The Bills aren’t going to earn any style points for their 24-21 victory. But at the end of the day, that hardly matters. With Tom Brady gone and a new era beginning for the AFC East, McDermott got his first win over the Patriots since taking over as Bills head coach. And the Bills took the unofficial crown as the new leaders of the division.
“It gets me emotional, it does,” McDermott said, reflecting on what the victory means for Bills fans. “All week long we try and go through it, one day at a time, process, process, process. But we know what this game means to our fan base and it’s just really special. I wish they could have been in the building honestly to experience it. It would’ve been crazy, I’m sure. Hopefully everyone at home enjoyed it.”
You could tell that the Bills enjoyed this one. It only represents one win in the standings, but symbolically it meant so much more.
“It feels amazing,” safety Jordan Poyer said. “I was 0-10 against the Patriots coming into this game so it feels good to be 4-0 in the AFC East, it feels good to come out with a victory at home. It was a grind, that was a grind. We didn’t play the way we wanted to but got a victory at the end of the day and it was big.”
With the win, the Bills have entered unchartered territory at the season’s halfway point. It’s the latest the Bills have ever held onto sole possession of first place in the AFC East since 1996. Buffalo (6-2) has a 3 1/2 game lead over New England (2-5) and a 1 1/2 game lead over Miami (4-3). The Jets (0-8) are circling the drain in their own hemisphere and well on their way toward acquiring Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick.
Denne historien er fra November 15, 2020-utgaven av Bills Digest.
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Denne historien er fra November 15, 2020-utgaven av Bills Digest.
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TRACKING TRAINING CAMP
Bills Digest was there for all the big moments at training camp. Here are some observations …
‘We're constantly trying to evolve'
For more on what’s happening within Buffalo’s offense, here are some highlights from offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s recent press conferences.
‘On the field you must flip that switch'
Here are some highlights from head coach Sean McDermott’s recent press conferences.
ALLEN GETS HISTORIC DEAL
Bills QB now under contract through 2028
Right back in the swing of things
It’s fair to say that this year’s Bills training camp looks wildly different from those of the past.
1st & Ten with STEFON DIGGS
Stefon Diggs had one of the best seasons ever by a Bills receiver in 2020, and he’s looking for an encore. Diggs was clearly amped up and ready to go as the Bills began their preparations for the new season, leading the huddle and supporting his teammates as they kicked off training camp in Orchard Park. Diggs recently touched on his goals for the upcoming season for both himself and the team in an informative discussion with members of the media. Here are the highlights from that discussion.
RUNNING BACKS: TOP AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS
Aaron Jones, Packers 5-9 • 208 pounds • 27 years old A fifth-round steal in the 2017 draft out of UTEP, Jones is equally proficient in the running and passing games. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards the last two years, and caught 49 and 47 passes, respectively. He’s also a touchdown machine with 30 TDs the last two years (25 rushing and 5 receiving). The son of two career Army officers, he’s a tough, driven player and the kind of guy players want on their team.
THE RIGHT STUFF?
Keeping two important starters is a priority as the right side of the O-line hits free agency
QUARTERBACKS: TOP AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS
Dak Prescott, Cowboys 6-2 • 235 pounds • 27 years old A solid starter who has a nice TD-INT ratio over his first five seasons (104-40), Prescott is an accurate thrower and very mobile. However, he’s coming off a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle, so it remains to be seen if this will impact his game moving forward.
TIGHT ENDS: TOP AVAILABLE FREE AGENTS
Hunter Henry, Chargers 6-5 • 250 pounds • 29 years old A very talented player, Henry has had issues staying healthy, unable to complete an NFL season, including missing the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL. But when healthy, he’s a terrific all-around tight end who really connected with Justin Herbert in 2020 with 60 catches. Henry is very good at finding holes in zone coverage.
