Buffalo Bills: Things we know this week
Across the world, many paid big to watch the fight on Saturday night. However, Buffalo Bills fans are happy they didn’t have to pay a thing to watch their team fall flat to the Ravens. The Bills were serving plain vanilla sugarless and flavorless cones with zero sprinkles. A nice gelato in Rome at a café by some well-known fountain surely was not served and probably was not even on the menu even if Tyrod Taylor neglects to get himself a concussion. Gelato in three scoops of three different flavors most likely was not going to be available prior to the talented Marcel Darius being sent to home for breaking team rules.
Rookie You’re Up
There was plenty of excitement about the next Tom Brady, Nathan Peterman. However, all of the excitement began to dwindle as Peterman completed 11 of 23 passes for 93 yards. The rookie did show some promise with key throws to fellow rookie Zay Jones. The potential aided my forgetfulness that the boxing match joining two sports together, in a very entertaining ‘gelato with all of the toppings’ style, did cost me more than one dollar. Eric Wood could have maybe slipped me a few bucks as the team extended the 31-year-old center’s contract for a couple years. The team is also excited Kyle Williams is back at his age and has made it crystal clear they are not trading shady McCoy.
I understand the thought process of other recent moves just fine people. Sammy Watkins and Ronald Darby were traded for what many Bills fans consider not equal value. What they did was trade away a cornerback who was handpicked by Rex Ryan for his system and was not showing signs of making the conversion successfully to the new defense. They traded away maybe the most talented receiver in the league, but fans never saw if that was true because he struggled to stay on the field. The front office would have been forced to commit to him as a free agent possibly with many question marks still in play, or watch him walk away for nothing? No thank you. Buffalo received their value in an NFL starting wide receiver and cornerback in return all while juicing up their draft choices next year.
AROUND COVER32
The Latest: Browns’ rookie QB, DeShone Kizer, officially named week 1 starter
Around the NFL: Jets claim recently released former Patriots’ DE, Kony Ealy
What’s Trending: What’s next for Patriots after WR, Julian Edelman’s season ending injury
NFL Transactions: Eagles trade S, Terrence Brooks, to Jets in exchange for CB, Dexter McDougle
Injury Report: Rams’ WR, Tavon Austin, looking ready for regular season opener
cover32 Podcasts: Check out our latest podcasts and view our entire library available on Apple iTunes
Tanking?
There is no need to tank for that number one pick because that guarantees nothing in the NFL. Great organizations such as New England, Seattle and Green Bay don’t tank when they lack talent. They play to win right now, while at the same time building up an abundance of draft picks. An abundance of picks also gives you breathing room to trade up just as they did to get Watkins. New England makes poor selections, but they draft so many players that the success stories far outnumber the busts or barely servacable players. That is how you rebuild. Although, it does makes it easier to rebuild if you have your Tom Brady.
Things We Know About The Buffalo Bills This Week:
Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier (former head coach of the Vikings) explained Wednesday urging us all not to make the mistake of thinking this group isn’t fast or athletic enough to be successful in this defense. He went no further than pointing out the 13-year veteran who was named Pro Bowl MVP last season.
“You know, Lorenzo defies his numbers,” Frazier said. “What is it, 34 years of age? He doesn’t play that way. He plays like a guy that’s 25 or 26 years of age the way he runs and competes. That play he made (last Thursday night) on (Eagles QB) Carson Wentz when he scrambled, that was an impressive play. You would not know he was 34 years old running down a fleet, athletic quarterback the way he did.”
He had some rather kind words as well when discussing Preston Brown’s role with the team and some weight that he has shed.
“No.”
I absolutely love one-word answers although for my regular readers, you could never guess that. “No” was the answer given when media attacked Sean McDermott inquiring if LeSean McCoy was the next to fall victim of the fire sale ’embracing the tank’ in Buffalo.
McCoy was asked the same question worded differently and his response was “FALSE”.
McCoy said any player would get frustrated hearing they might get traded.
“You always just want to know, and be aware,” he said. “But they’re all in to win. We’re a team and that’s what we’re trying to do. I think I’m one of the key guys here. I don’t want to leave. Buffalo embraced me with open arms. And they took me in.”
I was going to dive into the Tyrod injury a bit more, but not much more information is available. That and I am going to find one of those frozen yogurt places. I am all in.
