Tyrod, Karlos and the Bills had Ralph Wilson Stadium jumping on Sunday (Getty Images)
– Zack El-Sharif
Week One for the Bills and the rest of the NFL is in the books. Here’s everything you need to know about the first weekend of football.
3 Things That Stood Out About the Bills:
1) Karlos Williams looked good. First time the kid touches the ball he scores on a great run. He also looked like he knew what he was doing, as he would be at a stalemate at the line and he would just lower his helmet and get extra yards every time. It was incredible to see a 5th round pick do that. It makes it harder to miss Fred Jackson when you see a guy perform like that. A great find by Doug Whaley.
2) Percy Harvin caught everything that was thrown his way, including that beautiful 51 yard touchdown. If he stays healthy he could be a huge contributor to this team. I think it’s very possible that he can finally stay healthy now that he is not the primary return man.
3) The stadium was insane. I’ve been going to Bills games my whole life and have always thought that the loudest that stadium could ever get was when they finally beat the Patriots a couple years back. I now think that yesterday is the new measuring stick. The Ralph was rocking!! There was a point after a Bills score and I turned to the guy next to me and as we were high fiving we screamed we deserve this. The Bills deserve this and all the hope that the fans always have is meaningful for once. As a season ticket holder I have been through so many games that started well only for the Bills to disappoint the fans, and when the Colts finally got on the board after that terrible penalty by Darby it could’ve given the crowd flashbacks and deflated them. Not this time. The fans stuck with it and kept the stadium and everyone in it positive. Hats off to you fans!
Around the NFL – 3 Things That Stood Out:
1) Tom Brady looks as good as ever. I know in preseason we saw the Steelers show off an absolutely horrible defense when they came to Buffalo. That doesn’t change the fact that Tom Brady and company pretty much did whatever they wanted offensively. From Dion Lewis screen passes to Edelman dump offs, Tom Brady looked good and the Bills defense better be ready for Sunday which I doubt they won’t be under Rex.
Chip Kelly made some questionable decisions in the week one for the Eagles (Getty Images)
2) What is going on in Philadelphia? The genius Chip Kelly gets DeMarco Murray, the man who lead the league in rushing on his team and he only gets 9 rushing yards?! How about when the game is on the line and he elects to kick a 44 yard field goal instead of going for it on 4th and short while trailing late in the 4th quarter? Not a great first game of the season for Chip.
3) Marcus Mariota had 4 touchdowns in the 1st half of his NFL debut. That’s as impressive as it can get, granted it was vs. the Buccaneers but when you start a career off like that your confidence could not be higher. On the opposite side of the field, Jameis Winston’s first NFL throw was also a touchdown just not for his team. A pick six isn’t how you want to start your career but at least the worst possible outcome for a QB has already happened so he got that out of the way. Pick six in a NFL debut loss, check.
Bills Rookie round-up: Week 1
Karlos Williams had a great mix of power and speed in his NFL debut (Getty Images)
Ronald Darby
He had a very shaky and uneasy preseason, right? Well none of that matters after the game on Sunday. He had a great game going up against one of the top QBs in the NFL in Andrew Luck. 3 pass deflections and 1 interception, great rookie debut.
John Miller
He had a great first NFL start. Being part of an offensive line that doesn’t allow a sack is great being on that line while being a rookie is even better.
Karlos Williams
As I said earlier, his first NFL carry is his first NFL touchdown. Anytime you can say that you’re doing pretty good for yourself. He showed off a good mix of power and speed. He picked up right where he left off before he suffered an injury towards the end of preseason. He with the help of a win really help ease the pain for some after the team cut Fred Jackson 2 weeks ago.
The Tyrod Tracker:
Taylor made plays with his arm and his legs in first regular season action with the Bills (Getty Images)
Believe it or not Tyrod was not officially the starting QB on Sunday. Matt Cassel took the first snap from the Center for the Bills, as they lined up for a trick play that had Tyrod at WR. Tyrod looked really good on Sunday. I watched the All 22 Coaches Film this morning and admired the way he sat in the pocket and actually looked for the open receiver. The past couple of years that was something the Bills were lacking. Tyrod didn’t miss a beat and proved his preseason wasn’t a fluke. He finished the day with 195 yards, a 51 yard touchdown, a 123.8 passer rating, and a 73.7 completion percentage. He also carried the ball 6 times for 45 yards. (Not including the 3 kneel downs at the end of the game.) Interesting: Sunday’s touchdown to Percy Harvin was Tyrod’s 1st career touchdown
Bully Watch:
The Bills had 11 penalties for 113 yards on Sunday. Richie Incognito Graded out as the best player on the field at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday. Pro Football Focus graded him at +3.5, which is also good enough to make him the 2nd best Left Guard in the league.
Up Next:
In case you live under a rock the New England Patriots come to town on Sunday. Unlike what Roger Goodell hoped for, Tom Brady’s suspension didn’t hold up and he’s playing like he has a chip on his shoulder. This will be a great test to see where the Bills are currently at in their hopes of making the playoffs. New England has always been the measuring stick to see how real the Bills are, but I ask this: please don’t make beating New England on Sunday your goal for the season. It’s just one game. No one has ever clinched a playoff berth in September, if they win be happy, but if they lose don’t act like the season is at a loss. If this Bills team is special compared to the others then they’ll win no matter who they are playing. Just have to keep the faith all year long.
– Zack El-Sharif
HARD FOUL SPORTS 