THE BILLS REMAIN ALIVE....BRRRRRLY AND BARELY
Sunday’s Buffalo Bills 13-7 overtime victory over the visiting Indianapolis won’t be forgotten for a long time.
Why? A blizzard + a victory.
It wasn’t pretty. But it was fun. It was – in a strange way—a classic.
The weather was so miserable that you must be proud if you were there to suffer through it and rejoice at the finish. The players who battled through the elements and the fans who were singing Christmas songs at New Era Field get extra credit. I was shivering and I was watching the game in my office.
The game was lacking in good plays. But there were some timely ones.
The gritty Colts gambled late in regulation on a two-point conversion try to go for an 8-7 win. They converted but a zebra flag materialized long after the play and Indy had to settle for a game-tying PAT. The Bills were due for a helpful flag but would it have been called in Indianapolis? Doubtful.
After the game, Bills coach Sean McDermott was roundly second-guessed by some fans and media for punting from Indy’s 41-yard line on fourth-and-one with 4:13 left in overtime.
As it played out, McDermott was absolutely correct. The Colts did nothing in the adverse conditions – as McDermott correctly figured -- and punted. Buffalo regained possession on its own 35-yard line with 2:34 remaining and was in position for the game-winning field goal when LeSean McCoy broke loose for his game-ending 21-yard TD.
The bottom line: If the Bills didn’t get the ball back after McDermott ordered the punt, his move would’ve been vilified by everyone – and justifiably so. But his strategy worked to perfection – so why knock him?
McCoy had a tremendous afternoon (36 carries for 156 yards). It sometimes looked the other players were on ice skates and he had snowshoes.
So the Bills are 7-6 with three games to go – home against Miami, at New England and at Miami. The computers are giving Buffalo about a 25 percent chance to make the playoffs. There is reason to hope – and stay interested in something other than the 2018 NFL college draft.
Can they win all three games down the stretch (home Sunday versus Miami, then at New England and at Miami) to finish 10-6 and probably make the playoffs? I hope so – but I don’t think so.
There might be more blizzards for the next two games. That would be helpful. But the weather figures to be pretty nice in Miami December 31.
I don’t think these Bills are an above-average team and the injury list continues to grow. But they sure aren’t quitters.
WHAT TEAM CAN TOUCH THE YANKEES?
The shocking trade for slugger Giancarlo Stanton makes the New York Yankees the favorite to win the 2018 World Series.
Here’s my preferred lineup:
LF/CF Brett Gardner
DH/LF/RF Aaron Judge
1B Greg Bird (right-handed hitter between the two right-handed sluggers; would probably be good for 120-plus RBI)
RF/DH/LF Giancarlo Stanton
C Gary Sanchez
SS Didi Gregorius
CF/DH Aaron Hicks
3B Chase Headley
2B Gleyber/Torres/Ronaldo Torreyes.
Some observers are wondering if the Yankees have enough pitching to be the designated World Series team-to-beat. I’m not buying that criticism.
Starting pitchers – Masahiro Tanaka...Luis Severino...Sonny Gray...CC Sabathia...Jordan Montgomery...Bryan Mitchell...Chad Green in case he is needed.
Set-up men – Tommy Kahnle...Adam Warren...Chad Green if he isn’t in the rotation.
Closer-types – David Robertson...Dellin Betances...Aroldis Chapman.
What’s wrong with that staff?
A FEW MORE THOUGHTS ON THE STANTON-YANKEES
The Yankees will be a hot ticket and can’t-miss cable TV. They’ll bury the Mets in coverage by the tabloids.
My over/under numbers: Wins by the Yankees 103...Combined HRs by Stanton/Judge 105.
The MLB record for HRs in one season by teammates is 115 by Roger Maris 61/Mickey Mantle 54 in 1961.
I think it is a fair bet that a Yankee will win the 2018 Home Run Derby.
With the additions of Stanton to the Yankees and Japanese pitcher-hitter sensation Shohei Ohtani to the Los Angeles Angels, the American League gets just that much better than the National League.
After Miami traded second baseman Dee Gordon to and Stanton to the Yankees, why would anyone want to be a Marlins fan?
THE REVISED ODDS TO WIN THE 2018 WORLD SERIES
The trade for 2017 National League Most Valuable Player Giancarlo Stanton has made the Yankees the new favorite in Bovada odds to win the 2018 World Series:
Yankees 5-to-1...Astros and Dodgers each 6-to-1...Indians 7 ½-to-1...Nationals and Red Sox each 10-to-1...Cubs 12-to-1....Cardinals 18-to-1...Diamondbacks 22-to-1...Angels and Giants each 25-to-1...Mets 28-to-1...Mariners 33-to-1...Blue Jays, Brewers and Rays each 40-to-1...Rockies 50-to-1...Rangers and White Sox each 66-to-1...Braves, Orioles, Royals and Twins each 75-to-1...A’s, Marlins, Phillies, Padres, Pirates and Reds each 100-to-1...Tigers 150-to-1.
THE AMERKS KEEP ROLLING...WHAT ARE YOU DOING FRIDAY NIGHT?
Are you hockey fans warming up to these Rochester Americans yet?
They’re coming off a terrific weekend on the road: won 2-1 at Springfield Friday night...lost 3-2 in a shootout at Hartford Saturday night...hopped on the bus... then won 4-1 at the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Sunday afternoon.
They earned five of a possible six points.
Through 25 games, the Amerks are 14-5-3-3 and have 34 of 50 possible points (sixth-best point percentage in the 30-team American Hockey League).
In 14 road games, the Amerks are 8-1-3-2 (21 of 28 possible points).
This is a nice blend of promising young players, hard-working veterans, balanced scoring, good defensemen and excellent goaltending from Linus Ullmark and Adam Wilcox.
The Amerks are home Wednesday against the Utica Comets and Friday against the AHL-best Toronto Marlies (20-5-0-0 record; outscoring opponents 83-47) – could this be a good, old-fashioned Friday night sellout?
WELCOME BACK CODY JAMIESON
There were plenty of things to like about the Rochester Knighthawks 17-6 romp over the Calgary Roughnecks in their National Lacrosse League opener Saturday night at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.
The Knighthawks were the NLL’s lowest-scoring team last season. They averaged 9.7ngoaqls per game. The most goals they scored in a game was 15. They scored in single digits 11 out of their 18 games.
Dangerous Dan Dawson had 3 goals and 3 assists to earn Second Star honors.
Joe Resetarits had 2 goals and 4 assists.
Cory Vitarelli, off summer surgery for a sports hernia, had 2 goals.
Kyle Jackson and Josh Currier each had 2 goals.
Rookie Jake Witters won 18 of 22 faceoffs.
Matt Vinc had 40 saves on 46 shots and was First Star. The defense in front of him did a good job.
Calgary star scorers Curtis Dickson and Dave Dobbie combined for zero goals.
Best of all – 2014 NLL MVP Cody Jamieson, coming off reconstructive knee surgery – had a triumphant return with 1 goal and 2 assists. He was Third Star.
The only negative was the attendance – 4,596 for the home and season opener. The slump for Rochester’s pro sports teams (what is left of them) continues.
Hopefully Saturday night’s offensive explosion will help boost attendance for the next game. Can’t hate the opponent and the date: Buffalo Bandits, December 23, at Blue Cross Arena.
SHORT SHOTS
There were three NLL openers last Friday night: Colorado won 15-8 before 3,201 fans in Vancouver...New England beat visiting defending NLL champion Georgia 13-11 before 5,489 fans...Buffalo beat visiting Toronto 13-9 before 11,516 fans.
Former Rochester Rattlers mainstays John Galloway, Joel White, Jeremy Boltus and John Lade have signed with the now-Dallas Rattlers after deciding not to sign elsewhere in Major League Lacrosse as veteran free agents.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO...
Monday, December 11
Jacoby Brissett (24)...Malcolm Brogdon (25)...Roy Hibbert (31)...Zach Miller (32)...Roman Harper (35)...Shareef Abdur Rahim (41)...Daniel Alfredsson (45)...Vonnie Holliday (42)...Rey Mysterio Jr. (43)...Willie McGinest (46)...Derek Bell (49)...Dave Gagner (53)...J.P. Parise (76). John Kerry (74) is invited to the birthday party. Baseball Hall of Famer Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn was born in Rochester on this date 163 years ago (1854) and died in 1897 at age 42.
Tuesday, December 12
Mike Glennon (28)...Alfred Morris (29)...Revin Santana (35)...Orlando Brown (47)...Kurt Schulz (49)...Haywood Jeffires (53)...Tracy Austin (55)...Mike Golic (55)...Rubin Carter (65)...Cathy Rigby McCoy (65)...Billy Smith (67)...Gorman Thomas (67)...Emerson Fittipaldi (71)...Ralph Garr (72)...Bob Pettit (85). Dionne Warwick (77) and Bob Barker (94) are invited to the birthday party.