I can remember the 1989 season opener very clearly. With two seconds left on the clock in a steamy, humid Joe Robbie Stadium with the Bills trailing the Dolphins by four points, Jim Kelly, never known for his ability to scramble, dropped back to pass then executed the quarterback draw perfectly, scoring the winning touchdown. Bills win 27-24. Then, a bit more than three years later, on the same field, in the AFC Championship Game, Kelly led his team to a 29-10 win to earn a spot in their third consecutive Superbowl - where they would be crushed by Dallas 52-17.
Since the series between the AFC East division rivals began in 1966, Buffalo wins in Miami have not been plentiful, although not unheard of either. Through the 1970s, the Dolphins dominated the series, both at the Orange Bowl and at Rich Stadium, making Miami the Bills fiercest rival. The rivalry has continued on, although neither team has tasted much success recently. Going into this season, the Dolphins were considered to be much improved and were favoured by pundits as having the best chance to unseat the Patriots for the AFC East title. It appears that neither the Dolphins or the Bills are likely to overtake the Patriots this season but, if yesterday's game in Miami was any indication, Buffalo looks to have a better chance.
Just like last week, the Bills first series on defence resulted in a three-and-out and their first series on offence produced a touchdown. But, unlike last week, the momentum continued and the Bills cruised to an easy win in the humidity of South Florida before an unenthusiastic gathering of Dolphin fans who had hoped for more from their team in its home opener and especially after losing to Jacksonville last week.
Speaking of Florida, former governor and one-time front-runner for the Republican party's presidential nomination, Jeb Bush, must be wondering what he can do to revive his stumbling campaign. Now that John Boehner has thrown in the towel and effectively turned over the House Speakership to the far-right fringe section of his party (or to someone who is beholden to it), Bush's road to the nomination just got a lot rougher. With Donald Trump still leading in the polls, followed by Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina, Bush, as the "mainstream" candidate, may find that his party chooses a "real" conservative next year. The Democrats clearly hope that they do.
In Canada, we are now three weeks from election day and absolutely nothing is clear. The three way race shows no signs of breaking and it also seems very unlikely that any party will win enough seats to form a majority government. I hope that David Johnson has dusted off his constitutional texts because he's probably going to need them. Take this scenario: The Conservatives win the most seats but are in a weak minority position. Harper has said that he will try to form a government in this scenario. Let's say that Mulcair and Trudeau form an alliance (something short of formal coalition) and they together approach the Governor General and ask him to let one of them form a government the support of the other. They may also make it clear that if he asks Harper to govern, they will defeat that government at the first opportunity and then ask him to let them form a government. Why would he choose to ask Harper to govern knowing that his government would be almost immediately defeated? Would public pressure not push him to ask the quasi-coaltion to govern? Maybe MacKenzie King's mother knows that answer.
Monday, 28 September 2015
Monday, 21 September 2015
Patriots 40, Bills 32
Things started out just fine yesterday. Tyrod Taylor took the opening kick-off and marched his team down the field for a touchdown. The Patriots then went three-and-out on their first possession which included Tom Brady having to take a time-out due to crowd noise, presumably. From that point on, despite mounting a late comeback of sorts, the Bills were outmatched, outcoached and overwhelmed for the rest of yesterday's game in Orchard Park. I presume that the Guinness Book of World Records folks, there to measure crowd noise for a possible outdoor world record, left early.
As I watched each and every one of Rex Ryan's press conferences from the day he was hired last January, through OTA's and training camp and after last Sunday's game, I wondered how his demeanor would change after a loss. He seemed angry and terse. And rightfully so. After building this week 2 game up as the potential defining moment of this season and his coaching tenure in Buffalo, the hype was fully deflated (sorry, had to use it) as Tom Brady passed for 466 yards (a Bills team record) as the Bills had no defensive answer at all. Ryan took full responsibility for the poor game plan and for the undisciplined conduct of his team which took 14 penalties on the day and, at times, lost its composure. Watching the game from home, it was endlessly frustrating and reminiscent of so many games the Bills have played over the past 15 years against New England.
I think that Rex may now regret having let expectations grow too high for yesterday's game. It's a long season with another big divisional game coming up on Sunday. Many teams are 1-1 after week 2 and I hope that coach Ryan and his team can prepare properly for a road game in south Florida against a 1-1 Dolphins team which will be highly motivated after lost at Jacksonville yesterday. The Bills will have to wait until week 11 for revenge when they will face the Patriots again in prime time on a Monday night.
Remember Donald Trump being one of the prospective purchasers of the Bills last year? I'm not sure that he was ever a serious bidder but imagine for a moment the chaos around the team if he had succeeded in buying it. How would the fan base feel about his controversial candidacy for the Republican nomination for President? He might wear a Bills hat instead of a "Make America Great Again" hat and isn't it possible that Tom Brady, apparently a good friend and supporter of Trump, may have felt some sense of mixed loyalty yesterday?
Trump's unlikely campaign momentum has carried him to the front-runner position, for now anyway. I see his statements, and those of some of his supporters, in a good news/bad news context. The bad news of course is that they are divisive, bigoted and often based on unthruths. The good news is two-fold: first, they will serve to pull the Republican party further to the right and force his competitors to play in his space and, second, while there is a shocking level of support for his views among those voting in Republican primaries, that support will fall short among the wider population, thankfully. Among other things, he's pretty much locked up the Latino vote - for the Democrats.
Next week's game is a late kick-off (4.25pm) in Miami. It will be a significant test of how Rex Ryan can re-set and re-focus his team.
As I watched each and every one of Rex Ryan's press conferences from the day he was hired last January, through OTA's and training camp and after last Sunday's game, I wondered how his demeanor would change after a loss. He seemed angry and terse. And rightfully so. After building this week 2 game up as the potential defining moment of this season and his coaching tenure in Buffalo, the hype was fully deflated (sorry, had to use it) as Tom Brady passed for 466 yards (a Bills team record) as the Bills had no defensive answer at all. Ryan took full responsibility for the poor game plan and for the undisciplined conduct of his team which took 14 penalties on the day and, at times, lost its composure. Watching the game from home, it was endlessly frustrating and reminiscent of so many games the Bills have played over the past 15 years against New England.
I think that Rex may now regret having let expectations grow too high for yesterday's game. It's a long season with another big divisional game coming up on Sunday. Many teams are 1-1 after week 2 and I hope that coach Ryan and his team can prepare properly for a road game in south Florida against a 1-1 Dolphins team which will be highly motivated after lost at Jacksonville yesterday. The Bills will have to wait until week 11 for revenge when they will face the Patriots again in prime time on a Monday night.
Remember Donald Trump being one of the prospective purchasers of the Bills last year? I'm not sure that he was ever a serious bidder but imagine for a moment the chaos around the team if he had succeeded in buying it. How would the fan base feel about his controversial candidacy for the Republican nomination for President? He might wear a Bills hat instead of a "Make America Great Again" hat and isn't it possible that Tom Brady, apparently a good friend and supporter of Trump, may have felt some sense of mixed loyalty yesterday?
Trump's unlikely campaign momentum has carried him to the front-runner position, for now anyway. I see his statements, and those of some of his supporters, in a good news/bad news context. The bad news of course is that they are divisive, bigoted and often based on unthruths. The good news is two-fold: first, they will serve to pull the Republican party further to the right and force his competitors to play in his space and, second, while there is a shocking level of support for his views among those voting in Republican primaries, that support will fall short among the wider population, thankfully. Among other things, he's pretty much locked up the Latino vote - for the Democrats.
Next week's game is a late kick-off (4.25pm) in Miami. It will be a significant test of how Rex Ryan can re-set and re-focus his team.
Monday, 14 September 2015
Bills 27, Colts 14
Rex Ryan is a master of media relations. Maybe not in comparison to politicians or corporate communications professionals but, as NFL coaches go, he's smart, savvy and relaxed in front of a microphone. He's a natural. He knows exactly what to say to motivate the fan base and the team and to show the appropriate deference to the team's relatively new owners, Terry and Kim Pegula.
Contrary to one of the main discussion threads from yesterday's season opening game at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor did NOT record his first career NFL start against the Indianapolis Colts. League records will show that Matt Cassel was under centre for the Bills first play from scrimmage, a trick play, in the tradition of the "wildcat" formation, which landed with a resounding thud and resulted in a six yard loss. Ryan explained in his post-game press conference that offensive coordinator Greg Roman conceived the play which went for touchdowns in practice. That led Ryan to brag about the upcoming play to game officials and to Terry Pegula as kick-off approached. Among some of his other comments, Ryan declared that the home crowd was better than the players yesterday, who were "pretty darn good" themselves. In the days leading up to the game, Ryan had called for Bills fans to make the stadium louder than ever yesterday - and they (we) responded accordingly. Noise levels when the Colts were running their offence were as loud as I can recall them ever being.
Taylor did get his first NFL start yesterday, if not officially, and he delivered a poised and confident performance by demonstrating his ability to throw the long ball on a pass to Percy Harvin, scrambling when it was required, showing a nice touch on screen and check-down passes and by not turning the ball over. Taylor has a long way to go before his name goes on the Wall of Fame at the Ralph but the 5th year man out of Virginia Tech likely went a log way towards earning the trust of Bills fans who haven't seen a real answer at quarterback since Jim Kelly retired after the 1996 season.
Then, there's the defence. Andrew Luck is considered one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL but the Bills defence contained him and his new look offence with veteran running back Frank Gore by shutting them out for nearly three quarters as the Bills offence staked them to a 24-0 lead. And possibly the Bills best defensive player, lineman Marcel Dareus, didn't even suit up yesterday as he served a one game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Word is that he likes to smoke a little bit of marijuana. The Bills signed him to a contract extension last week and I think he may have smoked a little more to celebrate. Who am I to judge?
Kitchener, Ontario native and undrafted Yale graduate Tyler Varga got a few touches for the Colts yesterday with one carry, one pass reception and two kick-off returns.
Yesterday was a great day to be a Bills fan and to help answer Rex Ryan's call for the crowd to do its part. Next week, the stakes are even bigger as the defending Superbowl champion New England Patriots with quarterback Tom Brady and his entire legal team come to Orchard Park. Can the fans make even more noise next week?
Contrary to one of the main discussion threads from yesterday's season opening game at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor did NOT record his first career NFL start against the Indianapolis Colts. League records will show that Matt Cassel was under centre for the Bills first play from scrimmage, a trick play, in the tradition of the "wildcat" formation, which landed with a resounding thud and resulted in a six yard loss. Ryan explained in his post-game press conference that offensive coordinator Greg Roman conceived the play which went for touchdowns in practice. That led Ryan to brag about the upcoming play to game officials and to Terry Pegula as kick-off approached. Among some of his other comments, Ryan declared that the home crowd was better than the players yesterday, who were "pretty darn good" themselves. In the days leading up to the game, Ryan had called for Bills fans to make the stadium louder than ever yesterday - and they (we) responded accordingly. Noise levels when the Colts were running their offence were as loud as I can recall them ever being.
Taylor did get his first NFL start yesterday, if not officially, and he delivered a poised and confident performance by demonstrating his ability to throw the long ball on a pass to Percy Harvin, scrambling when it was required, showing a nice touch on screen and check-down passes and by not turning the ball over. Taylor has a long way to go before his name goes on the Wall of Fame at the Ralph but the 5th year man out of Virginia Tech likely went a log way towards earning the trust of Bills fans who haven't seen a real answer at quarterback since Jim Kelly retired after the 1996 season.
Then, there's the defence. Andrew Luck is considered one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL but the Bills defence contained him and his new look offence with veteran running back Frank Gore by shutting them out for nearly three quarters as the Bills offence staked them to a 24-0 lead. And possibly the Bills best defensive player, lineman Marcel Dareus, didn't even suit up yesterday as he served a one game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Word is that he likes to smoke a little bit of marijuana. The Bills signed him to a contract extension last week and I think he may have smoked a little more to celebrate. Who am I to judge?
Kitchener, Ontario native and undrafted Yale graduate Tyler Varga got a few touches for the Colts yesterday with one carry, one pass reception and two kick-off returns.
Yesterday was a great day to be a Bills fan and to help answer Rex Ryan's call for the crowd to do its part. Next week, the stakes are even bigger as the defending Superbowl champion New England Patriots with quarterback Tom Brady and his entire legal team come to Orchard Park. Can the fans make even more noise next week?
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