Rikers Island correction officer cleared of wrongdoing after city paid $9M over detainee's assault: report
New York City Correction Officer Charlie Bracey was accused of not intervening fast enough in the near-fatal beating of a Rikers Island detainee whom the city agreed to pay $9 million.
foxnews.comDepleted Bills produce a dud in playoff loss to Bengals
Adversity finally caught up to the Buffalo Bills, who were left depleted and defeated while closing an emotionally draining season two wins short of their Super Bowl aspirations. Unable to draw on the motivational inspiration of injured teammate Von Miller displaying the Super Bowl trophy he won last year in the locker room this week or injured safety Damar Hamlin’s surprise appearance at the stadium Sunday, the Bills delivered a dud in a 27-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in a divisional playoff game. “Keep their head up,” coach Sean McDermott said he told his players afterward.
news.yahoo.comBills' Hamlin faces long recovery, family spokesman tells AP
A family spokesman for Damar Hamlin tells The Associated Press the Buffalo Bills safety still faces a long rehabilitation despite enjoying a remarkable recovery some three weeks after having to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati.
AFC-leading Bills adapt, overcome myriad challenges
A case can be made that no NFL team this season has been better than the Buffalo Bills at overcoming myriad on- and off-field challenges and distractions. Whether dealing with weather-related disruptions, shuffling lineups due to injuries, or changing course to address in-game deficiencies, the Sean McDermott-coached Bills (12-3) have proven resourceful in building an AFC-leading record. The Bills have won six straight, a run that began when their “home” game against Cleveland was shifted to Detroit because of a major snowstorm hitting western New York.
news.yahoo.comBills' Sean McDermott sparks Stefon Diggs touchdown with sideline chat: ‘He always has the right words to say'
A heartfelt chat between Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott and Stefon Diggs during Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns was apparently just what the star wideout needed.
foxnews.comBills beat Browns 31-23 after snow shifts game to Motor City
Josh Allen threw a go-ahead, 5-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs late in the first half and Buffalo beat the Cleveland Browns 31-23 after the NFL moved the Bills’ home game to Detroit due to several feet of snow blanketing western New York.
Bills release punter Matt Araiza after gang rape allegation
In the face of a major public backlash and internal questions over the decision to award Matt Araiza the punting job, the Buffalo Bills reversed course by cutting the rookie on Saturday, two days after a lawsuit was filed alleging the player and two college teammates gang-raped a teenager last fall.
Bills release punter Matt Araiza after gang rape allegation
In the face of a major public backlash and internal questions over the decision to award Matt Araiza the punting job, the Buffalo Bills reversed course by cutting the rookie on Saturday, two days after a lawsuit was filed alleging the player and two college teammates gang-raped a teenager last fall. The decision to cut ties with their sixth-round draft pick out of San Diego State comes after Buffalo cleared the way for Araiza to take over the punting duties by releasing returning veteran Matt Haack on Monday. The Bills opted then to keep Araiza even while being aware of the allegations made against him since late July.
news.yahoo.comBills appear in denial as playoff hopes begin to sink
The Buffalo Bills appear to be in denial identifying their shortcomings and the challenges ahead in staying afloat in the AFC playoff picture. There was coach Sean McDermott suggesting not to give Patriots coach Bill Belichick too much credit in dismissing a question over New England’s run-heavy plan.
news.yahoo.comSpagnuolo defense perfect complement to elite Chiefs offense
FILE - Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo addresses the media during a news conference at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., in this Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020, file photo. “That game," Brady said Monday, “is one of my least favorite football memories.”He hopes he can reflect on Sunday with a bit more joy. Brady will once again lead his offense against Spagnuolo's defense, only this time it will be his Tampa Bay Buccaneers facing the defending champion Chiefs in the Super Bowl. It also will be a rematch of a game earlier this season, when once more Spagnuolo kept Brady off balance as Kansas City coasted to a 27-24 victory in Tampa Bay. All traits that Mathieu shares with the entire Chiefs defense.
Chiefs' Mathieu making most of opportunity in Kansas City
Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) returns an interception during the second half of an NFL divisional round football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Kansas City. After helping the Chiefs win their first Super Bowl in five decades last season, Mathieu has followed up with what can only be described as the best season of his career. On a quarter of snaps this season, he's lined up in the deep safety spot. You know that if you feed something to Tyrann, he’s going to get it and he’s going to know why,” Spagnuolo said. “I think any position on the field allows you the chance to make plays,” Mathieu said.
D-coordinators bring head coaching chops to NFL title games
But all are credited with providing a steady helping hand, a sturdy shoulder and a willing ear to their team’s current head coach. PETTINEPettine went 10-22 (.313) as head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2014-15, before joining Matt LaFleur, who was named Packers head coach in 2018 after just two seasons as an offensive coordinator, a year each with the Rams and Titans. Arians brought along Bowles, whom he coached at Temple in the mid-1980s and who had been his defensive coordinator in Arizona from 2013-14. It began with Frazier saying he didn’t want McDermott to make the same mistakes he did as a first-time head coach. It’s a business with a lot of egos, a lot of people concerned with who gets the credit.”SPAGNUOLOSpagnuolo, 61, compiled an 11-41 record (.212) as head coach of the St. Louis Rams from 2009-11 and as interim head coach of the New York Giants in 2017, when he went 1-3.
Big offenses, overlooked defenses in AFC title game
The Kansas City Chiefs won their first NFL title since 1970 when they beat San Francisco in last year's Super Bowl. What we get Sunday is a matchup of dynamic offenses and overlooked defenses, the top two teams in the conference. Kansas City (15-2) has the confidence of a reigning champion and a charisma few NFL teams can match. That could provide an edge over Bills rookie Tyler Bass — except that Bass has been very reliable all season. Buffalo punter Corey Bojorquez and Kansas City rookie Johnny Townsend were two of the most dependable in the AFC.
Chiefs’ Reid, Bills’ McDermott to match wits for AFC title
Funny thing: Even after firing him, Reid suspected deep down that McDermott was destined for big things. McDermott has the long-suffering Buffalo Bills playing in their first AFC championship game since beating Kansas City on Jan. 23, 1994, when they advanced to their fourth straight Super Bowl. They love football in Buffalo and he's really done a nice job with that whole program.”Not surprisingly, the job McDermott has done with the Bills neatly parallels the job Reid has done in Kansas City. Both have surrounded them with playmakers, such as the Bills' Stefon Diggs and the Chiefs' Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. McDermott never harbored any animosity toward Reid when he was fired from the Eagles on Jan. 15, 2011.
Bills among the NFL's 4 defenses peaking in the postseason
Buffalo Bills' Micah Hyde (23) celebrates with teammates after an NFL divisional round football game against the Baltimore Ravens Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Leslie Frazier’s faith in his Bills defense never wavered even at the lowest point of Buffalo’s season. It was mid-November and the Bills were entering their bye week on the heels of a 32-30 defeat at Arizona. In the NFC, the Packers are allowing an average 306 yards offense over their past seven outings. Here comes Patrick Mahomes, should he clear the NFL’s concussion protocol, and the league’s top-ranked offense.
Allen, Jackson set for playoff showdown as Bills host Ravens
FILE - Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) talks with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) following a 24-17 Ravens win in an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., in this Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, file photo. It happened in the 2018 season opener, when the then-raw rookie Bills quarterback was shoved into the Ravens' sideline. Much like Jackson, Allen prefers putting the past behind him and focusing on the next challenge. “We’ve had our backs against the wall since the Pittsburgh game,” Harbaugh said. The Bills limited the Ravens to only 118 yards rushing in last year’s meeting, a 24-17 Ravens win.
Reich remains focused on game with return to Buffalo looming
FILE - Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich stands on the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, in this Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, file photo. Reich, a former quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, returns to Orchard Park, N.Y. for an NFL wild-card football game against the Bills on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. This week will be different, though, as Reich takes his new team to his old stomping grounds for Saturday's wild-card game. But when Josh McDaniels backed out of his deal to join the Colts, Reich was perfectly positioned to return to another of his favorite cities, Indianapolis. “We’re each our best when we’re ourselves," Colts quarterback Philip Rivers said.
Mahomes leads champion Chiefs to 14-2 mark in stacked AFC
While the Chiefs get another week’s rest, the six other AFC playoff teams get going this weekend. For just the second time since the 1970 league merger, every team in the AFC playoffs has at least 11 wins. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 54, 31-20 over the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 2, 2020, at Miami. Last Lombardi: Super Bowl 43, 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Feb. 1, 2009, at Tampa, Florida. Their pass rush is nearly nonexistent with 19 sacks, the fewest by a playoff team since Denver had 19 in 1979.
Dreadful heat, humidity invade South as misery continues
It was just as sizzling along the Gulf Coast in south Alabama and along the Florida Panhandle. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are prime threats during heat waves, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Spartanburg, South Carolina, the Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills practiced together before a preseason NFL game in Charlotte, North Carolina. Over the weekend, Panthers coach Ron Rivera had some fun with Bills coach Sean McDermott, sending a screenshot of the heat index in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Associated Press writers Diana Heidgerd in Dallas; Rebecca Santana in New Orleans; and Steve Reed in Spartanburg, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
chicagotribune.com