![[BN] Blitz newsletter: Could Sunday be Kyle Williams’ last game?](https://res.cloudinary.com/demo/image/fetch/w_340,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://s3.amazonaws.com/bncore/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/BNblitz-Kyle-Williams-95-Bills-03.jpg)
It's amazing to think that Kyle Williams could end his 12-year career this weekend, and Sunday will be the first time he'll enter Week 17 still alive for the playoffs. The Bills need help to qualify, but it sure would be fitting for the player who has been the heart of the team for the last decade to go out by ending the drought, Jerry Sullivan wrote. Williams admitted that he is carrying the torch for ex-Bills who never made it to the postseason, but he's still taking it one game at a time. He wouldn't give any indication Wednesday on his future plans. "Any time you're part of a team long enough, you don't want the successes and failures to define you," he said. "You want it to be the relationships and things like that. At the same time, there's 53 guys in here that are working for a common goal that put a ton of work in. It's about our team. It's about our organization more than anything." Rebuild in process: Bills coach Sean McDermott said earning a playoff spot would be … [Read more...] about [BN] Blitz newsletter: Could Sunday be Kyle Williams’ last game?
Games
Scouting report for Ravens-Bengals game Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium
RAVENS PASSING GAME: The Ravens aren’t consistently getting big plays downfield as they average a league-low 5.8 yards per passing attempt, but Joe Flacco is having success working the short and intermediate areas and not forcing throws. Flacco has eight touchdown passes and two interceptions over his past six games. Those are the Ravens’ only two turnovers since their Week 10 bye. Ten receivers caught passes last week against the Indianapolis Colts with Jeremy Maclin sidelined.BENGALS PASSING GAME: Andy Dalton’s 60.6 percent completion rate is his worst since his rookie campaign in 2011. His 206.5 passing yards per game is also a career low. In 12 career games against the Ravens, Dalton has thrown 17 interceptions. It’s inconceivable that a team with all-world receiver A.J. Green ranks last in total offense and 28th in passing offense and points per game. The Bengals have used seven offensive line combinations this year. Dalton has been sacked 38 times.EDGE: … [Read more...] about Scouting report for Ravens-Bengals game Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium
Homeroom Announcements: Thursday’s big games & more
Get yourself ready for today's #PrepTalkLive action with everything you need to know about the day ahead in high school sports. What to watch for Thursday 1. Girls lacrosse - Section VI championships Much like the boys yesterday, the top two seeds in each class face off at Williamsville North for Section VI girls lacrosse titles. Class C: 1-Lake Shore vs. 2-Amherst, 3:30 p.m. Class D: 1-Eden vs. 2-Gowanda, 4 p.m. Class A: 1-Lancaster vs. 2-Orchard Park, 5:30 p.m. Class B: 1-Frontier vs. 2-Hamburg, 6 p.m. 2. Baseball - Georgetown Cup semifinals St. Joe's and Canisius both forced game sevens with wins yesterday, which means today's winners earn spots in next week's Georgetown Cup finals at Coca-Cola Field. 3-St. Francis at 2-Canisius, 4 p.m. at Delaware Park 4-St. Mary's of Lancaster at 1-St. Joe's, 4:30 p.m. St. Joe's, Canisius even Georgetown Cup series 3. Boys tennis - NYSPHSAA Championships The state boys tennis championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in … [Read more...] about Homeroom Announcements: Thursday’s big games & more
This Day in Bills History, Dec. 28: A home playoff game
Dec. 28, 1996 – The Super Bowls had stopped coming for the Bills by this time, and the nucleus of great players that made many great moments possible was starting to go its separate ways. A playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars turned out to be one of those moments when it became obvious that the “glory days” were about gone. The Bills had beaten the Chiefs in the season finale to return to the postseason after missing the playoffs in 1995. There was hope that coach Marv Levy could get one more great run out of a familiar cast. The game went back and forth. Quarterback Jim Kelly left the game a bit early, as he took a hit in the game and felt groggy. Running back Thurman Thomas couldn’t finish the game because of a bad ankle. Mike Hollis’ 45-yard field goal in the fourth quarter was the difference in Jacksonville’s 30-27 win. Center Kent Hull, whose retirement was expected, was misty-eyed on the sidelines in the final seconds. Kelly later … [Read more...] about This Day in Bills History, Dec. 28: A home playoff game
The five most gloriously immersive video games of 2017
If time is money, escapism is 2017’s best value. Between America’s political meltdown and other alarming world events, the pull of video games has only grown stronger. But unlike a fancy meal or few tickets to an IMAX movie, the $60 you spend on a new, top-tier (or AAA, as the industry calls them) video game can net you literally hundreds of hours of entertainment — as opposed to just a couple. Of course, you need to be willing to invest that amount of time to get the payoff, and not all of us are, for myriad reasons. But as a lifelong gamer who enjoys nothing more than ending my days in far-off worlds — whether it’s a painstakingly recreated Egypt or a sci-fi universe that has never existed — these five titles were worth every minute of my time. Horizon: Zero Dawn Assassin’s Creed: Origins Mass Effect Andromeda Transformers: Forged to Fight Destiny 2 Also worth checking out from 2017: Note: Without a Nintendo Switch console, I was … [Read more...] about The five most gloriously immersive video games of 2017
Comebacks and surprises highlight best games of 2017
Eddie Pells, Ap National Writer Updated 1:28 pm, Saturday, December 30, 2017 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-5', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 5', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-10', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 10', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); Photo: John Bazemore, AP Image 1of/10 CaptionClose Image 1 of 10 FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2017, file photo, Clemson's Deshaun Watson celebrates a last second game-winning touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow in the second half of the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Alabama in Tampa, Fla. less FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2017, … [Read more...] about Comebacks and surprises highlight best games of 2017
Texans’ T.J. Yates rendered ineffectual in last two games
By Aaron Wilson, Houston Chronicle Updated 8:09 pm, Wednesday, December 27, 2017 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-5', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 5', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-10', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 10', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-14', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 14', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); Photo: Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Image 1of/14 CaptionClose Image 1 of 14 PHOTOS: John … [Read more...] about Texans’ T.J. Yates rendered ineffectual in last two games
Denver Nuggets’ defense locks down Utah Jazz to win third straight game
Two days before Christmas, the Nuggets held the sharpshooting defending champion Golden State Warriors to an ice-cold 3-of-27 performance from beyond the 3-point line. Less than 24 hours before that, Denver handled a Portland team without star point guard Damian Lillard. Coach Michael Malone had hoped his team did not turn satisfied over a two-day holiday respite, that the Nuggets would keep their sense of urgency against a Northwest division foe that had already thumped Denver twice this season. So the Nuggets again leaned on their defense against Utah, holding the Jazz to its second-lowest shooting performance of the season in a 107-83 victory Tuesday night at Pepsi Center. “To do it three games in a row, to defend at that kind of level, is outstanding,” Malone said. “I thought the defense was phenomenal (positions) 1 through 5, no matter who we put in a game. “When we value the ball like that and we defend the way we’re defending, I don’t think … [Read more...] about Denver Nuggets’ defense locks down Utah Jazz to win third straight game
Broncos expect to start Paxton Lynch at QB in final game before offseason changes begin
The lasting image of the Broncos’ 16-point loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday probably won’t be the poor decision by a rookie receiver that cost Denver a field goal. It probably won’t be the final five minutes of the first half that turned a close game into an ugly defeat for the Broncos. And it probably won’t be the myriad protection issues from the offensive line, or the breakdowns on defense. It’ll probably be a 12-second clip of quarterback Brock Osweiler, screaming to his teammates on the bench and seemingly getting no response. Not even a glance. #Broncos QB Brock Osweiler is yelling at his teammates on the sidelines and no one cares about him pic.twitter.com/uMNGM37BO1 — Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 24, 2017 “I haven’t seen it. I’ve heard about it,” Broncos coach Vance Joseph said Tuesday. “That’s Brock. One thing about Brock, guys, is he provides a leadership quality that we hadn’t … [Read more...] about Broncos expect to start Paxton Lynch at QB in final game before offseason changes begin
Anti-gambling crusader who shut down raffles wins $25,000 in gaming parlor sweepstakes
Kathy Gilroy has crusaded against gambling in Illinois for decades, speaking out against casinos, illegal raffles and the recent wave of video poker cafes. As one of the most visible gaming opponents in the state, she has warned that the vice erodes society’s values and work ethic, takes money from poor people and can lead to addiction, bankruptcy, crime and suicide. Just this year, she blew the whistle on a $1.6 million Queen of Hearts raffle put on by the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in rural Morris, forcing it to shut down hours before the planned drawing, until the raffle was properly licensed. So even she concedes it may seem ironic that she recently won $25,000 by playing a sweepstakes game at a gambling cafe in her hometown of Villa Park. “I called a pastor friend, and said, ‘Oh my God, should I send it back? What do I do? Do I donate it?’” she said. “He said, ‘Don’t feel guilty. You just got paid for all your volunteer work … [Read more...] about Anti-gambling crusader who shut down raffles wins $25,000 in gaming parlor sweepstakes