a fullback and scored on a one-yard push to help put Miami away. Buffalo took the game 22-16 before returning to the locker room to watch Dalton work his magic.

11/25/18: Revenge is Best Served Old

Ten months after the Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars played to a 10-3 victory for the latter in the AFC wild card playoffs, each team’s return trip was more or less canceled, the two sides saddled with losing records in late November. But Buffalo did earn a quantum of revenge in the rematch, topping the Jaguars in a 24-21 tilt in their vintage threads. It was one of the earliest displays of power from Josh Allen, as the rookie quarterback scored through both the air (Robert Foster being the lucky recipient from 75 yards out) and ground for the first time in front of a Western New York crowd. Isaiah McKenzie had the lone non-Allen touchdown, while Poyer and Matt Milano had interceptions.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills: Three stars from Sunday’s win vs. Los Angeles

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The Buffalo Bills’ rushing offense woke up at a perfect time, as they earned a hard-fought victory against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Trickery and rushing ruled the day for the Buffalo Bills in a hard-fought victory.

Cole Beasley threw a touchdown pass to compliment a 172-yard performance from the run game, which was paced by 82 from Devin Singletary. It was enough to give Buffalo a 27-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers at Bills Stadium. The Bills (8-3) has clinched their first pair of non-losing seasons since the 2014 and 2015 campaigns. They maintain a single-game lead on Miami for the AFC East division lead.

ESM looks back on the three stars of Sunday’s big win…

3rd Star: WR Cole Beasley

(3 receptions, 20 yards, 1-for-1, 20 yards, 1 TD)

No. 11 threw a touchdown for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, but Drew Bledsoe was nowhere to be found. Instead, it was Beasley launching his first pass since a 2018 attempt at theatrics in Dallas. It was good for his first NFL completion, a 20-yard scoring strike to Gabriel Davis. The Bills have done some strong work with their disease-prevention tactics (often keeping rookie thrower Jacob Fromm in quarantine in case of an emergency), but if they ever face a situation like the one Denver is facing this weekend, they could well turn to Beasley, who served as an option quarterback at Little Elm High School.

2nd Star: WR Gabriel Davis

(3 receptions, 79 yards, 1 TD)

How ironic is it that, one of the weekend of the 10th anniversary of the Steve Johnson incident, that a Bills receiver bearing the No. 13 in a throwback jersey would come through in the clutch? That was Davis, who not only came through on Beasley’s toss of glory, but also on a pair of deep passes that kept Buffalo drives going. Davis has turned himself into quite the day three steal, and has situated himself as a crucial piece of the Buffalo offensive puzzle moving forward. His performance alongside Beasley came up huge on a day when they were missing John Brown due to an injury.

1st Star: LB A.J. Klein 

(14 tackles, 2 pass defenses, 1.5 sacks)

Klein continued his Buffalo redemption story on Sunday, becoming a strong prescience when the Bills needed it most. On the final drive, with the Chargers going for a desperation drive at the end of the game, Klein earned himself a 10-yard sack, combining with Jerry Hughes for another at the end of the first half, one that partly led to a Los Angeles punt. He had three other tackles for a loss on the afternoon, including a big shove of Joshua Kelley on a third-and-one with the Bills holding on to a 24-14 lead. It limited the damage to a field goal, and helped Buffalo keep a lead they’d never relinquish. Klein has shown that his breakout game against Seattle was no fluke and he’ll no doubt be relied on as the season hits its final stages.

The Bills return to action next Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills: Cody Ford out for the year, John Brown to miss Sunday

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The Buffalo Bills lose two key pieces of their offense to injury as they prepare to enter a crucial final stretch.

As the Buffalo Bills prepare for a crucial final stretch that could lead to a long-sought division title, they’ll be without two of their key offensive starters, one of which will be done for the year.

Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott announced on WGR 550 that offensive lineman Cody Ford will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury in Wednesday’s practice and that receiver John Brown (ankle) will miss at least the next game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS). The Bills (7-3) are looking to clinch their first division title since 1995 and lead the Miami Dolphins a game for the AFC East lead.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Ford suffered a torn meniscus and will undergo surgery that will feature a 3-4 month recovery period. It’s the latest blow to a Bills’ offensive line that has seen its share of medical absences. Ford had already missed three games due to other injuries and Jon Feliciano missed the first seven contests after tearing a pectoral muscle before the start of training camp. Mitch Morse has also missed time, and further turnover came when Quinton Spain was released. Ford’s duties will likely be assumed by a combination of Feliciano, Brian Winters, and Ike Boettger.

Brown’s injury is the latest in what’s been a star-crossed season. A calf injury sustained during the third game of the season previously forced him out and he was previously removed from the Bills’ last game in Arizona with an ankle ailment. The injuries have prevented Brown from capitalizing on a career-best 72 receptions and 1,060 yards from last season’s playoff trek.

In other injury news, defensive end Mario Addison (knee) missed Wednesday’s practice. His status for Sunday has yet to be determined.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

 

Buffalo Bills Week 15 game at Denver moved to Saturday night

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The Buffalo Bills will play on a Saturday in December for the second straight season, with their visit to Denver being the shifted tilt.

The Buffalo Bills earned another prime time date on Tuesday afternoon, as the NFL announced that the team will be a part of a late-season doubleheader on Saturday, December 19. Buffalo will battle the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High at 4:30 p.m. ET, with the game broadcast nationally on NFL Network, as well as simulcast on local stations in the Buffalo and Denver areas. It will be the first of two Saturday battles, the latter being an 8:15 p.m. ET nightcap between the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

These two matchups were part of the NFL’s original Week 15 slate, part of a group of six that was nominated to play a late Saturday game. The NFL avoids scheduling games on Saturday night due to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, which ruled that the league’s broadcasting practices, which often staged Saturday night games, violated antitrust laws. Such an act more or less outlaws the NFL from staging games on Friday and Saturday during high school and college football seasons respectively, though exceptions are granted later in the year when the college regular season ends. Five more games are likewise up for a Saturday shift on the Week 16 slate, including a matchup between the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns at MetLife Stadium.

This marks the second straight season that the Bills have been moved to a Saturday night in the late stages of the season. Last year’s instance decided the AFC East division race, as the Bills battled the New England Patriots in Foxboro. New England took the game 24-17 to capture their 11th straight division title. Buffalo (7-3) may have a chance to flip the script this holiday season, as they currently own a one-game lead on the Miami Dolphins for the division lead.

The resurgence of the Bills has led to an increase in national television appearances. With this shift, the Bills will now play on a national broadcast in four of their final six games, and their Week 17 tilt against Miami could well move to the Sunday night slot if postseason seeding is on the line. Buffalo also has two appearances on ESPN’s Monday Night Football ahead (December 7 at San Francisco and December 28 at New England), their first season with multiple MNF visits since 1997. The Bills are also set to partake in Week 14’s Sunday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 13 at home. It will mark only their third appearance on the premiere national slot since NBC took over the package in 2006 and the peacock network’s first visit to Buffalo since 2007. The Bills’ first nationally televised game, part of NFL Network’s Thursday night package, was moved to a Monday after several other teams endured difficulties with the ongoing health crisis.

Buffalo will next battle the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m., CBS).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills: Tommy Sweeney out for season due to COVID-19 condition

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The Buffalo Bills tight end and New Jersey native was diagnosed with myocarditis, a condition sometimes associated with COVID-19.

The Buffalo Bills have announced that tight end Tommy Sweeney will miss the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with myocarditis, a heart condition associated with COVID-19.

Sweeney, in the midst of his second season with the Bills, was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list on October 24 after he was deemed a close contact when fellow tight end Dawson Knox tested positive for the virus. He had yet to appear in a 2020 game due to a foot injury prior to Knox’s positive test. The Ramsey, NJ native joined the Bills as a seventh-round draft pick out of Boston College last season and earned 114 yards on eight receptions in his debut campaign.

“I saw him today, he’s in good spirits,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said, per The Buffalo News. “He’s had a rough year, with the injury, COVID, and residual piece of the COVID, unfortunately. We know he’s a good football player and a guy that we believe in and can’t wait to get him back on the field when he can in the offseason.”

According to WebMD, myocarditis is “inflammation of the heart muscle (myocardium)”. Symptoms include shortness of breath, abnormal heartbeat, light-headedness, and joint pain. Though the full extent of its direct association is unknown, the rare viral disease has been found in COVID-19 patients, even those who have recovered. Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez was diagnosed with myocarditis after a bout with coronavirus in July, who sat out the shortened 2020 MLB season to recover.

The Bills (7-3) are set to return to action this weekend following their bye week. They’ll host the Los Angeles Chargers at home on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

 

Oishei Children’s Hospital honors Buffalo Bills fans, Allen family

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The hospital has carried on the string of good news brought forth by Buffalo Bills’ fans generous donations in the wake of a tragedy.

Even in a bye week, those associated with the Buffalo Bills have managed to come through in the clutch.

On Saturday, Oishei Children’s Hospital unveiled plans for further honoring the memory of the late Patricia Allen and the charitable efforts that followed her passing. The hospital announced that not only are they setting up a new fund in honor of Bills QB Josh Allen’s grandmother but they will also rename an area on the tenth floor the “Patricia Allen Pediatric Recovery Wing”. Artist renderings of the site promise to feature a photo of Josh Allen pointing skyward in memory of Patricia during the BIlls 44-34 win over Seattle on November 8. That game was staged less than 48 hours after the elder Allen’s passing.

According to a statement released by the hospital, the “Patricia Allen Fund” will “provide ongoing support to the pediatric critical care team at Oishei Children’s Hospital who provide life-saving care to pediatric patients”. The tenth floor is known for its sports theme, with Allen’s jersey framed alongside fellow Bills fan favorites like Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas decorating the area.

“I am humbled by the incredible generosity that has poured in over the past several days in honor of my grandmother,” Allen said in the statement. “It means the world to me and my family and we are very grateful these donations will go toward helping save many lives for years to come.”

Upon learning of Patricia’s passing, Bills fans came out in supportive droves to donate to OCH, where Allen is a frequent visitor to the young patients. Bills fans donated nearly $700,000 to the hospital and their generosity will not go unnoticed. The tenth floor’s playroom will now be known as “The Buffalo Bills Fans Fun Zone”. It is located in the newly minted wing named after Patricia Allen.

“We really felt this was the perfect way to honor Patricia and recognize Bills fans for this incredible support of our hospital,” said OCH President Allegra C. Jaros, MBA said in the sam sentence. “With the wing being located on our sports floor which is already outfitted with lots of Bills and football memorabilia and graphics, we couldn’t think of a better place.”

Allen has been a major factor behind the Bills’ resurgence, guiding them to a 7-3 record as they’ve hit their open date. He has been responsible for 26 total touchdown this season, including a career-best 21 through the air. He and the Bills return to action next Sunday at home against the Los Angeles Chargers (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills seek to awaken run game, bolster defense as bye commences

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The Buffalo Bills are off to their best start in literal decades, but they know that there’s room to improve as they hit their bye.

For fans of a team that hasn’t won a playoff game a Bad Boys movie came out…the ORIGINAL Bad Boys movie…you’d think Buffalo Bills fans would be perfectly content with a 7-3 mark in a season whose mere existence is seen as a miracle by some.

Still, concern reigns in Western New York football circles as the Bills hit their late bye week. By now, even those who haven’t touched a football in their lives have seen how the Bills’ most recent endeavor ended in the form of a collaborative miracle between Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins. While the rest of the world marvels at the sight, the victimized Bills have to live with it for two weeks, powerless to stop the endless stream of replays that will inevitably come with the Arizona Cardinals set to play on national television on Thursday.

“It sucks going into the bye week because it’s going to be the only thing on our mind for a week and a half, two weeks,” quarterback Josh Allen remarked to Adam Unger of WKBW. “But at the same time, it’s fuel on the fire.”

From one perspective, heartbreaking losses are almost refreshing in Buffalo, which suffered through a playoff drought that would be allowed to see an R-rated movie without a parent or guardian, but they’re starting to pile up. Sure, the resurgent Bills are in a healthy spot when it comes to the slow-forming playoff picture, but the quest toward ending another drought, that in earning an AFC East title, is no longer assured thanks to the rise of the red-hot Miami Dolphins.

To their credit, the Bills have moved on in a mature fashion, knowing that nothing can be done about the Cardinals game and that there’s no better time than the present. That maturity also stems from knowing that the game was far from being decided by a single play. Buffalo held a 23-9 lead in the second half before allowing Murray to run wild.

“They made the play, the special play they had to make to win the game and beat us,” head coach McDermott said, per Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports. “But that game should not have come down to that play and, unfortunately, it did. So, we take our lumps, we live by it and we learn from it and it’s got to drive you harder, man. It’s got to drive us all harder to want it more. We felt like we came here, we made enough plays to win the football game, just didn’t make one more. It’s unfortunate.”

“I think we do have some good momentum, but we can also use this game as great teaching tape,” defensive end Jerry Hughes added in Unger’s report. “You gotta finish teams off in this league. Whenever you have a team on the ropes, you gotta finish.”

The bye week has given the Bills a chance to regroup as they gear up for what many believe could be a Super Bowl run. There’s certainly time to revel in the good accomplished during this stretch…after all, 7-3 is their best 10 game start since 1996…but the Bills know they’re reaching a point where a mere playoff trip isn’t a milestone of success. With that power, however, comes major responsibility.

Buffalo’s defense certainly took their share of criticism in defeat, especially with the aforementioned highlight still making its rounds. All things considered, one could certainly call Sunday’s output respectable after Josh Norman missed the game with a positive COVID-19 test and fellow starting cornerback Levi Wallace was also rendered absent due to contact. Seventh-round rookie To hold Murray in check as long as they did was almost a miracle, but they still let up 453 yards in defeat, the third time in the five that they’ve let up at least 400 yards. Buffalo has done a better job in forcing punts and turnovers (earning two on Sunday in Glendale), but defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has vowed to do some soul-searching during the bye.

“That game was such a unique game and even the game plan going in where we were very concerned about giving up plays over the top of the defense and yielded a little bit in the run game,” Frazier said, per Marcel Louis-Jacques. “We’ve taken a different approach going forward, but it was a unique game in itself and we learned some things from that game. We just tried to become more who we are.”

Offensively, the Bills will look into reforming their struggling rushing attack. After ranking eighth in the league in rushing last season, the Bills have plummeted to 29th in ground yards per game. That number plummets to 31st, ahead of only Chicago, if one removes a 190-yard outlier in their win over New England two weeks ago.

Rookie Zach Moss has been a reliable red zone option to the tune of three scores thus far and Devin Singletary has struggled to create sustainable momentum. Allen has taken on a majority of the rushing burden as a result, contributing to a problem McDermott called “a legitimate concern” according to Heather Prusak of WIVB.

Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has absolved his rushers of the blame, and is likewise seeking to do what he can in this process.

“We need to do a better job, it starts with me and we gotta do a good job of designing things for those guys that they can go out there and execute at a high level. And then we need to make sure we’re getting hat for hats at the line of scrimmage and making the proper reads and blocking the guys on the perimeter.” Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll explained in Prusak’s piece. “It takes all of us to get that job done. We’re not where we need to be in regards to the running game, we acknowledge that and we look forward to working on it particularly in this bye week and getting ready for the Chargers here in a couple of weeks.”

It’s a win in itself that the Bills sit at 7-3 and still see room for improvement. Alas, it’s not the kind of win that can count as paint in the slowly developing NFL playoff picture.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Three stars from the Buffalo Bills’ Sunday loss at Arizona

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The Buffalo Bills’ visit to Arizona ended in heartbreak, but several players still managed to stand out in defeat.

Wide Right. No Goal. Hail Murray?

Kyler Murray’s 43-yard desperation heave landed in the arms of DeAndre Hopkins with two seconds remaining, allowing the Arizona Cardinals to steal a 32-30 victory from the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo (7-3) previously took a lead on a 21-yard scoring hookup between Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs with 34 seconds remaining before Murray had time to work his miracle. The game was overall a struggle for Allen, who threw two interceptions in the second half after the Bills had taken a 23-9 lead. Hopkins earned 127 yards on seven receptions for the victorious Cardinals (6-3).

3rd Star: WR Isaiah McKenzie

McKenzie had a special job at practice this week, donning a late Halloween costume to portray Kyler Murray on the Buffalo scout team this week. It appears that McKenzie was still in character on Sunday, partaking in a Buffalo trick play that accounted for their first points of the ball game. His throw back to Allen after taking a pass behind the line of scrimmage gave the Bills a 7-3 lead after Arizona opened the game with a field. It was the first throw McKenzie launched in his professional career.

2nd Star: K Tyler Bass

Had it not been for a certain play at the end of the game, Tyler might’ve ended the day outscoring Kyler.

The rookie’s status at kicker might’ve been in jeopardy after starting the season 6-of-9, but he has been one of the hottest kickers in football with 13 conversions on his last 16 attempts. Entering Sunday’s action, Bass was only 1-of-3 from field goals of at least 50 yards, but he successfully booted a trio of attempts from such distance on Sunday, including a jaw-dropping, career-best, 58-yard launch that gave the Bills a 16-9 lead at the end of the first half. His first field goal was a single-doink off the right upright from 54 yards away. The Buffalo offense has shown little trouble getting to midfield, so if Bass can establish himself as a legitimate deep threat, the possibilities could be endless.

1st Star: WR Cole Beasley

Sunday’s game was a struggle for Allen, who made several ill-advised throws and mostly dealt with strong pressure on Stefon Diggs, at least until what many thought was the game-winning touchdown. But the lead-up to some of the Bills’ biggest second-half moments came through Beasley, who broke through the Arizona defense at several crucial points.

Beasley tied a career-best with 11 receptions (set less than a month ago in East Rutherford against the Jets) and fell three yards short of his personal best in that category. Three of his four receptions (32 yards) on the final push to the end zone led to Buffalo first downs, including a stunning one-handed grab deep in Buffalo territory that gave the Bills the momentum they needed. Alas, Beasley couldn’t play defense on the Cardinals’ memorable trek, but it was clear from the performances of he and John Brown (6 receptions, 72 yards before leaving the game with an injury) that Buffalo’s receiving threats go far beyond the mere prescience of Diggs.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Buffalo Bills ready for the challenge of Kyler Murray, Cardinals offense

by
New York Giants, Lorenzo Carter

The Buffalo Bills conquered the forces of Russell Wilson last week, but their NFC West endeavors get no easier.

A win over the NFC-leading Seattle Seahawks should’ve, in theory, rendered doubters in the 2020 Buffalo Bills an endangered species. The Bills not only led a majority of the Seattle game by at least two possessions, but they neutralized the Swiss Army quarterback that is Russell Wilson through four turnovers (two interceptions and fumbles each).

But any progress the Bills made last weekend can immediately become undone by Wilson’s NFC West compatriot.

The road to respectability revealed a fast lane for the Bills last weekend, but another roadblock awaits in the form of the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS). Buffalo (7-2) will face an Arizona offense that sits atop the NFL at 422 yards a game. The Cardinals (5-3) not only enter with voltage but fury as well after enduring a 34-31 defeat to the Miami Dolphins last weekend.

The primary reason for the revolution has undoubtedly been a combination of quarterback Kyler Murray, a top overall draft pick who has made several large leaps in his sophomore season. Murray has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of his eight games thus far. That includes three each over the past two games to tally 16 on the season.

Buffalo brass knows a dangerous challenge lies ahead.

“They’ve got a terrific young quarterback…and an offense that is ranked number one in the league, so we’re gonna have our hands full with what they do on offense,” Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said earlier this week, per Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. “Trying to get a grasp around what’s the best approach that we need to take to slow them down. It’s hard to compare (Seattle and Arizona) other than the fact that they are both very explosive offenses. We’re gonna have to bring our ‘A’ game to have a chance to be successful.”

“The speed and quickness element are off the charts,” head coach Sean McDermott added in the same report. “Having never coached against him before, just when you’re watching on film and you watch it on TV, you can see the difference. We’re talking elite (defensive) athletes that are around him, he’s not running around just average athletes out there, he’s running around great athletes, and he looks different even than those athletes, so I’ve been able to get an appreciation for him.”

Murray has also caused relentless damage on the ground, gaining at 50 rushing yards in all but two games this season. He put up a career-best 106 in a losing effort against the Dolphins last week but the Cardinals are 6-3 when he otherwise reaches the half-century mark on the ground.

During game prep for Arizona, reserve receiver/returner Isaiah McKenzie played the role of Murray on the scout team.

“It certainly helps,” McDermott said of the McKenzie imitation, in another report from Garrett Stepien of 247 Sports. “A lot? I don’t know, I think that remains to be seen. I would just say it certainly helps to get ourselves acclimated to that type of speed and quickness.”

Another factor in the Arizona revolution has been receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who came over to the Cardinals through an offseason trade with the Houston Texans. Hopkins’ final game in the Space City came against the Bills during the AFC Wild Card playoffs, when he earned 90 yards on six receptions in addition to a two-point conversion in the Texans’ overtime victory. Arizona’s other offensive talents include running back Kenyan Drake and Hopkins’ fellow receivers Christian Kirk, Andy Isabella, and the immortal Larry Fitzgerald.

Only adding to the Bills’ plight is the fact that they’ll be missing two of their top cornerbacks (Josh Norman, Levi Wallace) and a strong reserve safety (Dean Marlowe) after a positive COVID-19 test also sidelined several of those in close contact. Buffalo has made several roster moves to combat the losses.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags